Metron

METRON

Real Name: Metron

Class: Extradimensional?

Occupation: Scientist, seeker of knowledge

Group Affiliation: New Gods

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Supertown, New Genesis

First Appearance: New Gods I #1 (February-March, 1971)

Powers: Metron was a scientific genius armed with incalculable depths of knowledge, facts, and information that he has gathered over a lifetime. Metron has invented technological wonders too numerous to mention here. Metron’s most famous invention was the Mobius Chair, a vehicle which allowed him to travel through time, space, and other dimensions at will. The Mobius Chair was equipped with tractor beams powerful enough to pull a planet from its’ orbit.

History: (New Gods I #7 (fb)) - Metron is the supreme explorer, scientist, and inventor of the New Gods. His mission is the unraveling of the mysteries of the universe. His credo is: “Who runs the universe matters not! What makes it run is my prime objective!” The mysteries of his own origins have yet to be revealed, save that he is not a native of New Genesis or Apokolips, but comes from another place altogether. Metron was linked to the New Gods, but was not one of them, he was something unforeseen and different. Although he allied himself with the New Gods, he is truly neither good nor evil. His main reason for helping the New Gods in battling Darkseid of Apokolips is fear of being made subject to Darkseid’s tyrannical rule. This would surely hinder Metron in his search for knowledge.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #14) - Darkseid’s scientists sought the x-element, and when Metron realized its utility to his journeys across space and time, he decided to side with them if they found it. Rebel Himon hacked Darkseid’s machines, and made his own bid for the x-element, hoping Metron would stay away from Darkseid if he found it first. Metron doubted Himon, and met with Darkseid, whose men were busy trying to find the siphon Himon was using to keep the x-element away from them. Metron agreed to “betray” New Genesis for the x-element, hardly a problem since he had no loyalty to anything except knowledge, and shook Darkseid’s hand.

(New Gods I #7, Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #15 (fb), 16 (fb)) - Darkseid showed off the newly acquired x-element to Heggra, Steppenwolf and Desaad. Metron appeared, demanding Darkseid fulfill his promise and give it to him. Darkseid agreed, reminding him that he would create a time-space portal for Apokolips, and Apokolips alone. Metron powered his Mobius Chair with the x-element, and went off on a dimensional journey. He couldn’t stop the dimensional free-fall, and in desperation he linked his x-element with the one Himon was working on. His plan worked, and Himon admitted he was somewhat surprised that the chair worked at all. Darkseid appeared, he’d known that the x-element he’d found was unstable, and predicted Metron would have to link it to Himon’s element to work. He ordered his men to capture the hated Himon, who admitted Darkseid had surprised him, but he was prepared and phased away. Darkseid fumed that Himon was the most difficult rebel he’d ever had to deal with, and wished he’d leave Apokolips for a comfortable life on New Genesis. As long as there was evil to fight Himon would never leave Apokolips. Metron had an idea for the time-space transport wanted, he could replicate the wormhole that opened when he linked the two x-elements together. Metron used the x-element to create the Matter Threshold that could instantly transport troops across space. Metron’s curiosity superseded any moral considerations, and as a result he was partially responsible for the ensuing war between New Genesis and Apokolips

(New Gods III #3 (fb)) - Metron had no ties to either side of the war, so he felt no guilt in making weapons of mass destruction for Apokolips while secretly aiding New Genesis. During the great clash with Apokolips, giant biological mutants were released on New Genesis. The Council of Five responded by developing biological mutant Bugs, although Metron voiced his disapproval. The Bugs escaped and ravaged New Genesis, so the Council blamed their creation on Apokolips, beginning the unending conflict between God and Bug. The war ended when Darkseid and Highfather made a pact to exchange sons, with Scott Free growing up on Apokolips, and Orion being raised on New Genesis.

(New Gods III #22 (fb)) - Highfather watched the children of Supertown at play, supervised by Desdemona. He observed Orion and told Metron that he believed the future of New Genesis depended on overcoming his heritage, just as he believed Apokolips would win if Darkseid swayed Scott Free to the dark side. The newly resurrected Steppenwolf led a raid on New Genesis, and Desdemona led the children to a fortress while New Genesis soldiers turned away the attack. Metron almost had his Mobius Chair finished, but the power of the x-element destroyed the chair, and he needed more, so he contacted Darkseid. Darkseid exchanged more of the x-element for Boom Tubes, and while Metron successfully finished his chair and toured the cosmos Darkseid sent Steppenwolf to reclaim Orion from New Genesis. Many children were killed, but Orion himself turned the tide and sent Steppenwolf retreating. Desdemona once loved Metron, but she saw that he was unaffected by the massacre and told him she never wanted to see him again.

(Martian Manhunter II #33, 34) - Metron came to Mars and blamed the Martians for giving Darkseid the idea of the Anti-Life Equation, and J’Onn J’Onzz volunteered to go on a mission to Apokolips with Metron to halt Darkseid’s plans and free those Martians already abducted to Apokolips. Metron brought J’Onn to Apokolips and told him he had to leave, but promised him he’d find an ally in Himon.

(New Gods III #9) - Metron and Himon kept Scott Free’s spirits high while Granny Goodness tried to break him in her orphanage. When Scott was ready to escape they provided him with a Boom Tube to Earth. Scott’s escape gave Darkseid an excuse to resume hostilities with New Genesis. Metron always claimed to be merely an observer in the events of New Genesis and Apokolips, but he often acted as a catalyst.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #7) - <1856> - Metron followed Darkseid’s movements, and realized he’d been planning for decades to lauch a strike on New Genesis after the pact was broken. Metron traveled to Earth to find Scott Free, who’d been living in England as a human for fifty years. Scott’s elderly wife passed on, and Metron couldn’t comprehend how a god could be emotionally invested in a mortal. He urged Scott to prepare for the coming war, and Scott allowed him to take him to America, because his wife was the entirety of his life, and with her gone he didn’t care about changing continents.

(Blood of the Demon #10) - <1885> Metron and Scott Free investigated the American frontier to see if Darkseid had made his influence felt on Earth yet. They found no signs of Darkseid, but helped the Demon destroy a demonic force hiding under a frontier town’s mine.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #8) - <1906> Free and Metron arrived in Dodge City, and when Scott revealed his tech-powers he was branded a witch and attacked by gunslingers. He easily dispatched them, but Metron warned him to not be so free using technology so far advanced over that of Earth’s, and they agreed to hit the road. Scott said brief goodbyes to his lady friend Melinda, while Metron examined the crude (by his standards) combustible engine car they’d use as conveyance. Metron told Scott he should stop avoiding the pleasures of relationships, and Scott replied that it was heartbreaking to love creatures that lived for so brief a span, and he refused to have another love after Fancy. Metron asked him about Barda, and he said that he hadn’t heard from her in over a century, so she’d clearly decided to stay loyal to Darkseid. Metron reminded him that it took him quite a while to find the resolve to defy Darkseid. Metron altered their car so it could fly, and they headed to the west coast, and Gateway City for more adventures.

(New Gods I #1) - Highfather summoned Orion to New Genesis, and they read from the Source Wall, which predicted that Orion would go to Apokolips, then Earth, then to war. Metron wanted to aid them, and hinted that Darkseid was Orion's father, but Highfather told him to be quiet. Orion accused Metron of being willing to aid the devil to gain knowledge, and Metron reminded him that he only cared how the universe operated, not who ran it. Orion went to Apokolips and battled Para-Demons, Darkseid’s dog cavalry and Kalibak, but found the tyrant absent. A mass-director unit transmitted all of Darkseid’s orders, and Metron appeared to Orion, letting him know that Darkseid was on Earth searching for the anti-life equation. He’d broken the pact by bringing humans to Apokolips to scan their minds for the equation, and setting up base underground in Earth. Orion freed the humans on Apokolips and came to Earth, telling Darkseid they were at war.

(New Gods I #3) - The Black Racer, the Source’s personification of death, chose Lightray as his target, and they battled across space until Metron appeared and used a Boom Tube to redirect the Racer to Earth. Metron told Lightray to think logically when his life was at stake, and he hoped his experience with the Racer humbled him.

(New Gods I #4) - Metron continued his education of Esak, bringing him to a primitive planet and telling him that it was that population's time to fight for survival, but that one day they would dream and grow. He hoped the sight of himself flying above them in his Mobius Chair would one day inspire them.

(New Gods I #5) - Metron explored the Promethian Galaxy, where titans who tried to penetrate the Source were petrified.

(Forever People I #7) – Highfather honored the New Genesis custom of listening to their youths by holding the Council of the Young. Metron learned through his Mobius Chair’s monitoring of cosmic events that the Forever People had brashly left New Genesis for Earth to combat Darkseid. The youths begged Highfather to save their friends. Highfather considered his next action, and Metron implored him to forget about the Forever People, who brought their troubles on themselves. Metron’s apprentice Esak asked Highfather to show the temperance and nurturing he was known for, and that was his very nature. Highfather told Esak that he was a very wise young man. Esak replied that the youth had to be wise to deal with the foolishness of their elders.

(DC Graphic Novel #4) - Metron left in search of an ultimate object, and left inexperienced Esak in charge of his side-projects. Esak found the extradimensional realm of the destructive Micro-Mark technology, but the machines he was using blew up in his face, horribly disfiguring him. He turned to Darkseid, and gave him the Micro-Mark, enabling Darkseid to obliterate New Genesis. The New Gods fled in a satellite city in search of a new home. Metron, who’d gained much knowledge and grown as a being, brought an unspoilt paradise planet to them using his Mobius Chair to serve as a new homeworld.

Metron then went back to his research, interfering only rarely in the affairs of the New Gods. During one journey through another dimension, Metron discovered the Anti-Life, an extradimensional creature of infinite power. The sight of the creature temporarily damaged Metron’s mind and he lapsed into a comatose state. The Anti-Life sent a portion of its’ energy into Earth’s dimension, and it took the combined might of the New God’s and Darkseid’s forces to banish it forever, but not before countless lives were lost. Recovering from his coma, Metron continued to wander the universe, oblivious to the carnage his quest for knowledge has often unleashed. Such matters are beneath his concern, he exists only to discover ultimate truth.

(New Gods III #1-3) - Metron entered a coma, paralyzed by the amount of knowledge he possessed. His wide-ranging mind sought out Earth, and observed a confrontation between the gods of New Genesis and Kalibak and a horde of Para-Demons. Highfather kept a watch on Metron, knowing the gods of New Genesis needed his intellect. During peace talks between the New Gods and Bugs Metron awoke from his coma and revealed to Orion that the Bugs were created by the New Gods as biological weapons against Apokolips, but when they escaped and ravaged New Genesis they blamed Apokolips for their creation. Metron felt the New Gods were indebted to their creation. Orion felt betrayed and told Highfather he was not as righteous as he seemed. He struck Highfather and left New Genesis.

(New Gods III #5, 6) - Mantis launched a nuclear missile strike on Earth, and Metron prodded Orion to find a way to stop it. He also deluded Orion into thinking that Mantis had killed Forager. In his rage he caught up to the missiles and opened a Boom Tube to the insect colonies of New Genesis, destroying their civilization. Orion felt no joy, but thought the Bugs deserved what they got. Metron warned him that he was sliding closer to the dark side. Metron worried about the deteriorating situation on New Genesis when Highfather dissolved the Council of Five and proclaimed himself the sole leader of New Genesis, threatening civil war.

(New Gods III #9, 11, 12) - Metron made his first trip to the lair of the Dreggs that contained machines that held the history of the Third and Fourth Worlds. He met Lightray, who was trying to spiritually save Orion, currently bent on Darkseid’s destruction. Metron used the Dregg’s archive to show him Orion’s life story, and warned him that Orion’s unthinking love of war could bring him to the dark side. Orion explored the world of the Dreggs and found a cocoon of the mightiest of the Old Gods, attempting to resurrect himself using the positive energy of New Genesis. Metron assumed it was futility, but he watched the god be reborn before his eyes. The positive energy of Highfather’s re-election on new Genesis allowed the rebirth, and more Dreggs were revitalized. Metron reflected that the Old Gods could one day pose a major threat to Darkseid’s reign.

(New Gods III #16) - Metron and Fastbak explored the Caverns of the Old Gods on Apokolips and Fastbak was eager to learn about their history and how they perished from Metron. They came across a broken sword that thrummed with energy. Metron told Fastbak that it was too dangerous to leave on Apokolips, and told him to take it to Highfather.

(New Gods III #19-21) - Metron learned that Yuga Khan had escaped the Promethian Galaxy. He reflected on Khan’s past, from power-mad ruler of Apokolips to prisoner after attempting to pierce the Source. He thought Khan’s story would be a lesson to Darkseid about overreaching power, but as much knowledge as Darkseid had he rarely learned anything from it. On New Genesis Highfather and Metron discussed the hubris of Khan for attempting to upset the balance that defined Apokolips and Genesis, and they consulted the Source. Khan took control of Apokolips, and Commander finally had the excuse to invade. Metron told Highfather his refusal to go to war gave him the greater authority, and he would, as ever, observe. Metron watched the invasion and thought that war was inevitable and engaging in it meant you’d already lost. Commander’s forces were devastated by Khan and Commander was killed. Metron continued his observations as Khan tried to pierce the Source Wall for a second time and was once again imprisoned in the Promethian Galaxy.

(New Gods III #22) -Metron made his yearly sabbatical to the memorial for the children killed by Steppenwolf, a tragedy he played a part in. Desdemona visited the site as well and told Metron the reason he would never let her in or express his sorrow for the tragedy was that he’d seen so much that he was afraid to open his eyes.

(New Gods III #26) - Metron studied the Dreggs’ Cavern and argued with Necromina, telling her the heritage of the Old Gods was not the exclusive property of Darkseid. They witnessed the rebirth of an Old God, who used his hammer to restore the Cavern to its old glory.

(New Gods III #27, 28) - Lightray tried to save Earthwoman Anne Flaherty from Darkseid, who sought her for her piece of the anti-life equation, but by the time he reached her she was dead, killed by drunk driver John Elliot. Lightray was shocked that Elliot showed no remorse for taking the life of a woman highly regarded by her friends for charity. In an effort to understand he sought out Metron, who showed him his micro-cosmic miniature replica of Earth, and let him touch the liferock that contained the memories of everyone on Earth, so he could experience Anne’s life. Disarmed by all the good she’d done in her life he asked if Metron understood the technology Darkseid used to resurrect his minions. Metron did, and although it was forbidden to use it on New Genesis he thought it would be an interesting experiment. Highfather forbade it, but in the end Lightray had a change of heart on his own. Highfather expected Metron to show some regret, but he had none, telling Highfather all scientific experiments contained a measure of risk. Highfather told him to join the forces of Darkseid and be done with it, and Metron pondered the idea.

(Superman II #65, Superman: The Man of Steel #10, Superman II #66, Adventures of Superman #489) - Metron sensed a tragic event unfolding in the universe, and investigating he discovered that Warworld had destroyed the planet Almerac. He sensed Brainiac’s presence, and the madman’s plan to invade Earth. Metron sent a warning to Lightray and Orion, but Brainiac removed Metron from the Mobius Chair and imprisoned him. Metron’s warning allows Superman to assemble an army of superheroes to defend Earth. When Metron was freed and reunited with his Mobius Chair, he shows a rare sign of emotion…anger. Metron assisted in Brainiac’s defeat, and later imprisoned him on New Genesis, despite an outcry from several heroes.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #2, 3) - Apokolips and New Genesis merged into one world, and Metron examined the barrier separating the two. He questioned Highfather’s wisdom in bringing the worlds together and realized he may have been part of the process, but Highfather had clouded his mind to keep him from realizing the part he played. He visited William Willis, who was still not recovered from his part in the affair. He regaled Willis with his description of New Genesis as a heaven of sorts, and returned the frazzled human to Earth. Metron discovered that Darkseid had an armada of ships taken from the various world’s he’d conquered, and had them aimed at Earth. He returned to New Genesis to report his findings to the New Gods, and their new allies the Norse Gods.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #4) - The New Gods waged war against Darkseid’s armada to keep them from Earth, while Odin brought Metron, Miracle, Takion, and Beautiful Dreamer to Asgard to discuss the situation. Vykin returned from the front to confirm that aboard one of the ships was a doomsday device that could obliterate the universe, and he’d discovered that only the astro-force could contain it. The alien races no longer had hope after Darkseid slew their gods, and they wanted revenge against him and the entire universe. Highfather dared the unimaginable in deciding to resurrect Orion, the only man capable of harnessing the astro-force. He approached the Source, and the Black Rider appeared, warning him that although he would not interfere, Orion’s soul was not at rest, and it was a fool’s errand to play with a tortured soul. Highfather gravely said that he did what he must, and he had Takion communicate with the Source, reach into it, and pull out Orion. Vykin came up with a backup plan involving Dreamer if anything went wrong. Metron visited Darkseid’s fleet, specifically the ship with the doomsday device, and engaged them in debate. He knew Darkseid took away meaning from their lives by destroying their pantheons, but offered himself, a god, up as a sign of hope, and told them Earth was quite happy with monotheistic religions. At that moment the Earth appeared to explode in a nuclear holocaust.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #5) - The explosion was an illusion, the most powerful Dreamer had ever cast, and it left the aliens off-balance. Metron took the time to further examine the oblivion bomb, and he was fascinated by how it disrupted the quantum field itself. Highfather had Takion communicate with the Source to bestow some of its power on Orion, restoring him to full strength. Lightray, Barda, and some of the Forever People breached the ship where the oblivion bomb was kept, but Darkseid appeared aand told the aliens they were foolish to attempt to destroy his universe. He used the omega beam to erase them from existence, but as he faded the captain of the ship activated the oblivion bomb. Orion deactivated it with the astro-force, and Darkseid disappeared. Highfather and the New Gods made a peace with the aliens, acting on Metron’s advice, allowing them to chose among their ranks for new deities to worship so their lives could have fulfillment. Darkseid met Orion on a nearby asteroid as the alien armada left in peace, and told him he recognized something different, yet familiar in him since he’d returned from the Source. He asked his son how he’d deal with the aliens, and Orion responded by destroying every last ship with the astro-force. Darkseid said he finally felt like he had a son.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #6) - Highfather and company learned that the alien armadas returning to their worlds had been destroyed, and Takion suspected Orion because the wrecked ships contained traces of astro-force. Orion denied his wrongdoing, but Metron told the others he’d witnessed it. Before they could decide what to do next Lonar arrived, telling the New Gods that the Female Furies had tunneled beneath Genesis and killed Harmon, god of music. Barda felt personally responsible for her old charges, and led the strike force into the tunnel the Furies created. The heroes fought barvely, and Orion joined in, slaughtering countless Parademons over Mr. Miracle’s objections. Orion said he never appreciated the gifts Darkseid gave him, but staid his hand when he fought Bernadeth, sister of Desaad. She recognized something familiar in him. Darkseid appeared, and readied to use the omega effect to kill Orioin and release the presence he came back from the Source with, although that defied prophecy. Takion ordered him to stand down, and knowing Takion was the will of the Source Darkseid complied. Takion used his power to release the corrupting influence from Orion, which turned out to be Desaad.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #10) - Metron visited Desaad on Apokolips, telling him he had a plan to free Darkseid. Desaad said he didn’t trust him, and Metron replied that he didn’t understand someone who sought pure knowledge uncorrupted by power. Desaad screamed at him that they were no different, they had their own goals, and they’d sell out the universe to gain them. Metron assured him his motives were noble, and that he risked more than Desaad in freeing Darkseid.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #11, 12) - Metron took Desaad to the Source Wall using his Moebius Chair, and showed him that all the bings bound to the wall had vanished, leaving the Promethean Galaxy empty except for the machines they left behind. Desaad exclaimed his surprise, and Metron told him that if their partnership was to work he should cease stating the obvious, and only speak up with relevant data. Desaad scowled, and told Metron it was clear he didn’t often keep company with sentients. Desaad wanted to know how to track the Prometheans, and Metron told him they could be whenever, or wherever they chose. Metron’s brief contact with the Source gave him the knowledge that reality was but a dream of the Source, and the Prometheans surely knew how to manipulate that dream. Desaad was horrified, and asked what point there was in anything if it was only a dream. Metron told Desaad that his actions didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but his motivations were as valid as before Metron gave him knowledge, for the dream had existed before time, and would last to the end of it. Metron brought them to the Paregulon star system, and showed Desaad one of the Prometheans.

(JLA #15) - An evil alternate timeline version of Metron sent members of the JLA through time and space to ensue the destruction of the Worlogog that would lead to the birth of his timeline. The JLA prevented the destruction of the Worlogog, a miniature version of all spacetime, and the evil Metron was erased from spacetime. The mainstream Metron claimed the Worlogog and implied to the JLA that Earth would one day be the cradle of the next generation of gods. Metron traveled to the year 85271 and gave the Worlogog to Hourman of Justice Legion A, hoping to groom Hourman as his successor. He warned Hourman that another turning point that could radically alter the timeline for the worse was coming, ad it would be his job to prevent this.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #13) - Desaad was terrified by the idea of approaching a Promethean Giant, but Metron asked him to trust him, and also to keep his mouth shut since Desaad was not versed in diplomacy. After landing on the giant’s armor, which seemed vaster than a planet, Metron warped time and space so he could communicate with the giant. Prodigian was himself curious about the means of his escape, but admitted that the eons he spent trapped felt like a very short time to him. He had no pressing business, and every time he tried to communicate with the universe’s life forms they perished before he finished a sentence, so he was happy to have Metron’s company. An enormous being hidden in robes appeared, and expressed his own interest in the situation.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #14) - Metron and Desaad visited the Source Wall with Prodigian, and Desaad was surprised to find the wall once again keeping Promethean Giants prisoner. Metron explained that he had to warp time to talk to Prodigian, and in their brief conversation, billions of years past, and new giants sought the wall and fell short. Metron made a trans-phasic inversion using the Mobius Chair, slipping the giants into parallel dimensions briefly so he could dig through the wall to Darkseid. Metron still questioned the hooded stranger, who only replied that he was invested in freeing those trapped in the Source Wall. Metron noticed how carefully he phrased himself, and wondered if their objectives were truly the same. The stranger and Metron created a dimensional intersect so they existed at all points in time, because Darkseid and the others trapped after Genesis were too much a part of the Source to be freed in the present. Back in the time they started they freed Darkseid, with Prodigian agreeing to take his place for a while. The stranger revealed himself as Mars, and freed Ares, undoing the schism Uxas created so long ago, and making them one god. Takion investigated, but the immense energies from the Source Wall buffeted him. Mars / Ares promised to make the New Gods pay for their separation.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #16) - Takion and the Forever People demanded to know why Metron was trying to free Darkseid. Metron replied that he’d never seen fit to answer their questions, but eventually relented and told them that Darkseid was a necessary force in the universe. Without pain, no knowledge, and without evil, good had no meaning. Takion saw his point, and saw Darkseid as a test to see who was fittest in the universe. To him, life would stagnate without competition and evolution. The heroes prepared to fortify New Genesis before they were forced to confront Darkseid.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #17) - Metron appeared to Tigra, and she threatened to skin him for invading her privacy while getting dressed. Metron, as always, was seeking knowledge, and demanded to know why Tigra fabricated a story about Darkseid not being Orion’s true father. She replied that her actions were in line with every member of the royals of Apokolips, she sought the destruction of Darkseid. Kalibak’s plan was to fire an energy device at the Source Wall, atomizing it and killing all the Promethean Giants, including his father, before tapping into the incalculable energy of the Wall. He gloated about being sole ruler of Apokolips, and Tigra stepped in to remind him that he owed his command to her, who’d convinced the New Gods that Kalibak was Darkseid’s sole heir. Orion arrived to attack Kalibak’s stronghold, and slaughtered the Parademons that opposed him. Kalibak and Orion went into fierce battle, and Metron asked Tigra if she realized they could destroy Apokolips with their power. She cared not for her homeworld as long as she had her vengeance. She didn’t even care which of her sons died, as long as the survivor challenged Darkseid to “last battle,” and destroyed him. She knew Orion had held back against Darkseid in the past, because Darkseid’s death would spell the end of the Fourth World. Kalibak began to win the battle, using his energy device to channel Darkseid’s power, but as he presented Orion to the Black Racer, Orion’s lover Valkyra appeared and sacrificed herself to the Racer. Metron had told her about the near future a few days ago, and at that moment she determined to save Orion’s life in any way necessary. The stage was now set for Armageddon.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #18) - Orion raged at the sky over his loss, and struck Metron, blaming him because he knew what would transpire and didn’t stop it. Metron replied that he sought answers, he didn’t create them, and once Orion fell in battle the Black Racer needed to claim a god. Orion wished the Racer had claimed him, but Metron warned that love and happiness would never be his lot, the only fleeting joy he would find was in victory in war. Metron found Kalibak’s lair, set up in the machine Metron used to try and free Darkseid from the Source Wall. At Kalibak’s command Parademons used the lair’s energy transponder to drain the remainder of Darkseid’s energy, planning on then freeing him and provoking their final confrontation. Metron added his own energy to the beam, causing it to free Darkseid. Kalibak demanded final battle, but Darkseid said that was Orion’s fate. Metron explained Tigra’s story, refusing to divulge if it was true, and told Darkseid the only thing that mattered was that Kalibak was issuing a challenge he saw as his due. Darkseid accepted, blasted Kalibak into nothingness with his omega beams, and chided his son for having schemes that amounted to nothing. Darkseid though an eternity of scalded nerves was a fitting punishment for his child. Metron awaited a speech from Darkseid, but the evil god only told him that now that Darkseid was back, the universe would return to the status quo.

(New Gods Secret Files #1) - The Source Wall revealed to Metron and Takion that Mageddon, a doomsday weapon of the Old Gods, was set to reawaken and attack Earth. They agreed to have Orion and Big Barda join the JLA in order to combat this threat to the universe.

(JLA #24) - Metron came to New Genesis to watch Takion communicate with the Source Wall and learned that Mageddon would contact Earth in under two months.

(JLA #36-38, 40, 41) - With Mageddon approaching Earth, Metron brought Big Barda and Wonder Woman of the JLA to check on Wonderworld, home of the Theocracy, the first line of defense against Mageddon. Wonderworld was decimated and Mageddon had killed the Theocracy. On their way back to Earth the heroes saw other civilizations cut down by Mageddon. Mageddon visited Oracle in Gotham City, gave her a Mother Box, and said he was offering his help against Mageddon because humanity was the forerunner for a new race of gods. He then saved Green Lantern Kyle Rayner from an encounter with Queen Bee’s drones and told him he would be essential in stopping Mageddon. The JLA built an anti-war ray, a device that gave all of humanity the ability to resist Mageddon’s urgings for them to destroy each other, as well as temporary superpowers so that they could all help fight Mageddon, and the final blow was delivered when Superman absorbed the anti-sun that powered Mageddon.

(JLA #114) - Metron observed the growth of a budding new universe inside Krona’s cosmic egg, and wanted to ensure no one interfered with its growth.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #34) - Prof. Stein, one half of the hero Firestorm, unlocked the mysteries of the Firestorm-matrix, a fire elemental that was a part of the essence of life. Metron appeared in the matrix to warn Stein and his partner Jason Rush that he had found a quarter of the life-equation, which posed a grave threat to Darkseid and his anti-life equation. He told them to beware that Darkseid would stop at nothing to have the Prof. in his clutches.

Comments: Created by Jack Kirby

Metron received profiles in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #15, Who's Who in the DC Universe #2, JLA-Z #3 and New Gods Secret Files #1.

There was a pin-up of Metron in the Fourth World Gallery.

Metron had cameos in Action Comics #650, JSA #75, New Gods II #13 and New Gods III #8. Green Lantern III #101 had a flashback of Metron's battle against Parallax during Zero Hour.