5 DC Villains Who Could Be the Thanos of James Gunn’s DCU (Most Have Never Been in a Movie)

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After the completion of “Creature Commandos” Season 1 and the debut of “Superman”, it’s clear that James Gunn’s DCU will be teeming with ruthless villains seeking to reshape the world according to their malevolent visions. There’s a lot of common street crime, but powerful criminal leaders could potentially pose a threat that affects the entire DCU. Just like Thanos who eliminated half the population of the MCU with a snap and needed a heroic alliance of remarkable scale to end his reign across the galaxy, several DC villains might ascend to power and challenge Gunn’s (future) Justice League. Notably, many of these villains may not need an Infinity Gauntlet to achieve such power.

The overall direction of the DC Universe is becoming increasingly apparent, as James Gunn hints at a revealing plot twist in Season 2 of Peacemaker. Prior to this reveal, however, there’s a rich tapestry of DC lore and a multitude of potential villains that could emerge as a ruthless dictator on screen.

5) Vandal Savage

In simpler terms, Vandal Savage – an immortal warrior – has spent most of his life, roughly 50,000 years, causing havoc on Earth. His regenerative powers are so impressive that even Deadpool, known for his invincibility, would be envious. Known as the hardest character to eliminate in the DC Universe, Vandal Savage boasts a thousand-year background in martial arts and possesses superhuman strength, speed, and resilience, making him one of the most skilled combatants in comic books when it comes to physical fights.

Vandal Savage is exceptionally tough to defeat in battle; even if you manage to do so, he can regenerate in just a few minutes. He’s proven his durability by surviving explosions, complete vaporization, dismemberment, and multiple encounters with Superman. Moreover, unlike some mythical creatures, he doesn’t have any weaknesses to garlic or silver bullets.

He’s essentially an eternal ruler, always brimming with cunning strategies, and possessing the longevity to bring them to fruition. His arrival in the DC Universe would irrevocably alter its constantly evolving landscape.

4) Braniac

Brainiac, an alien with a 12th-level intelligence, is one of DC Comics’ smartest and most menacing characters. With the ability to create and sometimes even become any destructive weapon he can imagine, this technologically inclined despot has a wealth of devious inventions at his disposal which he often uses to terrorize Earth.

He possesses an overwhelming array of destructive tools such as a force field belt, shrinking ray, legions of robotic drones, and warriors. These arsenals include technology alien to Earth, adding complexity to any strategy aimed against him or his forces.

His intense desire for knowledge has driven him to shrink multiple cities down to bottle-size, which he stores aboard his ship known as the Skull Ship, for further study. Among these miniaturized cities is Kandor on Krypton. When Braniac selects a city to collect, he discards the original planet, considering the knowledge gained from the conquest as valuable only when it’s under his possession.

His ambitious, destructive plan that threatened entire galaxies often sparked conflicts with the Justice League, making him a well-known adversary to Superman. It’s plausible that the cybernetic tyrant could be the main antagonist in the DC Universe, as portrayed by Gunn.

3) Darkseid

In the potential new version of the DC Universe, Darkseid stands poised to be its principal antagonist, given his rule over the horrifying realm of Apokolips – one of many worlds he dominates. To summarize his menacing presence in the DCU, he is the autocrat of a terrifying world called Apokolips, which he subjugated alone. I find it hard to imagine a more intimidating portrayal of a DC villain than that.

In my perspective, it’s not merely ambition that drives him; it’s an insatiable hunger for global supremacy. With every fiber of his existence, he yearns for this power. His quest leads him to the elusive Anti-Life Equation, a force that enables him to transform any being or entity into a mindless slave devoted to his control. The DC heroes lament as they witness Darkseid not only possessing the capability but also the means to actualize his horrific plans.

Alongside his near indestructibility and extraordinary physical power, Darkseid possesses a potent cosmic force known as the Omega Effect. This energy enables him to travel through both time and space. Moreover, he can shoot intense energy beams from his eyes, dubbed Omega Beams, which are capable of causing harm to Kryptonians and even incinerating entire planets.

Additionally, he possesses the ability to absorb power upon defeating a superpowered adversary, growing stronger with each victory. It’s worth mentioning that subduing him would require a team of heroes, making him an ideal candidate for the DC Universe’s equivalent to Thanos, the formidable menace.

2) Crime Syndicate

Imagine if the greatest danger to the Justice League and the DC Universe was actually a twisted version of their own team. This dark reflection of the Justice League, known as the Crime Syndicate on Earth-3, is a group with sinister intentions. Instead of upholding justice, they bend it to their will. In this alternate universe, characters’ moral compasses have been flipped, causing heroes like Batman and Superman to transform into villains called Owlman and Ultraman respectively. Simultaneously, the malicious Lex Luthor and Joker have become unlikely heroes in this twisted reality.

Because they are extremely strong, the Crime Syndicate usually governs their universe with a firm grip and seldom loses. On the other hand, the Justice League typically comes out on top in their own universe. However, with the second season of Peacemaker establishing at least 99 different dimensions within the DCU as canonical, there’s a chance these powerful groups might come into conflict. In such an encounter, we might find out what happens when something unstoppable meets something immovable.

1) Lex Luthor

After his quick loss and incarceration in “Superman”, it appears that Lex Luthor’s chances are not favorable for becoming the main antagonist of the DCU according to the Vegas odds. Nevertheless, his self-absorbed, technologically gifted intellect suggests potential for him to take on this role.

In simpler terms, he initiated a major conflict merely as a diversion, intruded into Superman’s hidden Fortress of Solitude, repeatedly pushed Superman to the edge of death, created a clone of Superman to fight against him, threatened an alien capable of producing Kryptonians to attack Superman, and even stole Superman’s pet.

Feeling threatened by his own feelings of inadequacy when compared to Superman, Lex Luthor is driven with an intense desire to eliminate the Kryptonian from the world. He might even go so far as to target anyone he perceives as stronger than himself, potentially leading him to aspire for a controlling role in the DC Universe, acting as its malevolent leader. The recent announcement of Man of Tomorrow certainly suggests that Lex Luthor will play a significant role in shaping the DCU’s future.

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2025-09-09 23:15