Supergirl: Who Is Armek?

02/06/2017 08:55 pm EST

Spoilers ahead for tonight's episode of Supergirl, titled "The Martian Chronicles."

The White Martian who attacked the DEO in tonight's episode of Supergirl was named Armek -- and if that doesn't mean something to you, let's clue you in on the details.

While he only had a handful of appearances in the comics, Armek was part of the story that introduced White Martians, and arguably one of the most beloved Justice League stories of all time.

In the opening arc of Grant Morrison and Howard Porter's acclaimed run on JLA, a group of White Martians tried to gain the faith of humanity and undermine the Justice League by posing as a group of brutally effective superheroes known as the Hyperclan.

Armek was the "muscle" of the team, disguised as a giant mech. The team claimed to have come from a dead world that had consumed itself due to war and environmental disaster. The idea was that the Hyperclan was traveling the universe, helping other worlds avoid the same fate -- and as part of that, Armek was working to terraform the Sahara.

After his defeat at the hands of Martian Manhunter, The Flash, and Zauriel, J'Onn took Armek's place to infiltrate what turned out to be an army of invading White Martians.

Unlike in the TV show, though, there was no death in battle for Armek: he, like the rest of the Hyperclan, were defeated by the Justice League and had their minds wiped. Afterwards, they were sent out into the world to start lives as productive members of human society.

More Supergirl News: David Harewood Talks "The Martian Chronicles" | First Look at the Music Meister in Flash Crossover Photos | Kevin Sorbo Cast As Mystery Villain | Lois & Clark's Teri Hatcher Cast As the Season 2 Big Bad

Supergirl airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. A new episode featuring Harewood and Leal, "The Martian Chronicles," debuts tonight.

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