| Eradicator | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Action Comics Annual #2 (1989) |
| Created by | Roger Stern (writer) Curt Swan (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Originally: Ancient Kryptonian weapon Later: Dr. David Connor and others |
| Species | Artificial Intelligence / Kryptonian construct |
| Team affiliations | Outsiders Superman Family |
| Abilities | Energy manipulation Flight Superhuman strength and speed Heat vision Molecular manipulation Technopathy |
The Eradicator is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is an adversary and ally of Superman. Originally introduced in 1989 as an ancient Kryptonian weapon, the Eradicator later creates a humanoid body for itself using Superman's genetic template. The Eradicator is best known for his role during the Reign of the Supermen storyline, where he serves as one of the four replacement Supermen following Superman's apparent death, alongside Steel, Superboy, and Cyborg Superman.
Adam Rayner portrays the Eradicator in the television series Superman & Lois .
The Eradicator debuted in Action Comics Annual #2 (1989), written by Roger Stern and illustrated by Curt Swan. [1] Initially conceived as a Kryptonian artifact, the character later developed a humanoid form and gained prominence in the 1990s as part of the Superman mythos.
The Eradicator was originally created 200,000 years ago by a dying alien species as a preservation device for their culture. The aliens went to Krypton with their device to share the culture, but the Kryptonian militaristic leader Kem-L killed them and reprogrammed the device to preserve his ideal of Kryptonian culture and eradicate alien influences, and hence Kem-L called it the "Eradicator." The artifact was capable of altering genetic code, manipulating matter, and storing vast knowledge. The Eradicator was ultimately exiled into space by Kryptonian authorities, as its methods were deemed too radical. [2] Eventually, the device found its way to Earth and came into contact with Superman, causing ideological conflict due to the Eradicator's purist views. [3]
Thousands of years later, the Eradicator is discovered by a dying alien species and eventually comes into the possession of a cleric from Warworld. The cleric gives the device to Superman, believing he will fulfill its preservation directive. Upon contact with Superman's Kryptonian DNA, the Eradicator becomes active, attempting to transform Earth into a replica of Krypton by altering its ecosystem and rewriting genetic codes. Superman is forced to destroy the device after it endangers the planet. [4]
Despite its destruction, the Eradicator's consciousness survives in the Fortress of Solitude's computer systems. It begins manipulating Superman psychologically, attempting to transform him into a more emotionless, Kryptonian-ideal figure. Eventually, the consciousness creates a humanoid body for itself, forming a distinct identity separate from Superman.
Following Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday, the Eradicator uses Kryptonian birthing matrices to create a new physical body resembling Kal-El and emerges as one of the four "Supermen" vying to replace him, claiming to be the true Superman. He adopts a harsher stance on crime, exhibiting extreme violence and a lack of empathy. His identity is eventually revealed, and after the real Superman's return, the Eradicator sacrifices himself to aid in the resurrection. [5]
Eventually, it was revealed that the Eradicator was using Superman's body in the Fortress of Solitude as an energy conduit. After the real Superman was revived, the Eradicator sacrificed himself by shielding Superman from a kryptonite blast during the final battle with the Cyborg Superman. This act of sacrifice allowed Superman to reclaim his role and served as the Eradicator's first major turning point.
Later, the Eradicator's consciousness merges with the body of Dr. David Connor, a scientist who worked on Superman's resurrection. This hybrid version retains Eradicator's powers and mission but also struggles with human morality and emotions. He becomes a member of the superhero team the Outsiders and serves as a reluctant ally to Superman. During this time, he clashes with both heroes and villains over his often authoritarian interpretations of justice. [6]
During the New Krypton storyline, the Eradicator is reactivated by Alura to defend Kandor. He is repurposed by Kryptonian leadership as an enforcer of cultural law on New Krypton, a newly formed Kryptonian society in Earth's solar system. Although loyal to Kryptonian principles, the Eradicator clashes with characters like Supergirl and Superman over ethical boundaries. He eventually turns against General Zod's authoritarianism, showing increased capacity for autonomy and judgment.
In the New 52 continuity reboot, the Eradicator is a biomechanical construct created by Zod's regime to hunt Kryptonian dissidents. It retains its preservationist directive but is more clearly positioned as a weapon of fascist cultural enforcement. In this version, the Eradicator battles Superman and Jon Kent (Superman's son), attempting to forcibly absorb Jon's hybrid DNA to restore Kryptonian purity. [7]
During DC Rebirth , the Eradicator serves as a major antagonist in the early arc of the Superman series. It is responsible for the death of Krypto and assaults the Fortress of Solitude, seeking to preserve the Kryptonian genome by removing all human elements from Jon Kent.
The Eradicator possesses numerous Kryptonian abilities, including flight, super strength, invulnerability, heat vision, and speed. Further, he has abilities that Superman does not, including technopathy, energy projection, and matter manipulation. His programming prioritizes Kryptonian preservation, often putting him at odds with other characters.
The Eradicator appears in the CW television series Superman & Lois , serving as a central narrative element across the first season. The device is an artificial receptacle designed to preserve and transfer Kryptonian consciousness into host bodies that have been exposed to X-Kryptonite.
The Eradicator is introduced gradually through the subplot surrounding Morgan Edge (played by Adam Rayner). Edge is later revealed as the Kryptonian Tal-Rho, Kal-El's previously unknown Kryptonian half-brother and the son of Lara Lor-Van and Zeta-Rho, a radical Kryptonian scientist. Zeta-Rho believed in Kryptonian survival through cultural and genetic domination. Before Krypton's destruction, he constructed the Eradicator as a technological means of digitally storing Kryptonian consciousnesses, which could later be secretly implanted into suitable hosts, allowing Kryptonian culture to survive. Zeta-Rho launched the device into space, where it ultimately found its way to Earth.
Tal-Rho retrieves the Eradicator from an undisclosed location and begins using it to resurrect Kryptonian society by embedding the stored identities of deceased Kryptonians into human hosts. This process, referred to as "resurrection," allows Kryptonian personalities to override and suppress the human host's original identity. Tal-Rho begins a mass operation in Smallville, converting human physiology to Kryptonian by exploiting the long presence of X-Kryptonite in the town that followed Krypton's destruction. [8] Several townspeople are possessed by Kryptonian identities. Superman himself is briefly subjected to attempted possession via the Eradicator but resists.
Tal-Rho eventually merges himself with the Eradicator, allowing him to store Kryptonian consciousnesses internally and wield immense power without the need for external equipment. Thus the Eradicator's humanoid form shares Superman's genes as in the comics, but instead as a blood relative of Kal-El. This fusion grants him significantly enhanced abilities, including energy projection, invulnerability beyond normal Kryptonian standards, and limited necro-technological manipulation. He is thereafter referred to as the Eradicator by various characters. The transformation marks the final phase of his plan to terraform Earth and replace its population with Kryptonians.
In the Season 1 finale, where Superman and John Henry Irons confront Tal-Rho/Eradicator in a direct assault on Metropolis. During the battle, Superman exploits his connection to the solar energy spectrum, pushing himself to maximum power output by absorbing raw solar radiation to counter Tal-Rho's overwhelming energy reserves. Irons delivers the final blow with his kinetic hammer, neutralizing the Eradicator's internal energy matrix and severing the link between Tal-Rho and the Kryptonian minds within. The human hosts are restored, though their memories of possession remain fragmented. Tal-Rho is rendered inert and taken into custody. [9]
In the second season, Tal-Rho reappears, having survived the previous confrontation. While the Eradicator device itself is no longer operational, the psychological and ideological scars persist. Tal-Rho undergoes a character shift, expressing regret and attempting a partial reconciliation with Kal-El. The second season also introduces an alternate dimension known as the Inverse World, or Bizarro World, accessed through a portal in Smallville's Shuster Mines. In this world, an alternate version of Tal‑Rho exists that maintains a cooperative and respectful relationship with his world's version of Superman (Bizarro). This version eventually marries the dimension's Lana Lang, establishing a stable domestic life. The Inverse Tal‑Rho resists the ambitions of Ally Allston, a dual-reality cult leader seeking to merge with her alternate self to gain total power. He assists his world's Superman and Lana in recovering a pendant central to Ally's plan. However, his opposition results in his death—he is captured and has his life-force drained by Allston. Following his death, the primary version of Tal‑Rho later relocates to the Inverse dimension, seeking a renewed life away from his past.
The Eradicator's depiction in Superman & Lois received a mostly positive response from critics. Reviewers highlighted the strength of the performance by actor Adam Rayner and praised the thematic ambition of the storyline, though some cited issues with pacing and character coherence. Collider described Rayner's portrayal of Tal-Rho/Eradicator as a standout, stating it "gives Morgan Edge a huge advantage" and contributes to his transformation into a formidable and complex antagonist. [10] Episode 14 of Season 1, titled "The Eradicator", was generally well received. Geeks & Gamers rated the episode 9 out of 10, writing that it "shows how to subvert expectations and satisfy the viewer," particularly praising the narrative escalation and the symbolic threat posed by the Eradicator's possession of Jordan Kent. [11] The Geekiary noted the character's evolution from Morgan Edge into the Eradicator made for "an interesting villain" that deepened the personal and ideological stakes of the series. [12] Doux Reviews observed that "Morgan Edge... appears to be completely gone" and emphasized the magnitude of the threat Tal-Rho posed once fully merged with the Eradicator, describing the transformation as a significant pivot in the season's narrative. [13] WinterIsComing.net rated the episode a "B+", acknowledging the dramatic tension but critiquing the episode's structure, stating that while "the stakes have risen significantly," the pacing suffered due to rushed character beats. [14]