Superman Just Achieved His Most Powerful Form Ever And It May Cost Him Everything

Superman is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful superheroes ever put to page. He started strong enough to throw cars and juggle boulders, but as the threats he faced became more and more complicated, so too did the Man of Steel grow stronger to unravel them. Today, his strength is virtually limitless. He can fly faster than light, he can see millions of miles away as clear as day, and much, much more. He’s the epitome of what a superhero should be, and that means that he has the strength to save the day, no matter how dire the situation or deadly the foe. However, as fantastic as Superman is, even he does have limits.

There are things that even the Man of Steel cannot do, and there are things in the DC Universe that can kill him. The premier one is Kryptonite, which Superman is facing more of than ever in the “Kingdom of Zod” event, which sees General Zod unleash a wave of infected Kryptonite on Earth, turning ordinary people into zombies and staying just as deadly to Kryptonians. However, in the wake of death in Superman Unlimited #17, he channeled his inner strength to overcome every obstacle to save that day. In doing so, he unlocked his strongest form of all, but in doing so, lost his greatest protection against Kryptonite.

Superman Becomes One Million Times Stronger

In this issue, with the Kryptonite infection spreading across the world, Superwoman Lana Lang absorbed what she could from Clark and healed him. This Kryptonite had an altered energy signature, so while she could do this, it also left her nearly ripped apart after helping him, so she couldn’t stop it from spreading. Thankfully, with the radiation down to minimal levels, Superman realized that his cells had started to absorb and metabolize the unique Kryptonite radiation. This meant that he could absorb it all, but the effect would still harm him. Thankfully, while in his Golden Form, he’s immune to Kryptonite for two hundred seconds.

Superman flew around the world, absorbing all of the infected Green K from every person and object. In doing so, Clark tapped more and more into his hidden reserves of strength, feeling something call to him. His missing eye completely regrew, and his costume fully transformed into that of his far-future counterpart, Superman Prime. This is more than Superman referring to a supposed calling. This new transformation, even if it only lasted for ten seconds, let Superman completely purge Lana of her infection. In the end, Superman returned to normal, but lost his ability to turn gold. He’s now just as vulnerable to Kryptonite as ever, but this brief glance into his future showed us something special.

Superman Is the Center of DC’s Strength

Superman Prime, also often called Superman One-Million, is the future counterpart of the Man of Tomorrow who spent fifteen thousand years in the heart of the sun, where his powers evolved to unprecedented, seemingly infinite levels. We never saw much of this version in his debut story, or much over the years, but the few glimpses we have seen don’t focus on his powers. Rather, they focus on how his very existence seems to be an inevitability in DC. Does this mean that the future of DC One Million is set in stone? No. Rather, much like how Terry seems to inevitably become Batman in the future, this is a path that embodies what Superman stands for.

Superman is the ultimate superhero. He was the first and will continue to be the benchmark by which all are judged and fall short. To that end, Superman must grow and evolve with the universe, tackling bigger threats and saving the day in bigger, bolder ways. His journey to becoming Superman Prime reflects that. His golden skin isn’t a literal sign that he’s spent several thousand years in the center of a star, but a narrative indication that he’s evolved to better protect the future. Superman’s ultimate form shows that we’ve made it to the better tomorrow that he always promised, and that he’s still around to fight for it in whatever way he needs to.

Superman’s destiny and higher calling aren’t just things that exist in-universe. They are the very real embodiment of what he means to superheroes as a whole. He’s the hero who defines what that title means, and so he will always grow to better serve and protect everyone. As people learn and evolve, so do our stories, and so must Superman. He is the ultimate hero, so he has to keep rising to meet those standards. Superman will always be the hero who saves everyone, and so he has to show the unlimited power of his potential with this golden form.

What do you think of Superman’s golden glow? Let us know in the comments below!

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