The Anti-Life Equation is the cruelest force in the DC Universe. Always pursued by Darkseid, only top heroes like Superman can guard it effectively. DC Comics' Multiverse is full of different ways to attain nearly ultimate power. Sometimes, it's through objects created by the most powerful beings in existence.
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.
The only known antidote to the Equation are the concepts of Freedom and Hope; the New Genesis hieroglyph of Freedom, called the Metron Emblem, significantly wears down the formula's ability to dominate other wills, allowing the infected to fight against the Equation and win while exposed to the symbol.
Even Superman and Wonder Woman weren't immune to the Anti-Life virus, and now it would seem that Lobo's immunity speaks to just how powerful he is, even compared to one of DC's most dangerous cosmic weapons. While Lobo's immunity to the virus comes as a shock, this power is not entirely unfitting for the character.
Who is DC Comics' Static? Can RESIST the "Anti-Life Equation!"
Can the Anti-Life Equation control the Multiverse?
The anti-life equation is a source of power great enough to end reality itself. More impressive than most people realize. The Anti-Life Equation can actually undo reality. It can end the entire Multiverse if used correctly.
Put simply, the Anti-Life Equation is a mathematical formula that proves the futility of existence and free will. In the wrong hands, that formula is a terrible weapon with the power to brainwash and enslave entire worlds. That's why Darkseid is so obsessed with Anti-Life.
What happens if Darkseid gets the Anti-Life Equation?
This version of Darkseid spent his life seeking the Anti-Life Equation, only to lose it at soon as he gets it. The effect on him is profound, humbling him and reducing him to a shell of what he once was as he watches it destroy a universe.
Trivia. The virus does not appear to be capable of infecting every single living being, with DeSaad not becoming one of the Anti-Living despite having been exposed to the tainted equation at the same time as Darkseid was. It's also only able to temporarily infect Deathstroke due to his superhuman healing.
After decades of looking for the Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid finally found the source of it, and he found it not to use it, but to destroy it. While Erebos was eventually destroyed due to the heroes' combined efforts, it was still one of the most terrifying enemies ever faced in comics.
Just looking at the numbers, Darkseid would win. His Omega Beams wipe out anything they hit from existance, or in the case of Batman send that person back in time.
As prophesied, Orion returns to Earth via boom tube for his final battle with Darkseid. During the massive fight, Orion ultimately kills him by ripping his heart out, which created a firepit of Apokolips from Darkseid's chest cavity (in reference to the prophecy of their final battle).
When Darkseid attacked Earth in retaliation for his death at Superman's hands, Metron took Lex Luthor to the Source Wall, beyond which lay the Anti-Life Equation. He warned Luthor that only a 12th level intellect could solve it and hope to survive, to which Luthor cockily replied that he was "over-qualified".
Brainiac possesses a 12th level intellect, which is by far considered Superhuman Intelligence. Intelligence has been defined in many different ways including logic, abstract thought, understanding, self-awareness, communication, learning, having emotional knowledge, retaining, planning, and problem solving.
While Superman's reputation as DC's strongest hero is important to the themes that make him work, Darkseid isn't just more powerful, he's a higher level of being.
Why is Deathstroke missing an eye if he has a healing factor?
For many, the belief as to why his eye never heals is because his healing factor is limited. While he can recover from gunshot wounds and lacerations in his organs, it doesn't seem as though he has the ability to regenerate like Deadpool or Wolverine.
Slade says he was so overcome with emotion that it overrode his logic, causing him to lose the battle. He cites this as his only weakness, saying that the only fights he's ever lost are those where his tactical genius was drowned out by his emotions.
Accelerated Healing: In addition to allowing him to survive otherwise serious injuries, Slade's healing ability is able to prevent him from permanently becoming one of the Anti-Living.
Powerful and strong-willed beings like Superman can resist the Equation; however, if the formula is imparted in a moment of weakness, even they would not be able to resist the Equation's wearying-induced control.
Snyder explained the villain's apparent forgetfulness on Vero: "He almost died when he returned to [Apokolips, Darkseid's planet] he was in a fight for power and much time passed before he was in a position of power again and by then all who had been with him had been Slayed."
Instead, he uses his servants to defeat his enemies for him. Apparently, Darkseid only fights opponents he deems worthy, such as Superman, Batman or Orion. Indomitable Will: Darkseid possesses an extraordinary control over his emotions, despite his reputation of anger and hatred towards all living things.
So now, when Steppenwolf, desperate to win back Darseid's approval and return home, unites two of the three Mother Boxes, he gets a vision where he discovers that the Anti-Life Equation is written into the very surface of Earth.
