Desaad
Desaad has been in the company of Darkseid since his days as Prince Uxas.
They were, during this time, close allies and perhaps even could be considered
friends. But when Queen Heggra ordered Desaad to poison and kill Darkseid's wife
Suli, whatever friendship they had was destroyed with her death. Although Uxas
despised Desaad for what he did, he nonetheless considered Desaad an ally, and
used his alliance to have Desaad poison and kill Heggra, giving Darkseid the
throne of Apokolips.
He has, and still does, serve Darkseid as both his "right-hand man" and as
his chief torturer, a task Desaad takes great pleasure in. He is responsible in
Granny Goodness's training of Darkseid's new students by brainwashing them and
filling their minds with fear, dispair and total obedience to Darkseid.
Desaad, despite his servitude to Darkseid, has betrayed him many times, in
minor ways. But no matter hwo minor they were, Darkseid punished Desaad the same
way: a blast of Omega Beams. Yet Darkseid has continued to bring Desaad back for
all of his technological and tactical knowledge.
Desaad has also served Darkseid as acting as...Darkseid. In a few instances,
Desaad took on the image of Darkseid to tend to matters that the master of
Apokolips could not address at the time. For example, the formation of
Intergang, where Desaad, acting as Darkseid, helped establish the criminal
organization in Metropolis. Desaad has also impersonated Darkseid during times
when Darkseid was thought dead; he took on Darkseid's image to assuade the fears
and/or uprisings of the denizens of Apokolips, to remind themthat their master
is always watching. When Darkseid recently, and very publicly, returned from the
dead through his son Orion, the crowds of Apokolips saw this and the secret of
Darkseid's recent appearances was revealed. Desaad was spared from any
punishment by the people by Darkseid, and continued his duties under Darkseid's
watchful eye.
Desaad himself was killed while trying to kill Orion. The two entered the
Source together; some time later Orion was brought back by Highfather, but
Desaad has been, in essence, fused with Orion. Both Darkseid and Highfather
realized this and worked together to split the two and return them to their
former selves.
Recently Desaad recruited the aid of Metron to break Darkseid from the
Source Wall. At first, they accidentally caused Ares, also imprisoned on the
Wall, to escape. But they managed to succeed in breaking Darkseid free. Desaad
has thus returned to being Darkseid's boot-lick once again.