Superman's Most Intimidating On-Screen Moment Was On A Kids Show Almost 20 Years Ago

Superman telling Darkseid he's using his full strength against him is a top-tier moment for the hero. The scene highlights his true power and commitment to keeping his abilities in check when needed; it sums up the character like few moments have. Of course, Batman, his greatest ally, knows how much Superman holds back. Famously, in "Batman: Hush" (by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Richard Starkings, and Alex Sinclair), when the two heroes collide while Superman is being manipulated by Poison Ivy, the Dark Knight admits as such. During the fight, Batman thinks to himself, "If Clark wanted to, he could use his superspeed and squish me into the cement. But I know how he thinks. Even more than the Kryptonite, he's got one big weakness. Deep Down, Clark's essentially a good person ... and deep down, I'm not." 

Superman being calm and calculated with his strength is a trademark part of the hero. Many alternate versions of the Man of Steel from different universes, such as Superman from the "Injustice" franchise, Earth-3's Ultraman, and Superboy-Prime from Earth-Prime, all show what happens when a god-like super-being loses control: chaos, death, and destruction on a massive scale. Without his usual moral compass, Superman is dangerous to Earth and the rest of his universe. Thankfully, for the main DC Universe, Kal-El grew up as a hero and not as one of the planet's biggest threats.

Ultimately, it's rare audiences get to see Superman fighting at the top of his power level unless it's an evil version of the hero. So when the most heroic version doesn't hold back, like in the "Justice League Unlimited" episode against Darkseid, it is a sight to behold — as rarely has Superman been more intimidating.