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Despero is an alien conqueror with powerful physical and mental abilities who hailed from the planet Kalanor.
History
Unsatisfied with his usual planet plundering, he sought a challenge from the planet Earth, hearing rumors of their mighty superheroes.
Arriving in Earth's orbit, Despero attacked the Justice League Watchtower with a Kryptonite ring, believing Superman to be on board. However, to his surprise, the Kryptonian was actually with Wonder Woman on a mission. Despero instead battled reserve members of the League, wiping them out before finally fighting Martian Manhunter. The Martian, not abiding by usual League protocol, use his telepathic attack at full power, sending Despero into a coma and turning him over to the authorities.[1]
When the Crime Syndicate arrived on Earth and attempted to kill the Justice League, Despero was woken from his coma and worked with the Secret Society to ensure that all the heroes that were detained inside the Firestorm Matrix would be too disoriented with his telepathy to try and break out.[2] The heroes were eventually freed, despite Despero's effort, and the alien was forced into hiding.
At some point, Despero battled the Justice League of America before being sent into a coma yet again and was transported to Belle Reve. Despero was kept in a sealed container in his coma before he awoke and escaped without anybody ever realizing. The alien returned to his home world of Kalanor where he killed the elders that had ruled it, declaring himself the new ruler and mind-controlling the rest of his planet's inhabitants.[3]
From there he would instigate tensions that reignited the long standing conflict between Rann and Thanagar by implementing suicide bombing perpetrated by mind controlled wingmen, using it as a cover to orchestrate the demise of Alanna's father. Further pushing the two worlds towards interplanetary war, in truth however Despero had been keeping Sardath alive and under mental persuasion like his daughter in order to replicate his Zeta-Technology on a much grander scale. The cosmic tyrant intending to beam an army towards earth in an attempt to conquer it and its meta-human protectors.[4]
One of the crucial elements Despero needed for his plans was Thanagar's Nth Metal, a fresh deposit of which had been found on the largest of the planets three moons. As a testing phase he set the Zeta Beam portal to snatch up its entire core, causing the lunar body to explode and rain genocide down on the unsuspecting Thanagarian homeworld. Now armed with the metamorphic material he launched one final assault on Adam Strange and Hawkman, literally ripping out the precious metal from the ailing heroes body.[5]
As the battles escalated and his hold over the Nth Mental in Katar's being solidified. In a last ditch effort Hawkman dealt a crippling blow to the monsterous despot, splattering his skull with his own Nth Metal just as Adam sabotaged the Zeta Beamer. Seemingly eradicating the three battlers when they were really transported around and beyond existence. Despero reviving himself shortly after from a few scraps of leftover Nth Metal.[6]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Kalanorian Physiology
- Superhuman Durability: Despero has incredible levels of resistance to injury and can be hit by multiple missiles with no visible damage[1] and can perform planetary reentries undamaged.[7] He is also completely unbothered by lava.[4] His durability however has limits and opponents of sufficent with strength like Hawkman can cause him great damage, Nth Metal also seems able to pierce his skin.[6]
- Superhuman Strength: Despero has incredible levels of physical strength and is able to destroy a large reinforced door made of titanium and then easily pick it up and throw it.[1] He has also been able to punch through the chest of a fellow Kalanorian[3] and through a Green Lantern's constructs.[4]
- Regeneration: Despero was able to regenerate his whole body from a small quantity of Nth Metal.[6]
- Telekinesis: Despero can make people's heads explode with telekinesis.[3]
- Energy Projection: Despero can project blasts of mental energy.[3]
- Flight[1]
- Telepathy: Despero has immense telepathic abilities and was able to separate Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond while they were merged in Firestorm and was able to briefly overpower Martian Manhunter in a psychic battle before being ultimately defeated.[1] He can influence multiple people at once and over vast distances. He generated a great sense of xenophobia against Thanagarians on Rann, pushed Alanna Strange to try to kill her husband and influence Cyborg's perceptions all the way from the planet Rann.[4]
- Illusion Casting: Despero has the telepathic ability to conjure and project illusions.[3]
- Mind Control: Despero is able to control thousands of Rannians at once.[4]
- Thermal-Blast: Despero can breath fire[3] and project blasts of thermal energy from his hands capable of melting Nth Metal.[6]
- Self-Sustenance: Despero can withstand the rigors of deep space without harm.[6]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Nth Battle Armor(Formerly): Despero has aquired a large quantity of Nth Metal that he has reshaped as a battle armor.[5] This armor was later detroyed when he was blown up by the explosion of a large Zeta-Beam gate.[6]
- Molecular Reconstruction: Despero can manipulate other sources of Nth Metal, even that inside of Hawkman's body.[4]
Notes
- Despero was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky, first appearing in Justice League of America #1. However, in the rebooted Prime Earth continuity his first appearance as part of the DC Universe is in Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis's New 52 Justice League series.
Related
- 25 Appearances of Despero (Prime Earth)
- 6 Images featuring Despero (Prime Earth)
- 2 Quotations by or about Despero (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Despero (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
  This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice League, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Justice League Villains." |
 This character, team or organization, is or was primarily an enemy of the Hawkman, or his associates Hawkgirl and Hawkwoman. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Hawkman Villains category." |
 Secret Society of Super-Villains member |