"Crisis On Infinite Earths" is bringing a lot of surprise DC alumni to the Arrow-verse's mega crossover, but few reveals were as surprising as what Brandon Routh would be up to. Although the actor has been serving as the Arrow-verse's Ray Palmer for quite a while, he will be reprising the role of the character he first played when he entered the DC Universe: Superman.
Not only that, but Brandon Routh will be playing a version of Superman much different than the usual Man of Steel. He'll be playing the Superman made iconic in the story Kingdom Come, which could definitely shake this upcoming crossover up in some major ways. For those out of the loop on the hero, here's some of the key ways Kingdom Come Superman could come into play.
Kingdom Come Superman May Be Difficult To Work With
Kingdom Come Superman comes from a time where a new generation of heroes believes in vigilante justice, and the public supports it. The shift in vigilante perception by the masses disheartens Superman, and ultimately makes him turn his back on humanity. He retires to the Fortress of Solitude, and spends a full decade from the public eye.
If Brandon Routh's Kingdom Come Superman is like the comic's version, that plot point may make him difficult to work with. He may not be all that interested in helping humanity, even if the humans of his world aren't like the humans of the other worlds. Sure, billions may die in the Crisis, but with as strong as Kingdom Come Superman is, he could probably still survive the cataclysmic event.
The good news is that Clark Kent is eventually swayed to assist humanity once again in the comics, and helped out the heroes of other Earths on a couple occasions as well. Kingdom Come Superman may be different from the traditional hero, but the framework of what makes him DC's greatest hero is still there. While he may be apprehensive at first when the Arrow-verse heroes arrive, he can and likely will be swayed into helping.
Kingdom Come Superman May Have A Different Significant Other
Lois Lane is Superman's ride or die. We all know this. Arrow-verse fans finally got to see Lois and Clark together in last year's mega-crossover, and it's possible they could see a different type of Superman romance in "Crisis on Infinite Earths." Could this year feature a romance between Wonder Woman and Kingdom Come Superman?
In Kingdom Come, Lois Lane is dead after being mortally wounded by the Joker in an attack that ultimately sets the story in motion. Superman steps away after seeing the public's acclaim for another "hero", Magog, killing Joker, but is ultimately coaxed back into reforming the Justice League by Wonder Woman. It's a combination of Lois' death, a decades-long friendship, and maybe a renewed sense of hope for the world that pushes this couple into a super romance.
While there have been whispers that Lynda Carter may appear as Wonder Woman, the age gap between the actress and Brandon Routh makes the coupling of the two heroes unlikely. Perhaps there's a mystery casting that may show this relationship, but it's also just as likely this pairing could be referenced without seeing her or that Kingdom Come Superman isn't romantically involved with Wonder Woman yet. With that said, I'd love to see it!
Kingdom Come Superman May Be More Morally Gray Than Audiences Are Used To
Kingdom Come Superman has been through a lot, and has been shaped by the events of his own world and the lines its people were willing to see crossed. In short, this Clark is a lot more morally gray than the Superman the Arrow-verse is used to. He's not quite the level Oliver Queen was at in Season 1 of Arrow, but he's not afraid to end a life.
Which again, is largely a product of the events of Kingdom Come. Superman doesn't necessarily wish to kill other villains, but if he has to choose between taking them out if they're capable of killing innocent people and letting them live, he'll take them out. Again, though it's not quite as extreme as Oliver was in Arrow's beginnings, it's certainly a lot scarier when there's next to nothing that can stop him.
Will we see a Superman like that in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover? It's possible, and would be a great way of distinguishing the multiple Supermen who are slated to appear. Perhaps the cynicism and threatening nature of Kingdom Come Superman will cause fear in the other Men of Steel that they may one day end up the same way?
Kingdom Come Superman May Make This Crisis More Manageable
It's incredibly surprising that Kingdom Come Superman is showing up in "Crisis On Infinite Earths," especially considering he's one of the strongest incarnations of the character. This Superman has only grown stronger with time, and is generally considered stronger than most of the vanilla versions of Superman. In addition to that, all those extra years of sun exposure have erased his vulnerability to green kryptonite.
Basically, Brandon Routh's Superman is probably going to be one of the strongest if not the strongest hero that appears in "Crisis On Infinite Earths." With him lending a hand alongside two other confirmed Supermen, will this "Crisis" be much more manageable than it initially seemed? Barry may not have to die after all, though The Monitor does seem pretty confident that's going to happen regardless of how this all shakes out.
If I had to guess, "Crisis On Infinite Earths" will probably employ a Superman ensemble tactic used in the comics for decades to even the playing field. That is, all the Supermen will be occupied with some monumental task that requires their full attention. That way they're too busy to do all the work the other DC heroes are doing much faster. If that's true, what the hell could this mega crossover be planning that multiple or even a couple Supermen couldn't face?
First Look At Arrow Vet As DC's Harbinger For Crisis On Infinite Earths Crossover
"Crisis On Infinite Earths" kicks off on The CW Sunday, December 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Stick with CinemaBlend for all the updates and speculation on what's happening in the Arrow-verse, and to stay up to date on the latest television and movie news.
