The heroes that make up the DC Universe are some of the best to ever be created. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman all stand at the apex of what heroes strive to be. The triumphs of the holy trinity of DC Comics have spawned a never-ending lineage of new heroes and vigilantes that will go on to protect the world generation after generation.
However, even the strongest roots can bear some of the toughest fruit, and, more often than not, a well-intentioned hero can still fall short of what's expected of them. Some heroes just have bad luck or a bad habit of self-sabotage that just creates more problems for every one that they fix. Here are some DC heroes that have a bad habit of making everything worse.
10 Lobo
Lobo is a menace to the entire universe, double the menace when he’s trying to do the right thing. Being the last surviving member of an immortal species of super-powered aliens, Lobo opted for the life of an intergalactic bounty hunter after wiping out his entire race.
Making things worse is a bit of an understatement for the "scourge of the cosmos." His first encounter with the Man of Steel resulted in a bare-knuckle brawl and Lobo forgetting what he was on the planet to do in the first place. Wherever the main man goes, chaos is sure to follow as the derogatory hellion throws caution to the wind in order to get the job done, if at all.
9 Terra
The DC universe has rarely been rocked harder than when Terra debuted as a member of the Teen Titans. From the start, the earth manipulating wonder was a bad luck magnet causing multiple characters great suffering. Initially, a pawn planted in the Teen Titans by the world's greatest assassin, Deathstroke, Terra remained a pivotal Pandora's Box of a character.
Trying countless times to redeem herself and change for the better ended with more tragedy and even more pain in all of her endeavors. Unfortunately, Terra took her shame to the grave after she made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the world as a hero.
8 Osiris
Osiris was thrust into the life of a hero after his sister became the goddess Isis reborn and married Black Adam. He was gifted powers by Shazam and joined the Teen Titans. Unfortunately, however, his residency on the team prompted a series of unfortunate events that would lead him down a very dark path.
After accidentally killing a criminal and then losing his sister, Osiris began to care very little about what the right thing was and became more impulsive in his actions. This led to turmoil on more than one occasion. Osiris even joined Deathstroke's "Heroes for Hire" for selfish goals and even became a servant to Darkseid.
7 Booster Gold
Booster Gold is a hero that needs no introduction as he has probably already said his name a hundred times. Even Guy Gardner's ego pales in comparison to that of the Future superhero who traveled to the past to make his own mark.
Unfortunately, Booster Gold’s intentions are often overzealous and lead to things becoming twice as bad as when they were before he intervened. In rare instances, Booster Gold can put aside his narcissistic tendencies and work well with others, but it's usually after he’s so deep in his own mess that he needs help getting out of it.
6 Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan is no stranger to misfortune. Like most Green Lanterns, he has his fair share of reckless moments. The Emerald Knight has put his foot in his mouth more than once, with one of the most famous times being when he was the host to an intergalactic parasite that nearly ended the entire world.
Hal Jordan's arrogance and carefree attitude are the best and worse qualities of his persona as they fuel his will to always come out on top while also causing him to make foolish actions that his friends have to pay for, sometimes with their lives.
5 Red Hood
A product of Batman’s protégé program, Red Hood, who is also known as Jason Todd, was the second Robin. Unfortunately, he tragically lost his life at the Joker's hands after being captured and tortured. Deemed Batman’s greatest failure, Jason was revived and dawned the moniker of Red Hood to seek vengeance against both his former mentor and his murderer.
Red Hood's battle with the lessons he was taught by Batman and the un-healing scar of his premature death haunt him constantly. Eventually, his poor mental health forces Red Hood to be at odds with himself and make bold and volatile decisions when being a vigilante.
4 Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson is another problem child that has been a thorn in the side of the Justice League and Teen Titans alike. Rose is constantly rebelling against authority, having been trained by Slade since she was young, undergoing years of physical and mental abuse.
Taking after her father, Rose has manipulated countless heroes such as Nightwing, Robin, several members of the Teen Titans, and even Batman to get what she wants. Her distrust and attitude towards others always make her the black sheep of whatever team she finds herself on.
3 The Flash
No hero is more well-intentioned than Barry Allen, also known as The Flash. Barry was struck by lightning and gifted with the power of super speed: a power he uses to try to keep Central City safe. However, Barry is human and vulnerable to the same emotions as everyone else, including grief.
Barry’s biggest mistake is altering the timeline to save his mother the night she was murdered, resulting in an almost unrecognizable world on the brink of destruction. Unfortunately, even reversing the tampering with the timeline did not revert everything that went wrong, which serves as a permanent lesson for the scarlet speedster.
2 Spoiler
Stephanie Brown tripped into her life as a vigilante in Gotham city. Being the daughter of Cluemaster, she was motivated to thwart his schemes at every turn. Her enthusiasm guided her to encounter the third Robin, Time Drake, and, as their relationship strengthened, she was inducted into the Bat family as Robin, and, later, as Spoiler.
However, Stephanie's lack of training constantly got her into deep water, and she would always come up short when out on her own. She endured harsh disapproval from former Robins Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne for her lack of skill but still continued to give it her all.
1 Roy Harper
The times have not been easy for the former Green Arrow sidekick Roy Harper. He has endured more than most heroes, even compared to the likes of Bruce Wayne. A trip into substance abuse and a handful of dead teammates and friends makes Roy an unstable individual who usually ends up being his own worst enemy.
However, a strong bond and friendship with Red Hood keeps him level-headed, and the two do their best to take care of each other. Roy still has a laundry list of betrayals though, as well as plenty of bad decisions and shortcomings that he has no choice but to live with.