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"I don't need your help. I'm goddamn Mister Terrific."
Michael Holt, also known as Mister Terrific, is a skilled combatant and one of the world's most brilliant inventors and tacticians who operates as a vigilante and member of the Justice Gang, using the T-Spheres to fight crime with the aid of Kryptonian superhero Superman, with whom he formed a close friendship. During a battle against a Kaiju, Terrific and the team discovered Superman's supposed mission to conquer Earth, causing them to distrust him, but when Kent's girlfriend Lois Lane came to the team to rescue Superman, Holt offered to help her and they managed to get Kent, Krypto, Metamorpho and his son to escape from Lex Luthor's Pocket Universe, who opened a black hole to gain Superman's attention. To prevent it from destroying Metropolis and spreading to the world, Terrific and Superman were able to stop Luthor's plans by exposing his evil conspiracy.
Michael Holt developed advanced intelligence during his childhood, making him one of the most respected scientists on Earth due to his technological advancements. Holt eventually fell in love with and married Paula. However, Paula died, leaving Holt depressed over his wife's tragic death and choosing to hide his feelings from others. Despite the tragedy, Holt was determined to move forward and in his attempt to honor her,[1] he decided to fight crime with his technology, adopting the alias Mister Terrific. Holt regularly updated his arsenal, designing the T-Spheres and the T-Craft that would allow him to travel to various locations.[2]
Member of the Justice Gang[]
Joining the Justice Gang[]
"We're not called that." "Yeah, your name is Mister Terrific. You don't get a vote with a name like that."
Due to his superhero activities, Holt was recruited by LordTech CEO Maxwell Lord, who asked him to join his superhero team, which consisted of Earth-protecting Green Lantern Guy Gardner and metahuman warrior Kendra Saunders, known as Hawkgirl. Holt accepted the proposal and they operated as the heroic protectors of Metropolis, based out of the Hall of Justice, where Holt tentd his T-Craft, though he did not have time to remodel the headquarters' garage. When Gardner proclaimed himself leader of the team, he unofficially dubbed the team the "Justice Gang", much to the chagrin of Holt and Saunders, whose votes against it were invalid.[2]
Meeting Superman[]
"You put nanobot GPS trackers in your friend's bloodstream?" "Oh, I do that to everybody."
With Superman's heroic debut, the Justice Gang approached the hero and, noticing his intentions to protect Earth, became close allies, to the point where Superman confided in them his Kryptonian heritage as Kal-El and his secret human identity as reporter Clark Kent, as well as the use of his Hypno-Glasses to hide his identity from others. Unbeknownst to his friends, Holt injected Kent, Guy Gardner, and Kendra Saunders with nanobot GPS trackers in case any of them went missing so he could find them.[2]
"What's the skinny?" "Its hide is tough, but, uh, it's off-balance. I've been trying to figure out a way to get it out of here alive. Get it someplace where we can study it." "Oh, come on, man."
In May 2025, a Kaiju released into Metropolis grew larger and became a giant monster that began wreaking havoc on the city, prompting Superman to intervene and protect a large number of civilians. Due to the destruction caused by the Kaiju, the Justice Gang arrived on the scene to intervene, with Guy Gardner ordering civilians to evacuate the area before launching into the creature, which attacked them with its fire breath before Superman was able to extinguish its flames after throwing a water tank at it to slow it down. When Hawkgirl hit the Kaiju with her mace, Terrific deployed his T-Spheres to analyze the monster's anatomy to find its weak spot, but was forced to flee when the Kaiju attempted to devour him until he was saved by Gardner who generated a giant muzzle that covered its mouth.
As Gardner and Hawkgirl contained the Kaiju, Terrific approached Superman in his hoverchair to question him about his fight with the Kaiju, with his friend reporting that he was unable to defeat the creature due to its confusion and stating that he was thinking of a way to get it out of Metropolis alive for study, much to Terrific's frustration, who complained about Superman's kind-heartedness. Quickly, Terrific soared up in his hoverchair and ordered his teammates to attack the Kaiju in its eyes to distract it while Superman became enraged by the Justice Gang's violent methods against the monster by putting civilians at risk. Terrific took advantage of the Kaiju's distraction to send his spheres into the monster's interior and exploded its intestines, causing its death, with a heartbroken Superman carrying the Kaiju to take its corpse to a safe place.[2]
"The first half is... is real. The second half was damaged in the t-trip from Krypton to Earth. So it's-it's gotta be doctored." "No way, Clark. I know these computer forensics guys. They're not gonna say it's legit unless they are sure. I'm so sorry, man, but there's no way that message is fake."
Following the battle with the Kaiju, Terrific descended to rejoin Superman and the Justice Gang as they were cheered on by the civilians, with Guy Gardner and Hawkgirl arguing over the team's name. Suddenly, the team and the civilians turned to watch The Sphere News report revealing that Superman had been sent on a mission to conquer Earth before Cleavis Thornwaite began interviewing LuthorCorp CEO Lex Luthor to explain the events. The team, Superman and the crowd watched Luthor display the message from Superman's Kryptonianparents, which was translated by various forensics employed by Luthor, discovering the deep love of the hero's biological parents, as well as the hope they placed in him, which led them to decide to send him to Earth to survive Krypton's destruction, confusing Kent, who turned to see the Justice Gang to question the controversy of the message, but as the message progressed, to the surprise of everyone and Superman himself, they discovered that his parents sent him to Earth due to the simplicity and low intellect of humans, whom he was entrusted to subdue or execute if they rebelled against him, as well as accumulate a harem of women to breed future descendants who would rule the planet in the name of Krypton, causing the world to repudiate Superman for his true goal.
Terrific comments on the legitimacy of the message
When Superman entered a Stagg Industries building, the team followed him to confront him, with Gardner generating a force field with his Power Ring to muffle civilian noises and questioning Superman about his true motivations. Terrific witnessed his teammates ask Superman various questions, who claimed that the message was legitimate, but noted that the other half had been lost during the journey from Krypton to Earth, deducing that Luthor may have altered it somehow. However, Terrific denied his assumptions, commenting that he had connections to forensics, stating that they would not call it legit if they hadn't secured it, and lamented Superman's discovery, declaring that the message was true. When Hawkgirl questioned where Luthor obtained the message, Superman hurriedly left the building to fly to the Fortress of Solitude.[2]
At night, a Fifth-Dimensional Imp originating from the Fifth Dimension teleported to Metropolis, where it began causing a rampage until the Justice Gang intervened to stop the imp while Superman was in search of his dog and left the team to fight the extradimensional being. During the battle, Terrific deployed his T-Spheres to fight the imp while Kent and Lois Lane watched from their apartment. Successfully, the team was able to stop the imp, which Guy Gardner managed to trap in a net and banish back to its dimension.[2]
"I'm not saying we're gonna save him, but... I think we can at least check out what's going on with your boyfriend at this Fort Kramer." "He's not-- We're just seeing each other. But thanks. You want me to drive?" "We'll take my ride."
The next morning, the Justice Gang was resting in the Hall of Justice, where they received an unexpected visit from Lois Lane, who revealed that Superman had been arrested and taken to a Pocket Universe belonging to Lex Luthor. Using the nanobot GPS trackers implanted in Superman, Holt used his computer to track him before arguing with Guy Gardner over the team's name, but Gardner mocked his alias in response before telling Lane that Superman was not an official member, though Holt remarked that if Superman were part of the team, he would not like the name. When Lane questioned the Justice Gang on what they would do to save Superman, Holt was able to track him down and reported that he found him at Fort Kramer, where his trail mysteriously disappeared, denying the possibility that he had died and confirming Lane's theory regarding the Pocket Universe, surprising Lane, who questioned in amazement that Holt implanted nanobot GPS trackers in his friend, but he openly revealed that he did it to everyone he knew, much to the team's disgust.
Using Holt's discovery, Lane suggested they join forces to rescue Superman, sharing her suspicions that he was being framed by Luthor to prevent his interference during the Boravian-Jarhanpurian War, but Gardner refused to help due to his oath barring his involvement in political conflicts, frustrating Holt after hearing that his oath was implied before Kendra Saunders revealed that he uses it as an excuse to do nothing, angering Gardner. Hesitant to create a conflict if Superman was freed, the team refused to aid Lane, who left the headquarters in frustration. Nonetheless, Holt left the Hall to rejoin Lane, arranging to travel with her to Fort Kramer to find Kent. For the trip, Holt declined to use Lane's car, choosing instead to activate the T-Craft, though the garage took a few seconds to open. Inside the ship, Holt overheard Lane talking about her romantic feelings for Superman, but he stopped her comments due to his disapproval of the feelings, however, Lane continued talking about their relationship before being reprimanded by Holt, who powered up the ship to begin the journey.[2]
Terrific piloted the T-Craft to Fort Kramer, which was surrounded by various flags bearing the LuthorCorp logo. Descending with Lois Lane, Terrific deployed the ship's ladders and its T-Spheres to track Superman via holograms to a tent as they were threatened by Raptors, who prepared to attack him if he did not leave the restricted area. Despite their warnings, Terrific scoffed at their threat before activating a force shield with the spheres to protect himself and Lane from the Raptors' fire. Terrific exited the shield to engage the Raptors, launching them into the air with his spheres while striking and restraining the LuthorCorp technicians. Terrific briefly approached Lane before boosting one sphere and throwing the rest to knock out the technicians and Raptors, clearing a path to the tent, shocking the reporter after disabling the shield.
Inside the tent, Terrific found a Dimensional Portal connecting to the Pocket Universe, surprising him with Lex Luthor's ability to create it and using his orbs to hack into the portal system and enter the dimension. When Lane questioned the danger of the situation, Terrific explained that if someone made a mistake during the creation of a pocket universe, a black hole could form that would destroy Earth and risk tearing a hole in the fabric of reality, telling Lane that Luthor indeed specialized into that kind of reckless science. Terrific joked with Lane about how helping her could annoy Guy Gardner, a gesture she appreciated. Shortly after, the spheres managed to open the portal, and Terrific and Lane slowly entered the Pocket Universe, where the scientist noticed the Anti-Proton River before Lane suggested rappelling, but Terrific rejected the idea due to his insufficient gear to descend, with Lane assuming that the spheres, which she referred to as "circles", had that capability, frustrating Terrific at the term of his spheres.
Terrific realized that the dimension was filled with black hole vortexes, warning Lane that if they crossed the river they could be vaporized, leading him to deploy two spheres around the universe as the eyes of his T-mask rolled back to view his drone cameras. During the exploration, Lane questioned the movement of the portal, with Terrific commenting that they should hurry to rescue Superman before the portal closed after being open for too long. Suddenly, Terrific discovered Krypto, Superman's Kryptonian dog that was kidnapped by Luthor, biting a Raptor, causing him to react in surprise at its ability to fly, although the dog began chasing the sphere to bite it, forcing Terrific to try to save it before it was destroyed, causing him to whine in frustration.
With his last sphere, Terrific found Superman, Krypto, Metamorpho, and his son Joey Mason, whom he described by their appearance to Lane. When Superman noticed the sphere, Terrific confirmed his identity and asked his friend to follow him to the portal while the dog attempted to destroy the sphere as the portal collapsed. Terrific and Lane quickly ran back to the tent after Krypto stepped through the portal as it began to collapse, followed by Superman, Metamorpho, and Mason, who were able to arrive in time. Terrific noticed that Krypto was having fun destroying his sphere, angering him, and quickly reprimanded the dog for the expensive creation of his spheres, but Krypto violently attempted to bite him, scaring him away. While Superman warned of the other innocent prisoners in the Pocket Universe, Terrific warned that it would be impossible to re-enter and noted that Metamorpho had been forced to weaken him with Kryptonite. Worried about his friend, Terrific asked Lane to take him to a safe place for his recovery, lending her the T-Craft to transport him while he stayed behind to keep the portal secure.[2]
"Superman. We need you here in Metropolis now." "I have to get to Boravia, Terrific." "There won't be a Boravia, or a Metropolis, or a planet Earth, if you don't get here soon. This rift is about to tear into the city. I can't stop it. I need your help."
Later, Terrific continued to monitor the Dimensional Portal from his tent at Fort Kramer before the portal began to open on Lex Luthor's orders, being warned by a technician, who questioned if he could stop it, question that Terrific answered sarcastically before noticing how a dimensional rift in the Pocket Universe began to manifest from the ground, mentioning that it was the reason why pocket universes should never be created. Using his hoverchair, Terrific noticed that the rift was heading towards Metropolis, so he sent his T-Spheres to ask for Superman's help in closing it before it was too late, but he refused due to him having to protect Jarhanpur from the Boravian Armed Forces, though Terrific warned that both Jarhanpur and Metropolis would cease to exist if they allow the rift to grow, leading Kent to decide to help him and ask the Justice Gang and Metamorpho for help in defending the Jarhanpurians.
Terrific tries to close the rift
As the rift reached the city, Terrific attempted to use all of his codes to close it without success before watching in horror as several buildings were destroyed. During the city's destruction, Superman arrived in time to Metropolis to stop a giant building, saving all the civilians so they could escape. Terrific approached Superman to inform him of the existence of a code to close the rift located in LuthorCorp Tower, but before doing so, Superman mentioned that he should find Krypto, frustrating Terrific for bringing him along, though Superman stated that it was to prevent him from killing his parents' cows. Suddenly, Terrific and Superman were attacked by Ultraman and Engineer, who knocked Terrific out at LordTech Field, where he staggered to his feet to watch Superman fight the two metahumans.
Terrific closes the rift
After Superman defeated all of the PlanetWatch members, Terrific approached the rift where Superman was resting to berate him, warning that they should head to Luthor to stop the rift, though Superman mentioned that he was doing "important stuff". Terrific rode on Krypto's back to keep up with Superman to reach the tower, where they prevented Luthor and his subordinates from escaping through the portal. Upon reaching the tower, Terrific got up after being dropped by Krypto and headed to the control center to close the portal, with technician Sydney Happersen offering his help to save Metropolis, however, Terrific pushed him away to avoid receiving his help, proclaiming himself as "goddamn Mister Terrific". Terrific was able to successfully access the code, closing the rift, and Metropolis was reunited before proudly watching as the Daily Planet staff revealed Luthor's true nature and his conspiracy with President Vasil Ghurkos, resulting in his arrest while Superman's heroic reputation was cleared.
Terrific argues with Superman about the crack in the building
With Luthor and his subordinates imprisoned at Belle Reve Correctional Center, Terrific used the tower's portal to reopen the Pocket Universe and rescue Eve Teschmacher, Fleurette, and the other prisoners with the help of the United States Armed Forces. Following the battle, Terrific and Superman reunited to view a building in Metropolis, which Superman looked at strangely, catching Terrific's attention before pointing to the crack in the building, though he still didn't understand his question. When Superman pointed out that the building was cracked, Terrific sarcastically questioned if he wanted him to take apart and put back together the building, but Superman clumsily attempted to deny his curiosity. Frustrated by his friend's question, Terrific angrily walked away while kicking a rock, with Superman attempting to apologize for his irrelevant question.[2]
Personality[]
"Just to be clear, I am not into people's emotions."
Mister Terrific can be defined by his extraordinary intellect, exceptional competence, reserved and pragmatic demeanor, and a quiet compassion rooted in an unshakable commitment to justice. He upholds ethics above all else, refusing to let pain or personal loss stop him from helping others. Though often focused and emotionally distant, he openly admits he doesn't get intimately involved with people yet his actions reveal deep empathy. Among the more pathogenically expressive members of the Justice Gang, he is considered the most sympathetic. He holds deep respect for Superman, admiring his idealism and moral code. Mister Terrific's motto is "Fair Play." His entire personality is based on the morally sound usage of artificial intelligence, and he rejects the abuse of power. Strongly believing that the mightier someone is, the more forthcoming and upright they should be. Superman being an inspiring antithesis to the anecdote of power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Methodical to an extreme, Holt implanted tracking nanites into Superman's and that of his own teammates bloodstream's without their consent, reflecting his cold and pragmatic approach to security. Even so, he remains a true hero. Holt being the only member of the Justice Gang willing to help Lois Lane rescue Superman from Lex Luthor's dimensional prison. Although he claimed he did it just to annoy Green Lantern, his actions clearly showed a genuine desire to aid someone he acknowledges as a friend. Holt treats Superman as an equal, showing neither suspicion of his Kryptonian origin nor disdain for his alien nature, instead, gifting him a deep trust as his token of appreciation. Michael recognizes that when philosophy fails and swift action is required, he does what Superman will not: act with calculated lethality. In extreme situations, he strikes or kills without hesitation. During the Kaiju attack, he deployed his T-Spheres with surgical precision, destroying the creature from within and neutralizing the threat with total efficiency and full control.
Terrific carries himself with quiet elegance and typically maintains unshakable calm even under the stress of combat with multiple Raptors thanks to his ability to anticipate outcomes and calculate variables, always staying several steps ahead. Still, even Holt reveals frustration when things spiral out of control. He has shown annoyance when Krypto chewed apart his precious and expensive T-Spheres, disbelief that Superman would bring his uncontrollable dog on a mission, and outright exasperation with Luthor for creating an unstable pocket dimension, an act he considered dangerously reckless and profoundly irresponsible, one that could have doomed them all. Terrific tends to get annoyed when others misunderstand his technology or get scientific terms wrong, often replying with an angry remark followed by a correction at whatever comment irritated him.
Abilities[]
Master Combatant: Despite relying primarily on technology when confronting his enemies, Michael Holt is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. During the mission to rescue Superman from the Pocket Universe, he easily took down several armored Raptors with minimal effort, showcasing his physical prowess. Holt's fighting style primarily consists of Boxing and Judo techniques.
"Isn't that one of those Justice guys?" "Just the smart one."
Genius-Level Intellect: Michael Holt does not posses any superhuman abilities, instead he relies on his genius intellect for his superhero activities as Mister Terrific. Terrific primarily uses highly advanced technology of his own design to operate as a member of the Justice Gang, enabling him to keep up with incredibly powerful metahumans such as Kryptonians and Green Lanterns despite not having any superpowers of his own. Holt has a natural aptitude for having natural aptitudes, allowing him to acquire complex skills quickly.[4]
Terrific speaks to Superman while hovering in his chair
Master Engineer: Holt is a highly skilled inventor, developing a wide variety of gadgets for use as Mister Terrific. His primary invention is the T-Sphere drones. Other inventions Terrific uses include his T-Mask, which he uses to operate the T-Spheres and feature screen lenses, a hover chair so he can fly short distances, and the T-Craft for long distance travel.
Master Scientist: Holt demonstrates advanced knowledge of various branches of science beyond engineering; he showed extensive understanding of Lex Luthor's Pocket Universe portals and immediately determined the dangers they present.
Master Hacker: Through the use of his T-Spheres, Holt is able to hack into a wide variety of technology. This allowed him to access Luthor's computers so that Lois and he could enter Lex's pocket universe prison.
Master Pilot: Holt is a skilled pilot, as he was able to fly his T-Craft without issue.
Equipment[]
Weapons and Gadgets[]
"I don't know. Maybe it comes out of your circles or something." "Circles? T-Spheres. They're three-dimensional. Circles are flat."
T-Spheres: Terrific's primary gadgets are his T-Spheres: highly advanced, multifunctional hovering drones of his own design. Controlled via sensors in his gloves and mask, the T-Spheres serve various combat and surveillance purposes. Offensively, they can be launched as projectiles, be rammed into enemies with enough force to knock them out, or be detonated with enough force to destroy threats as large as a Kaiju from the inside. They also function as analytical tools, capable of scanning individuals and projecting accurate holograms to study behavioral patterns and identify weaknesses. Equipped with integrated cameras, they provide visual access to areas Terrific cannot reach directly. Each T-Sphere is highly sophisticated and, as he notes, extremely expensive.
Other Equipment[]
Mister Terrific Suit: When operating as Mister Terrific, Holt dons a suit sponsored by LordTech, with black and white patterns and a jacket that prominently features his slogan "Fair Play" on both of its sleeves. The gloves notably help him control his T-Spheres better.
Nanobot GPS Trackers: Terrific owns Nanobot GPS trackers which he injects into the bloodstreams of anyone he knows to keep track of them, he does this without their consent much to the uncomfort of his team mates.
Hoverchair: Being the only member of the Justice Gang who can't fly naturally, Terrific developed a hoverchair to remain ariborne and travel short distances. The hoverchair features a control terminal to operate his gadgets while airborne.
Vehicles[]
"You have a flying saucer, but you couldn't get a faster garage door?"
T-Craft: Terrific's primary mode of long-distance travel is the T-Craft, a high-speed flying vehicle with a five-seat capacity. Designed for both efficiency and ease of operation, the T-Craft is capable of covering vast distances quickly. When not in use, it is stored in the garage adjacent to the Hall of Justice. Terrific allowed Lois Lane to drive the T-Craft to take Superman to safety after escaping Lex Luthor's Pocket Universe, and the following day Lane used it to evacuate the Daily Planet's staff when the dimensional rift threatened Metropolis.
Facilities[]
Hall of Justice: When operating as a superhero, Mister Terrific frequently convenes with his teammates at the Hall of Justice to coordinate their missions. He maintains a personal workstation equipped with a computer that allows him to monitor city activity and track individuals he has tagged with his advanced tracking technology.
Michael Holt in the DC Universe is the first live-action incarnation of the character. However, a version of the character named Curtis Holt was portrayed by Echo Kellum in the Arrowverse.
James Gunn said that Michael Holt/Mister Terrific was the most difficult role to cast. He had already auditioned 200 people without finding the perfect candidate.[6]
Gathegi nearly gave up on the role and was hesitant to send in his audition tape for Mister Terrific due to a new television role alongside Robert De Niro and upcoming travel commitments. He believed it would just be another tape lost in the shuffle. However, he changed his mind after learning that James Gunn was particularly eager to see his audition.[6]
