Doctor Destiny Explained

Character Name:	Doctor Destiny
Publisher:	DC Comics
Debut:	Justice League of America #5 (June 1961)
Real Name:	John Dee
Species:	Demon
Alliances:	Secret Society of Super Villains
Aliases:	Johnny Boy Dream Boy Dr. John Dee Lex Joker
Powers:	Dream manipulation High intelligence

Doctor Destiny (John Dee) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.^[1]

Jeremy Davies played the character in his live-action debut on the Arrowverse crossover "Elseworlds". David Thewlis plays a version of the character in the television series The Sandman.^{[2] [3]}

Publication history

Doctor Destiny first appeared in Justice League of America #5 (June 1961), and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky.

Fictional character biography

Doctor Destiny is a petty criminal scientist who uses his genius to create devices for crime. After encountering the Justice League, Destiny creates the Materioptikon, a device that enables him to manipulate dreams and manifest them into reality.^{[4] [5]} The Sandman reveals that the Materioptikon is powered by Morpheus' Dreamstone.

The League members hypnotize Destiny and prevent him from using the Materioptikon, causing him to go insane. He is subsequently imprisoned in Arkham Asylum.^[6]

In The Sandman, the Dreamstone is destroyed, depriving Destiny of his powers. However, his continued use of the Materioptikon gives him its powers innately.

In Justice Society of America (vol. 3), part of The Lightning Saga, Destiny captures Dream Girl and imprisons her in Arkham. However, Starman frees her and nullifies Destiny's abilities using the code word "Lightning Lad".^[7]

In the Superman/Batman storyline '"Mash-Up", Doctor Destiny creates a dream world consisting of combinations of people from the real world, hoping to replace the waking world with his fabricated realm. Superman and Batman escape being fused and defeat Destiny, rendering him comatose.^[8]

The New 52

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Doctor Destiny is a centuries-old magic user and the son of Madame Xanadu.^{[9] [10] [11]} He later joins the Secret Society of Super Villains in Forever Evil and is killed by Insomnia in Knight Terrors.^{[12] [13] [14]}

Powers and abilities

John Dee has the ability to enter and manipulate dreams. He also possesses extensive knowledge of medical science.^[15]

Other versions

Doctor Destiny makes a minor appearance in .^[16] This version is weak and wheelchair-bound.^[17]

In other media

Television

• John Dee / Doctor Destiny appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by William Atherton.^[18]
  • Destiny was briefly considered to appear in The New Batman Adventures with Atherton in the role, but went unused.^[19]
  • First appearing in the Justice League episode "Only a Dream", this version is a low-level LexCorp employee, small-time crook, and inmate of Stryker's Prison. After using the Materioptikon to gain psychic powers, Dee escapes prison and kills his wife Penny (voiced by Fairuza Balk)^[20] before trapping most of the Justice League in nightmares. While confronting Batman however, Destiny accidentally sedates himself and is re-incarcerated.
  • Destiny makes non-speaking appearances in Justice League Unlimited as a member of Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society before being killed by Darkseid.
• Dr. John Deegan appears in "Elseworlds", portrayed by Jeremy Davies.^[21] This version is an Arkham Asylum psychiatrist who believes in augmenting patients to help them achieve their peak potential, though his colleagues consider him mad and his methods extreme. The Monitor approaches Deegan and gives him the Book of Destiny to rewrite reality as he sees fit. Following a failed attempt, the latter does so, transforming himself into a black-suited Superman (portrayed by Tyler Hoechlin). However, the Flash and Green Arrow recruit allies from Earth-38 to help them separate Deegan from the Book of Destiny and undo his changes. Afterward, Deegan is imprisoned in Arkham.
• John Dee, based on his initial Sandman appearances, appears in The Sandman (2022), portrayed by David Thewlis.^[22]

Film

Doctor Destiny, referred simply to as "Destiny", appears in Justice League Dark, voiced by Alfred Molina. This version is a dark wizard who was trapped in the Dreamstone by Merlin and Etrigan centuries prior. In the present, Destiny possesses Ritchie Simpson before being defeated by John Constantine, Deadman, and Etrigan after they separate him from the Dreamstone.

Video games

Doctor Destiny appears as a character summon in .^[23]

Miscellaneous

• The DCAU incarnation of Doctor Destiny appears in issue #25 of the Justice League Unlimited tie-in comic book.^[24]
• Doctor Destiny appears in All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #12.^[25]
• John Dee appears in The Sandman (2020).

External links

• Doctor Destiny at Comic Vine

Notes and References

1. Book: Cowsill . Alan . Irvine . Alex . Korte . Steve . Manning . Matt . Wiacek . Win . Wilson . Sven . The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe . 2016 . DK Publishing . 978-1-4654-5357-0 . 92.
2. Web site: 'The Sandman': Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park & Donna Preston Among 12 Added To Netflix Series. Deadline Hollywood. Alexandra. Del Rosario. May 26, 2021. May 26, 2021. May 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210526152531/https://deadline.com/2021/05/the-sandman-netflix-series-kirby-howell-baptiste-mason-alexander-park-donna-preston-12-cast-1234764168/. live.
3. Web site: Bui . Hoai-Tran . 'The Sandman' Netflix Series Expands With 12 More Actors, Including Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death . . May 26, 2021 . May 26, 2021.
4. Book: Rovin, Jeff . The Encyclopedia of Supervillains . Facts on File . 1987 . New York . 0-8160-1356-X . 90.
5. Justice League of America #19 (1963)
6. Justice League of America Annual #1 (1983)
7. Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #5 (June 2007). DC Comics.
8. Superman/Batman #60-61
9. Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes. Mikel Janín, Vincente Cifuentes. Horror City Part 1: The House of Mystery. Justice League Dark.
   1. 19
   . June 2013. DC Comics.
10. Jeff Lemire. Mikel Janin. The Black Room. Justice League Dark.
    1. 9
    . July 2012. DC Comics.
11. Ray Fawkes, Jeff Lemire. Mikel Janin, Vincente Cifuentes. Horror City Part 2: The Nightmare Gospel. Justice League Dark.
    1. 20
    . July 2013. DC Comics.
12. Forever Evil #1
13. Nightwing (vol. 4) #9
14. Knight Terrors (2023) #1
15. Justice League of America Vol 1 #154 (May 1978)
16. Morrison, Grant, and Dave McKean. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. New York, N.Y.: DC Comics, 2004. 146. Print.
17. Morrison, Grant, and Dave McKean. Arkham Asylum. Lonson: Titan, 1989. Print.
18. Web site: Doctor Destiny Voices (DC Universe) . July 12, 2024 . Behind The Voice Actors. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
19. Web site: Backstage - Unused Villains Database - Dr. Destiny . The World's Finest . December 4, 2018.
20. Web site: Penny Voice - Justice League (TV Show) . July 12, 2024 . Behind The Voice Actors. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
21. Web site: Boucher . Geoff . 'Arkham Asylum's New Face: Jeremy Davies Cast As Dr. Deegan In Arrowverse Crossover . Deadline . September 20, 2018 . December 4, 2018.
22. Web site: May 26, 2021 . THE SANDMAN Casts Death, Desire, Despair, and Many More . Nerdist . en-US.
23. Web site: Eisen . Andrew . October 2, 2013 . DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide . July 12, 2024 . IGN . en.
24. Web site: Justice League Unlimited #25 - The Devil May Care (Issue) . July 12, 2024 . Comic Vine . en.
25. All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #12