Metron

**Metron** is a fictional character and hero in comic books published by the American company DC Comics. He first appeared in *New Gods* #1 (March 1971), but his first appearance in *Swamp Thing* comics was in *Swamp Thing* Vol. 2, #62 (July 1987). He was created by Jack Kirby.

## History

Metron is the supreme explorer, scientist, and inventor of the New Gods. His mission is the unraveling of the mysteries of the universe. His origin is mysterious, though he is not a native of New Genesis or Apokolips, but comes from another place altogether. Although he allies himself with the New Gods, he is truly neither good nor evil. His main reason for helping the New Gods in battling Darkseid of Apokolips is fear of being made subject to Darkseid's tyrannical rule. This would surely hinder Metron in his search for knowledge.

Metron first met Darkseid centuries ago, before Darkseid was ruler of Apokolips. Metron was fascinated by the "X-Element", a strange material that possessed teleportation abilities, which was invented by Himon, a scientist of Apokolips. Darkseid offered the element to Metron if he would use it to create devices with which Darkseid could invade New Genesis. Metron's curiosity superseded any moral considerations, and as a result he was partially responsible for the ensuing war between New Genesis and Apokolips. Metron joined the New Gods after the warring planets had negotiated a pact of peace, sharing with them a teleportation device known as the “Boom Tube” as an act of peace. Metron befriended young Orion and Lightray, the heirs apparent of New Genesis, and when Darkseid finally did break the peace pact he revealed the details of Darkseid's plan to Orion. In that time, Metron had a young apprentice named Esak.

### Cosmic Odyssey

Metron then went back to his research, interfering only rarely in the affairs of the New Gods. During one journey through another dimension, Metron discovered the Anti-Life, an extra-dimensional creature of infinite power. The sight of the creature temporarily damaged Metron's mind and he lapsed into a comatose state. The Anti-Life sent a portion of its energy into Earth's dimension, and it took the combined might of the New God's and Darkseid's forces to banish it forever, but not before countless lives were lost. Recovering from his coma, Metron continued to wander the universe, oblivious to the carnage his quest for knowledge has often unleashed. Such matters are beneath his concern, he exists only to discover ultimate truth.

### Panic in the Sky

Metron sensed a tragic event unfolding in the universe, and investigating he discovered that Warworld had destroyed the planet Almerac. He sensed Brainiac's presence, and the madman's plan to invade Earth. Metron sent a warning to Lightray and Orion, but Brainiac removed Metron from the Mobius Chair and imprisoned him. Metron's warning allows Superman to assemble an army of superheroes to defend Earth. When Metron was freed and reunited with his Mobius Chair, he shows a rare sign of emotion...anger. Metron assisted in Brainiac's defeat, and later imprisoned him on New Genesis, despite an outcry from several heroes.

### JLA

Metron eventually takes on an apprentice, a future robot analogue of Hourman. Eventually, the Source Wall revealed to Metron and Takion that Mageddon, a doomsday weapon of the Old Gods, was set to reawaken and attack Earth. They agreed to have Orion and Big Barda join the JLA in order to combat this threat to the universe.

### Seven Soldiers

War breaks out in the Fourth World, with Darkseid successfully obtaining the Anti-Life Equation. Eventually, all of the New Gods perish, with their immortal souls falling to Earth, and landing in the bodies of mortal humans. The New Gods now inhabit the bodies of homeless people, while Darkseid is now a crime boss. Metron takes the form of an epileptic man in a wheelchair.

Metron contacts the current Mister Miracle, Shilo Norman, as he attempts to escape an artificially-generated black hole. Inside the black hole's event horizon, Metron thrusts Shilo into a fictional reality, where he is pitted against the forces of Darkseid.

In the warped reality, Metron and the reincarnation of the Black Racer test Shilo's skills by pitting him against malevolent cars in the "Drive by Derby of Armaghetto". Shilo eventually triumphs, emerging from the simulation immune to the Anti-Life Equation as well as Darkseid's Omega Sanction. Metron appears before him and explains that he has survived his initiation into the New Gods. He then asks Mister Miracle to go further, return to the world and save everyone.

### Final Crisis

In prehistoric times, Metron visits the early human Anthro, giving him fire, as well as a "circuit" that would be used millions of years later to combat the Anti-Life Equation.

In the present day, Darkseid's minions release the equation, enslaving the population of Earth. A wheelchair-bound Metron is thrown into a cell along with others who are immune to the Equation, including Nix Uotan and a "mysterious anthropoid". Metron is seen fiddling with a Rubik's cube. The anthropoid mentions that no man alive has ever completed a maximally-scrambled Rubik's Cube in less that 18 moves. Once the guards return to deal with the prisoners, Metron completes his Rubik's Cube in 17 moves, causing it to "ping". Light floods the chamber, returning Metron and Nix to their full power.

Metron tells Nix Uotan to observe the inauguration of the "Fifth World"; the age of men as gods. Metron leaves a warning: If the humans breach the Bleed wall, they will face a greater "threat" than Darkseid.

He leaves his Mobius Chair behind; allowing Superman to use it's power source, Element X, to activate the Miracle Machine in order to defeat Mandrakk.

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

* **New God Physiology**
	+ **Immortality**

### Abilities

* **Genius Level Intellect:** Metron was a scientific genius armed with incalculable depths of knowledge, facts, and information that he has gathered over a lifetime.
	+ **Gadgetry:** Metron has invented technological wonders too numerous to mention.

### Weaknesses

* **Vulnerability to Radion:** Metron and all of the New Gods are vulnerable to a substance called Radion. Its source is unknown and its effects are toxic only in sustained amounts or after explosive exposure. The average New God can be slain by an application of Radion from a Radion blaster or bomb. More advanced beings such as Metron, protected by their mother box, armor and sheer toughness, have been known to take two hits and survive. Radion, must be hard to come by, because if it was not, Darkseid would obviously equip more of his troops with it. Perhaps it requires the mysterious Element X to create it.

## Paraphernalia

### Transportation

* **Mobius Chair:** The Mobius Chair is a vehicle of Metron's invention which allowed him to travel through time, space, and other dimensions at will. The Mobius Chair was equipped with tractor beams powerful enough to pull a planet from its orbit.