7 Arrowverse Characters That Could Beat David Corenswet’s Superman

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In the majority of DC storylines, Superman stands supreme, his powers derived from Earth’s yellow sun, granting him superhuman strength, flight, and heat vision. Few antagonists can match him when he’s operating at peak capacity. However, unlike traditional portrayals, James Gunn’s DC Universe isn’t afraid to depict Superman as defeated. The 2025 film titled “Superman” opens with the character having been beaten in a fight against the Hammer of Boravia, who is revealed to be a Luthor-created clone.

In my opinion, while the DCU’s Superman remains an impressive figure, he lacks the seasoned experience that other heroes in the franchise possess. Interestingly, there are other universes where metahumans have been actively shaping destinies for decades, always ready to leap into action when duty calls. Here are seven characters from the Arrowverse who could outmatch David Corenswet’s Superman:

1. Oliver Queen (The Green Arrow) – With his mastery of archery and unwavering determination, this hero has faced countless challenges and emerged victorious.
2. Barry Allen (The Flash) – The Scarlet Speedster can run faster than a speeding bullet, making him an agile adversary for Superman.
3. Sara Lance (White Canary) – As the leader of the Legends of Tomorrow, Sara’s combat skills and strategic mind make her a formidable opponent.
4. Kara Danvers (Supergirl) – Although she may not have the same power level as Superman, her years of experience and strong moral compass give her an edge in battle.
5. John Diggle (Green Lantern) – Equipped with a Green Lantern ring, Diggle can harness the power of willpower to create powerful constructs, making him a force to be reckoned with.
6. Felicity Smoak (Overwatch) – With her genius-level intellect and resourcefulness, Felicity could outsmart Superman in a battle of wits.
7. Mick Rory (Heat Wave) – Despite his chaotic personality, Mick’s pyrotechnic abilities and knack for improvising make him a dangerous opponent when he sets his mind to it.

1) Green Arrow

In essence, Oliver Queen, also known as Green Arrow, serves as the Batman equivalent in the Arrowverse. Patrolling Star City’s streets under the cover of night, he enforces his unique brand of justice. Similarly to Batman, he also employs contingency plans. During one of The CW’s crossovers, Oliver disclosed that he possesses a Kryptonite arrow, even employing it against Earth-X’s Supergirl. Although he might not be able to defeat Superman in hand-to-hand combat, the Arrowverse’s initial hero would devise a way to emerge victorious.

2) Reverse-Flash

A character from the Arrowverse who has encountered Kryptonians before is Eobard Thawne, also known as the Reverse Flash. In the “Crisis on Earth-X” crossover, he aided the Nazis and clashed with The Flash and his allies, which included Supergirl. At one juncture, Reverse-Flash hinted that he had battled Superman in the future and was quicker than the Man of Steel. In the DC Universe, Superman hasn’t faced off against a speedster before, so having Reverse-Flash as his first encounter with them would present a formidable challenge.

3) Supergirl

Kara Zor-El from the DC Universe is already present, and there’s little reason to believe she’s much stronger than her cousin. However, when it comes to experience, the Supergirl of Arrowverse surpasses them both, having faced numerous villains across six seasons and almost always emerging victorious. In a face-off between Corenswet’s Man of Steel and his CW counterpart Supergirl, it’s highly unlikely that he would come out on top.

4) The Anti-Monitor

In the Arrowverse, there are certain challenges Superman can’t handle by himself, such as “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” This crossover event introduces several variations of Superman, but they all fail against the Anti-Monitor, a formidable entity capable of destroying entire universes effortlessly. Even the Man of Steel won’t be able to approach the Anti-Monitor before disintegrating into a puff of dust.

5) The Martian Manhunter

Gunn hints that the Martian Manhunter may appear in the DC Universe’s future, but he hasn’t shown up yet. If he’s similar to his Arrowverse character, Superman needs to stay alert. J’onn J’onzz and Superman had a disagreement in Supergirl due to J’onn keeping Kryptonite, a dangerous mineral for Kryptonians. Therefore, the Martian Manhunter might not be a favorable opponent for Superman.

6) The Spectre

Though it might appear questionable to include Oliver twice on this list, he himself describes transforming into a different entity when he adopts the Spectre persona. The Anti-Monitor subjects Green Arrow’s latest alter ego to extreme testing, but in the end, the hero emerges victorious and forges a new multiverse. Unlike many of Superman’s feats, producing entire planets from nothing isn’t one of his abilities.

7) Superman

Indeed, Superman’s clash with Ultraman illustrates that no one is more suited to challenge the Man of Steel than himself. Over time, the Superman from the Arrowverse has vanquished countless foes, solidifying his status as Earth-38’s most iconic hero. However, it may take a few more years of training before the DCU’s Superman can match up to his Arrowverse counterpart.

Superman is in theaters now.

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2025-08-02 17:10