Eradicator (Superman)
The Eradicator is a comic character who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
The Eradicator was a machine developed long ago by the race of Kryptonians. According to one account, it was actually the creation of another civilisation whose mother world had few resources to sustain its people leading to them migrating to the stars. They not only sought to preserve their teachings and culture but learn from other planets with them creating a machine called the All that was a link for all the colonists and a data repository for them. One of their ships was noted to had arrived on Krypton where their arrival triggered an aggressive faction from one of the militant nations of the world. They rounded up the alien colonists and conducted the Great Purge where the scientist Kem-L salvaged their vessels warp engine to serve as a means of disposing of the aliens. In this time, one of the All was taken for study with records of the massacre being kept sealed and erased from public record. (Eradicator v1 #2) Another account claimed that the Eradicator was built as a weapon by the Kryptonian Science Council long ago for use against a figure known as the Cleric. The extraterrestrial being was part of a holy commune who preached belief in a divine deity and spoke out against the Kryptonian practice of cloning. He came to gather a following of Kryptonians with this being seen as a threat by the ruling Science Council. Thus, they created the Eradicator that was a weapon unlike another and designed to kill the alien preacher. A female Kryptonian named Syra came to learn of this and went to warn the Cleric of the threat where he preached non-violence but his followers angrily looked to defend their teacher. Eventually, a confrontation erupted between the apostles and the Science Council's security forces with the Cleric looking to avoid further hostilities. He then decided to return to his homeworld and take with him his followers where they could practice their faith there as a compromise to avoid conflict. However, the Science Council ordered their forces to attack as they were intolerant of any superstition where a weapon was discharged that rendered the Cleric unconscious. This resulted in his apostles attacking and during the skirmish the improper handling of the Eradicator Matrix caused a large explosion that killed many people. The Cleric survived but determined that the Science Council would simply blame them for this incident and decided to use the great ark to take his followers to space along with the Eradicator as he deemed it a weapon too dangerous to be left in the hands of Krypton. (Action Comics Annual v1 #2)
The Eradicator's programming as dictated by Kem-L was to protect the culture of Krypton with the scientist also creating another program named Faora that housed Kryptonian fables and mythology. (Eradicator v1 #2)
Back on Earth, the Eradicator caused a number of bizarre events, including altering Jimmy Olsen into a malleable form, causing him extreme pain in the process. Superman threw the device into Antarctica, where it altered the ice to create the Fortress of Solitude, and possessed two scientists to create a portal to the Phantom Zone, where it drew Kryptonian artifacts to the Fortress. When Superman recovered the Eradicator, he learned that one of his ancestors, Kem-L, created it to prevent aliens from influencing Kryptonian culture. The Eradicator tried to transform Earth into a new Krypton, and erased Superman's memory of the device when he tried to interfere. Professor Emil Hamilton, who had previously examined the Eradicator, restored Superman's memory, and Superman then went into the Phantom Zone to stop the device. He encountered a projection of Kem-L and learned that only the House of El can control the Eradicator, but he first had to undergo a rite of passage. When Superman completed it, he commanded the Eradicator to shut down, and it complied.
Last Son of Krypton
Failsafes in the Fortress of Solitude's robotic servitors came to save the Eradicator programming who collected and contained its energies allowing its mind to survive but without a physical vessel. In this state, the Eradicator had access to the Fortress's monitors and came to observe Kal-El's battle with the monstrous Doomsday. This saw the intelligence witness his death and its energy form sought to take over the Kryptonian's deceased body as a physical form. Kal-El's body though came to reassert itself forcing the Eradicator program out but the intelligence managed to create a matter/energy flux where it fashioned a new body for itself. Taking on a physical form, it resembled Superman where it came to refer to itself as the Last Son of Krypton and was one of many figures claiming to had been Superman reborn at the time. The Last Son of Krypton suffered from memory fragmentation leaving him in a confused state and had forgotten his origins with him genuinely believing he was Superman. However, as part of his programming, he sought to save the life of Superman and took Kal-El's body from his tomb where he was placed in a matrix at the Fortress of Solitude in the hope that he would heal in time. (Action Comics v1 #690)
The remains of the Eradicator were then left in the care of Kitty Faulkner at S.T.A.R. Labs where they believed that there still existed a spark of life in the Kryptonian construct. In this time, the Eradicator was noted to had improved with one of the human scientists studying him being a top xenobiologist named Dr. David Connor. Despite his body healing, there were no signs of mental activity beyond basic brain stem response. Dr. Connor was suffering from cancer but devoted his time to studying the alien artificial intelligence where one night his weakened body gave up on him leading to him falling on the equipment. As he died, his mind was copied onto the Eradicator thus allowing his consciousness to survive through the construct. The incident caused an explosion where the S.T.A.R. Labs personnel mistakenly believed that the Eradicator had escaped and killed Connors. Arriving at the scene, Superman battled the Eradicator until Connors explained what happened to him. However, with his newfound power, David looked take vengeance for people that were victims. Superman though was opposed to this but before he could stop Connors he teleported away from the scene. (Action Comics v1 #693)
A new Eradicator came to be generated with all the memories and thoughts of his predecessor. He later came to be made the representative of New Krypton to the nation of Markovia after King Brion established a non-aggression pact with the Kryptonians. (Outsiders v4 #27) While Eradicator helped Geo-Force in Markovia, Doomsday appeared and attacked him. Eradicator was quickly defeated and abducted. Later, after realizing Steel, Superboy, and Supergirl had also been abducted, they all worked together to try to escape. Superman showed up to help, but in the end Eradicator was killed by a new, more-evolved Doomsday. However, realizing that the new Doomsday was one of a series of clones created by Lex Luthor to keep Superman distracted, the Eradicator was able to transfer his consciousness into the comatose body of the original Doomsday. Using the original Doomsday as his host, the Eradicator was able to help the other heroes contain the Doomsday clones, eventually sacrificing himself to destroy the other clones by trapping them in a pocket dimension. (Reign of Doomsday v1 #3)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
They were directed to draw out the lawbreaker's life force and transfer them to a Phantom Zone projector, with the bodies being put into cryo-chambers to await trial. (Superman v4 #3) Returning from a mission in deep space, the Eradicator sees Krypton explode as well as Kal-El's rocket flying away. Moving systematically from solar system to solar system seeking out its passenger it eventually came in contact with Jonathan's DNA on Earth. After using this DNA to enter the Fortress of Solitude, the Eradicator assimilates more Kryptonian genome as well as items belong to Clark Kent taking on an appearance similar to the original Eradicator. (Superman v4 #2) This Eradicator is part of a group created by General Zod to seek out and arrest Kryptonian lawbreakers. They were directed to draw out the lawbreakers' life force and transfer them to a Phantom Zone projector, with the bodies being put into cryo-chambers to await trial. Seeing Superman's rocket leave Krypton as it explodes, the Eradicator sought out the passenger, going from solar system to solar system until discovering the Kryptonian DNA of Jonathan on Earth. Stating that the Kryptonian line must remain pure, the Eradicator attempts to purge the human DNA and starts to absorb Jonathan, but Krypto jumps in front of the beam and is absorbed. Superman then attacks the Eradicator. (Superman v4 #3)
The Eradicator later joined forces with the House of Zod to help them create a new Krypton, he helped General Zod defeat Hal Jordan while his son and wife dealt with Kyle Rayner after they arrived to investigate the situation. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #37) The Eradicator was later tasked by Zod to study the Green Lantern Rings they had confiscated but was unaware that Hal's ring had been made with his own will and was therefore connected to him, so when Hal managed to recall his ring it shot right through Eradicator's head, rendering him temporarily unconscious. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #38) He continued the analysis while the House of Zod buyed him time by keeping occupied Kyle Rayner and Guy Gardner and the other lanterns who had come to rescue Hal. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #39) In the end he returned the Ring he was analyzing at the request of Zod, who had been defeated by Jordan but was freed by the timely intervention of Ganthet, who wanted to avoid further escalation of the battle. After the Green Lanterns left he revealed that he had managed to extract all the informations contained in the ring and completed his assignment. (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps v1 #41)
Overview
Personality and attributes
It was said that the name Eradicator was conferred due to the noble function of the program. (Eradicator v1 #2) For a time, the Eradicator gained a human body resembling that of Superman where in a confused state he took the moniker of the Last Son of Krypton. (Action Comics v1 #690)
Upon becoming the Last Son of Krypton, the Eradicator had stated that he had experienced strange passions and presumed that this was because he had made his form in the image of Superman. (Action Comics v1 #690)
Even when not wearing the 'shield' of Superman he was still dedicated to the cause of serving justice. (Outsider v2 #2)
A sister 'program' was created by his creator with this one being called Faora who was named after Kem-L's grandmother. The two were made to complement one another with Faora designed to house Krypton's mythologies and fables. (Eradicator v1 #2)
For a time, the Eradicator was once inhabited by human scientist Dr. David Connors. (Action Comics v1 #693)
Powers and abilities
According to one account, the Eradicator was originally a data storage device of unlimited potential designed to peaceful maintain information of other worlds with it being one of the All. This changed when the Krytonian scientist Kem-L came to acquire the machine and twisted its functioning. (Eradicator v1 #2) It was said to had began life as an integrated analysis and weapons system. (Action Comics v1 #690) However, modifications by Kem-L led to it becoming an incredibly sophisticated and powerfully self-fulfilling as well as self-capable program designed to protect the culture of Krypton. (Eradicator v1 #2)
Part of his functioning was said to absorb the essences and information around him like a sponge. (Eradicator v1 #2)
The device was said to be a machine with almost infinite capabilities. In its original form, it could teleport a person across intergalactic distances. (Adventures of Superman v1 #456)
The Eradicator through a matter/energy flux came to assemble a humanoid form for himself. This form was said to not be perfect where it had a sensitivity to light and could not channel the power of the sun. (Action Comics v1 #690) Some of these bodies were created through a kind of exotic matter conversion process. (Action Comics v1 #693) The body was composed of data arteries that was information flowing in the form of photon pulses with these being billions per second. (Majestic v1 #1)
As a being of energy, he was capable of repairing injuries to his exterior within moments. (Outsider v2 #2)
He was able to achieve faster than light speed under his own power in space. (Countdown v1 #48)
The manifested non-terrestrial armor enhancements provided him increased power levels with this being regarded as war-grade technology. In this state, he had sufficient manual force to injure superpowered beings such as Kherubim. (Majestic v1 #1)
Eradicators could use their energy-based powers in order to store and ferry the collective quintessence of other Kryptonians, allowing it to absorb the souls of whomever it wants in order to augment itself and store the essential soul of Krypton. (Superman v4 #3)
Notes
- The Eradicator was created by Roger Stern where it made its first appearance in Action Comics Annual v1 #2 (June, 1989).
Alternate Versions
- In Batman Beyond Unlimited v1 #8 (2012), an alternate version of the Eradicator appeared in the DC Animated Universe reality that was designated as Earth-12 in the Multiverse. This version was Kryptonian technology that was a living armor that gave the user abilities of a powered Kryptonian under a yellow sun whilst also protecting them from Kryptonite radiation.
- In Tales from the Dark Multiverse: The Death of Superman v1 #1 (2019), an alternate version of the Eradicator appeared in a reality within the Dark Multiverse. The lone protector of Krypton who was tasked with defending the last son of the House of El, the Eradicator took Superman's body after he died following his battle against Doomsday and placed it in the Kryptonian life matrix to reenergize his cells. Unfortunately, the attempt didn't succeed and the Eradicator knew that Superman or Kal-El was truly gone, noting he had failed him with Lois noting they had both failed him. When his body began reacting due to the life matrix burning within him, the Eradicator wanted to use a Kryptonian. Lois then suggested that he use her instead. Despite the Eradicator disagreeing, Lois stated she knew the risks and that even though the Eradicator had Superman's powers, he needed a body. When the Eradicator wondered if she was going to carry on Superman's battles, Lois vowed that she would end it. The Eradicator then agreed to do so and Lois held his right hand with her left with the two merging together.
In other media
Television
- In Superman & Lois, the Eradicator appeared in the setting of the live-action television series starting from the episode "O Mother, Where Art Thou?". It was invented by Superman's mother Lara Lor-Van with the intent to save the minds and souls of Kryptonians after the destruction of the planet, but is misused by Tal-Rho as a means to achieve the cause by eradicating the human culture. Tal-Rho uses it to experiment and implant the consciousnesses of deceased Kryptonians into human hosts that are residents of Smallville. While the process takes several weeks, the human body is eventually completely taken over. In order to undo the process before it is complete and the Kryptonians take full control of these hosts, Superman uses a solar flare on the Eradicator, a surge as powerful as the Sun, to withdraw all the Kryptonian consciousness into the Eradicator. A weakened Superman carries the Eradicator to the Fortress of Solitude and collapses at its entrance. Tal-Rho recovers the Eradicator. After forcing Superman to submit to him by threatening his family, Tal-Rho uses the device on him at the advice of the A.I. of Zeta-Rho, Tal-Rho's father. Superman is initially infected by the mind of General Zod, but thanks to John Henry Irons, Superman is able to break free and both he and Irons attempt to capture Tal-Rho, who absorbs the thousands of Kryptonian life-forces within the Eradicator into himself as a last-ditch effort to complete his father's plan. Tal-Rho gains the power to instantly implant Kryptonian consciousnesses into humans which he uses to resurrect his father Zeta-Rho and the Krypton Defense Council. He is defeated and depowered in the season one finale after being hit with Irons' solar-powered kinetic hammer at maximum force.
Films
- In The Death of Superman, the Eradicator appeared in the setting of the animated film where he was voiced by actor Charles Halford.
- In Reign of the Supermen, the Last Son of Krypton appeared in the setting of the animated film sequel where he was voiced by actor Charles Halford.
Video games
- In The Death and Return of Superman, the Last Son of Krypton appeared as a playable character in the setting of the video game.
- In DC Legends, the Eradicator appeared as a playable character in the setting of the mobile video game. Eradicator is an android created to preserve Krypton and its culture. Thousands of years later, he landed on Earth and attempted to turn the planet into New Krypton. After failing, he decided to emulate the Kryptonian hero Kal-E, taking on his own Superman costume and joining the Outsiders.
Appearances
- Action Comics Annual v1: (1989)
- Adventures of Superman v1:
- Superman
- Eradicator v1:
- Outsider v2:
- Outsider v4:
- Justice League v4:
External Link
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