- For her human personality, see Grace Parker.
Pestilence (died 2018) was a Kryptonian Worldkiller. In the 31st century of an erased timeline, Pestilence was also known as Blight. Because the Legion altered the timeline, she died in 2018 and never became Blight.
Along with Reign and Purity, Pestilence was sent to Earth upon Krypton's destruction and her human half was raised under the name "Grace Parker". After many years, Pestilence's powers were awoken. However, unlike the other Worldkillers, it is shown that she has somewhat embraced her alter-ego.
Biography[]
Original multiverse[]
Creation and living on Earth[]
Pestilence was a genetically engineered Worldkiller created on Krypton by the Children of Juru, an ancient sect of Kryptonians who worshipped the Old Gods, including Yuda Kal. Pestilence and her sisters, Reign and Purity were designed to cleanse the planet of sin in preparation for its rebirth and deliverance.
On 1979, the day of Krypton's destruction, a newly-created Pestilence was sent to Earth to grow strong and awaken once Reign was ready. Her pod presumably landed on Earth around 1989, the same time as Reign.[1]
Pestilence's human half became known as Grace Parker. She presumably remained dormant within Grace for years.[2]
Bringing death[]
After Reign had awoken, Pestilence's powers began to manifest. With Grace easily embracing her alternate personality, Pestilence began spreading a plague in National City, beginning with the planet's wildlife and vegetation; rivers of blood formed in the Arctic while birds began dropping dead from the sky. As the casualties rose, Pestilence's powers grew.[3]
A few days later, Grace began using Pestilence's powers to harm people by scratching them with infected claws, ensuring Pestilence's disease would soon kill them. After City Hall was quarantined, Pestilence infected Winn Schott and Alex Danvers as the D.E.O. investigated the situation.
Pestilence then infiltrated Silvermine Health Insurance. Upon entering a conference room, she scolded the corporate leaders for profiting on the suffering of their customers instead of providing them with the company's needed services. As Pestilence tried to kill the CEO with a poisoned claw, Supergirl stopped her. The Worldkiller expressed amusement that the superheroine wanted to save these "scabs", but the fellow Kryptonian argued that everyone deserved a second chance, including Grace. Believing Pestilence was controlling her human half, Supergirl attempted to help Grace, only to learn she willingly accepted Pestilence's powers in the wake of her cynicism and rejection of human morality. Pestilence heralded herself as a god and attacked Supergirl.
After a brief tussle between Pestilence, Mon-El, and Imra, the Dark Kryptonian was tossed out a window by Supergirl. Leaping onto the lower floor, Pestilence mocked the Girl of Steel for believing she could be redeemed. Imra began telepathically tossing parts of the building onto Pestilence, but the Worldkiller easily dodged the rubble and hurled a broken pole at Imra, which Mon-El caught. Mon-El attacked Pestilence, forcing her into the air, where she dueled with Supergirl. The superheroine eventually knocked Pestilence to the ground, but the Dark Kryptonian had secretly scratched Supergirl's throat, face, and hand multiple times, infecting her with a high dose of her poison. Pestilence triumphantly watched as the Girl of Steel immediately began succumbing to her illness, but was trapped in a telepathic bubble by Imra, who then hurled a blade into her chest. Weakened, Pestilence was briefly repressed, but her death was halted with the arrival of her sister, Purity, who healed her with their connection. Purity quickly defeated the heroes and the two Worldkillers, delighted of their reunion, flew away.
Purity and Pestilence unite with Reign.
Pestilence and Purity began searching the city for Reign and eventually located their sister at a secret L-Corp lab. After destroying the facility, Pestilence ripped off Reign's Kryptonite probe, freeing her sister of her restraints. Now united, the three Worldkillers froze their enemies in place with a blast of energy before escaping together.[2]
Death[]
After Supergirl and the Legion found the Worldkiller Fortress, they fought. The Worldkillers were winning until Purity, controlled by her human form, turned on them. Pestilence killed her but not before being killed by Purity herself. After her death, her and Purity's powers were absorbed by Reign who escaped after the fortress collapsed.
Erased future[]
According to Mon-El, in the 31st century, Pestilence has evolved and became Blight who killed many people across Earth, many Legion members,[4] and destroyed countless other planets such as Winath. The Legion traveled to the present while she was still Pestilence to prevent her evolution. When Pestilence died, the Blight's infectious future was erased.[5]
New multiverse[]
On Earth-Prime, the life and death of Pestilence remained fundamentally the same.[6]
Personality[]
- "They say that surgeons have a god complex, but it's simple. I am a god!'"
- —Grace Parker transforming into Pestilence[src]
Unlike the other Worldkillers, Pestilence did not have a split personality, she did have two people living inside one body, however, they just happen to be similar people.
As a civilian, Grace gives out an outward show of empathy, but she was really enjoying hurting people. Once she found out about Pestilence, she was overjoyed, and started infecting others in her human form. It seems to be possible because the two may have made an agreement in the mind, however, Grace is also shown to be willing to give her life for her alter-ego, Pestilence, as she stated that Grace gave up and shriveled without a sound.
Powers and abilities[]
Powers[]
- "The Blight is preceded by mass wildlife death and plant life, crops rotting in the Earth."
"Soon, it will manifest in people."
"It's a short incubation period. It's 100% fatal and extremely contagious." - —Mon-El and Imra Ardeen on Pestilence's powers[src]
- Dark magic-empowered Kryptonian physiology: Pestilence's physiology was altered due to experiments of genetic engineering and dark magic conducted by the Children of Juru. Normally, Pestilence's abilities were no greater than a normal human of her host Grace Parker's physical conditioning, However, once charged by the energy of a yellow sun and metabolized into her body, she becomes able to perform a variety of otherworldly feats. Due to her dark magic enhancements, Pestilence's powers were naturally greater than any normal solar-powered Kryptonian, as the sun wasn't the sole source of her powers. It was said that she and her sisters were born from Rao's fire. It is likely that Pestilence was just as powerful, if not more, as Superman, since she had been on Earth for at least 35 years - the same number of years that Superman has spent under the Earth's yellow sun - though had augmented, much more potent powers; making Pestilence one of the most powerful beings in the entire multiverse.
- Extended longevity: According to Mon-El, Pestilence will eventually evolve into "Blight" by the 31st century; implying that she doesn't physically age or she did so, but at an extremely slower rate.
- Worldkiller link: The Worldkillers appear to have a link with each other, using Reign as a nexus point. This is evident as Pestilence and Purity remained dormant until Reign awoke. While holding hands, they amplify each other's powers, and can fire off a powerful blue blast.
- Flight: Pestilence has the ability of flying herself through the air at tremendous hyper-sonic speeds. Though she has only been seen using this ability once, it is implied that she can fly at speeds as fast as Supergirl, as seen when the two superbeings had a duel in mid-air.
- Strength: Grace has demonstrated a high level of super strength, as she was able to fight Supergirl and Mon-El at the same time. It is unknown if her super strength is as powerful as Reign's, but from her demonstrations of super strength, she is likely stronger than Supergirl.
- Invulnerability: Grace was able to take multiple punches from Mon-El and Supergirl and still being able to fight back. She has managed to take a punch from Reign who is implied to be the strongest Worldkiller.
- Pestilence inducement: As Pestilence, Grace can spread a mysterious, contagious virus that can kill any living being she comes into contact with. During her outbreak on Earth, rivers of blood formed, dozens of pigeons fell dead from the sky and many people at City Hall suffered fevers and nose bleeds before collapsing, with some victims dying of organ failure mere hours later. She can also immediately drain plants upon touching them. By the time Pestilence evolved into the Blight, she was capable of rendering entire planets, such as Winath, dead by consuming the life force of its geography and inhabitants. According to Mon-El, the Blight's plague is "100% fatal"; its lethality was such that the Legion time-traveled into the past with the intent of killing the much younger and weaker Pestilence, indicating no cure had been found for her disease even in the 31st century.
- Retractable claws: Pestilence has protruding golden claws on each finger, sharp and dense enough to pierce Supergirl's invulnerable skin, and presumably any other being. Her claws can also induce pestilence when she grows her nails upon physical contact. Her nails are retractable, and can reform to normal size.
- Evolution: As Pestilence, Grace can "evolve" into more powerful and potent forms of herself, including turning into diseases and creating new ones. As mentioned in the 31st century, Grace had evolved into the most powerful known form of herself, Blight.
Abilities[]
- Expert hand-to-hand combatant: As Pestilence, Grace had skills in unarmed combat as seen when fighting Supergirl, but was bested implying she was not as skilled as Reign or Purity, both who have been able to gain the upper hand on Supergirl. She was able to defeat Mon-El and Imra Ardeen.
Equipment[]
- Pestilence suit: Grace wears a protective suit as her super-villainess alter-ego, Pestilence.
Erased future equipment[]
- Blight suit: Grace wears a protective suit as her super-villainess alter-ego, Blight in the 31st century of an erased timeline.
Appearances[]
Supergirl[]
Season 3
Season 5
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Trivia[]
- It's implied the Kryptonian witches screwed up when creating her, as it's implied Blight was an unintended evolution that's gone on a rampage across the universe in the future.
Behind the scenes[]
- Pestilence's abilities of poison and virus dissemination are taken directly from Perrilus, one of the five Worldkillers which Supergirl battled in the DC comics.
- Also in DC Comics, The Blight are a race in the 30th Century who fight the Legion of Super-Heroes. They are techno-organic beings composed of technology and rotting flesh, spreading their control over the universe using the Doda's stargate technology to teleport everywhere.
- Blight is also the name of a radioactive villain from Batman Beyond.