Top 10 DC Characters Too Powerful For The DCEU
For this list, we'll be looking at characters from DC comics that, interesting though they might be, are simply too overpowered to work in the context of the DC's film universe as we know it.
In a cinematic universe already inhabited by godlike beings, you need to draw the line somewhere! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 DC Characters Too Powerful for the DCEU.
For this list, we’ll be looking at characters from DC comics that, interesting though they might be, are simply too overpowered to work in the context of the DC’s film universe as we know it.
#10: Captain Atom
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Originally created by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC comics, Captain Atom is a hero who packs a serious punch. The character has seen his history rewritten multiple times over the years, but the story generally goes like this: an Air Force pilot by the name of Nathaniel Adam seemingly perishes during a scientific experiment, only to reappear as either an energy-based life form or having fused with an alien alloy. If you think that sounds similar to Dr. Manhattan, you’d be right - and we all know just how powerful that guy is. Immortal, nigh invulnerable, capable of manipulating seemingly infinite amounts energy, Captain Atom has been shown to be capable of beating Superman.
#9: Barbatos
This being’s origin can be traced back to the early days of all reality - that should be enough to tell you that he’s incredibly powerful. Barbatos, also known as The Dragon, was created by the Forger of universes as a tool to destroy those universes and worlds within the dark multiverse deemed unstable. So to summarize: Barbatos can wipe out entire universes. But as these things tend to go, Barbatos grew restless, killing his master and turning his sights on the multiverse inhabited by our heroes. Though Barbatos is a fascinating character and a huge contributor to the success of the “Dark Nights: Metal” storyline, he’s simply too powerful for the films - and his backstory arguably too convoluted.
#8: Phantom Stranger
This powerful character has been around for over 60 years of publication, and yet he still remains something of an enigma. In 2012, he was given an origin story which established that he was once the man who betrayed Jesus, Judas Iscariot. But that’s just one of numerous other unconfirmed possible origin stories. Similarly, the exact nature of his powers and abilities are hard to pin down. Immortal, capable of interdimensional travel, imbued with an unquantifiable amount of magical ability and seemingly omniscient, the Phantom Stranger carries with him quite the supernatural toolbox. Though many questions remain, one thing we can say with certainty is that he’s far too powerful to play anything more than a very minor role in the DCEU.
#7: Nekron
“Blackest Night” was one of the events that Geoff Jones used to help put the Green Lanterns back on the map. Only time will tell if the Corps can similarly soar on the big screen, but should they, the “Blackest Night” storyline will be a tempting story to adapt. Though the arc packs a lot of emotional weight and great moments, we have our concerns about its villain - Nekron. The Lord of the Unliving, this skeletal being is the living embodiment of the certainty of death. He’s literally one of the most powerful forces in the universe and he seeks to destroy life itself. How the heck do you fit that conflict into a 2 and a half hour movie?
#6: Eclipso
Sure, he might look like a bit like a Green Goblin or Hobgoblin knock-off, but don’t let his similarities to those Marvel characters fool you - he’s arguably more of a threat than any of them. Eclipso was God’s first Spirit of Wrath, but when God saw fit to replace him, he was trapped in a black diamond known as “The Heart of Darkness”. When this diamond was broken, he found ways to possess humans and heroes through the shards. Invulnerable, magical and armed with a wide assortment of superpowers, he’s a terrifying force to be reckoned. Even with his one weakness, sunlight, he’s likely too much for any of our big screen DC heroes to handle.
#5: Mr. Mxyzptlk
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With Dr. Strange and Thanos, the MCU has successfully introduced reality-bending elements, but such additions were long in the making and carefully planned out. Throw in a being who can change reality on a whim, and your film universe is bound to get real complicated, real fast. An Imp from the Fifth Dimension, not unlike Bat-Mite, Mr. Mxyzptlk is your quintessential trickster. Not only would his cartoonish ways feel horribly out of place in a live action DC film, but his ability to warp reality adds far too many complications. For him to make sense as a central villain, he would have to showcase the full extent of his abilities, and that would be far too devastating.
#4: Krona
Okay, to be fair, Krona did appear in the 2011 “Green Lantern” film. But that predates the DCEU, he’s little more than a footnote in the film’s backstory and the character is even named outside of the special features - so we’re considering him fair game. In the comics, Krona has a long and storied history. The short version of it is that he was an Oan scientist, whose reckless scientific exploration resulted in the creation of the multiverse AND the Anti-Matter Universe, thus introducing evil into reality. For his crimes, he was turned into a being of pure energy. With his mighty intellect, Oan abilities and technological prowess, he has destroyed entire universes.
#3: The Spectre
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Remember how we talked about Eclipso being replaced as God’s Wrath? It was the Spectre who took his place. A divine spirit of vengeance, he is actually a part of the creator of the DC reality. As you can imagine, that brings with it an almost infinite amount of power. The only thing that limits it is the fact that the Spectre is bound to a human host. Even so, his powers remain godlike and we’re not just talking about Herculean strength. He has control over reality itself, is immune to all but the most powerful magical attacks and largely exists in a league of his own. How do you fit someone like that into a conventional superhero flick?
#2: Lucifer Morningstar
This rebellious archangel requires little introduction. He is Samael, the devil himself, the ruler of Hell - that is when he’s not vacationing on earth. First introduced by Neil Gaiman in the pages of his iconic Sandman comics, this version of Lucifer has since made his way into the core DC universe, where he thankfully doesn’t meddle too often. Lucifer Morningstar usually considers himself to be above the squabbles of mortal and superhumans, but when he does get involved, you’re reminded of just how colossally powerful he is. The reality is that no one in the current DCEU is anywhere close to being equipped to deal with what he brings to the table.
#1: The Presence
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The Presence is the God of the DC Universe. Also known as The Voice, and the Hand, he is the ultimate power, the highest rung of the DC totem pole. Okay, technically, there’s one thing higher than the Presence in the DC hierarchy, “the writer”, but that’s just called breaking the fourth wall and something tells us that the DCEU isn’t going to be getting overtly meta anytime soon. We guess the Presence could fit into some sort of dreamy death sequence, but short of Justice League Dark finally taking shape and becoming a full-blown trilogy, we can’t imagine a context where it would make sense. He’s literally all-powerful, and there isn’t much fun in a character like that.
