Superman's New Weakness Settles It - Darkseid Is Way Beyond His Power Level

Summary General Chacal's chain forged on Apokolips holds Superman captive, hinting at potential defeat by even stronger restraints.

Superman has encountered kryptonite and magic before, but rarely metal forged on Apokolips.

While Superman rarely faces Apokoliptian bindings, threat is serious as Darkseid could use durable metals to finally defeat him.

Warning! Spoilers for Superman #14 ahead!Darkseid is in luck because a new Superman weakness is right up the galactic despot's alley. In the middle of a fight with a group of Czarnians, one pulls out a weapon forged on Apokolips. This new weakness hints at how Darkseid could finally bring the Man of Steel down for good.

In Superman #14 by Joshua Williamson, Rafa Sandoval, and Miguel Mendonca, Lobo attacks Superman so he can prove himself worthy enough to take over General Chacal's army. Lobo doesn't hold back and neither does Superman, but Clark moves the battle into outer space to mitigate the damage.

Unfortunately, this gives Chacal the opportunity to bind Superman in a swath of chains. Chacal mentions that his chain was forged in the fires of Apokolips, meaning even Superman can't break them. Chacal's words prove true as the Czarnian gang successfully hauls Superman back to Brainiac so the Coluan can complete his experiment.

Superman Can't Break Metal Forged in Apokolips

Superman is one of the most durable and strongest heroes in the DC Universe. That said, he's not indestructible. Over the years, numerous vulnerabilities have been exploited in an attempt to kill Superman. Not only is there kryptonite and its various colors (each with a sinister side effect) but there's also red solar radiation that can make Clark as powerless as any regular human. Not to mention, the Man of Tomorrow is pretty much powerless against magic. And when all else fails, those capable of dishing out Doomsday-level brute force can bring Superman down.

Even when armed with Omega Beams, overwhelming strength and an army of Parademons, Darkseid has never been able to truly defeat the Man of Steel. But General Chacal's chain seemed to do the job and kept Superman restrained until he was delivered to Brainiac. Chacal just had a chain, but just imagine what Darkseid could have forged in the Fire Pits that could also hold Clark back. If Darkseid desired, he could have a prison or even torture devices made out of the most durable metals on Apokolips and finally defeat Superman once and for all.

Is Superman's New Weakness a Serious Threat?

Thankfully, Superman doesn’t run into Apokoliptian bindings as much as he does kryptonite or magic. Not to mention it's not easy capturing someone like Clark. But if anyone in the DC Universe is capable of stopping the Man of Steel for just a second, it's Darkseid, and that’s all the time he’d need to place Superman in some kind of metallic restraint. If Superman seriously can’t break out of metal forged by the Fire Pits of Apokolips, then Darkseid could be closer to victory over his enemy than he thinks.

Superman #14 is available now from DC Comics.

Superman #14 (2024) Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artists: Rafa Sandoval, Miguel Mendonca

Colorist: Alejandro Sánchez

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artist: Rafa Sandoval