One of Superman’s secret weaknesses could actually be a godsend in case of a serious emergency. A rematch with one of the Man of Steel’s worst foes allowed one hero to save Clark’s life by exploiting a surprising vulnerability.
It comes as no surprise that there’s very little in the DC Universe that can hurt Superman. Thanks to his Kryptonian physiology and the rays of Earth’s yellow sun, Clark Kent has a vast array of amazing powers, one of which is nigh-invulnerability. Bullets, blades, lasers, and the like can do nothing to break the steel-like skin of Superman, making him one of the best defenders of the planet. That said, he does have his Achilles’ heels. Red sun rays can weaken him considerably and magic can cut through his defenses like they were nothing. Not to mention the varieties of kryptonite and the varied effects they have on him.
Electricity is Superman’s Secret Weakness and Secret Weapon
However, one weakness of the Last Son of Krypton might be the best thing he could have asked for when the worst case scenario occurs. In Superman #175 by Jeph Loeb Ed McGuinness, the Joker ‘celebrates’ the one-year anniversary of the day Superman died by releasing the monster known as Doomsday. Crowds have gathered around the White House to hear President Luthor’s comments on the recent war with Imperiex. Calamity strikes when Doomsday makes himself known, but thankfully Superman is on the scene to hold back the villain. Unfortunately, Doomsday has improved his skills and manages to beat Clark into submission. Lois turns to the only hero who can help, Black Lightning, who manages to restart Superman’s heart by acting as an impromptu defibrillator and shocking him conscious.
For lack of a better word, it’s a bit of a shock seeing Clark being affected by electricity. But Black Lighting has proven multiple times that his powers are one of the few things that can break through Superman’s defenses. In fact, with enough concentration, Jefferson Pierce’s lightning can mimic red sun rays and leave Kryptonians briefly depowered. But Black Lightning doesn’t need to do anything fancy when an emergency strikes for Superman. Anyone capable of shocking the Big Blue Boy Scout may be able to save his life when the worst happens.
Electricity Can Restart Superman’s Heart When Necessary
Superman is in peak condition, and there’s hardly a chance that it will give out all of a sudden. But as Doomsday proved multiple times, even Superman can be stunned with enough brute force, sending Clark into cardiac arrest. And thanks to the hero’s invincible skin and dense frame, there are not many options to help treat Superman when time is of the essence. But thankfully, Clark’s vulnerability to electricity gives him a fighting chance and allows others to restart his heart with a powerful enough current. It might not be great to have a weakness that’s a fairly common element, but for Superman, it may be something that ironically saves his life.