Takion

Takion
Takion, art by Aaron Lopresti.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Takion #1 (June 1996)
Created by	Paul Kupperberg (writer) Aaron Lopresti (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Joshua Saunders
Team affiliations	New Gods
Notable aliases	Highfather
Abilities	Cosmic Awareness, Unlimited energy powers.

Takion is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics Universe. The character was created by Paul Kupperberg and Aaron Lopresti, first appearing in an eponymous series in 1996 that lasted for 7 issues.

Josh Saunders, a blind psychologist, who was chosen by Highfather to become a Source Elemental and given the ability to manipulate the Source, because Highfather felt he was "a man without destiny" and therefore would not be missed. Highfather names him Takion of the Source and tells him that he must clean a taint from the Source. In reality, Takion was created as an Avatar of Highfather, as a security measure in the event of Highfather's death. In that moment, Takion was able to see everything, all his failures and victories, time was without boundary. He was even able to foresee Highfather's death.

While trying to deal with the ebb and flow of energy through his body into and out of the Source, Josh attracts the attention of Captain Atom, the Flash, Green Lantern; after a brief fight, he easily defeats all three heroes and leaves the planet feeling that with his immense power levels, he was a threat to everyone on Earth.

The problem was that unlike a New God, Takion has cosmic awareness but has to filter this awareness and all the information it brought using the primitive thought structures of a human brain. This dissonance was making him unstable. He spent his time in space learning how to separate the future and past from the present, and forcing his awareness to exist only in the present. He allowed his body to discorporate so that he could re-assemble himself, which is when he first discovered the ability to possess others, read their minds and also their potential timeline and destiny. Takion also learned how to accept and use his cosmic awareness.

Takion's main nemesis is Stayne, his dark counterpart who was a nameless human woman transformed by Darkseid's power. She is sent to keep Takion from achieving his true potential and to prevent him from learning about Darkseid's plan to destroy the Source Wall. After Stayne's creation, he is finally caught up to Darkseid and confronts her for the first time. Takion must deal with Stayne's ability to cut him off from the Source and the threatening fact that if she makes physical contact with the Wall first, she will gain control over reality.