Doctor Manhattan (original) (raw)
Doctor Manhattan was originally a nuclear physicist named Jon Osterman, who was accidentally caught in a radioactive particle test chamber and completely incinerated, which transformed him into a omnipotent, emotionally detached being capable of shaping the very fabric of the universe to his whim.
As a government-sponsored superhero, Manhattan protected America's interests for decades with his matter-altering abilities and precognition, but grew increasingly bored by his own god-like powers and eventually became deeply apathetic not only towards humanity but the existence of life itself. When the last connection to his humanity (his girlfriend and retired superheroine Laurie Jupiter) finally broke up with him and allegations of giving former acquaintances of his cancer emerged, Manhattan saw no other reason left to remain on Earth and abandoned the human race, fleeing to the planet Mars. He returned briefly to stop his old teammate Ozymandias, who it was believed at the time was trying to start World War III, but when Manhattan discovered he was instead trying to prevent it, he abandoned the human race once again for his own ventures.
Doctor Manhattan was created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, first appearing in Watchmen #1 (1986).
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