The Devil Nezha was a Chinese warlord in the 16th Century BCE who was killed and later resurrected via an elixir which made him immortal. He survived into the 21st Century and ran afoul of Batman and Superman.
History
Origins
Formerly known as just Nezha, he was the son of then powerful Chinese Warlord Li Jing, but fell in battle at a young age. His father, distraught by the loss, preserved his body and scoured the globe in a way to revive his late son, lowering his fortunes to naught. He eventually reduced to servitude, scrubbing the floors of reputed magician, in a faint hope the man could help him. After years had passed, the magician finally showed mercy and rewarded Li Jing with knowledge that allowed him to create an "elixir of eternal life", using his literal blood and tears. He then entered Nezha's tomb and administered the liquid, successfully resurrecting him. Hearing his father's tragic tale of sacrifice, Nezha grew enraged at what his father was reduced to and beheaded him; promising to never follow such a path. Doing good upon his word the Nezha rebuilt his fortune and power over the years becoming attuned to various magics and weaponry. He became known for his cruelty as the Devil Nezha.[2]
Eventually, the Gods of China intervened, offering Nezha a chance at redemption. They brought him to the Heavenly Realm and gifted him an empowered red sash that suppressed his impulses and bound the hate within him, allowing him to take human form and kept his evil at bay. After ascending to deity status, Nezha was given the titles of "Third Lotus Prince" and "Marshal of the Central Altar". During this time, Nezha was eventually sought out by the Monkey King - Sun Wukong, who asked for his help to defeat and imprison King Bull Demon.[3]
During an invasion on the Heavenly Realm, Darkseid murdered Red Boy's parents. Nezha adopted Red Boy, but he eventually grew up to hate Nezha and blamed him for his parent's deaths. He took the name King Fire Bull and swore vengeance on Nezha. Nezha feared King Fire Bull, as he was one of the few people with the strength to challenge him.[4][1]
Nezha eventually chose to remove the sash, returning to his vile ways. He was sealed by the House of Ji's mystical warriors after a cruel and long fight.[5]
The Devil Nezha
Unsealing himself over a process of three millennia, the Devil Nezha finally reemerged in the 21st Century. However, disgusted by the lack of opposition and how mankind still battled amongst itself he assailed the world through mass possession and mind control, starting with various villains and heroes and pitting them against others within the powered community.[6][2] Quickly amassing an army including various League members, his actions were stopped by the intervention Batman, Superman, Supergirl, and the Doom Patrol, driving him back to his tomb on Lazarus Island.[7]
Batman vs. Robin
In the present by the machinations of Mother Soul's after her failure to wreck havoc with the Lazarus Demon, Ruh looked towards the warlord to fulfill her plans of world peace. Guiding her grandson Damian to Nezha's tomb, Damian inadvertently unsealed the Devil. Freed, the Devil wishing to taunt and get revenge on his jailer placed Damian under his control and later Nightwing, Red Hood, Spoiler, and Red Robin. Alongside this he sent one of his thralls to possess Alfred's corpse, using the puppet to keep a close eye on the detective.
Wishing to continue his plan of world control in defense of his an even greater threat[8], alongside Mother Soul, he began asserting sending various malicious mystics to collect powerful relics from across the globe, using Black Alice to drain their energies and into The Helmet of Fate.[9] At the same time sending the the world's magic into a haywire and defeating any magic users who opposed him, later adding their powers to the Helmet or cursing them.[10]
Moving forward, Nezha captured Zhu Bajie finding out that his son, King Fire Bull, was already on Earth and has begun contesting his power.
With Batman's arrival into his base, Nezha watched Damian battle against his father before turning his attention the charged Helmet of Fate. As the two battled Nezha nearly placed the helm on before being interrupted by a freed Talia leading for the Helmet to instead be equipped by Bruce. Battling the now mystical Batman, their battle drew to the point where the helm would break and shatter into the resin pools nearby. Before he could strike the final blow, Nezha is interrupted by Damian who Bruce takes a fatal blow for, and later his own son wishing for revenge. Weakened by Alice and Zhu's siphoning of his magic to revive Batman and his constant fighting Nezha flees as the now charged Lazarus pools began erupting.[11]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Magic: Nezha is an incredibly powerful sorcerer, having practiced magic for centuries.[11] He is capable of utilizing magic designed to adapt to any attack from every known science, force, and element on Earth.[7] His spells allow him to bend natural phenomena and dimensional walls to his will.[12] He was even capable of creating his own spell from scratch, in order to escape a impenetrable magical prison.[5]
- Mind Control: Nezha is able to place others under a powerful mind control, allowing him to control his victims as he wishes. Those who fall under Nezha's control are forced to unveil their deepest buried grievances.[8]
- Necromancy: Nezha was capable of reaching into the afterlife to take a piece of Alfred Pennyworth's soul. By fusing the piece of Alfred's soul with his magic, Nezha created a copy of Alfred that he used as a spy.[8]
- Astral Projection: Nezha was capable of projecting himself to Mother Soul, in the form of a vision.[13]
- Aerokinesis: One of Nezha's spells allow him to project the "wheels of fire and wind", a powerful vortex of mystical wind and fire.[11]
- Dimensional Travel: When imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, Nezha's magic quickly allowed him to adapt, as he was capable of breaking through the Zone's dimensional barrier, back to Earth.[7]
- Deflection: Nezha is able to use his magic to deflect energy based attacks.[7]
- Possession: Nezha is able to transfer his magic and soul into another person, allowing him to completely inhabit their mind and body. Doing this also grants Nezha complete access to the knowledge of whoever he is possessing.[14]
- Pyrokinesis: Nezha can emit a mystical flame that he can command to his will.[5] He can also cause others to combust in flames.[9]
- Thermal-Blast: Nezha is able to project powerful blasts of his mystical fire.[11]
- Teleportation: Nezha can create portals that he can use to transport himself at will.[5][11]
- Flight[5]
- Lazarus Enhancement: Nezha was originally resurrected by a mystical elixir created by a Chinese mystic, which granted him immortality. This elixir would later be refined to create the Lazarus Pits, and the substance known as Lazarus Resin.[2][11] The Pits and Resin are partially made up of the chemical compound Dionesium, which has the supernatural ability to revive dead tissue, bringing those who encounter it back to life. Through continuous use of the Pits, and consumption of the Lazarus Resin, Nezha is able to retain his immortality, as well as further amplify his magic. However, prolonged use of the substance has corrupted Nezha's soul, which altered his physiology into a more demonic appearance.[8]
- Immortality: Nezha has lived for centuries and does not age, due to his resurrection and through constant use of the Lazarus Resin.[8]
- Enhanced Senses: Nezha's senses are far greater than any normal human. He was able to instantly sense that Damian Wayne was the son of Batman.[9]
- Superhuman Strength: Nezha possesses incredible strength, capable of going toe to toe with Kryptonians[5]
- Superhuman Durability: Nezha is nearly invulnerable, however he can be harmed by technologies and energies that he hasn't had a chance to adapt to.[7] He is capable of resisting Kryptonian heat vision,[7] and has withstood being pummeled to Earth from outer space by Supergirl at incredible force, recovering only minutes later.[12]
- Superhuman Stamina[5]
Abilities
- Intimidation[2]
- Leadership[5]
- Occultism: Nezha possesses vast knowledge and understanding of magic and mysticism. Beginning in the 16th century, Nezha began embracing mysticism and adorning himself with magical weapons.[5]
- Martial Arts: Nezha has been described as the deadliest magical warrior to have ever lived, by Batman himself.[9]
- Meditation[15]
- Military Protocol[2]
- Swordsmanship[2]
- Tactical Analysis[12]
- Throwing[11]
- Weaponry[2]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Lazarus Pit
- Lazarus Resin
- Red Armillary Sash: After ascending to the Heavenly Realm, Nezha was given a mystical red sash that suppressed his impulses and bound the hate within him, allowing him to take human form and kept his evil at bay as long as he is wearing it.[3]
- Wind and Fire Wheels: During his time as a deity, Nezha used a pair of magical Wind and Fire Wheels that he stood on, allowing him to freely fly and levitate at will.[3]
Weapons
- Mystic Sword
- Fire-Tipped Spear
- Universe Ring: Nezha's Universe Ring is a powerful magic weapon that is capable of expanding at will, in order to restrain enemies.[3]
Notes
- This character or object is an adaptation of Nezha, a character or object in traditional stories. These include, but may not be limited to religious texts, myth, and/or folk lore. More information on the original can be found at Wikipedia.org.
Trivia
- Rúh al Ghul stated that Nezha may be the only being that finds it soothing to bathe in the Lazarus Pit, which is normally an excruciating process.[11]
Related
- 22 Appearances of Nezha (Prime Earth)
- 15 Images featuring Nezha (Prime Earth)
- Quotations by or about Nezha (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Nezha (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Batman vs. Robin #4
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Batman/Superman: World's Finest #2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lazarus Planet: Alpha #1
- ↑ Batman vs. Robin #3
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Batman/Superman: World's Finest #3
- ↑ Batman/Superman: World's Finest #1
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Batman/Superman: World's Finest #5
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Batman vs. Robin #3
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Batman vs. Robin #2
- ↑ Batman vs. Robin #1
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Batman vs. Robin #4
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Batman/Superman: World's Finest #4
- ↑ Robin (Volume 3) #17
- ↑ Batman vs. Robin #5
- ↑ Lazarus Planet: Omega #1
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