Superman & Lois Exposes Doomsday’s Mysterious Origin Unseen in BvS

In Zack Snyder’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the origin of the monstrous villain, Doomsday, remained somewhat unclear. However, the TV show “Superman & Lois” has shed light on this mystery by revealing that Doomsday is indeed the infamous creature who ultimately killed Superman in the comic book storyline “The Death of Superman.” Doomsday has been depicted in various ways outside of the comics as well.

2016’s “Batman v Superman” and the TV series “Superman & Lois” each have unique interpretations of Doomsday, even sharing a similar approach to altering his origin story. Unlike “Batman v Superman”, which leaves open the question of Doomsday’s memory and consciousness, “Superman & Lois” provides an answer in its final season.

Batman v Superman‘s Doomsday Was Created From General Zod (But Does He Remember Anything?)

In the movie “Batman v Superman,” the villain Doomsday was depicted as an “Ancient Kryptonian Defect” created by Lex Luthor (played by Jesse Eisenberg). Using a chamber from the crashed Kryptonian spaceship seen in “Man of Steel,” Lex merged his DNA with the body of General Zod (Michael Shannon), resulting in Doomsday. When Superman and Doomsday started to fight, they ended up in front of a statue of Superman in Hero’s Park, which provided a subtle clue about Doomsday’s past.

In the movie “Batman v Superman,” Doomsday gazes up at the Superman statue, his expression hinting at puzzlement. He then turns back to Superman, and their combat resumes. This brief, wordless interaction between the two Kryptonians leaves room for interpretation in the film. It seems as though director Snyder is posing a question about how much of Zod’s consciousness persists within Doomsday’s mind after the transformation, yet he intentionally keeps the answer open to the viewers’ speculation.

Superman & Lois‘ Doomsday Is Created From Bizarro (& He Regains His Memory)

In the series Superman & Lois, Tyler Hoechlin’s portrayal of Bizarro Superman is revealed to be the Kryptonian who ultimately transforms into Doomsday. After what appears to be Bizarro’s demise in Season 2, Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) brings him back to life in Season 3. By repeatedly killing and resurrecting Bizarro, Luthor triggers a mutation that turns the character into the fearsome creature who defeats Superman in their epic battle at the end of Season 3, marking the beginning of Season 4.

Afterwards, Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) seems to pacify Doomsday by reminding him of his past as the Superman from another Earth, where he had a family. Later in the final fight between Superman and Doomsday, Superman readies himself to hurl Doomsday into the sun, which can destroy Bizarro Superman due to its unique properties. However, Doomsday suddenly recalls his former self and stops Superman’s punch with an uplifted hand. The scene is silent but it is evident that Doomsday is filled with regret for his current state as a monster and the pain he must endure. In response, Superman grants him mercy by ending his life.

Batman v Superman & Superman & Lois Approach Doomsday From Two Great Angles

In both “Batman v Superman” and “Superman & Lois”, they adopt a similar alteration in Doomsday’s comic book origin, portraying him as a Kryptonian villain who serves as Superman’s antagonist. This Doomsday is initially a creation of Lex Luthor, resurrected from the remains of a rampaging Kryptonian monster. Additionally, both series explore the concept of what it means to revive a deceased character, particularly focusing on how such a resurrection impacts the memory of the person who has been brought back to life. In “Batman v Superman”, director Snyder seems to imply that Doomsday’s transformation may have been so extensive that he cannot fully restore General Zod, leaving only a fragment of Zod’s memories behind, but no more.

In the series Superman & Lois, an alternate portrayal of Doomsday is shown, where Bizarro’s transformation significantly alters his mental state, yet stops short of completely erasing his consciousness or memories. When Bizarro transforms into Doomsday, he becomes a more dutiful attack dog for Lex, contrasting with the wilder version in Batman v Superman. However, this new Doomsday exhibits signs of gradually regaining awareness of his past identity. The prolonged wait for Doomsday to recover his memory and control in Superman & Lois may suggest that the writers are exploring the idea that death-resurrection could have a similar impact on memory as depicted in Snyder’s films, but also introducing the notion that one’s fundamental character can always be reclaimed, even after being transformed into a literal monster.

Fundamentally, the stories in “Batman v Superman” and “Superman & Lois” offer unique perspectives on Doomsday’s origin and Superman’s death and resurrection. Although they share the same fundamental idea about how Doomsday is brought to life, they explore drastically contrasting ideas regarding Doomsday’s consciousness as a reanimated Kryptonian. In “Batman v Superman,” this aspect remains enigmatic, while “Superman & Lois” offers a definitive explanation.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and all four seasons of Superman & Lois are streaming on Max.

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2025-01-18 19:10