Dominus (DC Comics)

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Dominus is a fictional character and a DC Comics supervillain who first appeared in Action Comics #747. He appears primarily as an opponent of Superman.^[1]

Originally, Dominus was an alien priest named Tuoni, who served as one of the five custodians of his world's faith. During this time, he fell in love with his peer, Ahti. However, he was driven mad by jealousy when Ahti ascended past him and assumed the mantle of Kismet, Illuminator of All Realities.^[1]

Studying infernal forbidden magic in an attempt to gain the power to challenge his former lover and rob her of the power of Kismet, Tuoni's assault was reflected by Kismet's divine energies, and his body was incinerated. Despite Tuoni's deceit, the omnibenevolent Kismet showed him mercy and shunted his shattered, still-living body into the Phantom Zone.^[1]

Within the Phantom Zone, Tuoni encountered a holographic projection of Superman's long-dead Kryptonian ancestor, Kem-L, who was able to use his own ancient variety of arcane Kryptonian science to rebuild the former holy man as a psionic, cosmic phantasm known as "Dominus."

In this new all-powerful form, Dominus escaped the Zone via Superman's Fortress of Solitude and attacked Earth. Attempting to find Kismet to steal her cosmic powers, he was opposed by Superman. Swearing vengeance, Dominus telepathically entered Superman's mind and preyed on one of the Man of Steel's greatest weaknesses; his fear of failing the people of Earth.

Using his mind control, Dominus convinced Superman to take control of Earth and build the Superman Robots to police the planet twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week forever. After breaking free from Dominus' influence, Superman defeated and deactivated his robots, and fought Dominus, using Torquasm Vo, an ancient Kryptonian warrior discipline technique.

Defeated, Dominus was banished to the Phantom Zone and ultimately destroyed when the billion souls of his victims dragged him into the void.

Dominus uses his "Continuum Control" to alter reality, and "Control" to make people unaware that the change occurred. He can actually create more than one simultaneous reality, each one attacking a specific character's mental attributes. Dominus' realities were also inspired by other times in Superman's publishing history (1940's, 1960's and 1970's). After establishing itself in secret on the target world, Dominus would conquer the world by covering it with rays that would remove all force of will from the inhabitants.