Top 10 Darkest Superman Moments

#10: Superman Lets Loose Against Darkseid
“Justice League Unlimited” (2004-06)
For as great as the DCAU was, a common complaint was that it toned down the extent of Superman's strength. While it’s perfectly valid to be frustrated by this, that show of restraint helped make moments like this hit that much harder. In the action-packed finale to “Justice League Unlimited”, Superman finally unleashes the full might of his power on Darkseid. Superman perfectly describes how careful he always has to be and then finally has a chance to let loose. Every punch feels like it’s rocking the world right off its axis. It’s a triumphant moment yet also a haunting reminder that Superman really is the most powerful hero in existence. If he lost his cool, it’d be game over. So yeah, don’t cross him!
#9: Dropping Toyman to His Death
“Superman: Doomsday” (2007)
When it comes to making a statement there’s nothing like sending a villain plummeting straight to his demise to really seal the deal. Having been fed up with the Toyman’s crimes, Superman decided that he finally had to take decisive matters against this particular rogue. He flew him all the way up into the air and then let him go, causing Toyman to plummet into a freefall and crash. It’s worth acknowledging that this was technically a clone of Superman, however, this plot twist wasn’t revealed until later in the film. So in most citizens' eyes, Big Blue suddenly went offscript. Clone or no clone, this terrifying execution is more than enough to make the criminals of Metropolis second-guess themselves.
#8: Superman Kills Lois
“Superman & Lois” (2021-24)
In pretty much every universe Superman loves Lois Lane, well…except this one apparently. On one particular Earth within the multiverse, we see an evil Superman who lords over the planet. His tyranny directly impacts John Henry Irons, who watches his wife Lois Lane get killed by the Kryptonian on a live news broadcast. It’s sadistic what this Superman variant does and a clear betrayal of what we know the Man of Steel to be. The murder of Lois would also be a crucial moment for John, as he’d then dedicate his life to fighting this Superman. The multiverse can be a fun way to explore new worlds. But it can also be a way to discover nightmarish versions of the heroes we love.
#7: Taken Over by Trigon
“Justice League Dark: Apokolips War” (2020)
With Darkseid having successfully taken over the world, things were dire for the superhero community. Many heroes were wiped out, and others forced into servitude under Darkseid. Things were actually so bad that in order to gain an advantage over Darkseid, Superman had to be bound to the demon Trigon in order to stop him. It gave Superman enhanced abilities but also turned him temporarily into a devilish creature. Horns sprouted from his head, his eyes turned red, and his cape and crest were set ablaze. Besides looking super scary, Trigon possessing Superman is a very dangerous situation if left unchecked. This strategy may have proved valuable against Darkseid, but a Satanic Superman isn’t what we want to see on the regular!
#6: Lobotomizing Doomsday
“Justice League” (2001-04)
In the acclaimed “Justice League” animated series, we’re introduced to a rogue alternate version of the League called the Justice Lords. At the helm of this team is another Superman, one who decided that controlling people was better than protecting them. This Superman had no problem taking a rampant Doomsday down any way possible. By sending heat blasts straight into Doomsday’s head, Superman essentially lobotomizes the creature to save the day. It stops Doomsday but is arguably a step too far. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but was this necessary? Even the regular DCAU Superman makes controversial decisions against Doomsday by banishing him to the Phantom Zone after he resurfaces. Safe to say that Doomsday brings out the worst in this hero!
#5: Getting Shot With a Kryptonite Bullet
“Justice League: Doom” (2012)
We know that Superman is one of the strongest superheroes in the game but he’s not invincible, and this moment proves that. When the Man of Steel tries consoling a man who’s close to jumping from a building, things take a drastic turn. The helpless man turns out to be Metallo, who shoots Superman with a kryptonite bullet. To make matters worse, he then plummets to the ground in a nasty bump. It’s rare to see our hero getting gunned down so this moment is quite the shock. It gets even darker when you realize that this all happened because the bad guys got ahold of Batman’s contingency plans for neutralizing the League. This wasn’t just a brutal shooting, it was also a metaphorical backstabbing.
#4: Crushing Batman’s Heart
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016)
During a trippy dream sequence showcasing the Knightmare timeline, Batman is captured by several military soldiers and held in an unknown location. It’s there that a pissed off Superman makes his introduction. He’s not exactly on good terms with Batman in this scene, and one can assume that the Man of Tomorrow has gone off the deep end. To prove that point, Superman reaches toward Batman’s chest and proceeds to crush his heart. This is one wild way of sending a message. When we say that Superman broke Batman’s heart, we mean that! Granted, we don’t see the full extent of the damage but given how Bruce reacted, it clearly didn’t feel good! Hopefully Knightmare Superman remains as what he was here: a bad dream.
#3: Messing Around With the Elite
“Superman vs. the Elite” (2012)
If someone possesses absolute power, shouldn’t they do anything they want with it? Some people believe this is how Superman should act, including the Elite. They’re a group of new superheroes who use brutal means to take down villains, which causes Superman to clash with them. Their leader Manchester Black wants heroes to start killing and eventually, Superman snaps. In a harrowing sequence, the Elite are picked off one by one. It’s so scary that it causes Manchester Black to break down in fear almost immediately. Intimidation tactics aren’t usually how Superman operates, but they were necessary here to show everyone the errors of their thinking. The Man of Steel should never kill, and this scenario shows us why.
#2: Snapping Zod’s Neck
“Man of Steel” (2013)
For the longest time Kal-El thought that he was the last of his people, until the arrival of Zod proved that he wasn’t as alone as he thought. But when the two Kryptonians inevitably clashed, disaster was waiting to strike. In order to save a nearby family from Zod’s heat vision, Superman snapped the villain’s neck. Having taken a life, the controversial moment rattled Superman to his core and divided the fanbase. He killed Zod before in “Superman 2”, but it was never as brutal as this. Maybe the ends justified the means but at the end of the day, Superman killed someone. And not just anybody, he murdered a person from his own species! Ultimately it's a tough situation to deal with.
#1: Killing Joker
“Injustice” (2021)
We’ve seen a couple of evil Supermen now but “Injustice” Superman takes the cake. Look at what he did to Joker if you need convincing. Instead of just tormenting Batman, this clown decided to pick a fight with Superman too. He tricked the Kryptonian into killing his pregnant wife Lois Lane, which caused him to snap. How did Superman react to this tragedy? By sending his arm through the Joker’s body, that’s how! We can sympathize with Superman, but this swift execution was undeniably a shift towards the dark side. In fact, he became a ruthless tyrant after this, coldly killing any who opposed him. This isn’t just one of Superman’s darkest moments, it’s also essentially the catalyst for a full-scale superhero civil war. Yikes…
Are there any disturbing Superman moments we missed? Let us know in the comments!
