Absolute Superman #14 Ending Explained: Kal-El vs Ra’s Al Ghul — Who Comes Out on Top?

Christmas Eve came with a big one: Absolute Superman #14 lands the plane on this arc, and it does it the hard way. Kal-El has been dragged through the mud, nearly broken, and then asked to kneel. He doesn’t. It’s messy, it’s weird in spots, and it mostly works.

Kal vs Ra's: the short version

Kal has been stuck for weeks under a dome around Smallville with zero sunlight. No recharge, no relief, just mounting injuries and exhaustion while Ra's al Ghul tightens the screws. The plan? Force Kal to bend the knee and become his heir. Subtle, it is not.

Ra's weaponizes everything he can. He orders Brainiac to execute Kal’s friends by hijacking Sol, the AI that’s basically family to him. Sol refuses and self-destructs to save them. That leaves Kal gutted and alone, and Ra’s immediately presses the advantage with a Kryptonite sword, beating him within an inch of his life. Meanwhile, Ra’s unleashes the Peacemakers and gives them permission to execute Smallville residents on sight. Stakes: officially unacceptable.

Backed into a corner, Kal rips open his own Kryptonian Battle Suit and uses the sunstone dust stashed inside as a last-ditch weapon. It’s a move that could just as easily kill him, but it’s enough. Through sheer stubborn will, he puts Ra’s on the ground.

Ra’s being Ra’s, he tries one last angle: he tells Kal the only way forward is to kill him and take the mantle as 'Kal al Ghul'. Translation: cross the line and you’re mine forever. Kal passes. Instead, he hauls Ra’s to Orangi Town and hands him over to the people he’s been brutalizing, letting the public decide what happens to The Demon. It’s a very pointed choice: justice over execution, even when it would be easier to end it.

The pivot to Superman

After the dust settles, Kal learns Martha Kent died the night before. The book doesn’t linger; it just hits. Her final gift is all the identity he needs to move forward: a new suit, the name Clark Kent, and the title of Superman to carry. The larger beat here is clear — he embraces Superman not because he declares it, but because humanity gave it to him. Martha just makes it official.

So what’s next?

Issue #15 is framed as a clean slate: new suit, new name, new allies, and the world actually looking up again. The tease is basically a day-in-the-life of a hero who’s needed everywhere at once, pushing his limits every minute. And yeah, Ra’s may be out of play for the moment, but with his ties to the Absolute Justice League, that door is wide open for later trouble. For now, it’s about Kal stepping out of Ra’s shadow and carrying the weight with purpose instead of pressure.

• Issue: Absolute Superman #15
• Release date: January 7, 2026
• Writer: Jason Aaron
• Artist and colorist: Juan Ferreyra
• Publisher: DC Comics

Big swings, heavy losses, a new name finally said out loud. It’s a reset that earns the optimism — which feels rare, and welcome.