We Might Know Who Is the Villain of Man of Tomorrow (And It’s Not Brainiac)

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After the huge success of the *Superman* movie, DC Studios quickly approved a sequel called *Man of Tomorrow*. The film will likely show an uneasy team-up between Superman (David Corenswet) and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) to fight a bigger enemy. Many fans thought Brainiac would be the perfect villain for this story, especially after director James Gunn shared a photo of the *Man of Tomorrow* script with a brain on the cover. However, the recent finale of the *Peacemaker* series suggests a different villain is more likely. Gunn stated that *Peacemaker* would directly connect to *Man of Tomorrow*, and the show’s ending now points to a new antagonist for Superman’s next adventure.

Warning: Spoilers below for Peacemaker Season 2

Season 2 of *Peacemaker* reveals the reason behind Rick Flag Sr.’s (Frank Grillo) intense focus on the Quantum Unfolding Chamber. Rather than hoping to use the technology to address global inequalities by finding resources, the ARGUS director believes metahumans pose an overwhelming threat that facilities like Belle Reve simply can’t handle. His solution is to exile all metahuman criminals to a newly discovered planet he calls Salvation. After locating a potentially habitable world, Rick Flag Sr. aims to gain political backing for his extreme plan by framing it as a humane option – allowing metahumans a place to live while removing them from society.

The season finale of *Peacemaker* reveals Rick Flag Sr.’s villainous nature as he manipulates Peacemaker (John Cena) by sending him solo to the supposed paradise of Salvation. This act not only solidifies Flag Sr.’s role as a future antagonist but also hints that Salvation isn’t the peaceful haven it appears to be. Almost immediately after arriving, Peacemaker hears growling and discovers massive creatures roaming the planet, indicating the presence of dangerous aliens. These aliens are likely the major threat that Superman and Lex Luthor will eventually have to face together. Luckily, the *Salvation Run* comic book series provides hints about what’s to come for Superman, also known as the *Man of Tomorrow*, and the larger story arc of the DC Universe.

What Is DC Comics’ Salvation Run?

Published in 2007 as a seven-issue series, *Salvation Run* connected to the larger “Final Crisis” storyline. The story began with Amanda Waller and Rick Flag Sr. leading the Suicide Squad in a massive operation: rounding up every supervillain on Earth. Frustrated with constant escapes from places like Arkham Asylum, the U.S. government decided to send all the villains away to a planet far from Earth. Using Boom Tube technology, they transported criminals – from famous names like Lex Luthor and the Joker to lesser-known ones – to a planet called Cygnus 4019, which they nicknamed Salvation. The villains were left completely stranded, without any supplies, to remove any legal obligation from the government.

After being stranded, the villains immediately began to fight amongst themselves, splitting into different groups. Lex Luthor took charge of one group, using his intelligence to try and find a way home. Another group fell under the Joker’s chaotic and violent control, leading to a fierce conflict between the stranded villains. To make matters worse, the planet was incredibly dangerous, filled with deadly creatures and strange traps that slowly eliminated the castaways.

Honestly, finding out the truth about Salvation was a real gut punch. It wasn’t just some random planet; it was a secret training facility for Darkseid’s New Gods, run by the seriously twisted DeSaad. And the arrival of all those Earth villains? DeSaad saw it as a gift! He started using his Parademons to weed out the weak, planning to turn the survivors into soldiers for his own messed-up schemes. It totally upped the ante for Luthor’s group – they had to get out of there *fast*, before they were either killed off or turned into slaves. It also made it crystal clear: Salvation wasn’t just *near* Darkseid’s empire, it *was* a part of it.

Is Darkseid the First Big Bad of the DCU?

The planet Salvation’s appearance in *Peacemaker* isn’t random. James Gunn directly mentioned the *Salvation Run* comic as inspiration for the show, hinting that the DC Universe will heavily borrow from it. Given that *Peacemaker* is meant to connect with the upcoming *Man of Tomorrow* movie, it’s likely the film’s main conflict will stem from the Salvation project going wrong. The strange creatures Peacemaker hears suggest Salvation is already inhabited by monsters from Apokolips, and more humans arriving there could provoke a major reaction from their leader. This could lead to an invasion of Earth by Apokolips’ forces, like the Parademons, possibly led by someone like DeSaad – a crisis so large it would force Lex Luthor to team up with Superman.

This approach lets DC Studios start building towards a huge showdown with Darkseid, the classic enemy of the Justice League. Introducing his right-hand man, DeSaad, and the Parademons in *Man of Tomorrow* is a great way to begin a larger, cosmic-level conflict. Plus, DC Studios is working on an animated *Mister Miracle* series featuring the heroes and villains connected to the New Gods. Whether this series will be part of the main DC Universe or a separate story is still unknown, but using the ‘Salvation’ storyline in the movies allows Gunn to naturally include these characters in his overall plan. It establishes Darkseid’s forces as a major, ongoing threat and prepares the way for a final battle against Darkseid himself.

Man of Tomorrow is set to be released on July 9, 2027.

Does the story of *Man of Tomorrow* seem similar to DC’s *Salvation Run*? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-10-10 15:11