Warning! This post contains a preview for Absolute Superman #5Remarkably, Superman's homeworld exploded due to instability in the planet's core. However, the Absolute Universe has made Krypton's demise far more tragic, both for the planet and its people.

In Absolute Superman by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval, the Kal-El of this alternate and darker universe had a childhood on Krypton with his parents and dog. However, the planet soon becomes threatened due to over-mining and Krypton's leading Science League ignoring the growing ecological dangers, even going so far as to keep the planet's demise and growing toxicity secret from the lower castes of the Kryptonian hierarchy. However, the truth was revealed thanks to Jor-El, Lara, and their son, resulting in mass chaos during Krypton's final hours as seen in the new preview for Absolute Superman #5:

While Jor-El and Lara don't intend to send their son alone into the far reaches of space as they do in the main DC timeline, the events being laid out for this new version of Krypton are far more heartbreaking.

Krypton's Planet Didn't Just Get Torn Apart

It's People Destroyed Themselves Too

Krypton tearing itself apart from within is only half of the tragedy in the Absolute Universe. As this preview reveals, the people of Krypton began tearing themselves apart once the danger was finally revealed by Kal and his parents. Violence grew across the dying world along with the truth, despite the League having sentenced the Els to death and they were being hunted as fugitives.

"According to Kal-El, Krypton's final hours were incredibly dark and shameful due to the panic and fear of what was about to happen..."

Upon learning that the Science League had lied and abandoned them, several Kryptonians began rioting, and Kal-El's narration confirms that massacres were occurring in cities such as Kandor. According to Kal-El, Krypton's final hours were incredibly dark and shameful due to the panic and fear of what was about to happen. However, Absolute Superman's parents are shown offering some modicum of hope, having built a large ship capable of holding their entire family and as many fellow Kryptonians as they could manage to save and gather from the impending doom.

Krypton's Future Is Being Drastically Altered

More Than One Last Son of Krypton?

Gazing out at the dying world, young Kal-El swears they'll make their next home better. As such, it's clear the Absolute Universe has created a drastically different fate for Krypton and its most famous son, assuming his parents and this group of refugees do survive the planet's demise (not to mention the Science League). With many more Kryptonians seemingly set to survive beyond Kal-El himself, one has to wonder where they all are in the present, something that will likely be revealed either when this full issue releases or in the issues still to come.

Regardless, it's truly heartbreaking to see how pain and fear fully gripped Kal-El's people in their final hours. At the same time, it's fascinating to see how this new demise has clearly changed the Man of Steel's mission as a hero in the present. After all, Superman's primary enemy has been the Lazarus Corporation, apparently one of Earth's biggest companies responsible for abusing both the planet's resources and its people simultaneously.

Absolute Superman #5 is on sale March 12th from DC Comics.