| DeSaad | |
|---|---|
.png) DeSaad as depicted inSuperman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #1 (April 1994). Art byDan Jurgens andBrett Breeding. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Forever People #2 (May 1971) |
| Created by | Jack Kirby |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | DeSaad |
| Species | New God |
| Place of origin | Apokolips |
| Team affiliations | Darkseid's Elite |
| Notable aliases | Doctor Dezard, the God of Torture, the Grand Director[1] |
| Abilities |
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DeSaad (also spelledDesaad) is asupervillain, appearing in books published byDC Comics. He is one of the followers ofDarkseid from the planetApokolips inJack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series.[2]
As DeSaad serves as Darkseid's master torturer, his name refers to theMarquis de Sade. At one point, DeSaad had an assistant namedJusteen, a reference to de Sade's novelJustine, although she bore little resemblance to the title character.
Steve Byers portrays DeSaad in the television seriesSmallville. The character made his cinematic debut inZack Snyder's Justice League (2021), portrayed through voice andmotion capture byPeter Guinness.
DeSaad first appeared inForever People #2 (April/May 1971) and was created byJack Kirby.[3]
DeSaad was originally a New God fromNew Genesis who was manipulated byDarkseid, leader ofApokolips. Darkseid tricked DeSaad into believing that his cat had killed his other pet, a bird. Goading the boy to avenge the bird, Darkseid manipulates the youth into burying the cat alive. The bird returns, having flown off; in a rage, DeSaad kills the bird and leaves New Genesis to become Darkseid's lackey.[4]
DeSaad is seemingly killed during an attempt by Darkseid to penetrate theSource. He is subsequently found to have "bonded" withOrion, causing the latter to become cruel and manipulative. The two are later separated. While missing, DeSaad's second-in-command, Justeen, plots to overthrow him and become closer to her beloved Darkseid.[5]
InCountdown to Final Crisis, DeSaad captures and torturesMartin Stein, attempting to take the power ofFirestorm for himself. WhenJason Rusch arrives to rescue Stein, DeSaad hijacks the Firestorm matrix and takes control of it.[6] He is defeated and separated from the Firestorm matrix byAtomic Knight, but flees before he can be captured.[7] After disrupting a battle between Darkseid andMary Marvel, DeSaad gives Darkseid a compound that was unsuccessfully used to access the Anti-Life Equation. DeSaad is then released from Darkseid's service, but he has transported thePied Piper to Apokolips asBrother Eye arrives. DeSaad claims the Piper can channel the Anti-Life Equation and control the planet. Before the Piper can do so, Brother Eye finishes assimilating Apokolips. After recovering, DeSaad confesses to masterminding the Trickster and the Piper's ordeal.
InSalvation Run, DeSaad oversees the training of the New Gods of Apokolips on a planet whereAmanda Waller'sSuicide Squad had dumped the exiled villains. When he discovers them on this planet, he arranges for theParademons to eliminate the least powerful villains so that he can train the stronger ones for an unknown goal. Ultimately, the villains escape back to Earth.[8]
FollowingDeath of the New Gods, many of the fallen Apokoliptian gods had taken on human forms. DeSaad, posing as Doctor Bud Fogel, raises the public againstLex Luthor's Everyman experiments, eventually trapping and capturingInfinity, Inc. DeSaad makes further appearances in the seriesTerror Titans, where he conditions the Infinitors to fight in theDark Side Club'smetahuman tournament. After the brainwashed superhumans break free of the Anti-Life Equation, DeSaad is electrocuted and captured byStatic.
DeSaad is reintroduced following The New 52 relaunch, which rebooted the continuity of the DC Comics universe. DuringDarkseid's first incursion on Earth, DeSaad appears in Apokolips discussing withSteppenwolf about cloning theDNA of a captured and tortured Superman to create a new race of Parademon.[9] Five years later, he impersonatesMichael Holt, attempting to capturePower Girl.[10]
As a New God, DeSaad is nigh-immortal, being long-lived and immune to diseases and toxins. DeSaad is a brilliant inventor of weapons and a master of torture. DeSaad has created many torture machines and devices.
InThe New 52, DeSaad is strong and resistant enough to lift several tons easily and face powerful beings like Power Girl. In addition, he has a high level of invulnerability and is functionally immortal. DeSaad's powers include telepathy, absorption and control of emotions. DeSaad is able to enter people's minds to manipulate their emotions and feed on their worst feelings; even without manipulating them, he becomes more powerful. He has demonstrated the ability to createillusions either in its real form or in the form of other people. Another of his powers is the absorption of energy; he can feed on different types of energy and even manipulate it.
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