Darkseid

*❝ Who dares interrupt Darkseid's quest for the Anti-Life Equation? ❞*
— Darkseid answering his phone[src]

**Darkseid** is a recurring character on the T.V. series, *Harley Quinn* and will appear in it's upcoming spin-off, *Kite Man: Hell Yeah!*. He is a New God and the tyrannical ruler of the New Gods of Apokolips.

## Biography

Darkseid has a small cameo in "So You Need a Crew?" when Poison Ivy recounts Queen of Fables' backstory, showing him standing alongside other prominent supervillains of the the time.

He makes his full debut in the episode, "Inner (Para) Demons" when Harley seeks him out per Doctor Psycho's will to get her hands on his army of Parademons. However, she sends them back after seeing the destruction she caused to Gotham and realizes that's not really what she wants.

Upset about that development, Doctor Psycho leaves Harley's crew and starts himself control of the Parademons taking as seen in "Dye Hard". He reached out to Darkseid in "A Fight Worth Fighting For" and asks for the same deal Harley had with him, wanting to conquer the Earth. He declines so Psycho instead offers him Harley's head in exchange for the planet which he agrees to. However, as seen in "Lovers' Quarrel", this plan fails and he is defeated by Harley who Darkseid then makes his offer to. Harley turns him down and he goes back to Apokolips.

*❝ I demanded she sit at my side, as queen of Apokolips, or else I would destroy her. She asked to see my last three bank statements. I enjoy out chit-chats the most. We never run out of subjects to talk about. Darkseid is...is... in love. ❞*
— Darkseid[src]

In "Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special" Darkseid reveals in an interview that he found love with Kimberly Guilfoyle who he met when he delivered keynotes to the Republican National Convention where he instantly fell for her after seeing "her cold, dead eyes from across the room".

## Personality

Darkseid's behavior is befitting of a power-craving despot as he indulges in rhetorical speech, plans universal conquest, and acts of ultra-violence. As a prime example, Darkseid personally grotesquely murders Forager immediately after delivering a harsh speech announcing his victory in a war over Forager's forces. Likewise, he responds to most people bluntly, immediately deducing people's intentions and questioning their commitment towards their goals. He is difficult to please and demands grand gestures of obedience and power in order for people to prove themselves, as was the case of Harley and Doctor Psycho offering to conquer planet Earth for him. Any acts of betrayal or disloyalty towards him are met with anger on his part and an oaf of vengeance. Despite this, he is not without a sense of restraint, as was the case of him returning to Apokolips after Harley refused for a second time to rule over Earth. He described himself as being both baffled and impressed at Harley's choices. He also does not take kindly to being given nicknames such as D-Train and Big D, angrily glancing over those who called him such.

On a strangely lighter note, he refuses to use the "C-word" but nevertheless calls Doctor Psycho a dwarf, thus showing off a double standard regarding slurs. Though it may be just because sexism is his only standard.

## Abilities

* **Omega Beam**: Darkseid can fire red energy beam from his eyes that can disintegrate its target, banish them to another dimension or just torture them.
* **Superhuman Strength**: Darkseid was easily able to crush Forager's head between his fingers.

## Episode Appearances

**Season 1**

* "So You Need a Crew?" (flashback; cameo)

**Season 2**

* "Inner (Para) Demons"
* "A Fight Worth Fighting For"
* "Lovers' Quarrel"

**Season 3**

* "Harlivy" (cameo in recap; flashback to "Lovers' Quarrel")

**Specials**

* "Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special"

## Trivia

* This version of Darkseid is modeled after the New 52 version.
* Darkseid is voiced by Michael Ironside, who is well-known for voicing the same character in the various series set within the DC Animated Universe as well as the *Lego DC Super-Villains* video game.
* During "A Fight Worth Fighting For", Darkseid reveals that he is still searching for the Anti-Life Equation.

## References

1. ↑ ‘Harley Quinn’ Spin-Off ‘Kite Man: Hell Yeah!’ Ready to Soar with New Teaser Mercedes Milligan, *Animation Magazine* (September 14, 2023).