Ozymandias

First appearance Watchmen #1 (1986)

Adrian Veidt was born in 1939, the son of rich immigrant parents. After his parents' deaths, he inherited their substantial fortune at age 17, but chose to give it all to charity and embark on a vision quest, following the route of his childhood idol Alexander the Great.

Returning to America Veidt named himself Ozymandias and became a costumed vigilante, earning a reputation as "the smartest man on the planet."

In 1975, two years before vigilante crimefighters (superheroes) were banned by the "Keene Act," Veidt retired from superheroism, marketing his image for money. This helped bankroll Veidt's scheme of creating a catastrophic event to deceive the world into uniting against a common enemy. Upon completion of his project, Veidt arranged the murder of all of his accomplices and the exile of the presumably invincible Dr. Manhattan.

Soon fellow masked vigilante Comedian inadvertently learned of Veidt's plans, leading to Veidt personally murdering the Comedian as well. The story of Watchmen begins several hours after the death of the Comedian.


Abilities
Peak human agility and strength
Genius-level intelligence