DC K.O.: Every Remaining Fighter’s Chances of Winning, Ranked

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DC Comics is currently running a major storyline called DC K.O., a huge event bringing together all of its most popular heroes and villains. They’re competing in a massive tournament, with heroes fighting heroes and villains battling villains, all to earn the title of King Omega. But even winning the tournament isn’t the end, as the ultimate victor will have to face Darkseid in a battle for the fate of everything.

The tournament is nearing its end, with only four players – plus a hidden contender – remaining from the original sixty-four. However, not all of them are realistic contenders to win. It’s difficult not to assess who has the best chance of making it to the very end.

Joker doesn’t really belong in this tournament. It seems like he was added more for his popularity and because Scott Snyder likes the character. The problem is, he unfairly took Batman’s place to get in.

He unexpectedly entered the tournament and has been consistently defeating opponents he wasn’t expected to beat. He barely won his first match against Red Hood, despite Jason being the clear favorite, and revealed a device keeping him alive to continue. Then, surprisingly, he managed to defeat Zatanna in a magical duel. It seems his goal isn’t to win, but to frustrate fans of the other competitors.

That said, there’s no chance Joker wins this tournament. For starters, that would mean Joker defeating Darkseid in a fight, and that just sounds absurd from the beginning. DC K.O. referenced Joker’s time as Emperor Joker, which is effectively what it’d be like if he were to win—pure chaos that wouldn’t be good for anyone. Things have to get back to normal, so it’s just unlikely he has a real chance. It’s a given he’s going to cause some more problems for everyone before he’s finally eliminated, however.

Lex Luthor, the last villain remaining in the tournament, is why the team was able to participate in the first place. He created the technology that let them sneak into Apokolips undetected, but he quickly turned on them after they arrived.

During the competition’s first round, Lex won against Etrigan the Demon by outsmarting him and demonstrating incredible willpower. He then directly battled Superman, using Kryptonite to sever the hero’s hand. Later, Lex wielded the power of a Black Lantern ring, almost defeating the entire Justice League Unlimited until Superman intervened with the Omega Sanction. In the third round, Lex exploited his Kryptonite supply, manipulating Supergirl into killing Hawkman and Aquaman, which allowed him to advance to the fourth round.

Lex Luthor could definitely make it to the final rounds of the tournament and be a tough opponent. But initially, the main idea was to have heroes battling each other, and it would be a shame to abandon that just to set up a Superman versus Lex Luthor fight, even though they’re famous rivals. It’s important not to lose sight of the core concept of hero-versus-hero battles.

For Lex, a compelling story involves a desperate fight for survival against alternate, incredibly powerful versions of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. He’d even sacrifice himself to inspire Superman to finish the job. Ultimately, there’s no point in him winning, because he’d simply use his abilities to create a reality where Superman never existed and where everyone revered him as humanity’s greatest hero.

If you’ve only been reading the main DC K.O. series, it might seem like Batman lost—he was stabbed and turned to stone in the first issue, and hasn’t appeared since. But readers of the DC K.O.: Knightfight tie-in know that Batman is still fighting!

When Batman first fell in battle, it was revealed he’d prepared for this by integrating a powerful device called a Mother Box into his Batsuit. After being knocked unconscious, the Mother Box revived him, and the Heart of Apokolips selected him to compete in a mysterious tournament. However, instead of joining the main competition, Bruce was sent on a different journey.

The Heart of Apokolips transported Bruce Wayne into different realities, each one featuring a former Robin who had become the new Batman. The Heart then forced Bruce to battle each of these alternate Batmen, testing his skills in each universe. By overcoming these challenges, Bruce earned another opportunity to compete in the tournament.

Batman is likely the hero with the lowest chance of winning. Although Snyder has often given Batman enhanced abilities to match other DC characters, facing Darkseid alone would be a huge challenge. It’s more probable that Batman will need to stop the Joker from winning instead of directly defeating Darkseid.

The Amazon Princess has a history of success in competitions. She earned her freedom from Themyscira by winning against other Amazons, which ultimately led to her becoming Wonder Woman. Although the current challenge is more dangerous than any she’s faced before, her past experiences have prepared her well.

Wonder Woman’s experience in the tournament has been unusual. She unexpectedly faced Lobo in her first match and had a surprisingly difficult time, considering her abilities and training. By her third match, she had to team up with Big Barda, whose strength helped them defeat both Cyborg and Connor Hawke, Oliver Queen’s son.

She’s now facing Darkseid’s powerful team – twisted versions of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman – in the fourth round. However, many believe Wonder Woman could actually win the whole competition. She’s one of the most skilled and experienced fighters left, and she has a proven track record of defeating incredibly powerful enemies. Remember how she saved the entire multiverse by defeating the Darkest Night at the end of Dark Nights: Death Metal? Her strength and skill are unmatched.

Okay, so she did win last time, which actually makes me think she won’t win this time. It feels like she’s already had her big moment in the DC universe recently. Honestly, I’m kinda hoping Superman gets the win – though it would be amazing to see Wonder Woman finally take down Darkseid after all this time!

Let’s be honest: from the start, it seemed clear Superman would win DC K.O. The story has focused on him being a reluctant victor, someone who doesn’t want to fight his allies. But with each challenge, he’s been forced to test his limits.

During the first round, his fight with Captain Atom showed he was willing to battle anyone, even friends, to win. In the second round, his match against Lex Luthor was very close, but he managed to use Darkseid’s Omega Sanction ability to move the tournament forward before Lex could win. By the third round, he even absorbed Shazam’s powers to give himself a magical advantage.

In the end, Superman is the hero best equipped to handle the Heart of Apokolips. Unlike others who might try to control reality, Superman is prepared to accept fate. He might even be able to save the day without using the Omega power offered in the tournament, finding a different solution altogether. The conflict will likely culminate in a showdown with Darkseid, but it seems counterintuitive that the heroes are relying on Darkseid’s own power to defeat him. Hopefully, Superman will discover an alternative way to save everyone.

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2026-02-09 18:10