Lady Styx is an alien conqueror who commands armies of brainwashed and undead.
History
Origin
The Guardians of the Universe believed Lady Styx originated from somewhere outside the known cosmos. Worshiped as a goddess by her followers, the Lady sent forth her legions to ravage planets and transform their populations into her undead slaves. This is known as the "Stygian Passover". In her twisted mind, this is a way of bringing order to a chaotic universe, uniting all peoples as one race with a single purpose, worshiping her.
Lady Styx's missionaries are known as "Darkstars", taken from the former intergalactic peacekeeping force of the same name. Transformed into zombies and robbed off their individual identities, these brainwashed beings preach her glory, and urge their enemies to "believe in her."
52
Lady Styx put a bounty on the heads of Starfire, Adam Strange and Animal Man, who had been stranded in space after the Infinite Crisis. Seeing the destruction wrought by her followers and fearing their home worlds could be next, the trio of space heroes decided to make a stand against her. They were able to gain the help of a somewhat reluctant Lobo, who had recently found religion himself. Lobo led them to Lady Styx on the pretense of collecting on their bounty, before launching a full-out assault on her throne room. The resulting battle would also lead to the apparent death of Animal Man via a necrotoxin (although he was later resurrected by the very aliens who originally gave him his powers). Lady Styx was apparently killed, absorbed by a Sun-Eater while battling the Green Lantern Ekron (a.k.a. the "Emerald Head").[1] Some time later though, she was able to grow new flesh for herself from a pregnant captive.
One Year Later
Lady Styx resurfaced soon after and reestablished herself and her empire. She sought out powerful artifacts known as the "heartstones" in her attempt to remake the universe and usurp the role of God.
Using the stones as a focus, she recreated a new, giant body, combining and reshaping her supplicants' bodies. She is stopped in her plan by the Omega Men and finally killed by a resurrected and empowered Felicity. However, Lady Styx was apparently able to hold her consciousness together within Felicity's subconscious.[2] There, the Lady waited to strike again.
Styx was able to infect both Earth and Rann with her Stygian Virus creating a band of radicalistic followers. On Earth, there were many random outbursts of people acting homicidal and psychopathic, and on Rann the public united under a new hero with her guidance, an Earthman named Champ Hazard, who was much more destructive and violent than Adam Strange.[3]
Although the direct influence of Lady Styx was purged from the Rannians, they have continued to worship her as a deity, although not quite as devoutly. Her influence on Rannian culture reignited the tensions between Rann and Thanagar.[4]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Alien Physiology: Four arms, each with two hands, one with four digits, one with three.
- Necromancy
Notes
- Lady Styx's first appearance is as a cameo in 52 #19 with her first full appearance coming in 52 #31.
Related
- 20 Appearances of Lady Styx (New Earth)
- 6 Images featuring Lady Styx (New Earth)
- 1 Quotations by or about Lady Styx (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Lady Styx (New Earth)
Footnotes