Death in the DC universe doesn't have the same intransigence it does in reality. Entire worlds and even vast universes have been erased from existence and restored from nothing, let alone the countless individual characters who've cheated death.

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However, some inhabitants of the DC universe were struck with some particularly bad luck. When these characters died, they, for whatever reason, actually stayed dead.

10 The Electrocutioner Was Murdered By Roy Harper

Batman Electrocutioner

There have been three DC villains to use the name Electrocutioner, none of whom rose above the C-List tier of super-villainy. The latest, Lester Buchinsky, was murdered by Roy Harper in Justice League: Rise Of Arsenal and stayed dead - not even the universe-wide reboot of the New 52 granted him a reprieve. Similarly, the version of Buchinsky who appeared in Batman: Arkham Origins was killed by The Joker without making any noteworthy impact beforehand.

9 The Original Killer Frost Is Long Dead

DC HEROES AND VILLAINS – Killer Frost and Firestorm

Killer Frost has become more of a general DC Universe villain, being featured in Justice League and as a main cast member of The Flash. However, she began as a rogue of Firestorm - debuting in The Fury Of Firestorm #3 (Gerry Conway & Al Milgrom), the first Killer Frost was Crystal Frost.

A former student of Martin Stein with unrequited feelings for her teacher, Frost had been granted cryokinetic powers after being locked in a thermafrost chamber. Frost didn't last long - she perished in Firestorm #21 (Conway & Rafael Kayanan) from side-effects to her transformation. There have been later Killer Frosts, but Crystal remains dead.

8 Both Doctors Polaris Were Killed

Doctor Polaris Cropped

The first Doctor Polaris, Neal Emerson, was a minor foe of the Silver Age Green Lantern and the Justice League. Despite his theoretically powerful abilities of magnetism, Polaris never amounted to much on the super-villain hierarchy. Emerson met his end during Infinite Crisis, killed in an explosion by the Human Bomb.

RELATED: Green Lantern: 10 Ways Blackest Night Changed The DC Universe Forever

The second Doctor Polaris, John Nichol, didn't last too long. After a few clashes with the Justice League and Blue Beetle, he was killed during Blackest Night. A rebooted version of Emerson debuted during DC Rebirth, but Nichol has had no such luck.

7 The Third Clayface Has Yet To Return

Preston Payne comments on his appearance as Clayface

Few super-villain titles have been passed around as much as Clayface. The third, Preston Payne, is most famous as the star of Alan Moore and George Freeman's Mortal Clay, where he falls in love with a department store mannequin he names Helena. Payne met his end in James Robinson's Cry For Justice. With so many other Clayfaces around, it's unlikely Payne's resurrection will ever be needed.

6 Psimon Was Killed By The Joker

The Joker kills Psimon in DC Comics

Not all villains meet their ends in battles with heroes. Psimon, the telepathic and telekinetic Teen Titans foe, met a gruesome end in Salvation Run #2 (Bill Willingham & Sean Chen). The Joker smashed Psimon's head with a rock, destroying the villain's super-powered brain. The New 52 introduced a new version of Psimon, but the original was never resurrected before the timeline was altered.

5 The Original Kobra Remains Dead

Kobra

The original Kobra, Jeffrey Burr, was one of the last characters created by Jack Kirby during his time at DC. The character briefly-starred in a solo series, but became more well-known as an adversary of the Justice League. In JSA #51 (written by Geoff Johns & David S. Goyer, art by Leonard Kirk), Kobra is slain by Black Adam. Despite this, others have dawned the Kobra mantle, including Burr's brother Jason. The Kobra organization lives on.

4 Mongul I Was Replaced By His Son

Superman Mongul Action Comics

The villain Mongul has gone through many reinventions. His original incarnation created by Len Wein & Jim Starlin was an exiled alien dictator, while the Post-Crisis version was a very much in-power ruler who kept his population in line with bread and circuses. Justice League Unlimited (which also later adapted Mongul's most famous story, For The Man Who Has Everything) hued towards the post-Crisis interpretation, while Young Justice favored the Pre-Crisis one.

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This reinvention extends even within continuities. The first Mongul was dragged off to Hell by the Demon Lord Neron in Underworld Unleashed #1 (Mark Waid & Howard Porter) after a deal backfired. Mongul I never returned, with his son (appropriately also named Mongul) taking his place.

3 Prometheus Was Killed By Green Arrow

prometheus

Prometheus was introduced by Grant Morrison during their run on JLA. An anti-Batman (the son of criminals who saw them murdered by the police), Prometheus debuted by infiltrating the Watchtower and almost defeating the League single-handily. While Prometheus was a major player in Morrison's JLA run, he never quite ascended to an A-List DC villain. Indeed, after Prometheus was killed by Green Arrow in the finale of Cry For Justice, he was never resurrected.

2 Libra Was Obliterated During Final Crisis

Libra DC 1

Created by Len Wein and Dick Dillin, Libra only appeared in one story during the 20th century. During Justice League Of America #111-112, he assembled the first Injustice Gang (consisting of himself, Chronos, Mirror Master, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, the Shadow Thief, and the Tattooed Man). #111-112 happened to be a favorite of Grant Morrison's, so while writing Final Crisis, they brought Libra back. Libra was revealed as the personification of the Anti-Life Equation, before being killed by Lex Luthor.

1 Terra's Betrayal And Death In The Judas Contract Is Iconic

Terra, evil half-sister of Geo-Force, is infamous Titans mole

The most famous Teen Titans storyline is Marv Wolfman & George Pérez's The Judas Contract, wherein teen superheroine Terra is revealed to be a mole on the team planted by Deathstroke. The Judas Contract ends with Terra's death, caused by her own earth-moving abilities. It took a reboot in New 52 for Terra to return. With a revamped history, this Terra isn't quite the same as the original. The Judas Contract is such a famous story that it's been adapted to animation twice, though both retellings give Terra a redemptive moment before she dies.

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