Karnell was a young boy in the Dark Multiverse whose abusive father forced Karnell’s mother into prostitution, gradually breaking her spirit before eventually killing her one day. Karnell ran away from home, and was eventually found by King Best, the father of the dark pantheon, who raised Karnell into divinity as the god of love tainted by hate, pride, jealousy and other destructive concepts – just as Karnell’s love for his mother had been tainted by his hatred of his father.
Upon entering the prime multiverse, Karnell made his way to Zamaron, where he killed scores of Star Sapphires and destroyed the main battery of Zamaron. The Star Sapphires summoned Wonder Woman to help them, and together they managed to overcome Karnell, who fled to Earth after promising Diana that his fellow Dark Gods would be there to greet her.