Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is a cosmic entity and formula that features in DC Comics.
Contents |
History
Origin
One account held that the Anti-Life Equation was discovered by an ancient wondrous peaceful human-like civilization. In their history, they encountered an alien race with hostilities erupting between the two races. What followed was centuries of conflict whereby the science of the human civilization was turned to warfare where they uncovered the existence of Anti-Life and used their knowledge to create a weapon powered by this substance. They turned this weapon against their alien neighbor where the Anti-Life Equation destroyed their world and their enemies homeworld whereupon it consumed everything in its path before dissipating. The result of its use created a pocket dimension where the planets of Apokolips and New Genesis formed where the New Gods developed from the remains of the previous civilization. (Cosmic Odyssey v1)
On Mars, the Martians came to believe in a subset of free wills with their mathematics and philosophy being a Life Equation. (Martian Manhunter v2 #33)
In his search for the Equation, Darkseid managed to determine that Earth contained the knowledge he sought and secretly through Boom Tube had humans abducted to Apokolips to study them. After concluding this to be the case, he along with his Elite arrived covertly on the planet where they dug a network of tunnels underneath a city whilst building a mass-director device to probe the minds of humans for the Anti-Life Equation. Following the warnings from the Source, Orion was dispatched to stop Darkseid in his quest where he first went to Apokolips before continuing on to Earth. (New Gods v1 #1)
The Dominators and their Alliance later petitioned Darkseid for the right to conquer Earth where he allowed them to do so on the condition they did not destroy the planet as he believed the solution to the Anti-Life Equation resided on the world. (Invasion! v1 #1)
A group known as the Mathmagicians of the Anti-Life Equation were noted to be responsible for creating the fetus probe that became Gonzo the Mechanical Bastard where they sent it to Earth in order to cause chaos. (Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters v1 #4)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different series of events.
Long ago, one of the Monitors named Mobius at the beginning of time came into contact with the Anti-Life Equation and fused with it turning him into the Anti-Monitor who became the destroyer of universes as he lashed out in pain. (Justice League v2 #48)
For sometime, the Anti-Monitor sought to free himself from the grasp of the Anti-Life Equation. (Justice League v2 #48)
Highfather intended to utilise the Life Equation as a means of defeating Darkseid. He came to learn that the Power Ring's all tapped into an element of the Emotional Spectrum and thus contained elements of the equation. Thus, New Genesis rallied under the Council of Eight that went about fulfilling Izaya's orders in acquiring the rings. (New Gods: Godhead v1 #1)
Overview
It was described as being the very opposite of living whereby it allowed a user to control all living beings. Thus, people were deprived of individual thought to the point that they behaved as machines and thus were not truly alive. (Forever People v1 #5) One account held that Anti-Life was not an intellectual or philosophical concept but a sentient intelligent being that was aware of its own existence with this being referred to as the Anti-Life Entity. It was said that the Entity was an anti-matter being that could not exist within the normal universe without destroying itself. (Cosmic Odyssey v1)
It was said to desire destruction on a universe-level scale and though efficient it was not personal. (Justice League v2 #48)
Creatures known as the Eskaton were said to be the carrion-eaters of Anti-Life that were prophecised to come to the Fourth World when it was dying in order to pick away at the remains of the New Gods. These hungry entities were said to had waited to feast since the dawn of the Multiverse. (Justice League Odyssey v1 #6)
Users
- Darkseid :
- Orion :
- Anita Fite : the Earth female superhero known as Empress had a portion of the Anti-Life Equation lodged within her brain thus allowing her to coerce others through her words alone. (Final Crisis v1 #1)
- Mobius : encountered the Anti-Life Equation at the beginning of time and was transformed into the Anti-Monitor as a result. (Justice League v2 #48)
- Pied Piper : Hartley Rathaway unknowingly channelled the Anti-Life Equation through his songs. (Countdown to Final Crisis v1 #10)
Notes
- The Anti-Life Equation was created by Jack Kirby where it made its first appearance in Forever People v1 #5 (November, 1971).
Alternate Versions
- In Superman: The Dark Side (1998), the Anti-Life Equation appeared in the Elseworlds graphic novel where it was shown to reside in Kal-El and was intended by Jor-El to use this power to subjugate the Earth in order to create a new Kryptonian Empire. However, his vessel was diverted to Apokolips where he was raised by Darkseid who tapped into its power whilst raising the boy as his own evil son. Upon uncovering it, he used the Anti-Life Equation to create Anti-Life Transmitters on Earth which "obliterates free will and individual identity" thus turning the entire world into his slaves.
- In DCeased v1 (2019), the Anti-Life Equation featured in an alternate reality setting. Darkseid was in possession of half the equation and determined that the second half resided in Cyborg. However, to access it meant the demise of the host and potential loss of the Equation. As a result, he tricked the Black Racer into arriving where he transfused some of his godly blood into Cyborg to keep him alive as the extraction occurred. The act led to a change in the Anti-Life Equation that immediately became infectious and contaminated Darkseid causing him to go into a rage where he destroyed Apokolips. Cyborg was sent via Boom Tube back to Earth where the infection spread to any technological device causing Earth's population to turn into ravenous beings that turned on any non-infected.
In other media
Television
- In Justice League Unlimited, the Anti-Life Equation appeared in the animated television series set in the DC Animated Universe. Lex Luthor was taken by Metron to acquire the Anti-Life Equation as a means of stopping Darkseid. After retreiving it, Luthor appears on Earth when Darkseid nearly killed Superman and offered the Equation whereupon the two disappear in a spiral of light.
- In Justice League Action, the Anti-Life Equation appeared in the animated television series in the episode "It'll Take a Miracle!" It was shown that Mister Miracle managed to acquire the last piece of it and kept it with him to hide it from Darkseid. Darkseid in the mean time captured Big Barda and threatened to kill her unless Batman found Mister Miracle and brought him to Apokolips. It was intended for the last piece of the equation to be merged with a special cube machine that would have amplified the signal across the universe and turned everyone into Darkseid's slaves. However, Batman managed to switch the container holding the equation at the last moment with the actual Anti-Life Equation being kept in the care of the Justice League.
- In Young Justice, the Anti-Life Equation was referenced in the animated television series third season Outsiders. After seeing Halo, Granny Goodness reported to her master Darkseid that she had discovered the Anti-Life Equation.
Video games
- Injustice 2, the Anti-Life Equation was referenced in pre-battle dialogue between Darkseid and Wonder Woman in the fighting video game.
- In DC: Unchained, the Anti-Life Equation featured in the setting of the mobile video game. It was said to allow the user control over others and had been locked in the mind of Grail who was hiding on Earth leading to Darkseid's forces attempting to capture her.
Appearances
- Forever People v1:
- Cosmic Odyssey v1:
- Martian Manhunter v2:
- Countdown to Final Crisis v1:
- Final Crisis v1:
- Justice League v2:
- Justice League Odyssey v1:
External Links
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