7 Great DC Villains Who Are Currently Dead

While the death of a hero is not an uncommon sight in the DC Universe, villains die at a much greater frequency. That’s understandable, of course, given the high stakes these rogues generally play for. But in a world where superheroes and villains can come back from the dead, it’s a bit odd when some don’t. Some villains, once they shuffle off the mortal coil, don’t ever come back; rather, they stay dead with no hint of an eventual resurrection. And sure, nothing’s impossible, but not every villain gets a second chance.

While the rest of the DC Universe might not shed tears for these fallen foes, it’s interesting to take a look at the villains who have met their maker and, to this day, are still dead. Personally, I would have expected a revival for characters like Ursa or the Daniel West iteration of Reverse-Flash. But DC Comics has kept these villains in the cold ground and there’s no hint that any of them are coming back. Read on to discover 7 DC Comics villains that are currently deceased.

7. Doctor Destiny

John Dee, aka Doctor Destiny, is one of the first villains ever encountered by the Justice League. But his history with them came to an end in the Knight Terrors event when he was used by the villainous Insomnia to kickstart his reign of terror across the globe. When all was said and done, the world mostly returned to normal, but Doctor Destiny did not survive the night. It was an unexpected end for one of the League’s oldest foes, and it was ironic that a villain who caused heroes bad dreams died in a nightmare himself.

6. Ursa

Those in the DC Universe may fear General Zod, but they had just as much reason to beware his companion, Ursa. She was just as brutal as her husband and served him faithfully for years. However, Zod and Ursa’s attempt to recreate Kryptonian society failed when the planet they chose to colonize was attacked by Khunds. Somehow, the warrior race managed to get the upper hand on Ursa and killed her. Ursa’s death sparked a major fire within General Zod, and with her still gone, his rage is building and set to go off any day now.

5. Mister Bloom

I think we all remember Mister Bloom, one of the standout original villains from the New 52 Batman run. He was a real fan-favorite, but sadly, that didn’t mean much when he was made a member of Task Force Z. After being forced to join the squad, Bloom turned on Task Force Z, roping in a mind-controlled Gotham to rebel against his team. However, Gotham dispatched of Bloom, and though not shown, Gotham confirmed that they don’t have to worry about him anymore. Truly an unceremonious end for a beloved villain.

4. Reverse-Flash (Daniel West)

It really is kind of unfair that the Eobard Thawne version of Reverse-Flash can die over and over again and stick around thanks to time-loop shenanigans, while the Daniel West version never even got over his death. West was the New 52 Reverse-Flash, and while he was just as embittered as one would expect him to be, he actually developed into a decent anti-hero when he briefly served on the Suicide Squad. However, he met his end serving with the team, but in the end, he at least made up for his life of villainy (unlike other Reverse-Flashes).

3. Imperiex

Can you believe that DC Comics has its own Galactus, but it only ever really used him for one major event? Imperiex was the living embodiment of entropy and was the major threat behind the “Our Worlds at War” storyline. As the avatar of entropy, he set out to usher in the end of the DC Universe, but his efforts were stymied by Superman (along with assistance from other heroes and even Lex Luthor). Imperiex was sent back in time and destroyed, and given the immense threat that he presented, it’s probably for the best that Imperiex hasn’t come back.

2. The Brain

While the DC Universe has no short supply of mad scientists, I feel a serious absence as long as the Doom Patrol’s greatest enemy isn’t around. The Brain was last seen in Unstoppable Doom Patrol, but in the series’ debut issue, he and his longtime partner, Monsieur Mallah, had a major falling out. Mallah crushed the Brain’s fancy new robot body and destroyed the last living piece of the super-criminal’s body. I was shocked this wasn’t a fake-out and even more surprised that DC Comics has kept the Brain dead as long as it has.

1. Failsafe

It was wild to me that for about 2 years, the DC Universe was plagued by one of Batman’s greatest and deadliest weapons. Failsafe is a backup designed by Batman (or rather, the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh). And like Batman, this automaton is prepared for everything, from tracking down Batman to the ends of the Earth to going toe-to-toe with the Justice League. It was so competent, Amanda Waller recovered it and used it for her mission in Absolute Power. But the android was destroyed when the heroes fought back, and thankfully, this threat has been neutralized since.

Who’s your favorite deceased DC Comics villain? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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