Did Superman Actually Forget His Fail-Proof Strategy to Defeat Doomsday?

Warning! Contains Spoilers for Superman #21!

The expansive universe of comic books often leads iconic characters like Superman to wish certain persistent villains would simply vanish. While some adversaries, such as Toy Maker, can be rehabilitated, others like Brainiac can sometimes be negotiated with based on different narratives. Yet, Doomsday remains an unyielding foe, prompting Superman to wish he could eliminate this threat once and for all. Intriguingly, it appears that Superman has forgotten that he has already succeeded in defeating Doomsday.

For decades, Superman has been at odds with Doomsday, who poses a continual danger to the Super-Family. The younger Jon Kent once regarded Doomsday as a mythic family nightmare. Time and again, Superman has faced the grim reality that no matter what actions he takes, Doomsday seems to evade his ultimate defeat. Despite attempts to kill him and imprison him in Hell, Doomsday consistently escapes. Even Superman’s method of trapping Doomsday in an endless teleportation loop fell short, as Doomsday managed to break free.

Superman Laments That He Can't Be Free Of Doomsday

In Superman #21, penned by Joshua Williamson and illustrated by Dan Mora, Superman confides in Lois Lane about his frustration. He expresses a desire to discover a definitive way to vanquish Doomsday, allowing them to escape his menacing shadow. Ironically, Superman defeated Doomsday quite some time ago—in 1994—and appears to have completely forgotten this fact.

Superman Already Found the Perfect Way to Defeat Doomsday

Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #3 by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Bill Oakley, and Greg Wright

Superman has engaged Doomsday numerous times and explored various tactics to eliminate him. The most effective strategy came during the Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey saga, where after Doomsday devastates Darkseid, Superman, with the assistance of Waverider, transports Doomsday to the universe’s edge. In that timeless void, only entropy remains, leading to Doomsday being erased from existence. Astonishingly, the idea that Superman has forgotten this event is hard to comprehend, considering it was a pivotal moment in his legacy.

Although Doomsday persists today, his survival can be attributed to unique circumstances around Superman’s victory. When Superman confronted Doomsday at the end of times, he indeed perished. However, it was Hal Jordan’s actions during the Zero Hour Crisis, alongside Brainiac’s interference, that facilitated Doomsday’s return to the timeline immediately after Superman’s decisive moment. If Superman were to repeat this strategy, sending Doomsday back to absolute nothingness, he could finally rid himself of the monstrous foe. What worked in the past should logically succeed once again.

Superman Defeated Doomsday Over 20 Years Ago

Apparently, the Hero Forgot How He Did It

Certain readers might contend that the current Superman differs from the version that once triumphed over Doomsday, thus lacking knowledge of that previous victory. However, this view is flawed. The convergence of post-New 52 Superman and pre-New 52 Superman during Superman: Reborn entailed a merging of memories. As such, this Superman possesses recollections from all earlier exploits, effectively rendering the amnesia nonsensical. Furthermore, the Infinite Frontier narrative asserts that all events are canon, strengthening the case that Superman’s memory lapse is solely due to the relentless physical trials he has endured.

Superman #21 is currently available at your local comic shop, published by DC Comics!

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