Mother Box

Mother Boxes are 'living computers' typically found on New Genesis. The term 'living computer' should be understood as an approximation; they seem to be part living being, part highly developed machine. They look like small boxes, about the size of a Terran house brick at largest.

Created by New Genesian scientist Himon using the mysterious Element X, they are generally thought to be sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers, although their true nature and origins are unknown.They possess wondrous powers and abilities not understood even by their users, the Gods of New Genesis. These range from teleportation (they can summon Boom Tubes) to energy manipulation. Mother boxes have been seen healing the injured, including Darkseid himself, after he was beaten by Doomsday. Metron stated that each Mother Box shares "a mystical rapport with nature." They provide their owner with unconditional love and self-destruct when their owner dies. Mother Boxes have sacrificed themselves for causes they have believed in and are greatly respected by the people of New Genesis. In physical appearance they are most often in the shape of a small box worn much like a common day PDA on Earth, but they can also be much larger (as is the one carried by the Forever People), and do not always need to be in the shape of a box at all (Mr. Miracle had Mother Box' circuitry woven into the hood of his costume). They usually communicate with a repetitive "ping!" which can be understood by their users.

Mother Boxes can access the energy of the Source for various effects; they can change the gravitational constant of an area, transfer energy from one place to another, control the mental state of a host, communicate telepathically with a host or other life form, manipulate the life-force of a host to sustain it past fatal injuries, open or close Boom-tubes, take over and control non-sentient machines, evolve non-sentient machines, merge sentient beings into a single more powerful being, sustain a life form in a hostile environment such as space, and do many other things. Mother Boxes have an affinity for the Source and are believed to draw their power from it; in that sense, they can be seen as a computer that links man to God.

To the New Gods, they are common appliances, inasmuch as a sentient device can be called an "appliance". Other individuals have been given access to them at specific times, when they are in need of aid. Notably, Superman was given one when he went in pursuit of Doomsday.

It should be noted that Mother Boxes could only be manufactured by a being born either on New Genesis or Apokolips, and not even all could do it (at least one in Apokolips failed). And that this was accomplished through much training.

Noted Mother Boxes include those of Mister Miracle and Shilo Norman; the Mother Box of the Forever People, which can summon the Infinity-Man; and the Mother Box used by the Marvel Family to access the magic lightning when the wizard Shazam was on New Genesis. Orion has a Mother Box which controls his rage (and bestial appearance).