Superman's Most Intimidating On-Screen Moment Was On A Kids Show Almost 20 Years Ago
Superman's Kryptonian physiology makes him one of the most powerful comic book characters ever created. The DC hero is so strong that he's often forced to hold back against his opponents, as unleashing his full might could leave those he fights and their surroundings in literal pieces. Interestingly, no display of Superman's power was more intimidating than when he faced Darkseid in the "Justice League Unlimited" series finale, "Destroyer."
Superman takes on Darkseid in the episode, as the supervillain promises to kill everyone the Man of Steel loves. In response, Superman utters one of his most terrifying lines, telling Darkseid: "I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard. Always taking constant care not to break something. To break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control, even for a moment, or someone could die. But you can take it, can't ya, big man? What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you just how powerful I really am!"
The monologue illustrates how much Superman usually holds back on Earth, as the hero knows using his full powers would devastate the world. However, with Darkseid's arrival, he unleashed his full powers. And while Darkseid put up a respectable fight in his attempts to stop Superman, he would lose the explosive battle between good and evil.
Superman consistently holds back
Superman telling Darkseid he's using his full strength against him is a top-tier moment for the hero. The scene highlights his true power and commitment to keeping his abilities in check when needed; it sums up the character like few moments have. Of course, Batman, his greatest ally, knows how much Superman holds back. Famously, in "Batman: Hush" (by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Richard Starkings, and Alex Sinclair), when the two heroes collide while Superman is being manipulated by Poison Ivy, the Dark Knight admits as such. During the fight, Batman thinks to himself, "If Clark wanted to, he could use his superspeed and squish me into the cement. But I know how he thinks. Even more than the Kryptonite, he's got one big weakness. Deep Down, Clark's essentially a good person ... and deep down, I'm not."
Superman being calm and calculated with his strength is a trademark part of the hero. Many alternate versions of the Man of Steel from different universes, such as Superman from the "Injustice" franchise, Earth-3's Ultraman, and Superboy-Prime from Earth-Prime, all show what happens when a god-like super-being loses control: chaos, death, and destruction on a massive scale. Without his usual moral compass, Superman is dangerous to Earth and the rest of his universe. Thankfully, for the main DC Universe, Kal-El grew up as a hero and not as one of the planet's biggest threats.
Ultimately, it's rare audiences get to see Superman fighting at the top of his power level unless it's an evil version of the hero. So when the most heroic version doesn't hold back, like in the "Justice League Unlimited" episode against Darkseid, it is a sight to behold — as rarely has Superman been more intimidating.