10 Times Superheroes Fought The WRONG Villain
2. Superman And Darkseid - Superman: The Animated Series
Superman had taken on Darkseid before in the comics, but even when he did it was always established that Darkseid was a New Gods villain. But arguably the most important instance of the two godlike super beings going head to head was when Darkseid made his breakout appearance in the two-parter Apokalips Now in Superman: The Animated Series.
The reason this is here above the other instances before it is because for an entire generation of kids who would grow up into comic nerds or even writers themselves, it cemented Darkseid as a Superman villain, instead of a New Gods villain. It's why Darkseid keeps appearing in later Superman books when the other New Gods are nowhere to be seen, sometimes for years at a time. And it all started with this blockbuster story of Superman's first encounter with the most evil being in the DC universe.
Superman doesn't even really fight him at first, Darkseid immediately overwhelms him with his Omega Beam and presents his broken body to Metropolis. Only for the Jack Kirby inspired Officer Turpin to stand up to him, at the cost of his own life.
For an entire generation who had never up to then even heard of Darkseid, this was about as good a first impression of a villain as you can get.