Welcome one and all to the third, and possibly final, part of my theories regarding the potential for an Injustice 3 game!
For those who missed the previous two, I'll briefly explain what each one was about. The first part dealt with what the story of Injustice 3 could be about based on the good ending from Injustice 2, while the second part was my theories as to which group of heroes would make the best playable characters for an Injustice 3. Now, onto the part that excites me the most; who should be the main villain(s) of Injustice 3? In no particular order, read on to find out!
1. Darkseid
Darkseid is a name that has graced my articles in the recent past, and for good reason! The threat of Darkseid is so massive that it can spread throughout the DC Universe, and almost every character within DC has fought the ruler of Apokolips, and many on multiple occasions. Out of every character on this list, Darkseid is the one pick that to me would seem obvious but welcome as the main bad guy in Injustice 3.
I've already theorized in my first Injustice article that the overall story should be passing the torch to the heroes of tomorrow today, and Supergirl should be the main character fighting not just for the people of Earth, but fighting to restore the legacy of her family's lineage after Superman tyrannical reign of terror. Darkseid would be a formidable opponent for any hero, and with a conflicted Supergirl thrown into the mix, it would make for interesting viewing. Plus, Darkseid was a pre-order bonus playable character for Injustice 2, so the developers could use those assets for a sequel without having to go back to the drawing board with new character designs.
2. Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage is a character that I think has been underutilized for years. True, he has taken center stage in various comics and shows (such as making the jump to live action in the Arrowverse on CW) but seeing him as a credible threat in a video game like Injustice would be too good to pass up.
While the Injustice continuity shown in the comics was very similar to the main line of DC comics continuity, there were some differences between them that began before Superman turned to evil. The arch-enemy of Superman, Lex Luthor, was actually an ally and friend to the Man of Steel in the Injustice Universe. This was a welcome change to the usual status quo. I think Vandal Savage would be a great villain for Injustice 3, and here's my pitch for his overall storyline.
Savage's history from the main DC continuity will remain the same, of him being an immortal caveman with delusions of grandeur manipulating the course of human history throughout his long life. Unlike his main DC counterpart, Savage sees the rise of superhumans as an obstacle he can't handle, so he goes into hiding. When the war between Superman and Batman began, Savage saw an opportunity to reclaim his place as the top dog in the world, but he'd need time, patience, and money. Luckily he had all three to spare. He would wait out the war until one or both sides destroy each other or become severely weakened from the conflict, and then he'd make his move. However, the arrival of Brainiac in Injustice 2 halted his plans, but not for long, as after the final defeat of Superman and with the superhuman community reeling, he would go in for the kill both literally and metaphorically.
I can see Savage showing himself off as a benevolent being who only wants to aid humanity, but his true motivations would be revealed as the plot moves along or something along those lines. Vandal Savage's greatest strength to me at least is that he's a master manipulator, and he can spend whole lifetimes on plans that would come to fruition whenever the time was right. He's lived for so long that he knows how to get into people's heads without even trying, and getting into the heads of a young group of heroes would be easy for him to do, like Supergirl.
3. Eclipso
Definitely the most obscure villain on this list, Eclipso is a character that has changed much since his debut in House of Secrets issue 61 in August 1963, which is to say that those changes have benefitted the character immensely. He went from being a joke character not taken seriously by other DC characters to being one of the most dangerous threats to the entire DC Universe.
I'll save a more thorough breakdown of his origins in a future article, but all you guys need to know is that Eclipso is a magic-based character, and one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe, with the nasty ability to take control of people when anyone comes into contact with fragments of the Heart of Darkness crystal, his former prison. It doesn't take a huge piece of the crystal for Eclipso to possess people, and once he takes hold, it's practically impossible to break free unless Eclipso himself is defeated, which is easier said than done.
Out of the list of villains, Eclipso might be a harder sell for mainstream players who just want to play a fighting game, since Eclipso is an obscure character in his own right, but his ability to control others against their will is on the surface too similar to Brainiac from Injustice 2, something I'd think the creative team wouldn't want to repeat.
A reason why I could see Eclipso as the main villain of Injustice 3 is because of my previous Injustice 3 theory article, where I discuss which playable characters I'd want to see in the game. That list included more magical characters from the DC Universe, characters like Zatanna and John Constantine, and bringing in a magical threat like Eclipso would make sense to have more magic-based characters in the playable roster as well.
4. Red/Black Lantern Corps.
Similar to Darkseid, members of the Red Lantern Corps. have already made their appearance in Injustice 2, specifically the leader of the Red Lanterns Atrocitus, and his second-in-command, Dex Starr. While their appearance in the story of Injustice 2 was brief, the lingering threat of the Red Lanterns remains an untapped source of inspiration for an Injustice 3 storyline.
Hal Jordan is one of the last Green Lanterns in the Injustice universe because in the Injustice comics Superman went to war with the Green Lanterns and laid waste to the majority of their numbers. Having the main protectors of the universe so severely weakened would be a prime opportunity for the Red Lanterns to make their move. And if one evil Lantern core weren't enough, why not have the Black Lanterns join the fray, leading to an adaption of the famous crossover event Blackest Night and the DC Universe's fight with the embodiment of Death and leader of the Black Lanterns, Nekron.
I can see the Red Lanterns being the initial threat of Injustice 3, but Nekron and his Black Lanterns would make the true threat to all existence in the universe that was manipulating things behind the scenes. The Blackest Night crossover comic is considered the best DC crossover event in recent memory, and while I haven't read it myself, I know its impact that lasted for years in the DC comics Universe.
One of the big selling points for that crossover was the Black Lantern Corps. was made up of dead heroes and villains, and with many dead characters within the Injustice universe, that would make for some great gameplay opportunities. Shazam, for example, died in the first Injustice game, and having his character come back in the form of a Black Lantern would be pretty sweet!