Superman's most powerful foes are capable of inspiring and inflicting planet wide destruction, and include the likes of Doomsday, Mongul and Darkseid, the ruler of Apokolips.
In the early 2000s, DC introduced an even more powerful Superman villain who threatened the DC Universe as a whole. Named Imperiex, this god-like being was DC's answer to Galactus and wielded enough power to force Superman to team up with his most powerful enemies. Here's a look back at the somewhat obscure villain and his incredibly destructive legacy.
The Destroyer of Galaxies
Created by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill, Imperiex debuted in Superman #153, immediately making his deadly presence known. He was characterized as the embodiment of chaos and destruction, given form via a massive suit of cosmic armor. His purpose since the dawn of time was to destroy and restart universes from scratch, doing so via an assortment of Big Bangs. He eventually makes his way to Earth, which he deems particularly in need of destructive reconstruction due to its central role in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
He first visits Mongul's Warworld, quickly decimating the planet and sending the tyrant on the run. This forces the villain to join up with Superman, and they're seemingly able to defeat the powerful entity with their combined efforts. Unfortunately, this Imperiex is a revealed to be a drone sent out to be a probe for the true Imperiex, who boasts even more power. He then destroys Maxima's home planet, obliterating the entire galaxy surrounding it as well. This turn of events brings together a confederation of planets to rally against the Destroyer of Galaxies, led by Superman's nemesis, Darkseid.
Our Worlds at War
Eventually, Imperiex's probes reach Earth. Lex Luthor, who served as the President of the United States at the time, brought together Earth's various heroes and villains in an effort to defend the planet. The monstrous Doomsday was sent against Imperiex only to be vaporized. It's only the intervention of Superman that saves Darkseid from a similar fate.
Imperiex's armor is eventually cracked, with Darkseid using Boom Tubes to redirect Imperiex's energy to prevent him from causing a Big Bang. Unfortunately, this plan is curtailed by Brainiac's attempts to use Imperiex's power for himself. To stop both villains, Martian Manhunter devises a plan involving his own mental powers and the fighting spirituality of the Amazon women, that creates a new armor for Steel out of an Imperiex probe.
The armor, combined with a weapon of Lex Luthor's and a Boom Tube, creates a Temporal Tube that Superman pushes Imperiex and Brainiac's consciousness through into a prior Big Bang. In his last moments, Imperiex surmises that he may have been the cause of the imperfections he observed throughout the universe.
Imperiex's assault on the Earth resulted in the loss of millions of lives, which most notably included Wonder Woman's mother Queen Hippolyta. The effects of Our Worlds at War would in general be felt for a long time in the DC Universe. Sadly, the reboots of DC continuity have yet to bring back Imperiex, who could likely prove to be a threat to forces as powerful as the Anti-Monitor himself.