Absolute Superman #14 (2025)

Kal-El has a vision of the Redlands on Krypton with his parents and Krypto waiting for him. Jor-El and Lara tell him it is time to come home and Kal-El realises he is dying. In reality, Ra's al Ghul runs Superman through with his Kryptonite sword. He yells at Superman to acknowledge him as his father but Superman still refuses. Ra's orders Brainiac to kill Superman's friends to free him of any encumbrances. Brainiac starts to crush them with the Sunstone he has them imprisoned in, but Sol reactivates and refuses to be a party to murder. Sol's code has been irrevocably corrupted by Brainiac, meaning that he cannot resist Brainiac's commands. Instead, Sol deletes himself to take away Brainiac' proxy control over the Sunstone. Superman is devastated and Ra's al Ghul screams at him to unleash his anger. Superman hits him with a full force blast of heat vision, creating a gigantic explosion. The people of Smallville escape from the tunnels and Talia prevents the Peacemakers moving in telling them that Ra's al Ghul does not need their help. Ra's al Ghul survives the blast and charges Superman, sending him crashing into a Lazarus mecha. The mecha grabs Superman and declares that they have him. The people of Smallville line up to confront the mecha and tell him to let Superman go. The Peacemakers line up to confront them and the two sides level weapons at each other. Suddenly, Ra's al Ghul attacks the mecha and slices open the cockpit to get at the pilot, telling him he did not have leave to lay and hand of his son. Ra's swings at the pilot but Superman blocks the strike. Ra's kicks Superman in the gut, saying that his weakness is appalling. He orders the Peacemakers to kill the people of Smallville and Superman says that he will do anything Ra's wants if he lets them go. Ra's says that he wants Superman to cast aside his old life and embrace his destiny. In response, Superman rips the crest of the Labour Guild off his armour and dissolves it into Sunstone dust, saying that it was a symbol of his people, but he doesn't have a people anymore. He is the son of nowhere and nothing. Ra's orders him to get on his knees and Superman says that he would beg and grovel to save Smallville if that's what Ra's wanted, but he believes Ra's is still going to kill the people anyway. al Ghul replies that Superman is going to kill them while he watches. Suddenly, Superman forms the Sunstone in his hands into a sword and swings at him. Ra's al Ghul blocks the blow and orders the Peacemakers to fire. However the pilot of the mecha, whose name is Joe, tells the other Peacemakers to stop. He tells them that he didn't sign up to fight wars in Kansas or shoot farmers and asks his comrades if they did. The Peacemakers agree that what they are doing is wrong and lower their guns. Superman and Ra's duel; although Ra's al Ghul is a much better swordsman, Superman's ability to fly gives him the edge. Superman again has a vision of the afterlife and tells his parents he's ready to go home with them. They tell him that they miss him, but he's already home, and then they fade away. In the real world, Superman shatters Ra's' Kryptonite sword with his Sunstone blade. Ra's al Ghul tells Superman that he has beaten him, and that all that is left is for Superman to strike him down. He yells at Superman to kill him, saying that he is responsible for millions of deaths and to make Krypton's sacrifice mean something by giving him what he deserves. Rather than kill him, Superman carries Ra's al Ghul to Orangi Town in Pakistan and hands him over to the people there. He tells them that Ra's al Ghul is responsible for the massacre conducted by Lazarus Corp and to see that he stands trial for his crimes. The people ask him who he is and Superman looks forlornly at the empty space on his armour where the crest once was. Week later, Lois and Jimmy's broadcasts have gotten through, informing the world of what happened in Smallville. The national media have moved in to report on the aftermath and Lazarus Corp is bankrupt, although Talia managed to escape and has disappeared. Kal-El goes to Martha's retirement home again, but the nurse there tells him that she passed away the day before. She recognises Kal-El as Martha's son, who she talked about all the time, and gives him a box that Martha wanted him to have. Inside the box Kal-El finds a handmade blue costume with the crest of the Labour Guild on it and a note from Jonathan and Martha In the note they call him their son and give him a name: Clark Kent.