It’s Official, DC Comics’ Ultimate Villain is Creating a New Crisis

The end of DC K.O. is here, and already, DC Comics is looking towards its next big event. It was just a year and a half ago that Darkseid, arguably the most powerful, evil villain in DC Canon, launched an attack to gain more power than ever. The All In saga began with Darkseid’s physical body dying and his energy breaking through the multiversal boundary, settling in the young, impressionable Earth-Alpha. That world became the Absolute Universe, where Darkseid spent eons in waiting, accumulating more power than ever to launch an assault on the Prime DC Universe.

After conquering the future, Darkseid began working his way backwards towards the present. Thankfully, the heroes had just enough time to compete in an event known as the Omega Tournament to claim the Heart of Apokolips. This relic has the power to make the competition’s victor the Prime DCU’s King Omega, a celestial being with power that rivaled Darkseid. Heroes and villains alike have been fighting to save their universe, but Darkseid’s machinations run deeper than any of them realize. As the Omega Tournament ends, the New God is already preparing for his next horrifying attack.

Darkseid is Already Preparing for the Absolute Crisis

In DC K.O. #5 by Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Javi Fernández, Xermánico, Wes Craig, Alejandro Sánchez, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Superman gets a second chance at the tournament after being taken out by Lex. Thanks to the Time Trapper transferring his accumulated Alpha and Omega energy, Superman is revived, and he defeats Lex, becoming the DC Universe’s King Omega. Overflowing with the power of an entire universe, Superman attacks Darkseid in a brawl that spans across time and space. It’s a bitter, brutal fight, and unfortunately, Darkseid gets an edge, chasing Superman into the past.

At least, that’s how it appears at first. As it turns out, Superman was pretending to be on the ropes so he could go back to the Big Bang and absorb every potential bit of energy in the universe. Clark is on the precipice of defeating Darkseid and remaking the universe in his image, but at the last second, Superman passes on King Omega’s power. Believing that no one should have that kind of power, Superman distributes his godlike power among the tournament’s participants, restores the DCU to normal, and pushes Darkseid far down the timeline.

As things settle back to normal in the Prime DC Universe, Darkseid observes from an undisclosed location. He speaks with Pandora, the mysterious figure from the New 52, calling Superman’s efforts futile. We discover that the Prime DC Universe isn’t the only one that had an Omega Tournament, as other worlds in DC’s multiverse are putting one on as well, causing more Omega energy to accumulate. Darkseid is siphoning the power of these tournaments and growing even stronger than before. He also notes that once these infinite worlds fall, there will be a “crisis of absolute proportions”.

The Absolute Crisis: What We Know

The idea of a crisis coming shouldn’t surprise us. Darkseid has been on a mission to gain more power and control since the beginning of DC All In. He was never just going to stop at conquering the Absolute and Prime universes, but every other realm in the DC multiverse. The details are slim, but we know the Omega Tournaments can generate massive amounts of Omega Energy. The more energy Darkseid gains from these, the greater the threat he’ll become. He very well could end up becoming the most powerful being in the entire Divine Continuum.

The real question, however, is what is Pandora doing with Darkseid? She hasn’t been seen since the Doomsday Clock, when she was killed by Doctor Manhattan. But then again, she played an important role in the creation of the Prime DC Universe, so perhaps she’s been resurrected and persuaded (or possibly corrupted) by Darkseid to dismantle it. Crises usually come with big, dramatic changes to continuity, and with Darkseid’s ambitions, I wouldn’t put it past him to do whatever he could to weaken the Prime DCU to ensure he conquers it once and for all.

While I’m positive we’ll get an Absolute Crisis one day, I wouldn’t count on seeing it anytime soon. DC Comics just began its new Next Level initiative, and I don’t anticipate a Crisis-level event happening for at least another year. Maybe even two if DC Comics has another era following Next Level. That said, prepare to see a lot of groundwork being laid over the coming months. DC didn’t just drop a hint like this for fun. A new crisis is indeed on the horizon, and what it will do to the DC Universe is anyone’s guess.

How do you like the idea of an Absolute Crisis? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

After 88 Years, DC Officially Makes Superman a God