DeSaad
DeSaad | |
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Darkseid's Elite | |
Notable aliases | Doctor Dezard, the God of Torture, the Grand Director[1] |
Abilities |
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DeSaad (also spelled Desaad) is a supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series.[2]
As DeSaad serves as Darkseid's master torturer, his name refers to the Marquis de Sade. At one point, DeSaad had an assistant named Justeen, a reference to de Sade's novel Justine, although she bore little resemblance to the title character.
Steve Byers portrayed DeSaad in the television series Smallville. The character made his cinematic debut in Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), portrayed through voice and motion capture by Peter Guinness.
Publication history
DeSaad first appeared in Forever People #2 (April/May 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby.[3]
Fictional character biography
DeSaad's first recorded appearance in the history of the DC Universe was as a hanger-on at the side of Drax, heir to Apokolips. He had already taken his "god-name", which he claimed to have taken in tribute to a being from the future "who has taught me much in my chosen field".
DeSaad's origins were revealed during Darkseid's chess game with Eclipso. After Eclipso told Darkseid of how he had caused the Biblical Great Flood, Darkseid shared how he had corrupted an innocent youth by tricking him into believing the youth's cat had killed his other pet, a bird. Goading the boy to avenge the bird, Darkseid manipulates the youth into burying the cat alive. The bird returned, having flown off, and in a rage, the youth killed the bird and left New Genesis to become Darkseid's lackey.[4]
DeSaad appeared to be helping Drax with his attempt to master the Omega Force. In fact, he was plotting with Drax' brother, Uxas. As a result, Drax was presumed killed and Uxas mastered the Omega Force, taking the god-name Darkseid. DeSaad went on to serve as Darkseid's torturer.[2]
DeSaad is a racist and a coward. He is naturally treacherous, but is sufficiently afraid of Darkseid that he will not turn against his master unless someone else takes the lead (and will probably switch sides again if it looks like they will fail). He spent some time posing as Darkseid to keep Intergang going. While Darkseid had been involved with Intergang as part of his search for the Anti-Life Equation, DeSaad simply wanted to cause suffering.
DeSaad was seemingly killed during an attempt by Darkseid to penetrate the Source. He was subsequently found to have "bonded" with
In the
At the end of
Also during Countdown in Detective Comics #837, it is revealed that he is supplying the Amazon Women's Shelters with special drugs from Apokolips.
In
Following Death of the New Gods, many of the fallen Apokoliptan gods had taken on human forms. DeSaad, posing as "Doctor Bud Fogel" raises the public against Lex Luthor's Everyman experiments, eventually trapping and capturing Infinity, Inc.[7] This version of DeSaad has been seen in the Terror Titans miniseries, conditioning the Infinitors to fight in the Dark Side Club's metahuman tournament. After the brainwashed superhumans break free of the Anti-Life Equation and begin to destroy the arena, DeSaad is electrocuted and captured by Static.
In Final Crisis #6, Mary Marvel has been possessed by DeSaad. It is not known what has happened to DeSaad after Freddy Freeman as the new Shazam changes Mary to normal in the same issue. In Final Crisis: Secret Files, it was revealed that he was the one who brought Libra back to cohesion after the villain disembodied himself using a Transmortifier device.
The New 52
During
Powers and abilities
Although DeSaad does not have great powers, he is still immune to all diseases and toxins and is extremely long-lived. He is also stronger and more resistant than a human of his weight and build. DeSaad is a brilliant inventor of weapons and a master of torture. DeSaad has created many torture machines and devices. His most spectacular achievement is "Happyland", an amusement park that served as a prison for his victims. The prisoners were anguished over the seeming indifference of the park's customers to their plight, unaware that DeSaad's technology caused the visitors to see them as something other than what they were. As the closest assistant to Darkseid, DeSaad is familiar with the functioning and resources of the planet.
The New 52
In The New 52, DeSaad reappears with the status of a New God, but much more powerful and showing new abilities. DeSaad is strong and resistant enough to lift several tons easily and can face powerful beings like Power Girl. In addition, he has a high level of invulnerability and is functionally immortal. The new DeSaad's powers include telepathy, absorption and control of emotions. DeSaad is able to enter people's minds to manipulate their emotions and feed on their worst feelings; even without manipulating them, he becomes more powerful. He has demonstrated the ability to create illusions either in its real form or in the form of other people. Another of his powers is the absorption of energy; he can feed on different types of energy and even manipulate it, as was demonstrated when he absorbed energy from a particle accelerator on Earth-2. Although it is not explained, DeSaad can open a "Boom Tube" to other dimensions at maximum power.
Other versions
- In the Elseworlds story Justice League: The Nail, DeSaad is among others observing the Earth's defense shields destroying a cadre of Parademons on Apokolips.[10]
- An elderly DeSaad appears in Kingdom Come, serving Orion.[11]
- In the Amalgam Comics universe, DeSaad is merged with Loki to form L'ok D'saad.[12]
In other media
Animation
Television
- DeSaad appears in the Super Friends franchise, voiced by René Auberjonois.[13]
- DeSaad appears in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Father's Day", voiced by Robert Morse.[13]
- DeSaad appears in Justice League, voiced again by René Auberjonois.[13] In "Twilight", Darkseid kills him for criticizing his military action to gain the Anti-Life Equation.
- DeSaad appears in Young Justice, voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.[13] This version supplies Apokoliptian weapons to Intergang. Additionally, he is an ally of the Light and participated in their metahuman trafficking operation, being directly responsible for transforming Danny Chase into the Kaiser-Thrall.
- DeSaad appears in Justice League Action, voiced by Jason J. Lewis.[13] This version commands several spaceships crewed by Parademons and wields a Mother Box housed in his belt.
Film
- DeSaad appears in Justice League: War, voiced by Bruce Thomas.[13] This version is in charge of the process that transforms other captured species into Parademons. He is later killed by Superman, who became unstable and aggressive after being partially subjected to the process.
- An alternate universe version of DeSaad makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Justice League: Gods and Monsters.
- DeSaad appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League, voiced by James Arnold Taylor.[13]
Live action
Television
- DeSaad appears in Smallville, portrayed by Steve Byers. This version owns a string of fetish clubs known as "Club DeSaad", and possesses telekinesis and other mental abilities that he uses to manipulate and corrupt people. In the series finale, Green Arrow kills DeSaad, Granny Goodness, and Glorious Godfrey using special arrows.
Film
DeSaad originally appeared in
Video games
- DeSaad appears as DLC for Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.
- DeSaad makes a non-speaking appearance in Darkseid's ending in Injustice 2.
- DeSaad appears as a boss in DC Universe Online.
- DeSaad appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.
Merchandising
DeSaad was included in Series 12 of
References
- ^ O.M.A.C. (vol. 4) #1-4
- ^ OCLC 213309017.
- ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ^ Eclipso #10
- ^ Orion #1 (June 2000)
- ^ Salvation Run #1-7 (November 2007 – June 2008)
- ^ Infinity, Inc. (vol. 2)
- ^ Justice League (vol. 2) #6 (April 2012)
- ^ Worlds' Finest #11 (June 2013)
- ^ Justice League: The Nail #1
- ^ Kingdom Come #2
- ^ Thorion of the New Asgods #1
- ^ a b c d e f g "Desaad Voices (Superman) - Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 1, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ Colbert, Stephen M. (November 7, 2019). "Justice League: Zack Snyder's Cut Cast Darkseid's Servant Desaad". Screenrant. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
- ^ Jacobs, Eammon (August 22, 2020). "'Justice League' Zack Snyder Cut Trailer Reveals Darkseid & DeSaad". HeroicHollywood. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
- ^ Dandy, Jim (August 22, 2020). "Justice League: DeSaad Revealed in Snyder Cut Trailer". denofgeek. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
- ^ OAFE - DC Universe Classics 12: Desaad review