Warning! Spoilers ahead for Absolute Power #2!As if things weren’t bad enough, Superman has just seen what Amanda Waller has done to Clark Kent’s firstborn son. After the stunning conclusion of Absolute Power #1, the Man of Steel comes face-to-face with his pride and joy, only to see Jon at his lowest possible moment.
The heroes of the DC Universe are in dire straights. Waller is more powerful than ever and has unleashed a swath of souped-up Amazos to steal every metahumans’ power. But Waller’s insidious plans also involve Jon Kent, who tells his father the last two words that Superman ever wanted to hear.
Superman’s Son Goes Full Villain and Leads the Attack on the Fortress of Solitude
In Absolute Power #2 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez, and Ariana Maher, Waller’s plot is succeeding. The majority of the world’s metahumans have been de-powered and incarcerated on the island nation of Gamorra. However, there’s still a sizable portion of metahumans left, so Waller prepares her team for a new phase of attack, spearheaded by her latest asset, a brainwashed and cybernetically-enhanced Jon Kent. Meanwhile, at the Fortress of Solitude, Superman is in a panic knowing that his son is in Amanda Waller’s clutches.
Superman is horrified at what’s happened to his son…
After a bit of infighting, Nightwing rallies the remaining heroes and begins to plan a counterattack against Waller. Unfortunately, before they can move out, the Fortress is attacked by the Brainiac Queen and Jon, who reveals his twisted new form to his former allies. Superman is horrified at what’s happened to his son and moves in to try and break through to him. Unfortunately, Superman’s son is too far gone and he helps the Brainiac Queen disarm and apprehend the heroes.
Thankfully, Flash finds some kryptonite which still manages to hurt Jon. The young man collapses on the ground and Superman tends to his offspring. Jon has seemingly shaken off Waller’s control and tells his father there’s a way to end this. But the moment Clark gets close enough, Jon whispers “Join us” and grabs Superman’s hand, spreading the techno-organic corruption plaguing Jon. Thankfully, Flash once again comes to Superman’s rescue with kryptonite and uses a bike to drag Jon straight through Blue Beetle’s Bug, causing a massive explosion.
How Amanda Waller Turned Superman’s Son Against Him
After visiting Earth-3 and seeing the damage metahumans could do to the Earth, Waller resolved to save her world by getting rid of its metahuman population. With the backing of the Council of Light, Waller began a shadowy, months-long campaign to gain more power than ever before. It took time, but during “Beast World”, Waller’s subtle manipulations paid off when she was made the head of the Bureau of Sovereignty. From there, it was only a matter of time until she collected the assets she needed to defeat the DC Universe’s metahumans.
After collecting the Brainiac Queen and Failsafe, Waller used their technology to improve six Amazos, designating them as Task Force VII. Once she had everything in place, Waller finally acted on her ultimate plan. She had the Brainiac Queen generate dozens of AI videos that showed heroes attacking innocent civilians as part of a gambit to draw them out into the public. The heroes fell for it and once they were out in large numbers, Waller dispatched Task Force VII to see her goals through.
Waller officially brings Failsafe and the Brainiac Queen to her side in
Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1 (2024)
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Superman was one of the first metahumans to lose his powers, and he was shot right after. Superboy and Jon were nearby and they attempted to rescue him, but their powers were stolen as well. Jon tried to get his ailing father to help, but he was dragged away by Last Son, the Amazo that stole the Super-Family’s abilities. Superman’s son later woke up in a lab, with no memory of who he was, as the Brainiac Queen began to convert him into a cybernetic monstrosity.
What Does the Future Hold For Superman and His New ‘Villain’?
It’s heartbreaking to see Jon like this. It was just a few years ago that he was the wide-eyed Super Son who delighted fans everywhere with his charming adventures with Robin. Now he’s lost his sense of self and been turned into a weapon against the entire hero community. It’s even worse for Superman, who loves Jon more than anything, yet is completely helpless to undo what Waller and the Brainiac Queen have done to him. But despite Superman’s son’s unwilling trip to the other side, all doesn’t appear to be lost just yet.
Superman might not have his powers, but that’s not going to stop him from saving his flesh and blood.
There are flashes of the old Jon still inside his villainous new form. In the wake of the attack on the Fortress of Solitude, Jon earnestly calls for his father and expresses horror at what he did. Unfortunately, the Brainiac Queen gets her clutches in Jon once more, so he’s not out of the woods just yet. But despite the Queen turning Jon against Superman and the metahumans, it’s impossible to completely corrupt the younger Superman, meaning his father still has a chance at saving him.
Even if Brainiac Queen keeps Jon under her spell a bit longer, Superman never gives up on anyone. Not civilians, not his allies, and not even his enemies. So Superman’s damn sure not going to give up on Jon, no matter what he’s done or what’s been done to him. He might be weaponized, but the kindhearted and valiant hero Superman raised is still there and he needs his father more than ever. Superman might not have his powers, but that’s not going to stop him from saving his flesh and blood.
Superman’s Son Isn’t Gone, But He’s Needs to Act Fast
Waller has planned for numerous outcomes, so there’s no doubt she’s still got a lot up her sleeve to deal with the rebellious metahumans. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that Superman can save his son from permanently becoming Waller’s weapon, but that window is likely shrinking with every minute. Superman and the rest of Earth’s remaining heroes have a lot on their plates right now, but it’s unlikely Jon can break the Brainiac Queen’s hold on his own. But there’s one thing that’s for certain, Superman’s not going to let his son go without a fight.
Absolute Power #2 is available now from DC Comics.
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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.
