Despero has gone through virtually as many transformations as the League itself. Initially appearing as a physically weak, mind-controlling tyrant with a penchant for playing chess for the fates of his enemies, he later surfaced to be a physical powerhouse fueled by his burning, all-consuming hatred of the Justice League.
Despero in his first battle with the JLA
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Rebirth

Despero's most famous battle against the Justice League established him as being driven by his utter and all-burning hatred for the Justice League, to the point that his hatred allowed for him to survive death and regenerate his body through sheer willpower. He attacked the Justice League as he had known it (previous incarnation - "Justice League Detroit" ) and then sought them out, eventually battling at the United Nations building (New York); he even donned the United Nations flag as a cape during the battle. The battle ended only through Martian Manhunter controversially employing a never before seen deus ex machina power to trick Despero into thinking he had successfully killed not only the Justice League, but all life on Earth, causing him to let go of his hatred and regressing to the form of a fetus. The fetus Despero was then given to Manga Khan in exchange for his robotic man-servant L-Ron.
As he appeared before his latest manifestation
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Breakdowns

Despero was aged back into adulthood and escaped back to Earth to continue his vendetta against the JLA. Despero attacked both the American and European Justice League teams and the murderous bounty-hunter Lobo (who had been hired to retrieve Despero for Khan) in Times Square, New York. Despero could only be stopped once again through desperate means; the robot L-Ron used the slave collar Despero wore to switch bodies with Despero, gaining his monsterous form while trapping him into L-Ron's powerful, if small, robotic form. Attacking the Justice League, Despero was defeated by an unlikely source, a duck hunter who shot him by mistake, destroying his robot body in the process. L-Ron then went into outer space with his new body before returning to Earth and joining the Justice League Task Force. [1]
Later Appearances

Although he was seemingly killed when L-Ron's body was destroyed, his mind somehow ended up returning to his body, where it was shown to be battling L-Ron for control of his original body. L-Ron succeeded in casting him out after Despero briefly regained control over his body, at which point he once again became a "free floating evil essence", able to possess innocent people. In this state, he confronted Young Justice, currently attempting to prove their maturity by tackling a crisis on their own; he initially sought to possess Superboy, seeing him as the most powerful host available - Robin was merely mortal and he could barely comprehend Impulse's chaotic mind, but eventually managed to take control of the Martian Manhunter, who had been watching the fight in case the teens required assistance. Using J'onn's primal fear of fire, they drove Despero out of his body, and he was subsequently banished to another dimension by Secret, although he apparently escaped.

Later he had joined forces with Johnny Sorrow in a plan to destroy the League and the Justice Society. He possessed President Lex Luthor, but was cast out of the President by Johnny Sorrow's own gaze and apparently returned to corporeal form. Despero defeats several teams of JSA/JLA and takes on Superman, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Manhunter, Power Girl, and Hourman at the same time. Allowing the next wave of Green Lantern Kyle, Original GL, Firestorm, Captain Atom, and Zatanna to attack using their full powers right after the psychical attack. Despero withstood all of that and more before eventually falling to the stare of Johnny Sorrow.

Years later, in the wake of Identity Crisis, the JLA was attacked by a reformed Secret Society of Super Villains that once again knew the heroes' alter-egos. The Martian Manhunter discovered Despero was responsible for the restoration of the Society's memory. After a telepathic battle with both Martian Manhunter and Aquaman, Despero takes control of them as well as Batman, but not before Catwoman can summon the Justice League.

In the ensuing battle, Despero mentally takes control of the Green Arrow, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), and the Black Canary. After nearly taking control of Superman, Red Tornado arrives and saves Superman. As Despero moves to attack Tornado with the members of the League he has taken control of, Zatanna arrives and stops him. After he was defeated, Despero was taken by Hal Jordan into Oa's custody.
Return

A youg Despero in his original human form is later plucked from the timestream by Mister Mind, and is convinced to join a group called "The Time Stealers". The villains successfully create an alternate universe that differs significantly from the original. Hero Booster Gold and several allies (Rip Hunter and the Justice League International) eventually undo the change and restore the original universe.[16]

Despero briefly allied with villains Morgaine Le Fey and Enigma and became god-like until stopped by the combined efforts of Superman; Batman and Wonder Woman.[17] Despero returns to attack the Justice League and almost finishes the washed out League. However, just in the nick of time, Zatanna Zatanna arrives to inform them of the ongoing Blackest Night, and in the process saves them and holds off Despero just long enough to send him away. She attempts to teleport him to the center of the Earth, but before being able to do so, her spell is interrupted and he is pulled away to somewhere unknown by some unknown force.[18]
At the request of human computer Vril Dox, Despero joins in the fight against the original Starro (a humanoid), that controls all other versions and is conquering the galaxy. Despero engages Starro in combat and although easily destroyed begins to regernerate into a superior form, which was always the villain's intent. Vril Dox uses Despero's still living head as a weapon against Starro and its forces.[19]




Known Powers & Abilities:
Despero was granted vast powers by the Flame of Py'tar


* Super Strength – Despero has greater strength than even Superman or Captain Marvel. He was able to defeat Superman, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Hourman, and Power Girl simultaneously. Despero was able to hold up the Rock of Eternit y when Sand attempted to crush him with it.
* Invulnerability – Despero has been described as having invulnerability and he has been shown to take powerful blunt force attacks from Superman and heroes of similar strength without much harm, but his skin is not impervious. His skin has been pierced by Aquaman wielding a metal rod despite being able to repel bullets
* Super Speed – Despero has shown the ability to use speed in flight as well as in combat. He can fly from the Moon to the Earth in a few moments (a distance of approximately 380,000 km or 240,000 miles) and was seen rapidly punching Supergirl numerous times in one panel. His reflexes are also good enough to allow him to hit a running Flash with a telekinetic blast and to counter after being struck by a blitzing Flash.
* Telepathy – Despero's hypnotic third eye grants him telepathic abilities that surpass even Martian Manhunter. Though he usually uses these abilities to harm, (i.e. mind control, mentally shouting down the opponent, etc) he also posses less offensive telepathic abilities such as the basic mind reading as well as the ability to block other telepathic communications.
* Illusion Casting – As part of his mental abilities granted him, he can project realistic Illusions into people's minds. He gave J'onn a painful illusion of Mars where Despero killed his loved ones.
* Mind Control – Despero's third eye also gives him a powerful hypnotic ability to control minds or paralyze foes. He can enslave multiple people at once and can even control strong telepaths such as Martian Manhunter and Aquaman. Supergirl described Despero's mind control as being 10,000 times worse than Grodd.
* Possession – Despero can possess the body of others and still retain his extraordinary abilities as seen when he possesses Lex Luthor and is able to defeat both the Justice League and the Justice Society. He can also leap out of his current body to attempt to posses someone.
* Psychic Fire – Despero has been shown to be able to project psionic bolts of fire from his third-eye capable of matching Supergirl. He nearly used this ability to destroy the Martian Manhunter but Booster Gold shielded J'onn form Despero's attack.
* Flight – Despero is capable of self propelled flight and was shown to be nearly as fast as Martian Manhunter. He has no problem flying in and out of the atmosphere and flying in space.
* Telekinesis – His third eye gives him telekinetic abilities; while L-Ron was using his body, he used TK to shield 5 men in a telekinetic bubble under water to save them from drowning. He was also able to shield innocent bystanders from falling rubble. He can also use his telekinesis to fire bolts of force from his third eye, explosive blasts capable of destroying a Javelin and knocking out Powergirl.
* Regeneration – If injured, Despero rapidly heals. Cuts and slashes heal in a very short amount of time, but serious injuries, such as decapitation, can take weeks to heal.
* Energy Manipulation – When Despero first appeared as Despero Reborn, he was able to manipulate energy and turn energy into matter while fueled by the Flame of Py'tar. He no longer retains this ability.
* Matter Manipulation – With the Flame of Py'tar, he was also able to manipulate matter or change it into energy. He no longer retains this ability.
* Reality Warping – Being Fueled by the Flame of Py'tar also allowed him to bend reality to his will, turning skyscrapers to dragon-like creatures and stones into demons. He no longer retains this ability.