Smallville/Characters/Apokiliptians
Darkseid (various)
"You so-called heroes are false gods, all of you... and when people stop believing in you, you'll shatter like glass."
Also referred to as "The Darkness" and "Our Dark Lord" (by his minions), Darkseid was unleashed when Clark used the Book of Rao to banish Major Zod and the Kandorians from Earth. Briefly spotted forming out of ravens and smoke at the end of the Season 10 premiere, he later body-jacks Gordon Godfrey, using him to spread a message of hatred and fear against vigilantes over the airwaves. Driven out of his host due to Kara's interference, Darkseid is later referenced by his agents Desaad, Granny Goodness and the newly-appointed Godfrey at the end of "Abandoned," before appearing, almost fully formed, to Earth-2 Lionel at the end of "Scion".
Without a host body, Darkseid remained a dreaded figure within Smallville's tenth season. He was said to be the Ultimate Evil that Jor-El warned Clark about, and was making plans to bring the Justice League and, eventually, the world, to its knees.
In the Grand Finale, Darkseid appears to Earth-2 Lionel as he lays dying of a gunshot wound, and Lionel makes a deal with the Dark Lord to resurrect Lex; Darkseid rips out Lionel's heart and puts it into Lex's new cloned body. Later, Darkseid confronts Clark, possessing Lionel's corpse. He attempts to destroy Clark, but Clark masters his power of flight and flies right through Darkseid, destroying his vessel.
- Anticlimax Boss: The whole season is spent trying to stop him, and as soon as he has a body, Clark takes him down in less than five minutes.
- Big Bad: Of Season 10.
- Black Eyes of Evil: When possessing someone.
- Blue Eyes: In "Lazarus". Later retconned to red.
- Body Surf
- Complete Monster
- The Corrupter: Apparently, as of "Patriot".
- Deal with the Devil: The end of "Scion" suggests that he offers one to Earth-2 Lionel.
- As it turns out, the deal is bringing Lex back to life in exchange for Lionel's soul and use of his body.
- Demonic Possession: Can do it to anyone who has even the slightest bit of doubt or fear in their heart.
- The Dreaded: Instills utter fear in those who know of him.
- Eldritch Abomination
- Evil Sounds Deep: Par for the course with Darkseid, though.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom: In his real form.
- Grand Theft Me: Seems to be his goal for Clark.
- Ends up using Earth-2 Lionel instead. See above.
- High Octane Nightmare Fuel: Ripping out Lionel's heart and then using him as a vessel to confront and try to kill Clark.
- Hero-Killer
- Large and In Charge: If his size during his appearance before Earth-2 Lionel is any indicator.
- The Man Behind the Man: The monster behind Slade Wilson and the Vigilante Registration Act.
- Names to Run Away From Really Fast
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Had Blue Eyes in his first appearance in "Lazarus", but they were retconned to this as early as "Supergirl".
- Satan: In "Finale", Granny Goodness claims that he's the inspiration for the legend of the Trope Namer.
- Weaksauce Weakness: He can't possess people who are "pure"--that is, free of fear and doubt. This isn't as handicapping as it might sound though, because no one can remain in that state permanently. People who he fails to control the first time, may not be so lucky a second time.
- Ultimate Evil
Gordon Godfrey (Michael Daingerfield)
"If I can plant an idea, a seed of doubt within people, it will grow until it devours their faith in each other, and in these heroes."
A right-wing DJ with an anti-immigration and anti-vigilante stance, Godfrey is possessed by Darkseid in Season 10's "Supergirl". Under Darkseid's control, he begins attracting a vastly-expanded audience and publishes a book purported to be an exposé on vigilante activity. He also kidnaps Lois and uses her as bait to draw in Clark. Defeated by Clark and Kara, Godfrey is freed from Darkseid's control.
In "Abandoned", it is revealed that Darkseid isn't done with Godfrey yet, though, with Desaad introducing him to Granny Goodness as the third member of their "Unholy Trinity". His task, according to Desaad, is to break humanity's spirit, forcing them away from their saviors and into the dark.
- Alliterative Name
- Bald of Evil
- Black Eyes of Evil: When possessed by Darkseid.
- Co-Dragons: To Darkseid, with Desaad and Granny.
- Compelling Voice
- Dark Messiah: Seems to view himself as such, as of "Abandoned".
"So I do have a higher purpose in life."
- Demonic Possession: In "Supergirl", courtesy of Darkseid.
- Dumbass DJ: Starts out this way.
- Jerkass: To the point where Darkseid body-jacked him and liked what he saw.
- Malicious Slander: Of heroes in general, and The Blur in particular, whom he accuses of being a deformed freak.
- Mook Promotion: He's originally just another of Darkseid's host bodies. As of "Abandoned", however, he's been promoted to the same status as Desaad and Granny Goodness, acting as a villain in his own right and completing the third point of a very nasty Power Trio. Not bad.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: A not-insignificant number of reviewers have compared his portrayal to Glenn Beck.
- Propaganda Machine: Heads one.
- Villain with Good Publicity
Granny Goodness (Christine Willes)
"Life is so much easier without a painful past."
An old woman who runs an orphanage for girls, Granny Goodness is far more than she appears. She first shows up in the Season 9 finale where she saves Tess from death by delivering her to Cadmus Labs. She later re-appears in Season 10's "Abandoned", where the full truth about her is unveiled: She is one of Darkseid's agents, tasked with recruiting soldiers for Darkseid. Indoctrinating the girls from a young age, Granny mind-wipes them, then raises them to be Tykebombs totally loyal to herself with no respect for human life.
Sweet and sugary on the outside, but with a ramrod spine, Granny is devoted to Darkseid's mission of World Domination, and her considerable psychic gifts make her uniquely suited to help him accomplish it.
- Alliterative Name
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: In sharp contrast to the homicidal Granny of the comics.
- Co-Dragons: To Darkseid, along with Desaad and Godfrey.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: She seems to genuinely care about Tess, to the point that, in the Grand Finale, she gives her one last chance to join Darkseid and therefore survive the coming of Apokolips.
- Evil Mentor: To the Female Furies and Tess.
- Evil Old Folks
- Evil Virtues: Seems to genuinely love her girls, at least in her own warped way.
- Family Values Villain: If her disgust towards Desaad's Fetish clubs is any indicator.
- Fluffy the Terrible
- Hannibal Lecture
- Iron Lady: Despite her insanity.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Deletes the memories of her girls, leaving them open to being manipulated into becoming Darkseid's minions.
- Mind Over Matter: Given her ability to throw people around with a gesture, this is a pretty safe bet.
- Mind Rape: How she turns people into servants for Darkseid. She and Maxwell Lord would get along well.
- Never Mess with Granny: Evil version.
- Orphanage of Fear: Runs one.
- Straight Edge Evil: For a sharp contrast with Desaad.
- Telepathy
Female Furies -- Harriet (Lindsay Hartley)
A group of girls raised by Granny Goodness to become Darkseid's fighting elite. They are led by Harriet, a psychotic girl with Wolverine Claws and a fondness for cutting people up. In "Abandoned", they manage to capture Clark, although he quickly escapes from them.
- Adaptation Dye Job: Reproducing Harriet's green hair would have probably been tricky.
- Amazon Brigade
- Ax Crazy: "Mad" Harriet.
- Bare Your Midriff
- Breast Plate
- Dark Action Girl: All of them.
- Designated Girl Fight: Harriet vs Tess.
- The Dragon: Harriet to Granny Goodness.
- Poisoned Weapons: The girls' weapons are forged in Kryptonite flames. They don't totally de-power Clark the way regular Green Rocks do, but they can cut him and act as a poison once in his system.
- Real Life Relative: Lindsay Hartley is Justin Hartley's wife.
- Tyke Bomb: Raised from childhood to be Dark Action Girls. They're all pretty damaged from it.
- Weapon of Choice: Each of the girls seems to favor something different. So far we've had:
- Bare-Fisted Monk: One of the girls comes after Clark with just hands and feet during the start of the fight.
- Simple Staff
- Whip It Good: From a girl who may or may not have been Lashina.
- Wolverine Claws: Harriet
- What Happened to the Mouse?: We never find out what became of them after "Abandoned".
Desaad (Steve Byers)
"When was the last time you had a nice hard cry?"
The third member of Darkseid's "Unholy Trinity", Desaad maintains a series of eponymously-titled Fetish clubs. Sleazy and obsequious, he has stated that his task is to "bind their [humanity's] bodies", while Godfrey and Granny attack their spirits and minds respectively. Beneath Club Desaad, he maintains a series of torture cells, in which he imprisons, breaks and then corrupts his victims, who range from club-goers to undercover FBI agents. Devoted to Darkseid body and soul, he may well be the most powerful of the Ultimate Evil's minions.
First appearing at a meeting with Granny and Godfrey near the end of "Abandoned", Desaad re-appears in "Masquerade" as the target of a Serial Killer hunt that Clark and Lois are participating in. Unbeknownst to them, Chloe and Oliver are also investigating Club Desaad, which leads to the former being captured and tortured by Desaad. Though Clark ultimately saves her, Desaad has the last laugh, branding Oliver with the Omega symbol, before allowing himself to be captured.
- Adaptational Attractiveness: Comic Book Desaad was an ugly, broken-down old man. This version is played by a former Soap Opera star.
- Adaptational Badass: In the comics, Desaad's a Dirty Coward who suffers from Chronic Backstabbing Disorder and has no real powers. This version's a Mind Screw Telepath who took on Superman on a pretty even footing.
- Beard of Evil
- Black Eyes of Evil: When confronting Clark.
- Co-Dragons: To Darkseid, with Godfrey and Granny.
- Coolest Club Ever: Runs the Fetish-oriented Club Desaad. It's like a combination of Bad Guy Bar and Vampires Own Nightclubs.
- The Corrupter: Which, given that he works for Smallville's Satan analogue, makes a lot of sense.
- Creepy Mortician: Does a great impression of one.
- If I Can't Have You: Uses his club to brand people with the Omega symbol. Anyone he can't contaminate becomes his next target.
- Knife Nut
- Mind Over Matter: Can throw people around like rag dolls, induce hemorrhages with a thought, can get into people's heads in order to corrupt them, and even temporarily pins Clark with a wave of force.
- Mind Screw: When torturing his victims, he employs imagery from their minds in order to break them.
- Meaningful Name
- Names to Run Away From Really Fast: Named for the Marquis De Sade. You know, the one that "sadism" is named after?
- Nightmare Fetishist
- Older Than They Look: Hinted at. He does tell Chloe he's been in this game for a long time.
- Psychotic Smirk
- Serial Killer: Kills anyone he cannot corrupt, by causing massive hemorrhages, then dumps the bodies.
- Seven Deadly Sins: Tempts his victims with them, and references them constantly.
- Strike Me Down with All of Your Hatred: Tries it on Chloe when tempting her with Wrath; successfully manipulates Oliver into a non-fatal variant.
- Telepathy: Is able to get inside his victims' minds and unearth all their doubts and sins, unleashing them against them.
- Torture Technician: And boy does he enjoy it.