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{{short description|Fictional mind control formula in DC Comics}}
The '''Anti-Life Equation''' is a fictional concept appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[DC Comics]]. In [[Jack Kirby's Fourth World]] setting, the Anti-Life Equation is a formula for total control over the minds of [[sentient beings]] that is sought by [[Darkseid]], who, for this reason, sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the subconsciousness of humanity.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sacks |first1=Jason |last2=Dallas |first2=Keith |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s |date=2014 |publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]] |isbn=978-1605490564 |page=40}}</ref> Various comics have defined the equation in different ways, but a common interpretation is that the equation may be seen as a [[mathematical proof]] of the [[wikt:futility|futility]] of living, or of life as incarceration of spirit, per predominant religious and modern cultural suppositions.<ref name="Misselhorn">{{cite journal |last1=Misselhorn |first1=John |title=Love of Anti?-Life |journal=Jack Kirby Collector |date=2017 |issue=71 |pages=26–30 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eDclDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22anti-life+equation%22&pg=PA29 |access-date=30 March 2020 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing}}</ref><ref name="Owen">{{cite news |url=https://www.thewrap.com/zack-snyders-justice-league-what-you-need-to-know-about-darkseid-the-anti-life-equation/ |title='Zack Snyder's Justice League': What You Need to Know About the Anti-Life Equation: The Snyder Cut added a crazy new wrinkle to the DC movieverse |first1=Phil |last1=Owen |first2=Ross A. |last2=Lincoln |date=March 18, 2021 |work=[[The Wrap]] |accessdate=July 25, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Hogan">{{cite web |last1=Hogan |first1=Jonathan |authorlink1=Jonathan Hogan|title=Mythic Representation, Audience Interpretation, and the Anti-life Equation: Mythology and Symbolic Interactionism in Jack Kirby's "New Gods" |location=N.p. |publisher=[[Syracuse University]] |year=2011}}</ref><ref name="Baisden">{{cite book |last1=Baisden |first1=Gregory Scott |title=Recombinant Mythology as Answer to the Anti-life Equation |location=United States |publisher=[[Pacifica Graduate Institute]] |year= 2011 |isbn=9781303299858}}</ref><ref name="Wein">{{cite book |last1=Wein |first1=Len |authorlink1=Len Wein |last2=Leigh |first2=Rob |authorlink2=Rob Leigh |title=Final Crisis: Secret Files |location=United States |publisher=DC Comics |year=2009}}</ref><ref name="Kirby">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TrZ7Jx2nqIQC&dq=Anti-Life+Equation&pg=PA191 |last1=Kirby |first1=Jack |authorlink1=Jack Kirby |title=The Collected Jack Kirby Collector |location=United States |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |year=2004 |isbn=9781893905320 |date=May 26, 2004 |pages=87, 89, 94, 95, 191}}</ref><ref name="Scott">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xC2ADwAAQBAJ&dq=Anti-Life+Equation&pg=PA10 |page=10 |isbn=9781465486394 |date=March 12, 2019 |type=Ebook |publisher=[[DK Publishing]] |language=English |first1=Melanie |last1=Scott |edition=New |title=DC Comics Ultimate Character Guide}}</ref><ref name="Egan">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WOdlDwAAQBAJ&dq=Anti-Life+Equation&pg=PA113 |page=113 |isbn=9780244606299 |type=Ebook|language=English |first1=James |last1=Egan |title=1000 Facts about Comic Books |volume=3 |location=N.p. |publisher=Lulu.com |year=2019}}</ref>

==History==
[[Jack Kirby]]'s original comics established the Anti-Life Equation as giving the power to dominate the will of all [[Sentience|sentient]] and [[Wisdom#Sapience|sapient]] races.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |authorlink1=Robert Greenberger|last2=Pasko |first2=Martin |authorlink2=Martin Pasko |title=The Essential Superman Encyclopedia |date=2010 |publisher=[[Del Rey Books|Del Rey]] |isbn=978-0-345-50108-0 |pages=11–12}}</ref> It is called the Anti-Life Equation because "if someone possesses absolute control over you — you're not really alive".<ref name=":0">''Forever People'' #5 (November 1971)</ref> Most stories featuring the Equation use this concept. The [[Forever People]]'s [[Mother Box]] found the Anti-Life Equation in [[Sonny Sumo]],<ref name=":0" /> but Darkseid, unaware of this, stranded him in ancient Japan. A man known as '''Billion-Dollar Bates''' had control over the Equation's power without the Mother Box's aid, but was accidentally killed by one of his own guards.<ref>''Forever People'' #8 (May 1972)</ref>

When [[Metron (character)|Metron]] and [[Swamp Thing]] attempt to breach [[Source (comics)|the Source]], which drives Swamp Thing temporarily mad, Darkseid discovers that part of the formula is love.<ref>''[[Swamp Thing]]'' #62</ref> Upon being told by the [[Dominators (DC Comics)|Dominators]] of their planned [[Invasion! (DC Comics)|invasion]] of Earth, Darkseid promises not to interfere on the condition that the planet is not destroyed so his quest for the equation is not thwarted.<ref>''[[Invasion! (DC Comics)|Invasion!]]'' #1</ref>

''[[Martian Manhunter]]'' (vol. 2) #33 reveals that Darkseid first became aware of the equation approximately 300 years ago after making contact with the people of Mars. Upon learning of the Martian philosophy that free will and spiritual purpose could be defined by a '''Life Equation''', Darkseid theorized that a negative equivalent must exist.

In [[Walt Simonson]]'s ''[[Orion (comics)|Orion]]'' (2001), Darkseid and [[DeSaad]] have gained the Equation from clones of Billion Dollar Bates. In stopping them Orion learned the Equation, and tried to use it to make people happy and good, but decided that the suppression of free will is always a bad thing. [[Mister Miracle]] knows the formula, but is one of the few with the willpower not to use it. During the series ''[[Young Justice]]'', it was stated that the mystical heroine [[Empress (character)|Empress]] has a piece of an Anti-Life Equation, which gives her limited mind control abilities. ''[[Countdown to Final Crisis]]'' #10 reveals that the [[Pied Piper (DC Comics)|Pied Piper]] also contained the equation within his mind and can manifest it through music. DeSaad attempts to use Piper as his pawn to help him destroy [[OMAC (comics)#Brother Eye|Brother Eye]] and Darkseid so that he could rule [[Apokolips]].

During ''[[Final Crisis]]'', Darkseid's plan comes to fruition even without Pied Piper's help. Using the "spoken form" of the Anti-Life, Darkseid has [[Mokkari]] unleash it  through the internet, turning anyone exposed into his mindless slaves. [[Libra (DC Comics)|Libra]] used the Anti-Life Equation to turn several members of his [[Secret Society of Super Villains]] into Justifiers while some of Earth's superheroines and supervillainesses were converted into new versions of the [[Female Furies]].

It was revealed that the Equation can be countered by drawing the [[New Genesis]] word for "freedom" on one's face. Also, [[Doctor Sivana]] invented a device that allowed [[Lex Luthor]] to wrest control of the Equation-controlled Justifiers from Libra and [[Darkseid]]. In ''[[Terror Titans]]'' #4, [[Static (DC Comics)|Static]] is revealed to be immune to the Equation's effects due to his electrical powers protecting his brain. In ''Final Crisis'' #7, [[Wonder Woman]] breaks the Equation's hold over the people of Earth by binding Darkseid's body with the [[Lasso of Truth]].

After Darkseid's disappearance, the [[Calculator (character)|Calculator]] tasks himself with the role of tracking down the fragments of the Equation left in the internet, which had taken the appearance of floating diamonds in ''Alta Viva'', an in-universe multi-player online game similar to ''[[Second Life]]''. By having real diamonds cut in the shape of the virtual ones, the Calculator hopes to harness and restore its power for himself.<ref>''[[Barbara Gordon#Final Crisis and Battle for the Cowl|Oracle: The Cure]]'' #1-3</ref>

''[[The Multiversity]]'' features a different version of the Anti-Life Equation known as the '''Anti-Death Equation''': a dark, mysterious power used by the Gentry, capable of transforming and corroding anything from the laws of physics to even beings as powerful as Monitors, turning its victims into immortal, gruesome, and evil creatures.

In DCU continuity the Equation itself retains its importance to a great many interested parties having come into the control of a host of users both in incomplete and whole formulations of itself. It is first possessed by the evil Old God [[Yuga Khan]], who uses it to resurrect many of his fallen brethren in a final battle against his sons Uxas and Izaya before falling in battle.<ref>''Infinity Man and The Forever People'' #5 (2014)</ref> Eventually, many an individual would come to possess either finite understanding or complete utilization of the Anti-Life Equation for their own personal use over time. Some eons later Darkseid would use a fraction of its power in his invasion cycles of the Earth 2 parallel universe;<ref>''Earth 2'' #0</ref> soon it was revealed that others possessed the full Equation but lacked the incentive to use it. The formula itself however is revealed to be a sentient being able to express itself to its current hosts.<ref>''Infinity Man and The Forever People'' #3</ref>

It was revealed that the Anti-Life Equation was the source of the Anti-Matter Universe's creation, and that the [[Anti-Monitor]] used to be a Qwardian scientist in the Anti-Matter Universe named Mobius who was the first to find and touch the Anti-Life Equation; it then fused with him and transformed him into the Anti-Monitor, the Anti-Life Equation's living embodiment.<ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #44</ref> When Darkseid died in the battle against him and his daughter Grail, Mobius forfeited the equation to return to his original form. The power itself which possessed him is now in the hands of his original benefactor, establishing her as the Goddess of Anti-Life.<ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #46</ref>

==Interpretations of the Equation==
{{Original research section|date=January 2010}}
Over the years, the Anti-Life Equation has changed as various writers have offered their own definitions of the concept.

In [[Jack Kirby]]'s original version, the Equation manifests itself as the power to control any sentient minds through direct commands. A clear distinction was made between the Anti-Life Equation and other methods of control like manipulation or hypnosis. While Darkseid could already exert some control over humanity through the preachings of his minion Glorious Godfrey, possessing the Equation would allow unlimited and instantaneous control.<ref>''Forever People'' #3 (July 1971)</ref>

In [[Jim Starlin]]'s mini-series ''[[Cosmic Odyssey (comic book)|Cosmic Odyssey]]'', the Anti-Life Equation is revealed as a living shadow-based deity that corrupts and destroys everything it touches. This revelation shocks even Darkseid, who teams up with the New Gods and a group of superheroes from Earth to stop the Anti-Life Equation entity, ultimately sealing it off from their reality. The Anti-Life Equation Entity would be [[retcon]]ned as a creature who had been mislabeled as far as having anything to do with the Anti-Life Equation.

In issue #4 of [[Neil Gaiman]]'s ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]]'' series, the demon [[Choronzon]] mimics the form of 'Anti-Life' when challenging [[Dream (character)|Dream]] to 'the Oldest Game' - a battle of wits in which the two must define increasingly powerful entities in turn. Attempting to end the game, Choronzon states "I am Anti-Life, the beast of judgement. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, gods, worlds...of everything", at which point he takes on the appearance of a large, blank face against a white background. Dream counters this by proclaiming "I am hope".<ref>''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]'' (vol. 2) #4</ref>

In [[Walt Simonson]]'s ''[[Orion (character)|Orion]]'' series, the Equation is portrayed much like in the original Kirby comics, ignoring the version shown in ''Cosmic Odyssey''. Besides the power to control minds, it is also shown to give its wielder the power to revive corpses through verbal commands.<ref>''Orion'' #11 (April 2001)</ref>

In [[Grant Morrison]]'s ''[[Seven Soldiers|Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle]]'' mini-series, Darkseid (or Boss Dark Side, as he was calling himself) gained control of the Anti-Life Equation, which is stylized in narration as:

<blockquote>loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding × guilt × shame × failure × judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side</blockquote>

By speaking said equation, Darkseid can insert the full formula into people's minds, giving them the mathematical certainty that life, hope and freedom are all pointless. According to [[Barbara Gordon|Oracle]], who barely escaped the "full" effects of the Equation by shutting down the entire [[Internet]] just in time, the Anti-Life Equation further states that the only point in ''anything'' is to conform to Darkseid's will.<ref>[[Grant Morrison]] (w), [[J.G. Jones]], [[Carlos Pacheco]] (p), J.G. Jones, [[Jesus Merino]] (i). "Darkseid Says": ''Final Crisis'' issue #4 of 7 (November 2008), DC Comics.</ref> [[Shilo Norman]] (the current [[Mister Miracle]]) is able to break free from this with the help of Metron, gaining immunity from the Equation in the process. He passes this immunity to his allies by drawing a specific pattern (the pattern is shown to be the New Genesis word for freedom) on their face.

When Jim Starlin returned to writing the New Gods in 2007's ''[[Death of the New Gods]]'' mini-series, the retcon was revised, with the Anti-Life Equation Entity being revealed to be one-half of a cosmic being that was split into two by the war of the old gods (the other half of the cosmic entity being the Source). In a text page published in ''Final Crisis Secret Files'', Grant Morrison attempts to reconcile the Starlin version of the Anti-Life Equation with his own version, by suggesting that the Equation is indeed sentient (as Starlin suggests) and that even after "mastering" the Equation, Darkseid still does not understand the true horrific nature of what the Anti-Life Equation is and its relationship with the Source.<ref>''Final Crisis Secret Files'' (w) Grant Morrison</ref>

In the New 52, the Anti-Life has much of the same powers it had before,<ref>''Infinity Man and The Forever People'' #6</ref> Yuga Khan having used it to bring back the dead Old Gods to aid him in battle against his sons, Dreamer Beautiful using it for the first time to resurrect a deceased [[Mark Moonrider]], and Darkseid himself using a fraction of it to draw unsuspecting victims to their end by broadcasting it over his [[parademon]] hive factories.

==Life Equation==
The Anti-Life's opposite member takes more prominence within the New 52. The white Light of Life is said to be the spark that originally gave birth to the positive matter universe of Earth-Zero just as the Anti-Life gave rise to the antimatter universe. Unlike the Anti-Life Equation which saps a person of their free will, The Life Equation is an all consuming power which has the capability to restructure reality by changing its formula around rewriting the very multiverse itself, representing the attributes of life itself pertaining to change and variance. The make up of the equation formula seems to vary from iteration to iteration. One instance relates it to the Emotional Spectrum and its corresponding seven lights: [[Red Lantern Corps|rage]], [[Larfleeze|greed]], [[Sinestro Corps|fear]], [[Green Lantern Corps|will]], [[Blue Lantern Corps|hope]], [[Indigo Tribe|compassion]] and [[Star Sapphires|love]].

Initially believing all of these refractions of the source light to lead in becoming the Life Equation, it is then realized that the formula itself is a separate power all its own connected directly to The Source of all things. Its power once hidden behind the wall of its namesake had been removed and supplanted within the [[White Lantern Corps|White Ring]] utilized by [[Kyle Rayner]] to escape it after the seven emotional entities gave themselves to both him and it to replenish the Emotional Reservoir. It is later revealed that Kyle managed to escape with the equation in hand after he reached out into the source itself and unknowingly claimed the equation.<ref>''Green Lantern'' (vol. 5) Annual #2</ref> Once claimed, the Life Equation has the power to redefine reality to a universal to multiversal degree, enabling the user to change the formula to remake all of existence.

The Life Equation was split into seven parts and placed into Kyle's and six newly created [[White Lantern Corps#Powers and abilities|White Power rings]]. These seven rings can be brought together to restore the Life Equation if needed, but until then, the White Lantern Corps protects the equation.<ref>''Green Lantern: New Guardians'' #40 (May 2015)</ref>

==Alternate realities==
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in the [[Elseworlds]] graphic novel ''[[Superman: The Dark Side]]''. [[Jor-El]] gives it to his son Kal-El before Krypton's destruction so he could use it to subjugate Earth and create a new Krypton. However, Kal-El instead lands on Apokolips, where Darkseid finds him and claims the Equation for himself.
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in ''[[Superman and Batman: World's Funnest]]''.
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in ''[[DCeased]]''. Darkseid summons the [[Black Racer (DC Comics)|Black Racer]] to help claim the Equation from Cyborg, inadvertently transforming it into a zombie-like virus.

==In other media==

=== Television ===

* The Anti-Life Equation appears in the [[DC Animated Universe]] series ''[[Superman: The Animated Series]]'', ''[[Justice League (TV series)|Justice League]]'', and ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]''. Throughout his appearances, Darkseid seeks the Equation to remake the universe in his image, only for [[Lex Luthor]] to use it to absorb them both into the Source Wall.
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in the [[Smallville season 10|tenth season]] of ''[[Smallville]]''.
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in the ''[[DC Super Hero Girls]]'' episode "My So Called Anti-Life".
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in the ''[[Justice League Action]]'' episode "It'll Take a Miracle!".
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in ''[[Young Justice (TV series)|Young Justice]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Adams |first=Tim |date=January 8, 2019 |title=''Young Justice: Outsiders'' Episode Titles Spell Out An Ominous Message |url=https://www.cbr.com/young-justice-outsiders-episode-titles-anti-life-equation/ |access-date=April 6, 2019 |work=CBR.com}}</ref> Throughout the [[Young Justice: Outsiders|third season]], [[Granny Goodness]] attempts to use [[Halo (DC Comics)|Halo]]'s connection to the Source to access the Equation, only to be defeated by [[Cyborg (DC Comics)|Cyborg]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Tim |date=August 6, 2019 |title=Young Justice's First Post-Credits Scene Name-Drops a Major DC Weapon |url=https://www.cbr.com/young-justice-post-credits-scene-darkseid-anti-life-equation/ |access-date=September 12, 2024 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in the ''[[Supergirl (TV series)|Supergirl]]'' episode "The Bottle Episode".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Netzley |first=Sara |date=January 20, 2024 |title=''Supergirl'' recap: Battle of the Brainys |url=https://ew.com/recap/supergirl-season-5-episode-10/ |access-date=September 12, 2024 |website=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}</ref>
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in ''[[The Sandman (TV series)|The Sandman]]'' episode "[[The Sandman (TV series)#ep4|A Hope in Hell]]".
* The Anti-Life Equation appears in ''[[Kite Man: Hell Yeah!]]''. Throughout the series, Darkseid attempts to obtain the Equation, only for it to be transferred into the [[Queen of Fables]]' spellbook and taken into [[Martian Manhunter]]'s possession.

=== Film ===
The Anti-Life Equation appears in ''[[Zack Snyder's Justice League]]''.

=== Video games ===
The Anti-Life Equation appears in ''[[Lego DC Super-Villains]]''.

==See also==
* [[Hypertime]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{New Gods}}
{{Jack Kirby}}
[[Category:DC Comics deities]]
[[Category:Equations]]
[[Category:Fictional elements introduced in 1971]]