After 88 Years, DC Officially Makes Superman a God

We all know the Man of Steel is powerful, but Superman just got the greatest buff in the near-century he’s been around. If you’re even slightly familiar with Clark Kent’s history, you know the guy has done some pretty impressive things, from pulling planets through outer space to holding the weight of a black hole in his hand. Just when you think you’ve seen Superman at his most powerful, new stories boost him to levels that make him just short of a god. And yet, despite the immense power he’s had, he’s always been just shy of godhood.

And that put him in an unfortunate spot during DC K.O.. Darkseid, having amassed more power than ever in the Absolute Universe, came to the Prime Universe to conquer it, starting with the future and working his way backwards. The only way to stop him was to become King Omega, a cosmic figure on par with Darkseid. Superman came close, until the last issue when he was (predictably) stabbed in the back at the last second by Lex Luthor. But as DC K.O. comes to a close, Superman comes back to get the upgrade of a lifetime.

Superman Becomes King Omega and Saves the DC Universe

In DC K.O. #5 by Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Javi Fernández, Xermánico, Wes Craig, Alejandro Sánchez, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Time Trapper, the hyper-evolved Doomsday speaks with Superman in a pocket timeline. Time Trapper reveals that with the immense Alpha and Omega power he’s channeled in his lifetimes, he can revive Superman and give him another shot at the tournament. Superman agrees, and Doomsday pours every bit of his life force into his old foe. Superman is reborn at the moment of his defeat. He takes out Lex Luthor, stealing his power and becoming the Prime Universe’s King Omega.

Though Darkseid is eager to fight, Superman doesn’t waste time undoing the damage Darkseid has wrought. Clark remakes the universe from the very beginning, breathing new life into the DCU. With the universe now reflecting Superman in every way imaginable, Superman has unlocked the power of the Heart of Apokolips, and he uses that power to take on Darkseid. The two champions fight all across time and space. Not only does Superman fight with the full power of a baby universe in every punch, but he rebuilds the present, ridding the Earth of Darkseid’s influence.

Darkseid chases Superman into the past, allowing Darkseid to claim more of the past. But what Darkseid doesn’t realize is that Superman is intentionally heading to the Big Bang, where Clark absorbs every potential big of Omega Energy, bolstering his power even more. Eons pass during the two’s battle, creating cosmic anomalies in their wake. It’s incredible, godlike power, but it’s not something Superman wants for himself. Instead, he uses the overwhelming power within him to resurrect the fallen tournament fighters, resetting their universe to how it was before Darkseid invaded and sending Darkseid far out into the future.

Superman’s Rejection of Godhood Matters More Than Him Becoming a God

In my heart of hearts, I always knew Superman was going to become King Omega. Scott Snyder made it clear that DC K.O. was a Superman story, and who better to rise as the DC Universe’s champion than Superman? That said, it is so much more in line with Clark to reject that kind of power than it is for him to keep it. I know it feels kind of cheap for Superman to become his universe’s central cosmic figure only to end up rejecting it. But would we expect anything less from Clark?

Throughout this story, we’ve been told repeatedly that Superman doesn’t like games where not everyone can win. It makes so much sense that upon winning incredible power, he’d prefer to share it with everyone instead of keeping it all for himself. After all, he’s already Superman. How much more power does he need? While I think many would agree that Superman is, for all intents and purposes, the DC Universe’s central figure, Clark would disagree. He’d say that the true value of the DC Universe isn’t any one person, but rather, every single person that makes up their world.

Admittedly, it was cool seeing Superman gain more power than ever, and I’m certain his King Omega form will be on future ‘top 10 most powerful versions of Superman’ lists. But in the end, Superman doesn’t want to be a god. He wants to be like everyone else. Instead of taking that kind of power and shifting all the attention to himself, he’d rather lift everyone else up to prove that everyone is just as valuable as him. While it was cool while it lasted, Superman doesn’t need to be a god; he really is perfect the way he is.

What did you think about Superman’s brief foray with godhood? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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