Per Degaton
Per Degaton is a male comic character who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
Per Degaton
Professor Zee came to hire the promising lab assistant where he discussed with him about his theories regarding time. This included using time travel to influence the present by changing the past. Per Degaton though resented being a mere assistant and wanted to attain power which he believed he could achieve through manipulating time. This greatly disturbed Zee who came to realise the dangers posed by the man and attempted to stop him but he was shot by Per Degaton leaving him badly wounded. Whilst his mentor was in the hospital, Per Degaton started to enact his scheme where his manipulations of the timeline caused several modern achievements such as trains and automobiles to simply vanish. In addition, he thwarted the course of historical events like the Battle of Arbela between Greece and Persia in 331 B.C., thus halting technological development and allowing him and his henchmen to conquer an America of ancient technologies with modern weapons which he had left in specially-prepared caves, safe from the alterations to the time stream. He then went to the hospital holding Professor Zee where he fatally injured him again before he could reveal how to stop Per Degaton's schemes to the Justice Society of America. To save the scientist, the heroes needed penicillin but it had vanished from the timeline due to Per Degaton's actions. The JSA stop various plans by Degaton and history reverts to normal, with everyone losing the memory of these events, due to time paradoxes inherent in Zee's time machine. The story closes with Professor Zee in his lab with Per Degaton, who seems to remember some foolishness about him dreaming that he ruled the world. The JSA is able to learn of their own success through Wonder Woman's magic sphere. (All Star Comics v1 #35)
Degaton came to be homeless and suffering from very poor health. Brain Wave found him at a soup kitchen and was determined to restore his vitality in hopes that Degaton would make him a new body. Brain Wave caused a series of worldwide disasters and made a machine that sapped the willpower of the JSA that they displayed in averting the disasters to return will and youth to Per Degaton. The JSA confronted the villains aboard Brain Wave's space station, and when the JSA had the villains on the ropes, Brain Wave used his mental powers to send Earth on a collision course with the sun, demanding they submit or see the planet die. Power Girl sent Brain Wave's space station toward the sun, overheating it and causing the villains to pass out. Free at last Degaton reconstructed Mekanique and the pair battled Infinity, Inc. at the site of arrival of Zee’s time machine. When it reappeared it contained not only the dying Zee, but a 1947 version of Degaton himself. When Degaton lunged at the machine as it had disappeared in 1947, the machine’s energies had created two Degatons, one who lived a normal life and one who was carried along with the time machine. The older Degaton disintegrated instantly due to the paradoxical existence of two Degatons at one moment. Mekanique killed the younger Degaton as well as herself, fearing this Degaton would end up betraying her once more. (All Star Comics v1 #59)
Afterwards, Degaton returned to prison back in his original body, but was paroled 10 years later due to advanced age and the intervention of Bruce Wayne. Taking advantage of the revelation of Batman's Diary, a document that supposedly convicted the Justice Society of treason, Degaton used his remaining influence to attempt to indict the group in Congressional sub-committee. Degaton recognizes that this is likely his last chance to defeat his old enemies, since the return of Zee's time machine is close at hand. As the Congressional sub-committee becomes less and less convinced by evidence against the JSA, Degaton kidnaps Richard Grayson, Earth-2's Robin, and waits at the spot where the time machine should appear. It is revealed the diary was Batman's subliminal attempt to warn the Society about Degaton. The Justice Society, in pursuit of the captive Grayson, caught up to Degaton. The time machine re-appeared and Zee staggered out, accusing Degaton of murder with his final breath. Surrounded by witnesses and facing prison for a 40-year-old murder charge at his advanced age, Degaton places the gun to his temple and fatally shoots himself. (America vs. the Justice Society v1 #4)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Per Degaton, following his stint with the Time Trust, is employed at another secret scientific group, Project M. During this time he meets the time traveling robot Mekanique, who enlists his aid in her war against the All-Star Squadron. In exchange for his help, Mekanique promises to give him the secrets of time travel. They fail in their attack on the All-Stars, and Mekanique's body was destroyed, but Degaton salvaged her head. He kept her head by his side for the next five years, and they fall in love. (Young All-Stars Annual v1 #1)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Overview
Personality and attributes
Per Degaton was said to be brilliant yet an erratic scientist with him being both vain and ambitious. He hated being a mere assistant and believed himself to be a genius who should be giving orders. (All Star Comics v1 #35)
He came to believe that the Justice Society could not be beaten as his travels through time had shown him that the heroes always stopped him. Thus, Per Degaton decided that he would let history punish them and he would often travel through time to witness the moments that hurt the heroes. This saw him taking satisfaction at their misfortunes in the past and he believed that history would bring about his vengeance against his enemies. (JSA v1 #59)
Powers and abilities
Through his abilities, he was able to travel through time and his form was immaterial during his journey. This meant that he was insubstantial during his travels and his enemies could not harm him. However, people that had tachyon particles around them could actually physically harm Per Degaton. (JSA v1 #59)
Notes
- Per Degaton was created by John Broome and Irwin Hasen where he made his first appearance in All Star Comics v1 #35 (June/July, 1947).
In other media
Television
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Per Degaton appeared in the animated television series in the episode "The Golden Age of Justice" where he was voiced by actor Clancy Brown. This version participated in World War II, but vanished into an antimatter dimension after attempting to use the Spear of Destiny, which had been damaged by Black Canary. In the present day, Degaton's assistant Professor Zee revives him and he fights the Justice Society of America, but is defeated when the Spear backfires, turning him into an old man while Professor Zee is reduced to a baby.
- In Legends of Tomorrow, Per Degaton appeared in the setting of the live-action television series in the Arrowverse where a young version of him was portrayed in the episode "Progeny" by actor Cory Grüter-Andrew. This version is from Kasnia in the year 2147, and was manipulated by Vandal Savage into becoming a dictator who is ultimately blamed for Savage's act of unleashing a virus called "Armageddon" designed to kill most of the world population, leaving it smaller and weakened enough for him to later conquer the planet. The Legends' attempt to alter events lead to Degaton murdering his father Dor and assuming his reign earlier, before he is later betrayed and killed by Savage.
- In Stargirl, Per Degaton was referenced in the setting of the live-action DC Universe television series. He became an acquaintance of the Injustice Society and adversary of the Flash. Many years before the Injustice defeated and killed most of the members of the Justice Society on Christmas Eve, 2010, the Flash banished Per Degaton to an alternate timeline, stopping him from crossing once again to his universe. Eleven years later, Pat Dugan briefly recalled the story of Per Degaton to his step-daughter Courtney Whitmore after she questioned him about Degaton's whereabouts.
Appearances
- All Star Comics v1: (1947)
- America vs. The Justice Society v1:
- Young All-Stars Annual v1:
- Infinity, Inc. Annual v1:
- JSA v1:
- Plastic Man v5:
External Links
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