The main villain of Dark Knights: Metal was the dark god Barbatos. Originally the dragon of the World-Forger, Barbatos' ambitions grew too great, and he transformed the worst realities created by his former master into the Dark Multiverse. Envying the main DC multiverse, Barbatos ended up assembling a group of dark versions of Batman to open up a rift for him to travel through.

Of the seven Batmen assembled, the most physically powerful of them all was the Devastator. A hulking figure, the Devastator possessed the incredible strength of Doomsday. But what made him even more dangerous was his mind. As a cold and calculating incarnation of Bruce Wayne, the Devastator also had a cunning sense of strategy. On his own, the creature has an impressive story and the role he played in Dark Knights: Metal almost lead to the destruction of the entire DC Universe.

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Who is the Devastator In Dark Knights: Metal?

dark knights metal batman devastator

The Devastator was once Batman on the dark world designated as Earth -1. On this world, the Dark Knight and Superman worked together as friends, at least for a time. Eventually, this version of Superman went rogue and attacked humanity. This betrayal ultimately broke Batman, and he watched as his former friend destroyed everything he had formerly held dear.

Batman tried to "cure" Superman of whatever corrupted him until the Man of Steel killed his own wife, Lois Lane. The Caped Crusader confronted the Man os Steel, who used his heat vision to sear off his arm. Just prior to his ultimate defeat, Batman revealed that he had injected himself with the Doomsday Virus that not only empowered him but hardened his heart. The newly christened Devastator made quick work of Superman, using the element of surprise to murder his former ally in cold blood.

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How Strong is Batman the Devastator?

Dark Knights: Metal Batman the Devastator

The Devastator has all the mental prowess of Batman. This gives him a tactical edge in almost every fight, with a quick wit and knowledge of most fighting styles. The Doomsday Virus enhanced his body, making him impervious to most attacks. His bone spikes are natural weapons, and he also coughed green gas that infected Superman, leading to bone spikes bursting out of his body.

By the time of the Dark Knights attack on Prime Earth, the Devastator had fully adjusted to his powers, serving as the muscle of the group. While Dawnbreaker is used to attack the Justice League and the Merciless brings down those that would protect the government, the Devastator goes head-to-head with the reserve Justice League. Heavy hitters like Supergirl, Firestorm and the Flash are summarily defeated by him. Not even the intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo stands a chance against the Devastator, and is tossed into the sun by his massively powerful foe.

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How Superman Finally Defeated the Devastator

Batman The Devastator

The Devastator, like the rest of the Dark Knights, conquered a city after seemingly defeating the heroes. His target was Metropolis. Wanting to "save" a version of the city he couldn't protect on his own world, he unleashed a variation of the Doomsday virus on the population. As a result, the citizens of of Metropolis were transformed into monsters or died of disease. Even Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen were affected, although Lois managed to keep her son Jon safe by locking him away in time.

The Devastator ultimately brought the Monitor's multiversal tuning fork to Gotham City. On Barbatos' orders, the tuning fork could be used to free Barbatos from the Dark Multiverse and let him infect all of creation with corrupted versions of the DC Universe. Luckily, the Justice League arrived in the nick of time wielding the unbelievably powerful tenth metal. This gave the heroes the edge they needed in their final battle with the Dark Knights. In the ultimate irony, the main DC Universe's version of Superman defeated the Devastator once and for all, apologizing as he ended the threat.