Warning: contains spoilers for All-In Special #1!After decades battling each other for the fate of the universe, Superman has finally killed Darkseid. Not only that, but the Man of Steel accomplished the impossible by finally embracing magic, turning his longtime weakness into a staggering new strength. However, killing the embodiment of evil is no simple matter, and by killing such a crucial cosmic being, Superman has unleashed something far, far worse on the DC multiverse.
The fight takes place in today’s history-making DC All-In Special from Joshua Williamson, Scott Snyder, Daniel Sampere and Dan Mora. The issue tells two stories that meet in the middle – the Justice League facing a vicious attack by Darkseid, and Darkseid preparing to attack the team by bonding with the Spectre – the embodiment of God’s wrath. Darkseid attacks just as the Justice League are launching a new Unlimited era, uniting their powers like never before. When he strikes, he meets not the heroes he expects, but rather Superman charged up with the magical energies of backwards-talking sorcerer Zatanna.
Using Zatanna’s magic, Superman is able to forcibly separate Darkseid and the Spectre in an attack of intense willpower. Because Darkseid was so fully bound to Spectre, the separation kills him while also tearing a hole in time and space. As he dies, Darkseid declares, “Thank you… Darkseid ends,” putting a new spin on his intimidating motto “Darkseid Is.”
Superman Uses Magic to Finally Beat Darkseid
But the Dark God’s Rebirth Is Redefining DC Lore
As cool as it is to see Superman defeat Darkseid so utterly, that’s not where the story ends. In Darkseid’s strand of the story, readers learn that he was actually trying to die. With DC’s reality now cut off from the wider multiverse, Darkseid has gained a clear vision of his cosmic purpose – he exists to embody evil and death, keeping the endless potential of reality in check. However, while he will never die due to his cosmic role, he’ll also never win. Darkseid wants more, rejecting his family and army on Apokolips by killing his son Kalibak and setting out to change the cosmic order.
Darkseid uses all his cosmic knowledge to forcibly bond with the Spectre, using the godlike being’s cosmic knowledge to discern how to change his place in the multiverse. He then attacks the Justice League, setting up his death. Fans see that as well at Zatanna’s magic, the Spectre leant Superman its power to defeat Darkseid, destroying the being that fans have known as DC’s ultimate villain since 1970.
However, with Darkseid dead, the spirit of Uxas is freed (Darkseid’s mortal identity before he achieved godhood.) This new, godlike echo of Darkseid passes through the rift in reality caused by his death, taking total control of the mysterious reality DC fans know as the Alpha World. The new Darkseid remakes the entire world in his image, creating a reality where evil is triumphant in every element of its being. The issue ends with the Justice League’s Booster Gold traveling to this reality, only to encounter a gigantic army of corrupted heroes, now reborn as Darkseid’s personal guard. The reborn Darkseid, now more powerful than before, towers above as the true, unchallenged god of this new world.
DC Just Launched Its Absolute Universe
New Versions of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman Arise
Darkseid’s new reality is DC’s new Absolute Universe – a new continuity which will star all-new versions of iconic heroes and villains. The issue gives fans a look at the Absolute Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, making it clear that these are dark new versions stripped of all their advantages, fighting a likely hopeless fight against an entire reality constructed by evil. Years of DC stories will take place in the new Absolute Universe, which will run parallel to DC’s mainstream titles. It’s a genuinely huge shake-up of the DC brand as fans know it.
Thanks to the events of the Absolute Power event, DC’s heroes now find themselves cut off from the rest of the multiverse, with only time travelers currently able to journey over to Darkseid’s Absolute reality. This sets up a huge new status quo where DC’s mainstream and Absolute continuities exist in a good vs evil boundary, while the rest of the multiverse is unfettered from the core world that usually keeps it in order.
Superman Finally Embraces Magic
While the Consequences Are Dire, Superman DID Finally Beat Darkseid
As hugely consequential as Darkseid’s death is for the DC brand, it’s still worth marking the historic occasion of Superman beating the God of Evil like he’s never been beaten before. In DC lore, Superman has no special protections against magic, turning it into a major vulnerability only exceeded by Kryptonite. However, during the events of Absolute Power, Superman was forced to rely on magic to turn the tide against Amanda Waller’s forces.
Zatanna guided Superman through the multiverse, helping him escape the endless Dark Roads and reunite with Lois Lane, leading Superman to declare, “I love magic!” Those are three words Superman fans never expected him to say, given his past disdain for the mystical, however All In reveals he’s actually living by them. Zatanna empowering Superman with magic is a totally unexpected power-up that no-one expected, celebrating the Man of Steel’s new appreciation for the dark arts.
Indeed, Superman embracing magic is part of the spirit of DC’s new All In initiative, which sets up a fresh status quo following the events of Absolute Power. The opening of the issue makes it clear the Justice League are back, bigger than ever. But beyond that, their new Justice League Identity Cards have been enhanced with advanced tech, alien insight, and mystic power, making them far more than just the keycard to the Justice League’s new base. One of the cards’ best new features is the ability to pair up heroes whose powers can be used to make each other stronger. All In shows exactly how that will work as Zatanna finally makes Superman strong enough to face Darkseid one-on-one.
While it’s likely that Zatanna’s power-up of Superman will soon fade, the moment is a declaration of what fans can expect to see, as the new, more united Justice League begins exploring new ways for heroes to make each other better.
Superman vs Darkseid Just Changed Everything
A New Era Begins as All the Old Rules Fall Away
As powerful as Superman is, he’s never been in Darkseid’s weight class. Darkseid is a multiversal being – a version of him exists in every reality, with each drawing from the same core god of evil and control. Or at least, that’s how it used to be. With the DC Universe now isolated from the multiverse, Darkseid was cut down to size, and Superman’s magic upgrade evened the odds, allowing him to finally beat his most despicable villain.
However, with his death, the God of Evil has taken a new form, focusing his power on warping one reality entirely to his will rather than trying to control the entire multiverse at once. The Absolute Universe is a huge challenge, and it will create heroes the like of which DC fans have never seen before. However, with a newly united and ambitious Justice League flexing their muscles by upgrading Superman with magic, Darkseid is still being opposed by the greatest heroes in any reality, united like never before.
All-In Special #1 is available now from DC Comics.
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
Darkseid
Darkseid is a tyrannical supervillain in DC Comics, ruling the hellish planet Apokolips. He seeks the Anti-Life Equation to control all sentient life and eliminate free will across the universe. With immense strength, energy manipulation, and Omega Beams that disintegrate targets, Darkseid is a relentless foe of Superman, the Justice League, New Gods, and free people everywhere.
