Name: Darkseid
Universe: Post-Crisis
Alter Ego: None
Occupation: Dictator
Marital Status: Married
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: Apokolips
Known Relatives: Heggra (mother, deceased), Steppenwolf (uncle), Suli (wife, deceased), Tiggra (wife), Orion and Kalibak (sons), Yuga Khan (father)
Height: 7 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 515 lbs.
Hair Color: None
Eye Color: Red
First Appearance: Legends #1

History:
As the youthful son of Queen Heggra of the planet Apokolips, Darkseid played the part of a cool, retiring member of the ruling class. His mother accepted this facade, but her brother, Steppenwolf, suspected that his nephew was interested in more than a dilettante's life and kept a wary eye on him as he grew to manhood.

Steppenwolf's instincts were correct — Darkseid's true ambition was to gain the throne of power at any cost. Upon reaching adulthood, he began to undertake a carefully designed plan, the first step of which was to persuade Steppenwolf to accompany him on a hunting foray to Apokolips's sister world, New Genesis. While there, Steppenwolf attacked Izaya, a leader of New Genesis, and would have killed him had not Izaya's wife, Aria, intercepted Steppenwolf's death-blow. Before Izaya had a chance to avenge his wife, Darkseid attacked him. He claimed to have slain Izaya, but that was a lie: unknown to Steppenwolf and the rest of the hunting party, Darkseid intentionally left Izaya alive, knowing that their hunting foray would spark a vast intrastellar conflict — a war between New Genesis and Apokolips.

Soon after, and for the only time in his life, Darkseid fell in love. He took as his wife a woman named Suli, a scientist who believed in using power not for conquering but for the common good. Queen Heggra, terrified that Suli might "corrupt" her son, had her assassinated, but not before she bore Darkseid a son named Kalibak. Upon Suli's death, Darkseid forever turned his back on the concept of love.

Darkseid was forced into an arranged marriage by Heggra, but Darkseid hated his new wife. Tiggra, and his attitude toward her was not changed by the birth of their son, Orion. After murdering Heggra and claiming the throne of Apokolips as his own, Darkseid banished his wife and infant son to a remote section of Apokolips.

By this time, the war against New Genesis had become a distraction that pulled Darkseid's attention away from pursuing his ultimate goal of conquering the universe. Consequently, one of his first acts as ruler of Apokolips was to negotiate a pact of peace between his world and New Genesis. Entering into talks with lzaya, now known as Highfather, the two rulers drafted an agreement, a key part of which was an exchange of hostages — Darkseid's young son Orion for Highfather's infant boy Scott Free (who would later come to be known as Mr Miracle). The secret of their true parentage would be kept from each boy.

Years later, Darkseid broke the pact and renewed the war by invading the neutral zone called Earth and kidnapping several men and women in whose subconscious he believe lay the secret of the "Anti-Life Equation," which Darkseid believed would give him complete control over the universe. Darkseid's forces were opposed by the New Gods of New Genesis, led by Orion, now an adult. Eventually, Darkseid allowed Orion to learn the secret of his parentage in hopes that it might strike an alliance between father and son; instead, it only exacerbated Orion's hatred for Darkseid and all he represented.

Darkseid is the very definition of evil. Many of those who oppose him, however, are aware of Darkseid's single saving grace: he has a tremendous sense of honor that sometimes supersedes his ruthlessness. At times, when he believes that his opponents have served their cause well, he will allow them to live.

Powers:
Darkseid is unquestionably one of the most powerful beings in the universe. He is tremendously strong and nearly invulnerable; however, his power has yet to be exhibited to its fullest extent, as Darkseid almost always acts through subordinates.

Darkseid's most terrifying — and unpredictable — power is the ability to project beams from his eyes. These beams, Mown as the "Omega Effect," lock on to Darkseid's target and trace it wherever it goes. No matter what, it will eventually connect, causing one of several effects: it can act as a disintegration beam; it can teleport its target through time and space; and it can even resurrect disintegrated beings.