Clark Kent

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Clark Kent's life began on February 29, 1980, when he was born as the first natural Kryptonian in generations. His father, Jor-El, discovered the impending destruction of Krypton caused by reckless resource usage and a coup attempt by General Zod. With no way to save the planet, Jor-El and Lara infused their son's DNA with a genetic codex and launched him on a pre-programmed starship to Earth, predicting he would become a god to humans there. Discovered as an infant in Smallville, Kansas, by Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark grew up hiding his powers until a pivotal moment where he single-handedly lifted a school bus from a river. In 1997, his adoptive father died in a tornado while refusing rescue to protect Clark's secret, leaving Clark to wander the world for years under various aliases before returning.

In Their Own Story

In 2013, Kent worked as a bartender in Canada before joining a drilling company that uncovered a Kryptonian scout ship. He activated it using a key left by Jor-El, communicating with an AI of his father. Reporter Lois Lane inadvertently triggered the ship's security, leading to her rescue and Clark donning a uniform to test his flight. When General Zod arrived demanding Kal-El, Kent took a "leap of faith" advised by a local pastor, surrendering to Zod while wearing the Kryptonian uniform but fleeing with Lane using the Jor-El AI. After destroying the World Engine in the Indian Ocean, which had been terraforming Earth and damaging Metropolis, Kent faced Zod in a battle that leveled the city. Forced to kill Zod to save a cornered family at a train station, Kent adopted the codename Superman and agreed to act independently under General Calvin Swanwick's oversight while maintaining his civilian identity as a freelance reporter for the Daily Planet.

Reader's Guide

By 2015, Superman was a polarizing figure; hailed by some but denounced as a "false god" by others like Bruce Wayne. Kent worked at the Daily Planet under Perry White and maintained a relationship with Lois Lane while saving people from wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and missile attacks. His conflict with Batman escalated when Lex Luthor manipulated both men, culminating in a congressional hearing where a bomb killed everyone except Superman. Blaming himself, Clark exiled himself until Luthor kidnapped Lane and Martha Kent. After saving Lois, who had been pushed off the LexCorp building, Superman confronted Batman, who subdued him with kryptonite gas. The turning point came when Superman pleaded "save Martha," causing Batman to pause upon realizing the target was his own mother's name. Reunited, they joined Wonder Woman to fight Doomsday, a monster created from Zod's DNA and Luthor's science, where Kent gave his life to defeat the creature before being resurrected to aid the Justice League against Darkseid.

Did You Know?

• Henry Cavill was the first non-American actor to portray Superman in film.
• Kal-El was born on February 29, 1980, making him a natural-born Kryptonian after many generations of artificial births.
• Clark Kent's father, Jonathan Kent, died in a tornado in 1997 specifically to prevent Clark from revealing his powers before he was ready.
• The conflict between Superman and General Zod resulted in extensive damage to Metropolis and the death of Zod at Clark's hands.
• Brad Abramenko served as a body double for Henry Cavill in the first season of Peacemaker (2022–present).