Steppenwolf is the military general of Uxas aka Darkseid and his also his uncle. Steppenwolf has been known to lead the armed forces of Apokolips, whilst riding into battle on hounds, specifically bred and trained for battle. He is Heggra’s younger brother and one of the earliest survivors of Doomsday, the DC supervillain who killed Superman. These are some of the basic details about the new god that we are already aware of, but there are certain facts about Steppenwolf, that are not widely known. So here is a list of facts about Steppenwolf, unlocked by fans of the DC universe.
One of The New Gods
Steppenwolf made his first appearance in ‘New Gods #7’ back in 1972. The arrival of Steppenwolf was mostly limited to flashbacks. The term ‘New Gods’, is a reference to the natives of the twin planet Genesis and Apokolips. With Steppenwolf being a resident from the latter one. He was part of the new plot that was brought into play by Jack Kirby in 1972.
Uncle of Uxas
The relationship status in DC is on a quid pro quo basis and extremely complex. Steppenwolf is Heggra’s younger brother, which makes him Uxas’s aka Darkseid’s uncle. But in the DC universe, Darkseid is the one who kills off his mother. And Steppenwolf stands by watching her sister being killed by his nephew, for the sole purpose of self-preserving his own life.
Survived Doomsday
Doomsday is by far one of the strongest supervillains of the DC universe. He is so powerful that in a particular issue he was known to kill off the ‘Man of Steel’ with his bare hands. Many centuries back on a planet called Bylan 5, Steppenwolf and Darkseid encountered Doomsday. Darkseid feeling himself to be from the superior race and boastful of his superior strength and skill got into a brawl with Doomsday. What followed was not something that Darkseid anticipated, and Darkseid got beaten to a bloodied pulp. Seeing retreat as the only option, Steppenwolf grabbed his nephew and teleported Darkseid and himself through a Boom tunnel to safety nearly escaping the clutches of Doomsday.
Killed by Highfather
In the DC universe, Steppenwolf is ordered by Darkseid to assassinate the wife of his brother Highfather. Steppenwolf is successful in killing Highfather’s wife but is not able to escape the planet Genesis in time. Highfather gets his hand on Darkseid’s general and kills him, in a fit of rage.
General of Apokolips army
In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Steppenwolf is trying to win back the trust of Darkseid, as he is shown to be in exile. In the DC universe, he is part of Darkseid’s inner circle. Steppenwolf is shown leading the military might of the planet Apokolips and is also seen riding hounds bred for wars, into battle against Darkseid’s enemies.
Updated in the 80s
In the ’80s Steppenwolf got a massive upgrade in terms of design, similar to the theoretical cut of Justice League’s upgrade of Steppenwolf’s appearance. The old yellow and green version of the comics was revamped to a black and red, and the electro axe became a prominent part of his costume every time he appeared in the comics. The axe has been a significant update to Steppenwolf’s armor and has been an influential part of his appearance since his update in comics to the Justice League movie.
Weapon’s Master
Steppenwolf’s electro axe isn’t the only lethal weapon that he wields in the comics. He is also often known to use a cable snare in which he captures his enemies and is also able to fire devastating radion beams. Steppenwolf has been known to be the most accomplished and efficient combatants in the military might of Apokolips. His use of weapons is often considered useless, as he compensates for the lack of weapons with his rage and willingness for destruction on the battlefield, in times when he gets in the groove.
Ruled Earth-2
The issue of ‘The Flash #123’ back in 1961, witnessed Steppenwolf finally get a shot of sitting on the throne. In the issue the readers witness him becoming the ruler of Earth-2 after he kills Superman and Wonder Woman. This updated version of the original alternate Universe in DC comics was released post the aftermath of the Flashpoint storyline.
Powers similar to Gods
Steppenwolf is by birth a New God; he may have been shown, being killed on multiple occasions. But the fact of the matter is that he is immortal, along with strength, agility, and speed, he known to possess super godly reflexes and a high degree of vulnerability. His powers rise a great deal once he dons his battle armor, making him nearly invincible.
Fury’s Father
In the Earth-2 saga, post the New-52, the alternate timeline shows Steppenwolf to be the father of Fury. Fury is the last Amazonian by birth and somehow ends up being in Darkseid’s military.
