| Mercy Graves | |
|---|---|
 Mercy Graves as depicted on a variant cover ofSuperman #6 (September 2023), art by Tiago da Silva. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman: The Animated Series "A Little Piece of Home (1996)" |
| First comic appearance | Superman Adventures #1 (November 1996) |
| Created by | Paul Dini Bruce Timm Hilary Bader |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Mercy Graves |
| Species | Human cyborg |
| Team affiliations | LexCorp |
| Abilities | Trained in hand-to-hand combat |
Mercy Graves is asupervillain appearing inmultimedia andAmerican comic books published byDC Entertainment andDC Comics. Created for theDC Animated Universe (DCAU), she first appeared in 1996 onSuperman: The Animated Series as thepersonal assistant and bodyguard ofSuperman'sarchenemyLex Luthor, returning inJustice League andJustice League Unlimited, voiced byLisa Edelstein.[1] She has since been introduced into comic books published byDC Comics.
In live-action, the character has been played byTao Okamoto in the 2016DC Extended Universe (DCEU) filmBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,[2]Rhona Mitra in thefourth season of the television seriesSupergirl, and byNatalie Gumede in thesecond andfourth seasons of the seriesTitans onDC Universe andHBO Max. Additionally, a character based on Graves namedTess "Mercy" Mercer appears inSmallville, portrayed byCassidy Freeman.
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Created for and introduced inSuperman: The Animated Series, Mercy Graves is a tough young woman with a checkered past, a sardonic wit, and skill in unarmed combat. While leading a gang of female thieves, she attempted to steal a briefcase fromLex Luthor. Though she failed, an impressed Luthor recognized her ruthlessness and street savvy, took her in, and eventually made her his personal bodyguard and chauffeur.
An alternate reality variant of Graves appears in the episode "Brave New Metropolis". After Luthor and Superman turned Metropolis into apolice state, Graves became the commander of the former's law enforcement group.
In theJustice League episode "Tabula Rasa", it is established that Graves took overLexCorp following Luthor's imprisonment. When he returns, she proves hesitant to return control to him. After he is re-imprisoned, she refuses to help him after he is diagnosed with cancer caused by prolonged exposure tokryptonite. Nonetheless, she returns to Luthor's side in theJustice League Unlimited episode "Clash".
Mercy Graves first appeared in the main DC Universe continuity inDetective Comics #735 (August 1999), during theNo Man's Land storyline. This version is blonde and often works with an additional bodyguard, Hope. Both are implied to beAmazons, with Graves being confirmed as such inJustice League: Cry for Justice.[3]
InInfinity, Inc., Graves adopts the secret identity of "Vanilla" and joins the eponymous team in the hopes of atoning for her misdeeds. However, she leaves after almost beating a man to death.
InThe New 52, Graves is reintroduced as Luthor'sAsian American personal assistant who manages LexCorp in his absence.[4]
In "Lazarus Planet", Graves becomes ametahuman cyborg after being exposed to Lazarus Pit resin.[5]
