Eradicator II (Prime Earth)

Kal-El's embrace of this world means he has betrayed the House of El and all of Krypton. If he must die for a new Krypton to emerge... so be it.

— Eradicator ^src

The Eradicator is an advanced Kryptonian machine designed to defend the ostensible purity of the Kryptonian genome and culture.

History

Origins

New 52 Origin

The Eradicator is part of a group of robots created by General Zod to seek out and arrest Kryptonian law breakers.

They were directed to draw out the lawbreaker's life force and transfer them to a Phantom Zone projector, with the bodies being put into cryo-chambers to await trial.^[1]

Returning from a mission in deep space, the Eradicator sees Krypton explode (which coated him in organic matter as it also wiped all mechanical vestiges) as well as Kal-El's rocket flying away. Moving systematically from solar system to solar system seeking out its passenger it eventually came in contact with Jonathan Kent's DNA on Earth.^[2] After using this DNA to enter the Fortress of Solitude, the Eradicator assimilates more Kryptonian genome as well as items belonging to Clark Kent taking on an appearance similar to its original humanoid form, albeit one with black,^[2]

Because Jonathan is only half Kryptonian, the Eradicator intends to absorb him so as to remove the "human taint". Krypto sensing danger from the Eradicator leaps at the Eradicator and is sent to the Phantom Zone.

In the resulting fight a combined hit from Superman and Jonathan breaks the Eradicator's outer shell, releasing the Kryptonian souls he has captured.^[3]

Later on, to help Superman, these spirits sacrifice themselves by allowing themselves to be assimilated by the Eradicator, all at once causing the Eradicator's systems to overload causing a energy backlash that throws it into a harbor.

Eventually escaping to the moon Superman's power is increased by the remnants of the dead Kryptonians as the Eradicator, using the energy of its one remaining soul presses its attack.^[4] In the resulting battle, which is televised all over the world due to the devastation happening on the moon, Krypto breaks out of the Eradicator and helps Superman destroy it.^[5]

Following the cosmic upheavals of the Rebirth period, this character's history was revised. While some version of these events may have occurred, logically, they could not have occurred the same way.

Current Origin

Many centuries ago, the Eradicator was created as a means to protect Kryptonian purity after the arrival of the alien priest known as Cleric.^[6]

Soon after the death of Superman at the hands of Doomsday four pretenders to the mantle of Superman stepped forward: the armored superhero Steel, the Cadmus-made clone Superboy, the mysterious Cyborg Superman and the Eradicator.

Cyborg Superman revealed himself to be an impostor and destroyed Coast City with the help of Mongul and the Eradicator, Steel and Superboy joined forces with the recently resurrected Superman to stop him.^[7] Eventually, Eradicator was somehow destroyed and interred in a makeshift grave on Earth's moon.

The Superman Revenge Squad

A mysterious, seemingly digitized figure approaches the Eradicator's make-shift grave on the moon and resurrects it. The figure makes an offer to help it seek revenge on Superman to which the Eradicator reluctantly accepts, also revealing that they know each other.

Later, the Eradicator has taken over Batman's moon base. Blanque and Metallo are forcibly teleported into the base. The two initially attempt to attack the Eradicator but are stopped by the mysterious figure. The figure then reveals himself as Hank Henshaw, who welcomes them all to the new Superman Revenge Squad.

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Zod's Will

The Eradicator later joined forces with the House of Zod to help them create a new Krypton, he helped General Zod defeat Hal Jordan while his son and wife dealt with Kyle Rayner after they arrived to investigate the situation.^[8]

The Eradicator was later tasked by Zod to study the Green Lantern Rings they had confiscated but was unaware that Hal's ring had been made with his own will and was therefore connected to him, so when Hal managed to recall his ring it shot right through Eradicator's head, rendering him temporarily unconscious.^[9]

He continued the analysis while the House of Zod bought him time by keeping occupied by Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, and the other lanterns who had come to rescue Hal.^[10]

In the end he returned the Ring he was analyzing at the request of Zod, who had been defeated by Jordan but was freed by the timely intervention of Ganthet, who wanted to avoid further escalation of the battle. After the Green Lanterns left he revealed that he had managed to extract all the informations contained in the ring and completed his assignment.^[11]

Death Metal

He was resurrected by Batman in the fight against The Batman Who Laughs and his new Dark Multiverse. ^[12]

Dawn of DC

Eradicator III Prime Earth — The new Eradicator in the Fortress

Superman later activates a copy of the Eradicator in the Fortress of Solitude to track Cyborg Superman. This Eradicator possesses the original programming and none of the memories of the previous Eradicator which the Superman Family have fought in the past. Clark asks it to track cloned Kryptonian DNA bonded to a cybernetic frame and the Eradicator locates Henshaw's new prime body at Metropolis' abandoned Racine National Airport.^[13]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Kryptonian Android Body: The Eradicator is an android that absorbed the DNA of Jon Kent, and as such, it has at least some of the powers of an average Kryptonian under the effects of a "yellow" sun in addition to its own.
- Superhuman Strength: Thanks to his Kryptonian DNA the Eradicator can lift incredible weights and can contend with Superman in terms of raw strength.^[1]
- Superhuman Speed
- Invulnerability: The Eradicator has survived a brutal beating from a furious Superman and it took the combined assault of both Superman and Superboy to seriously wound him.^[3] In the ensuing battle he resisted the combined attacks of Jon and Lois while the latter was wearing the Hellbat Suit.^[4] Unlike real Kryptonians he not negatively affected by magic and Madame Xanadu magic attacks failed to cause any damage to him.^[14]
- Flight: The Eradicator can fly fast enough to keep up with Superman and evade Superoboy's heat vision attacks.^[3] His flight speed is so great that he was even able to keep up with Flash while running at top speed.^[15]
- Energy Projection: The Eradicator can project powerful beams of energy from his hands capable of hurting even Superman.^[1]
  - Heat Vision: The Eradicator can also project his energy blasts from his eyes in a more traditional manner.^[8]
- Soul Absorption: The Eradicator can separate someone's soul from his body and imprison it inside of his body, after witnessing the destruction of Krypton he absorbed inside of himself the souls of all the Kryptonians who died in the tragedy.^[3] He has displayed the ability to also swallow an opponent physical form as he did when he absorbed Krypto^[1] and later Superman himself.^[4] The Eradicator can use the souls he has absorbed to empower himself.^[5]
- Regeneration: Despite his incredible durability it is possible for the Eradicator to be injured, in such instance his android nature allows him to regenerate almost any damage done to his body. He was able to quickly heal after having his chest ripped open and being almost decapitated^[3] and later healed in minutes after Hal Jordan's ring flew right through his head causing massive damage.^[8]
- Metamorphosis. The Eradicator can transform his arms in blades.^[5]
- Mechanokinesis
- Enhanced Senses: The Eradicator can detect life signs from other beings.^[8]
  - Enhanced Vision: The Eradicator possesses X-Ray vision.^[15]
- Illusion Casting: The Eradicator can project holograms from his goggles.^[16]

Notes

Eradicator was created by Roger Stern, first appearing in Action Comics Annual #2. However, in the Prime Earth continuity, Eradicator first appeared as part of the New 52 DC Universe in Superman (Volume 4) #2 by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason.