Doctor Manhattan
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Doctor Manhattan (Dr. Jonathan Osterman), often shortened to Dr. Manhattan or simply Manhattan is a
fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
who appears in comics published by
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 thei ...
. He debuted in the
graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
limited series Limited series may refer to: *Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series *Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered *Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
''. Doctor Manhattan was created by writer
Alan Moore Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including ''Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', ''The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and ''From Hell' ...
and artist
Dave Gibbons David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...
. The ''Watchmen'' series is noted for addressing metaphysical issues and questions, Doctor Manhattan being the primary exponent. He is often used as an example of a post-human god. The reception of the character is positive, and he has appeared and been mentioned in various forms of media. Doctor Manhattan later appeared in the ''
Before Watchmen ''Before Watchmen'' is a series of comic books published by DC Comics in 2012. Acting as a prequel to the 1986 12-issue ''Watchmen'' limited series by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, the project consists of eight limited series and one ...
'' comic book prequel with his issue miniseries. In 2016, as part of DC Comics' ''Rebirth'' relaunch, Manhattan became a major character in the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
. He was revealed to be responsible for the Flashpoint event, creating
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 ...
timeline/universe in the process, a factor that removed 10 years of history of the DC characters. This led him to become one of the main characters in the ''Doomsday Clock'' miniseries, published from 2017 to 2019. Doctor Manhattan made his first live-action debut in the 2009 film ''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
'', played by
Billy Crudup William Gaither Crudup (; born July 8, 1968) is an American actor. He is a four-time Tony Award nominee, winning once for his performance in Tom Stoppard's play ''The Coast of Utopia'' in 2007. He has starred in numerous high-profile films, inc ...
. He also appeared in the 2019 limited television series ''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
'', played by
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (; born July 15, 1986) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Black Manta in the superhero films ''Aquaman'' (2018) and ''Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom'' (2023), Bobby Seale in the Netflix historical legal drama ' ...
in his original form played by Darrell Snedeger.


Publication history

Doctor Manhattan was partly based on
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 thei ...
'
Captain Atom Captain Atom is a superhero appearing in American comic books, first in the 1960s by Charlton Comics before being acquired in the 1980s by DC Comics. Captain Atom has existed in three basic incarnations. Publication history Captain Atom was crea ...
, who in Moore's original proposal was surrounded by the shadow of a nuclear threat. However, the writer found he could do more with Manhattan as "a supreme super-hero" than he ever could have with Captain Atom. Moore sought to delve into
nuclear physics Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, in addition to the study of other forms of nuclear matter. Nuclear physics should not be confused with atomic physics, which studies the ...
and
quantum mechanics Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. It is the foundation of all quantum physics including quantum chemistry, ...
in constructing the character of Dr. Manhattan. The writer believed that a character living in a quantum universe would not perceive time from a linear perspective, which would influence the character's perception of human affairs. Moore also wanted to avoid creating an emotionless character like
Spock Spock is a Character (arts), fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterprise ...
from ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'', so he sought for Dr. Manhattan to retain "human habits" and to grow away from them and humanity in general. Gibbons had created the blue character
Rogue Trooper ''Rogue Trooper'' is a science fiction strip in the British comic '' 2000 AD'', created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons in 1981. It portrays the adventures of a " Genetic Infantryman" named Rogue and three uploaded minds mounted on his ...
, and reused the blue skin motif for Doctor Manhattan, as it resembles skin tonally but with a different hue. Moore incorporated color into the story, and Gibbons noted the rest of the comic's color scheme made Manhattan unique. Moore recalled that he was unsure if DC would allow the creators to depict the character as fully nude, which partially influenced how they portrayed the character."A Portal to Another Dimension". ''The Comics Journal''. July 1987. Gibbons wanted to tastefully depict Manhattan's nudity, selecting carefully when full frontal shots would occur and giving him "understated" genitals—like a classical sculpture—so the reader would not initially notice it.Kallies, Christy.
Under the Hood: Dave Gibbons
. SequentialTart.com. July 1999. Retrieved on October 12, 2008.
Dr. Manhattan's forehead is marked with the atomic structure of
hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, an ...
, which he put on himself, declining a helmet with the atom symbol.


Fictional character biography


Origins

Jonathan Osterman is born in 1929 to a
German-American German Americans (german: Deutschamerikaner, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. With an estimated size of approximately 43 million in 2019, German Americans are the largest of the self-reported ancestry groups by the Unite ...
family. Jon plans to follow in his father's footsteps as a watchmaker, but when the U.S. drops the
atomic bomb on Hiroshima The United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945, respectively. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and remain the onl ...
, his father declares his profession outdated and instead forces him to work toward a career studying
nuclear physics Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, in addition to the study of other forms of nuclear matter. Nuclear physics should not be confused with atomic physics, which studies the ...
. The incident represents the turning point in Jon's potential future from watchmaker to nuclear physicist and foreshadows Doctor Manhattan's "exterior" perception of time as
predetermined Determinism is a philosophical view, where all events are determined completely by previously existing causes. Deterministic theories throughout the history of philosophy have developed from diverse and sometimes overlapping motives and consi ...
and all things within it as so determined, including Manhattan's reactions and emotions. Jon attends
Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...
and graduates with a
Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
in atomic physics. In early 1959, he moves to a research base at Gila Flats, where experiments are being performed on the "intrinsic fields" of physical objects which, if tampered with, result in their disintegration. Here he meets Janey Slater, a fellow researcher; they eventually become lovers. During a visit to an amusement park in
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, Janey's wristwatch is broken, which Jon promises to fix. However, one month later, Jon discovers he has left the repaired watch in his lab coat inside a test chamber. While he is inside the test chamber, the door closes and locks. The researchers are unable to open the door or override the countdown, and Jon's body is torn to pieces by the force of the generator. In the following months, a series of strange events and apparitions occur at the research base, leading residents to speculate that the area is haunted. It becomes apparent that Jon is progressively re-forming himself during this time, as indicated by a series of partial bodily reappearances: first a disembodied nervous system including the brain and eyes; then as a circulatory system; and then as a partially muscled skeleton. Each time, the appearance lasts for only a few seconds. Jon eventually fully reappears as a tall, muscular, hairless, naked, blue-skinned man, glowing with a "flare of ultraviolet."


Before ''Watchmen''

Jon gradually becomes a pawn of the U.S. government, which gives him the code name "Doctor Manhattan"—a reference to the
Manhattan Project The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project w ...
—and a costume that he begrudgingly accepts. Doctor Manhattan chooses as his emblem a representation of a
hydrogen atom A hydrogen atom is an atom of the chemical element hydrogen. The electrically neutral atom contains a single positively charged proton and a single negatively charged electron bound to the nucleus by the Coulomb force. Atomic hydrogen consti ...
, whose simplicity he declares to be something that kindles his respect; accordingly, he painlessly burns the mark into his forehead. This preference for material mechanisms marks the beginning of his declining humanity, which is progressively mirrored by his gradual shedding of the uniform; by the end of the 1970s, he refuses to wear anything at all except during mandatory public appearances. However, Manhattan's presence tips the balance of the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
in the West's favor, and U.S. foreign policy becomes more militaristic as a result. At
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
's request, he secures an American victory in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
one week after Manhattan's direct involvement, which subsequently allows Nixon to repeal the 22nd Amendment and serve up to five terms. Moreover, far from solving the problems underlying international tensions, Manhattan's presence exacerbates them while stifling their expression, which inevitably builds toward disaster; the entire plot of ''Watchmen'' occurs during the countdown to a potential nuclear war. Since he works for the U.S. government, Manhattan is exempt from a federal law outlawing costumed heroes but spends much of his time conducting research. He is single-handedly responsible for the shift to electric-powered vehicles, and
Adrian Veidt Ozymandias ( ; real name Adrian Alexander Veidt) is a fictional character, fictional anti-villain in the graphic novel Limited series (comics), limited series ''Watchmen'', published by DC Comics. Created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, named "O ...
credits him with causing a huge leap forward in a myriad of science and technology sectors. As a result, the technology of the alternative 1985 of the ''Watchmen'' universe is far more advanced. During the only meeting of the Crimebusters group, Manhattan becomes attracted to Laurie Juspeczyk, the second Silk Spectre. His relationship with Janey ends acrimoniously shortly after, and he begins dating Laurie.


Events of ''Watchmen''

At the start of ''Watchmen'', Manhattan works at the Rockefeller Military Research Center, where he lives with Laurie.
Rorschach Rorschach may refer to: * Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist ** Rorschach test, his psychological evaluation method involving inkblots * Rorschach (character), a character from the comics ''Watchmen'' * Rorschach (comic book), a 2020 comic * ...
comes to inform the two of the murder of Edward Blake, aka the Comedian, and warns them that all former costumed adventurers are being targeted by a "mask killer." Manhattan dismisses Rorschach by teleporting him outside and encourages Laurie to go out with Dan Dreiberg, the second Nite Owl. Shortly afterward, Manhattan attends Blake's funeral with Veidt and Dreiberg, reflects on his association with Blake during the Vietnam War, and senses the presence of the former villain
Moloch Moloch (; ''Mōleḵ'' or הַמֹּלֶךְ‎ ''hamMōleḵ''; grc, Μόλοχ, la, Moloch; also Molech or Molek) is a name or a term which appears in the Hebrew Bible several times, primarily in the book of Leviticus. The Bible strongly co ...
. During an appearance on a talk show, a reporter ambushes Manhattan with allegations that he caused cancer in his former associates, including Janey. Seeking solitude, he transports himself to
Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury (planet), Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Mars (mythology), Roman god of war. Mars is a terr ...
. The
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
exploits his absence by invading
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and sparking an international crisis. Eventually, Manhattan brings Laurie to Mars to discuss why he should aid humanity, an argument Laurie inadvertently wins when she realizes to her shock that her father is Blake, a man she despised for sexually assaulting her mother. From this revelation, Manhattan is amazed by the improbable chances that occurred to result in the birth of Laurie, a chain of events he sees as a stunning "thermodynamic miracle." Realizing that, by extension, this miracle can apply to any living thing on Earth, Manhattan is persuaded to return to Earth to protect humanity rather than disregarding it as insignificant. Veidt is found to have framed Manhattan as part of his overall plot to avert World War III by attacking New York with an engineered monster, killing half of the city in the process. Although Manhattan and Laurie return too late to stop Veidt, they teleport to his base in
Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
to confront him. Veidt tries to disintegrate Manhattan, only for Manhattan to restore himself more quickly than Veidt expected. However, upon seeing that Veidt's plan has averted war, Manhattan realizes that exposing him would be too dangerous for life on Earth and agrees to stay silent. Rorschach leaves intending to expose the truth, causing Manhattan to vaporize him. Manhattan decides to depart Earth again, suggesting that he desires to find a galaxy "less complicated than this one." When Veidt asks if his plan worked out in the end, Manhattan replies, "In the end? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends."


In the DC Universe


''The New 52'' and ''DC Rebirth''

After departing from the ''Watchmen'' universe, Manhattan was aware of the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
being filled with hope inside humanity and traveled there to find a place among those people and start a new life. But at some point, his visions showed him an
arms race An arms race occurs when two or more groups compete in military superiority. It consists of a competition between two or more states to have superior armed forces; a competition concerning production of weapons, the growth of a military, and t ...
among
metahumans In DC Comics' DC Universe, a metahuman is a human with superpowers. The term is roughly synonymous with both ''mutant'' and ''mutate'' in the Marvel Universe and ''posthuman'' in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. In DC Comics, the term ...
that caused an incoming "
World War III World War III or the Third World War, often abbreviated as WWIII or WW3, are names given to a hypothetical World war, worldwide large-scale military conflict subsequent to World War I and World War II. The term has been in use ...
", leading Manhattan to have a confrontation with
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
, and then he saw "nothing". This revelation led Manhattan to modify the DC Universe's mainstream timeline to fix the fissures caused by the several Crises across the
Multiverse The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The di ...
; unaware it was the doing of
Perpetua Perpetua and Felicity ( la, Perpetua et Felicitas) were Christian martyrs of the 3rd century. Vibia Perpetua was a recently married, well-educated noblewoman, said to have been 22 years old at the time of her death, and mother of an infant son s ...
to free herself from the
Source Wall 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 ...
. However, those actions would not get the expected result and would lead to the creation of
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 ...
. During the events of '' Flashpoint'', Manhattan deceived
Pandora In Greek mythology, Pandora (Greek: , derived from , ''pān'', i.e. "all" and , ''dōron'', i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving") was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hes ...
into convincing Barry Allen to merge three separate timelines (the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
, the Wildstorm Universe, and select
Vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
titles) to create Prime Earth.''Flashpoint'' #5 (August 2011) The merger enabled him to erase ten years from the reverted universe, which not only reversed the age of its inhabitants by ten years but also caused the multiple resurrections of several deceased characters.''DC Universe: Rebirth'' one-shot (May 2016) In the new timeline, Manhattan prevents the last wizard of the Council of Eternity from revealing to Pandora how to open the skull-shaped box, and kills
Owlman In Cornish folklore, the Owlman ( kw, Cowanden), sometimes referred to as the Cornish Owlman, or the Owlman of Mawnan, is an owl-like humanoid creature said to have been seen in 1976 in the village of Mawnan, Cornwall, UK. The Owlman is sometim ...
and Metron after the former tries to access the secrets of the universe. However, the
Convergence Convergence may refer to: Arts and media Literature *''Convergence'' (book series), edited by Ruth Nanda Anshen *Convergence (comics), "Convergence" (comics), two separate story lines published by DC Comics: **A four-part crossover storyline that ...
caused by
Brainiac Brainiac is a colloquial adjective used to describe exceptionally intelligent people. It may also refer to: Culture Fictional entities * Brainiac (character), a fictional supervillain in DC Comics, and an enemy of Superman * Brainiac (story arc), ...
and
Telos Telos (; ) is a term used by philosopher Aristotle to refer to the final cause of a natural organ or entity, or of a work of human art. Intentional actualization of potential or inherent purpose,"Telos.''Philosophy Terms'' Retrieved 3 May 2020. ...
restored the Multiverse, bringing back the pre-Flashpoint timeline.''Convergence'' (April–May 2015) Doctor Manhattan used Abra Kadabra to trap
Wally West Wallace Rudolph "Wally" West is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics as the original Kid Flash and the third Flash (DC Comics character), Flash. His power consists mainly of speedster (fiction), superhuman speed. ...
within the Speed Force, and this modification in the timeline also caused the other speedsters
Jesse Quick Jesse Chambers is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Chambers, who first used the superhero name Jesse Quick and later Liberty Belle, is the daughter of Golden Age heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle. She inh ...
,
Bart Allen Bartholomew Henry "Bart" Allen II is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A speedster (fiction), speedster, he first appeared under the alias Impulse and later became the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash (c ...
,
Jay Garrick Jason Peter "Jay" Garrick is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first superhero known as Flash (DC Comics character), the Flash. The character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. ...
, and Max Mercury to be removed from history and trapped in the Speed Force. However Wally West was saved by Barry, therefore initiating the events of ''
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 D ...
''. Doctor Manhattan then kills Pandora after she finally realizes that he was the one responsible for all of the sins for which she had been blamed. Barry and
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 Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
later began investigating the unknown force behind these changes, learning from
Lilith Clay Lilith Clay, also known as Omen, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Robert Kanigher and Nick Cardy, Lilith made her first appearance in ''Teen Titans'' #25 (February 1970) and commonly appears as ...
that "Manhattan" was a prominent thought in Kadabra's mind when he claimed responsibility for removing Wally from history.
Eobard Thawne Eobard Thawne, otherwise known as the Reverse-Flash and Professor Zoom, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in '' The ...
attacks Batman as he is studying a blood-stained
smiley face A smiley, sometimes referred to as a smiley face, is a basic ideogram that represents a smiling face. Since the 1950s it has become part of popular culture worldwide, used either as a standalone ideogram, or as a form of communication, such a ...
button left embedded within the wall of the
Batcave The Batcave is a subterranean location appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It is the headquarters of the superhero Batman, whose secret identity is Bruce Wayne and his partners, consisting of caves beneath his personal r ...
. When Thawne picks up the button, he is briefly teleported away, returning with the left half of his body charred to the bone. Just before his death, he claims to have seen "God." Using the cosmic treadmill to chase after the radiation emitted from the button in the timestream, Batman and Barry discover Thawne as he was trying to reach "God." Upon reaching the unseen figure, Thawne boosted his ability to exist as a paradox before he was vaporized by Manhattan, leaving only the button behind. Sometime later, Manhattan picks up the button as he recalls his dialogue with Laurie. Manhattan puts Bruce Wayne in contact with the ''Flashpoint''
Thomas Wayne Thomas Alan Wayne, M.D. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the father of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and husband of Martha Wayne as well as the paternal grandfather of Damian Wayne. Wayne was introd ...
, who tells his son not to become Batman before his "death" and the destruction of the last of the ''Flashpoint'' timeline, prompting Bruce not to respond to the
Bat-Signal The Bat-Signal is a distress signal device appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as a means to summon the superhero, Batman. It is a specially modified searchlight with a stylized emblem of a bat affixed to the light, allowi ...
the following night. Manhattan also saves
Jor-El Jor-El, originally known as Jor-L, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Jor-El first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 with Superman. ...
from the destruction of
Krypton Krypton (from grc, κρυπτός, translit=kryptos 'the hidden one') is a chemical element with the symbol Kr and atomic number 36. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas that occurs in trace amounts in the atmosphere and is often ...
before conditioning him to see only the very worst of humanity. Jor-El assumes the identity of Mister Oz and tries to convince his son Kal-El, or
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
, to abandon Earth. However, when Jor-El begins to realize that he has been pushing against his son too far, he is pulled away. Superman acknowledges Jor-El's warnings even as he rejects his misanthropy. All of which was to test the will and hope of the two major heroes of the DC Universes. During the events of ''
Heroes in Crisis ''Heroes in Crisis'' is an American comic book limited series published by DC Comics. It is written by Tom King and illustrated by Clay Mann. ''Heroes in Crisis'' follows the "Crisis" naming convention of prior DC crossovers, but is billed as ...
'', Batman suspects that the massacre in Sanctuary might be related to Manhattan's actions. This theory was later proven to be partially true, as Wally gets in contact with Metron's Mobius Chair, which grants him part of Manhattan's powers.


Events of ''Doomsday Clock''

During the events of ''
Doomsday Clock The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, in the opinion of the members of the ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists''. Maintained since 1947, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity ...
'', seven years after the events set in the ''Watchmen'' universe,
Ozymandias "Ozymandias" ( ) is a sonnet written by the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822). It was first published in the 11 January 1818 issue of '' The Examiner'' of London. The poem was included the following year in Shelley's co ...
(Adrian Veidt) is determined to find Doctor Manhattan to restore the world from the chaos after his previous plan for world peace was exposed by
Rorschach Rorschach may refer to: * Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist ** Rorschach test, his psychological evaluation method involving inkblots * Rorschach (character), a character from the comics ''Watchmen'' * Rorschach (comic book), a 2020 comic * ...
's journal. Veidt narrates that he can track Doctor Manhattan because Doctor Manhattan leaks electrons as his intrinsic field were stripped during his initial accident and an event caused by Veidt. Using the Owlship to the quantum tunnel, accompanied by Rorschach II, Marionette, and Mime, Veidt follows the electron trail left by Doctor Manhattan to the DC Universe where they land in
Gotham City Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his allies and foes. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, the cit ...
. Later, it is revealed that Doctor Manhattan is responsible for preventing the Comedian's death by teleporting him to the DC Universe. Doctor Manhattan recalls various events in which he indirectly killed
Alan Scott Alan Scott is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, and the first character to bear the name Green Lantern. He fights evil with the aid of a magical ring which grants him a variety of powers. He was created by Mar ...
and thus brought about changes in the timeline. On July 16, 1940, Alan Scott was riding on a train over a collapsing bridge, but he survived by grabbing onto a green lantern. He continues his life, eventually " sitting at a round table wearing a mask" and later testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee but refusing to implicate anyone in his employ. On July 16, 1940, again, Doctor Manhattan moves the green lantern six inches out of his reach so that Alan Scott dies in the train accident and leaves no family behind, as the green lantern is passed through different locations. At a fun house in the present time, Bubastis II begins glowing, so Ozymandias moves him closer to the lantern to let him feed on Doctor Manhattan's temporal energies left on the lantern and thereby force Doctor Manhattan to their current location. Doctor Manhattan immediately proceeds to transport himself and the Watchmen group away, separating them from
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 Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
and Joker. He tells Ozymandias that he isn't returning to their world as he's in the middle of something. He reveals that he didn't kill Marionette in the robbery years back, because he saw what her child would do and that she is pregnant again. He also reveals that Ozymandias lied to Rorschach about having cancer, so Ozymandias admits to Rorschach that he deceived him and used him for his help. Doctor Manhattan then tells everyone that he came to the DC Universe looking for a place among them, but that he saw a vision of "the most hopeful among them. Heading toward im Now hopeless," and then nothing in the future thereafter. Doctor Manhattan returns the team to the funhouse. He returns to Mars, reflecting on a vision set one month in his future: a confrontation with
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
that may result in Superman destroying Doctor Manhattan or Doctor Manhattan destroying everything. On Mars, looking at a Legion Ring that once belonged to
Ferro Lad Ferro Lad (Andrew Nolan) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century of the . He is Andrew Nolan of Earth and is known in Post-''Zero Hour'' continuity simply as Ferro. Publicatio ...
, Doctor Manhattan contemplates the events in which Ferro Lad sacrificed his life to save Earth's sun and thereby caused his ring to careen through time, the events in which he moved Alan Scott's lantern and thereby caused the ring never to have existed, as well as his confrontation with Superman set one week from then. On Earth, Batman and Superman are recovering from a massive explosion, which has produced a fog of tachyon particles that obscures the immediate past and future to Doctor Manhattan. Meanwhile, after tracing the energy signature of the explosion to Mars, many of Earth's superheroes travel in several spaceships to Mars for a confrontation with the suspected perpetrator. However, Batman believes that they are being "played," as he is unsure if they have the right person. With the heroes surrounding Doctor Manhattan,
Martian Manhunter The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and designed by artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" ...
telepathically broadcasts Doctor Manhattan's final vision of Superman to everyone. The heroes believe that Doctor Manhattan is trying to destroy Superman and all of them before Superman destroys him. As Doctor Manhattan easily deals with the attacks by the heroes, he curiously examines and discloses the nature of the emotional spectrum by dissecting
Guy Gardner Guy Gardner may refer to: * Guy Gardner (astronaut) (born 1948), United States Air Force officer and former astronaut * Guy Gardner (character) Guy Gardner, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic ...
's power ring and stating that the magic used by the
Justice League Dark The Justice League Dark, or JLD, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team would make their debut appearance in ''Justice League Dark'' #1 (September 2011). The Justice League Dark team features some ...
is from the "scraps of Creation." To prove the point that even hope decays, he shows Ronnie Raymond that Professor
Martin Stein Martin Stein is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is commonly associated with, and sometimes is, the superhero Firestorm. Stein has made several appearances in DC-related media, such as the Arrowve ...
purposely caused the circumstances where Raymond and Stein merged into
Firestorm A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been used ...
to learn more about
metahumans In DC Comics' DC Universe, a metahuman is a human with superpowers. The term is roughly synonymous with both ''mutant'' and ''mutate'' in the Marvel Universe and ''posthuman'' in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. In DC Comics, the term ...
from the inside. Back on Mars, refusing to believe the events of the past that were shown, Firestorm attacks and harms Doctor Manhattan upon which the heroes realize that Doctor Manhattan is not invulnerable and destroy him. However, the superheroes watch in shock as Doctor Manhattan reconstitutes himself before he attacks and incapacitates them.''Doomsday Clock'' #9 (2019). DC Comics. As he incapacitates the remaining heroes, Doctor Manhattan recounts the first time he arrived in the DC Universe on April 18, 1938. He meets Carver Colman. As they talk in a diner, Doctor Manhattan sees all moments of Carver's future until his death before April 19, 1955. Overhearing news of a mysterious man who lifted a car over his head, Doctor Manhattan leaves and witnesses the first appearance of the Golden Age Superman. From there, he witnesses the beginnings of Alan Scott/Green Lantern,
Jay Garrick Jason Peter "Jay" Garrick is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first superhero known as Flash (DC Comics character), the Flash. The character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. ...
/The Flash,
Hawkman Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1, published by All-American ...
,
Atom Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety of hydrogen has no neutrons. Every solid, liquid, gas, and ...
,
Doctor Fate Doctor Fate (also known as Fate) is the name of multiple superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original version of the character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, debuting in ''More F ...
,
Sandman The Sandman is a mythical character in European folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes. Representation in traditional folklore The Sandman is a traditional charact ...
,
Spectre Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
, and
Hourman Hourman or Hour-Man is the name of three different fictional superheroes appearing in comics published by DC Comics. The original Hourman was created by writer Ken Fitch and artist Bernard Baily in '' Adventure Comics'' #48 (March 1940), during ...
, and the formation of the
Justice Society of America The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic ...
. Doctor Manhattan then sees a different timeline where Superman was never a member of the JSA and first appeared in 1956 instead (Silver Age/
Earth-1 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 ...
). Doctor Manhattan witnesses several variations of the death of Superman's foster parents:
Jonathan and Martha Kent Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent, often referred to as "Pa" and "Ma" Kent (respectively), are fictional characters in American comic books published by DC Comics. They are the adoptive parents of Superman. They live in the rural town of Smallville, ...
, the origins of Superman, and also when a young Superboy met the
Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st c ...
. To appease his curiosity, Doctor Manhattan moves the Green Lantern away from Alan Scott, preventing the creation of the Green Lantern and the formation of the JSA, to see how the changes affect Superman. In doing this, Doctor Manhattan realizes that this universe is not part of the Multiverse, but is the Metaverse, with the Multiverse reacting to the changes within this universe (hence why there have been endless parallel worlds, none at all, 52 universes, and a Dark Multiverse). Having changed history in the Metaverse, Doctor Manhattan created the New 52 Universe, and as he witnesses the first appearance of the New 52 Superman, he is confronted by Wally West of the Pre-Flashpoint Universe, who briefly escapes the Speed Force to warn him that he knows what Doctor Manhattan did and that the heroes of the DC Universe will stop him, before being dragged back into the Speed Force. Doctor Manhattan likens Wally's appearance to the Metaverse fighting back at the changes done to it, an innate hope that fights back to the surface. He returns to Carver Colman on June 8, 1954, 10 seconds before he is killed by his mother, and he thinks about the future he sees where Superman attacks him, believing that he will either die by Superman's hands or destroy the Metaverse. Back to the present day, Doctor Manhattan returns to Earth and ponders that he is a being of inaction on a collision course with a man of action (Superman), and to this universe of hope, he has become the villain. After arriving on Earth, Manhattan meets Superman in person during
Black Adam Black Adam, real name Teth/Theo-Adam, is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck, and first appeared in the debut issue of Fawcett Comics' '' The Marvel Family'' comic ...
's invasion of the White House, with Ozymandias watching. Manhattan witnesses Superman's fight with Black Adam and Russia's superhero team called the People's Heroes. He eventually reveals to Superman that he is the one who has been tampering with reality and that he also caused the death of Jonathan and Martha Kent. Manhattan expects Superman to attack him, but Superman instead protects him from
Pozhar Paintball Paintball is a DC Comics supervillain who first appeared in ''Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.'' #2 and was created by Geoff Johns and Leo Moder. Paul Deisinger is an art teacher who was transformed into a paint-themed criminal and became a mini ...
and then tells him that he should use his powers for good. Manhattan is inspired by Superman's heroism and his pivotal role in the fabric of reality; he undoes part of his actions, restoring much of the pre-New 52 timelines. Many characters are brought back into existence, including Superman's parents. Manhattan also goes back in time and changes Carver Colman's future for the better. He then goes back to the ''Watchmen'' universe, bringing Rorschach and Ozymandias with him. Manhattan saves his Earth by making all nuclear weapons disappear. Afterward, he takes Mime and Marionette's infant son with him and proceeds to raise him on his own, so he will become their planet's equivalent to Superman. His final thought wanders to what his life could have been if he had not become Doctor Manhattan: Janey convinces him to not retrieve the watch so he is not involved in the incident that would have given him his powers; he marries Janey and they start a family together, having two daughters and a son, living a life without any worry of time. He smiles one last time, believing it to be a nice daydream to live in. Doctor Manhattan then erases himself from existence, transferring his life force to the Planet and his powers to Mime and Marionette's son. He leaves the boy – whom he has named Clark – to be adopted by the former Nite Owl and Silk Spectre.''Doomsday Clock'' #12 (2019)


After ''Doomsday Clock''

During the events of '' Dark Nights: Death Metal'', Wally West reveals Doctor Manhattan's energy is Connective Energy, and after he restored the DC Universe, the Quintessence's members used that same energy against Perpetua.
The Batman Who Laughs The Batman Who Laughs (Bruce Wayne) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the evil counterpart and alternate version of Batman within the Dark Multiverse. He is depicted as a hybrid of both Batman ( ...
has Wally prisoner to get Manhattan's powers, but Wonder Woman suggests using both the Connective and Crisis Energies to create an "Anti-Crisis". The event also features the "Final Bruce Wayne," an amalgamated version of Batman and Doctor Manhattan created when an alternate Batman tried to track Manhattan and ended up recreating the accident that gave Jon his powers. The Batman Who Laughs was able to capture this alternate and extract his brain before he could properly harness his powers, allowing the Batman Who Laughs to transplant himself into the body, transforming the villain into "The Darkest Knight" to create a Multiverse consisting of chaos.


Characterization


Appearance

Doctor Manhattan's body is humanoid, and his build is tall and muscular. His height and relative size vary depending on his needs but generally remain above tall. He is completely blue (altering his shade and luminosity at will) and has no hair. On his forehead, he has etched a stylized image of a hydrogen atom. He did this during preparations by the military for his unveiling to the general public. They presented him with a hat as a part of his uniform that had a group of crossed ellipses on it, intended to look like an atom but Jon did not see the resemblance. He replaced it with a symbol of his own, saying that if he were to have a symbol it should at least be one that he respects. As Doctor Manhattan, his costume started as a black leotard, which presumably he created. As time progressed the costume shrank progressively to a pair of shorts, then a brief, then a thong; he eventually went on to wear nothing at all, since he had become indifferent to the need for clothing. The only purpose his original costume served was to make those around him (including the general public) more comfortable. Before the experiment, Jon Osterman was a human of average height. He had brown hair and brown eyes. As a physicist, he often wore a suit.


Personality

Dr. Manhattan, though supremely powerful, suffers from a decreasing ability to relate to normal humans. Perhaps due to his perception of time and realization of the deterministic universe, he begins to show symptoms of apathy. From his radically altered perspective, almost all human concerns appear pointless and without obvious merit. He describes Laurie as his 'only remaining link to humanity. This is demonstrated when the relationship ends, and Doctor Manhattan leaves Earth. This is also due to evidence coming to light that a number of those who were once close to him, including his former girlfriend Janey Slater, have come down with terminal cancer. Manhattan feels that he poses a threat to others, and he exiles himself to Mars, stating "I am tired of Earth, these people. I'm tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives." His interest in humanity is revived after he witnesses Laurie's epiphany that she is the daughter of the Comedian. It causes him to reflect on the sheer chance that life should come to be in any form, but after the Watchmen fail to prevent Ozymandias's destruction of New York, he departs Earth, commenting that he may explore new life in other parts of the galaxy. In ''DC Rebirth'' #1,
Pandora In Greek mythology, Pandora (Greek: , derived from , ''pān'', i.e. "all" and , ''dōron'', i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving") was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hes ...
accuses her killer — currently thought to be Doctor Manhattan — of believing in skepticism, doubt, and corruption, proclaiming that he cannot understand the hope personified in the heroes of the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
and that they will "prove imwrong". His meddling with the DC Universe to satisfy his curiosity shows extreme apathy. He's altered the timeline so much, that several events and people were altered or wiped out. However, thanks to the
Convergence Convergence may refer to: Arts and media Literature *''Convergence'' (book series), edited by Ruth Nanda Anshen *Convergence (comics), "Convergence" (comics), two separate story lines published by DC Comics: **A four-part crossover storyline that ...
,
Wally West Wallace Rudolph "Wally" West is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics as the original Kid Flash and the third Flash (DC Comics character), Flash. His power consists mainly of speedster (fiction), superhuman speed. ...
and
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
, much of the damage was undone, though Manhattan wasn't deterred from continuing his experiment. He erased 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 of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during ...
by preventing
Alan Scott Alan Scott is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, and the first character to bear the name Green Lantern. He fights evil with the aid of a magical ring which grants him a variety of powers. He was created by Mar ...
from getting his powers and helping form the JSA; no JSA to inspire Clark to be Superboy meant no
Legion Legion may refer to: Military * Roman legion, the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army * Spanish Legion, an elite military unit within the Spanish Army * Legion of the United States, a reorganization of the United States Army from 179 ...
existed either. He remained indifferent to a survivor who avoided erasure. In the last ''Watchmen'' issue, Manhattan claimed that "nothing ends" despite Ozymandias succeeding in his plan for world peace. But in ''Doomsday Clock'', Manhattan withdrew from what he previously said after witnessing the DC Universe's citizens losing their faith in their heroes, now affirming that "everything ends". His sole interest was in the moment Superman was to punch at him; a moment he couldn't see past. In irony, Manhattan was the
antithesis Antithesis (Greek for "setting opposite", from "against" and "placing") is used in writing or speech either as a proposition that contrasts with or reverses some previously mentioned proposition, or when two opposites are introduced together f ...
of Superman, being a human who had lost all senses of humanity; while Superman was an alien who embodied the best of humanity. When the foretold moment came, Manhattan revealed he was responsible for erasing Superman's loved ones; however, he was shocked that the punch was meant to knock away a villain behind him. Superman sought only to help and be better, which Manhattan saw as the answer; the entire DC multiverse created new worlds for Superman to be born in every era until the 31st century, when his ideals brought peace. After resorting to the JSA and Legion, Manhattan decided his world and multiverse could use someone like Superman, but Manhattan himself was too detached from his humanity; so, he would need to raise a child and impart his powers to him. To this end, he raises Clark Maez, Mime, and Marionette's son, before leaving him to be adopted by his former teammates.


Powers and abilities

Jon is the only character in ''Watchmen'' to possess superpowers. Throughout ''Watchmen'', he is shown to be absolutely powerful and invulnerable to all harm; even when his body is disintegrated, he can reconstruct it in a matter of seconds and remains unharmed. He is capable of altering his size depending on his needs, for example, reconstructing himself in a much bigger form. He can hurl huge objects effortlessly with his hands. He is also unable to exhaust himself. Jon has complete awareness of and control over atomic and subatomic particles. He is also an omnikinetic. He does not need air, water, food, or sleep, and is immortal. He can teleport himself and others over limitless distances. He is also capable of true flight, although he uses only levitation in most of his appearances. Due to his perception of time, he sees his past, present, and future simultaneously. Jon can phase any part of his body through solid objects without damaging them; produce multiple copies of himself that function independently of each other; project destructive energy; disintegrate people; create force fields; transmute, create, and destroy matter; move objects without physically touching them (telekinesis); reverse entropy; repair anything, no matter how damaged; and, he suggests, create life. He also claims to have walked on the surface of the sun. At one point it is stated that, in the event of a nuclear war, he would be capable of destroying Soviet nuclear missiles while at the same time 'destroying' large areas of Russia. As a result of these capabilities, Jon becomes central to the United States Cold War strategy of deterrence. He is also capable of manipulating reality as he sees fit through the use of time manipulation, as seen when he erased ten years from the DC Universe when Barry Allen tried to bring his original universe back to normal. Jon's intervention caused The New 52 timeline to be formed, within which most superheroes are younger and less experienced, and most of them lose their most important relationships before they begin. However, despite his immense power, he was unable to erase or permanently kill
Eobard Thawne Eobard Thawne, otherwise known as the Reverse-Flash and Professor Zoom, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in '' The ...
, the Reverse-Flash. In the DC Universe, Manhattan's power is revealed to be Connective Energy, the opposite of Crisis Energy.


Scientific accuracy

In the 2009 film adaptation ''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
'', physics professor
James Kakalios James Kakalios (born December 27, 1958) is a physics professor at the University of Minnesota. Known within the scientific community for his work with amorphous semiconductors, granular materials, and 1/f noise, he is known to the general public ...
of the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
was used as a scientific consultant, and shed light on the potential scientific explanations of Doctor Manhattan's powers both in the
film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
and the
comic a Media (communication), medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of Panel (comics), panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, Glo ...
. Kakalios explained that the intrinsic field has a basis in reality in that it is a representation of a collection of
electromagnetic In physics, electromagnetism is an interaction that occurs between particles with electric charge. It is the second-strongest of the four fundamental interactions, after the strong force, and it is the dominant force in the interactions of a ...
, and strong and
weak nuclear force In nuclear physics and particle physics, the weak interaction, which is also often called the weak force or weak nuclear force, is one of the four known fundamental interactions, with the others being electromagnetism, the strong interaction, ...
s. Kakalios explained that if a being were able to manipulate matter, such a being would have complete control over these three forces; hence, the "intrinsic field" would exist. Kakalios also explained that while it is unlikely, Doctor Manhattan's teleportation abilities seemingly could be achieved through
quantum tunnelling Quantum tunnelling, also known as tunneling ( US) is a quantum mechanical phenomenon whereby a wavefunction can propagate through a potential barrier. The transmission through the barrier can be finite and depends exponentially on the barrier h ...
, should Doctor Manhattan have control over his probability wave functions.


Philosophical implications

The character of Doctor Manhattan invokes thought on the philosophy of metaphysics. There are various themes addressed throughout the ''Watchmen'' series from
philosophy of time Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
and eternalism, to
determinism Determinism is a philosophical view, where all events are determined completely by previously existing causes. Deterministic theories throughout the history of philosophy have developed from diverse and sometimes overlapping motives and consi ...
and its relationship to
ethics Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns m ...
, to addressing questions such as "What does it mean to be human?" and "Do the ends justify the means?" The character is primarily cited as the representation of the potential side effects and dangers of a superintelligence, which include detachment from the rest of humanity and potential characteristics of apathy.


In other media


Television

* Doctor Manhattan appears in '' Watchmen: Motion Comic'', where he, along with every other character in the series, is voiced by
Tom Stechschulte Thomas Andrew Stechschulte (November 1948 – June 7, 2021) was an American film and television actor. His most prominent role may have been that of the Presidential candidate Robert Arthur in ''The Manchurian Candidate''. He has also had guest a ...
. *In the ''
Teen Titans Go! ''Teen Titans Go!'' is an American animated television series developed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic for Cartoon Network. It premiered on April 23, 2013 and is based on the DC Comics Teen Titans, fictional superhero team. The series was ...
'' episode "Yearbook Madness", Doctor Manhattan's is one of many
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 thei ...
superhero signatures in Starfire's yearbook. *Doctor Manhattan appears in ''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
'', portrayed by
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (; born July 15, 1986) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Black Manta in the superhero films ''Aquaman'' (2018) and ''Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom'' (2023), Bobby Seale in the Netflix historical legal drama ' ...
. He first appears as Cal Abar, who is the husband of Angela Abar, aka Sister Night. It is revealed that despite his progressive detachment from (and growth beyond) humanity, Doctor Manhattan has reversed course and once again desired love and a relationship with a woman. He is eventually destroyed, but, in the series finale it is hinted he transferred some of his powers to Angela.


Film

* Doctor Manhattan appears in ''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
'', portrayed by
Billy Crudup William Gaither Crudup (; born July 8, 1968) is an American actor. He is a four-time Tony Award nominee, winning once for his performance in Tom Stoppard's play ''The Coast of Utopia'' in 2007. He has starred in numerous high-profile films, inc ...
with
Greg Plitt George Gregory Plitt, Jr. (November 3, 1977 January 17, 2015) was an American fitness model and actor. He starred in the Bravo television series '' Work Out.'' He died at age 37 when he was struck by a train locomotive while filming a video. ...
's physical likeness with Jaryd Heidrick playing the young Jon Osterman in flashbacks. In the film, Ozymandias uses Doctor Manhattan's energy research to destroy several large cities across the globe, framing him and using him as a scapegoat to attain peace. Jon corners Adrian at Karnak and like in the books, leaves Laurie for Mars having killed Rorschach.


Video games

* Doctor Manhattan appears in a
cutscene A cutscene or event scene (sometimes in-game cinematic or in-game movie) is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, interrupting the gameplay. Such scenes are used to show conversations between characters, set the mood, reward the ...
in '' Watchmen: The End Is Nigh'', voiced by
Crispin Freeman Crispin Freeman is an American voice actor, voice director, and screenwriter who is best known for voicing characters in English-language dubs of Japanese anime, animation, and video games. Some of his prominent anime roles include Zelgadis Grayw ...
.


References in other works

*In ''
Final Crisis "Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely b ...
'' #2, the exiled Monitor
Nix Uotan The Monitors are a group of fictional comic book Character (arts), characters, who appear in books published by DC Comics. They are based on the Monitor (Mar Novu), Monitor and the Anti-Monitor, two characters created by comic book writer Marv ...
sketches a character resembling Doctor Manhattan.
Grant Morrison Grant Morrison, MBE (born 31 January 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer, screenwriter, and producer. Their work is known for its nonlinear narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, w ...
stated in an interview that the ''Final Crisis'' two-part series ''Superman: Beyond'' will feature "
Captain Atom Captain Atom is a superhero appearing in American comic books, first in the 1960s by Charlton Comics before being acquired in the 1980s by DC Comics. Captain Atom has existed in three basic incarnations. Publication history Captain Atom was crea ...
from Earth 4, which is kind of a weird amalgam of the original Charlton universe and this kind of ''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
'' parallel world." This character is named 'Captain Adam', and appears in ''Superman Beyond'' #1. He is blue-skinned and has the hydrogen atom mark of Doctor Manhattan, and is addicted to drugs which keep his "quantum senses" in check. When he is off the drugs, he becomes very similar to Doctor Manhattan in demeanor and powers, duplicating himself hundreds of times over to repair the Bleed Starship and allow the various Supermen to pilot the Thought-Robot Armor, which itself is confirmed to grant one powers capable of beating Captain Adam. However, even when he is using his full potential without the aid of drugs, Captain Adam has difficulty controlling his powers, something Doctor Manhattan never had a problem with.


See also

*
List of DC Comics characters This is lists of DC Comics fictional characters. Alphabetically * List of DC Comics characters: 0–9 * List of DC Comics characters: A * List of DC Comics characters: B * List of DC Comics characters: C * List of DC Comics characters: D * List ...


References

{{Portal bar, Comics, Speculative fiction Comics characters introduced in 1986 DC Comics characters with accelerated healing DC Comics characters with superhuman strength DC Comics male superheroes DC Comics male supervillains DC Comics metahumans DC Comics characters who can teleport DC Comics characters who are shapeshifters DC Comics characters who have mental powers DC Comics scientists DC Comics telekinetics DC Comics telepaths Fictional physicists Watchmen characters Superhero film characters Fictional characters from New York City Fictional characters who can manipulate time Fictional characters who can manipulate reality Fictional characters who can manipulate light Fictional characters with nuclear or radiation abilities Fictional characters with precognition Fictional characters who can change size Fictional characters who can duplicate themselves Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities Fictional characters who can turn intangible Fictional characters with immortality Fictional characters with elemental and environmental abilities Fictional characters with superhuman senses Fictional characters with dimensional travel abilities Fictional characters with electric or magnetic abilities Fictional characters with X-ray vision Fictional Vietnam War veterans Fictional suicides Jewish superheroes Time travelers