DC Movies Keep Ignoring the One Character Who Can Truly Stop Darkseid

Long before Zack Snyder’s Justice League introduced Darkseid to the masses, the tyrant from Apokolips was already DC’s cosmic scourge. He towered over Superman, corrupted entire planets, and haunted the pages of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World saga for decades. And yet, for all his on-screen dominance, there’s been no mention or sign of Highfather, his main nemesis and the only being who possesses the might to truly stand against him.

Highfather, also known as Izaya the Inheritor, first appeared in The New Gods #1 (1971), created by Kirby to embody order and life as a counterpart to Uxas’ destruction. He leads the spiritual realm of New Genesis, wielding the Alpha Effect, the only force able to counteract Darkseid’s Omega Effect. Their wars have reshaped entire universes, yet Highfather remains absent from live-action storytelling.

This absence almost ended when DC finally greenlit a New Gods adaptation in 2018 with Ava DuVernay and Tom King. They planned to bring Highfather to the screen alongside Mister Miracle, Big Barda, and Darkseid. But when the Snyder Cut premiered in 2021, the studio canceled New Gods, citing an overexposure of Darkseid. That cancellation led to fans missing out on the only character capable of obliterating Darkseid, taking him on in live-action.

Who Is Highfather, & Why Does He Matter?

Highfather's story begins with the fall of the Second World. The Old Gods, entities who helped shape the early cosmos, perished in an apocalyptic event known as Ragnarok. Their remnants became the seeds of the Third World, a world of new deities, born on the planet Galactica. Among these were two pivotal figures: Izaya and Uxas, later known as Highfather and Darkseid.

War soon erupted between them when Uxas murdered Izaya's wife during a bloody uprising. Izaya, once a warrior himself, was transformed by grief and spiritual enlightenment. 

He communed with the cosmic Source, embracing the Alpha Effect, a force that balanced Darkseid's destructive Omega Effect. Thus, Izaya became Highfather, the compassionate but powerful ruler of New Genesis.

Highfather and Darkseid are opposites in every sense. While Darkseid seeks domination through fear and his relentless pursuit of the Anti-Life Equation to eliminate free will, Highfather seeks truth, peace, and harmony through the Life Equation and the guidance of the Source.

Their rivalry spans millennia and has deeply impacted DC lore. To end the war between their worlds, Highfather and Darkseid once enacted a peace treaty known as The Pact, involving the exchange of their sons, Orion and Scott Free (Mister Miracle). 

This cosmic sacrifice defined their legacy, with Highfather emerging as a complex symbol of wisdom. Their confrontations often transcended physical battles and were waged instead on philosophical and spiritual battlegrounds.

Why Has DC Not Introduced Highfather if He Is So Important?

Despite his prominence, Highfather has never appeared in live-action. His only near-debut came with Ava DuVernay’s New Gods film, which would have explored the saga of New Genesis and Apokolips in depth. When the project was canceled due to overlap with Snyder’s Justice League, Highfather was sidelined once more.

He became a victim of a turbulent period following the merger of Discovery, Inc. and WarnerMedia into Warner Bros. Discovery, with new leadership under James Gunn and Peter Safran aimed at rebooting the franchise into the DC Universe (DCU). 

The New Gods film, despite its potential, became a casualty of this transition, leaving Highfather’s cinematic introduction in limbo.

Part of the issue is Highfather’s tone. Darkseid is DC's Thanos before Thanos. He has an iconic design, terrifying Omega Beams, and a presence that screams final boss. 

He immediately raises the tension whenever he makes an appearance and is an easy-to-adapt character. On the other hand, Highfather's adaptability is challenging, but not solely due to his subdued tone. His cosmic and philosophical complexity requires careful handling to resonate with mainstream audiences.

Another challenge is the niche status of the New Gods, which Zack Snyder reportedly had interesting plans for. While beloved by comic fans, they’ve never been as mainstream as Superman or Batman. 

DC has often favored Earth-based heroes and more grounded stories, leaving cosmic epics like The Fourth World underdeveloped. A project involving Highfather needs a lot of work and has to be adapted properly to make it a live-action hit.