Contains spoilers for My Adventures With Superman season 2!Despite trying their best to distance themselves from Snyder’s vision for Superman, a recent story arc for My Adventures With Superman shows DC is still seemingly obsessed with having the Man of Steel turn evil. Given the divisive reception to Zack Snyder’s plans for his Superman to turn evil, it is bold for DC to push forward with another iteration of that trope. Given everything revealed so far about DCU’s upcoming Superman movie and how it will move in a different direction, maybe bringing evil Superman back in a smaller scale production like My Adventures With Superman is the perfect option.

My Adventures With Superman season 2 brought Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, into the mix with an intriguing new take on the character, this time having been brainwashed by Brainiac into following his orders. While Supergirl appears to be getting closer to breaking Brainiac’s control over her, season 2, episode 6 leaves Superman in a

The second season of My Adventures With Superman brings Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, into the mix with an intriguing new take on the character. This opens up the possibility for Clark to be evil for a handful of episodes in the same way Supergirl has been portrayed so far, predominantly against his will, or at least without him fully realizing what is happening. The second season is already past the halfway mark and My Adventures With Superman season 3 is confirmed, making it as good a time as ever for it to explore the evil Superman trope.

Another Evil Superman Is Set To Join DC’s Extensive Roster

My Adventures With Superman Season 2 Sets Up A Tragic Man Of Steel Twist

My Adventures With Superman season 2, episode 6 appears to close with Superman about to be corrupted by Brainiac. While the DC hero was able to reject Brainiac’s attempts to turn him into his soldier throughout the majority of this chapter of the show, he eventually collapses unconscious under the force of a red sun omega field.

As such, it seems the Man Of Steel is currently set to find himself in the same situation Kara has been facing, as he’s now unable to protect himself from Brainiac’s brainwashing. Indeed, the villain even says, “I don’t need your cooperation” to the hero before he passes out, suggesting his plan involves hijacking the now vulnerable Superman’s free will. While there have many versions of the evil Superman story, this offers a fresh take on the concept, and one that would work perfectly for a Supergirl redemption arc, by allowing her to help Clark break free of this control.

One of the best parts of Clark’s characterization in My Adventures With Superman is how kind-hearted he is, and it will be compelling to see how the show handles his turn as a possible villain. While Clark turning evil in the version is the work of Braniac, it could be a neat idea for the show to use all of his current setbacks as a catalyst that allows him to be brainwashed. This would also help convey just how much of a threat Brainiac truly is, showing he’s capable of bending anyone to his will if left unchecked.

Supergirl’s My Adventures With Superman Villain Story Shows Why Evil Superman Happens So Often

Supergirl’s Villainous Show Debut Shed Light On Why Evil Superman Works

Supergirl’s introduction into the show immediately adds an interesting contrast between her and Clark, and shows a lot of the reasons so many stories use some version of the evil Superman story as a result. Kara’s villain turn highlights the strengths of the trope by showing the dichotomy between the inherent good nature of Superman against the absolute destruction his strength could bring if he didn’t have those qualities. In the same vein, bringing Clark to a place of darkness that clashes against his principles best shows the heroism Superman embodies and how much the world needs a hero like him.

Of course, Kara’s evil turn isn’t due to her nature as a person, but is shown to be the work of Braniac, who has brainwashed her, convinced Kara he is her father, and has used her to bring destruction to a number of worlds already. By the end of episode 6, Kara realizes all these things, but seemingly too late to stop Brainiac from replicating her torment with her cousin. The impact and drama of this storyline is a prime example of why stories like these can work and why DC loves to keep re-using them.

Why Evil Superman Is So Much More Common In DC Shows & Movies

The Concept Of An Evil Superman Has A Lot Of Layers

DC keeps falling back on the evil Superman trope for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s a striking narrative choice that could bring another interesting aspect to the character if done correctly. On a similar note, it can be terrifying seeing the ideal DC hero succumb to the darkness inside of him or not be in control of his immense power while adding an extra layer of dramatic heft to the story. It’s also easy to explore the ramifications of it through the smaller story arcs that story-of-the-week television provides.

As shown through various different shows and movies, the concept of an evil Superman is quite a popular trope. It’s one that has led to fan favorite characters even outside of Superman, like Homelander from The Boys and Omni-Man in Invincible. Time will tell if James Gunn’s take on the character will ever touch upon the trope, or if his universe will try to steer completely clear of concepts closer to Snyder’s sensibilities altogether, which is what it seems like so far.

It’s unlikely that DC will ever truly do away with different takes on an evil Superman, especially with it most likely coming in some capacity to My Adventures With Superman, which has been a relatively light-hearted take on the character so far. At this time, it feels like a staple of the character in the modern age, which doesn’t have to be a bad thing either. It’s just another aspect of the character to explore and prop up the heroism that he embodies even further.