Darkseid Just Killed a Justice League Legend, So Why Am I Cheering?

WARNING: May Contain Potential Spoilers for DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6!Darkseid has stormed into DC’s bloodiest Elseworlds saga, DC vs. Vampires, by taking out a major Justice League member in brutal fashion. But instead of mourning, I can’t help but celebrate the fall of this once-hero—and I’m on the edge of my seat to see which unfortunate soul the New God will take out next.

Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt’s DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6 delivers a pivotal moment as the war between Vampire Queen Barbara Gordon’s undead horde and Green Arrow’s human resistance reaches a boiling point. Amid the chaos of battle, Darkseid makes a surprise entrance, confronting Batgirl as she oversees the carnage from a cliffside with her vampire lieutenant, Aquaman.

Darkseid seeks answers about the deal Barbara struck with his emissary, Granny Goodness—a pact in which Batgirl vowed to locate his granddaughter, the vampire-god hybrid child of Mister Miracle and Big Barda. However, instead of a family reunion, the confrontation ends in violence, with Darkseid killing Aquaman.

Darkseid Just Killed Aquaman (& I Couldn’t Be Happier)

Panel Comes From DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6 (2025) – Art by Otto Schmidt

Instead of Batgirl addressing Darkseid’s questions about his infant granddaughter, Aquaman steps in and brazenly confesses to personally killing both the child and Mister Miracle—Darkseid’s adoptive son and the child’s father. Enraged by this revelation, Darkseid crushes Aquaman with his fist, vowing to burn Earth-63 to the ground. This moment not only cements Darkseid’s direct involvement in the escalating war but also marks a definitive and brutal end for the former Justice League member. Normally, I wouldn’t find myself rooting for Darkseid as he mercilessly eliminates beloved characters, but in this case, it’s easy to understand why I cheered at Aquaman’s well-deserved demise.

While most heroes turned vampires have devolved into twisted versions of themselves, Aquaman has been by far one of the most vile. With his transformation, Arthur Curry didn’t just shift from hero to villain—he became a scheming, treacherous snake of a man. His relentless plotting to claim the vampire crown, even at the expense of his own kind, has made him disgustingly disloyal. Worse still, his murder of Mister Miracle and an innocent infant sealed his fate as utterly irredeemable. Given these atrocities, Aquaman’s death is no great loss to the narrative or its readers.

I Don’t Think Mister Miracle & His Baby Are Dead (But Aquaman Still Deserved to Die)

Panel Comes From DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6 (2025) – Art by Otto Schmidt

While I do believe that Aquaman genuinely thought he had killed Mister Miracle and his infant daughter by dragging them into the icy depths of the sea, I don’t think they are actually dead. For one, it wouldn’t make sense from a narrative perspective. Rosenberg has spent all of World War V building up the backstory of the vampire-god hybrid child of Mister Miracle and Big Barda. Killing them off would undermine that setup. Secondly, Mister Miracle possesses the power of escapology, the unique ability to free himself from any trap, prison, or confinement.

Given his powers, it’s hard to believe Mister Miracle couldn’t escape Aquaman’s forces. It’s also unthinkable that the New God would leave his daughter behind. While I don’t yet know how they might have survived, I’m convinced they’re still alive. That said, I maintain that Aquaman fully deserved his death at Darkseid’s hands, regardless of whether Mister Miracle and the baby survived. The fact remains that Aquaman attempted to murder both Scott Free and an innocent newborn. His failure doesn’t absolve him of his actions—it simply reinforces how deserving he was of his violent end.

I Can’t Wait to See Who Darkseid Kills Next (But He Better Stay Away From Robin)

Main Cover for DC vs. Vampires: World War V #7 (2025) – Art by Otto Schmidt

With Darkseid making it clear that he’s not afraid to start cracking heads and his intentions to see Earth-63 burn, I honestly can’t wait to see who he takes out next. That said, I do hope most of the New God’s kills impact the vampires, given that they’re the true villains in this story. The human resistance has already endured countless losses, and while I’m not naïve enough to think they won’t also suffer under Darkseid’s wrath, I’m still hopeful that the majority of deaths will be on the vampire side of the conflict. However, there’s one vampire death I absolutely can’t forgive Darkseid for if it comes to pass, and that’s Robin’s.

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6 is available now from DC Comics!

Darkseid

Alias

Uxas

Created By

Jack Kirby

Franchise

D.C.

Race

New God

First Appearance

SuperMan's Pal Jimmy Olsen

Darkseid is a tyrannical supervillain in DC Comics, ruling the hellish planet Apokolips. He seeks the Anti-Life Equation to control all sentient life and eliminate free will across the universe. With immense strength, energy manipulation, and Omega Beams that disintegrate targets, Darkseid is a relentless foe of Superman, the Justice League, New Gods, and free people everywhere.

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