Ares (DC Comics)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ares (also sometimes Mars) is a fictional character appearing in
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
publications and related media. Based on the eponymous Greek mythological figure, he is the Olympian god of war and a major recurring adversary of the superhero
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
. He has been featured significantly as a persistent foe throughout every era of Wonder Woman's comic book adventures, and in many adaptations of her stories in other media. Ares first appeared in ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
'' #1, published in the summer of 1942, written by Wonder Woman creator
William Moulton Marston William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947), also known by the pen name Charles Moulton (), was an American psychologist who, with his wife Elizabeth Holloway, invented an early prototype of the lie detector. He was also known as a se ...
. His introductory panels name him as Ares, though the narration goes on to note that he is "now called" by his
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
name Mars. He would be known by that name (with sporadic exceptions) for the next 45 years, until creative team
George Pérez George Pérez (; June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic book artist and writer, who worked primarily as a penciller. He came to prominence in the 1970s penciling ''Fantastic Four'' and '' The Avengers'' for Marvel Comics. In the 198 ...
and
Greg Potter Gregory Paul Potter is an American comic book writer best known for co-creating the DC Comics series '' Jemm, Son of Saturn'' with artist Gene Colan. Biography Greg Potter began writing comics stories for Warren Publishing's black-and-white ho ...
restored the Greek name Ares as part of their reboot of the Wonder Woman comic book mythos in 1987. As the narrative continuity of Wonder Woman comics has been adjusted by different writers and artists throughout the years, various versions of Mars/Ares (with various personalities and physical appearances) have been presented, though most have been depicted wearing Greek
hoplite Hoplites ( ) ( grc, ὁπλίτης : hoplítēs) were citizen-soldiers of Ancient Greek city-states who were primarily armed with spears and shields. Hoplite soldiers used the phalanx formation to be effective in war with fewer soldiers. The ...
or Roman
gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...
armor. The character's longest-running look, designed by George Pérez, is that of a red-eyed Greek warrior clad in black and indigo battle armor, face hidden by an
Attic helmet The Attic helmet was a type of helmet that originated in Classical Greece and was widely used in Italy and the Hellenistic world until well into the Roman Empire. Its name is a modern historiographic convention: "Terms such as Illyrian and Attic ar ...
. After DC's continuity was rebooted in 2011 (an event known as ''
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
''), the character cycled through several divergent visual interpretations (including one inspired by the physical appearance of then-writer of ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
'',
Brian Azzarello Brian Azzarello (born August 11, 1962 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer and screenwriter who first came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series ''100 Bullets'', published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo. ...
) before returning to his Pérez-inspired warrior design.''Wonder Woman'' vol. 5 #12 The character has appeared in various forms of media. He has been voiced in animated TV and film by actors
Alfred Molina Alfred Molina (born Alfredo Molina; 24 May 1953) is a British-American actor known for his work on the stage and screen. He first rose to prominence in the West End, earning a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Pla ...
,
Fred Tatasciore Fred Tatasciore (; ) is an American voice actor who has provided voices in animated and live-action films, television shows, and video games. He is known for voicing the Hulk and Beast in various Marvel media and Solomon Grundy in various DC ...
and
Michael York Michael York OBE (born Michael Hugh Johnson; 27 March 1942) is an English film, television and stage actor. After performing on-stage with the Royal National Theatre, he had a breakthrough in films by playing Tybalt in Franco Zeffirelli's ''Ro ...
, and portrayed on-screen in the
DC Extended Universe The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films and television series produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that ...
by
David Thewlis David Wheeler (born 20 March 1963), better known as David Thewlis (), is a British actor, author, director and screenwriter. Thewlis rose to prominence when he starred in the film ''Naked'' (1993), for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Awa ...
in the films ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
'' (2017) and ''
Zack Snyder's Justice League ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'' (colloquially referred to as the Snyder Cut) is the 2021 director's cut of the 2017 American superhero film '' Justice League'', the fifth film set within the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) based on the team ...
'' (2021).


Fictional character biography


Pre-''Crisis''

During most of the
Golden Age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the '' Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages, Gold being the first and the one during which the G ...
, Silver Age, and Bronze Age of Comic Books, Ares was called Mars. His visual depiction remained faithful to Harry G. Peter's original design throughout the Golden and Silver Ages: a brawny, clean-shaven figure in Greco-Roman battle armor, a pair of entwined serpents emblazoned across the breastplate. In the character's first appearance, his armor was depicted as gold. Subsequent Golden Age appearances vary the armor's coloration, rendering it as bronze with green filigree, and later as pale violet with bronze filigree. Mars' Silver Age appearances maintained Peter's character design, but altered the color once again, this time to gray. His debut appearance sees Mars seeking to realize his vision of eternal war and conflict in the world of man. He is chiefly opposed by
Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols incl ...
, goddess of love, who seeks to realize a contrary vision of loving civilization. The men who worship Ares kill each other and their weaker brothers, selling women cheaper than cattle. When Ares taunts Aphrodite with his successful plans, Aphrodite creates a new race of women, the
Amazons In Greek mythology, the Amazons (Ancient Greek: Ἀμαζόνες ''Amazónes'', singular Ἀμαζών ''Amazōn'', via Latin ''Amāzon, -ŏnis'') are portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Hercule ...
, from clay. They build a city-state called Amazonia, where they create a women-centered civilization for spreading the gospel of Aphrodite's Way. They are stronger than Ares's men. Hippolyta is granted a golden girdle that makes her invincible. Mars eventually creates a home base on the planet of
Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...
and enslaves its superpowerful population to serve him and his chief deputies, the
Duke of Deception The Duke of Deception is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Based on Dolos (mythology), Dolos, the Greek mythological deity of deceit and lies, he is a longstanding recurring adversary of the superhero Won ...
, the Count of Conquest and the Earl of Greed. Mars' ''aide-de-camp'' is General Destruction. He uses Mars as an interplanetary headquarters, supplementing the enslaved Martian population with the spirits of the dead he collects from war zones on multiple planets, including Saturn and Earth. Slave spirits become embodied after being ferried to the planet Mars, where they are subjected to strength tests to determine their best use, whether as gladiators, personal slaves, or factory workers. The very strongest are trained and given new bodies to be sent to wage future wars on Earth. He also sets up the Injustice Court for humiliating slaves and meting out punishments. Mars' Earth base was beneath
Mount Olympus Mount Olympus (; el, Όλυμπος, Ólympos, also , ) is the highest mountain in Greece. It is part of the Olympus massif near the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, located in the Olympus Range on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, be ...
and run by the Count of Conquest.''Wonder Woman'' #2 From this base, he seeks to defeat the Allied cause in World War II, sending thoughts of conquest, deception, and greed into the Axis leaders via
astral projection Astral projection (also known as astral travel) is a term used in esotericism to describe an intentional out-of-body experience (OBE) that assumes the existence of a subtle body called an " astral body" through which consciousness can funct ...
, but he finds himself repeatedly thwarted by the Amazon champion Wonder Woman. When Wonder Woman rescues Steve Trevor from Mars, the War God orders his three lieutenants to capture her. The Earl of Greed is sent and enlisted German aid, along with convincing the Dean of Holiday College to rob it, but was imprisoned after failing. The Duke of Deception gains Japanese help and captures Wonder Woman, but she escapes before she leaves Earth, and he is imprisoned. The Count of Conquest gains Italian help and, by trickery, succeeds in shackling Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor and brings them to Mars. Greed and Deception are released while Wonder Woman is imprisoned in the dungeons. However, with the help of Etta Candy's spirit form, Wonder Woman escapes and overpowers Mars, whose Iron Palace is destroyed by his weapons, though he survives. The Duke of Deception tries many times to defeat Wonder Woman, but fails despite his cunning and incredible technology, and Mars finally strips him of his mighty appearance, showing him to be a weak, toothless man. The Duke of Deception, after being set with the female slaves, causes them to rebel and briefly rules Mars. Mars repeatedly tangles with Wonder Woman on
Earth-One Earth-One (also Earth-1) is a name given to two fictional universes (The Pre-Crisis and Post-Crisis versions of the same universe) that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. The first Earth-One was given its name in ...
and
Earth-Two Earth-Two (also Earth Two or Earth 2) is a setting for stories (a "fictional universe") appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''The Flash'' #123 (1961), Earth-Two was created to explain differences between ...
. During a period when Diana abandons her powers to live among the world of men, as the Amazons retreat temporarily to another dimension, Mars (calling himself Ares this time) and his children Phobos, Deimos, and Eris battle the Amazons to secure from Hippolyta the secret to domination of all dimensions of existence. Later, he enlists his descendant Helen Alexandros to become the Silver Swan. His final scheme before the history-changing battle of the ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths "Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to Mar ...
'' is to ally himself with Hades and the
Anti-Monitor The Anti-Monitor is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He served as the main antagonist of the 1985 DC Comics miniseries ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' and later appears as an enemy to the Green Lantern Corps ...
to subdue the Gods of Olympus. As Wonder Woman engages him in final battle, Steve Trevor frees the gods, and Hades' wife Kore appeals to her husband with a message of love, leaving Mars isolated.


Post-''Crisis''

Despite being
Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek relig ...
's son, Ares never fit in with the other gods of
Olympus Olympus or Olympos ( grc, Ὄλυμπος, link=no) may refer to: Mountains In antiquity Greece * Mount Olympus in Thessaly, northern Greece, the home of the twelve gods of Olympus in Greek mythology * Mount Olympus (Lesvos), located in Le ...
and creates his own realm, the
Areopagus The Areopagus () is a prominent rock outcropping located northwest of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Its English name is the Late Latin composite form of the Greek name Areios Pagos, translated "Hill of Ares" ( grc, Ἄρειος Πάγος) ...
. Aphrodite, the patron of the Amazons, swears that her women will save the world with love from the hatred and warfare of Ares. Through his deceit and manipulations, Ares deposes
Hades Hades (; grc-gre, ᾍδης, Háidēs; ), in the ancient Greek religion and myth, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also ...
and becomes ruler of the underworld. Ares attempts to destroy the Amazons, using
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...
against them, who sacks the island, but Diana is born and raised just in time to fight Ares as Steve Trevor's plane, driven by one of Ares's human puppets, crashes into Paradise Island. His plot is to instigate a nuclear war between the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
and
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
, but Diana traps him in her magic lasso and shows how this would lead to his own disappearance, with no one to worship him. Ares tasks her with "saving mankind from themselves", promising to return if she fails. Although Ares abandons his plans, he possess an unimportant criminal Ari Buchanan and changes his name to "Ares Buchanan". He climbs the business ladder by providing high-tech weapons for gang wars. As Buchanan, he has a relationship with his lawyer, Donna Milton, who is
Circe Circe (; grc, , ) is an enchantress and a minor goddess in ancient Greek mythology and religion. She is either a daughter of the Titan Helios and the Oceanid nymph Perse or the goddess Hecate and Aeëtes. Circe was renowned for her vas ...
in disguise, although not even she knows it. Milton conceives a daughter, Lyta Milton, who possesses a great amount of magic. Ares did not care much about Donna, shooting her while she was pregnant. Circe, as Donna, later tries to help Diana out of a trap laid by Ares. She uses the last of her forces to shoot a gun that produces a sort of mini-black hole that absorbs Ares. Diana, the child, and she survive. As opposed to ancient times, the roles of various gods are shown to have altered somewhat according to modern practices and beliefs. Accordingly, the faith-based power Ares's father Zeus receives proves to be very much diminished. Other gods such as
Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of v ...
, Aphrodite, and Ares began to gain more power due to the appearance of the computer age, love never diminishing, and conflict remaining consistent. Thus, the three godly siblings eventually take over Olympus. Realizing that conflict proves to maintain his strength over the output of war, Ares changes his title to the God of Conflict. To celebrate this change, he alters his appearance to a more approachable visage. His rule under this name proves to be short-lived, though, as Hades is overthrown and Ares is all too eager to take up the mantle of God of the Dead.


Family reunited

Realizing that a crossroads for the gods of Olympus is at hand, Ares confides in his half-sister
Cassie Sandsmark Cassandra "Cassie" Sandsmark, also known as Wonder Girl, is a superheroine appearing in DC Comics. She was created by John Byrne and first appeared in ''Wonder Woman'' (vol. 2) #105 (January 1996). The second Wonder Girl, Cassie is a sidekick of ...
about a future war. In exchange for additional powers, he asks only for her love. He travels to Themyscira and kidnaps his daughter Lyta, who is under the protection of the Amazons. Circe confronts Ares and is surprised to learn of his new godly title. She agrees to remain as his consort and to raise their daughter in the Underworld. During Ares' family bonding with Cassie, he blesses her with a powerful lasso able to expel Zeus's lightning in times of anger. Ares appears to Cassie repeatedly to warn her about " the coming war". In one story, the
Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
are thrown 10 years into the future, where Cassie has inherited the mantle of Wonder Woman after Diana's death. She is also referred to as "Ares's champion". Ares later appears to Cassie, informing her that the gods are leaving this plane and Zeus is taking the power he had granted Cassie. In exchange for acknowledging their siblinghood and becoming his champion, he offers her some of his power, saying only that she would be "more powerful than he hasever been". The full extent of Cassie's powers has not been revealed, though some indication exists that she has retained all of her former powers at this point. During the events of ''
Amazons Attack! ''Amazons Attack!'' is a six-issue comic book limited series that was published by DC Comics. Written by Will Pfeifer and pencilled by Pete Woods, the first issue was released April 25, 2007. Development A proposed story titled ''Amazons Attack! ...
'', it is discovered that Ares left Circe and kidnapped their daughter to raise on his own. As Lyta and he were only spoken of during the storyline, their presence is yet unknown. Cassie is confronted by Ares' son, Lord Lycus, whom Ares has sent to interfere with Cassie's powers.


Death

Shifting himself into the future, Ares steals the dead body of Wonder Woman and brings it back into the present. He manipulates several villains to use the body to create his bride and chief agent
Genocide Genocide is the intentional destruction of a people—usually defined as an ethnic, national, racial, or religious group—in whole or in part. Raphael Lemkin coined the term in 1944, combining the Greek word (, "race, people") with the ...
. He imbues this new creature with his own magical dominance, causing the new being's persona to be not only more deadly but completely obedient to him. Ares's plans to destroy the present-day Wonder Woman go awry when Diana destroys Genocide, leaving the monster's dead body to drown in the ocean. Angered, Ares commands a son of
Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as ...
to cause a swarm of deadly sea creatures to attack Themyscira and the new island nation of Thalarion. During this battle, Diana deduces that Ares is the grand manipulator and confronts him. Not allowing Ares much time to gloat in his latest masterpiece of war, Diana takes a battle axe and strikes Ares's head, splitting his helmet in two.


After death

Despite being gone from the mortal world, Ares is still manipulating events to destroy the Amazons. His next plot involves the birth of five male children by five random Amazons. Once they are born, he takes them under his wing before Ares is banished from Themyscira both in body and spirit by his father Zeus.


''The New 52'': ''Wonder Woman'' (2011–2016)

In ''
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
'' continuity, Ares is commonly referred to as War. His first appearance in this new continuity is in ''Wonder Woman'' (vol. 4) #4, where he is depicted as a bald, aged man with a white beard. Due to the revelation that Diana is the demigoddess daughter of Zeus, their new dynamic is that of half-brother and half-sister. War's calves and feet are permanently smeared with blood. He appears in a bar in
Darfur Darfur ( ; ar, دار فور, Dār Fūr, lit=Realm of the Fur) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju ( ar, دار داجو, Dār Dājū, links=no) while ruled by the Daju ...
, where his brother
Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
tries to convince him to side with him in his quest to take over the rein of Olympus. He is revealed to be Diana's former mentor in ''Wonder Woman'' vol. 4 #0, a stand-alone issue published in September 2012 set in the past. He takes Diana under his tutelage because of her vast potential in combat, and teaches her the ways of the warrior. Their relationship is like a father-daughter relationship. However, they part ways when Diana is asked by Ares to slay the
Minotaur In Greek mythology, the Minotaur ( , ;. grc, ; in Latin as ''Minotaurus'' ) is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "p ...
, but is unable to bring herself to kill it. This show of mercy makes her a failure in Ares' eyes. Over time, Diana learns she can trust Ares to protect their youngest brother, the infant Zeke, and his mother Zola. Alongside their British brother Lennox, Hera, and the
New God The New Gods are a fictional extraterrestrial race appearing in the eponymous comic book series published by DC Comics, as well as selected other DC titles. Created and designed by Jack Kirby, they first appeared in February 1971 in ''New Gods'' ...
Orion, they form a dysfunctional family unit that seeks to protect the baby from the First Born, their eldest brother, who had been imprisoned by Zeus eons ago. In ''Wonder Woman'' vol. 4 #23, Wonder Woman's group clashes with First Born in London, where Ares raises an army of soldiers and fights First Born himself after Wonder Woman is temporarily incapacitated. First Born overpowers Ares and prepares to kill him to usurp his position of God of War. Wonder Woman regretfully drives a spear through both of them, as it is the only way to stop First Born. In his last breath, Ares forgives and commends his former pupil, stating that she did what he would have done. Hades manifests to take Ares to his afterlife, and announces that Wonder Woman has taken on his position as God of War. Appearing to Wonder Woman in an apparition, counselling her on the ongoing conflict with the First Born, he tells her not to call him War anymore, as that is her name—she refers to him instead as Ares.


''DC Rebirth'': ''Wonder Woman'' (2016–present)

In the ''
DC Rebirth DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the DC ...
'' reboot, Wonder Woman's origin is retold in the "Year One" storyline. A group of people called the "Sear" terrorizes a mall where Diana and her friends are exploring. They have been infected with the Maru virus, which causes them to lash out in homicidal rage, though Diana and Steve Trevor defeat them, and Barbara Ann Minerva discovers Sear is an anagram of Ares. The god of war attacks shortly after this discovery. He reveals his desire to spread the virus across the world in major locations with the hope of turning most of the human population into warring killers to fuel his power. Diana offers him Themyscira's location in exchange for him sparing everyone, though Ares discovers she has no memory of its location; as a sacrifice of leaving the island, Diana was barred from returning by losing knowledge of how to return. Accepting her new role to save mankind, Diana, with the help of the patron gods in animal form, subdues Ares with the Lasso of Truth. Diana and her friends are given the locations where Ares has the virus sent and Diana is christened as Wonder Woman for her heroics. Soon after, Ares' sons Phobos and Deimos conspire to free Ares from his imprisonment on Themyscira. They coerce Veronica Cale into aiding them by kidnapping the soul of her daughter, Isadore. Several years later, Cale and her associate
Doctor Cyber Doctor Cyber is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as a recurring adversary of the superhero Wonder Woman. She first appeared late in the Silver Age of Comics in 1968's ''Wonder Woman'' (volume 1 ...
still have no luck finding the island. Cale plots against Phobos and Deimos, and he recruits the sorceress Circe into trapping the twins into the bodies of two
Doberman Pinscher The Dobermann (; ), or Doberman Pinscher in the United States and Canada, is a medium-large breed of domestic dog that was originally developed around 1890 by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector from Germany.Olympian gods upright=1.8, Fragment of a relief (1st century BC1st century AD) depicting the twelve Olympians carrying their attributes in procession; from left to right: Hestia (scepter), Hermes (winged cap and staff), Aphrodite (veiled), Ares (helmet and s ...
, Ares possesses tremendous strength, though he is now perhaps the strongest of them, rivaled only by his half-brother Hercules. Moreover, he is a master of conflict and strategy with centuries of experience in the field, and has complete telekinetic command and mastery over any weapon or armor. He also possesses speed equal to that of Hermes once he absorbs massive amounts of the violent energies that give him his powers. Pertaining to his being a war god, violent actions and emotions such as anger, hate, death and bloodshed make him stronger and heal any wounds he may receive, as his soul is able to absorb the psychic energy created by such events. His armor is virtually indestructible and his weapons are greater than mortal ones. He can shapeshift into any form he wishes and can teleport himself and others. At one time, he was also recognized as the Death God of the Greek Pantheon, having control over the dead and able to resurrect and command a whole army of undead from the Underworld to do his will, and then send them back whenever he wished. Being a god, he is
immortal Immortality is the ability to live forever, or eternal life. Immortal or Immortality may also refer to: Film * ''The Immortals'' (1995 film), an American crime film * ''Immortality'', an alternate title for the 1998 British film ''The Wisdom of ...
and can only be harmed by magical weapons. In ''The New 52'' continuity, the character's mere presence invokes battle and slaughter in his surroundings. This is seen in ''Wonder Woman'' vol. 4 #4, where Ares is sitting in a bar in Darfur; all the men inside are dead and a riot is breaking out outside the bar – even children are taking part in the gunfire. In ''Wonder Woman'' vol. 4 #9, Ares is present at a café in
Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...
, where a fatal blast takes place as he is leaving.


Other versions


''

Earth One Earth-One (also Earth-1) is a name given to two fictional universes (The Pre-Crisis and Post-Crisis versions of the same universe) that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. The first Earth-One was given its name in ...
''

In the '' Wonder Woman: Earth One'' continuity, Armored Response Environment Suit called A.R.E.S. is featured in Volume Two as a U.S. military contingency plan for General Phil Darnell and Maxwell Lord. Ares himself is hinted at the end of the book as well. It is subsequently revealed that Maxwell Lord is actually Ares in disguise and seeks to eliminate the Amazons in retaliation for his daughter Hippolyta turning against him centuries ago. During the fight between the Amazons and their allies and his A.R.E.S. machines, Ares himself mentally links himself with one of the drones to battle his granddaughter Diana. However, Diana defeats him by using her lasso to compel the machine to self-destruct, which also causes him to "self-destruct" as well due to being linked with it.


''Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman''

Ares appears in two different stories in this anthology series featuring Wonder Woman. In the first, "Casualties of War", Wonder Woman is attacked by a dragon that is later revealed to have been a pawn of Ares. In the second story, "Vendetta", Ares ambushes Wonder Woman in a small African city. He summons his Spartoi, reptilian soldiers, to aid in his battle, but he is inevitably defeated by Wonder Woman.


'' The Legend of Wonder Woman''

While not appearing directly, Ares's subject, the Duke of Deception, is a servant of both Ares and Hades. The amazon Antiope is also depicted as Ares's high priestess.


''

Injustice Injustice is a quality relating to unfairness or undeserved outcomes. The term may be applied in reference to a particular event or situation, or to a larger status quo. In Western philosophy and jurisprudence, injustice is very commonly—but n ...
''

Ares is featured as a major antagonist in the comic book series based on the '' Injustice: Gods Among Us'' video game. He is initially in Chapter 9 of Year 1, on which he watches as Wonder Woman fought against an entire army and then questions her decision to join Superman's side. He also asks her if she is going to "replace"
Lois Lane Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning journalist for ...
, who died after the Joker tricked Superman into killing her, as Superman's significant other. Just as he asks this, Wonder Woman acknowledges he fears her union with Superman because it would end all conflict in the world and end war permanently (and without war, Ares would be left mortal). She asks Ares what he would become if Superman's endeavors succeeded and mockingly suggests he become a god of something less violent (as she suggested him being the "God of Ponies"). Enraged, Ares attacks Diana, proclaiming that Zeus himself would not save her so long as they are on a battlefield where Ares is strongest. Before he can harm Wonder Woman, Superman appears and takes Ares down with a single blow, allowing Diana to cut off his hand off and, just as Ares threatens her further, she impales him with her sword and leaves him to bleed. Superman, while disturbed by this, is assured by Wonder Woman that Ares will not die and the two head off to begin peace negotiations. As they leave, Ares admits to himself he fears that Diana will strip away Superman's restraint, and nothing in the world would be able to stand against them if such an event occurred, and in a world without war, Ares is unsure what he would become. Ares returns in ''Year Four'', where he strikes a deal with
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...
, allying his Insurgency with the Greek Gods themselves, with Ares promising to provoke the gods into intervening on their war. Batman also assures Ares about Wonder Woman, as Ares then heads to Mount Olympus and tries to convince Zeus to intervene against Superman's Regime. When Superman summons his allies to help against the Greek Gods, Ares frees Billy Batson, who was held captive by
Harley Quinn Harley Quinn is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker in '' Batman: The Animated Series'', and debuted in i ...
, allowing him to join the fight. Zeus then intervenes and disbands the Regime, banishing Superman from Earth, who discovers that Ares has been working with
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
all along. Ares then visits Superman and convinces him to ally himself with gods outside of Olympus to combat Zeus, causing Superman to strike a deal with Poseidon, who nearly floods Themyscira, but then surrenders when Zeus intervenes. When Batman and Superman's allies clash, Batman heads to
New Genesis New Genesis is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, the planet is home to the heroic New Gods led by the sage Highfather. New Genesis is the positive counterpart ...
and convinces
Highfather Highfather (Izaya the Inheritor) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. An integral part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, Highfather is a New God, leader of the planet New Genesis and the positive co ...
to intervene, where Highfather convinces Zeus to end his involvement in Batman and Superman's war. Superman then takes Ares to
Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
and leaves him to be tortured by Darkseid. Ares then returns in ''Year Five'' and ''Ground Zero'', playing his role from the "Injustice: Gods Among Us" game, where it's unknown how he escaped from Darkseid. Ares then returns in ''Injustice 2'', where he visits Wonder Woman, who's held prisoner on Themyscira, and mocks her for her imprisonment before he warns her about a "
weapon A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...
" that will turn the tide of the war and that she will be helpless to stop it.


'' Dark Nights: Metal''

In ''Dark Knights: The Merciless'', part of a series looking at dark alternate versions of Batman who have the powers of other members of the Justice League, one Batman comes from a reality where Ares acquired a new helmet that enhanced his powers to induce conflict. After Wonder Woman and other members of the League had been apparently killed in battle with Ares, Batman donned Ares' discarded helmet to use it against him, only to succumb to the helmet's power to the point that he not only defeated Ares, but even killed Diana when it was revealed that she had survived the attack because he was already so far under the helmet's influence.


In other media


Television

* Ares makes an appearance in the ''
Justice League Unlimited ''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics univers ...
'' episode "Hawk and Dove", voiced by
Michael York Michael York OBE (born Michael Hugh Johnson; 27 March 1942) is an English film, television and stage actor. After performing on-stage with the Royal National Theatre, he had a breakthrough in films by playing Tybalt in Franco Zeffirelli's ''Ro ...
. In the episode, Ares commissions
Hephaestus Hephaestus (; eight spellings; grc-gre, Ἥφαιστος, Hḗphaistos) is the Greek god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire (compare, however, with Hestia), and volcanoes.Walter B ...
to forge the Annihilator, a living suit of armor fueled by violence. Posing as Tom Sera and a Kasnian monk, Ares uses it to incite conflict between North and South
Kasnia This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites * the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. * Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for ...
, hoping to destabilize the entire region and create more conflict.
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
, the Hawk and the Dove intervene, forcing Ares to back down after discovering the Annihilator's weakness. The Annihilator armor is confiscated by the Justice League. * Ares appears in the web series ''
DC Super Hero Girls ''DC Super Hero Girls'' or ''DC Superhero Girls'' (in various countries) is an American superhero web series and franchise Produced by Warner Bros. Animation for Cartoon Network based on characters from DC Entertainment that launched in the th ...
'', voiced by
Fred Tatasciore Fred Tatasciore (; ) is an American voice actor who has provided voices in animated and live-action films, television shows, and video games. He is known for voicing the Hulk and Beast in various Marvel media and Solomon Grundy in various DC ...
. * Ares appears in ''
Harley Quinn Harley Quinn is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker in '' Batman: The Animated Series'', and debuted in i ...
'' as an exotic dancer on Hedonikka, an island near Themyscira.


Film

* Ares is featured in the
animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...
feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
'', voiced by
Alfred Molina Alfred Molina (born Alfredo Molina; 24 May 1953) is a British-American actor known for his work on the stage and screen. He first rose to prominence in the West End, earning a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Pla ...
. He differs slightly in this incarnation in that he had long platinum hair, although he wears a variation of his classic armor early in the film. In Ancient Times, Ares waged war along with Thrax against Queen Hippolyta which resulted in the death of their son by her hand. Ares the had his powers bound by mystical armbands placed by
Hera In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; grc-gre, Ἥρα, Hḗrā; grc, Ἥρη, Hḗrē, label=none in Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she ...
and imprisoned in Themyscira. After seducing one of their own Persephone, he traveled to see
Hades Hades (; grc-gre, ᾍδης, Háidēs; ), in the ancient Greek religion and myth, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also ...
in the Underworld to relieve him of his bands, where he encountered Hippolyta's daughter, Diana and Steve Trevor. Once his powers are released, Ares plans to wage war on all of humanity and feed upon the chaos to become powerful enough to conquer even the Gods of Olympus. In the climax, the epic battle between his army, mankind, and the Amazons transforms him into a powerful giant and battling Diana to the death. Diana then ropes Ares and beheads him in
Washington DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
and in death, Ares was later reunited with his son to serve for Hades. * Ares first appears in the
DC Extended Universe The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films and television series produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that ...
film ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
'', the fourth installment of the DCEU, played by
David Thewlis David Wheeler (born 20 March 1963), better known as David Thewlis (), is a British actor, author, director and screenwriter. Thewlis rose to prominence when he starred in the film ''Naked'' (1993), for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Awa ...
. As the God of War, he is depicted as the treacherous son of
Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek relig ...
and the half-brother of Diana/Wonder Woman. After Ares attempted to influence mankind towards destruction and slaughtered all of his fellow Gods when they attempted to stop him, Zeus used the last of his strength to strike Ares down from
Olympus Olympus or Olympos ( grc, Ὄλυμπος, link=no) may refer to: Mountains In antiquity Greece * Mount Olympus in Thessaly, northern Greece, the home of the twelve gods of Olympus in Greek mythology * Mount Olympus (Lesvos), located in Le ...
and left the
Amazons In Greek mythology, the Amazons (Ancient Greek: Ἀμαζόνες ''Amazónes'', singular Ἀμαζών ''Amazōn'', via Latin ''Amāzon, -ŏnis'') are portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Hercule ...
a "Godkiller" sword capable of slaying Ares should he ever return. Stranded on Earth, Ares spent centuries orchestrating wars and conflicts in order to cause mankind's self-destruction. During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, he masquerades as
Imperial War Cabinet The Imperial War Cabinet (IWC) was the British Empire's wartime coordinating body. It met over three sessions, the first from 20 March to 2 May 1917, the second from 11 June to late July 1918, and the third from 20 or 25 November 1918 to early Jan ...
speaker " Sir Patrick Morgan" to manipulate both sides into entering conflicts. After revealing himself to Diana, Ares destroys the sword and informs her that she is the true "Godkiller" that Zeus left behind, before attempting to persuade her that humans are unworthy of her protection and should be destroyed in order to create paradise on Earth. Having concluded that love, not violence, is the only way to prevent conflict, Diana uses her powers as the last child of Zeus to fight and ultimately destroy Ares. * Ares is featured in the 2017 film ''
Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
'', the fifth installment of the DCEU. He appears during a flashback of the battle between Steppenwolf's forces and a unified army of the
Olympian Gods upright=1.8, Fragment of a relief (1st century BC1st century AD) depicting the twelve Olympians carrying their attributes in procession; from left to right: Hestia (scepter), Hermes (winged cap and staff), Aphrodite (veiled), Ares (helmet and s ...
, the Amazons,
Atlanteans As an adjective, Atlantean (or Atlantian) means "of or pertaining to Atlas or Atlantis". Atlantean may also refer to: * Atlantean figures, a type of ancient artifacts * ''Atlantean'' (documentary series), a trilogy of TV films discussing the or ...
, Men (humankind) and the contemporary
Green Lantern Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
of Earth's sector. ** In the Snyder cut of the film, Ares was the one who defeated a young Darkseid during his invasion of Earth by cleaving his shoulder causing his forces to sound the retreat. Stuntman Nick McKinless physically played the role, with Thewlis's face digitally superimposed over his.


Video games

* Ares appears as a playable character in '' Injustice: Gods Among Us'', voiced by
J.G. Hertzler John Garman Hertzler Jr. (born March 18, 1950) is an American actor, author, screenwriter, and activist best known for his role on ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' as the Klingon General (later Chancellor) Martok, whom he portrayed from 1995 until ...
. At the beginning of the game, Ares was seen fighting the Justice League alongside the featured villains assembled by
Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: April ...
until he was defeated by Superman and corralled by Wonder Woman and Aquaman. In the alternate reality, Ares first appears to save Aquaman from the alternate Aquaman's army by freezing them in time. The alternate Ares tells Aquaman that Superman's Regime has ended all conflict leaving him virtually weak. The alternate Ares sends Aquaman to the Insurgency base where his comrades are. Later on in the game, the alternate Ares teleports Wonder Woman to Themyscira where he tells her that her alternate counterpart is planning to lead the Amazons to civilization as part of the alternate Superman's plan to destroy Metropolis and Gotham City. The alternate Ares then leaves when Wonder Woman is attacked by the alternate Raven. In Ares' Arcade ending, defeating Superman has the opposite effect of what he intended and he is further weakened by the ensuing peace. Near death, Ares imprisons
Brainiac 5 Brainiac 5 (Querl Dox) is a fictional superhero character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is from the planet Colu and is a long-standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. The first live-action version of the c ...
and forces him to create a time loop of the game's events creating a never ending cycle of conflict from which he can feed off forever. ** Ares does not appear in the sequel, '' Injustice 2'', however, as Wonder Woman claims she slew him and became the new Goddess of War. * Ares appears in ''
DC Universe Online ''DC Universe Online'' (''DCUO'') is a free-to-play action combat massively multiplayer online game set in the fictional universe of DC Comics. Developed by Dimensional Ink Games and co-published by Daybreak Game Company and WB Games, the game ...
''. * In '' Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure'', the ''New 52'' version of Ares is one of the thousands of characters that can be summoned by the player. * Ares appears as a playable character in the mobile game ''
DC Legends This is a list of video games based on DC Comics. Video games 1970s–80s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s See also * List of video games based on comics * List of video games featuring Batman * List of video games featuring Superman *Marvel Ga ...
''. * Ares appears as a playable character in ''DC Unchained''. * Ares appears as a playable character in ''
Lego DC Super-Villains ''Lego DC Super-Villains'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform video game developed by Traveller's Tales. The fourth installment in the '' Lego Batman'' series of games, it is a spin-off that focuses entirely on villains of the DC Univers ...
'', voiced by
Fred Tatasciore Fred Tatasciore (; ) is an American voice actor who has provided voices in animated and live-action films, television shows, and video games. He is known for voicing the Hulk and Beast in various Marvel media and Solomon Grundy in various DC ...
.


Toys

DC Direct DC Direct was a division of WarnerMedia that sold collectibles based on DC Comics characters (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc.). Prior to 1998, merchandise sold by DC Comics was branded with the DC Comics logo rather than with the DC Direct ...
released an Ares action figure in 2001 as part of their ''Amazons and Adversaries'' line of Wonder Woman action figures.
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in mor ...
released an Ares action figure in 2008 as part of their
DC Universe Classics DC Universe Classics was an action figure toyline, a sub-line of the DC Universe toy brand manufactured by Mattel. They were 6-inch scale figures based on the fictional characters owned by DC Comics. The entire line was sculpted by the Four Horse ...
line of toys. Ares is also part of the action figures lineup for the 2017 film ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
''. Ares is represented as an inaccurate buildable figure in the Lego set "Wonder Woman Warrior Battle" based on ''Wonder Woman''.


See also

* Ares (Marvel Comics) * Children of Ares (comics)


References


External links


Bio at World's Finest



Ares at Wonder Woman Yesterday, Today, & Beyond
* * Marston, William Moulton. ''Emotions Of Normal People''. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co, Ltd. 1928. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ares (DC Comics) Action film villains Characters created by George Pérez Characters created by William Moulton Marston Comics characters introduced in 1942 DC Comics characters who are shapeshifters DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds DC Comics characters who can teleport DC Comics characters who use magic DC Comics characters with accelerated healing DC Comics characters with superhuman strength DC Comics deities DC Comics film characters DC Comics male supervillains DC Comics characters who have mental powers DC Comics telekinetics DC Comics telepaths Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities Fictional characters with weather abilities Fictional characters who can manipulate reality Fictional characters who can manipulate time Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities Fictional characters with death or rebirth abilities Fictional characters with fire or heat abilities Fictional characters with precognition Fictional characters who can manipulate darkness or shadows Fictional characters who can change size Fictional characters with immortality Fictional characters with superhuman senses Fictional characters with X-ray vision Fictional empaths Fictional mass murderers Fictional necromancers Golden Age supervillains Classical mythology in DC Comics Greek and Roman deities in fiction Male film villains Wonder Woman characters Ares in popular culture