Of all the villains in Superman's rogues gallery, it seems that one is up to a task that evades even the Man of Steel. Technology belonging to the villain Brainiac could potentially save the world in a way Clark Kent would just never be able to.
While Superman has one of the most diverse and impressive powersets of any hero in the DC Universe, even he has his limits on how he can help his fellow man. Sure, he can stop alien invasions all day long, but there's only so much the hero can do. As rough as it sounds, Superman can't help everyone, as much as he wishes he could. All Clark can do is keep the worst from happening and prevent hostile threats from causing devastating damage to his beloved home world.
But as odd as it sounds, one villain might have a way of helping the Earth in a manner that even Superman would be unable to do. In Superman: World of New Krypton #4 by James Robinson, Greg Rucka and Pete Woods. The Green Lantern Corps has arrived on the recently revived Krypton which has taken up residence in Earth’s solar system. To make sure things are going smoothly, the Guardians of the Universe have dispatched Hal Jordan and John Stewart to ensure the Kryptonians, especially General Zod, aren't planning anything malicious. They are escorted by Kal-el and Kryptonian Labor Guild representative Tyr-Van, who shows off the achievements of New Krypton. To truly appreciate their work, Tyr takes them into orbit and reveals the entire planet was created by reverse engineering Brainiac's technology and that the same tech will be used to recreate a hospitable atmosphere, complete with oceans and thriving environments.
Of course, any Superman fan knows that this is the complete opposite of what Brainiac’s modus operandi is. Superman and Supergirl’s villain is notable for, if nothing else, doing the complete opposite of helping planets thrive. He collects one sample city to miniaturize and add to his collection while destroying the rest of the planet to be the sole keeper of its knowledge. And yet, New Krypton used his tech to make their civilization prosper. He may not have the desire, but Brainiac absolutely has the potential to aid the Earth in a way Superman just can't.
While the Earth definitely needs Superman to keep it safe from dangerous foes, there’s things even the Man of Steel can’t stop. Things like climate change, rising sea levels, food scarcity are problems that don't exactly go away with a few well-placed punches. But Brainiac's technology is so powerful, it was able to create an entirely new planet and give it a growing environment. It's not out of the realm of possibility to think that it could stop or even reverse the growing problems of Earth and quite literally save the planet.
Sure, Brainiac isn't likely to have a change of heart anytime soon. But the villain's tech could do the impossible job that, unfortunately, isn't for Superman.
