DC K.O. wasted no time in making sure that readers understood how epic of an event it will be. The first issue of DC K.O. showed that Darkseid truly threaten everything about the DC Universe, from the Multiverse to beyond. Now we are still a long way away from seeing this event end as it just got started. But we can already get some big takeaways from DC K.O. #1 and the entire DC All In direction up to this point. Let’s break that down now.
DC K.O. SETTING UP NEXT PHASE FOR DARKSEID
Darkseid has always been an endgame-level final boss for the DC Universe. What Darkseid represents was taken to a whole new level. He is on a whole different plane than even the Gods we’ve seen in the DC Universe. We got a glimpse of this power with how Darkseid launched a simultaneous attack on Metropolis, Gotham City, Themyscira, the Rock of Eternity, and Oa. This time it wasn’t Darkseid’s forces but Darkseid himself who did this simultaneous attack.
How Darkseid kicked things off in DC K.O. #1 made the heroes response an understandable one. They were faced with a threat that they couldn’t simply do what they’ve done in the past. That includes the nuclear option of rebooting their universe, as was brought up with the New 52 mention. Its left them in a spot they have only the Quantum Quorum’s plan of crowning a champion who could have a chance to fight Darkseid evenly.
Though this decision does appear to all be part of Darkseid’s plans. That is seen with how DC K.O. #1 ended with Booster Gold being revealed to be an agent of Darkseid, like the Absolute Legion of Super-Heroes. Given how much planning he has done Darkseid clearly knew the moment he reappeared in the main DC Universe the Quantum Quorum would respond. He’s dealt with them and similar forces in the past not to plan for their move to crown a champion.
With DC K.O. established as a way for the DCU to crown their champion this event isn’t the conclusion of this era. It is just end for this phase of the greater story that is planned around Darkseid. He has set things up to be able to pull the rug out of the heroes at the end of this event. And even if he fails to do as he planned the damage will be done, enough for Darkseid to move to the next phase of his plans.
DC K.O. GIVES NEW CONTEXT FOR ABSOLUTE UNIVERSE
One of the biggest reveals towards the end of DC K.O. #1 was who was teased to be Darkseid’s Three Destroyers. The Three Destroyers were none other to be teased as Absolute Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. We only got lower body shots of the three Absolute Universe heroes. This moment has so much significance to what we have to think the Absolute Universe is up to this point.
Back when the DC All In Special introduced us to the Absolute Universe we got a clear mission statement for the universe. Or at least we thought. In that special Darkseid stated he crafted the Absolute Universe to be a place to be “driven by challenge, by turmoil.” Going in deeper Darkseid created a place where hope was the underdog and villains thrive.
But now with the appearance of Absolute Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in DC K.O. #1 we got a new perspective for Darkseid’s goal with the Absolute Universe. In their brief appearance Absolute Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman where not called the Absolute Trinity. Instead the narration made it clear they were to be seen as Darkseid’s Three Destroyers.
That title makes what we are seeing in all the Absolute Universe titles from a new angle. Because we’ve seen how the Absolute Universe has lived up to pushing Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and other heroes to their breaking points already. But rather than seeing if the heroes can overcome a universe against them, what Darkseid is possibly really doing is getting the heroes on his side.
ABSOLUTE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES FACTOR
This would not be a surprise as we just learned in the recent Superman story arc. In Superman #30 we were shown through Absolute Saturn Girl’s perspective the impact of Absolute Universe has. In her scenes we are shown that in their timeline Absolute Saturn Girl, along with other Legion of Super-Heroes’ characters, were captured and tortured. Pushed to her breaking point Absolute Saturn Girl’s power gave her a vision of her “Final God” who inspired her. That Final God was none other than Darkseid.
What made this revelation Absolute Saturn Girl made was the visual of Absolute Superman in the vision with Darkseid. With Joshua Williamson plotting out the DC All In direction with Scott Snyder and others this appearance wasn’t random. There was a purpose for Absolute Superman to appear with Darkseid.
That purpose could now be cleared up with the Three Destroyers title that Absolute Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman seemingly received. Just like the Absolute Legion of Super-Heroes, Darkseid true intentions with the Absolute Universe was to turn the heroes to his side. All that damage and torture we’ve seen the heroes go through has been about getting them to the point where they get a similar vision to what Absolute Saturn Girl got.
If true the revelations in the Absolute Evil one-shot could come into play beyond its universe. That is a whole other thing but there is certainly a lot to think about with what we’ve seen from the DC All In direction thus far.
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