Superman Overhauls Krypton’s Lore, Making the Planet's Destruction Darker Than Ever

Warning: Spoilers for Absolute Superman #3Superman's story tends to begin with the final moments of Krypton, and the story usually focuses on the actual explosion that destroys the planet. Now, the Absolute Universe has taken a step back to examine the mysterious phenomena that precede the conclusive blast, uncovering a new side to the tragedy. A staple of Superman history undergoes a haunting rewrite as the full extent of Krypton's ruin is made apparent.

In Absolute Superman #3 by Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola, and Becca Carey, a young Superman hears Krypto barking at something and follows the sound to find out what's happening. He spots a dead animal near his home, then sees that it isn't the only one. Scattered across the ground are decaying corpses, all emitting a green gas.

As Krypton's end approaches, the effects of the planet's environmental issues have presented themselves in unsettling ways that differ greatly from what's usually shown. Superman lore takes a dark turn with Kal-El's discovery of the natural side effects that have taken his planet by storm.

Absolute Superman Reveals the Never-Before-Seen Effects of Krypton's End

Superman's Home Planet Unleashes an Onslaught of Environmental Disasters

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The dead animals merely mark the beginning of the end for Krypton. Kal-El decides to investigate this disturbing occurrence further, hitching a ride on his bike to search the Redlands of Krypton for more unusual phenomena. The green gas that killed the animals has spread far and wide, killing farmers' crops and causing animals to exhibit bizarre behavioral patterns. Water is also affected, as proven when Kal learns that pearl divers are being boiled alive. Every inch of the Redlands faces the consequences of this gas, making the Absolute Universe's version of Krypton's final days the most brutal in any continuity.

Related Superman’s New Origin Reinvents the Hero’s Past, Turning Him Into Krypton's So-Called "Runt" As part of DC's radical re-imagining of Superman lore, Kal-El's childhood on the planet Krypton establishes him as an underdog among his own people.

Typically, the destruction of Krypton is depicted as a singular blast that vanquishes all life on the planet in an instant. DC's Absolute Universe has upended a classic Superman story beat by zeroing in on the individual lives that are affected by Krypton's deterioration. Seeing the corpses strewn about and learning about the workers losing their lives grounds the narrative in a harrowing fashion. Kal-El himself is deeply affected by the sights he's exposed to and publishes a story to spread the word about the environmental dangers, only for the government to take his piece down.

Krypton's Leaders Hide the Planet's Destruction in a Twisted Superman Lore Change

The Science League Refuses to Save Superman's Family From Krypton's Horrors

In this new universe, Krypton's caste system is much more pronounced and cultivates an immense class divide between the ruling class and the working class. The upper echelon of this hierarchy consists of the Science League, which regulates the use of technology by citizens so that only the advancements they approve of are permitted. As Krypton's conditions rapidly worsen, Jor-El attempts to appeal to the Science League so that action can be taken to save Kryptonians from imminent doom. However, they deny his request and instead opt to imprison him for spreading what they claim to be lies.

Learn more about the class system on the Absolute Universe's iteration of Krypton in Absolute Superman #1, available now!

Superman flexes his journalist muscles and unearths the truth about why the Science League has turned down Jor's plea on behalf of Kryptonians. By searching the systems of a law office in Kandor, Kal realizes that the ruling citizens are fleeing the planet in spaceships. Krypton's upper class is aware of the environment's decline, but has elected to hide the truth from the working-class civilians so that they can perish with the planet. With this plan in place, the majority of Kryptonians - including Superman and his parents - will be left to die from Krypton's green gas emissions, while those possessing power relocate to a habitable world.

Superman's Origin Story Is Much More Tragic in DC's Absolute Universe

The Destruction of Krypton Hits Harder as Individual Lives Are Impacted

It is indisputable that Superman losing his planet is a tragic moment in his lore, as the explosion of Krypton deprives him and other survivors of their original home. With that being said, the Absolute Universe has managed to take that character-defining incident and raise it to an unprecedented new level of tragedy. This version of Superman's origin demonstrates the realities of a planet dying off, as Aaron and Sandoval don't hold back from showcasing the gory details. Kal-El witnesses firsthand the damage that the Science League's negligence has inflicted upon Krypton's environment, and it radicalizes him to help his parents concoct a solution.

Kal-El witnesses firsthand the damage that the Science League's negligence has inflicted upon Krypton's environment, and it radicalizes him to help his parents concoct a solution.

The situation on Krypton is far more dire than anything Superman has seen in his original history, yet there's still hope for his survival despite the bleak circumstances. Kal's mother, Lara, has constructed a high-tech suit - which later becomes Superman's costume - that can traverse space and permit the wearer to leave Krypton. Additionally, she and Jor have prepared a ship that can accommodate numerous Kryptonians. Still, natural deaths will inevitably continue to occur, as not everyone can escape the planet before it's too late. Superman's home planet is slowly killing its inhabitants, and all he can do is try to minimize the casualties of Krypton's destruction.

Absolute Superman #3 is available now from DC Comics.