Among the pantheon of comic book heroes, Superman has always stood as the mightiest. The Last Son of Krypton comes equipped with immeasurable strength, heat vision, freezing breath, and the ability to fly. Moreover, his humble farm boy upbringing (as well as his intelligence) ensures that he uses these gifts effectively and responsibly. This makes him an inspiration to both common folk and other superheroes.
With all this going for him, it's easy to forget that Superman has been hurt and even killed before. This has become a semi-common trend. In recent years, more and more stories have axed the Man of Steel. These onscreen adaptations seemingly go this route for shock value, but the sheer number of times audiences have seen this scene makes some fans think creators are exploiting it in some of the instances below.
10 Justice League
Here, a routine battle against a bunch of C-list villains takes an unexpected turn. To save his friends, Superman flies in front of Toyman' energy beam. The attack seemingly vaporizes him, leading to a somber episode that feels like a real funeral. Not only do the other Leaguers pay tribute to their fallen friend, but they must also decide where to go from there.
It's only in the following episode that viewers learn Superman isn't dead. Instead, the blast sent him into the future, where Vandal Savage has destroyed the Earth. Some may see this as a copout, but it's surprising how long the creators held that tension and played the ordeal completely straight. As far as audiences knew, Superman was dead, and it was truly heart-wrenching.
9 Superman Returns
This nostalgia trip to the Christopher Reeve era sees Lex Luthor use Superman's own past against him. The villain steals alien tech and creates an island infused with Kryptonite, initially thwarting the Man of Steel with this crippling weakness. Eventually, the hero dives into the ocean and lifts the island into space, but the effort leaves him drained and plummeting back to Earth.
Once his heart stops, it seems Superman is dead. The Daily Planet even prints newspapers announcing the event. Although he eventually emerges alive, it's still a striking sight to see Superman in a hospital bed, unsure if he'll wake up. It's such a vulnerable, human situation that fans don't usually associate with the godlike superhero.
8 Justice League Unlimited
One of the better episodes of this sequel show adapts Alan Moore's "For The Man Who Has Everything." A vengeful Mongul puts Superman under the spell of the Black Mercy plant, trapping the Man of Steel in a dreamscape of his heart's deepest desires.
It turns out that Clark wants nothing more than to live in a quiet life on a Kryptonian farm with a wife and son. Sadly, even the best dreams don't last forever. To return to reality, Cal-El must let himself, his son, and his entire world perish in a fiery explosion. Needless to say, he's not happy when he wakes up.
7 Superman: Doomsday
For the first in the long line of DC animated flicks, adapting "The Death of Superman" is an odd choice. This seminal storyline involves the Man of Steel battling a mindless monster known as Doomsday, eventually sacrificing himself. That's indeed what viewers see, and it's just as tragic as one would expect. It also occurs in the first act, causing the film to peak early on.
The rest involves a bizarre cloning scheme by Lex Luthor. Not only does this feel uninspired by comparison, but it culminates in the real Superman not really being dead. Granted, his evil clone perishes at the end, so that's something. Fans get two death scenes for the price of one.
6 DC Universe Online
The teaser trailer for this MMO sure knew how to get fans' attention. While the Justice League fights their greatest enemies to the death, a disheveled Superman recharges himself by the sun. The Man of Steel eventually returns to battle, but his efforts are for naught.
An armored Lex Luthor stabs Superman through the back with a Kryptonite spear, securing his final victory over his longtime foe. As dramatic as this is, it serves mainly to motivate players to join up. Brainiac invades soon after, so Luthor travels back in time to warn the heroes (and gamers) of the impending threat. The ball's in the player's court now.
5 All-Star Superman
Based on Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's comic arc, All-Star Superman begins with the Man of Steel foiling a plot by Lex Luthor to sabotage a space mission. Unfortunately, he flies too close to the Sun, absorbing a surplus of solar radiation. Slowly dying for roughly a year, Superman eventually turns into pure energy.
Lois Lane proffers some hopeful ambiguity, asserting that the hero isn't truly dead. He's just off "fixing the Sun" after mysterious supervillain Solaris tampers with it. Still, it's a bittersweet conclusion to a poignant (if scattershot) story.
4 Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Combining "The Death of Superman" and "The Dark Knight Returns," this cluttered crossover culminates in Lex Luthor reanimating Zod's corpse to create Doomsday. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman can't seem to faze this creature until Lois Lane finds the Dark Knight's Kryptonite spear. For some reason, Superman takes it upon himself to deliver the final blow, killing both Doomsday and himself.
The film tries to play it as a tragic end, but it holds no water. It's painfully forced and makes little sense, and the Man of Steel hasn't remotely shown the likability (or personality) to earn a heroic death. Everyone knew the filmmakers would bring him back for the following Justice League flick.
3 Injustice
Fighting games can go to some weird places with their arcade modes, and the Injustice titles are no exception. After conquering their individual what-if stories, characters get their own endings where they come out on top. Some of these, however, are less than heroic.
Villainous characters predictably use their newfound power for personal gain, and this often includes vengeance on the Justice League. Darkseid, in particular, burns Superman's head off with his Omega Beams before taking Supergirl as his new lieutenant. Considering how corrupted the Man of Steel became in these games, players probably didn't shed many tears in this epilogue.
2 The Death Of Superman
It's another fight with Doomsday, but it's the best one yet. This animated do-over spends more time building up to the eventual battle. Not only does the monster tear through the entire Justice League, but the whole film revolves around Superman's heroic exploits and whether he wants to bring Lois into his life of secrets.
This makes it all the more affecting when that happiness is snatched away. As his tattered cape broadcasts across the globe, it hits on both a personal and societal level. It's a predictable outcome, especially at this point. However, that doesn't mean it's not executed well.
1 Crisis On Infinite Earths
In the colossal Arrowverse crossover, the supposedly omnipotent Monitor is stupid enough to bring Lex Luthor back from the dead. Of course, the crafty baddie steals the Book of Destiny and starts wiping out Supermen across the Multiverse.
Although viewers don't watch these actions firsthand, they do witness the aftermath, which leads to some striking images directly from the comics. It's mainly an excuse to see some alternate versions of the Man of Steel, but the death of certain Supermen is the impetus for this fan service. At least Luthor spares the Smallville Superman.