Mercy Graves
| Mercy Graves | |
|---|---|
 Mercy Graves as depicted in Detective Comics #735 (December 1999), art by Dan Jurgens. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman: The Animated Series "A Little Piece of Home (1996)" |
| First comic appearance | Superman Adventures #1 (November 1996) |
| Created by | Paul Dini Bruce Timm Hilary Bader |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Mercy Graves |
| Species | Human cyborg |
| Team affiliations | LexCorp |
| Abilities | Trained in hand-to-hand combat |
Mercy Graves is a supervillain appearing in multimedia and American comic books published by DC Entertainment and DC Comics. Created for the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), she first appeared in 1996 on Superman: The Animated Series as the personal assistant and bodyguard of Superman's archenemy Lex Luthor, returning in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, voiced by Lisa Edelstein.[1] She has since been introduced into comic books published by DC Comics.
In live-action, the character has been played by Tao Okamoto in the 2016 DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,[2] Rhona Mitra in the fourth season of the television series Supergirl, and by Natalie Gumede in the second and fourth seasons of the series Titans on DC Universe and HBO Max. Additionally, a character based on Graves named Tess Mercer appears in Smallville, portrayed by Cassidy Freeman.
DC Animated Universe
[edit]Superman: The Animated Series
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Created for and introduced in Superman: The Animated Series, Mercy Graves is a tough young woman with a checkered past, a sardonic wit, and skill in unarmed combat. While leading a gang of female thieves, she attempted to steal a briefcase from Lex Luthor. Though she failed, an impressed Luthor recognized her ruthlessness and street savvy, took her in, and eventually made her his personal bodyguard and chauffeur. Loyal and respectful to him, she also claims to be "the only one in Luthor's entire company who can get away with calling him Lex".
An alternate reality variant of Graves appears in the episode "Brave New Metropolis". After Luthor and Superman turned Metropolis into a police state, Graves became the commander of the former's law enforcement group.
Justice League and Justice League Unlimited
[edit]In the Justice League episode "Tabula Rasa", it is established that Graves took over LexCorp following Luthor's imprisonment. When he returns, she proves hesitant to return control to him. After he is re-imprisoned, she refuses to help him after he is diagnosed with Kryptonite-induced cancer. Nonetheless, she returns to Luthor's side as of the Justice League Unlimited episode "Clash".
Comics
[edit]Mercy Graves first appeared in the main DC Universe continuity in Detective Comics #735 (August 1999), during the No Man's Land storyline. This version is blonde and often works with an additional bodyguard, Hope. Furthermore, both Graves and Hope are implied to be Amazons, with the former later being confirmed as such in Justice League: Cry for Justice.[3]
In Infinity, Inc., Graves adopts the secret identity of "Vanilla" and joins the eponymous team in the hopes of atoning for her misdeeds. However, she leaves after almost beating a man to death.
In The New 52, Graves is reintroduced as Luthor's Asian American personal assistant who manages LexCorp in his absence.[4]
During the "Lazarus Planet" event, Graves becomes a metahuman cyborg after being exposed to Lazarus Pit resin.[5]
In other media
[edit]Television
[edit]Animation
[edit]- Mercy Graves appears in The Batman two-part episode "The Batman/Superman Story", voiced by Gwendoline Yeo. This version wields twin laser guns.
- Mercy Graves makes non-speaking appearances in Young Justice. This version is a cyborg and minor member of the Light who possesses a cybernetic right arm equipped with various weapons.[1]
- Mercy Graves makes non-speaking appearances in Harley Quinn.
Live-action
[edit]- A character loosely based on Mercy Graves, among other characters, named Tess Mercer appears in Smallville, portrayed by Cassidy Freeman.[6]
- Mercy Graves appears in the fourth season of Supergirl, portrayed by Rhona Mitra.[7] This version is an anti-alien activist along with her brother Otis Graves and previously worked as the head of security of LuthorCorp under Lex Luthor and Project Cadmus under Lex's mother Lillian Luthor until the Luthors were arrested. Throughout the season, the Graveses expose President Olivia Marsdin as an alien before attempting to assassinate her. While they are foiled by Supergirl and apprehended by the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO), the pair convince Raymond Jensen to free them and aid them in further anti-alien endeavors until Mercy is eventually killed by Hellgrammite.
- Mercy Graves appears in Titans, portrayed by Natalie Gumede.[8] This version is a lesbian, mother of two daughters, and the former head of Cadmus Labs.
Film
[edit]- Mercy Graves was considered to appear in the scrapped Superman Reborn and Superman Lives film projects, with Famke Janssen being considered for the role.[9]
- Mercy Graves appears in Superman: Brainiac Attacks, voiced by Tara Strong.
- Mercy Graves appears in Superman: Doomsday, voiced by Cree Summer.[1] After discovering and inadvertently releasing Doomsday, Lex Luthor kills her to hide his involvement.
- Mercy Graves appears in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, portrayed by Tao Okamoto.[2] Amidst his plot to discredit Superman and receive approval to use salvaged Kryptonian technology against him, Lex Luthor kills Graves, among others, while bombing the United States Capitol.
- Mercy Graves appears in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU) films The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen, voiced by Erica Luttrell.[1]
- Mercy Graves makes a non-speaking appearance in Superman: Man of Tomorrow.
- Mercy Graves appears in DC League of Super-Pets, voiced by Maya Erskine.[1]
- Mercy Graves appears in Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!, voiced by Victoria Grace.[10][1]
Video games
[edit]- Mercy Graves appears in Superman: Shadow of Apokolips, voiced by Lauren Tom.[1]
- Mercy Graves appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[11]
- Mercy Graves appears in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Cree Summer.[12] This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "Mercy Graves Voices (Superman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 5, 2024. 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.
- ^ a b Bussey, Ben (April 20, 2011). "Wolverine Actress Joins Batman V Superman". Yahoo. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
- ^ Justice League: Cry for Justice #1-7 (September 2009 – April 2010)
- ^ Justice League (vol. 2) #31 (June 2014)
- ^ Blum, Jeremy (January 18, 2023). "Lex Luthor's Bodyguard, Mercy Graves, Gets a Young Justice-Inspired Power-Up". CBR. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Tabu, Hannibal (July 30, 2008). "Catwoman 2, Punisher: War Zone, Transformers 2: July 30 Comic Reel". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved August 18, 2008.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 27, 2018). "'Supergirl': Rhona Mitra To Play Mercy Graves on the CW Series, Robert Baker Also Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- ^ Boucher, Geoff (June 12, 2019). "DC Universe: Doctor Who Co-Star Lands Mercy Graves Role On Titans". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
- ^ Hughes, David (2002). "The Death of Superman Lives". The Greatest Sci-Fi Films Never Made. Titan Books. pp. 176–179. ISBN 1-84023-428-8.
- ^ Lovell, Kevin (July 27, 2023). "'Scooby-Doo! And Krypto, Too!' Trailer, Artwork & Release Details; Arrives On Digital & DVD September 26, 2023 From Warner Bros". screen-connections.com. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Michael, Jon; Veness, John (November 2, 2018). "Characters - LEGO DC Super-Villains Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Mercy Graves bio on the official Superman Batman Adventures homepage
- Mercy Graves on the DC Animated Universe Wiki, an external wiki
- Characters created by Bruce Timm
- Comics characters introduced in 1996
- DC Animated Universe original characters
- DC Comics Amazons
- DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
- DC Comics female superheroes
- DC Comics female supervillains
- Female characters in animated television series
- Fictional bodyguards
- Fictional businesspeople
- Fictional chauffeurs
- Fictional cyborgs
- Fictional henchmen
- Superman characters
- Fictional lesbians