10 Years On, DC is Setting Up A Perfect Rematch For Superman & Joker

As DC K.O. nears its conclusion, it increasingly seems like the story has been building towards a showdown between the Joker and Superman. While they don’t often fight directly, they’ve clashed before – most notably in the Injustice series, where the Joker seriously harmed Superman. Their paths have also crossed in other stories, such as the “Endgame” arc in Batman, where the Joker briefly managed to influence Superman.

As a huge DC fan, I’m really getting into this DC K.O. series! It’s a wild tournament where all the biggest heroes and villains are fighting to become King Omega – basically, someone with power on the same level as Darkseid. Things are getting seriously intense, and now that we’re down to the Final Four, it looks like the ultimate showdown will be about more than just strength. It’s shaping up to be a battle of ideals: Superman’s hope versus the Joker’s complete chaos. It’s fascinating to see these characters pushed to their limits!

Superman and Joker Advance Towards Their Inevitable Confrontation

Round three of DC K.O. #3, from Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Xermánico, and Javier Fernández, really heats things up! This round introduces tag-team battles, with a twist: most fighters can team up with someone previously eliminated. However, because he’s absorbed so much Omega Energy, the Joker gets a special ability – he can choose a partner from anywhere in the multiverse. The resulting fights are packed with unexpected pairings, surprises, and shocking turns that readers won’t anticipate.

Joker strategically chose Mr. Mxyzptlk as his ally, giving him the power needed to battle Zatanna and Constantine. Though they fought bravely, Joker exploited Mxyzptlk’s otherworldly abilities to drive them both to insanity, ultimately defeating them. At the same time, Superman teamed up with Shazam to face two Green Lanterns. When the situation seemed hopeless, Superman tapped into Shazam’s magic, boosting his own strength enough to defeat both Hal and Guy Gardner. This victory secured Superman and Joker’s advancement to the next round.

Lex and Wonder Woman are also still in the competition, but I’m focusing on Superman and the Joker because they represent the highest stakes. Considering our final four – Superman, Wonder Woman, Lex, and the Joker – the Joker is by far the most dangerous person to gain immense power, so he’ll likely reach the final round. And who best opposes everything the Joker stands for? Superman.

DC K.O. Was Always Going to Come Down to a Battle Between Joker and Superman

From the beginning, DC K.O. writer Scott Snyder intended this to be a Superman story, and considering the competition’s rules, Clark is the most suitable character to lead it. The DC K.O. tournament requires participants to be ruthless like Darkseid, which goes against Superman’s nature. However, he can’t stand by while the DC Universe is threatened, especially when villains join the competition and the Joker becomes a serious threat.

As a longtime DC fan, something that’s really struck me throughout the ‘DC All In’ event is how consistently the idea of hope surviving even in the darkest times has come up. We’ve seen it in Superman stories and across the books in the Absolute Universe, so it felt right that this event, which is kind of a goodbye to this chapter of DC, would continue that. I know a lot of people were hoping for a straight-up power-level tournament, but honestly, this competition always felt more about a clash between Joker and Superman representing that core idea – hope versus evil.

Anything can happen in the next stage of DC K.O., now that Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman are joining the competition. However, I believe the final showdown will be between Superman and the Joker. This pairing perfectly symbolizes the enduring strength of hope against constant negativity. I truly hope Superman wins this inevitable battle, demonstrating that hope can not only endure, but triumph over the darkness represented by a character like the Joker.

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2026-01-21 00:15