Comics feature some of the most recognisable villains in the history of pop culture. Everyone knows characters like The Joker and Doctor Doom because of their reputation or powers. There are memorable female supervillains as well, but few have been presented as having the level of danger that’s associated with characters like Thanos or Darkseid. A female supervillain who deserves to be placed in the same category as these heavy hitters is Granny Goodness.
As a general in Darkseid’s army and leader of the Female Furies, Granny Goodness is one of the most formidable supervillains to ever be created. I’m looking into why she has the potential to become a universe ending threat.
Rising from nothing
Before she became a member of Darkseid’s elite, Granny Goodness was part of Apokolips’ peasant class. She grew up into a life of oppression and slavery. In her youth, Goodness was taken from her parents and trained to be one of Darkseid’s ‘Hounds.’
As part of her training Goodness bonded with a dog she named Mercy. To complete her initiation, Goodness was ordered to kill her pet. Instead, she slaughtered her trainer. Curious to her motivations, Darkseid asked her why. Goodness answered “to have done otherwise would have robbed my lord of a most valuable asset.” Testing her commitment, Darkseid ordered Mercy to attack Goodness. She was given no choice but to kill her friend. Goodness’ ruthlessness impressed Darkseid enough that he put her in charge of training future soldiers.
From that day on, Goodness ran an ‘orphanage’ for young recruits. She used brainwashing and torture to turn innocent people into bloodthirsty warriors. Goodness set up the Female Furies, training a team of elite women soldiers to fight for Darkseid’s glory. She was responsible for training Big Barda, Mad Harriet, Lashina, Aurelie, Stompa and Bernadeth. Under Goodness’ tutelage, the Female Furies became Darkseid’s most capable fighting squad. Seeking to extend her influence, Goodness set up an orphanage on Earth and brainwashed heroes like Supergirl.
A threat to the universe
As a master of psychological torture, Granny Goodness is a villain that needs to be taken seriously. She’s one of the main reasons why Darkseid has an army to call upon and do his bidding. As a young woman she was one of the most ferocious fighters on Apokolips and her age hasn’t stopped her from being a capable warrior. In addition to her powers, Goodness has access to high-tech weaponry and equipment.
Goodness’ upbringing makes her complex. She started out as a slave and rose to become one of Darkseid’s most trusted generals. She suffered brutal punishment and used it as a way to inflict pain on others. Goodness employed the same tactics on her recruits, indoctrinating them to be loyal no matter what.
All of these attributes make Granny Goodness a villain that could threaten the universe. Imagine if she broke away from Darkseid and decided to conquer different galaxies. She could brainwash entire planets and assimilate them into her own army. Goodness’ talent for leadership and strategy would inspire loyalty from the troops she’d trained.
Goodness is so intimidating that Darkseid is threatened by her. Think about how he broke her down psychologically and kept her on a tight leash. If she ever thought about striking out on her own, Goodness could overthrow him as ruler of Apokolips.
The idea of Darkseid being afraid of Goodness and her Female Furies is going to be explored in a new miniseries by Cecil Castellucci. The series will look into what happens when the Furies realise their devotion to their lord is getting them nowhere. Growing frustrated that her warriors are being left behind, Goodness is set to fight for female equality in a society that values betrayal.
In a recent interview, Castellucci gave his opinion on the relationship between Goodness and Darkseid.
“Darkseid wouldn’t have kept Granny around if she wasn’t excellent at what she does. He knows she’s exceptional and he is terrified of it. It is very common for people with absolute power to control people who are perhaps better, smarter, and stronger than them very close in order to control them. Dictators and power mongers tend to keep the people they are most afraid of down and strip opportunities away from them by keeping them on a tight leash.”
With her cunning and ruthlessness, I believe Granny Goodness should be considered one of the deadliest villains around. The Female Furies series will cement her legacy and remind readers how terrifying Goodness can be.
The Comic Vault 
Her powers and her potential as a threat to the universe reminds me so much of Omnious from the Dune series by Frank Herbert (more from the prequel serials written by his son and Kevin J. Anderson). But her backstory is far more human and makes her powers all the more awe-inspiring. She is someone I’ve heard very little about, but after your article, an individual I would LOVE to learn more about. I love villain characters because their depth and motivations, as well as a lot of their backstories, tend to be brilliant and she definitely seems like no exception to that! Thank you for showcasing a spotlight on her. 🙂 Do you have a recommendation of where to begin within the comics if someone wants to read about her?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you found the article insightful! Granny Goodness does have the kind of backstory that makes her a complicated villain. For her early history, I’d start with Jack Kirby’s original Mister Miracle series. She was prevalent in the character’s life. I’d also check out the Final Crisis event because Darkseid and the Apokolips Gods are central to the story.
Also look out for the new Female Furies series coming in February 2019. That will put the spotlight on Granny and her team.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sweet! Thank you so much! 😀
LikeLike
She’s scary!!
LikeLike
Awesome to see her celebrated – thank you! If only we could see her character transferred to the movie screen…..she’s be an excellent villain for Wonder Woman…..
LikeLike