Highfather

Current Events

Highfather has made his first appearance in the New 52 in Wonder Woman, after Orion with Wonder Woman in tow, used a Boom Tube to escape from Zeus’ first born on Earth, taking them to New Genesis for refuge.

Major Story Arcs

Izaya the Inheritor

Highfather’s true name is Izaya, sometimes known as Izaya the Inheritor. Centuries ago, Izaya the Inheritor was a respected leader and highly accomplished warrior of New Genesis, and dedicated to battling against any and all threats to the peaceful and serene way of life championed by his world. Sometime during the early days of both New Genesis and Apokolips the warrior Izaya struck up an unlikely friendship with the warrior Drax, son of then ruler of Apokolips Queen Heggra and her heir apparent to the throne.

Although both Izaya and Drax were competitive warriors by nature, they each were determined not to let their home worlds follow in the ways of destruction that befell the Old Gods that came before them. Izaya and Drax pledged as long as they both had the will and the way to insure it, there would never be war between New Genesis and Apokolips. But fate in the form of Drax’s scheming brother Uxas took a hand in the undoing of the hopes of the two warriors. During his bid to claim the god power of the Omega Force, Drax was sabotaged and seemingly destroyed by Uxas, with aid from his companion Desaad, allowing Uxas to claim the power of the Omega Force and become the evil god now known as Darkseid.

An unspecified amount of time later Izaya unwittingly played a part in Darkseid’s scheme to strengthen his power base and claim the throne of Apokolips. At the urging of Darkseid, his uncle Steppenwolf lead a group of warriors on a raid to New Genesis, where they encounter Izaya and his wife Avia on a peaceful outing in the wilds of New Genesis. A struggle ensues between Izaya and the invaders from Apokolips, leading to the death of Avia at the hands of Steppenwolf. Darkseid himself subdues an enraged Izaya using a device supplied by Desaad after Izaya attempts to attack Steppenwolf for killing his mate. Darkseid insures his uncle that Izaya is dead, but it is a lie and Izaya leads the armies of New Genesis into years of war against Apokolips just as Darkseid had hoped.

It is during these years of war that Izaya is injured and is nursed back to health by a young woman named Vayla. It is during this time with Vayla that Izaya begins to find the peace and hope that he once had prior to the death of Avia restored and he and Vayla are wed. Vayla becomes pregnant and despite the peace and contentment he has with Vayla, Izaya’s responsibilities as a warrior call him back to battle. Izaya promises his new wife he shall return to her before the birth of their child, but that promise proves hard to keep once he learns of the presence of Steppenwolf on New Genesis. After years of waiting for the moment, Izaya finally engages Steppenwolf in battle and ends the life of his hated adversary.

Viewing the death of Steppenwolf as a sign that at last he can gain complete peace for his soul, Izaya returns to his home with Vayla only to learn that she has died due to unforeseen complications during the birth of their child. This is the child that will later become known as Scott Free, Mister Miracle. With Vayla’s death, Izaya once again feels there is no peace or hope in life as well as rejects the ways of war and begins to wander the various lost and barren lands of New Genesis in search of himself and his true purpose. It is during this time of wandering that Izaya comes across a last artifact of the Old Gods, a piece of a wall. In a fit of rage and despair, Izaya approaches the wall and strikes it with his former battle staff yelling “I am Izaya the Inheritor! Where is my inheritance?!” In response a large flaming hand appears before the wall and write in large flaming letters “The Source”. Izaya had found a piece of the Source Wall and after an unspecified time of communing and learning what he must from the Source, he returns from the lost lands, his former battle staff now dubbed the Wonder Staff and serving to link him to the Source and aiding him in gaining the leadership of New Genesis under the new name of Highfather.

The Pact

With the wisdom and insight he now possesses from the Source, Highfather sets about on various ways of opposing the plans of Darkseid, who has now attained the throne of Apokolips and plans to subjugate the rest of the universe as well if possible. To this end Highfather devises a pact that will end the war that has been waged between New Genesis and Apokolips. In order to ensure adherence to this pact an exchange of heirs was conducted between the two warring planets. Highfather gave his infant son into the care of Apokolips, while Darkseid’s son, Orion, was given to New Genesis.

The exchange of heirs served as a secret purpose for Highfather. With Orion, he would mold a fierce and savage fighter dedicated to the ways of New Genesis and the perfect weapon to oppose Darkseid in any of the evil god’s future schemes. And with his own son, a child of New Genesis, whose spirit and will were strengthened in the harsh and nightmare conditions of Apokolips, a rebel and agent against Darkseid. Due to the guidance and influence he receives from Highfather as his adopted son, along with the hatred he already fosters for Darkseid and his mother Tigra due to the cruel and abusive treatment he suffered during the years he grew up on Apokolips, Orion indeed grows to become the most loyal and fierce defender of New Genesis.

The child now known as Scott Free did indeed develop a rebellious nature towards Darkseid and all that he stood for as he grew to adulthood, and he chose not to remain on Apokolips and challenged Darkseid whenever possible. Similar in intent to Izaya prior to his becoming Highfather, Scott Free escapes to Earth in order to find himself and his true purpose in life. Darkseid, always secretly hoping for just such an occurrence to happen, uses it to resume hostilities against New Genesis.

The Forever People and the Infinity Man

It was through communion with the Source that Highfather set into motion the beginnings of another possible force to use against Darkseid. The Source directed him to gather five young children from New Genesis. Their parents were called before Highfather and informed by him that their children had been chosen for a special purpose, the details of which he could not tell them.

Each of the five children received a special Mother Box that they were encouraged to strongly bond with and then the five were to meet again with Highfather again in five years time. At the appointed meeting time, Highfather informed the children, Mark Moonrider, Beautiful Dreamer, Vykin, Big Bear and Serifan, that he would spend the next few years personally training them on how to focus and synchronize their thoughts so that they could achieve the ability when it was needed to for one instant to think as one.

When Highfather felt they had reached the necessary level of training to achieve synchronized thought, he called them together and asked that they place their special Mother Boxes into close proximity. Doing so caused the five boxes to link together as a single Mother Box. Highfather then instructed the five to place their fingertips to the side of the Mother Box and recite “Taruu”, the word of power they were taught during their training that unified their thoughts. When the five youths did this a blinding flash accured and where once their were five individuals now stood just one. This individual was called the Infinity Man. The ability to call forth the Infinity Man forever links the five young gods together as the Forever People.

The training that Highfather gave the youths allowed them to create a transition between themselves and the Infinity Man. When the Infinity Man was called forth the five young gods were transported to the tranquil planet in another dimension on which the Infinity Man resided. Whenever the needed task was done that the Infinite man was summoned to resolved, they would all be returned to their proper place. From the Source, Highfather had also long ago gained insight into who the Infinity Man was : his friend from his days when he was known as Izaya the Inheritor, Drax of Apokolips. Uxas’s treachery of long ago had not lead to Drax’s death, but his transition into another dimension. Although not as powerful as he would have been if he had attained the Omega Force, Drax as the Infinity Man had gained power enough to be a force to stand against Darkseid when called upon.

Anti-Life and Earth

It is through insight gained from the Source that Highfather learns of Darkseid’s plans to use Earth and it’s inhabitants in his goal to learn the secrets to the Anti-Life Equation and finally gain total dominance over all life in the universe. Darkseid believes that the inhabitants of Earth as a collective hold within their minds the fragments to the Anti-Life Equation that will allow him to attain the power of the equation. Highfather summons Orion and informs him that it is now finally time to begin the battle that will one day lead to Darkseid’s defeat. It is at this time that Highfather and the New Gods begin their association with Earth’s hero population most notably Superman.

Highfather also began after so many centuries a relationship with his son Scott Free, who himself became involved in the battle against Darkseid when it came to Earth. Highfather also presided over the union of Scott Free and his lover, the former warrior of Apokolips, Big Barda.

Death of Highfather

It was during the Genesis event where the so called Godwave that was said to be responsible for the creation of all power and divinity in the universe was collapsing back in towards the center of creation and the Source threatening all the universe in the process, that Highfather called together all the leaders of the other pantheon of gods empowered by the Source. The Source Wall had been shattered due to the presence of the Godwave and in an attempt to seal the breach before it could reach the Source Wall and cause the destruction of all life, Highfather conceived of a plan to go directly to the heart of the Source to seal the breach and stop the Godwave.

Due to his link to the Source, Highfather knew that the combined might of more than one god was the only way to achieve this goal. After calling upon the Greek god Zeus, his Roman counterpart Jove, the “Old God” Odin and the unexpected appearance of Zeus’ son the war god Ares, Highfather explained his plan to the other gods and with their consent used the power of his Wonder Staff to combine all five gods into a composite being simply called the One. Aided by the enigma of the New Gods called Metron, the One was able penetrate the initial layer beyond the Source Wall leading into the heart of the Source.

But as Highfather suspected, the Source would seek to protect itself and the essence of one of the combined gods of the One would need to be shed to resist each form of opposition they would meet as they got closer to the center of the Source. As they left behind the second form of resistance to their advancement to the Source heart, Odin being released at the first, the mind of Highfather sensed that instead of just one god being expelled at the second resistance point, both Zeus and Jove had removed from within the form of the One and realized that it was the doing of Ares. Ares confessed to Highfather that he had guessed Highfather’s intent by summoning the other gods and his appearance at the summoning was to make himself part of the fusion to allow him direct access to the Source which in turn would allow him to finally use the universe to play out his own schemes and desires unchallenged. Highfather broke free of union and calling upon his old warriors skills from his days as Izaya the Inheritor to battle Ares to stop him from reaching the center of the Source. Unfortunately centuries of not keeping his warrior fighting skills sharp proved to be Highfather’s undoing as Ares was able to counter Highfather’s attacks and stab him through the heart killing him instantly. Although Highfather’s physical form was destroyed, it was later learned that his mental and spiritual essence became part of the Source

Powers & abilities:

As leader of New Genesis, High-Father is the most powerful of the New Gods & has strength that rivals that of Darkseid & surpasses Orion. He rubs shoulders with some of the most powerful people in DC & his God status is well respected . High-Father’s abilities include:

• Easily 1-shotting 6 enemies that were each giving Orion trouble (in the issue previous, Orion does this). The blast had the Mystic power of all New Genesis, a galaxy sized planet @ the time.
• His howl of anguish turns into a force felt across the entire Cosmos, even on Earth.
• Survives a barrage from Darkseid amped with the Anti-life equation, Darkseid uses up most of this power trying/failing to kill High-Father.
• Seemingly whips up a “Cosmos of torment” to banish Orion into. Said cosmos contains a spiral galaxy, & Darkseid emphasizes the Astro-force wont be enough for High-Father’s power.
• Can give Legion their full power back, as well as amp Superboy/Supergirl to fight Darkseid.
• Creates Takion, someone who is one with the Source & can manipulate the Godwave/Manhandle Lightray.
• Takes the 100% to 0% energy of Carol Farris, with no damage.
• Easily tanks a reality warping White Lantern’s energy, & this was effecting planets & Guardians/Carol.
• High-Father & Kyle overpower the White source energy, then Highfather swats away the Guardian’s attacks.
• His strength added with 4 others destroys a reality/dimension. The 5 also temporarily overpowers the Universal Anti-life entity.
• With 4 others, Highfather can fuse into “The one” an entity capable of Entering the Source by force. Later, gas enough power The one with just 2 others.

Other Media

Highfather has made appearances in both “Superman the Animated Series” and the “Justice League” series. In Superman the Animated Series he made his first appearance in the second season of the series in the episode “Apokolips…Now!” He would make a brief appearance during the beginning of the second season of Justice League in the episode “Twilight“. The animated version of Highfather as the peaceful ruler of New Genesis is consistent with the comic book version.