10 Biggest Betrayals In The History of DC Comics

10 Biggest Betrayals in The History of DC Comics: DC Comics has been entertaining fans for nearly a century and its rich history is full of memorable moments, epic battles, and iconic characters. However, with every hero, there is also a villain, and in the world of DC, these villains have often betrayed their allies, friends, and even their own family members. These treacherous acts have left a lasting impact on the DC universe and have forever changed the lives of the heroes they once called friends.

Annihilation Of The Entire Green Lantern Corps By Hal Jordan

Hal Jordan, who was the Green Lantern of Coast City, experienced immense distress when the city was destroyed by the infamous warlord Mongul. In a moment of anger, Hal launched an attack on the guardians, taking control of the Central Batteries and transforming into the infamous entity known as Parallax. He aimed to eradicate the entire Green Lantern Corps, resulting in the death of all the guardians except for Ganthet, Killowog, and Sinestro. Despite his past as a hero, Hal became the enemy of Earth’s defenders, until he was eventually overpowered. Although he later redeemed himself, the repercussions of his actions still remain with him.

Jason Todd’s Mom Gives Him Up To The Joker

DC has a legacy of causing families to split apart. One of the most striking examples is depicted in the comic book “Death In The Family” where Batman and Robin, Jason Todd, set out to find Jason’s mother who has gone missing. Despite finding her, they encounter the Joker who had misled her into giving up Jason. The Joker then subjects Jason to a brutal beating before blowing up both him and his mother in a devastating and unforgettable scene in the Batman comics. This tragedy leads Jason down the path to becoming the Red Hood.

Maxwell Lord Turns Evil

Maxwell Lord IV held significant sway over the Justice League and played a key role in the formation of Justice League International following the Crisis On Infinite Earths event. As a wealthy and powerful businessman, Lord portrayed himself as someone who had learned compassion and nobility from his late father, Maxwell Lord III. However, things took a dark turn when he acquired the ability to control minds during the Invasion storyline.

Leading up to Infinite Crisis, many shocking events took place in the DC Universe, including Lord’s brutal murder of Ted Kord, aka Blue Beetle II. Lord’s treachery continued to harm the League throughout the crisis, as he stole Batman’s metahuman satellite, hunted down every superhuman on Earth with an army of cyborgs, and was ultimately killed by Wonder Woman after he mind controlled Superman into attacking his fellow Leaguers. In a final twist, footage of Wonder Woman snapping Lord’s neck leaked worldwide, causing her to be ostracized by the rest of the League.

Aquaman Chooses Atlantis Over The League

Aquaman, beloved for his orange and green attire, is a noble superhero, but being king of Atlantis takes precedence over his role as a member of the Justice League. Despite his fondness for his fellow Leaguers, Arthur Curry will prioritize his duties as ruler of Atlantis, even if it means going against the League.

In the Throne of Atlantis storyline, Aquaman faces a dilemma when his brother declares war against the surface world after malfunctioning Navy missiles hit their underwater kingdom. He makes the difficult choice to attack the Justice League, putting his loyalty to his people above his alliance with the team. To make matters worse, the League soon learns that Aquaman’s trusted friend, Nuidis Vulko, was behind the bombing, orchestrating the events to incite a war and ultimately restore Arthur to the throne as king.

Wally West Frames Booster Gold And Harley Quinn

DC Comics has come under intense criticism for its event Heroes In Crisis, with many fans viewing the company as the culprit rather than the beloved character, Wally West aka Kid Flash. Initially, Wally’s return in Rebirth was met with great enthusiasm, but when he sought help for his mental instability, things went south. Wally, in a moment of instability, caused a catastrophic energy explosion that resulted in the deaths of many heroes who were in therapy. In an attempt to cover his actions, Wally faked his death and blamed Booster Gold and Harley Quinn for the murders, causing a rift in his friendship with Barry Allen. However, DC Comics has taken action to rectify the situation and has brought Wally back as a hero in the Infinite Frontier storyline.

Atomica Double-Crosses Everyone

The New 52 introduced a combination of iconic heroes with fresh perspectives and new characters like Atomica. As a female interpretation of the Atom, she was a member of the Justice League, but also served two other organizations. However, as the League became increasingly dangerous, Atomica found herself teaming up with Amanda Waller to bring them down. Later on, it was revealed that Atomica was from Earth-3 and had a significant impact on the Trinity War. She plunged a kryptonite shard into Superman, enabling The Outsider to bring in the evil Crime Syndicate and reunite with her lover, Johnny Quick. Despite her eventual defeat by Lex Luthor, Atomica’s actions resulted in severe consequences that could not be undone.

Batman And The Tower Of Babel

Batman, a prominent member of the Justice League, is renowned for being the best hero for a good cause. He showcases his astute strategies by devising backup plans for both his enemies and allies. Unfortunately, this resulted in the catastrophic event called The Tower Of Babel. Batman’s plans, which aimed to neutralize the Justice League in the event of them turning against society, were stolen by the villain Ra’s Al Ghul and employed against the League, almost leading to their downfall. As a result, the League’s confidence in Batman was severely shaken, causing him to depart from the group. Despite the harm caused by his actions, Batman showed little regret and continued to plan for contingencies.

Superman Becomes A Government Stooge

In the DC Universe, Superman is seen as the embodiment of goodness and is a source of inspiration and hope in a world filled with evil and malevolence. Known for his moral integrity, Superman is rarely portrayed as cruel in mainstream storylines. However, in alternate universes, writers have explored the possibility of a darker version of the hero.

One such example is Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, which portrays a sad and disillusioned Superman. Set in the future, this version of the hero betrays the League of Justice and sides with the US government, ultimately leading to a more corrupt and less powerful Earth. Although he believes that he is still doing the right thing, this portrayal highlights the devastating consequences of his actions. The fact that Superman, the strongest and most powerful hero, can single-handedly bring down the League of Justice serves as a testament to his strength and the heartache that would follow if he were to turn against his friends and allies.

Zatanna and Others Erase Batman’s Memory

One of the most notable shocking revelations was Jean Loring’s descent into madness. Before she took Sue’s life, Jean had been viciously attacked by the notorious villain Dr. Light. To protect her, a group of heroes opted to use magic to make Dr. Light passive, but not all of the heroes agreed with this decision. Batman, in particular, was against it, as he believed that altering someone’s mind, even a criminal like Dr. Light, was unethical. Despite this, the heroes and Zatanna chose to erase Batman’s memory of the incident, without telling him. This secret was kept from Bruce even after the tragedy with Jean took place.

Jean Loring Murders Sue Dibny

Brad Meltzer’s Identity Crisis saga is a dark and controversial story that focuses on the uncovering of several past secrets that have plagued the Justice League. The story begins with the murder of Elongated Man’s wife, Sue, during one of his patrols. As the League investigates the case, they come across a horrifying revelation – Sue was raped by Doctor Light in the JLA headquarters, and the memories of the event were erased from the minds of several major heroes.

The plot of Identity Crisis is filled with unexpected twists and the death of several secondary characters. In the end, it is revealed that Jean Loring, The Atom’s ex-wife, is responsible for the events that transpired. Her actions not only deeply hurt the League but also ruined her reputation as a trusted member. Tragically, her murder of Sue was not intentional but a result of her flawed and insane plan to win back The Atom’s love.

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