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 The beings of New Genesis and Apokolips call themselves Gods and live outside of normal time and space in a realm called the Fourth World. These New Gods have evolved due to their close proximity to the Source, a primeval energy, believed to be one of the ultimate foundations of the Universal Expression of Energy, along with their superior technology, into beings of genetic stability and evolutionary perfection. The denizens of New Genesis are stronger, faster, and smarter than homo sapiens, despite their resemblance to the same. This is not true of Apokolips however where many of the beings are inferior and only a few are physically more powerful than humans.

History

Origin

Billions of years ago, GodWorld, a world in a different dimension than Earth's, was inhabited by a glorious race of beings who are known as the Old Gods. This notable race finally met its end in a great war that ended with the release of an indescribable amount of power, known as the GodWave. The catastrophe created two new planets that became known as Apokolips and New Genesis. Over the ages, these worlds cooled from a molten state, and somehow, at least on New Genesis, some of the ruins of cities of the Old Gods survived.

Eventually, New life evolved on each of the new planets, including races of humanoid beings. Thus arose the New Gods on both Apokolips and New Genesis. Both planets pursued separate destinies for a long time: New Genesis was a world of peace and beauty, whereas Apokolips was a planet-wide armed camp, ruled by tyranny and dedicated to war.

War between New Genesis and Apokolips

Darkseid of Apokolips ignited a lengthy conflict between the two planets, which started with the murder of Avia, Izaya's wife, at the hands of Steppenwolf, Darkseid's uncle. The conflict brought devastating results for both worlds. A pact was made between Izaya, who earned the title of Highfather, and Darkseid to end the war: both rulers would exchange the guardianship of their heirs. Darkseid sent Orion to be raised in New Genesis, and Highfather sent his son to be raised in Apokolips, who was later named Scott Free.[1]

Years later, Darkseid broke the truce by kidnapping people from Earth and invading their world hoping to discover the Anti-Life Equation, the psionic means by which he could control every sentient being in the universe. Hostilities between Apokolips and New Genesis again broke out, with Earth as the battlefield.[2]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

  • New God Physiology: Some of the New Gods have evolved due to their close proximity to the Source, a primeval energy, believed to be one of the ultimate foundations of the Universal Expression of Energy, along with their superior technology, into beings of genetic stability and evolutionary perfection. The denizens of New Genesis are stronger, faster, and smarter than homo sapiens, despite their resemblance to the same. According to Alpha Lantern Kraken, the body of a New God is mostly energy and sublimes without a trace upon death.[3] Some like DeSaad or the Lowlies have no inherent superhuman abilities. Some of the New Gods show the following powers:
    • Immortality: The New Gods are functionally immortal; they cease aging physically near the age of 30. Unless they fall in battle, they are immune to the ravages of time, and could easily live for thousands upon thousands of years.
    • Invulnerability: Some of them are resistant to blunt trauma like punches, kicks, and blows from weapons like bats and maces, though not -completely- immune; unless the blows are dealt by a being with similar or greater strength, there isn't a chance of injury.
    • Super Strength: Some are naturally stronger than that of a human man or woman of their build and stature who engages in regular intensive exercise. Their strength can be measured by their ability to lift hundreds of tons.
    • Super Stamina: Their stamina and endurance might far exceeds that of a human. Due to the naturally exhausting and extensive rigors of their life on Apokolips or Stamina training on New Genesis, a New God may be able to manage their stamina on a certain amount of rest and sustenance (more than minimal) so that it seems they are able to constantly function, though this is not entirely the case. Tied directly to their strength and invulnerability, even their immunity to a certain extent, they can actually function at peak efficiency for almost 48 hours before needing to eat and rest.
    • Superhuman Reflexes: Some of the New Gods have a highly developed nervous system. Their reaction speed and hand-eye coordination is superior to that of a normal human. They can move fast enough to dodge a bullet before the gun fires and react with blinding speed.
    • Superhuman Immunity: New Gods have an extremely evolved immune system. They have developed immunity to a number of toxins and diseases.
    • Superhuman Speed: Likewise all New Gods possess enhanced locomotive abilities well beyond the finest physical specimen amongst the mortal worlds. Many are such that they can move, think and act in picoseconds compared to a baseline human in terms of quickness and agility. Orion of New Genesis possesses a fleetness of foot that easily enables him to outpace autofire even without his Astro Harness.
    • New God Powers: Some of the New Gods have an ability that goes beyond average physical ability, but it is not a mandatory concept, it's variable. mostly among the higher level New Gods.

Weaknesses

  • Radion: 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 Mister Miracle, protected by their mother box, armor, and sheer toughness have been known to take up to 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.


Miscellaneous

Type of Government:

New Genesis: Benevolent Theocratic Absolute Monarchy; Apokolips: Tyrannical and Facist Theocratic Absolute Monarchy

Level of Technology:

Highly Advanced

Cultural Traits:

New Genesis: peaceful; Apokolips: Spartan, downtrodden

Representatives:


Trivia

  • According to Batman, the New Gods are actually incredibly powerful living ideas and their Fourth World is actually an archetypal world of Platonic ideals: Mister Miracle is a physical representation of the idea of freedom, Darkseid of Evil, Orion is war, Lightray represents joy, etc.[4]
  • It is stated that the New Gods are giants compared to mortals, but travelling through Boom Tubes adjusts their size to their destination. The same is applied to mortals, who otherwise would be "nothing more than a speck" compared to a New God.[5]
  • Grant Morrison reveals that Jack Kirby was a fan of Carl Jung's works and his book Memories, Dreams, Reflections and based the New gods on Jungian Archetypes.[6]

See Also


Links and References

New Gods 02
Jack Kirby's Fourth World
DC Rebirth Logo

This character or group of characters are related to Jack Kirby's Fourth World, either the original concept and group of titles by Jack Kirby, or any of their subsequent adaptations by other creators. This template will categorize articles that include it into the Fourth World Characters category.

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