Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for James Gunn’s SupermanJames Gunn’s Superman is full of exciting characters and metahumans in the new DCU beyond the Man of Steel himself. This includes the Justice Gang, a trio of heroes who could very well be the precursor to the DCU’s Justice League. However, there’s one DC Comics hero I thought we’d never see in live-action.

In Superman, Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor attempts to kill David Corenswet’s Superman with the public’s approval as he tries to turn the world against Superman. As such, Kel-El becomes Luthor’s prisoner during the movie in a pocket universe. It’s here that Superman meets Metamorpho: The Element Man, otherwise known as one of the last DC characters I thought we’d ever see in live-action.

Live-Action Metamorpho Is One Of Superman’s Best Surprises

An “Element” That Actually Works

Played by Anthony Carrigan, Metamorpho is a classic DC Comics character who made his first appearance in 1965’s The Brave and the Bold. Having been exposed to a cursed Egyptian artifact known as the Orb of Ra, Rex Mason was transformed into Metamorpho: The Element Man. In the comics, Metamorpho can transmute his body into various elemental compounds at will, and can also stretch and elongate his body.

The same looks to be true in James Gunn’s Superman. With the life of his infant son Joey threatened, Metamorpho is forced by Luthor to create a constant supply of kryptonite in Superman’s cell, keeping the Man of Steel weak and vulnerable. However, Superman convinces Rex to help him escape, promising to get him and his son to safety.

We then see Metamorpho creating an artificial sun to strengthen Kal-El, turning himself into acid to take down Luthor’s forces, and turning his body into multiple tendrils to save Superman and Joey from a black hole. He’s later shown helping Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern and Hawkgirl stop the Boravian invasion of Jarhanpur, where he seems to have been recruited to the Justice Gang in the battle’s aftermath.

While Metamorpho’s origins aren’t specified, the existence of Stagg Industries is confirmed in Superman. In the comics, CEO Simon Stagg commissioned Rex’s expedition to find the Orb of Ra, who also exposed Mason to the artifact after Stagg learned that Rex was dating his daughter, Sapphire. Sapphire Stagg herself is also in Superman, Joey’s mother, who’s shown watching television with Rex right before the movie’s third act.

There’s plenty of potential for Metamorpho to have an ongoing presence in the new DCU, which is as surprising as it is exciting. Given his truly wild power to turn his body into any element, no one should be at fault for thinking that transferring Metamorpho to live-action would have been too challenging to even attempt. However, James Gunn impressively makes it work in Superman quite well.

A blend of practical and digital effects, Carrigan’s Metamoroho looks absolutely perfect, regardless of his current elemental state. He’s easily one of the most fascinating new characters to come out of Superman. With any luck, we’ll be seeing him again soon with future DCU projects.

James Gunn’s Superman is now playing in theaters from DC Studios.