Superman Conquers The Multiverse

"Pitiful fool," Superman said as he tossed Darkseid's helmeted head into the fire pit of the Planet Apocalypse. After a long and grueling battle, the Last Son of Krypton had finally slain Darkseid, leader of the New Gods who ruled the Planet Apocalypse. Dressed in a suit of black and red armor with a gleaming black cape, this version of Superman was grim and serious. This isn't the friendly Supes who flies around saving Metropolis, folks. In this corner of the Infinite Multiverse, things took a much darker turn.

Shortly before the Planet Krypton exploded, Krypton's foremost scientist Jor-El and his wife Lara put their son Kal-El on a spaceship and sent him out into space. The spaceship and its occupant ended up on the Planet Earth. Jonathan Kent and his wife Martha Kent, simple farmers residing in Smallville, Kansas, found Kal-El and raised him as their own. Kal-El was renamed Clark Kent, and under the Earth's yellow sun, his alien biology caused him to develop super powers. Everyone knows this story.

What happened differently in this corner of the Infinite Multiverse? Darkseid invaded the Planet Earth during a solar eclipse. Clark Kent found himself temporarily powerless and was helpless as the Parademons of Darkseid's Armada descended upon the world. Darkseid killed various heroes such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern John Stewart, Hawk Girl, Green Arrow, and Plastic Man. The Justice League was no more. In twenty-four hours, Darkseid took over the world. The mistake the malevolent New God made was that he obliterated Smallville, killing Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen.

When the solar eclipse ended and Superman regained his powers, he went after Darkseid's forces with a vengeance. For the first time in his existence, the Last Son of Krypton stopped holding back. Superman slaughtered one hundred thousand Parademons in the skies above the City of Metropolis, Kansas. Darkseid sent his minions such as the evil New Gods Steppenwolf, Big Barda, Granny Goodness, the Female Furies, Kalibok, and Desaad against Superman but the vengeful Kryptonian slaughtered them all. The remaining Parademons retreated back to Apocalypse via Boom Tube, barely escaping Superman's wrath.

"Well done, Kal-El," said Raya. The tall, blonde-haired and blue-eyed Kryptonian woman stood nearby, beaming with pride. Superman stood atop the Royal Palace of Darkseid, whose headless body lay twitching at his feet. The downtrodden denizens of Darkseid's royal city cheered for the man who just defeated their master. Superman looked at Raya, his eyes still bright red from blasting Darkseid with heat beams. Raya gave Superman a simple hug. He'd been through a lot lately.

"I killed Darkseid and ended his evil reign, why don't I feel good?" Superman wondered. Raya did not reply and instead gently kissed Superman. The two of them had known each other only for a year, and yet they cherished each other like old-time lovers. When Superman freed the denizens of the shrunken Kryptonian city of Kandor from the Phantom Zone, he became a hero to the people of Krypton. The three hundred thousand residents of Kandor City went on to establish a new colony called New Krypton on a small green Planet outside of the Earth's solar system. Life has been eventful but great sense.

"Kal-El, Darkseid was evil, don't let the likes of him corrupt your soul," Raya said, and she gently kissed him on the lips. Superman kissed Raya passionately, to the overwhelming cheers of the denizens of Apocalypse. The conquerors image was broadcast worldwide. Not all residents of the Planet Apocalypse were New Gods. Most of them were ordinary mortals who had been mistreated by Darkseid and his ruling elites for many centuries. To them, Superman and his Kryptonian army were liberators.

"A moment please, my lord?" came a voice. Superman and Raya turned to look upon Colonel Dru Zod. The tall, dark-skinned and muscular Kryptonian soldier bowed his head gently. Next to Colonel Zod stood a tall, pale-skinned and dark-haired Kryptonian female. Lieutenant Faora, Colonel Zod's longtime ally and lover. Reveling in the powers they gained under any sun that wasn't red, the Colonel and the Lieutenant flew effortlessly in Apocalypse atmosphere.

"Yes, Zod?" Superman demanded, and the Colonel gave him a tight smile. Like everyone else who was trapped in the Phantom Zone, Zod owed Superman a debt of gratitude for saving him. Superman hadn't freed the denizens of Kandor from the Phantom Zone out of the goodness of his heart. He freed them because he wanted an army of solar-powered supermen and superwomen to help him fight Darkseid. After the establishment of a new Kryptonian society on the Planet New Krypton, Superman became almost god-like to his people. Thousands of young men and women from Kandor followed Superman to Apocalypse, and the newly empowered Kryptonians battled the New Gods. The war ended with the death of Darkseid and the conquest of the Planet Apocalypse...

"The Parademons have been exterminated by the Army of New Krypton, Lord Kal-El, we await further orders," Colonel Zod said evenly. Superman looked at Colonel Zod and Faora. These two were smart, vicious and ambitious. Colonel Zod had been a powerful man in Kandor City before the Kryptonian town got sent to the Phantom Zone following the destruction of Krypton. Faora, Zod's lover and ally, was a smart and cunning woman. Thanks to their sojourn on Earth, they had the same amazing powers as Superman, along with every citizen of New Krypton. This required careful handling.

"I found these Parademons and New Gods far too easy to kill," Faora said, and the Kryptonian military woman grinned ferally, flashing her eerily white teeth. Raya looked at Faora and Zod. Kal-El, as much as Raya loved him, had a lot to learn about the Kryptonian people, especially Kryptonian women. Colonel Zod was a dangerous brute while Faora was insidious and quite vicious. Raya knew that these two wouldn't be satisfied with living under Superman's regime. They wanted to rule New Krypton and saw Kal-El as an obstacle.

"Good job, my esteemed colleagues, order the Army to stand down, I must address the people of Apocalypse, this is a scary day for them," Superman said firmly. Colonel Zod bowed while Faora smirked. Raya shot Faora a look and the military woman rolled her eyes. Superman went to the former throne room of Darkseid and addressed the entire planet by means of advanced alien communication machinery. Every man, woman, creature or entity dwelling upon the Planet Apocalypse got wind of Superman's message.

"The last thing these people need is hope and peace and general elections," Colonel Zod muttered under his threat. Next to him, Faora nodded. Superman addressed the people of the Planet Apocalypse, declaring them free of Darkseid's regime and returning their lives to them. The fool even promised them that they could elect their own leaders through a process called democracy. Krypton once had a democracy and it led to the end of that world. Zod knew, he was there. Democracy doesn't work. Strong men and women should seize power and make the decisions needed to protect the teeming masses of ordinary folk. Power was meant for the righteous few, not the idealistic many...

"Perhaps our favorite idealist will be deposed," Faora whispered, and Colonel Zod smiled and nodded. Raya, standing next to Superman, basked in the adulation of the people of Apocalypse. As Superman and Raya soared in the air, headed for the Kryptonian flagship Shield Of El, the former slaves of Darkseid rejoiced. Superman freed them from Darkseid's tyranny. They had no idea what freedom meant but they would give it a try. Colonel Zod and Faora knew that the Planet Apocalypse would descend into chaos due to the social confusion and fear brought by the power vacuum. Superman and Raya, idealistic fools, refused to admit the truth...

Superman and Raya returned to the Shield of El, and received overwhelming cheers from their followers. The Army was ecstatic. They crushed the New Gods and Parademons without any casualties. Thanks to their newfound powers of super strength, invulnerability, laser vision, heat vision, super hearing, super speed and super durability, they were all but invincible. With their duty done, they returned to their new world, a planet they christened New Krypton. The race of Krypton, long thought extinct, lives, thanks to Superman.

Three hundred thousand Kryptonian men and women, entire families, tribes and clans, lived on Kandor when the city got shrunk and sent to the Phantom Zone. There, they languished as wraiths in that cold, dark realm, for decades. Superman didn't just set them free, he gave them a new home and a new lease on life, plus god-like super powers. They did not know about the yellow sun and its effects on their kind until Superman told them. To the people of New Krypton, Superman isn't just a liberator, he is almost a deity. To the people of Earth, Superman is a hero, for he saved them from Darkseid and left the protection of Earth to the Green Lantern Corps, hundreds of which got sent to Earth by the Guardians of Oa. Superman is the hero who has saved the galaxy, and Raya is his beloved. Can power corrupt a good man? Only time shall tell!