Superman has fought many supervillains over the years. Characters like Lex Luthor, Darkseid and Imperiex really had him fighting some of the best of the best. However, Superman's line-up of villains have also been local villains which aren't exactly at the top of the heap. But despite villains like Parasite not exactly being the most prominent, the character is extremely dangerous depending on the scenario, still remaining one of the most dangerous characters in the Superman lore.

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As such, here are 10 facts about the character that every Superman fan and newcomer should know about.

10 He Has The Ability To Absorb Any Form Of Energy

Parasite DC Comics

One of the most crucial abilities that the character has against other opponents is his ability to absorb energy. It doesn't matter what form the energy is, if it can be consumed, Parasite will be willing to absorb all of it.

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This is why he is such an interesting villain for Superman to fight. As Superman is constantly absorbing the radiation of the Sun, it makes Parasite view him as a buffet of unlimited power. It also helps that the more energy he absorbs, the more powerful he gets.

9 There Is More Than One Parasite

Parasite Aaron Kuder

Just like some other villains that have appeared throughout DC comics history, there are actually multiple characters that ended up playing as the character of Parasite. The most popular iteration that has taken up the villainous role was Rudy Jones.

However, he isn't the original Parasite. In fact, during the pre-crisis era, the very first Parasite was named Raymond Maxwell Jensen who was a plant worker at a research center. Following Rudy Jones was characters such as Alex and Alexandra Allston, as well as Joshua Michael Allen.

8 These Multiple Parasites Also Appeared Across Media

Raymond Jensen Supergirl Cropped

Once again just like other characters within media, there have been multiple versions of Parasite that have appeared in different forms and mediums, whether it's in video games, television shows or in movies. For example, the Raymond Jensen version appears during Supergirl.

What's more, completely new versions of the Parasite began to exist that didn't appear in the comics, like I.C. Harris who is known for stealing chemicals, although unlike the other parasites, he was perfectly normal looking with a bald head. No purple skin.

7 He Can Absorb The Powers Of Superheroes And Villains

parasite-suicide-squad

The ability to absorb energy isn't just something that the Parasite is capable of, it also has the ability to copy superpowers. This makes it extremely dangerous to fight, especially if it's fighting against multiple superheroes at once.

However, as a way of balance, Rudy Jones can only hold their abilities for a limited amount of time before running out of juice and finding new energy to absorb.

6 However, He Also Maintains Their Weakness

justice-league-of-america-green-lantern-parasite

Although he has the power to completely take abilities of superheroes, the perks can only give him so much. Not only does he have a limited time limit as mentioned before, but while he can absorb their abilities, he's also saddle with their weaknesses.

For example, if Superman is absorbed, that would mean that Parasite wouldn't be immune to kryptonite. This is a pretty reasonable weakness to have, as without it, it's possible that the character can become virtually unstoppable.

5 Before He Was Parasite, Rudy Jones Was A Janitor

Superman Man of Tomorrow - Parasite with his Family

Origin stories can come in a lot of interesting ways. For Superman, he is one of the last of his people and travelled all the way from Krypton to Smallville. For Batman, he was a young boy who witnessed his parents getting shot. For a character like the Joker, he was thrown into a vat of chemicals.

But for Rudy Jones, he was a janitor who got accidentally affected by radioactive waste, and he gained the ability to absorb all kinds of energy.

4 Parasite Has The Ability To Evolve

Parasite

One of the most terrifying elements of Parasite is the fact that the character is able to evolve throughout the post-crisis era of comic books. When Rudy Jones attempted to cure himself of his abilities, it only increased his abilities, allowing him to absorb even more kinds of energy.

Jones later evolved another four times, with the latest evolution allowing him to gain permanent flight and heat vision, making him an even more dangerous threat to other heroes. This extends to DC Rebirth, where he is at his most powerful.

3 The Parasite Was Completely Different In Supergirl

Parasite on Supergirl

As mentioned before, Parasite has appeared across a vast variety of media, with some having completely different or original characters show up to become the leeching villain. However, the source of Parasite's power is far different within the show of Supergirl.

In the Supergirl show, the abilities were determined based on anyone that was possessed by the Angon alien parasite, allowing them similar abilities to their comic book counterparts.

2 Parasite Became Godzilla

Superman Man of Tomorrow - Parasite Burns Martian Manhunter

This iteration of Parasite only appeared during the latest Superman: Man Of Tomorrow film. Detailing the first series of adventures of Superman, the film dealt with the concepts of an alien versus humanity, and whether an alien should be feared or not.

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In the film, Rudy Jones is actually a family man who tragically became the Parasite. Through immense power, he eventually turned into a gigantic monster the equivalent of Godzilla, almost becoming a metaphorical alien more than anything.

1 Lex And Parasite... Got Romantic

Parasite as Lois Lane and Lex Luthor

In an extremely and awkward storyline that occurred during the post-crisis timeline, Lex Luthor and Parasite apparently did things that were thankfully left hidden. Although, Parasite simply disguised himself as Lois Lane in order to seduce Lex Luthor.

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Nonetheless, Parasite really only did it for strategic purposes in order to break Superman down emotionally. Although the Parasite should be commended for going through great lengths on this, it is incredibly weird and awkward to think about.

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