Absolute Superman May Mark a Major Change To the Hero's Origin, But It's No Less Heartbreaking
Warning: Spoilers for Absolute Superman #3Given that Superman is one of the last survivors of Krypton and that he lost his biological parents when he lost his home world, the Man of Steel has one of the most heartbreaking superhero origin stories. But it seems that the Absolute Universe is making a tragic change to Superman's origins with how this new universe handles his parents.
The Absolute Universe has changed a ton about the characters that have appeared in it so far. One of the biggest changes has been for Superman, as seen in Absolute Superman #3 by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval. While Superman is usually rocketed to Earth while still a young baby, that's not the case here.
In this universe, Jor-El and Lara had significantly more time to plan for the destruction of Krypton, and they ended up building a giant ship, one that's capable of bringing the entire El family to Earth: a huge change from Superman's established lore.
In Absolute Superman, the Entire El Family May Have Escaped to Earth
Absolute Superman #3 by Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola, and Becca Carey
Superman being sent to Earth as a young baby is an incredibly important part of his history. When Superman landed on Earth, he was adopted by simple farmers known as Martha and Jonathan Kent. While these people didn't have much, they had an abundance of love to share with their new baby. Martha and Jonathan's warmth and care gave Kal-El the upbringing that he needed to become Superman. It gave him an intense connection to humanity and a reason to protect people, but that might not be the case in the Absolute Universe.
If Superman gets to keep his biological parents around, he'll never truly form a connection to humanity...
While it's currently unclear where Kal's parents ended up, one fan theory is that Jor-El and Lara have arrived on Earth alongside Superman and already taken the identities of the Kent family. While, on the surface, it seems good that Superman wouldn't lose his biological parents, this possibility has bigger ramifications. If Superman gets to keep his biological parents around, he'll never truly form a connection to humanity, as he'll always view them as something "other" than the Kryptonians he's used to being around, such as his parents, completely changing his relationship with humanity and his desire to protect Earth.
If the Entire El Family Ends Up on Earth, What Happens to Other Major DC Characters?
Is Earth Ready for a Super-Family?
The idea of the El family arriving on Earth has always been interesting, and DC has explored it before, such as in the story Superman: The Last Family of Krypton by Cary Bates and Renato Arlem. Jor-El and Lara's arrival on Earth changed the lives of everyone in this story. Thanks to Jor-El's advanced science, the entire world was changed. Humanity no longer had to work to survive, as Jor-El created a utopia, resulting in the complete absence of the Justice League due to all of their tragedies being avoided.
Oliver Queen never learned to be Green Arrow, as he was instantly rescued by Jor-El's security drones, which patrolled for people in danger. Hal Jordan never became a Green Lantern, as Abin Sur was saved by Jor-El and nursed back to health. Hal instead died in a plane accident, as he didn't have a Green Lantern ring to save him. Barry Allen never became the Flash, and Bruce Wayne never lost his parents. While the El family being on the Absolute Universe version of Earth won't cause these levels of ramifications, there's no denying that they'll definitely change something core about this Absolute version of the DCU.
The El Family Could Change Everything in the Absolute Universe
The Story Continues in Absolute Superman #4, Available February 5th, 2025
It's hard to predict exactly where the story will go. It's possible that the Els may never make it to Earth - that there's some disaster and Superman still has to go on alone. It's possible the Els make it to Earth but simply spend it in hiding due to Darkseid's overwhelming influence. The only thing that readers can be sure of is that the few times DC has explored the El family arriving together on Earth, it's never gone well. They indirectly cause the destruction of the Justice League, or they cause Superman to become estranged from humanity.
No matter what universe Superman is in, his parents shape him into who he is. Because of Jonathan and Martha Kent, Superman has a deep love for humanity. When they were killed earlier in life during the New 52, Superman became a lot darker. When the Els arrived on Earth with Superman in a different story, the Earth was transformed, and it led to disaster. Readers will have to tune in and see if the El family's arrival on Earth is another disaster, but one thing is for certain: Superman's origin will always have some element of heart break due to his parents.
Absolute Superman #3 is available now from DC Comics!
- Created By
- Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
- First Appearance
- Action Comics
- Alias
- Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent
- Alliance
- Justice League, Superman Family
- Race
- Kryptonian
- Franchise
- D.C.
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.
