The DC Universe has already set up a prime opportunity to make its own version of the Winter Soldier story with one Superman movie villain. Superman introduces a range of heroes and villains into the DCU timeline in the span of its 2-hour and 10-minute-long runtime, many of whom are clearly set to play key roles in the franchise’s future.

However, James Gunn’s superhero movie history has already been full of plot twists when it comes to the paths the characters take, and the DCU seems set to be no different. As such, it seems very much possible that the franchise has set up its own iteration of the MCU’s Winter Soldier story for upcoming DC releases to expand on when it comes to one interesting Superman character.

Superman’s Ultraman Is Already Very Different To The Comic Version Of The Character

DCU’s Ultraman Is An Interesting Figure To Note

Unlike the comic version of the character – who is an alternate universe version of Superman who is a more actively malicious enтιтy of his own accord – the DCU version of Ultraman approaches the character in a very different way. Cloned from a strand of Superman’s hair, Ultraman is controlled entirely by Lex Luthor, and doesn’t appear to have any free will of his own.

Notably, we also meet another of Luthor’s experiments in Superman in the form of “Mr. Handsome” – a creation that serves as Lex’s personal chauffeur in his prison dimension. Neither Mr. Handsome or Ultraman seem to be capable of acting of their own accord, and it appears Lex may have semi-intentionally made them this way.

While Ultraman still acts as an antagonist, because of these changes, he doesn’t seem to be as villainous, if only because he doesn’t get to choose his own actions. Indeed, this almost makes the figure of Ultraman a tragic one, as a clone of Superman that never got to make any decisions of his own, be they villainous or heroic.

Though Ultraman falls through a black hole in the ending of Superman, the superhero movie rule of “if you didn’t actively see them die, they didn’t” does seem very likely here, especially since Superman is the DCU’s first film. Indeed, given Ultraman’s similarities to other Superman comic characters – and the message of Superman itself – it seems possible the DCU has more in store for the character.

Ultraman’s Similarities To Other DC Characters Make A Redemption Arc Not Impossible

Ultraman Seems Closer To Some Characters Who Have Teamed Up With Superman Than His Comic Namesake

Ultimately, while Ultraman doesn’t seem to reflect the comic character of the same name, he does seem to reflect some other prominent members of Superman’s lore. Perhaps most specifically, Ultraman can be seen to give off some Bizarro-esque vibes, especially since the Superman clone is created by Lex in the newer comics, and is often manipulated by him.

This parallel is interesting when looked at in terms of Ultraman’s story, since Bizarro’s relationship with Superman is notably different. Superman and Bizarro have worked together previously at points in the comics, and Bizarro oscillates between being depicted as outright evil and being depicted as more complicated figure.

Though it’s possible that if Ultraman returns he’ll be nefarious on his own terms, it would also make sense for the DCU to lean into this other angle. Allowing Ultraman to be more morally complex would fit the current layout of the franchise, and potentially let the DCU adapt some of the stories that made Bizarro a surprisingly beloved DC figure.

It’s worth noting that Ultraman’s status as a clone bears similarities with another key Superman figure, too – namely that of Conner Kent, or Superboy, who Lex creates from a combination of his and Superman’s DNA. Since Ultraman was already a “failure”, it’s unclear how the DCU could justify Luthor making another clone, meaning Ultraman may be the closest we get.

Whether Ultraman exists as a sort of proto-Superboy before the actual character debuts in the DCU or is the closest we’ll get is unclear. However, either way, Ultraman’s similarities to these figures certainly suggest other paths are available for the DCU character, especially given his evil acts in Superman don’t seem to have been of his own choosing.

Superman’s Message Means Giving Ultraman A Redemption Story Makes Sense

Ultraman Being Controlled By Lex Luthor Means A Redemption Arc Would Align With Superman’s Movie Moral

Given the entire premise of Superman is that a person isn’t defined by the circumstances of their birth or by those who raised them, having Ultraman become a villain in his own right – while still certainly possible – is a bit of a complicated matter. Giving Superman this message and then dooming Ultraman because Lex created and controlled him seems like it would be a bit jarring with this concept in mind.

Indeed, Ultraman’s story effectively makes the DCU character currently the closest to the MCU’s Winter Soldier story. Much like Ultraman, Bucky Barnes finds himself doing terrible things due to also being controlled by someone else – in this case, by HYDRA, rather than Lex Luthor – before the story allows Bucky to choose a more heroic path when this control is broken.

Though Ultraman could choose to double down on villainy, the message of Superman does suggest the opposite could be possible. Indeed, looking at how DCU’s Ultraman seems closer to less consistently villainous figures like Bizarro and Conner Kent does support the idea of another route being taken for the character’s story, especially when combined with the movie’s moral message.

Gunn’s superhero movies have consistently given antagonists redemption arcs, with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy doing so for Nebula, Yondu and Adam Warlock in their runtime. As such, it’s easy to see how the DC Universe could have set up its own version of this arc here, especially given all the other building blocks this would seemingly align with.