| Anti-Monitor | |
|---|---|
 The Anti-Monitor as depicted inWho's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #1 (March 1985). Art by George Pérez. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Cameo: Crisis on Infinite Earths #2 (May 1985) Full appearance: Crisis on Infinite Earths #6 (September 1985) |
| Created by | Marv Wolfman George Pérez Jerry Ordway |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Mobius |
| Team affiliations | Weaponers and Thunderers ofQward Shadow Demons Sinestro Corps Black Lantern Corps |
| Notable aliases | Monitor, Anti-God, The Destroyer |
| Abilities |
|
TheAnti-Monitor is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics.[1] He served as the mainantagonist of the 1985DC ComicsminiseriesCrisis on Infinite Earths and later appears as an enemy to theGreen Lantern Corps and theJustice League.[2]
In 2009, Anti-Monitor was ranked asIGN's 49th-greatestcomic book villain of all time.[3]
LaMonica Garrett portrayed the character as the main antagonist in theArrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths", as well as theMonitor.
The Anti-Monitor first appeared inCrisis on Infinite Earths #2 (although he remained in shadow untilCrisis on Infinite Earths #5) and was created byMarv Wolfman,George Pérez, andJerry Ordway.[4] He was believed to have been destroyed inCrisis on Infinite Earths #12, only to return after a long absence inGreen Lantern:Sinestro Corps Special #1 (August 2007).
During theCrisis on Infinite Earths, it was revealed how the existence of allparallel universes in theMultiverse came to be, including the positive matter multiverse and also the anti-matter universe, and how theMonitor and the Anti-Monitor came into existence; when the menace posed by the Anti-Monitor became apparent, several villains were sent back in time to stop him, but were defeated byKrona and the other Oans. Two beings were created, one on the moon ofOa and the other on the moon ofQward. On the moon of Oa, the being known as the Monitor was instantly aware of his counterpart, the Anti-Monitor. By this time the Anti-Monitor had quickly conquered Qward, as well as the rest of the anti-matter universe. In searching for other places to conquer, he also became aware of his counterpart. These two beings battled for a million years, unleashing great powers against each other, but to no avail. At the end of their stalemate, they simultaneously attacked one another, rendering both inert for nine billion years.[5]
InFinal Crisis, it was revealed that, in the wake of the birth of the original Multiverse, an unfathomable being of limitless imagination, the original Monitor, or Overmonitor, became aware of the life germinating in the multiverse, occupying the void space in which he resided and which he encompassed. Curious about it and wanting to interact with and know better the lesser life-forms birthed by the Multiverse, he fashioned a probe, a smaller Monitor. Unprepared to deal with the complexity of life and the passing of time, the probe split into two symmetrical, opposite beings: the Monitor, embodying the positive matter and goodness, and the Anti-Monitor, embodying anti-matter and evil.[6]
In more modern times,Pariah performs an experiment to view the multiverse, similar to the oneKrona attempted long ago.[citation needed] This results in the reawakening of both the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor and the destruction of Pariah's universe.[citation needed] The Anti-Monitor rebuilds his army, taking over Qward and using theThunderers and the Shadow Demons as an army.[citation needed]
The Anti-Monitor releases a massive anti-matter wave, absorbing the energies of destroyed positive matter universes and growing stronger as the Monitor weakens.[citation needed] The Monitor, along with his aideHarbinger, gathers a group of heroes and villains from various alternate universes to combat the Anti-Monitor.[7] One of Harbinger's duplicates is controlled by the Anti-Monitor and kills the Monitor. Before his death, the Monitor creates a pocket universe to contain the remaining realities from the Anti-Monitor's attack.[8]
The actions of theSpectre, empowered by the sorcerers of the surviving Earths, bring the Anti-Monitor to a stalemate. The villains of said Earths, sent to stop Krona from viewing the origins of the universe, fail due to squabbling, allowing Krona to see the hands of the Anti-Monitor and the Spectre struggling for domination, which destroys the multiverse and creates a new, singular universe. The Anti-Monitor, enraged, draws Earth into the anti-matter universe, intending to destroy it.[9] The combined efforts of various superheroes and villains weaken the Anti-Monitor enough forKal-L to deliver the final blow, destroying the Anti-Monitor by punching him into a star. Luthor, Kal-L,Lois Lane, andSuperboy-Prime escape into another dimension.[10]
InInfinite Crisis, the Superman and Lois Lane of Earth-Two, Superboy-Prime, and Alexander Luthor Jr. are revealed to be observing the events of the newly formed universe, as well as the actions of its heroes, from their pocket universe. They return to the main universe in an attempt to restore Earth-Two, at the expense ofEarth-One.[11]
The Anti-Monitor’s remains are recovered from deep space and used as the central component in the construction of a multiverse-tuning tower created by Alexander Luthor, similar to the ones used during the first Crisis.[12] The tower is destroyed during a battle betweenConner Kent and Superboy-Prime, during which Conner is killed.[13]
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At the end ofDC Comics' 2006 specialBrave New World, it is revealed that there are five figures calling themselves "theMonitors" watching over Earth. Four of the figures resemble the original Monitor, while the fifth resembles the Anti-Monitor.[14] InCountdown, it is revealed that there are fifty-two Monitors, with each representing a different universe.[15]
The Anti-Monitor is reborn following the recreation of the multiverse and influencesSinestro's ideology. He recruits Superboy-Prime,Cyborg Superman,Parallax, and Sinestro as his heralds.[16]
Shortly after, theSinestro Corps launches an attack on Earth. The Anti-Monitor travels to Earth aboardWarworld along with Sinestro. The Anti-Monitor siphons the positive matter of New York City to create antimatter waves, but is attacked by theGuardians of the Universe. He counters the attack, disfiguring the face ofScar. A vengeful Superboy-Prime, seeing an opportunity to kill the now-weakened Anti-Monitor, flies through the Anti-Monitor's armor and hurls his disintegrating body into space.[17]
The Anti-Monitor's body lands on a dark, lifeless planet, where he is imprisoned in theBlack Lantern Power Battery.[17] Scar, corrupted by the Anti-Monitor's energy, dispatches Green LanternsAsh andSaarek to recover the Anti-Monitor's body.[18]
Ash and Saarek find the Black Central Power Battery on the planet Ryut in Sector 666. They attempt to escape the planet, but two monstrous hands emerge from below them and drag them into the ground, killing them.[19]
When the Black Central Power Battery is brought to Earth, the Anti-Monitor stirs within, demanding to be let out, and begins drainingDove's energy to escape.[20] The Anti-Monitor is reanimated as a Black Lantern independent fromNekron's control, his undead body beginning to emerge from the Black Lantern battery.Guy Gardner ascertains that Nekron is using the Anti-Monitor as a source of energy to power the Black Lantern Corps. The Anti-Monitor is attacked by the various Lantern Corps as he is about to free himself from the battery. Combining their energies, the various Lantern Corps use Dove as a human bullet shooting the Anti-Monitor through the head, with the Black Lantern battery recovering him to continue siphoning his energy.[21]
The Anti-Monitor is eventually resurrected by aWhite Lantern ring and breaks free of the battery, fighting Nekron in revenge for imprisoning him. Nekron then banishes the Anti-Monitor back to the anti-matter universe.[22]
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Later, the Anti-Monitor is confronted by the White LanternBoston Brand.[23] As Brand is forced by the White Ring to "fight for his life", damaging the Anti-Monitor's chest plate armor, the Anti-Monitor retaliates by firing a burst of anti-matter energy at Brand, who evades the blast. The Anti-Monitor resumes his duties in the anti-matter universe while Brand leaves.[24] He commandsDeathstorm to bring the White Lantern battery to him as well as an army, at which point Deathstorm brings back the Black Lantern versions ofProfessor Zoom,Maxwell Lord,Hawk,Jade,Captain Boomerang,Martian Manhunter,Aquaman,Hawkman,Hawkgirl, Deadman, andOsiris.[25] Deathstorm is thwarted by Firestorm, who reclaims the battery.[26]
The Anti-Monitor is reintroduced in theForever Evil storyline, where he is revealed to have destroyedUltraman'sKrypton andEarth-3. As he is seen finishing off Earth-3, the Anti-Monitor declares "Darkseid shall be mine."[27]
WhenMetron confronts the Anti-Monitor amidst the ruins of Earth-3, it is revealed the Anti-Monitor is the former owner of Metron's Mobius Chair and that his true name is Mobius. He intends to make up for an unknown wrong he regrets, and to this end intends to kill Darkseid with the help of the latter's daughter Grail.[28][29]
After forcing the Flash to kill Darkseid, the Anti-Monitor cocoons himself in a shell of energy and emerges with a more humanoid appearance.[30][31] He has the upper hand until Grail appears with Steve Trevor in tow. She has transferred theAnti-Life Equation to him, making him into a new vessel for its power. Now a living weapon under Grail's control, Trevor releases a tremendous blast of power against Mobius, reducing him to a skeleton.[32]
In theDC Rebirth relaunch, it is revealed that the Monitor, the Anti-Monitor, and theWorld Forger were created by a Super Celestial namedPerpetua, who tasked them with monitoring their assigned realms. Anti-Monitor was tasked with preventing the light of creation from breaching the greater omniverse. If Anti-Monitor, his brothers, or Perpetua are destroyed, they regenerate in the Sixth Dimension.[33]
Anti-Monitor is one of the most formidable foes ever faced by the heroes of the DC Universe. He is directly responsible for more deaths than any other known DC supervillain, having destroyed thousands of universes. The Anti-Monitor possesses immense strength and durability, the ability to absorb and project energy, and nigh-immortality.
The Anti-Monitor appears inJustice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, voiced byAto Essandoh.[37][38]
The Anti-Monitor makes a cameo appearance inJustice League Unlimited #32.
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