Doomsday Clock Theory (Spoilers)

[heynongman]

Hey everyone this is my first post so I apologize if this has been posited before,

Just finished reading Doomsday Clock and I loved the slow burn of storytelling. Now I must confess that I form many theories while reading long-form stories which end up being completely off-mark, but one part of this story made form one that I think would be quite compelling, though it probably isn't true due to its effect on other stories in the DC universe. I'd like to hear your opinions on it though, so here it goes:

So one of the major themes that seems to be at play throughout Rebirth is hope. Its positive effects and the negative effects of the loss of it. Also, fathers seem to be a major factor in the story i.e. Action Comics - Jor-El and Batman - Thomas Wayne. Both fathers roles try to dissuade the characters from being the heroes that they are. This seems to be a major diversion from their previous characterizations as upstanding people. Parenthood also seems to be a factor in the Watchmen universe with the two fugitive parents looking for their kid, though fitting with that universe, they are terrible people.

Which leads me to the final panel in the comic with that universe, where Ozymandias states they need to find Jon, wherever he is. The next scene is of Superman. This can be seen as alluding to Dr. Manhattan fleeing to their universe, but I have a theory. With parenthood and hope being such strong themes, and Superman being central to them, it only seems natural to involve Superboy in the story. Jon Kent has become a huge character with Rebirth and a standout to the hope in the universe in general. But who does he share his name with? His grandfather of course, but also Dr. Manhattan himself, Jon Osterman. So here lies my theory:

Superboy is a part of Dr. Manhattan. It's the part that is still hopeful for mankind. Superboy came to be under very dubious circumstances and just happened to be right when the Rebirth initiative was conceived. So my theory goes Dr. Manhattan came to the DC universe, then continued his experiments. Seeing the positivity of the universe led him to try to see where the negativity of his original universe came from. Thus he messed with everything creating the new 52. But the universe fought back, and with it so did the hopeful part of himself. This created Superboy who will become integral to the story in convincing Manhattan that there is good in the world.

Possibly even ending the story with Manhattan learning from Superman, Batman, and Superboy that there is hope and returning to fix the Watchmen universe.

I'm sorry for being long-winded, but this popped in my head and I really wanted some feedback. Thanks everybody.

[Superlad93]

One thing goes without question: Manhattan and Superboy sharing a name was a very deliberate concept on Johns' part. I'm sure of it. Maybe Superboy won't end up having such a direct connection to Manhattan as being some part of him, but I'd be a bit shocked if there were zero connections at all.

Have you ever heard of Grant Morrison's unpublished DC event called Hypercrisis? Well, here's a rundown and a link:

HYPERCRISIS (1999)

"My one regret about my brief falling out with DC after the 'Superman Incident' is that I didn't get to do my Hypercrisis series at DC to explain all this stuff and set up a whole new playground." said Morrison in a 2002 interview, "It's the one thing I could still be arsed doing with classical superheroes. If I ever go back, I'll explain the whole Hypertime thing and recreate the Challengers of the Unknown as Challengers: Beyond the Unknown. It's one thing I still want to do. It had a monster eating the first few years of the 21st century and Superman building a bridge across this gaping hole in time. A bridge made of events. The Guardians of The Multiverse and a new Green Lantern Corps made up of parallel reality Green Lanterns, the Superman Squad and the mystery of the Unknown Superman of 2150 etc, etc. There's a huge synopsis filled with outrageous stuff"

Hypercrisis is Morrison's unpublished 'big summer cross-over' precursor to Final Crisis. Much of the material, including the Guardians of the Multiverse and the Challengers Beyond the Unknown, later appeared in a bastardized form in Paul Dini and company's excerable Countdown to Final Crisis. The Superman Squad and the Unknown Superman later surfaced in All-Star Superman.

Notice the part in bold: "It had a monster eating the first few years of the 21st century and Superman building a bridge across this gaping hole in time. A bridge made of events." Sound familiar? In the original story Morrison envisioned that as a creature called the Chronovore (later realized in All Star Superman). I figure Johns has just switched out the monster for Manhattan, and went far less specific with the stolen time. But the Superman connection is still very much there, and Hypertime has recently become very much a part of the DCU once again. The other two famous instances of Hypertime being used are Superman related. One being in Superboy Hypertension, and the other being in the Kingdom Come follow up with the character Hyperman. (also a son of Superman named Johnathan Kent II). In the latest issue of Justice League where Hypertime makes its big come comeback, they deliberately homage this image from the story introducing Jon Kent aka Hyperman.

The fact seems to be that DC really likes associating Hypertime with the Superman world. How does this all relate to Superboy (Jon Kent), Manhattan, and your theory? Well, in Super Sons issue #7 Jon Kent shows off that he seems to have the ability to effect time itself in such a direct way that he was able to, for lack of a better term, "break" time freezing around him and the Teen Titans. Damian seems to be keeping this power (and the nature of it) to himself (in issue 10 of Super Sons Bruce asks Damian if Jon showed any other power on their last adventure, and Damian played dumb), and it's likely that Jon himself doesn't even realize he has it himself. I personally think that since the Super Sons crossover (Sons of Tomorrow) will be dealing with time travel, and Damian knowing of the power was just set up an issue before, it's pretty likely that we'll see the power show up during that arc.

Now, obviously Manhattan has quantum powers that allow him to perceive and move freely through time. It's likely these powers that let Manhattan do what he did to the DCU. So, it seems kind of hard to believe that Manhattan's tampering with the DCU mirrors Hypercrisis (also worth noting that Johns is one of Morrison's favorite writers working today), Hypertime is back in play, the new Superboy shares a name with both Hyperman and Manhattan, and said Superboy is strongly implied to have some sort of quantum/time related powers.

Don't quite know how it all fits together, but there seem to be threads that link up.

Also, welcome to CBR! Hope you enjoy yourself.

[DragonPiece]

One thing goes without question: Manhattan and Superboy sharing a name was a very deliberate concept on Johns' part. I'm sure of it. Maybe Superboy won't end up having such a direct connection to Manhattan as being some part of him, but I'd be a bit shocked if there were zero connections at all.

Why though? Didn't Dan Jurgens create Superboy and name him? Even if Johns gives Jon a big role in this story, it would have been just him noticing the coincidence himself.

[Superlad93]

Why though? Didn't Dan Jurgens create Superboy and name him? Even if Johns gives Jon a big role in this story, it would have been just him noticing the coincidence himself.

I do think that Johns did just end up seeing the opportunity, but given the fact that Jon Lane-Kent of the New 52 was also a Jon Ken II, I'd say it's likely that Jurgens came to DC with the idea of a son of Superman, and was told to call him Jon. So I think them sharing a name being made apparent to the reader was the deliberate move on Johns' part if you'd rather.

[FishyZombie]

Reminds me of this short exchange in Watchmen
"What's your name"
"My name's Bernie"
"Bernie? Short for Bernard? We'll I'll be horsewhipped! That's my name!"
"So don't signify for nothin"

[Sacred Knight]

I'd be very surprised if everything down to the name wasn't simply Jurgens' idea. I mean its not a leap from giving Superman a son to the idea of naming him after Clark's father, the most famous dad in all of comics. Its not like its an odd or suspicious choice of a name in any shape or form that would make one even remotely think of any similarity to Jon Osterman. That seems like a big reach to me, any sort of planned synergy.

Aside from that though, the OP's theory is an interesting one.

[Superlad93]

Reminds me of this short exchange in Watchmen
"What's your name"
"My name's Bernie"
"Bernie? Short for Bernard? We'll I'll be horsewhipped! That's my name!"
"So don't signify for nothin"

Yup! That was between the young boy and the newsstand guy, right?

I wonder if the fact that Superman is a comic book character in the Watchman world will now take the Black Freighter comic strip? If they're playing Jon and Jon as Bernie and Bernard, then you have to wonder how Johns'll parallel the the former pair when the later pair are separated by fiction and reality? I'm figuring that at the very least this callback will be in Doomsday Clock.

[Thor-Ul]

Reminds me of this short exchange in Watchmen
"What's your name"
"My name's Bernie"
"Bernie? Short for Bernard? We'll I'll be horsewhipped! That's my name!"
"So don't signify for nothin"

Yup! That was between the young boy and the newsstand guy, right?

I wonder if the fact that Superman is a comic book character in the Watchman world will now take the Black Freighter comic strip? If they're playing Jon and Jon as Bernie and Bernard, then you have to wonder how Johns'll parallel the the former pair when the later pair are separated by fiction and reality? I'm figuring that at the very least this callback will be in Doomsday Clock.

That is one of the greatest abilities of us, human being: find patterns... even where there are no one.
Could be deliberated, or not. But I don't think so is that deliberated. I mean, in several other incarnations, the name of the son of Superman has been Jonathan (Jon), so I don't believeit have agreat significance. It's almost like saying Superman and Batman mother's sharing name had some special meaning.

[FishyZombie]

Yup! That was between the young boy and the newsstand guy, right?

I wonder if the fact that Superman is a comic book character in the Watchman world will now take the Black Freighter comic strip? If they're playing Jon and Jon as Bernie and Bernard, then you have to wonder how Johns'll parallel the the former pair when the later pair are separated by fiction and reality? I'm figuring that at the very least this callback will be in Doomsday Clock.

Yeah that's the bit, anyway that was set-up for when Viedt sends the squid to NYC and everyone's about to die, the two try to hold each other for comfort before it hits them. The point I think the whole Bernie thing was going for was that meaningless coincidence with their names and not wanting to die being all they had in the end. Which I guess went with the theme of appreciating the coincidences in life (more or less what convinced Doctor Manhattan return to earth to preserve life).

[Cmbmool]

Am I the only one who has a Superboy Prime vibe from Jon Kent or not ? I mean after reading this theory this thought has got me thinking.

[Miles To Go]

Am I the only one who has a Superboy Prime vibe from Jon Kent or not ? I mean after reading this theory this thought has got me thinking.

I wish people would drop the "X Is Superboy Prime" theories. Why anyone wants him back is beyond me. Conner I get, but not him.

[Cmbmool]

I wish people would drop the "X Is Superboy Prime" theories. Why anyone wants him back is beyond me. Conner I get, but not him.

Place the blame on Geoff Johns for it was his writing that caused this idea.

[jason white reborn]

I wish people would drop the "X Is Superboy Prime" theories. Why anyone wants him back is beyond me. Conner I get, but not him.

the comic book medium is a vast mythology where everyone expects missing characters to pop up all the time...superboy prime is one of those missing people. this same mindset appears in star wars fans when debating the villian of every star wars movie...."must be plagueis"