Steppenwolf (DC)

Latest revision as of 07:53, 13 May 2024

Steppenwolf with his daughter Fury in Earth-2 v1 #8.

Steppenwolf is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Origin

Steppenwolf on his mount in New Gods v1 #7.

Steppenwolf was a male member of the race of deities known as the New Gods where he was an inhabitant of the world of Apokolips. His sister was Heggra who rose to power as the Queen of their world and she gave birth to a son named Darkseid. By this point, Steppenwolf served as a General in the armies of Apokolips that waged regular battles against its sister planet containing New Genesis. Steppenwolf's nephew Darkseid was known to push for a conflict with New Genesis whereby one such raid leading to them accidently ambushing Izaya the Inheritor. Izaya was the ruler of New Genesis and battled Steppenwolf who drew a Radion weapon but this struck the Inheritors love Avia leading to her death. As a result of Avia's death, Izaya grew vengeful and conducted a long and terrible war against Apokolips. (New Gods v1 #7)

Steppenwolf had two nephews, Drax and Uxas, and his sister Heggra valued Drax for being a brave warrior and an asset in her wars against New Genesis. Uxas was a born schemer and coward, so to keep him in line she arranged for him a marriage that would give him no pleasure. After the latest peace with New Genesis, Uxas told his mother that Drax had decided to be a peacemaker, and shook hands with Izaya the Inheritor. Heggra found this hilarious, and warned her son that he must prove his Apokoliptan worth by soon taking a wife and the god-power that was rightfully his. Steppenwolf said he was loathe to agree with Uxas about anything, but he knew that one day Apokolips would belong to him, and he had to be worthy of it. Pressured by his mother, and his treacherous friend Desaad, Uxas decided to go ahead with his rite of passage. (Jack Kirby's Fourth World v1 #3)

Darkseid showed off the newly acquired x-element to Heggra, Steppenwolf and Desaad. Metron appeared, demanding Darkseid fulfill his promise and give it to him. Darkseid agreed, reminding him that he would create a time-space portal for Apokolips, and Apokolips alone. (Jack Kirby's Fourth World v1 #15)

Around 1,346.72 years, a Manhunter from the planet Oa arrived on Apokolips where it was destroyed by the natives. The androids Power Battery was recovered by Steppenwolf who brought it to Darkseid but the master of Apokolips simply destroyed it. Steppenwolf later participated in the war against the Green Lantern Corps who suffered heavy casualties until the Guardians of the Universe called off the conflict and forged a tense peace with Darkseid. (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant v1 #3)

Around 245,000 years ago, he was part of an Apokoliptian delegation to Bylan 5 where he accompanied his nephew Darkseid and Master Mayhem to the planet. The world held delicate natural materials Apokolips needs for weaponry, material which would be destroyed in the event of an invasion. To gain these resources, it was decided that Darkseid was to take part in a forced marriage with the planet's princess. However, the meeting was disrupted when the world was visited by the mindless monster known as Doomsday. The beast was responsible for the brutal death of Master Mayhem who was swiftly torn apart. Steppenwolf came to warn Darkseid to not engage by the young New God decided to not heed his uncle's advice. Instead, he unleashed his Omega Beams against Doomsday who survived the attack and then engaged the creature in hand-to-hand combat but was unable to defeat his opponent. Steppenwolf saw that the destruction that has been wrought has doomed the planet and all who lived on it leading to him deciding to retreated. He teleported Darkseid out of harm's way where the two agreed to not to mention the events of this incident to anyone. Doomsday was believed to had been killed on the planet but unknown to anyone managed to escape by stowing away on the Apokoliptian shuttle. (Doomsday Annual v1 #1)

The newly resurrected Steppenwolf led a raid on New Genesis, but New Genesis soldiers turned away the attack. Darkseid exchanged more of the x-element to Metron for Boom Tubes, and while Metron successfully finished his chair and toured the cosmos Darkseid sent Steppenwolf to reclaim Orion from New Genesis. Many children were killed, but Orion himself turned the tide and sent Steppenwolf retreating. (New Gods v3 #22)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different series of events. Steppenwolf

Darkseid invaded Earth 2, plunging the world into war, and the Wonders of the World fought him, his general Steppenwolf and his armies of Parademons across the globe, but the raging conflict dragged on without either side gaining a clear advantage. Batman met with Wonder Woman and Superman, telling them he’d come up with a way to repel Darkseid’s invasion. Batman had figured out that the beacon towers set up by Darkseid powered the Parademons and gave them marching orders, but each time the Wonders of the World managed to destroy a tower its transmissions simply rolled over to other towers, and any destroyed towers were quickly replaced by new ones sent in via boom tube. Batman developed a chip with a virus program that would shut down a tower, and when it’s transmission rolled over the virus would spread to all the other beacon towers. The Wonders went to work, with Batman making his way to a tower while Superman and Wonder Woman held off the armies of Parademons guarding it. Steppenwolf got the drop on Wonder Woman, stabbing her in the back, killing her. Parademons swarmed Superman, attaching an explosive device to the back of his head, killing him. Batman managed load the virus into the beacon tower, but knew the tower’s self-defense system would cause it to explode. He had no choice but to sacrifice himself. The war was over, and Darkseid was forced to withdraw. (Earth 2 v1 #1)

Steppenwolf traveled to the nation of Dherain where he sought out sanctuary. He was stranded on Earth after Batman shut down Darkseid’s boom tubes, and Dherain’s King Marov had aided Steppenwolf in the past, betraying humanity to assist Darkseid’s invasion in exchange for Apokoliptian technology. Marov had negotiated a peace treaty with the World Army in which Dherain was cut off from the rest of the world, but he would not be put on trial for war crimes. Steppenwolf and Marov acted cordially towards one another, but Steppenwolf revealed that he knew Marov was trying to lull him into a false sense of security and planned on betraying him. Steppenwolf’s daughter fury was the last of his troops still loyal to him, and she’d learned Marov’s army had orders to kill Steppenwolf when ordered. Marov admitted he planned on taking whatever new Apokoliptian tech Steppenwolf might have to offer and turning him in to the world Army. His betrayal did not sting, since Steppenwolf only came to Dherain because he wanted to be the nation’s new monarch. Fury tore through Dherain’s army while Steppenwolf engaged Marov in combat. Marov had an exoskeleton based on Parademon schematics, but it did him little good in fierce fighting, and Steppenwolf killed him. Steppenwolf presented the people of Dherain with Morov’s head, saying that although Marov was a worthy leader and kept the wolves from the nation’s door, he would no longer be able to protect them. The people accepted Steppenwolf as their new ruler, and Steppenwolf commissioned a memorial statue of Marov to make himself seem more like a worthy successor and less like a dictator. Steppenwolf confided in fury that Dherain was only the beginning, he still wanted to rule the entire world for himself. (Earth 2 v1 #8)

Steppenwolf learned that Mister Miracle, who’d escaped Apokolips a year ago was hiding in Earth 2’s Gotham City alongside his companion big Barda. Steppenwolf ordered fury to go to Gotham and retrieve them. She asked him why he didn’t want her by his side when the World Army was clearly coming for him soon. Steppenwolf replied that she had trained Dherain’s armies well enough that they could stand up to the World Army without her, and he approved of what an amazing job she did whipping them into shape. (Earth 2 v1 #11)

Overview

Personality and attributes

He did not trust his nephew Darkseid and found him to be similar to his own sister namely as being cunning, clever and a plotter. (New Gods v1 #7)

Steppenwolf was noted for being the brother of Queen Heggra and the uncle to her son Darkseid. (New Gods v1 #7)

Powers and abilities

Steppenwolf is an immortal with vast superhuman strength, endurance and speed, capable of lifting about 10,000 tons and jumping huge distances easily. He has superhuman reflexes and a high degree of invulnerability, which increases with his battle armor and allows him to resist most physical and energetic attacks.

He is an experienced military leader, having served as the head of Apokolips's armed forces, and when going into battle personally often commands units of the dog cavalry — warriors riding enormous dogs, known for the carnage and mass deaths he causes when he leads forces.

Steppenwolf wields several weapons, including a cable-snare in which he can entrap opponents and from which he can fire lethal radion beams. His main weapon is his electro-axe. He is a master swordsman and a formidable hand-to-hand combatant forged in hundreds of battles.

Notes

• Steppenwolf was created by Jack Kirby where he made his first appearance in New Gods v1 #7 (February, 1972).

In other media

Television

• In the DC Animated Universe, Steppenwolf made a number of appearances in the shared animated setting.
  • In Superman: The Animated Series, the character was introduced into the DC Animated Universe where he made his first appearance in the episode "Apokolips Now" and was voiced by actor Sherman Howard. He led a horde of Parademons to Earth where they attacked Metropolis during a search for Superman. Steppenwolf's aircraft was later shot down by an Army chopper piloted by Dan Turpin with the Apokoliptian General falling into the ocean.
  • In Justice League, the character made a return appearance in the episode "Twilight" where he was voiced by actor Corey Burton. He was dispatched to invade New Genesis but his forces suffered heavy damage in the onslaught. Steppenwolf requested to withdrawn but Darkseid thanked him for his service with the Apokoliptian General accepting his death. The crippled ship was transported back to Apokolips through a Boom Tube where it crashed into Darkseid's stronghold with Steppenwolf presumably killed in the process.
• In Justice League Action, Steppenwolf appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Under a Red Sun" where he was voiced by actor Peter Jessop. He intended to gain legendary fame by killing Superman and commanded a battalion of Parademons to Earth where they were defeated by Superman, Batman and Big Barda. Steppenwolf emerged where he kidnapped Superman by pushing him into a Boom Tube that sent the pair to a world with a red sun. As a result, Supermans powers were failing with Steppenwolf hunting him. Despite his advantage, Superman managed to ultimately defeat him and had him tied up by the time Batman and Big Barda had come to rescue him.

Films

• In Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Steppenwolf made a cameo appearance in a non-voiced role in the animated movie set in an alternate reality. He was present during the marriage between Orion of Apokolips and Bekka of New Genesis. However, after the wedding, Highfather betrayed Darkseid and his forces turned to eliminate the Apokoliptians. Among the casualties was Steppenwolf who was killed in the surprise attack from the forces of New Genesis.
• In the DC Extended Universe, Steppenwolf made multiple appearances in the shared continuity setting.
  • In Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Steppenwolf made an appearance in a deleted scene in the live-action movie where he was not identified and had a non-voiced role. He was shown as a hologram who was communicating to Lex Luthor through the technology on the Kryptonian ship.
  • In Justice League, Steppenwolf appeared in the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Ciarán Hinds. He was one of the New Gods who was known as the World Ender who commanded an army of Parademons that invaded worlds in the cosmos. Thousands of years ago, he invaded Earth where he intended for its populace to kneel to him and use three Mother Boxes to utilise Unity to turn the planet into a copy of his own homeworld. This caused the old gods, Amazons, Atlanteans and a Green Lantern to confront him where he managed to slay man but was defeated with his Parademons causing him to retreat against his will. He remained exiled for thousands of years until the modern age when the Mother Boxes called out to him leading to a Boom Tube bringing him back to Earth. Steppenwolf came upon the Mother Box at the Amazon temple on Themyscira where he called his Parademons where he slayed many of his foes before claiming the relic and departing. He then arrived in Atlantis to take back the Atlantean Mother Box before sending his Parademons to find the last one that was in the care of human scientists at S.T.A.R. Labs. Many S.T.A.R. Labs scientists were kidnapped and interrogated until they were rescued by the nascent Justice League. He later claimed the last Mother Box and had them conduct the merger process to bring about Unity to transform Earth but was stopped where he experienced fear. This resulted in his Parademons turning against him and a Boom Tube forming sending him back into exile.

Video games

• In DC Legends, Steppenwolf was introduced as a playable character in the mobile video game.

Appearances

• New Gods v1: (1972)
• Doomsday Annual v1:
• Earth-2 v1:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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