James Gunn Is Right, Darkseid Can’t Be The DCU’s Answer To Thanos

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Everyone’s trying to guess who the main villain will be in the first chapter of the new DC Universe. The second season of Peacemaker adds to the mystery by introducing “Salvation,” a place the government will use to imprison people with superpowers. In the comics, Salvation is closely tied to the powerful villain Darkseid and his New Gods. Darkseid’s forces use the planet as a training area, and it’s full of enemies who don’t want to become fodder for his Parademon soldiers. This strongly suggests that Darkseid will soon appear in the DCU and become a major threat to heroes like Superman.

That way of thinking has a flaw, though. James Gunn, head of DC Studios, has repeatedly stated he doesn’t want Darkseid to be the main villain in his new universe right now. He points out that Zack Snyder first brought the character to life in the movie Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and that Marvel already used a similar cosmic villain with Thanos. While Gunn has a point, he’s overlooking the biggest reason why Darkseid isn’t the right choice to be DC’s equivalent of the Mad Titan.

Darkseid Should Have Beef With One DC Hero, Not All of Them

Given that Zack Snyder’s Justice League really highlights Darkseid, it’s helpful to understand his motivations from that film. He’s driven by a desire to find the Anti-Life Equation, which would let him reshape the entire universe to his liking. In the DC Extended Universe, this Equation is located on Earth, so he dispatches Steppenwolf to get it. While sending a subordinate is similar to what Thanos does, the similarities end there. The film’s Knightmare sequence reveals Darkseid’s ultimate goal, and it’s not just about defeating Batman – Superman is the real obstacle.

Darkseid understands he can’t defeat Superman at full power, so he corrupts him and turns him into a weapon. The new DC Universe should definitely explore this idea. Superman is far more powerful than other heroes like Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, and focusing a major storyline on Darkseid specifically targeting Clark Kent – whether in a future Superman project like Man of Tomorrow or another – would create compelling opportunities for both the villain and whoever rises to challenge him.

Making Darkseid a Superman Villain Would Allow Another Bad Guy to Shine

Now that Darkseid is no longer a threat, attention is turning to a unique foe known as the Centre, or Dinosaur Island. In the story DC: The New Frontier, Earth’s heroes must team up to stop this giant, living island from causing chaos. It proves to be a difficult battle, as the Centre is ancient, incredibly powerful, and seems to have an answer for everything – even Superman’s abilities. Despite playing a key role in a famous DC story, the Centre isn’t widely known, but that might change soon. Season 2 of Peacemaker is setting the stage for its return.

Okay, so when Christopher Smith landed on Salvation, he immediately started hearing these crazy, terrifying noises – like something huge and alien was lurking around. Everyone thought it might be Parademons, but James Gunn quickly shut that down. Honestly, it sounds like Peacemaker could be facing dinosaurs – the same ones from that island in The New Frontier! I know it’s a big ask to make a giant island a threat on the scale of Thanos, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Gunn. The guy created Ego the Living Planet, which is still one of the coolest villains in the MCU. If he’s not seeing Darkseid as the big bad yet, then whoever is on his radar is definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with.

What are your thoughts on Darkseid having a smaller role in the new DC Universe? Share your opinion in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-10-23 23:43