Welcome, my friend, to the Land of the Damned, where torture and horror walk hand in hand-- where pain and despair unfettered roam. Men call it Hell. I call it home! 
Hell is an alternate plane of reality, traditionally accessible only by those of demonic heritage, beings of a higher order and those whose souls have been barred from entering the gates of either Heaven or Purgatory.
History
New Earth
After the archangel Lucifer Morningstar had led a rebellion and started a war in Heaven, Lucifer and his rebel angels were banished to Hell, which was empty at this point in time. Eventually the souls of deceased humans began showing up, drawn to the realm due to their own guilt. Having never been so close to a human before, Lucifer began experimenting with them. He took them apart, wanting to examine his Father's creations closely to see how they worked. Due to Lucifer's brutal methods of examination, these became the first tortures in Hell.[1]
During the events of The Final Night, Etrigan the Demon offered to bring all of the living people of Earth into Hell so that they could stay warm.[2]
During the Day of Judgment event, a fallen angel named Asmodel took control of the Spectre and sought to bring Hell to Earth. In the process, he used his powers to extinguish the Hellfire itself, and effectively froze Hell over. A team of heroes including Superman, Zatanna, Sebastian Faust, Firestorm, the Atom, the Enchantress and Deadman were sent deep into Hell's bowels to reignite its flames. They were successful, but it required an action of true evil, and Sebastian Faust was forced to slit the Enchantress' throat on the spot. In doing so, he forfeited the soul he had recently gained through his own redemption as a hero.
During the events of Reign in Hell, the Underworld is thrown into a massive conflict as Neron sees a rebellion from Blaze and Satanus. Neron soon found that this rebellion was more dangerous than all of the others, for the demon siblings were offering the damned something that he never could: hope of release from Hell. Recognizing what would happen if the damned rose up against him, Neron had Lilith summon all demons on Earth to return to Hell and aid him. This proves futile as the rebellion triumphs, and Blaze proclaims herself as the devil after killing Neron and betraying her brother.
Prime Earth
In the original New 52 timeline, Hell was ruled by an evil entity known as Lucifer. It had come to his attention that Etrigan the Demon had begun attempting to climb up the ranks of Hell by killing many demons.[3]
Eventually, the demon Belial was able to overthrow Lucifer as the King of Hell and attempted to create a dimensional tear between the realm and Earth, but he was eventually killed by his son Etrigan.[4]
Following the DC Rebirth event, Lucifer was restored to his Pre-Flashpoint incarnation.
Like in the original history, he was banished to Hell alongside other rebel angels after the rebellion in Heaven, and after eons ruling this realm, Lucifer had grown bored of it and eventually abdicated his throne.[5][6]
During the Dawn of DC event, the First of the Fallen came back to life through unknown means and reclaimed his place as the King of Hell.[7]
The Arrowverse
A pathway to Hell in the Arrowverse
Originally, Hell was ruled by Lucifer Morningstar from Earth-666, but after he retired to Earth, another former angel known as the First of the Fallen put himself in charge of the realm along with other two demons, Beelzebub and Belial, creating the Triumvirate of Hell on Earth-1.[8][9][10][11]
During his journeys to Hell, John Constantine became an acquaintance of the Triumvirate, and the demon Neron orchestrated a plan in order to replace the infernal group as the new ruler of their dimension. In 2019, Neron sent Ray Palmer to Hell, forcing Constantine to return to the dimension to rescue him. Constantine confronted the Triumvirate, offering them his soul in exchange for Ray's.
However, the demons proposed to him to save the late Astra Logue. So Constantine accepted their offer, but he then discovered that was just a trick as Astra desired to stay in Hell,[11] where she had grown up since she was captured by the demon Nergal. Ray also met the late villain Vandal Savage there, and eventually, the Legends rescued the two heroes. Astra later became the new Queen of Hell, until she left the dimension to join the Legends.
Geography
In Hell, an ordinary human feels the worst feelings simultaneously: sadness, fear, pain, etc. Hal Jordan, a member of the Green Lantern Corps, was terrified during a brief stay in Hell.[12] When the Flash traveled to Hell, the Speed Force automatically adjusted Wally's senses to the realm's atmosphere by blocking out its disturbing sounds and smells.[13] Demons, being malevolent entities, are naturally accustomed to Hell's misery. Due to an effect of time dilation, a day in Hell equals one minute of passage on Earth.
The fires of Hell burn hotter than any fire on Earth, and are hot enough to scourge the soul. Hellfire also burns slower than normal fire in order to allow the agony inflicted to be extended.[7]
In Hell, the landscape seems to change as someone walks. A place to be reached may seem like a few feet away, and in moments be far away again.[14] Hell is a debased reflection of Earth, so as Earth became more technologically or socially advanced, so does Hell.
Hell, along with many other realms within the Sphere of the Gods, is powered on belief. Its very existence is due to humankind believing that it is real. The Martian Manhunter described this concept as being part of the psychic web that makes up reality.[7] The beliefs of Hell's residents also have an effect on its geographic landscape and its hierarchy. When Doomsday gained significant power in Hell, demon and damned alike started to view Doomsday as the King of Hell, and if enough of them believed it, it would become true. Doomsday's influence in Hell also inadvertently affected the realm in various ways. A demon explained it as the idea of Doomsday spreading into Hell's DNA. This created a new variant of the Hellhounds called the Doomhounds.[7]
Pre-Flashpoint, Hell was divided into nine Provinces, each of which focused on a specific purpose. They included the following:
- Pandemonia: The First Province, Dominion High Caste[15]
- The Odium: The Second Province, industrial/manufacturing[15]
- The Gull: The Third Province, mercantile/commerce[15]
- Praetori: The Fourth Province, administrative/governance[15][16]
- Internecia: The Fifth Province, military/enforcement[15]
- Ament: The Sixth Province, cultural/propaganda[15][16]
- The Labyrinth: The Seventh Province, judicial/detainment[15][17]
- Err: The Eighth Province, theological/suppression[15][18]
- Purgatory: The Ninth Province, secondary damnation[15]
- Masak Mavdil: While not one of the nine Provinces, Masak Mavdil is a notable section of Hell, as it is the great pit where demons exile their own kind.
The so-called "dukedoms", like Effrul and Gly, were also part of Lucifer Morningstar's original division of Hell.
Apart from the many divisions, the Nine Circles of Hell, which are inspired by Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, are also shown to exist. The damned are sent to a specific circle according to their Earthly sins:
- The First Circle
- The Second Circle
- The Third Circle
- The Fourth Circle
- The Fifth Circle
- The Sixth Circle
- The City of Dis: where heretics are trapped in flaming tombs;
- The Seventh Circle
- The Lake of Blood: where murderers sink into bloody waters;
- The Suicide Forest: where suicides are turned into trees;
- The Eight Circle/Malebolge
- The Ninth Circle
In the aftermath of Flashpoint and the creation of the Post-Flashpoint Multiverse, the structure of Hell also includes various pocket dimensions, including:
- Castle Epicaricacius
- The Vascular Gardens
- Masak Mavdil[19]
- The Seven Hells
- The Six Kingdoms of Trigon: A pocket dimension within Hell ruled by the interdimensional demon Trigon.[20][21] Part of Trigon's underrealm is referred to as the Dark Dimension by the All-Caste. This realm can be accessed behind the Great Door of Azarath.[22]
As in the Pre-Flashpoint continuity, the Nine Circles of Hell are also confirmed to be part of the Post-Flashpoint structure of Hell:
- The Fifth Circle/"Wrath"[7]
- The River Styx: Within the Fifth Circle exists a river similar to the one of the same name in Hades; however, Hell's version has no ferryman.[7]
- The Sixth Circle/"Heresy"[7]
- The Seventh Circle/"Violence"[7]
- The Suicide Forest[7]
- The Eighth Circle/Malebolge[23]
Hierarchy
The hierarchy of Hell has changed several times over the centuries, the leader of which has always assumed the title of "the devil". The most well-known devil is Lucifer Morningstar, the second fallen angel and the supreme ruler of Hell for 10 billion years. When Lucifer fell from Heaven, it was revealed that the First of the Fallen was cast out long before Lucifer and had already been ruling Hell, although the First of the Fallen was no match for Lucifer's power, allowing Lucifer to take over.[24]
When the Great Darkness threatened all existence, a civil war erupted in Hell and the realm was split into the Satanic Triumvirate.[25] Eventually, Lucifer grew bored with his position and retired to Earth with his consort Mazikeen. Neron then assumed a predominant position in Hell.
After the events of Flashpoint, Hell's history remained mostly the same, with Neron acting as the prominent ruler of Hell after the departure of Lucifer Morningstar.[26] However, he was eventually dethroned by Raven, who then passed on the throne on to Blaze for a period of time.[27]
The First of the Fallen later regained his title as the supreme ruler of Hell.[7]
Economy
The main currency of Hell is souls. Living human beings (or other sentient beings) through rituals make pacts with demons to gain power, wealth, etc. The demons have between them a kind of "stock exchange" of souls to set the souls' price. When the mortal who made the pact dies, their soul then belongs to the demons with whom they negotiated.[28]
A sold soul can be use as fuel for the spells of a demon. Souls can also be used as raw material to create hellish furniture at the Odium's manufacturers and factories. Souls can also be freely traded with other demons much like the money of Earth; however, at the time the mortal sells their soul, he/she can do so only to a single demon. John Constantine once managed to outwit three demons in order to cure him of his lung cancer; since all three of them were so eager to take the soul of the occultist who did not previously consult them, Constantine was healed without losing his soul.[29] Sometimes, extremely evil humans who have been sentenced to Hell can be promoted and gain demonhood.[30]
Residents
Fallen Angels
- Asmodel
- Azazel the Abomination
- The First of the Fallen
- Lucifer Morningstar (Formerly)
Demons
- Abaddon the Destroyer
- Abattoir (Former human)
- Agony
- Anton Arcane (Former human)
- Asmodeus
- Asteroth
- Balam[31]
- Beelzebub the Lord of the Flies
- Belial
- Blathoxi
- Bloodklott the Prince of Pox
- Bogrol
- Brandor the Pit-Rider
- Choronzon
- The Demons Three: Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast
- Ecstacy
- Ernst Focke-Wulf von Raddell (Former human)
- Etrigan the Demon (Formerly)
- Golgotha
- Hurmizah
- Jamrag
- Kakk
- Lady Blaze
- Lilith the Mother of Monsters
- Lord Satanus
- Lurgo
- The Master Baytor (Formerly)
- Mazikeen
- Merlin
- Morax the Bull-Beast[35]
- Mnemoth (Formerly)
- Nebiros
- Nergal
- Neron
- Poppinjay
- Ran Va Daath of the Pit
- Scapegoat
- Smegma
- Trigon
- Vortigar
- William Scumm (Former human)
- The Hellhounds
- The Doomhounds
Damned Souls
Pre-Flashpoint
The Arrowverse Multiverse
- Lizzie Borden[37]
- Ross Bottoni[38]
- Cedella
- Willie Cole[10]
- Christopher Columbus[39]
- Grigori Rasputin[37]
- John Wayne Gacy[37]
- Ed Gein[39]
- Vandal Savage[37]
- Mary Tudor[37]
- Aleister Crowley[40]
- Marie Antoinette[41][42]
- Caligula [42]
- Clyde Barrow[43]
- Black Caesar[43]
- Bonnie Parker[43]
- Brutus[43]
- George Armstrong Custer[42]
- Damien Darhk
- Henry VIII[43]
- Jack the Ripper[43]
- Genghis Khan
- Charles Manson[42]
- Benjamin Siegel
- Joseph Stalin[42]
- Caveman[42] (Unnamed)
- Vlad the Impaler[42]
- John Constantine (Formerly)
- Desmond (Formerly)
- Astra Logue (Formerly)
- Ray Palmer (Formerly)
- Kathy Meyers (Formerly)
- Malcolm Graham[44]
- Abel[45]
- Jason Carlyle[46]
- Reese Getty[47]
- Cain[48]
- William Kinley[49]
- Hola Bay[citation needed]
- incent Le Mec[citation needed]
- Jim Morrison[citation needed]
- Gary Coleman[citation needed]
- Franz Kafka[citation needed]
- Adolf Hitler[50]
- Ted Bundy[51]
- John Wayne Gacy[51]
- Jeffrey Dahmer[51]
- Caligula[citation needed]
- Joseph Stalin[citation needed]
Trivia
- It has been established by the Super Buddies that it is possible to get a cell phone signal in Hell...at least with Verizon.[52]
See Also
Links and References
- ↑ Lucifer (Volume 3) #15
- ↑ The Final Night #3
- ↑ Demon Knights #0
- ↑ The Demon: Hell Is Earth #3
- ↑ Dark Nights: Metal #2
- ↑ Lucifer (Volume 3) #1
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1
- ↑ The Flash: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Three"
- ↑ Lucifer: "Pilot"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Constantine: "The Devil's Vinyl"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "Terms of Service"
- ↑ Green Lantern/Superman: Legend of the Green Flame
- ↑ The Flash (Volume 2) #128
- ↑ Batman: Demon
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 Reign in Hell #1
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Reign in Hell #3
- ↑ Reign in Hell #2
- ↑ Reign in Hell #6
- ↑ Dark Nights: Death Metal #4
- ↑ Red Hood and the Outlaws #27
- ↑ Justice League (Volume 4) #5
- ↑ Red Hood: Outlaw #46
- ↑ Superman: Lost #8
- ↑ Hellblazer #59
- ↑ Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #50
- ↑ Shazam! (Volume 4) #3
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #104
- ↑ Hellblazer #3
- ↑ Hellblazer #45
- ↑ Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #96
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 The Dreaming #1
- ↑ Lucifer (Volume 2) #2
- ↑ Dark Nights: Death Metal Guidebook #1
- ↑ Black Adam
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 The Demon (Volume 3) #7
- ↑ The Demon (Volume 3) #6
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "Hey, World!"
- ↑ DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "Speakeasy Does It"
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "The Satanist's Apprentice"
- ↑ DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "Ground Control to Sara Lance"
- ↑ DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "A Head of Her Time"
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 42.4 42.5 42.6 DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "Swan Thong"
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 43.4 43.5 DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "The Great British Fake Off"
- ↑ Lucifer: "Take Me Back to Hell"
- ↑ Lucifer: "Infernal Guinea Pig"
- ↑ Lucifer: "A Good Day to Die"
- ↑ Lucifer: "Off the Record"
- ↑ Lucifer: "A Devil of My Word"
- ↑ Lucifer: "Save Lucifer"
- ↑ Lucifer: "My Little Monkey"
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 Lucifer: "Spoiler Alert"
- ↑ JLA Classified #6