It has been said that superheroes comprise the myths of the modern world, morality tales featuring gods and heroes engaged in epic conflict for infinite stakes. While most people focus on the conflict between heroes and villains, it should be remembered that gods are what make myths so compelling.

Within the DC Universe can be found the wise rune-master Odin preparing for Ragnarok, the Egyptian cat goddess Bast helping her furry devotees, and Wonder Woman's patron Athena imparting wisdom. There are also the New Gods of the Fourth World, such as Darkseid and Orion. Gods are defined by their power, their greatness, and their immortality. But even gods can be slain.

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10 Valhalla Warhead

The first entry on this list is a missile developed by the United States government, a warhead that General Lane launched during the events of Dark Nights: Metal when evil versions of Batman from the Dark Multiverse invaded the world. The weapon was developed using a mixture of technologies from the government's secret facilities.

The warhead was made using sunstones from Krypton, chemo particles, and Modoran sonic technology. General Lane claimed it could kill any living being in the solar system. While devastating, it proved ineffectual against the war-god known as the Merciless, who (having power over all elements of war) absorbed its blast.

9 Omega Beams

Darkseid is many things. He is the New God who rules over Apokolips. He is one of the strongest—and most sadistic—villains in the DC Universe. He is also a tyrant with many weapons at his disposal, able to unleash Omega Beams from his eyes, red blasts that can kill other New Gods and that always seem to find their target.

Since he shoots these out of his eyes, it is difficult to say whether these count as a (un)holy weapon or whether these would be considered a biological weapon. Are the other gods filled with thoughts of these terrifying blasts? Darkseid is.

8 Anti-Life Equation

8 Grail obtains Anti-Life Equation

Darkseid might be able to use his Omega Beams to destroy his enemies (or anyone else for that matter), but there is an even more powerful and lethal item he seeks: the Anti-Life Equation. This mysterious object is a formula that does not merely spread death but warps reality and alters the minds of others, even the other gods.

In The Sandman, the demon Chronozon described the Anti-Life Equation as the end of gods, universes, and pretty much everything else. A number of times in the comics, Darkseid has acquired this powerful item, but each time it has been retconned out of his grasp.

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7 Justice Buster

This may very well be the most powerful armor Bruce Wayne ever built. While Batman does not kill—and so would never use this to kill anyone, god or otherwise—the Justice Buster is the ultimate Batsuit, a powerful mech designed to take out the entire Justice League. Keep in mind that Justice League's ranks include the sometimes-goddess Wonder Woman and Superman, whose strength rivals that of the gods.

This suit has everything. Its systems can react fast enough to stop the Flash, while an electromagnetic nerve tree can render Cyborg helpless. Perhaps most impressive, the suit's fists contain multiple miniaturized red stars, shrunk down into brass knuckles to punch out Superman.

6 Radion Bullet

There is an old saying that, while Man may have been made by God, it was Samuel Colt who made all men equal with the invention of his famous pistol. The idea that guns are the great equalizer pretty quickly falls apart when one looks at this insane weapon: the radion bullet.

Radion is a material with theotoxic properties, making any weapon designed from it poisonous to gods. The particular bullet in question was seen in Final Crisis, where it was revealed to shoot not just across space but also through time. Talk about coming to an untimely end.

5 Fahren Knife

 

The Fahren Knife is a weapon made from the body of a god—specifically Darkseid. Its blade does not merely cut, but, in fact, burns one from the inside out.

In the recent run of Mister Miracle by Tom King, a second Fahren Knife was made from the body of Darkseid's son Orion who had been killed by his own father in the war between Apokolips and New Genesis. In the final confrontation with Darkseid, Mister Miracle defeated the Lord of Apokolips by plunging the Fahren Knife into his eye, killing him.

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4 Sunblade

The Sunblade is the sword of Apollo, forged for him by the smith of the Olympian gods, Hephaestus. It was one of twelve weapons the divine blacksmith wrought for each of the primary Olympian gods, each one being made from the powerful Eighth Metal.

Presumably, any weapon made from Eighth Metal would be capable of killing a god, though maybe it requires the skilled handiwork of Hephaestus to make the metal into a weapon worthy of an Olympian. Wonder Woman gave Batman this weapon as a gift shortly before the invasion of the evil Batmen from the Dark Multiverse.

3 Miracle Machine Stroller Gun

This item does not currently appear to have a name but was a special gun that Mister Miracle and Big Barda made from the energy in their Miracle Machine. The two actually hid the weapon in their child's stroller, which they wheeled right into Darkseid's throne room on Apokolips.

Mister Miracle and Big Barda spend their entire careers traveling in search of the most dangerous objects in the universe. Normally, he uses these items in his performances as an escape artist. This was the only item too powerful risk making part of his act.

2 Tear of Extinction

The Tear of Extinction is a powerful artifact that taps directly into one of the seven negative forces of Doom in the multiverse. It has been shown as capable of killing deities from different pantheons, sending them to the mythical Graveyard of the Gods.

Created by writer Scott Snyder during his run of Justice League, this powerful artifact was wielded by Black Manta and Cheetah. Of course, something that comics have in common with classical mythology is that when someone dies, they still can influence the events of the world (and sometimes even come back), as occurred when the Tear was used to send Poseidon to the Graveyard of the Gods.

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1 God Killer

This list would not be complete without including the God Killer, a sword whose name clearly states its function. The sword was forged by Hephaestus and wielded by Deathstroke. However, its most fearsome owner was the Batman from the Dark Multiverse known as the Merciless, a version of Batman who had replaced Ares as the Olympian war-god.

The powerful sword can change its shape and weight in battle to adjust to the needs of its wielder, while it is capable of enhancing the abilities of the one using it. The God Killer is the perfect weapon, its blade honed to a lethal edge that can even cut short immortality.

NEXT: 10 Most Powerful Gods Of The DC Multiverse