Warning! Spoilers ahead for Shazam #12!The full extent of Shazam’s powers has been revealed and he’s far mightier than his fans thought. Things have been stressful for Billy Batson as of late and the latest development in his life is having huge ramifications for the DC Universe.

Thanks to a boost in wisdom, a schism has occurred within the Earth’s Mightiest Mortal. Now Billy and his heroic alter ego, the Captain, see one another as completely separate individuals. This new dynamic is having a powerful effect on Shazam and it’s making him more powerful and more of a threat than he ever thought possible.

Shazam’s Emotions are Causing Magic to Leak Into the World

In Shazam! #12 by Josie Campbell, Mike Norton, Emanuela Lupacchino, Trish Mulvihill, and Troy Peteri, Billy meets with the Captain in the Rock of Eternity. Billy is furious at Shazam, who has messed with Billy’s memories and tried to prevent him from being reunited with his estranged mother. Shazam tells Billy he was trying to protect him, but refuses to tell the young man why. Billy storms out of the Rock and traps the Captain in it. But Shazam warns Billy his actions could cause the recent magic leaks to grow worse.

Despite the Captain’s warning, Billy heads off to meet his birth mother, Marilyn Batson. Meanwhile, Billy’s step-siblings Pedro, Darla, and Eugene, accidentally fall into the Rock of Eternity which is slowly crumbling. The Captain is there and he explains that the magic leak that’s been endangering the world is actually Billy. The Rock of Eternity reacts to what Billy sees, experiences, and feels. Whenever Shazam’s human half has more intense emotions, the Rock reacts with a surge of power that causes more magic to leak into the world.

As the Captain explains his reasons for manipulating Billy, the young man talks things out with his mother. Unfortunately, the conversation takes an unpleasant turn when Billy realizes his mother had another child after him. Feeling intense jealousy and anger at his mother and the life he was deprived of, Billy runs away. Billy is overwhelmed by negative feelings and his anger causes a wave of magic to pour into the world, turning people into monsters and causing unknown horrors to pour into the DC Universe.

Shazam’s Journey to Becoming a Danger to the DC Universe

Things seemed to be going alright for both halves of Shazam. Both the Captain and Billy were in perfect harmony and the rest of the Shazamily was getting along great. Unfortunately, things took a turn when the mythological figures the Captain draws his power from began influencing him. Tired of not being taken seriously by mortals anymore, the figures decided to use Billy as their Champion and re-establish themselves in the modern world. Thankfully, Shazam was able to broker a deal with the wisest figure, Solomon.

Solomon boosted the Captain’s wisdom but warned that this could have a powerful effect on both sides of Shazam. Rather than seeing themselves as two halves of the same person, they’d start to see one another as individual entities. Solomon’s prediction came to pass as both Billy and the Captain even started referring to one another as separate people. The internal division they faced only grew worse as Billy’s foster family announced that they decided to formally adopt the Shazam Family.

As the Vasquezes readied to consult with CPS, Billy began losing short periods of time. Unbeknownst to him, the Captain was influencing his mortal half and even hiding things from him, like letters from Billy’s mother. As the stresses in Billy’s life started to grow, powerful magic began leaking into the world. The Shazam Family’s home was invaded by monsters and their neighbors were turned into terrifying bat-like creatures known as Jeepers. As if Billy’s stresses weren’t bad enough, his mother showed up on the day CPS’s inspection putting the adoption process on hold.

Shazam’s Godlike Power is Putting the DC Universe in Danger

Shazam’s power in the DC Universe is hardly in question. With the combined powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, Billy Batson’s more powerful half has gone toe-to-toe with some of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. He’s also one of the few people Superman sees as an equal. However, for all the power he possesses, no one’s ever really feared the possibility of Shazam going rogue the same way the people often fear the Man of Steel suddenly snapping.

But now Shazam, or rather Billy Batson, is causing the world to be exposed to magic it isn’t prepared for. Because of these changes to Billy’s connection to the Rock of Eternity, he can’t express negative emotions anymore (a tall order for a teenager). The more he gives into anger and pain, the more rogue magic starts to pour in, causing monsters to pop up from every corner of the world. Shazam’s godlike power is usually a good thing, but this schism is having a drastic effect on the DC Universe.

It is admittedly interesting to see that Billy can have such a powerful effect on the world around him. Unfortunately, if the Rock of Eternity is completely destroyed, there’s nothing holding back the DC Universe’s hidden monsters from taking this world for themselves. Sure, Shazam and Mary Marvel may be able to keep these monsters at bay for a while, but even heroes as powerful as them can’t save a world swarmed with monsters. With Billy’s emotional state out of whack, Shazam’s godlike power is worsening the DC Universe by the second.

Billy Batson and the Captain Need to Realign

This whole mess got started after Solomon boosted the Captain’s wisdom. While that helped the Shazam Family get out of a tight spot, this new situation is untenable. Billy needs to be able to feel and process his emotions without worrying that his amazing magical power could doom the DC Universe. But the only shot he has at making that happen is if he comes back together with his more heroic half. Until that happens, the mighty power of Shazam is only going to bring devastation to the world, not salvation.

Shazam #12 is available now from DC Comics.