United Planets

The United Planets is a fictional governing body, traditionally depicted as active in the 30th and 31st Century of the DC Universe.

History of the Published Versions of the United Planets

In the context of published stories, the United Planets (or "UP" in abbreviated form) is usually shown as being composed of Earth and a large number of other planets in the Milky Way Galaxy. Several published accounts have shown the United Planets' jurisdiction as extending beyond our Galaxy into others, although this aspect has been inconsistently addressed by writers and editors over the decades.

The Legion of Super-Heroes defends this interstellar nation. There is a governing body called the United Planets Inner Council that appears to have five members: the President of Earth and the heads of government of four other planets. One of those members serves as the president of the United Planets. ["Adventure Comics" No. 349, October 1966 and "Adventure Comics" No. 352, January 1967] The capital of the United Planets is Superman's 21st century home town of Metropolis, on the North American continent on Earth. The population of the United Planets is about 300 billion. ["Adventure Comics" No. 366, March 1968] In later stories, it is stated that much of the government and bureaucracy of the United Planets is on Weber's World, an artificial world constructed for this purpose.

In many ways it seems similar to the United Federation of Planets from "Star Trek", even to the point of accidentally being called "The Federation" in a published story and being called the "Federation of United Planets" in issue #0 of Legion of Super-Heroes volume 2. However, the first mention of the United Planets in a Legion story was in 1965, ["Adventure Comics" No. 336, September 1965] more than a year before "Star Trek" premiered. There are references in the movie Forbidden Planet to a United Planets.

Enemies

Among the enemies of the United Planets are:

* The Khund
* Mordru
* The Dominators
* The Dark Circle

Other Media

The United Planets appears in the "Justice League Unlimited" episode "Far From Home" when the Fatal Five used the brainwashed Legion members into attacking the United Planets.

The United Planets appeared in the "Legion of Super-Heroes" TV series.

Notes