Superman is the most powerful hero in the DCEU, but Black Adam could make him weaker. Superman’s broad power set and near-invulnerability make him the Justice League’s MVP, even to the point that resurrecting him was the team’s best option for defeating the villain Steppenwolf. While Superman has so far reigned supreme in the DCEU, the introduction of Black Adam could provide a counterbalance to the last son of Krypton.
Despite Superman’s immense power, the DCEU has used his weakness to Kryptonite to humble him before. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice saw the Dark Knight use an arsenal of Kryptonite weapons to gain the upper hand in their one-on-one battle, and consistent exposure seemed to weaken Superman enough to die at the hands of Doomsday. Kryptonite is effective, but its status as Superman’s only weakness means that it could potentially reappear every time Superman needs an opponent of equal caliber. As the DCEU builds toward its next crossover event, the franchise will need to find new ways to challenge Superman to avoid recycling Kryptonite plot lines over and over again.
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Black Adam — and to a lesser extent, Shazam! Fury of the Gods — could provide a new weakness for the DCEU to work with. In the comics, Superman has a well-known weakness against magic. The extent of this weakness varies from issue to issue, but Superman is generally shown to be just as vulnerable to magical attacks as an ordinary person would be. Bringing Black Adam into the DCEU is the perfect opportunity to introduce Superman’s second weakness. And strengthening the connection between Superman and Shazam in Shazam! Fury of the Gods could clear the way for a showdown between the latter's evil counterpart and the Man of Steel.
How Black Adam and Shazam! 2 Could Show Superman’s Magic Weakness
Shazam and the Shazam Family are among the few active characters in the DCEU who use magic, having received their powers from an ancient wizard. Black Adam is set to join them as the wizard’s first champion. Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of The Gods will allow further exploration of magic in the DCEU as they expand on their central characters’ abilities and limitations. Given the relationship established between Billy Batson and Superman at the end of the first Shazam!, it’s possible that Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods could reveal Superman’s weakness to magic as a part of this exploration. Strengthening their relationship could also lead Superman to fight Black Adam alongside Shazam, should Black Adam fill his typical antagonistic role in his upcoming solo movie or other future films.
While Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods both offer the possibility of introducing Superman’s magic weakness, the former is more likely to do so. The Black Adam trailers already tease the presence of Dr. Fate, Hawkman, Cyclone, and The Atom, so the addition of Superman — possibly with Shazam by his side — would not be far-fetched. In contrast, the trailer for Shazam! Fury of the Gods suggests that the film will focus on the Shazam Family, leaving little room for Superman to appear except possibly in an end credits scene or cameo. Black Adam has typically appeared in opposition to Shazam, but his solo film could even allow him to meet other heroes without Shazam’s presence — including Superman.
Superman’s second weakness rarely appears on the big screen, but Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods could make it part of the DCEU canon. DC Films could leverage this weakness to show why other heroes are still relevant and necessary when someone as powerful as Superman is in play. Black Adam has the potential to start making magic much more important to the DCEU and use it to correct its off-balance power scale.