Superman has seen countless power upgrades over his 87 years in comics, but now the Man of Steel has reached what may be his ultimate form by claiming the power of Darkseid himself. And the first thing he does with this newfound power? Slay the Elder Gods, of course.
Joshua Williamson, Scott Snyder, Javier Fernández, Xermánico, and Alejandro Sánchez’s DC K.O. #2 is finally here, and to say that the second installment of DC’s latest crisis event was epic would be an understatement.
This issue sees the 32 heroes and villains of the DC Universe who successfully passed the gauntlet now battling one another in a deadly arena where 16 weapons of war are hidden, with only those who obtain a weapon moving on to the next round. Among those 16 weapons is a mystery item, which Superman claims for himself after executing the ultimate sacrifice.
Superman Makes the Ultimate Sacrifice to Claim Darkseid’s Power
Comic Page Comes From Joshua Williamson & Scott Snyder’s DC K.O. #2 (2025) – Art by Javier Fernández, Xermánico, and Alejandro Sánchez
DC K.O. #2 sees Superman focusing more on preventing Luthor from gaining a weapon and advancing to the next round than finding a weapon himself. However, during their confrontations, Luthor grievously injures Superman with Kryptonite and manages to get his hands on a Black Lantern Ring, which he uses to resurrect the Elder Gods.
True to his egomaniac nature, Luthor uses the Gods to start killing off the other heroes, all while making direct eye contact with the still incapacitated Superman, further rubbing in the Man of Steel’s defeat. Yet Superman rises once more, this time remembering the rules of the tournament, which stated, “Follow the example of Darkseid, and you shall be rewarded.”
It is at this moment that Clark figures out what the ominous instruction is referring to: Darkseid’s ultimate sacrifice, where the New God not only sacrificed his hand but also his life to obtain Absolute power. With his hand already missing thanks to Luthor, Clark grabs the Kryptonite shard embedded in his shoulder and stabs it into his heart, killing himself.
Superman Claims the Power of the Omega Sanction and Decimates the Elder Gods
Comic Page Comes From Joshua Williamson & Scott Snyder’s DC K.O. #2 (2025) – Art by Javier Fernández, Xermánico, and Alejandro Sánchez
Like what happened to Darkseid in the DC All-In Special, this deliberate self-sacrifice allows Superman to become “something more.” It is then revealed that the mystery item is the Omega Sanction, “the power of Darkseid himself.” This marks an astounding moment in DC history as Superman takes on his most powerful form to date, transcending every other version of the character.
He then decimates the Elder Gods single-handedly, a feat previously claimed only by the New God, marking another major moment in DC lore. Unfortunately, the round ends before Clark can turn his newfound power on Luthor and the other villains. However, with this upgrade, Superman now has an even greater chance of winning the tournament and becoming powerful enough to defeat Darkseid and literally recreate the universe and its history.
DC K.O. #2 is available now from DC Comics!
- Created By
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Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
- First Appearance
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Action Comics