Warning: contains spoilers The question: throughout the entire Watchtower #2!
DC is wasting one of Superman better villains – and it's time they took him more seriously. The Man of Steel's rogues gallery is deep, but apparently only a small handful of villains rise to prominence: Lex Luthor, Metallo, Parasite, etc.leaves a number of equally deserving villains wanting, and in The question: throughout the entire Watchtower #2, one of them advocates for more time in the spotlight.
The question: throughout the entire Watchtower #2 was written by Alex Segura and drawn by Cian Tormey. While the Question investigates a murder mystery aboard the Justice League's new Watchtower, the Eradicator attacks. Considered dead by the rest of the DC Universe, the Eradicator reveals that he was brought back to life by a “benefactor” who sent him to steal Malvolio's Ring. After stealing it and dispatching the Bulleteer, Batwoman and the Question confront the Eradicator. The Eradicator almost defeats them, but Blue Beetle and a recovering (and angry) Bulleteer intervene, using a kryptonite ring against him.
Who is the Eradicator? Superman's Kryptonian Enemy, Explained
The Eradicator was one of Superman's last links to Krypton The Eradicator has one purpose: to protect the people of Krypton by any means necessary.
Although the Eradicator was not operating at 100 percent in this matter, it was still an excellent demonstration of his powers and his cold, calculating nature. The character has had a few different incarnations, from a genocidal space probe to replacing Superman. The Eradicator has one purpose: to protect the people of Krypton by any means necessary. Superman first encountered the Eradicator during an exile in space. Seeing the Eradicator as a direct link to his home world, Superman brought him to Earth. In the end, this would be both a mistake and a blessing.
Upon his arrival on Earth, the Eradicator begins taking steps to restore Kryptonian society. He took control of Superman's mind, reorienting Clark into a cold, emotionless individual. Superman, under the Eradicator's control, would eschew his normal, iconic outfit, instead wearing traditional Kryptonian attire. The Eradicator caused Superman to further distance himself from his human friends, forgetting himself. Superman was able to reassert his identity and threw the Eradicator into the sun. The Eradicator was not dead, however, and would return to fight Superman once again, this time perishing in the Fortress of Solitude.
The Eradicator helped bring Superman back from the dead
Since Superman's return, he and the Eradicator share a very tense relationship
While these fights already secured the Eradicator's place in the Superman mythology, it would be what he did after Clark's death that endeared him to fans. Reconstituting himself in the Fortress shortly after Superman's death, the Eradicator travels to Metropolis, stealing Superman's corpse. Taking him back to the Fortress, the Eradicator began the process of bringing the Last Son of Krypton back to life. As Kal-El healed, the Eradicator took his place as Metropolis' champion, just as three others descended upon the city, each claiming the mantle of Superman. The Eradicator meted out cold, Kryptonian justice to criminals.
After the real Superman returned to full power, he and the Eradicator shared a strained relationship. The Man of Steel was forced to recognize that one of his most powerful enemies actually played a role in saving him. However, the Eradicator was too dangerous and too much of a loose cannon to be left wandering around, putting Superman in an awkward position as to what to do with him. In the past, the Eradicator destroyed entire planets, and leaving him alone only invites more death and sadness – but at the same time, the potential for good existed within him.
It was a poignant, moving moment that completed the character's arc, letting the Eradicator die a hero.
The Eradicator was revealed in the form of Doctor David Connor of STAR Labs. After Superman's death, the Eradicator's body is taken to a STAR facility to be studied, under Connor's supervision. A strange accident causes Connor's personality to be implanted into the Eradicator, finally giving him a connection to humanity. After a stint as leader of the Outsiders, this incarnation of the Eradicator would sacrifice himself to save Superman once again. It was a poignant, moving moment that completed the character's arc, letting the Eradicator die a hero.
The Eradicator would not return to prominence in the DC Universe until DC Renaissancewhere he resumed his villainous ways. Doctor Connor's personality has seemingly disappeared, the Eradicator's mission remains the same: protect the Kryptonian way of life and the Last Son of Krypton, no matter the cost. Krypton, for all its great scientific achievements, was a cold and sterile society, especially during The Man of Steel was what gave rise to the Eradicator. Although later depictions softened Krypton and its people, the arrogance remained the same.
Much of what makes Superman great is missing from the Eradicator – which makes him very deadly
The Eradicator is a distorted image of Superman
The Kryptonians' arrogant nature, combined with their great strength and abilities, make them a serious threat to the rest of the universe, and the Eradicator demonstrates why. Although Kryptonians have enormous physical strength, their intellect is greater. Kryptonians consider themselves “above” most other life forms in the universe, and the Eradicator embodies this philosophy. In pursuing his distinctly Kryptonian mission, the Eradicator was responsible for genocide, a crime that will likely never be punished. The Eradicator's brief stint as a hero was over and there would be no turning back.
In this context, then, the Eradicator is a tragic reflection of Superman himself. Both are from Krypton, but Kal-El grew up in a human family, internalizing the values of his adoptive parents. Ma and Pa Kent instilled in Superman a moral code that was responsible for saving countless lives. On the other hand, the Eradicator is what Superman could have been if Krypton had never exploded. Superman's powers would become instruments of oppression as he brutally enforced Krypton's strict and regressive policies. Every good villain is a twisted version of the hero he fights, and the Eradicator is no exception.
It's time for the Eradicator to take his place in Superman's Rogue Gallery
Will fans see more of the Eradicator in the future?
Despite being the perfect foil for Superman, the Eradicator is often overlooked in discussions of the best Man of Steel villains. The Eradicator's presence is tragic: it reminds Superman of his heritage, and not all of it is good. The Eradicator forces Superman to confront Krypton's flaws as a people and society, and this gives the villain an even more insidious advantage. The fact that he looks like Superman and wears a modified version of the costume, complete with “S-Shield”, angers Clark even more. Together, the Eradicator is one of Superman's most underrated villains.
Making the Eradicator a mercenary further distinguishes him from Superman.
The question: throughout the entire Watchtower #2 prepares the Eradicator for bigger and better things. He makes it clear that someone has revived him and that he is in their service. Making the Eradicator a mercenary further distinguishes him from Superman. The Eradicator's power levels were not at normal levels, but he still managed to infiltrate the Watchtower and temporarily put the Bulleteer out of commission. When the Eradicator returns in full force, his new purpose will make him one of the Superman most dangerous villains.
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