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Supermanhas always been see as an all - American Heron . But what would have chance if he ’d descend to Earth at a clip when America ’s selection was uncertain ? How would Superman ’s morals and ethics have taken human body if he ’d acquire up during – and push in – the American Civil War ?
DC ’s alternative universeElseworldsstorieshave allowed Superman to receive many flaky retellings of his story where his nurture affected his existence view . back breaker : Red Son , for case , examine how Superman ’s politics would have been different if he ’d been raise in Joseph Stalin ’s Russia , while the Elseworlds report “ Legacy ” shows an alternate existence where Superman ’s antecedent fought in the American Revolution – on the side of the British . Superman : A Nation Dividedcontinues this tendency by having Kal - El of Krypton land on Earth in the 1800s when America was at state of war with itself .
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What if Superman Fought in the American Civil War?
Lucy in the sky with diamonds : A Nation Dividedintroduces readers to Atticus Kent , the adopt son of Josephus and Sarah Kent . rear in Kansas , Atticus fought with the Union United States Army against the Confederate States Army . While Atticus has always been a impregnable humans , he soon break justhowpowerful he is when a round shot hits him in the thorax – and he just gets up . Enraged by the onrush , Atticus rushes the terrified Confederate army and single - handedly defeats them with his newly discovered super forte . Naturally , word of this gets to General Ulysses S. Grant who realizes the Union Army has just insure their greatest weapon . The Union Army continues send Private ( and subsequently Sergeant , Captain , and finally Major ) Kent into fight where he continue discoveringadditional powers – including the power to melt weapons with the heat from his eye and a miraculous ability to fly .
Becoming a famous person as well as a warfare hero , Kent goes on to meet several literal - life historical people ( although their lives take very unlike paths thanks to his presence ) . Abolitionist Frederick Douglas is unnerved by Kent ’s mogul , which he feels could serve to destroy the approximation that all man should be make adequate . General George Custer is jealous of the flying man , believe that the easy victories he plug for the Union also hook him of the glory that should have been his .
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However , President Abraham Lincolnfeels that Kent ’s nifty power is also tempered by his humility . Seeing Kent as an “ angel place by the almighty to help the Union in her time of need , ” Lincoln part sending Kent into key fight to stimulate the end of the war .
Despite the grim measure he must ofttimes habituate , Kent does seem to hold human animation sacred – cry for both settle Union and Confederate soldiers likewise . He also admires the bravery shown by all the soldiers and is sickened by the fact that the war forces “ buddy to struggle brother . ” Ultimately , however , his conditioning frame him firmly on the side of the Union as he believes the Confederate army is misguided .
Thanks to Kent ’s powers , the South ’s armies chop-chop devolve . Although he can not fight in every engagement , Kent still brings a decisive terminal to the war when he snatch up General Robert E. Lee from the battlefield and severalise him to govern his men to stand down before any more can be killed . Kent goes on to becharm Jefferson Davis , get the South to give up age before they did in the “ genuine world . ” Kent ’s battle , however , is far from over .
How Superman Saved Abraham Lincoln
Impressed by Kent ’s performance , President Abraham Lincoln invites him to several crucial events , including the reading material of the Gettysburg Address and a Shakespearian carrying into action at Ford ’s Theatre . Although distracted by his engagement Libby Bacon ( a potential dimensional twin of General George Custer ’s wife Elizabeth ! ) , Kent ’s tops - auditory modality cull up a hit man being sashay and he swiftly takes a hummer meant for the president . A moment later , Kent switch the hapless would - be assassin , John Wilkes Booth , out of the president ’s box – causing him to land on his own dagger and die .
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confused that “ death had robbed the people of his trial , ” Kent nevertheless goes on to plant a unavowed service to protect the president and helps oversee Lincoln ’s reconstruction program . He even bear with President Lincoln as he ’s trust in for his second terminal figure , indicate the country will have a very different destiny from this pointedness on . When a subject matter get in stating that Kent ’s mother has fallen ill , however , Kent speedily flies home to Kansas .
What Side of America Should Kent Have REALLY Fought For?
arrive just in prison term to verbalize to his take on mother before she dies , Kent later gets his don to give away the accuracy about his extraterrestrial origins . need Kent to a battlefield where he hid the rocket that brought his take up son to Earth , Josephus witness his boy commune with a holographic version of hisKryptonian father , Jor - El .
Jor - El let on that he institutionalise his babe boy Kal - El to Earth since the planet was very much like Krypton in its early days . When Kent sees the citizenry Jor - El actuallymeantfor him to live with , however , he break they werenotUnion or Confederate soldier … but Native Americans . Foreseeing that the Native Americans would soon be overrun by “ invader possessed of with child technology , ” Jor - El sent his child to Earth , believing he could protect the Native Americans from their invaders . Horrified by the revelation that he was say to protect the hoi polloi thatboththe Union and Confederacy have stamp down , Kent flies off , feel as divided up as the country . finally , he calms down and reconfigures his Kryptonian ship into a metallic element horse ( yes , really ) , and fly out West , hoping he can see and learn from some surviving Native American tribes , fulfill the destiny his birth male parent mark out for him .
A dandy twist ending to a Superman history , pane : A body politic Dividedshows just how different fight for“The American Way”can be calculate on what diachronic earned run average Kal - El pass off to be raise in . WhileSupermanalmost always has a moral center that drive him to do the right affair , it ’s welcoming to also see that he can be conflict aboutwhatthat right thing is , and what it truly means to be an American .
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