An Evil Twist To One Of DC's Most Powerful Superheroes Will Spark A Ton Of HATE

Contains spoilers for DC Comics' Knight Terrors: Night's End #1 by by Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stegano Nesi, Trevor Hairsine, Rain Beredo, and Troy Peteri

The greatest heroes of the DC Universe may have put an end to the nightmare-inducing villain Insomnia and stopped him from keeping the world stuck in a permanent sleep, but a new foe has awakened in his place. In "Knight Terrors: Night's End" #1, the issue ends with a focus on former Task Force X leader Amanda Waller, who has become DC's biggest villain after traveling the Multiverse in order to assemble a team capable of taking out some of the DCU's most important heroes. As the event closes, we see Waller bestow the Helmet of Hate and the Nightmare Stone upon a mysterious figure.

This unnamed person, whose face and body are obscured as they lurk in the shadows, becomes the host of two powerful magical artifacts, including the helm of the dark opposite of one of DC's strongest characters, Doctor Fate. The Helmet of Hate and Nightmare Stone's powers combine to transform their newest wielder into Doctor Hate, whom Waller is about to use to continue her bid to maintain the upper hand on heroes and tarnish their good names to get the public to turn on them. Specifically, Hate is being sent after the Teen Titans, who have stepped up to become Earth's first line of defense following the Justice League's disbanding. But who is Doctor Hate, and how did he officially come to be?

In "Knight Terrors: Night's End" #1, Insomnia is defeated thanks to undead Justice League Dark member Deadman sacrificing himself, leading to the heroes across the DC Universe awakening from the villain's control. After the battle, it's revealed the general public has begun to turn on the superhero community, as the nightmares induced by Insomnia have soured their image and made the public fear the heroes they usually admire. Amanda Waller welcomes this news, telling the mysterious Illuminati-esque Council of Light that while she didn't have anything to do with Insomnia's attack, it has accelerated her plans to turn the tide against heroes she perceives as dangerous.

Waller shares with the council that Insomnia's brief reign allowed her Multiversal soldier, Blight, to take possession of the Nightmare Stone during the chaos of the battle between the Justice League and the deadly villain. At the same time, she showcases the Helmet of Hate, created during the "Lazarus Planet" event from a fragment of Doctor Fate's broken helmet. She takes both magical items from Blight and gives them to a person in the shadows, telling them she needs the right person to take on their responsibility. The Helmet of Hate and Nightmare Stone cause their new wielder much pain as they transform from their seemingly human form into Doctor Hate. Waller then tells her newest soldier that phase two of her plan has begun, and with the Justice League feared by the world thanks to Insomnia's nightmares, Doctor Hate has a different primary target: The Teen Titans.

Introducing a dark opposite to Doctor Fate, arguably DC's most powerful hero, creates what is potentially one of the DC Universe's most dangerous villains ever. With the Helmet of Hate, the Nightmare Stone, and who knows what other powers they might have originally had, Doctor Hate is being set up as a villain who won't be easy to take down. But who are they? Amanda Waller shared with them that their friends and family would be "hurt" by them taking the mantle, so it's possible it's a former hero who has somehow been corrupted. Or, it could be an already major villain like Deathstroke, who has been sidelined since DC's "Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths" event. He does, after all, have a history of hunting and killing Titans.

Check out the official synopsis for "Titans: Beast World – Waller Rising" #1 (by Chuck Brown and Keron Grant), which will see Doctor Hate attempt to fulfill their first mission. The "Beast World" tie-in releases on December 5, 2023.

BATWING, VIXEN, VAL-ZOD SUPERMAN, AND BLACK MANTA MUST STOP DR. HATE! The Kingdom, a mystical and metaphysical realm, sits at the nexus of the Parliaments. A formidable new adversary, Dr. Hate, emerges with intentions to corrupt both the Kingdom and the Parliament of the Red in the pursuit of chaos. Batwing, Vixen, Val-Zod Superman, and Black Manta are thrust together in a desperate fight for survival. They must learn to cooperate to thwart Dr. Hate's destructive plans before The Wicked Entity can devastate this unique plane, which represents a collective consciousness. This consciousness unifies the Red, Green, Rot, Clear, Melt, Metal, and Grey into a harmonious realm of peace. In their struggle against Dr. Hate, these heroes and villains also face the task of unraveling how Amanda Waller's rise is entwined with the ongoing crisis. The saga features guest appearances from Nubia, Dr. Mist, Red Tornado, Dead Eye, and more!