10 DC Characters Who Could Definitely Handle the Anti-Life Equation’s Power

DC Comics is the home of the one of the greatest villains in comics, Darkseid. The Lord of Apokolips is the God of Evil of the New Gods, locked in a war against the people of New Genesis for ages. He’s basically the living embodiment of fascism, and his main goal is to be the guiding mind in the multiverse, the one who everyone worships, their minds locked in eternal servitude. In his quest for power, he has spent eons going after the one thing that can make his twisted dreams a reality: the Anti-Life Equation. It’s a formula that gives whoever the power to control the minds of everyone that comes into contact with it. The God of Evil has gotten his hands on it several times over the years, but the heroes have always been able to stop him in the end.

The Anti-Life Equation is a terrible power, one that few could actually wield with any skill. However, there are some people in the DC Multiverse who would be able to turn its powers to their ends, whether that be for good or ill. These ten DC characters could all handle the power of the Anti-Life Equation, allowing them to mold existence to whatever they want.

10) Batman

Batman is the world’s greatest vigilante. The Caped Crusader is one of the toughest, smartest people on Earth and he doesn’t have any qualms making the hard decisions to insure the safety of the universe. The Dark Knight would see the Anti-Life Equation as a boon to his mission; it would allow him to stop the criminal impulse completely. While he’s only human, he’s often showed the wherewithal to tap into powers that are beyond him. Anti-Life would just become another weapon in his arsenal and he’d have few problems with using it however he saw fit.

9) Brainiac

Brainiac is the most feared being in the universe, having destroyed countless lives and entire worlds in his quest for ultimate knowledge. If there’s anyone who would want the Anti-Life Equation, it’s Brainiac. It would allow him to reach his goal of knowing everything, and it’s definitely something he would experiment with, trying to tailor it to his needs. As one of the smartest beings in the entire multiverse, he would almost certainly find a way to transform it into a weapon that will make him even more dangerous than ever.

8) Orion

Orion is the son of Darkseid, traded to New Genesis for Highfather’s son and raised among the New Gods. He became their fiercest soldier, all in an attempt to fulfill his destiny: he’s prophesied to be the one who kills his father. He’s superlatively powerful, and as the son of the God of Evil, he’s the type of being who could harness the powers of the Equation. In his case, there’s a chance that his use of it would go either way; he could become like his biological father or his adopted father. However, he would still be in control of his actions – he would choose, the power wouldn’t choose for him. It would be honestly be pretty interesting to see what he would do with the Equation.

7) Mister Miracle

Scott Free was the other side of the trade that sent Orion to New Genesis. He was given to Granny Goodness’s Orphanage, his life an unending torment as Granny tried to break him and mold him into a soldier of Darkseid. It didn’t work, and he’s since become one of the greatest forces in the battle against the God of Evil. He can control the power of the Alpha Effect, the opposite of the lord of Apokolips’ own Omega Effect, showing that he is perfectly opposed to dark god. He would be able to control the power of the Anti-Life Equation and use it for good. He’s been training all his life to escape traps and resist control and as a god himself, the Anti-Life Equation would become just another tool for him.

6) Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor is Earth’s most unhinged genius and he has his experiences with the Anti-Life Equation. Lex is always looking for a way to give himself more power and the Anti-Life Equation would be the perfect addition to his repertoire. Luthor is much like Darkseid in that his narcissism means that he also believes that he’s the most important being in the universe, so he’s already half-way there with the Equation. Lex has been able to control great power in the past and is known for his willpower. If anything, the only negative effect it would have on him is that it would make him worse, but he’d still be in command.

5) Swamp Thing

Swamp Thing is one of the most powerful beings on Earth. He’s the avatar of the Green in the present day and the world of flora is anything he wants it to be. He’s used to control; while he’s not in it for the same reasons as Darkseid is, he’s used to having total power over the world around him. It would be interesting to see how he dealt with the Equation; it’s anti-life, but he is basically life itself. There’s a good chance he could take it into himself and keep it prisoner, using the universal force he controls to chain the other one.

4) Nightwing

Nightwing began his superhero career as Robin, working with the greatest heroes in the multiverse. He’s only human, but he’s been raised by the best people imaginable, and has shown himself as one of the most pure beings out there. He’s also been able to deal with multiverse-redefining power in the past. In Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, he was the one who helped use the energies unleashed by Pariah, Deathstroke, and their Dark Army to rebuild the old infinite multiverse. He’s the kind of person who will do anything to help others, and he would be able to harness the Anti-Life Equation if given a chance.

3) Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is the world’s greatest heroine, protecting Man’s World from every threat since she left her homeland of Themyscira. Diana is a creation of the gods and the most powerful of the Amazons, so she is perfectly suited to the power of the Anti-Life Equation. She’s acted as a goddess herself in the past, and her unique heritage gives her power over various aspects of creation. Wonder Woman would only use the Equation as a last measure against enemies, but she would definitely use it.

2) Supergirl

Supergirl is one of the greatest heroes in the universe, joining her cousin Superman’s fight against evil. Kara Zor-El has survived some of the most harrowing experiences imaginable, and yet always keeps up the fight against evil. She’s a woman of unyielding will and power, and has dealt with Darkseid and the Anti-Life Equation in the past. She’s also a person with a heart of gold who would do anything to save the people around her. She wouldn’t like what the Equation stood for, but she would be able to use it power without losing control of herself.

1) Superman

Superman is the greatest protector of the multiverse, giving his all to keep everything safe. He’s a character for whom responsibility is the most important thing, and he’s had to deal with every kind of trauma under the sun and beyond in order to save the day. The Anti-Life Equation is anathema to everything that he believes in, but we’ve actually seen him use it and things like it many times over the years. If there’s anyone who could not only figure out a way to use the Equation ethically but also bend it to his will, it’s the Man of Steel. He’s proven able to take the worst of things and spin them into a win for everyone.

What DC characters do you think would use the Anti-Life Equation well? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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