{{short description|Fictional DC Comics character}} {{Infobox comics character | image = Doctor Destiny.png | caption = Doctor Destiny as depicted on the cover of ''Justice League of America'' #176 (March 1980).<br>Art by Dick Giordano and Dick Dillin. | character_name = Doctor Destiny | publisher = DC Comics | debut = ''Justice League of America'' #5 (June 1961) | creators = {{Plainlist| * Gardner Fox * Mike Sekowsky }} | real_name = John Dee | species = Demon | homeworld = <!-- optional --> | alliances = Secret Society of Super Villains | aliases = Johnny Boy<br> Dream Boy<br> Dr. John Dee<br> Lex Joker | supports = <!--optional--> | powers = *Dream manipulation *High intelligence }} '''Doctor Destiny''' ('''John Dee''') is a <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; supervillains (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky, the character first appeared in ''Justice League of America'' #5 (June 1961).<ref name="Guide">{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=92}}</ref>
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''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/the-sandman-netflix-series-kirby-howell-baptiste-mason-alexander-park-donna-preston-12-cast-1234764168/|title='The Sandman': Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park & Donna Preston Among 12 Added To Netflix Series|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Alexandra| last= Del Rosario|date=May 26, 2021|access-date=May 26, 2021|archive-date=May 26, 2021|archive-url=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/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bui |first1=Hoai-Tran |title='The Sandman' Netflix Series Expands With 12 More Actors, Including Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/the-sandman-cast-new-netflix/ |website=/Film |access-date=May 26, 2021 |date=May 26, 2021}}</ref>
==Publication history== Doctor Destiny first appeared in ''Justice League of America'' #5 (June 1961), and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky.<ref name="dc-ency">{{Citation | last = Wallace | first = Dan | contribution = Doctor Destiny | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The DC Comics Encyclopedia | pages = 102 | publisher = Dorling Kindersley | place = New York | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-0-7566-4119-1 | oclc = 213309017}}</ref>
==Fictional character biography== Doctor Destiny is a petty criminal scientist who uses his genius to create astounding devices for crime. He first encounters the Justice League of America shortly after inventing an anti-gravity device and will-deadener beam that allow him to capture and impersonate Green Lantern.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rovin |first=Jeff |author-link=Jeff Rovin |title=The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains |date=1987 |publisher=Facts on File |isbn=0-8160-1356-X |location=New York |page=90}}</ref> Before Destiny can further his criminal ends, the League discovered his treachery as Green Arrow had heard from an underworld informant that a member of the League had been captured and was being impersonated. Destiny captures the League and attempts to get rid of them by sending the ship they are on into space. As Destiny is drawing the JLA upwards, the station suffers a brief power drain, lessening the effects of the will-deadener. Green Lantern frees himself and imprisons Destiny and his two henchmen.
=== Morpheus === Destiny creates the "Materioptikon", a device which allows him to manifest the fabric of dreams into reality.<ref>''Justice League of America'' #19 (May 1963)</ref> A later retcon in ''The Sandman'' reveals that the Materioptikon is powered by Morpheus' Dreamstone, which was given to Destiny by his mother Ethel. Destiny manipulated the Dreamstone, forcing flaws and adding circuitry, until it was attuned to him rather than Morpheus.<ref name="dc-ency" />
Doctor Destiny's power becomes so great that the Justice League resort to drastic measures to stop him. They hypnotize him and manipulate his psyche to prevent him from dreaming. This prevents Destiny from using the Materioptikon, but causes him to lose his mind and shrivel to a skeletal form. Destiny is sent to Arkham Asylum, where his sanity erodes further.<ref name="dc-ency" /><ref>''Justice League of America'' Annual #1 (August 1983)</ref>
Following the death of his mother, Destiny escapes Arkham, makes his way to a diner, and tortures the patrons over the course of 24 hours before having them kill each other. Dream, recently freed and searching for stolen tokens of power, is unable to stop Destiny until the Dreamstone is destroyed, which returns its power to Dream. Morpheus returns Destiny to Arkham and restores his ability to dream.<ref>''Sandman'' (vol. 2) #7 (July 1989)</ref> Despite the Dreamstone's destruction, Destiny's continued use of the Materioptikon allows him to retain a portion of its powers.<ref>''JLA Classified'' #32 (March 2007)</ref>
=== The New 52 === In ''The New 52'' continuity reboot, Doctor Destiny first appears at the end of ''Justice League Dark'' #19. A.R.G.U.S. is in possession of his Dream Stone, which John Constantine recognizes.<ref>''Justice League Dark'' #19 (June 2013)</ref> It is revealed that Madame Xanadu is Destiny's mother.<ref>''Justice League Dark'' #20 (July 2013)</ref>
During the "Forever Evil" storyline, Doctor Destiny is among the villains recruited by the Crime Syndicate of America to join the Secret Society of Super Villains.<ref>''Forever Evil'' #1 (November 2013)</ref>
=== Dawn of DC === In the ''Knight Terrors'' event, it is revealed that the Nightmare Stone utilized by Insomnia was once the Dreamstone. Sometime after the stone's creation, it was stolen by Doctor Destiny, who manipulated it into the Nightmare Stone, and broke it into small pieces. Fearing the stone's power, Destiny chooses to hide it, but is killed by Insomnia for not telling him where it is hidden.<ref>''Knight Terrors: First Blood'' one-shot (September 2023)</ref>
==Powers and abilities== John Dee has the ability to enter and manipulate dreams. He also possesses extensive knowledge of medical science.<ref>''Justice League of America'' #154 (May 1978)</ref>
==Other versions== Doctor Destiny makes a minor appearance in ''Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth''.<ref>Morrison, Grant, and Dave McKean. ''Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth''. New York, N.Y.: DC Comics, 2004. 146. Print.</ref> This version is weak and uses a wheelchair.<ref>Morrison, Grant, and Dave McKean. Arkham Asylum. London: Titan, 1989. Print.</ref>
==In other media== ===Television=== [[Image:Dr Destiny Justice League.jpg|right|thumb|Dr. Destiny as he appears in ''Justice League'']] [[File:Doctor John 'Destiny' Deegan (Jeremy Davies).jpg|right|upright|thumb|Jeremy Davies as John Deegan in "Elseworlds"]] * John Dee / Doctor Destiny appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by William Atherton.<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Doctor Destiny Voices (DC Universe) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/DC-Universe/Doctor-Destiny/ |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=July 12, 2024 |publisher=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.</ref> ** Destiny was briefly considered to appear in ''The New Batman Adventures'' with Atherton in the role, but went unused.<ref>{{cite web | title=Backstage - Unused Villains Database - Dr. Destiny | website=The World's Finest | url=https://dcanimated.com//WF/sections/backstage/unused/batman/destiny.php | access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> ** 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 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.<ref>{{cite web | last=Boucher | first=Geoff | title='Arkham Asylum's New Face: Jeremy Davies Cast As Dr. Deegan In Arrowverse Crossover | website=Deadline | date=September 20, 2018 | url=https://deadline.com/2018/09/arrowverse-crossover-jeremy-davies-arkham-asylum-dr-john-deegan-casting-1202468506/ | access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 26, 2021 |title=THE SANDMAN Casts Death, Desire, Despair, and Many More |url=https://nerdist.com/article/sandman-netflix-cast-death-desire-despair-john-dee/ |access-date= |website=Nerdist |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Film=== Doctor Destiny, referred simply to as '''"Destiny"''', appears in ''Justice League Dark'', voiced by Alfred Molina.<ref name="btva" /> 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 ''Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - ''Scribblenauts Unmasked'' Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=July 12, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>
===Miscellaneous=== * The DCAU incarnation of Doctor Destiny appears in issue #25 of the ''Justice League Unlimited'' tie-in comic book.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Justice League Unlimited'' #25 - The Devil May Care (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/justice-league-unlimited-25-the-devil-may-care/4000-112025/ |access-date=July 12, 2024 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}</ref> * Doctor Destiny appears in ''All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' #12.<ref>''All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' #12</ref> * John Dee appears in ''The Sandman'' (2020).{{cn|date=November 2024}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://comicvine.gamespot.com/doctor-destiny/4005-10453/ Doctor Destiny] at Comic Vine
{{Justice League characters}} {{Justice League Dark}} {{The Sandman}} {{Gardner Fox}}
Category:Characters created by Gardner Fox Category:Characters created by Mike Sekowsky Category:Comics characters introduced in 1961 Category:DC Comics characters who use magic Category:DC Comics demons Category:DC Comics fantasy characters Category:DC Comics male supervillains Category:DC Comics psychics Category:DC Comics telepaths Category:Fictional inventors in comics Category:Fictional mass murderers Category:Fictional rapists