Granny Goodness

Origin

Originally a member of the Lowlies, a downtrodden peasant class on Apokolips, a young Goodness was taken from her home and family, and given training as one of Darkseid’s Hounds. During her training, she raised and trained a dog, called Mercy, and quickly formed a bond with the animal. For her final test, she was ordered to kill the animal, but refused to do so, killing the trainer instead.

Brought before Darkseid, she defended her decision, explaining that the dog was loyal to Darkseid above all others, and would be a faithful servant to his will. To test this, Darkseid ordered Mercy to attack Goodness, which it did, requiring Goodness to kill the dog. Impressed, Darkseid informed her that she had graduated with honours, and he intended to put her to work as a trainer, since she had seen such success in training her dog.

He appointed her head of the shock troops, and also of the Female Furies. She was also given control of several orphanages, which were in fact thinly disguised military schools that favoured exacting discipline and taught blind obedience. One of her most notable pupil was Scott Free.

Creation

Granny Goodness was created by Jack Kirby.

Major Story Arcs

Amazons Attack

In the final issue of the Amazons Attack storyline, it is revealed that the person who has been manipulating the Amazons into an all-out war with the United States is in fact Granny Goodness, who has taken all of the Gods of Olympus hostage and disguised herself as the goddess Athena.

Countdown

During Countdown, Goodness, still disguised as Athena, uses Amazon recruiting stations to acquire female fighters for her own ends. During this time she continues to hold all of the Gods of Olympus captive. She takes the strongest recruited women to Themyscira, and puts them through a series of increasingly dangerous tasks in order to determine their fitness to become part of a new strike force lead by herself. Her true identity is eventually revealed to the recruited women by Holly Robinson, Harley Quinn and Mary Marvel, and Goodness is chased back to Apokolips. There, the Greek Gods are freed by her pursuers, and soon after she is killed in a confrontation with Infinity Man.

Final Crisis

Goodness is resurrected on Earth along with other Evil Gods, though the form she inhabits following the resurrection is soon destroyed by Black Alice. Disembodied, Goodness takes control of Kraken, an Alpha Lantern, and uses her to attack John Stewart. She is soon discovered by Batman, but is able to easily defeat him, sealing into a torture chamber under Bludhaven and setting her sights on Oa. She attempts an assault on Oa, but fails to take the planet or cause any lasting damage. She is captured by Hal Jordan; her ultimate fate following her capture is unknown.

Powers and Abilities

New God Physiology

The beings of Apokalips call themselves gods and live in a realm called the Fourth World which is outside normal space and time. Their strength is due to their relative proximity to the Source, an energy which fuels the powers of the beings in Apokalips. The inhabitants of New Genesis are far more stronger, faster, smarter and are said to be immortal.

• Superhuman Strength
• Superhuman Speed
• Superhuman Stamina
• Superhuman Senses: As a New God,she has all senses expanded at superhuman levels.
• Invulnerability: As a New God Granny Goodness is resistant to most form of energy and physical attacks.
• Immortality: As a New God Granny Goodness has an extended lifespan which allows him to exist indefinitely. She doesn’t age, wither, or degrade. After being killed by Infinity Man, she was raised with the ability to possess others bodies as she does with Kraken.
• Immunity: New Gods have an advanced immune system, which allows him to survive on Apokolips’ environment (which is full of diseases and toxins) and be immune to toxin and diseases from other planets.

Abilities

Granny Goodness is well experienced in most forms of combat, interrogation, tracking, strategy and weapons. She has the responsibility to bring young warriors from other worlds to fight each other, so to earn the right to be trained by her and become the Female Furies, also Granny Goodness has her own ”orphanage” where she trains and tortures children, looking for potential warriors for Darkseid. Granny Goodness has great skill in the use of New God’s technology as the one who stole the powers of the Greek gods.

Personal Data

Characteristics

• Height: 6’0″

• Weight: 256lbs.

• Eyes: Blue

• Hair: White

• Skin Color: White

Alternate Versions

Rock of Ages

Goodness appears as an insane entity known as the Grandmother Box, created by a fusion between Goodness and a Mother Box.

Seven Soldiers

Goodness, an obese black woman, is the madame of a brothel that uses Furies as prostitutes.

Amalgam Universe

In the Amalgam Universe, Granny Goodness is fused with the character Agatha Harkness, creating the amalgamated character of “Granny Harkness“. The character is a follower of “Thanoseid“, the amalgamation of Thanos and Darkseid.

Other Media

Television

Superman: the Animated Series.

Granny Goodness make a cameo appearance in “Apokolips… Now!, Part 1″, she reappeared in the episode “Little Girl Lost,” where she brainwashes street children into joining Intergang. She appears again in the episode “Legacy,” where she brainwashes Superman into becoming a servant of Darkseid and attacking the Earth. He takes his revenge after escaping the effects of the brainwashing, using her brainwashing machine on her, rendering her an invalid.

Justice League Unlimited

She reappears as the main antagonist in the episode “The Ties That Bind“. No explanation is given for her recovery from the damage inflicted by Superman in her last appearance. She also appears in the episode “Alive!” leading one side of the civil war that has erupted on Apokolips following Darkseid’s apparent death. She is played by Edward Asner.

Legion of Super-Heroes

Granny Goodness makesa cameo appearance in the episode “Unnatural Alliances.”

Justice League Action

Granny Goodness appeared in season 1, episode 35 “Superman’s Pal, Sid Sharp“, as one of the members of Darkseid’s new gods, helping him capture Superman, but getting Sid Sharp instead.

In Season 1, Episode 43 “It’ll Take a Miracle!“. Granny Goodness and her female furies go against Batman and Mr. Miracle to retrieve the Anti-Life Aquation.

In Season 1, Espisode 47 “Watchtower Tours“, Granny, Joker and Toyman, under disguise, took un of Booster Gold’s tour to the watchtower.

She is voiced by Cloris Leachman.

Justice League Action (Web Series)

Granny debuted in Episode 9 “Special Delivery“. She is voiced by Cloris Leachman.

Live-Action Television

Smallville

A character later confirmed to be Granny Goodness appeared in the ninth season episode “Salvation.” She was played by Nancy Amelia Bell. She makes her next appearance in the tenth season episode “Abandoned,” wherein a music box leads Clark Kent to an orphanage run by Goodness, which functions as a front for the recruitment, brainwashing, and training of young orphan girls, with the ultimate goal of creating an assault force that can be lead against the Earth in the future. She later destroys a bow that could be used against Darkseid, and manipulates Oliver Queen into finding Gold Kryptonite that can be used against Kent. She is played in every appearance subsequent to the first by Christine Willes.

Film

Superman/ Batman: Apocalypse

Granny Goodness appears as an antagonist in this animated film. She is played by Edward Asner.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters

Granny Goodness is present in a flashback of Bekka’s origin. She is present during the meeting in which Highfather and Darkseid seal a peace pact, symbolized by the marriage of Bekka and Orion. She performs the ceremony, but shortly after Darkseid and his allies are ambushed and slaughtered by New Genesis’s Gods. She is shot in the head by one of the maids. She is voiced by Khary Payton.

DC Super Hero Girls: Super Hero High

Disguising herself as a librarian, Granny is actually planning an invasion from Apokolips. She manages to attack the Super Hero High with the Female Furies, but they are defeated. She is voiced by April Stewart.

DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games

Granny Goodness is one of the antagonist of the films. With the help of Lena Luthor, she fakes an invitation to the Intergalactic Games as the third school, competing with Korugar Academy and Super Hero School High. This is all an excuse for them to steal a piece of technology from the school. In the middle of the game, she make her move but is discover, which leads to a fight between the heroes and the Female Furies. They are defeated, thanks to the intervention of Big Barda, and sent to Belle Reve. She is voiced by April Stewart.