The Anti-Life Equation is a fictional concept appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. In Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting, the Anti-Life Equation is a formula for total control over the minds of sentient beings that is sought by Darkseid, who, for this reason, sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the subconsciousness of humanity.[1] Various comics have defined the equation in different ways, but a common interpretation is that the equation may be seen as a mathematical proof of the futility of living, or of life as incarceration of spirit, per predominant religious and modern cultural suppositions.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Jack Kirby's original comics established the Anti-Life Equation as giving the power to dominate the will of all sentient and sapient races.[10] It is called the Anti-Life Equation because "if someone possesses absolute control over you — you're not really alive".[11] Most stories featuring the Equation use this concept. The Forever People's Mother Box found the Anti-Life Equation in Sonny Sumo,[11] but Darkseid, unaware of this, stranded him in ancient Japan. A man known as Billion-Dollar Bates had control over the Equation's power even without the Mother Box's aid, but was accidentally killed by one of his own guards.[12]
When Metron and Swamp Thing attempt to breach the Source, which drives Swamp Thing temporarily mad, Darkseid discovers that part of the formula is love.[13] Upon being told by the Dominators of their planned invasion of Earth, Darkseid promises not to interfere on the condition that the planet is not destroyed so his quest for the equation is not thwarted.[14]
Martian Manhunter (vol. 2) #33 reveals that Darkseid first became aware of the equation approximately 300 years ago after making contact with the people of Mars. Upon learning of the Martian philosophy that free will and spiritual purpose could be defined by a Life Equation, Darkseid theorized that a negative equivalent must exist.
In Walt Simonson's Orion (2001), Darkseid and DeSaad have gained the Equation from clones of Billion Dollar Bates. In stopping them Orion learned the Equation, and tried to use it to make people happy and good, but decided that the suppression of free will is always a bad thing. Mister Miracle knows the formula, but is one of the few with the willpower not to use it. During the series Young Justice, it was stated that the mystical heroine Empress holds within her a piece of an Anti-Life Equation, which allows her to control the minds of others to limited extents. Countdown to Final Crisis #10 reveals that the Pied Piper also contained the equation within his mind and can manifest it through music. Desaad attempts to use Piper as his pawn to help him destroy Brother Eye and Darkseid so that he could rule Apokolips.
During the Final Crisis, Darkseid's plan comes to fruition even without Pied Piper's help. Using the "spoken form" of the Anti-Life, Darkseid has Mokkari unleash it through the internet, turning anyone exposed into his mindless slaves. Libra used the Anti-Life Equation to turn several members of his Secret Society of Super Villains into Justifiers while some of Earth's superheroines and supervillainesses were converted into new versions of the Female Furies.
It was revealed that the Equation can be countered by drawing the New Genesis word for "freedom" on one's face. Also, Doctor Sivana invented a device that allowed Lex Luthor to wrest control of the Equation-controlled Justifiers from Libra and Darkseid. In Terror Titans #4, because of the brain's status as an electromagnetic organ, Static is immune to the Equation's effects. In Final Crisis #7, Wonder Woman breaks the Equation's hold over the people of Earth by binding Darkseid's body with the Lasso of Truth.
After Darkseid's disappearance, the Calculator tasks himself with the role of tracking down the fragments of the Equation left in the internet, which had taken the appearance of floating diamonds in Alta Viva, an in-universe multi-player online game similar to Second Life. By having real diamonds cut in the shape of the virtual ones, the Calculator hopes to harness and restore its power for himself.[15]
The Multiversity features a different version of the Anti-Life Equation known as the Anti-Death Equation: a dark, mysterious power used by the Gentry, capable of transforming and corroding anything from the laws of physics to even beings as powerful as Monitors, turning its victims into immortal, gruesome, and evil creatures.
In DCU continuity the Equation itself retains its importance to a great many interested parties having come into the control of a host of users both in incomplete and whole formulations of itself. It is first possessed by the evil Old God Yuga Khan who uses it to resurrect many of his fallen brethren in a final battle against his sons Uxas and Izaya before falling in battle.[16] Eventually, many an individual would come to possess either finite understanding or complete utilization of the Anti-Life Equation for their own personal use over time. Some eons later Darkseid would use a fraction of its power in his invasion cycles of the Earth 2 parallel universe;[17] soon it was revealed that others possessed the full Equation but lacked the incentive to use it. The formula itself however is revealed to be a sentient being able to express itself to its current hosts.[18]
It was revealed that the Anti-Life Equation was the source of the Anti-Matter Universe's creation, and that the Anti-Monitor used to be a Qwardian scientist in the Anti-Matter Universe named Mobius who was the first to find and touch the Anti-Life Equation; it then fused with him and transformed him into the Anti-Monitor, the Anti-Life Equation's living embodiment.[19] When Darkseid died in the battle against him and his daughter Grail, Mobius forfeited the equation to return to his original form. The power itself which possessed him is now in the hands of his original benefactor, establishing her as the Goddess of Anti-Life.[20]
Over the years, the Anti-Life Equation has changed as various writers have offered their own definitions of the concept.
In Jack Kirby's original version, the Equation manifests itself as the power to control any sentient minds through direct commands. A clear distinction was made between the Anti-Life Equation and other methods of control like manipulation or hypnosis. While Darkseid could already exert some control over humanity through the preachings of his minion Glorious Godfrey, possessing the Equation would allow unlimited and instantaneous control.[21]
In Jim Starlin's mini-series Cosmic Odyssey, the Anti-Life Equation is revealed as a living shadow-based deity that corrupts and destroys everything it touches. This revelation shocks even Darkseid, who teams up with the New Gods and a group of superheroes from Earth to stop the Anti-Life Equation entity, ultimately sealing it off from their reality. The Anti-Life Equation Entity would be retconned as a creature who had been mislabeled as far as having anything to do with the Anti-Life Equation.
In issue #4 of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, the demon Choronzon mimics the form of 'Anti-Life' when challenging Dream to 'the Oldest Game' - a battle of wits in which the two must define increasingly powerful entities in turn. Attempting to end the game, Choronzon states "I am Anti-Life, the beast of judgement. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, gods, worlds...of everything", at which point he takes on the appearance of a large, blank face against a white background. Dream counters this by proclaiming "I am hope".[22]
In Walt Simonson's Orion series, the Equation is portrayed much like in the original Kirby comics, ignoring the version shown in Cosmic Odyssey. Besides the power to control minds, it is also shown to give its wielder the power to revive corpses through verbal commands.[23]
In the 2005 Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle mini-series, written by Grant Morrison, Darkseid (or Boss Dark Side, as he was calling himself) gained control of the Anti-Life Equation, which is stylized in narration as:
loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding × guilt × shame × failure × judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side
By speaking said equation, Darkseid can insert the full formula into people's minds, giving them the mathematical certainty that life, hope and freedom are all pointless. According to Oracle, who barely escaped the "full" effects of the Equation by shutting down the entire Internet just in time, the Anti-Life Equation further states that the only point in anything is to conform to Darkseid's will.[24]Shilo Norman (the current Mister Miracle) is able to break free from this with the help of Metron, gaining immunity from the Equation in the process. He passes this immunity to his allies by drawing a specific pattern (the pattern is shown to be the New Genesis word for freedom) on their face.
When Jim Starlin returned to writing the New Gods in 2007's Death of the New Gods mini-series, the retcon was revised, with the Anti-Life Equation Entity being revealed to be one-half of a cosmic being that was split into two by the war of the old gods (the other half of the cosmic entity being the Source). In a text page published in Final Crisis Secret Files, Grant Morrison attempts to reconcile the Starlin version of the Anti-Life Equation with his own version, by suggesting that the Equation is indeed sentient (as Starlin suggests) and that even after "mastering" the Equation, Darkseid still does not understand the true horrific nature of what the Anti-Life Equation is and its relationship with the Source.[25]
In the New 52 the Anti-Life has much of the same powers it had before,[26] Yuga Khan having used it to bring back the dead Old Gods to aid him in battle against his sons, Dreamer Beautiful using it for the first time to resurrect a deceased Mark Moonrider, and Darkseid himself using a fraction of it to draw unsuspecting victims to their end by broadcasting it over his parademon hive factories.
Life Equation
The Anti-Life's opposite member takes more prominence within the New 52. The white Light of Life is said to be the spark that originally gave birth to the positive matter universe of Earth-Zero just as the Anti-Life gave rise to the antimatter universe. Unlike the Anti-Life Equation which saps a person of their free will, The Life Equation is an all consuming power which has the capability to restructure reality by changing its formula around rewriting the very multiverse itself, representing the attributes of life itself pertaining to change and variance. The make up of the equation formula seems to vary from iteration to iteration. One instance relates it to the Emotional Spectrum and its corresponding seven lights:
Initially believing all of these refractions of the source light to lead in becoming the Life Equation, it is then realized that the formula itself is a separate power all its own connected directly to The Source of all things. Its power once hidden behind the wall of its namesake had been removed and supplanted within the White Ring utilized by Kyle Rayner to escape it after the seven emotional entities gave themselves to both him and it to replenish the Emotional Reservoir. It is later revealed that Kyle managed to escape with the equation in hand after he reached out into the source itself and unknowingly claimed the equation.[27] Once claimed the Life Equation has the power to redefine reality on a universal to multiversal degree enabling the user to change the formula to remake all of existence. In another manifestation, the formula reads as a direct contradiction to that of the Anti-Life Equation presenting as follows:
companionship + understanding + assurance + joy + altruism ÷ respect ÷ commendation ÷ sympathy × innocence × dignity × success × acceptance y=n where y=despair and n=caution, love=truth, death=rebirth, and self=light side
For reality embodies life and the equation is the tangible abstract of how it is defined, also similarly to Anti-Life; the Life variant can subjugate life to follow the user in the creation of a new world order in favor of protection of life, rather than accepting it as meaninglessness. The Life Equation was split into seven parts and placed into Kyle's and six newly created White Power rings. These seven rings can be brought together to restore the Life Equation if needed but until that time the White Lantern Corps can protect the equation.[28]
Alternate realities
In the Elseworlds graphic novel Superman: The Dark Side (1998) Darkseid raises Kal-El as his own (evil) son and later finds that Krypton had been in possession of the Anti-Life Equation before it was destroyed and Jor-El had sent it with his son so that he could use it to subjugate Earth and create a new Krypton. Naturally Darkseid finds it and builds a series of towers which broadcast "...the ANTI-LIFE EQUATION which obliterates free will and individual identity".
In the Superman and Batman: World's Funnest Elseworlds one-shot (2001), created by Evan Dorkin and a variety of artists, a conflict between Bat-Mite and Mister Mxyzptlk inadvertently destroys the DC Universe. When they destroy Apokolips, Darkseid is left the sole survivor, realizing that the Anti-Life Equation is "Mister Mxyzptlk + Bat-Mite = Anti-life". This causes him to die laughing.
In the DCeased written by Tom Taylor, Darkseid has captured Cyborg, who possesses one half of the Anti-Life Equation. With the other half already in his possession, Darkseid attempts to mix the two halves together, but DeSaad warns him that if Cyborg dies, the Equation will cease to exist. Darkseid thus summons the Black Racer to control Cyborg's life and activates the Equation. However, Black Racer's connection tampers the Anti-Life Equation and makes it autonomous. This causes Darkseid to lose control to the now tainted Equation, and in his despair he destroys Apokolips. DeSaad manages to teleport Cyborg away beforehand, but as soon as Cyborg appears on Earth, the Equation breaches the Global Internet and infects the world via mobile devices connected to it.
In other media
DC Animated Universe
In the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Apokolips... Now!", Orion arrives to Earth and uses his Mother Box to explain the history of Apokolips to Superman. During its explanation, the Box spoke of how Darkseid was after the Anti-Life Equation, which was said to give him great power.
In the Justice League episode "Twilight", Darkseid hacks into Brainiac's systems in an attempt to obtain the Anti-Life Equation, which will allow him to remake the universe in his image.
In Justice League Unlimited's final episode, "Destroyer", Lex Luthor and Metron obtain the Anti-Life Equation from the Source in a last-ditch effort to stop Darkseid. It causes both Luthor and Darkseid to disappear in a flash of light, and according to Dwayne McDuffie, they were absorbed into the Source Wall.
Smallville
The Anti-Life Equation is briefly featured in the Smallvilleseason 8 episode "Legion". During the episode, Brainiac attempts to capture the knowledge of others through a computer virus, which is implied to be the Equation.
The Anti-Life Equation's Omega symbol appears in the tenth and final season, appearing on anyone influenced by Darkseid.
Other
In the DC Super Hero Girls episode "My So Called Anti-Life", Darkseid, posing as human math teacher Dr. Seid, tricks the Super Hero Girls into solving the Anti-Life Equation by putting it on a test. With the completed equation, Darkseid begins transforming Earth's population into duplicates of himself. Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Bumblebee, and Raven reverse the effects by reminding the people of who they really are, which they refer to as "introducing new variables to the equation to change the answer".
In Lego DC Super-Villains, Darkseid is after the Anti-Life Equation.[29] He sends the Crime Syndicate to replace the Justice League to find the Equation on Earth. Towards the end of the game, the Rookie absorbs part of the equation and uses it to brainwash Darkseid and his army into reforming.
The Anti-Life Equation appears in the Justice League Action episode "It'll Take a Miracle!".
In the third season of Young Justice, the first letter of each episode's title spells the phrase "Prepare the Anti-Life Equation".[30] Throughout the season, Granny Goodness uses Halo's connection to the Source to access the Anti-Life Equation, only to be defeated by Cyborg.
In the Supergirl episode "The Bottle Episode", one of Brainiac 5's doppelgangers uses the Anti-Life Equation to kill another version of himself.
In Zack Snyder's Justice League, Darkseid discovers that the Anti-Life Equation is carved on the surface of Earth. After being fought back by the defenders of Earth, the location of the Equation is lost. Later, Steppenwolf rediscovers the Equation and informs Darkseid, promising to complete the conquest of Earth so that Darkseid may claim the Equation. After Steppenwolf is defeated by the Justice League, Darkseid states that he will use "the old ways" to claim the Equation, and assembles his military forces for an invasion.
In The Sandman episode "A Hope in Hell", Lucifer Morningstar invokes Anti-Life in-response to Dream invoking of a universe in an attempt to win their duel, only to be defeated once Matthew the Raven unwittingly inspires Dream to invoke hope, defeating and publicly humiliating Lucifer in front of their kingdom.
"Fourth World" was a metaseries of connected comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. Although they were not marketed under this title until the August–September 1971 issues of New Gods and Forever People, the terms Fourth World and Jack Kirby's Fourth World have gained usage in the years since. Kirby created the Fourth World concept in the 1970s. The series is a science-fiction based mythology that revolves around ancient space deities known as the New Gods. The New Gods are similar to the gods of Earth lore.
Darkseid is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby, and debuted in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134.
The New Gods are a fictional extraterrestrial race appearing in the eponymous comic book series published by DC Comics, as well as selected other DC titles. Created and designed by Jack Kirby, they first appeared in February 1971 in New Gods #1.
Mister Miracle is the name of three fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Highfather is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. An integral part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, Highfather is a New God, leader of the planet New Genesis and the positive counterpart brother to the evil Darkseid.
Orion is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the son of Darkseid and half-brother of Kalibak and Grayven who was traded to Highfather as part of a peace deal between Apokolips and New Genesis. Since then, Orion has assisted the New Gods of New Genesis against his father and was also a member of the Justice League.
DeSaad is a supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series.
Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is considered the opposite of the planet New Genesis.
Granny Goodness is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers.
Forever People are a group of extraterrestrial superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Forever People #1, and were created by Jack Kirby as part of his "Fourth World" epic.
The Black Racer is a character, a deity and avatar of Death in the DC Comics universe who often hunts those affiliated with the New Gods. The character first appears in New Gods #3 and was created by Jack Kirby.
Metron is a fictional antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Steppenwolf is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #7. A New God and military general from the planet Apokolips, Steppenwolf is the brother of Heggra and therefore the maternal uncle of Darkseid. He is commonly depicted as Darkseid's subordinate, commanding his army of Parademons in conflicts against Superman and the Justice League.
Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.
Lashina is a supervillainess and Goddess warrior appearing in comics published by DC Comics.
The Source is a metaphysical concept created by writer-artist Jack Kirby for his Fourth World series of comic books. It first appeared in New Gods #1.
Kanto is a supervillain and extraterrestrial assassin published by DC Comics.
Death of the New Gods is an eight-issue comic book limited series published in 2007 and 2008 by DC Comics. It was written and pencilled by Jim Starlin.
"Justice League: The Darkseid War" is a 2015–2016 superhero comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of a central, eponymous miniseries by writer Geoff Johns and artists Gary Frank and Jason Fabok, and numerous tie-in books by various other creative teams. It is the final storyline to feature the Justice League in the 2011 New 52 continuity, before DC transitioned to the continuity of DC Rebirth. The plot involves the fulfilment of a prophecy in which the Justice League are embroiled in a war between Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor, and learns that someone else has engineered these events all for their own purposes. The storyline received critical acclaim for the engaging plot, the action, and art of Jason Fabok.
↑ Hogan, Jonathan (2011). "Mythic Representation, Audience Interpretation, and the Anti-life Equation: Mythology and Symbolic Interactionism in Jack Kirby's "New Gods"". N.p.: Syracuse University.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
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