Supermanis one of the most popular characters in the entireDC Universe, and the popular comic book “The Death of Superman” has served as inspiration for several projects throughout the years.In animation, live-action, and even video games, the story of Superman’s death has been a popular point of adaptation,featuringDoomsday or even bigger villains. While some series have adapted details loosely, including in theJustice Leaguecartoon, where Superman did not actually die but was sent to the future, others have been much more faithful to the source material.
Superman’s darkest story has been made even heavierwith the recent episodes ofSuperman and Lois. Following a clash with Doomsday, the show has focussed on the trauma of how this has affected others, and this follows a long line of adaptations that have done the same.Seeing this iconic storyline being adapted for a new series has been satisfying and shows how well this story can be told in different iterations throughout the years.While another adaptation of this story in the DCU is likely a ways off, there have been several excellent versions through the years.
8Smallville Season 5, Episode 3 - “Hidden” (2005)
Clark Is Resurrected Later The Same Episode
Smallvillewas an incredible show that played fast and loose with the hero’s established continuity.However, the show’s story that focused on seeing Superman die was a complete departure from the comic story itself, and may not have even drawn inspiration from it. While Doomsday would later become a part of the series, it was actually due to Jor-El taking Clark’s powers away that the hero died inSmallville. Stripped of his abilities, Clark still attempted to be a hero and was shot in the process. He died from this wound.
Fortunately, Clark was revived at the Fortress of Solitude by his father in the body of Lionel Luthor later that same episode.This is a notable take on “The Death of Superman” story, especially when realizing that Doomsday would later appear in the series,played by Sam Witwer, and would fail to kill the hero. Instead, a different look at Superman’s death is provided in this excellent episode of the popular series.
Smallville
Cast
Smallville chronicles the journey of Clark Kent, portraying his origins from Krypton to his teenage years on Earth. The series explores his challenges and development leading towards his destiny as the iconic hero, Superman, set against the backdrop of Smallville, Kansas.
7Superman Returns (2006)
During an emotional scene inSuperman Returns, the hero appears to die. After lifting the Kryptonian land mass from the sea, the hero falls into a comatose state and is considered dead by many.It is unclear if the filmmakers intended that Superman died in this scene, although his vitals do flatline.Regardless, all of Metropolis reacts emotionally to this as if he has, and Lois lets out her feelings to Superman’s body as it lies in bed.
These words are enough to pull Superman from this state and seem to address the idea that this Superman may not be able to die.Following this emotional scene, Superman eventually wakes up from his death.The world is saved, and everyone can go on with their lives. While a sequel film was not made toSuperman Returns, this is a satisfying conclusion for this version of the hero, regardless of later appearances of Brandon Routh in the Arrowverse crossovers.
Superman Returns
Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns follows the events surrounding the hero’s return to Earth after a five-year absence. When Superman (Brandon Routh) arrives back on Earth, he discovers that Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has developed a plan to use kryptonite crystals to establish a new landmass that he intends to sell off to the highest bidder. With Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) now married with a child, Superman must come to terms with everything he left behind in order to stop Luthor’s villainous scheme.
6Superman: Doomsday (2007)
Superman Is Restored By The Film’s End
The first animated film adaptation of “The Death of Superman” was done in a truncated version entitledSuperman: Doomsday, a straight-to-video film.The 77-minute feature saw an exciting battle between the Man of Steel and Doomsday that ended with Superman dying in Lois' arms.The story continues this story with Lex Luthor, Superman clones, and the inevitable return of the titular hero by the film’s end.
The film begins with Superman’s death and ends with him being brought back to life. While his powers are not entirely restored, Superman can defeat a clone of himself that is being used by Lex Luthor. Ultimately, the world celebrates Superman’s return, and everything returns to normal.This is not the most interesting adaptation of the story, although it is one of the first to cover this territory with the DC character onscreenand has some value as a result.
5All-Star Superman (2011)
Superman Does Not Return By The Film’s End But Becomes Something More
All-Star Superman, based on the popular comic book by Grant Morrison, took an entirely different approach to the Man of Steel and gave him a death that had never been seen before.Weakened by the sun, the story tells of the end of Superman’s life in a compelling and emotional way.The story ends with Superman’s body turning into pure energy, so that even in death he can live on as a larger part of the universe.
This story is sad and emotional, but it is also extremely compelling.All-Star Supermanhas been citedas one of James Gunn’s inspirationsfor the DCU’s take on the character, and this animated film does a decent job of adapting the popular comic book story.Superman’s death actually feels like it has weight and stakes in a way that has not yet been seen.While this death is painful, it is also rooted in a holistic view of the universe that allows Superman to return to the matter from whence he came.
4Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
The Hero Is Brought Back To Life In Justice League
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceand its sequel,Justice League, give the best look at a world after losing Superman.While doubts were previously sown concerning Kal-El’s place on Earth, humanity revered him after the fight with Doomsday in the film.This happened with an incredible action sequence where Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman were all teamed up for the first time in a live-action, big-budget movie. This film culminated with the shocking death of Superman, and a funeral procession.
This was a little early for the DC Extended Universe to do “The Death of Superman”, but that does not ruin its effectiveness. While the theatrical cut ofJustice Leaguegave the hero an underwhelming return,the re-edit ofZack Snyder’s Justice Leagueallowed Superman’s return to be slower and more effective. It is exciting to see the hero appear in his black suit after being resurrected, and the details used from “The Death of Superman” allowed for some of the best scenes in the entire DCEU.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice features the iconic clash between Gotham’s Dark Knight, played by Ben Affleck, and Metropolis’s Man of Steel, portrayed by Henry Cavill. As these two heroes confront each other, a looming threat endangers humanity, setting the stage for larger challenges ahead in the DC Extended Universe.
3The Death Of Superman (2018)
Clark Kent Was Resurrected One Year Later In The Reign Of The Supermen
Using the Justice League to tell the larger story of “The Death of Superman,” this animated film was well received, scoring 92% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The film uses most of the beats from the comic book, including the introduction of and fights against Doomsday, butthe larger story is wrapped around the other heroes that Superman works with in the Justice League.Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, and more all appear here to fill in the universe’s space following Superman’s death.
The film series took its time and allowed Superman to remain dead until the sequel was released one year later.Reign of the Supermendrew influence from the comic book of the same name and saw several different figures attempt to take Superman’s place.This included a clone from LexCorp and Steel, among others. The film saw Clark finally return late in its runtime to deal with the threat of Darkseid in this satisfying story.
The Death Of Superman
The Death of Superman depicts a formidable extraterrestrial creature wreaking havoc on Earth, prompting a response from the Justice League. As the situation escalates, Superman emerges as the planet’s sole defender capable of confronting the destructive force.
2Batwoman Season 1, Episode 9 - “Crisis On Infinite Earths Part 2” (2019)
The Multiversal Supermen Are Not Shown Restored
While the enormous Arrowverse event “Crisis on Infinite Earths” saw a number of Supermen from the past return, including Tom Welling and Brandon Routh’s iterations, it also featured a sequence that saw many additional variants of the hero dying. Across the multiverse,Lex Luthor was able to steal the Book of Destiny from the Monitor, which allowed him to travel throughout different universes to kill the various Supermen that inhabited them.This was revealed in an upsetting scene where Lois could be seen crying over Clark’s body.
This dark sequence was only a brief part of this episode, but it was effective.Seeing even small amounts of footage of Superman being killed was unsettling and effective enough to anchor the emotionality of the rest of the episode.The team was eventually able to take down Lex and retrieve the book by the end of the story, but the violent and disturbing impacts of Lex’s actions across the multiverse remained.
Batwoman
Batwoman follows the story of Kate Kane as she returns to Gotham City after years away and takes up the mantle of the titular character in the absence of her cousin Bruce Wayne, who abandoned the city three years prior. However, Kate quickly learns that her twin sister Beth is alive and has become the terrifying villain Alice, who believes she was abandoned by Kate and their father, Jacob Kane, and wants nothing more than to see them dead. You can buy the seasons for $9.99 on Prime Video for Prime Day.
1Superman and Lois Season 4, Episode 1 - “The End & the Beginning” (2024)
Superman Has Yet To Be Brought Back To Life
e most recent adaptation of “The Death of Superman” occurred in the season premiere ofSuperman and Lois. Following the cliffhanger ending of season 3, the new season began with a fight between Superman and Doomsday, who was previously Bizarro.This violent fight came to a crashing conclusion, and Superman was killed.Superman’s family, including his two sons, were left to grieve him in several dark scenes that have followed.
Many have asked if thisdeath is permanent inSuperman and Lois, and that is unlikely to be the case. While the series can persist without Tyler Hoechlin’s titular hero due to a strong Lex Luthor performance and Jonathan Kent’s turn as Superboy,it is likely, based on the source material, that Superman will return by season end.Either way, whether or not the hero returns, this sequence and death are one of the strongest and most emotional versions of this story yet on screen.Superman and Loismay have the best death of Superman yet.
Superman & Lois
Superman & Lois follows the Man of Steel, Clark Kent, and journalist Lois Lane as they navigate the strains of contemporary parenthood while confronting threats from supervillains and alien invaders, blending personal challenges with heroic responsibilities in this 2021 television series.
