Kal-El (Superman/Batman)

Kal-El


Alias(es)	Clark Kent Superman Man of Steel
Appeared in	Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
Status	Alive
Actor	Tim Daly

Kal-El is the last son of Krypton, when his father, Jor-El, realized that his planet was doomed, he and his wife Lara sent Kal to Earth, where he would be found by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who named him Clark Kent. Using his powers, he defends the good citizens of Metropolis from threats like criminals, particularly, Lex Luthor; Kal would then become the superhero known as Superman.

Biography[]

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies[]

An indeterminate economy crisis had plagued the U.S., causing Superman’s archenemy Lex Luthor to become President and bring stability to the country; an act that made him very popular amongst the populace. Even so, Superman maintainsedhis distrust of Luthor, a sentiment shared by fellow superhero Batman.

Later, Superman stopped a runaway car driver and was confronted by Captain Atom, Power Girl and Major Force, a trio of superheroes who had become part of a government-sponsored superhero team and wanted to convince Superman to change his mind about Luthor, but Superman remained unconvinced. The Man of Steel went to the Batcave, where he and Batman overheard a presidential speech, where Luthor warned about a Kryptonite meteor hurtling towards Earth and asking Superman for a meeting in which they could make a plan to stop the meteor. Despite Batman’s warnings, Superman couldn't stand by and watch the meteor destroy Earth, so he left to meet with Luthor.

As Superman arrived in Gotham City with peaceful intent, Lex ordered Metallo, his Secret Service agent, to attack him. In the confrontation, Metallo shot Superman in the chest with a Kryptonite bullet, but Batman was able to hold off Metallo long enough for him to escape with Superman to Gotham’s sewers, where they made their way back to the Batcave. Alfred Pennyworth removed the Kryptonite from Superman’s system, but Luthor made a speech on national television, claiming Superman attempted to attack him and murdered Metallo when he came to Luthor’s defense. For that, Lex placed a one billion dollar bounty on Superman.

Batman promised Superman to find a way to clear his name, but for now they had to focus on stopping the meteor. While breaking into S.T.A.R. Labs seeking information on the meteor, Batman and Superman found Metallo's remains and realized that intense radiation had killed him. An army of villains looking to collect on the bounty then attacked them. Superman and Batman, with some assistance from Captain Atom, defeated the villains. Unfortunately, Captain Atom and his team, composed Major Force, Power Girl, Black Lightning and Katana, had arrived to arrest Superman under presidential orders. They, except the insecure Power Girl, attempted to capture Superman and Batman. Superman created a twister using his super-speed, and the two heroes escaped with Power Girl.

In Metropolis, Power Girl admitted her distrust of Lex and that she didn't believe Superman killed Metallo. Luthor's superheroes caught up and the fight began anew, this time with Power Girl aiding Superman and Batman. Batman, having already discovered Major Force killed Metallo under Luthor's orders, goaded him into admitting it in front of everyone. In anger, Power Girl punched him in the stomach with so much force that it ruptured his containment suit. Captain Atom, ashamed at his complicity in Luthor's misdeeds, absorbed the energy, disintegrating Major Force and injuring himself in the process.

With Power Girl’s assistance, Superman and Batman attempted to break into Lex’s base of operations to retrieve data on the meteor's radiation. They battled with Captain Marvel and Hawkman, but emerged victorious. However, Luthor refused to relinquish the data, going so far as to erase it from the lab computers. Fortunately, Amanda Waller gave them a copy, being disgusted with Luthor's plans.

Batman and Superman flew to Tokyo to deliver the data on the meteor to Toyman, who had already developed a spacecraft to destroy the meteor. After Batman and Superman arrived at Toyman's base, he showed them the spacecraft, which resembles a giant, robotic composite version of the two heroes. With the data, Toyman was able to calculate the necessary reinforcements needed for his own rocket so it wouldn't explode before impact. Unfortunately, Luthor, who had donned a kryptonite-powered armor, neutralized Power Girl, Superman and Batman, and then disabled the rocket's remote guidance systems so that it wouldn't take off by itself. Having no other choice, Batman decided to fly the rocket himself, despite Superman's protests. Though initially faring poorly against Luthor and his kryptonite warsuit, the rage over losing his best friend allowed Superman to gain the upper hand, and after an aerial chase leading them all the way back to Metropolis, he defeated him in the streets there. Batman succeeded in destroying the meteor, and Superman found him alive and well in an escape pod.

With the truth of Metallo's death now public knowledge, Superman's name was cleared of the murder charge and Luthor was arrested and taken away to face trial and impeachment for his crimes. Batman returned to Gotham while Lois Lane arrived and happily embraced Superman.

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse[]

Weeks after Luthor’s arrest, a spaceship lands in Gotham City Harbor and a young Kryptonian girl emerges. She accidentally causes all sorts of havoc with her powers, even damaging a police blimp, which almost crashes on the city until it's stopped by Superman. At the same time, Batman exposes the girl to a piece of Kryptonite and brings her to the Batcave. With Superman's help, they discover that the girl is Kara Zor-El, the niece of Jor-El and Superman's biological cousin. Joyful at meeting another Kryptonian, one of his own family no less, Superman welcomes Kara, teaches her English, and helps her adjust to Earth society. Later, Wonder Woman and Lyla ambush Clark and Kara in a park and take Kara to Themyscira, on the basis that only there can she learn to control her powers. Superman reluctantly agrees, but still prefers to watch to Kara himself.

Two months later, a horde of Doomsday clones arrive from Apokolips. Superman, Wonder Woman and the Amazonian army fight them for a while until Superman vaporizes all of them with a single blast of his heat vision, but Batman discovers that Darkseid has kidnapped Kara, and killed Lyla, who was trying to prevent Kara's abduction. Distraught, Superman vows to avenge her and save Kara. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman locate and recruit Big Barda to help them find their way on Apokolips. Once there, Superman tears his way to Darkseid's palace. Superman encounters Darkseid, who sets the brainwashed Kara on him. Kara pummels Superman but the Man of Steel defeats her. At the same time, Wonder Woman and Barda had defeated the Female Furies while Batman had threatened Darkseid with Apokolips’ destruction if he didn't free Kara. Darkseid agrees to release her and the heroes return home.

With the ordeal over, Clark takes Kara to meet his adoptive parents in Smallville. Unfortunately, such plans are cut short when Darkseid ambushes them. The dark lord of Apokolips throws Superman into orbit and brutally defeats Kara, but Superman recovers and returns to Earth to confront Darkseid again. He gains the upper hand and pummels Darkseid using a combination of punches and heat vision at super speed. Darkseid grabs Superman and begins attacking him with Omega Beams. As Superman's skin starts to glow red hot from the assault, Kara uses Darkseid's Mother Box to activate a Boom Tube behind Darkseid. Superman uses the momentary distraction to his advantage and pushes Darkseid through. While Superman anticipates Darkseid's eventual return from Apokolips, Kara informs him that she changed the coordinates to a random spot in space, leaving Darkseid floating around frozen in ice. Having saved her cousin's life and found her place on Earth, Kara decides to use her powers to fight for justice under the identity of Supergirl. Superman introduces Supergirl to their gathered friends at Themyscira, and they both fly to Metropolis.

Powers and Abilities[]

Powers[]

Super Strength: Superman is extremely strong under Earth's yellow sun. He has hold his own against powerful opponents, (even an entire group of super villains). Superman does have his limits as with his battle with Darkseid, Superman's punches proved ineffective against the god. He can absorb more energy from the sun to give him more strength, but his blows only provided a minor annoyance to Darkseid.
Super Speed: Superman is one of the fastest beings of planet Earth, he has created gigantic tornados, flew across the country in seconds, and flying from the atmosphere to the Earth in a few seconds. This power does have it's limits, shown when Darkseid easily grabbed Superman who was going all out.
Invulnerability: Superman's invulnerability prevents most forms of weaponry from harming him. This bio-electric aura protects his costume as well. Contrary to popular belief, Superman can be harmed by other things besides Kyrptonite. Shazam's magic can injure him to some extent. The most fatal is the omega beams, they nearly killed him in a casual blast, which also took out his cousin as well.
X-Ray Vision
Heat Vision: Heat Vision is controlled consciously by Superman who destroyed thousands of Doomsday, though when used on Darkseid it can't affect him and is weaker than the omega beam.
Super Hearing
Super Breath
Flight