Mr. Sivana

Mr. Sivana is one of the two overarching antagonists (alongside Sid Sivana) of the 2019 superhero film Shazam!. He was the founder of his company Sivana Industries, the husband of Mrs. Sivana, and the father of Sid and Thaddeus Sivana.

He was portrayed by John Glover, who also played Lionel Luthor and his Earth-2 counterpart in Smallville, The Riddler in Batman: The Animated Series, Dr. Jason Woodrue in the 1997 film Batman & Robin, Alan Raimy in 52 Pick-Up, Verad Kalon in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Theodore Maddox in Fear the Walking Dead.

Biography[]

In 1974, Mr. Sivana was in a car with his two sons Sid and Thaddeus in Upstate New York, driving towards his father's house. When Thaddeus was playing with his Magic 8-Ball, Sid swipes it from him, causing an argument between the two, which causes their father to yell at them to stop, but only berates Thaddeus, then Sid and his father mock him.

Both himself and Sid vanished as Thaddeus was chosen and summoned by the Wizard Shazam, before reappearing after his rejection. In his confusion and frustration, Thaddeus made a scene and almost caused a car crash, nearly killing the family. As Mr. Sivana berates Thaddeus for his scene, a truck crashes into their vehicle, severely crippling his legs. He ended up surviving his injuries and muttering words under his breathing and choking.

Mr. Sivana managed to recover after the incident, starting a business in his name titled Sivana Industries. He was in a wheelchair as a result of his crippled legs and would act as the CEO and board meeting host. Years later, both of his sons also had an involvement in the company, with Thaddeus attempting to return to the Wizard through the symbols in the encounters of people across the U.S.

After gaining the power of the Seven Deadly Sins, Thaddeus targets his father, who had been hosting a board meeting at his arrival. Thaddeus enters unannounced and uninvited, approaching his father and brother to get revenge on how he had been treated in his early life.

Thaddeus then summoned the Sins, who ruthlessly murdered every member of the board, starting with his brother, Sid, who was thrown out the window by Thad. He then confronts his father, now cowering in fear and begging for his life through offerings, only to decide to leave the meeting room after being told that the Wizard has chosen his Champion, but not before leaving the Sin of Greed to kill Mr. Sivana for displaying the respective trait (possibly via disembowelment based on the movement of Greed's arms).

Personality[]

Mr. Sivana was a very strict and abusive father towards his sons or perhaps just his younger son, Thaddeus. He would act in a very aggressive demeanor to his sons (mostly Thaddeus) and was very greedy, often egotistical, and a bit of a coward, willing to give anything simply to have his life spared.

Because of how he treated Thaddeus, he is one of the most hated characters in the DECU. Most fans, despite agreeing that Thaddeus killing him was a step too far, also felt he deserved it because of how abusive he was. Even his love for his other son becomes twisted once one realizes that he turned him into someone as terrible as himself while lacking his intellect.

Trivia[]

Mr. Sivana has no comic book counterpart. He was solely created for the film. Indeed, the DCEU incarnation of Doctor Sivana is the first to delve in his family, making this the first incarnation portrayed as having parents.
Mr. Sivana, along with Mister Mind, are the only villains in the movie not interact with Billy Batson/Shazam.
Mr. Sivana is somewhat similar to Lionel Luthor and Norman Osborn.
- Ironically, Mr. Sivana's actor John Glover portrayed Lionel in Smallville.
In the junior novelization, Mr. Sivana's abuse towards Thaddeus is arguably much worse than what was seen in the film: it's stated that since his childhood, Mr. Sivana has always bullied Thaddeus because he isn't a "winner" like Sid or his twin sisters, leading the young Thaddeus to wish he could be alone and powerful. He even lets Sid beat up his brother to teach him some "manners". It's also implied that Mr. Sivana's wife is pressured by him to share his opinion about Thaddeus, asking Thaddeus to be with his father even though the boy dislikes being around him.
- Interestingly, the junior novelization depicts Mr. Sivana already on a wheelchair the first time he appears, with no mention that Thaddeus was responsible. This is because the novel changes the film's beginning and Thaddeus' summoning to the Rock of Eternity takes place in the Sivana Mansion's elevator instead of a car.
- Since Dr. Sivana's full name is Thaddeous Bodog Sivana, it's implied that Mr. Sivana's first name might be Bodog.
Mr. Sivana is the fourth and final Glover's role in DC media, following the Riddler in DC Animated Universe, Dr. Jason Woodrue in the 1997 film Batman & Robin, and Lionel Luthor and his Earth-2 counterpart in the TV series Smallville.

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