Vril Dox aka Brainiac 1.0 is the first of the Brainiac lineage of the Coluans. Brainiac was created on Colu by its ruling class, the Computer Tyrants, to act as a humanoid interface for the planet's expanding data network. Its primary function was to collect, catalogue, and store data. The Tyrants, fearing rebellion, expanded Brainiac's role to a spy. As a cover, it was given the name Vril Dox and created a son, Vril Dox II. It successfully rooted out the rebels and realized that it was superior to the Tyrants. The Tyrants and Coluans allied to defeat Brainiac. It fled the planet and reassessed its original programming to collect data. Brainiac decided it was necessary to upgrade itself and become powerful to digitize the entire universe.
Sent as a spy on Krypton, he soon grew bored of his programming, and began to devise a plan to take of the galaxy, by destroying everything for information. This included in his aid of destroying Krypton. Setting his sights on Earth, He ran into Superman and, finding him a worthy opponent, continued to fight for the sake of the planet. Eventually, Brainiac fell to Superman and the Justice League, but not before storing his programming inside his ancestor, Brainiac 2.
Over a thousand years later, Brainiac 5 was brought online. Here, Brainiac downloaded himself, and became un-removable. He secretly watched Brainy throughout his life, judging his decisions.
Message in a Bottle[]
On a mission to Kandor, Brainiac 5 finally opened the file into Brainiac's programming. After discussing Brainy's destiny, Brainy accepted Brainiac's information, thus gaining both new powers, and Brainaic as a "conscious". It was here after that Imperiex began to plan the demise of Brainiac 5 with Brainiac.
Dark Victory[]
Soon, after a test run of his army, Imperiex watched in pleasure as Brainiac took over Brainiac 5. After placing Superman in a near-death coma, He met up with Imperiex. However, while speaking to the Legion via video, Brainiac killed Imperiex, saying that his way of ruling with "Chaos" was primitive.
Soon, Brainaic had control over all of Colu, and used the people to digitise the galaxy. With only the Legion left, He quickly began to count them off. Superman, however, was saved by Superman X, and both entered Brainy's mind with the help of Saturn girl, soon after the only legionnaire awake that wasn't digitised. With Superman's help, Brainiac 5 took control of his body again, and defeated Brainiac. Because Brainiac damaged brainy's cyborg body, the 5% organic part of him took over, and Brainiac 5 became a 100% organic being, the first fully organic Coluan. The remains of his armor reformed and evolved into a new being called "Brainiac 6"
Personality[]
Brainiac is a cold and logical being. Its one desire is to bring perfect order to the flawed and chaotic nature of organic life. He ultimately aims to do this through total domination of the universe.
Powers[]
Just like a computer can store data in its memory, Brainiac could record (or absorb) all knowledge from a planet. Its "function" was to travel throughout the universe, collecting all data and destroying all of creation. He can also use this knowledge to make himself "better".
Brainiac's entire programming can reside in even the smallest part of him, which resulted in it repeatedly returning when it was destroyed. As well as technology, Brainiac could also transfer its programming into living beings through nanotechnology.
In addition, Brainiac's body is endowed with a high level of superhuman strength and durability, though not on par with Superman. Also, since his body is based on nanotechnology, Brainiac can perform modifications to himself on a whim based on his own knowledge of alien technology. He can reconfigure his body, project energy blasts, and has shield generators and teleportation technology embedded into himself.
Trivia[]
- While the Legion of Super-Heroes television series does not share the same continuity as the DC animated universe, the version of Brainiac which appeared on the show is also voiced by Corey Burton and shares the same musical leitmotif from his DC animated universe appearances.
- Brainiac is not, as you might think, named after a popular slang word for "intellectual". It's the other way around: that popular slang word actually started with him, and the writers of Superman are cr ed with coining it. So, yes, every time a bookish comic book fan gets mockingly called a "brainiac", their tormentors unknowingly pay tribute to DC Comics.
Appearances[]
- Message in a Bottle
- Dark Victory part 1
- Dark Victory part 2
External links[]
- Brainiac article at DC Animated Universe, the DC Comics publication Wikia.
- Brainiac article at DC Comics Database, the DC Comics publication Wikia.