Ever since the first issue of Action Comics was issued in 1938 (the issue that introduced Superman), DC has captured the imaginations of children and adults alike all over the world. Today, the company is one of the biggest wings of Warner Bros. and brings in billions of dollars in sales every year. DC Comics holds the rights to some of the biggest names in superhero films today. Some of the most famous heroes under their wing are Nightwing, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Atom, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. These names are recognizable to most people, especially with the advent of so many popular television shows based on DC characters (such as Green Arrow and Supergirl).
The heroes and villains of the DC universe will always take center stage. However, some of the powerful and mysterious weapons that have been used on both sides of the moral spectrum are almost secondary characters on their own. Some of these weapons have appeared in films, others are relegated to television shows and comics. However, each is worth reading a little more about if you are a fan of the DC Universe. So, read on to check out this list of the Twenty Most Powerful Weapons in the DC Universe.
Trident of Neptune
The Trident of Neptune is an incredibly powerful object that grants the user the powers of the sea god himself. It was originally created from a combination of the essence of Neptune and adamantine (a metal only known in the DC universe). This Trident is the weapon of choice of Aquaman. He uses it to leverage precise command over the sea and is even able to create whirlpools and tidal waves. It can also be used to control the weather, shoot lightning, and cause objects to disappear. In the New 52 — the drastically-changed newer renditions of the characters of the DC Universe — the Trident is significantly less powerful. It has no obvious magical properties. Instead, it is used as a status symbol to demarcate Atlantean royalty. In addition, it is quite sharp and can be used to activate most devices that were originally created in Atlantis.
Astro-Harness
Orion — a member of the New Gods and once of the Justice League — is one of the greatest warriors in the DC universe. Though he was borne of two villains (Darkseid and Tigra) and on the evil planet of Apokolips, Orion fights for good — though he is constantly tormented by the darkness in his blood. His signature device is called the Astro-Harness, and it is worn around his feet, shoulders, and waist. This device provides Orion with several powerful functions that allow him to serve as defender of the universe. First off, the most obvious power that the Astro-Harness has is the ability to concentrate and fire bursts of Astro-Force. It can even be used to bring down starships. It also augments Orion’s physical strength. The Astro-Harness also allows incredibly fast interstellar flight, can repair itself flawlessly, and can even absorb attacks directed towards Orion.
Cosmic Staff
The Cosmic Staff was originally invented by Ted Knight (the very first Starman). It was based on his older weapon called the Gravity Rod. However, it is usually seen in the hands of Stargirl or Jack Knight. As seen in the comics, when a new user begins to operate this weapon, it will slowly become more attuned to that person. Eventually, it can even be controlled with its master’s mind — even from a great distance. This device makes use of stellar energy to perform a variety of functions. For example, it allows levitation of objects, creation of force fields, and offensive blasts. It also allows the user to fly at a rapid pace and doubles as protection from the atmospheric damage that would normally result from these incredible speeds. The Cosmic Staff is currently held by Stargirl exclusively.
Atomic Axe
This weapon is the first on our list that is primarily used by a villain. It was invented by the original Persuader, Cole Parker, in the 21st Century. He used this axe to attack the offices at the Daily Planet. The axe can cut pretty much anything it comes into contact with — even superhumans such as Superman can be harmed by the Atomic Axe. Parker eventually was killed and passed his axe down to Elise of the Terror Titans. She ended up using the axe for quite some time and even killed off a superhero named Molecule. She was also the ancestor to the third person to use the Axe in DC history — Nyeun Chun Ti. This guy was the original member of the Fatal Five — a supervillain organization that was one of the greatest threats to the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century.
Ace of Winchesters
This slick-looking rifle is a custom-made demon-killing machine. It was originally created by a Texas mystic who designed it to deliver blessed rounds that are able to destroy demons. This rifle was owned by a man named Zeerke for some time before John Constantine — an English occult detective — stole it for a collector who sold it to the Gotham Museum of Antiquities. The Ace of Winchesters is a formidable firearm because it never misses and is one of the few weapons capable of causing physical harm to demons. This is likely what led the Mawzir — a demonic creature — to enlist Catwoman’s help in retrieving the rifle. However, she ended up assisting a man named Tommy Monaghan in killing the Mawzir with the rifle. It remains in his hands in the original DC universe.
Amazo
Amazo is an android who was originally designed by a mad scientist named Professor Ivo. Therefore, he is both a weapon and a supervillain — a unique combination for this list. He was designed with only a single purpose in mind — killing the members of the Justice League. He is incredibly powerful and a formidable threat to this group of supers. This android is incredibly dangerous due to his ability to duplicate the powers of superheroes. This, combined with his unmatched adaptability, makes him one of the biggest threats to heroes anywhere in the DC Universe. He has even duplicated dozens of powers at once — rendering him close-to-invincible. The only way that this villain — or weapon, depending on how you look at it — can be stopped, and that is to outsmart him.
Lasso of Truth
Wonder Woman’s primary weapon is the Lasso of Truth. This lasso is an indestructible magical object, though its origins are uncertain. It either was fashioned from the girdle of Aphrodite or was forged by Hephaestus from the Golden Girdle of Gaea. Despite this uncertainty, Wonder Woman handles the weapon with ease and a remarkable amount of skill. The Lasso’s primary function is that it makes whoever is bound within it subject to the whims of the holder — requiring them to obey every command and answer every question honestly. This means it can potentially be dangerous for the subject’s mental health. In fact, one man even committed suicide after being trapped within the Lasso due to finally facing the absolute truth of his actions. Wonder Woman also uses the Lasso as a physical weapon and can even ‘fly’ using air currents that she generates using this object.
Bow of Ra
The Bow of Ra was created by Ra himself for the Champion of the Amazons. It ‘chooses’ a Shim’Tar to wield it and is even capable of making character judgments. The bow will not function for a Shim’Tar it rejects — and if a non-Shim’Tar tries to use it, they will instantly be burned alive. The bond that the Bow of Ra forms with its primary user allows it to be summoned at any time. It can also resurrect a deceased former user. This bow is a very formidable weapon. When used, it generates arrows on the spot that can be made of any material — even pure energy. The user will also control the destructive power, design, size, and shape of each arrow that is shot from the Bow of Ra. Of course, this bow is ‘double-edged’ and can cause a weak-willed user to become corrupted by its immense power. When this occurs, the wielder will attempt to destroy literally everything that gets in their way.
Krupps 101
Jonas Glim is an intergalactic bounty hunter who only uses the best weaponry available. The Krupps 101 — also known as the Laser-powered Krupps 101-Infinite Setting Masterblaster — is an alien device that offers great versatility and power. It is fully-adjustable and can be used in many different ways. On the lowest setting, the Krupps 101 can create a hole that is less than a single micron in diameter. If you crank the gun all the way up, it will create a huge blast that is “strong enough to fell a dinosaur” according to Jonas Glim himself. The bounty hunter has even used it to bore a large enough hole in the bottom of a tank (and several meters deeper to reach the sewers) and make a lucky escape. It can even serve as a flashlight on one of the special settings that the Krupps 101 offers.
Omnicannon
Genius inventor Curtis Metcalf — who goes by the alias ‘Hardware’ when he is fighting crime — is one of the main heroes of the DC Dakotaverse. He operates as a vigilante in Dakota City, occasionally teaming up with other heroes to fight his main nemesis, Edwin Alva. While the tactics he uses vary from mission to mission, he almost always brings along his trusty Omnicannon. The Omnicannon uses compressed air to propel custom-designed shells that each cause different effects. For example, some shells act like flashbang grenades. Others are more like incendiary bombs. One of the most high-tech shells contains nanoacid — a liquid suspension of nanorobots that eat away any metal that they come into contact with. Whichever shell that Metcalf elects to use with his Omnicannon, it will function just as intended — meaning that this weapon is both tactically and practically powerful.
Psi-Scimitar
The Psi-Scimitar is a powerful interdimensional artifact that was first discovered by an archaeologist named Raza Kattuah. He was a normal academic until American bombers killed his entire family, which awoke his inherent warrior spirit. He formed a group of mercenaries known as Jihad and changed his name. He survived as the leader of the cell for years — and he can thank the Psi-Scimitar for keeping him that way. This artifact appears as an ornate, bladeless hilt when it is at rest. However, when a true warrior picks it up it will burst into life and form a flaming blade made of pure energy. Besides the incredible power that the Psi-Scimitar offers in hand-to-hand combat, it is also capable of tearing open the fabric of time and space itself. When these portals are created, the user is able to teleport themselves to any desired destination. It was due to this power that Jihad lasted as long as it did (though it was eventually destroyed by Rick Flag).
Moonblade
Another weapon closely associated with John Constantine is the Moonblade. This mystical sword was Constantine’s go-to magical weapon as he had a lot of knowledge and skill with it. Though it was stolen from him for a short period of time by the Cult of the Cold Flame, he eventually reclaimed it and used it against his enemy Mister E. The Moonblade is attuned to the moon phases and shapeshifts accordingly. The new moon will make the blade into a dagger while the full moon causes it to become a longsword. However, the main power of the blade is not merely its physical capabilities. It is capable of storing dreams, energy, thoughts, and concepts — and even souls. According to Constantine, there are legends that say it even housed a god at one point.
Soultaker Sword
This sword has a unique and terrifying ability — capturing the souls of its victims. It is often wielded by Katana (whose husband’s soul is trapped within the blade). The origin of this sword hearkens to sometime in the 14th century, when a swordsmith named Musarama crafted and enchanted the Soultaker. However, it became lost up until the 20th century when it was rediscovered by General Karnz of Markovia. He sold the Soultaker to Takeo Yamashiro who used it to kill his brother Maseo (Katana’s wife). The Soultaker is especially deadly in the hands of its most recent mistress, Tatsu (who now calls herself Katana). She wields the deadly, well-balanced blade with ease. It is also very sharp and can cut through substances that have been deemed indestructible. Also important to note is that the souls captured by the sword can be communicated with by the wielder, further enhancing the usefulness of the Soultaker.
Sword of Superman
This obscure relic dates back to the very beginning of the universe. It is quasi-sentient and was able to send a ‘message’ to Johnathan Kent (Clark’s adoptive father) about the Superman logo. The sword was created out of some of the original energy and matter from the Big Bang. It drifted through space for millennia before Superman finally attained it in Superman Annual #10 in 1984. After he got the Sword, Superman began to realize that he was starting to become omnipotent and omniscient and was able to communicate with the universe directly. This was the result of the Sword finally coming into Superman’s possession — its primary purpose is to help him ascend to near-godhood. However, Superman rejected this power and ended up letting the Sword go at the end of the issue out of a desire to retain his status as Earth’s greatest hero.
All-Blades
These artifacts are designed for destroying evil. The All-Blades are a pair of copper blades that light up with energy and magic in the presence of true evil. They are ancient blades but are most notable for being used by Jason Todd — otherwise known as Red Hood or the second Robin — when he needed to fight evil beings. The All-Blades can be summoned at will to their user’s hands. They are also nigh-indestructible and are capable of bringing harm to magical beings. However, they are not able to hurt any non-magical beings and will not bring much harm to those who are not evil. These blades are powered by the wielder’s soul — a nearly unlimited source of energy.
White Lantern Ring
The Green Lantern generally uses a green ring that is able to form solid constructs out of nothing but light. However, Hal Jordan once held a White Lantern Ring. These have the same general powers as any other Lantern ring. However, they also boast a few benefits over the standard ring that make them some of the more powerful weapons in the DC universe. First off, White Lantern Rings are neutral in color in the electromagnetic spectrum. This means that they can overwrite the powers of other rings — even the powerful black rings that belong to Hal Jordan’s enemies. They also harness the power of life and creation itself, meaning that they are able to absorb any other creative forces. There are many more benefits to the White Lantern Ring. For instance, it can make the user invisible, play back data it has collected from the environment, and will even help the wearer phase through solid objects (such as walls).
Warworld
The Warworld is one of the biggest weapons in the DC Universe. It was originally created by an ancient alien race called the Warzoons. However, this race eventually died out and left control of the planet-sized device to the Martians. It was eventually breached by a few villains who were attempting to take control of this extremely powerful device. Essentially, the Warworld is an armed, planet-sized space station that can be controlled with one’s mind. Nuclear missiles are just a small part of the Warworld’s arsenal. There are many other types of weapons onboard as well. Plus, the entire space station is under control of a single man (though extended use of this space station by a sole survivor could be dangerous or even fatal).
Batarang
One of the most famous and useful weapons in the DC Universe is the Batarang. These bat-shaped ranged weapons are used exclusively by the Dark Knight as a non-lethal alternative to firearms. They can be used to disarm, distract, or confuse enemies. They fit perfectly into the Bat’s utility belt and can be deployed in a variety of situations. Other varieties of the Batarang exist as well. For instance, there is a programmable self-guided option, a smoke bomb, a flash-bulb, and even a giant drone-like Batarang X for performing surveillance from the sky. These weapons are not physically strong. However, the tactical advantage that they provide for Batman makes them one of the most powerful weapons in his arsenal.
Penguin’s Umbrellas
This addition to the list encompasses many weapons that are concealed inside of ordinary-looking umbrellas. The Penguin makes use of these to catch his opponents by surprise — something that was quite effective for the supervillain in his early criminal career. The Penguin has a trick umbrella for nearly any occasion — making them one of the most powerful tools in his arsenal. While the Penguin has made use of them in vanilla ways — such as concealing a gun or knockout gas — there have been several much-more-creative models of his own design. For example, one of them contained a full flamethrower. Another would blind his enemies with a flashbulb. Yet another was a taser-like device with an insulated handle. The vast variety of upgrades and models that the Penguin has used makes these weapons some of the best (tactically) in the DC Universe.
Spear of Destiny
Our contender for the most powerful weapon in the DC Universe is the Spear of Destiny. This weapon is said to have been the very spear that pierced the side of Jesus Christ before the crucifixion. It has a long history of being used for nefarious purposes. For example, Adolf Hitler was said to have held the Spear, preventing superheroes from stopping his terrible reign. The Spear of Destiny offers a plethora of functions. For example, it allows one to control the minds of surrounding superheroes. This can be used to establish a “Sphere of Influence”, causing anyone who enters it to instantly become obedient to the user. The Spear has also been known to be capable of resurrecting others and even altering the fabric of reality itself. When you are able to change reality at will, you have superseded the need for any other type of weapon — you can simply will your enemies out of existence and you will not need to destroy their physical bodies.
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