Adrian Veidt, acclaimed as "The World's Smartest Man," was inspired by the life of Alexander the Great to take on the costumed identity of Ozymandias. Having trained his body to athletic perfection, he operated for only a few years before retiring, revealing his secret identity publicly, and building a financial empire based around his past as a costumed hero. Determined to do true good in the world, he is one of the few vigilantes apparently free from psychological scars from his years fighting crime.