DC admits that Darkseid's death broke its core continuity, but can the damage be reversed?

Warning: Spoilers for Challengers of the Unknown #1

It's no secret that the death of Darkseid made an immense impact on the DC Universe, including the birth of the new Absolute Universe that he produced in his image. Now, Justice League has revealed another way Darkseid's explosive end destroyed DC's continuity, and an underappreciated group of heroes are being tasked with fixing the mess the New God left behind.

In preview for Challengers of the Unknown #1 by Christopher Cantwell, Sean Izaakse, Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, the Justice League recruits the Challengers to investigate their base in search of changes after Darkseid's time there. Mister Terrific then discovers that the Watchtower was unaffected by Darkseid's energy; instead, the entire DC Universe underwent mysterious changes thanks to him.

Darkseid has reshaped the DC Universe, and the Challengers are being sent to investigate the strange phenomena he left in his wake. These anomalies confirm that the consequences of Darkseid's death are more dire than anticipated, with the entire cosmos at stake.

Darkseid's death causes a ripple effect across the DC Universe

The universe changed forever in Darkseid's absence

Darkseid's lore-changing death occurred during DC everything special #1 by Joshua Williamson, Scott Snyder, Daniel Sampere, Wes Craig, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, Alejandro Sánchez and Steve Wands. After the multiverse was isolated, Darkseid's impatience culminated in him merging with the Specter and accepting his own death to satiate his restlessness. With Darkseid gone, the Justice League should be enjoying a sense of calm, but heroes like Mister Fantastic fear the consequences of a death as monumental as Darkseid's. The New God may be gone, but the effects of his final moments remain, demonstrated by the changes he inflicted on the universe.

According to Mister Terrific, a series of “high priority anomalies” have occurred across the planet – and even across space – with Darkseid at the center of it all. The anomalies in question include indestructible glass on Mars, an unknown being on Dinosaur Island, an asteroid that appears to have a functioning brain, and more. To quell these cosmic disturbances, Mister Terrific deploys the Challengers of the Unknown, with the ulterior motive of trying to find out if Darkseid is actually alive in some way after all. Regardless of whether it is, it is officially proven that the impact of Darkseid's death is reaching not one, but two realities.

The Absolute Universe is no longer the only reality affected by Darkseid

Darkseid changes the main universe and generates the absolute universe

Darkseid's changes in the main continuity are just the latest discoveries, as the The biggest upheaval he caused in the multiverse was the formation of the Absolute Universe. When Darkseid died, his energy persisted despite the destruction of his physical body, and he then used this energy to aid him in creating the new Absolute Universe. Through his narration, Darkseid explained that he sought to build a world where heroes did not have the privileges they possessed in their original universe, thus constructing a version of reality where the Justice League is at a critical disadvantage as he ascends to unparalleled heights.

In this new Universe, Darkseid has succeeded in his plans to strip the heroes of the Justice League of their homes and allies in any way he can. Absolutely Batman lacks his wealth and his companionship with Alfred, forcing him to operate without the resources he is accustomed to. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman is raised in Hell instead of Themyscira, and Superman loses Krypton in a much more tragic way after spending his childhood with his biological parents. Darkseid's renewed Absolute continuity shows the extent of his power, as his energy can change the trajectory of history, as well as cultivate disasters on Earth.

The consequences of Darkseid's death go beyond cosmic anomalies

Without Darkseid, new villains debut to take down DC heroes

Anomalies and alternate universes aren't the only changes Darkseid has made to the realities he inhabits. Darkseid's death also left a power vacuum in the DC Universe, and without him to fill it, other villains have risen to take his place. One of these replacements is known as Scavenger, who will soon invade New Genesis and Apokolips to claim the realm of the New Gods. The Scavenger, among other soon-to-be-revealed villains, has been operating in the shadows due to fear of Darkseid defeating them with his overwhelming power.

With Darkseid out of the picture, dark threats from all corners of the cosmos may finally make themselves known to claim his empty throne for themselves. Instead of ridding the world of evil, killing Darkseid only spawned more, it seems. Considering all these major upheavals occurring across the universe, Darkseid's death rewrote DC lore in a way that no one – not even the Justice League's smartest heroes like Mister Fantastic – could have predicted, and the changes It can only get worse if the Challengers were not thorough in investigating the anomalies he generated.

Only Challengers of the Unknown Can Reverse Darkseid's Destruction

Darkseid may be up to something, and the challengers are on the case

The DC Universe is facing unprecedented changes now that Darkseid is no more. In the Absolute Universe, Darkseid is preparing his own corrupt Legion of Super-Heroes to exact revenge on the heroes of that world – and potentially the Prime Universe as well. Although the heroes of their world are preparing to form their own Absolute Justice League, it is uncertain whether they will be able to defeat Darkseid before he can carry out his dastardly plans. After all, if the main Justice League took this long to defeat him, these rookie heroes would be in even more trouble without years of experience.

Mister Terrific's special mission for the Challengers of the Unknown is presented as a means of discovering what Darkseid is planning in his absence. As expressed in his private record, he believes that “these anomalies must be crumbs left behind.” Essentially, Mister Terrific thinks that by tracking down the anomalies, the Challengers will discover Darkseid's true destiny. Furthermore, even if Darkseid doesn't plan on crossing universes anytime soon, the ramifications of his death still present problems for Earth and the surrounding worlds. The Challengers of the Unknown are the only heroes who can reverse these disasters and expose Darkseidwhereabouts before it is too late.

Challengers of the Unknown #1 is available December 18, 2024 from DC Comics.