From 1996 to 2000, Superman: The Animated Series ran for 54 episodes. Created by Bruce Timm and the production team that worked on Batman: The Animated Series and the subsequent DC Animated Universe projects that followed, Superman TAS explored Superman's origins, his first interactions with kryptonite, and his earliest encounters with some of DC's greatest villains.

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Superman is one of the most powerful DC heroes, so naturally, the universe's strongest villains rise to challenge him. Over three seasons, Superman battled villains on Earth, like Metallo and Parasite, and enemies from the cosmos, like Kryptonians. They escaped from the Phantom Zone and the world-conquering Darkseid.

10 The Female Furies Outnumbered The Man Of Steel

Furious Four Ways with The Female Furies Superman Legacy Lashina Stompa

The Female Furies appeared in the two-parter episodes "Little Girl Lost" and "Legacy." Prominent members of the Furies include Lashina, Mad Harriet, Stompa, and Big Barda, who was revealed as an ex-Fury in Justice League Unlimited. The team was raised and trained by Granny Goodness in the pits of Apokolips.

Alone, the members of the Furies could be easily defeated by Superman, but together, they're considered some of Darkseid's greatest soldiers. Lashina wields whips that produce electric charges, Mad Harriet has claws like Wolverine, and Stompa can create small earthquakes with her super strength.

9 Parasite Could Steal Superman's Powers

Superman confronts Parasite in prison

Parasite frequently appeared throughout Superman: The Animated Series and even joined Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society in Justice League. In his base form, Parasite is no stronger than the average human. However, when he makes physical contact with someone, he can absorb their memories and personality; if his victim has superpowers, he also steals them.

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Parasite is an extremely powerful villain when he has Superman in his grasp. He stole the Man of Steel's powers multiple times in episodes like "Feeding Time" and "Double Dose." Thankfully, his stolen powers fade over time.

8 Metallo Was Powered By Kryptonite

Metallo drowns Superman in lava

John Corben was a mercenary who worked for LexCorp, but after discovering he had a rare disease, he volunteered to undergo a radical experiment that would transfer his consciousness into an android body. After the surgery was complete, Metallo was born. Metallo possesses incredible strength and durability, but the most remarkable ability Metallo has lies in his kryptonite heart, the source of his power.

Superman could easily overpower Metallo, but not when the villain exposes the kryptonite fragment sitting within his chest. Metallo can even fire blasts of energy from the kryptonite, making him a real threat to the Man of Steel.

7 Prometheon Was A Giant Creature Fueled By Heat

Superman battles the Prometheon monster

While Batman: The Animated Series was darker and more grounded, featuring street-level villains and the occasional enemies who used advanced technology like Mr. Freeze, Superman: The Animated Series introduced many more science fiction elements to the DCAU. "The Prometheon" featured a giant clay-like monster that fed on heat, growing in size and power.

The Prometheon creature grew larger than a building, absorbing heat from Earth's core and a nuclear submarine. Finally, the creature grew so strong that Superman required the assistance of STAR Labs to cool the creature and cut off its accumulation of power.

6 Maxima Defeated Superman While Trying To Marry Him

Maxima rules her kingdom from her throne

Superman and Lois Lane may be one of the best couples in DC, but their relationship was only briefly explored and hinted at throughout Superman: The Animated Series. Instead, the show emphasized the spectacle of Superman, with the life of Clark Kent taking the backseat.

In the "Warrior Queen" episode, a new villain entered Superman's life, attempting to steal him from Lois and anyone else. Maxima was the Queen of Almerac. She journeyed to Earth to make Superman her husband. Her alien physiology gave Maxima incredible strength and speed, allowing her to overpower Superman, capture him, and bring him back to her homeworld.

5 Lobo Was The Galaxy's Greatest Bounty Hunter

Superman: The Animated Series Lobo

Lobo, an intergalactic bounty hunter, first appeared in the two-part episode "The Main Man" after the Preserver hired him to capture Superman. The Preserver wanted to collect the last Kryptonian, as he had with hundreds of other nearly extinct species across the universe. However, when the Preserver learned that Lobo was the last of his species, the hunter found himself captured as well.

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Superman and Lobo ultimately teamed up to escape the Preserver's ship, but their original battle on Earth was epic. Lobo proved to be more than a match for the Man of Steel, using super strength that almost rivaled Superman's. Fortunately, Lobo didn't possess any of Superman's other abilities, and the hero used that to his advantage.

4 Bizarro Was A Clone As Strong As Superman

Bizarro gets angry at Mister Mxyzptlk

Bizarro was featured in some of Superman: The Animated Series' weirdest episodes. Originally created as a clone of the Man of Steel, Bizarro's body and physical appearance quickly warped due to cellular degeneration, leaving him in a confused state.

Bizarro returned on several occasions, attempting to recreate Krypton on Earth, and even teaming up with Mister Mxyzptlk. While Bizarro is easily confused and often gullible, he is still a being possessing the same powers as Superman, making him dangerous. However, while he's almost as strong as Superman, his innocent nature rarely makes him a real villain.

3 Jax-Ur & Mala Benefited From Earth's Yellow Sun

Jax-Ur and Mala visit Metropolis

Jax-Ur was a High Commander in Krypton's military before he and his second-in-command, Mala, were sentenced to the Phantom Zone for attempting to overthrow the planet's leaders. Years later, Superman inadvertently released the Kryptonian duo. Jax-Ur used his strategic mind and newfound powers to plan a hostile takeover of Earth.

Jax-Ur and Mala were a dangerous combination, possessing the same powers as Superman under Earth's yellow sun. Superman couldn't defeat them directly but tricked them by returning them to the Phantom Zone. When Superman encountered the duo in the episode "Absolute Power," he had to rely on the luck of a nearby black hole to defeat them again.

2 Brainiac Was As Powerful As He Was Intelligent

Brainiac tricks Superman with Kryptonian knowledge

Brainiac was one of Superman's main villains in the animated series, appearing in classic episodes like "Stolen Memories" and "New Kids In Town," and would later become one of the greatest villains in the entire DCAU. In Superman: The Animated Series, Brainiac was originally built on Krypton, but the advanced artificial intelligence cared only about his mission of collecting all the knowledge in the universe.

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Brainiac was not conventionally strong like Lobo or the Kryptonians from the Phantom Zone. Instead, Brainiac used advanced technology to enhance his cybernetic body. Superman often required the help of the Justice League and even Darkseid to defeat this classic villain.

1 Darkseid Posed A Threat To The Entire DC Universe

Superman serves Darkseid on Apokolips

Darkseid made several cameo appearances throughout Superman: The Animated Series before making his full debut in the "Apokolips...Now!" two-parter in season three. Darkseid is by far one of the strongest villains in the DCAU. He not only posed a threat to Superman, but to the entire world after he invaded the planet in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Destroyer."

Superman fought Darkseid several times in the DCAU, but their first battle was one of the most memorable. An enraged Superman dueled Darkseid on Apokolips. Both fighters were left bloodied as Superman unleashed his full power to have even the slightest hope of defeating the New God.

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