History Characters / DCAUSuperman

* AdaptationDyeJob: In the comics and most versions, Superman has blue eyes. In the ''DCAU'', he has black irises as a result of being portrayed with a transparent sclera (although he does have blue irises as a result of having a white sclera in the ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' episode "Toys in the Hood").

!!! '''Voiced by:''' Creator/TimDaly (''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''), Creator/JasonMarsden (''Superman: The Animated Series'', teenager), Creator/ChristopherMcDonald (''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', old man), Creator/GeorgeNewbern (''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''/''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited''/''WesternAnimation/JusitceLeagueVsTheFatalFive'' and ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'')

!!! '''Voiced by:''' Creator/TimDaly (''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''), Creator/JasonMarsden (''Superman: The Animated Series'', teenager), Creator/ChristopherMcDonald (''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', old man), Creator/GeorgeNewbern (''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''/''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'' and ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'')

[[quoteright:450:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/46e17578b71adeebe327e516d65c1f9e.png]]

!!! '''Appearances:''' ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' | ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' | ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' | ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' | ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited''

** NighInvulnerability: He and Doomsday have their only ''DCAU'' showdown knee-deep in lava. In "Flashpoint", he was hit by the outer fringes of a blast from the Watchtower's Binary Fusion Generator, which was directly stated to have the punch of a small nuclear weapon, although Superman was left floating unconscious in space.

* TakingTheBullet: This is discussed in the episode "Secret Society". This Superman admits that he refuses to let the other Justice League members take any hits in a battle because of his superior invulnerability. In "Hereafter", Toyman takes aim at Batman and Wonder Woman. Superman throws himself in front of them and takes the blast, disappearing without a trace leading to his supposed death. Unknown to any of them, Superman had not been destroyed and was sent into the future.

* AdaptationDyeJob: In the comics and most versions, Superman has blue eyes. Here, he has black irises as a result of having transparent sclera (although he does have blue irises as a result of having a white sclera in the ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' episode "Toys in the Hood").

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Superman was often absent in most of the ''JLU'' episodes due to this trope. In "Patriot Act", Eiling accuses Superman of being a coward when he doesn't show up. Shining Knight informs Eiling that Superman is billions of miles away, saving a star system of alien lives from a planetary crisis.

* UnstoppableRage: In ''JLU'' 's "For the Man Who Has Everything", nearly blind with rage after waking from his [[YourHeartsDesire dreamworld]], [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown Superman batters Mongul]], even using his heat vision to burn Mongul's chest. However, before he can strike the decisive blow, Superman is distracted by a statue-his parents holding Krypton aloft and is saved by Wonder Woman.

An alien orphan named "Kal-El" who was launched to Earth as an infant to avoid suffering a cataclysmic death on his home planet of Krypton. His craft landed in a Kansas field, where he was discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who raised the boy as their son under the name "Clark". As Clark matured under Earth's yellow sun, he gained superhuman powers such as nigh-unlimited physical strength and the power of {{flight}}. As an adult, he moved to Metropolis to work as a newspaper reporter at the ''Daily Planet''. It was that here he became aware of the corruption and evil in the world, deciding [[ComesGreatResponsibility he must use his gifts]] to right these wrongs and taking the name "Superman" after a story of his deeds is published in the ''Daily Planet'' by Lois Lane, who uses the term.

* {{Deuteragonist}}: The second most important character in the DCAU after Batman, and where Batman has the edge in terms of volume (more episodes, more appearances), Superman becomes more central to the expansion of the SharedUniverse, and is likewise the leader and main protagonist of ''Justice League'' aided by the fact that his enemies (Brainiac, Luthor, Darkseid) and subsidiary RoguesGallery appear more frequently in the later seasons owing to the Bat-Embargo.

* {{Foil}}: To Batman, as per usual. They both have their own animated installment in the ''DCAU''. Superman averts DeceasedParentsAreTheBest while Batman deals with OrphansOrdeal. Superman won the SuperpowerLottery and Batman is an exaggerated BadassNormal. Superman gave Lois an exclusive interview as his motivation was to alleviate public fears by ensuring that people knew where he came from and why he was here or, as his adoptive mother put it, so that people would not think he was like "that nut from Gotham City."

An alien orphan named "Kal-El" who was launched to Earth as an infant to avoid suffering a cataclysmic death on his home planet of Krypton. His craft landed in a Kansas field, where he was discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who raised the boy as their son under the name "Clark." As Clark matured under Earth's yellow sun, he gained superhuman powers such as nigh-unlimited physical strength and the power of {{flight}}. As an adult, he moved to Metropolis to work as a newspaper reporter at the ''Daily Planet''. It is here he becomes aware of the corruption and evil in the world, deciding [[ComesGreatResponsibility he must use his gifts]] to right these wrongs and taking the name "Superman" after a story of his deeds is published in the ''Daily Planet'' by Lois Lane, who uses the term.

After having to work long and hard since the end of "Legacy" (the finale of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'') to regain the world's trust in him, it is he who first suggests that he and the other superheroes form the WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague in order to deal with future threats as great as the Imperium. He was shown to be the face of the Justice League as well as the peacemaker for the other members.

* BewareTheSuperman: The Cadmus story arc in ''JLU'' takes place partly due to the events of "Legacy" (the finale of ''Superman: TAS''), when Superman was brainwashed by Darkseid and attacked the earth.

* FingerPokeOfDoom: In ''Justice League'', he did it to Grodd at the end of "Secret Society", knocking him across a football stadium. This also adds a little Crap Under the Radar since Superman uses his middle finger to do it. He did the same thing to Ten in "Wild Cards".

** In "Hereafter" of ''Justice League'',

* PerpetualFrowner: He gets this reputation during the Cadmus arc in ''Justice League Unlimited'' as a combination of bad PR, betrayal by Hamilton, Luthor's Presidential campaign takes a toll on him. It's gotten so bad that the the other League, including Batman, gravitate to Captain Marvel because "he's sunny". This culminates in a hilarious exchange between him, Green Arrow and The Flash, where Green Arrow defends his criticism of the League and understanding for Cadmus' position, with Green Arrow noting that he's playing the Devil's Advocate role that Batman recommended:

He is the quintessential [[TheCape Cape]] and FlyingBrick of the ''Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse''.

After having to work long and hard since the end of "Legacy" (the finale of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'') to regain the world's trust in him, it is he who first suggests that he and the other superheroes form the WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague' in order to deal with future threats as great as the Imperium. He was shown to be the face of the Justice League as well as the peacemaker for the other members.

After having to work long and hard since the end of "Legacy" (the finale of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'') to regain the world's trust in him, it is he who first suggests that he and the other superheroes form the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' in order to deal with future threats as great as the Imperium. According to the series' promotional information, he was shown to be the face of the League, as well as the peacemaker for the other members.

* StrongFamilyResemblance: He looks (and at the proper age, [[TimeShiftedActor sounds]]) almost ''exactly'' like his Kryptonian father Jor-El.

** SuperSpeed: He is able to move at a very fast rate, alhough he's not quite as fast as Flash. In "The Call", he had no trouble catching up to Batman's flying batmobile which travelled at mach 3.

* VoiceChangeling: Superman could mimic voices thanks to precise muscle control and a really good ear, which severely creeps out Robin when he demonstrates it.

After having worked long and hard since the end of "Legacy" (the finale of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'') to regain the world's trust in him, it is he who first suggests that he and the other superheroes form the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' in order to deal with future threats as great as the Imperium. According to the series' promotional information, he was shown to be the face of the League, as well as the peacemaker for the other members.

* AdaptationDyeJob: In the comics and most versions, Superman has blue eyes. Here, he has black irises as a result of having transparent sclera (although he does have blue irises as a result of having a white sclera in the ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' episode “Toys in the Hood”).

** The Justice Lord Superman that was introduced in the episode "A Better World".

* {{Animorphism}}: In the ''JLU'' episode "Dead Reckoning", he is transformed into an ape by Grodd's EvilPlan, but Superman manages to destroy the generator, turning everyone back into humans.

* BewareTheSuperman: The Cadmus story arc in ''JLU'' takes place partly due to the events of the ''Superman: TAS'' episode "Legacy", when Superman was brainwashed by Darkseid and attacked the earth.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Twice. First, he was brainwashed by Darkseid in "Legacy" and then he was possessed by a parasite creature for '''several years''' by the time of the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' two-parter episode "The Call".

** In "Legacy" (the finale of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''), after being brainwashed and attacking the earth, nearly everyone refuses to trust Superman, thanks to the lies spread by Luthor, with only his closest friends defending him. Superman is also afraid at the prospect of losing control again and feels he can't win back the trust of the planet.

** For Professor Hamilton revealed in ''JLU'' 's "Question Authority". Hamilton explains that he joined Cadmus to protect the world from people like Superman.

'''Hamilton:''' I used to believe that. I thought you were a guardian angel come to answer our prayers, but Lucifer was an angel, too, wasn't he?

* CharacterDevelopment: Across the ''DCAU'', this Superman loses some of his innocence and lightness as he transitions from NaiveNewcomer at Metropolis in the early episodes of ''Superman: TAS'' to becoming hero for the planet (which also leads to him being confronted by Darkseid, a force who can't simply be beaten in a fight or with all his powers). By the time of ''Justice League Unlimited'' (especially in the Cadmus arc), this Superman becomes increasingly paranoid to the point that even Batman and Lois are concerned and receives a WhatTheHellHero speech from Captain Marvel. This Superman's development is also influenced by the [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman]], and while several characters fear him becoming the Justice Lord, this Superman chooses to adhere to being the TheCape, despite the tough choices he has to make.

* ChickMagnet: Clark Kent was irresistible in high school, and Lana Lang even complained about his ability to attract every woman in the area.

* ComesGreatResponsibility: In JLU's "For the Man Who Has Everything", Superman leaves his [[YourHeartsDesire dream world]] because of his belief in his responsibilities as a hero.

* TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong: Averted. Throughout the entirety of "Twilight" in ''Justice League'', Superman insists that Darkseid can't be trusted despite his seeming sincerity about stopping Brainiac. Superman turns out to have been right as Darkseid and Brainiac were working together the entire time. Likewise in season two of ''Justice League Unlimited'', Superman doesn't buy that Lex Luthor was making a legit HeelFaceTurn. As it turns out, he was right again.

* EnemyMine: With Lex Luthor in [[GrandFinale ''JLU'' 's "Destroyer"]].

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: In the second part of "The Last Son of Krypton", a teenage Clark Kent is going through some serious personal problems related to his powers developing quickly (most likely due to the onset of puberty as, though he was strong enough as an infant to break a man's finger, he was nowhere near as powerful as he started to become in his teen years). Clark feels like an outsider and is dealing with feelings of isolation not sure of his place in the world. Then, suddenly a camper crashes into a gas station and without hesitation or even conscious thought, Clark speeds in to help, tearing the camper apart and saving the people inside while rescuing their little girl at the last second. This version of Clark may have more doubts and insecurities (in other words, more human qualities) than previous versions to that point, He is still Superman, the BigGood who will always step up to save the day.

* EvilMeScaresMe: After first encountering the Justice Lords in "A Better World".

* TheFettered: This is discussed in the ''Justice League'' episode "A Better World". After witnessing [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman's]] [[MurderIsTheBestSolution actions]], [[NotSoDifferent Superman admits that he has the same urges and temptations as his Justice Lord counterpart.]] The difference is that Big Blue doesn't allow himself to give in to them.

* {{Foil}}: To Batman as usual. They both have their own animated installment in the ''DCAU''. Superman averts DeceasedParentsAreTheBest while Batman deals with OrphansOrdeal. Superman won the SuperpowerLottery and Batman is an exaggerated BadassNormal. Superman gave Lois an exclusive interview, his motivation being to alleviate public fears by ensuring that people knew where he came from and why he was here, or, as his adoptive mother put it, so that people would not think he was like "that nut from Gotham City."

* GoshDangItToHeck: Objecting to trusting Luthor and the Legion of Doom in helping the Justice League to combat Darkseid's invasion of Earth.

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Superman was often absent from ''JLU'' episodes due to this trope. In ''JLU'' 's "Patriot Act", Eiling accuses Superman of being a coward when he doesn't show up. Shining Knight informs Eiling that Superman is billions of miles away, saving a star system of alien lives from a planetary crisis.

** Throughout ''JLU'' 's Cadmus story arc, he does what’s right, not what’s easiest. Consider the fact that Superman is powerful enough to end Cadmus right away. Why doesn’t he? He tells Huntress why in "Question Authority". Later, despite his understandable anger and frustration, rather than going after Cadmus he talks about it with the rest of the Justice League, who he knows will disagree with attacking. As J’onn points out, Superman came there to be talked down.
** In "Divided We Fall", after stopping Luthor, he admits the League has been guilty of arrogance, and has alienated the people it was trying to protect. He decides to disband the League. Green Arrow and the crowd convince him otherwise and it becomes a turning point for Superman: After so many years, [[RebuiltPedestal he feels he has finally regained the trust he lost in "Legacy".]] Superman and the League decide to continue their heroics with cooperation with the people.

* TheIdealist: In ''JLU'' 's "Wake the Dead", explaining his tie-breaking vote that allowed Hawkgirl to stay in the Justice League.

* TheLeader: Subverted, despite his Charismatic personality. Although he is the League's public face, the League makes decisions by consensus and other members (especially the original seven) tend to ignore Superman and do what they want if they disagree with him about something.
* {{Leitmotif}}: The intro theme of the ''Superman: TAS''.
** In "The Doomsday Sanction", when Superman throws Doomsday in the volcano after the line "I guess I'll need a bigger fire", [[DarkReprise an extremely dark variation on the ''Superman: TAS'' theme plays.]]

* ManlyTears: In ''JLU'' 's "For the Man Who Has Everything", Kal-El, [[BrokenMasquerade now realizing he is simply imagining his new life]], tearfully says goodbye to a son who can never exist.

* NotSoSimilar: In ''JLU'' 's "Divided We Fall", proving once and for all...

* TheParagon: He is just, strong, and a damn good leader.

* PerpetualFrowner: He gets this reputation during the Cadmus arc of ''Justice League Unlimited'', a combination of bad PR, betrayal by Hamilton, Luthor's Presidential campaign takes a toll on him. It's gotten so bad that the the other League, including Batman, gravitate to Captain Marvel because "he's sunny". This culminates in a hilarious exchange between him, Green Arrow and The Flash, where Green Arrow defends his criticism of the League and understanding for Cadmus' position, with Green Arrow noting that he's playing the Devil's Advocate role that Batman recommended:

* PowerLossMakesYouStrong: Memorably in "Hereafter."

** In "Twilight"

* RebuiltPedestal: At the start of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', many people on the World Council saw him as a BrokenPedestal after the ''Superman: TAS'' finale when Darkseid brainwashed him into leading the charge against his adopted home world. He only got proof that his efforts to fix his image paid off after Green Arrow stood up to him in "Divided We Fall."

* ShootingSuperman: As early as the first season of ''Superman: TAS'', he tells a mook who pulls a gun on him, "You must be new in town." In the ''JLU'' episode "Question Authority", Doctor Moon pulls a gun on Superman, who shouts, "Don't be stupid! Drop it." Moon meekly drops the gun.
* SignatureMove: The famous single or double-fisted flying punch, actually called a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_punch Superman punch]] in real life. He uses it against Darkseid in the ''Justice League Unlimited'' finale.

* StrongAsTheyNeedToBe: Superman’s strength seems to be all over the place sometimes. In "Paradise Lost" of Justice League, Wonder Woman was a match for him and there was no cause to hold back as they were both seeing each other as monsters. In "For the Man Who Has Everything", Wonder Woman gets handed a CurbStompBattle by Mongul, who Superman beats right afterwards.

** SuperBreath: He can be hurricane-force winds or arctic cold. In ''Justice League'' 's "Starcrossed", Kragger attempts to use one of Mr. Freeze's freeze guns on Superman, but is easily overpowered by Superman's own freeze breath.

*** He uses Microscopic Vision in ''JLU'' 's "Dark Heart" to discover that at the centre of the alien structure is a [[TitleDrop Dark Heart]] which is replicated in each of the alien attack robots.
** SuperSpeed: He is able to move at a very fast rate, alhough he's not quite as fast as Flash. In the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "The Call", he had no trouble catching up to Batman's flying batmobile which travelled at mach 3.

** He is a very, very strong believer in this code, and most of the time he makes it work. "A Better World" revealed what he'd be like without it - essentially, [[Literature/NineteenEightyFour Big Brother.]] There ''are'' a few cases where he felt obliged to use lethal force, but as he admits in the ''Unlimited'' episode "Divided we Fall", he cannot bring himself to abandon his code - even though it's tempting.

* TheWorfEffect: Throughout the first season of ''Justice League'', Superman was portrayed as unnaturally weak and vulnerable to the point where he was was often the first to be defeated in battle. The writers apologized for it and did their best to make up for it in the second and ''Unlimited'' seasons.
** In the episode "Secret Society", they even worked this in, where Superman admits that he deliberately places himself in the line of fire to draw attention from the more vulnerable members of the League and give them time to react.

* YourHeartsDesire: In ''JLU'' 's "For the Man Who Has Everything", Superman is subdued by a [[LotusEaterMachine telepathic plant from a distant galaxy that renders its victims helpless and delusional in a dream world]] created from their heart's desires. Superman's fantasy is a Krypton that never exploded. He lives on a small farm, married to a Kryptonian woman named Loana, with his son Van-El, and Brainiac is a helpful AI attendant of his home.

* AndThisIsFor: Darkseid got one for Dan Turpin.

!!! '''Voiced in Latin-American Spanish by''': Orlando Noguera (''Superman: The Animated Series''), Luis Miguel Pérez (''Justice League''/''Justice League Unlimited''), Víctor Hugo Aguilar (''Static Shock'')

* TheAce: Of the Justice League and to all heroes in the ''DCAU''. His apparent death in "Hereafter" presented a huge blow to the League with several members questioning if they could continue to handle future threats. Also, in ''JLU'', he's often requested for missions only to already be away handling another mission. In "Patriot Act", a super powered General Eiling demanded to fight Superman because he was the League's poster boy.

** The Justice Lord Superman from the episode "A Better World".

* ArtEvolution: In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', this Superman was initially redesigned to appear larger in physical girth than he was back in ''Superman: TAS'', along with a bit of a squint to his eyes and pronounced cheek bones that were meant to make him look older in addition to having a change in coloration and a noticeable shining streak to his hair. Fans did not like the older appearance and in the second season, he received another redesign (which he retained in the ''Unlimited'' seasons of the show): the streak was toned down to the point of almost disappearing and the age lines and pronounced cheek bones were removed, making Superman to resemble how he was back in ''Superman: TAS'' (although his design still retained the bulk, hairstyle, and coloration of the design he had during the first season).

** Against Doomsday in "The Doomsday Sanction", Superman has taken a savage beating from Doomsday and is desperate enough that he tries the unthinkable: Burning into Doomsday's brain with his heat vision. This is NotSoDifferent from [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman]]. However, this doesn't work and Superman changes tactics, grabbing Doomsday and hurling him into the volcano.
* BewareTheSuperman: The Cadmus Story arc in ''JLU'' takes place partly due to the events of the ''Superman: TAS'' episode "Legacy", when Superman was brainwashed by Darkseid and attacked the earth.

* ClarkKenting: Lampshaded in "My Girl." Clark's friend Lana Lang does not buy his act for a second. She also has the advantage of having known him for nearly his entire life.

* EnemyMine: With Lex Luthor in [[GrandFinale JLU's "Destroyer"]].

-->Oh, come on, it's Lex-flippin'-Luthor!

** Throughout ''JLU'' 's Cadmus story arc, he does what’s right, not what’s easiest. Consider: Superman is powerful enough to end Cadmus right away. Why doesn’t he? He tells Huntress why in ‘Question Authority.’ Later, despite his understandable anger and frustration, rather than going after Cadmus he talks about it with the rest of the Justice League, who he knows will disagree with attacking. As J’onn points out, Superman came there to be talked down.

* LanternJawOfJustice: Lampshaded in "Knight Time," where he poses as Batman and a few characters notice that his chin seems to be much larger.

** In "The Doomsday Sanction" , when Superman throws Doomsday in the volcano, after the line "I guess I'll need a bigger fire", [[DarkReprise an extremely dark variation on the Superman: The Animated Series theme plays.]]

* NotSoAboveItAll: During Christmas in [[ChristmasEpisode "Comfort And Joy"]]

** In "Hereafter" of Justice League,

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: During ''Justice League''[='=]s first season, this Superman sported cheek bones and a line under his eye in an attempt to make him seem more mature. After fan complaints that he looked too old, the design of his face was altered by the time of the second season to be more akin to the face that he had in the design that he had back in ''Superman: TAS'' (which he retained in the ''Unlimited'' seasons).

* TheFettered: This discussed in the ''Justice League'' episode "A Better World". After witnessing [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman's]] [[MurderIsTheBestSolution actions]], [[NotSoDifferent Superman admits that he has the same urges and temptations as his Justice Lord counterpart.]] The difference is that Big Blue doesn't allow himself to give in to them.

After having worked long and hard since the end of "Legacy" (from ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'') to regain the world's trust in him, it is he who first suggests that he and the other superheroes form the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' in order to deal with future threats as great as the Imperium. According to the series' promotional information, he was shown to be the face of the League, as well as the peacemaker for the other members.

* TheAce: Of the Justice League and to all heroes in the ''DCAU''. His apparent death in "Hereafter" presented a huge blow to the League with several members questioning if they could continue to handle future threats. Also, in JLU, he's often requested for missions only to already be away handling another mission. In "Patriot Act", a super powered General Eiling demanded to fight Superman because he was the League's poster boy.

** Justice Lord Superman from "A Better World".

* {{Animorphism}}: In the ''Justice League Unlimited'' episode "Dead Reckoning", he is transformed into an ape by Grodd's EvilPlan, but Superman manages to destroy the generator, turning everyone back into humans.

* BadassBeard: In "Hereafter" when he's sent into the future. Despite Wonder Woman's suggestion, he doesn't keep it.

** Against Doomsday in "The Doomsday Sanction", Superman has taken a savage beating from Doomsday, and is desperate enough that he tries the unthinkable: Burning into Doomsday's brain with his heat vision. NotSoDifferent from [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman]]. But this doesn't work, and Superman changes tactics, grabbing Doomsday and hurling him into the volcano.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Twice. First, he was brainwashed by Darkseid in "Legacy" and then he was possessed by a parasite creature for '''several years''' by the time of the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' two-parter episode "The Call."

** For Captain Marvel in "Clash." It was Lex Luthor's [[XanatosGambit plot]] to make people distrust Superman and it worked well for Captain Marvel, that even Superman thought what he was doing was wrong, but the other founding members immediately showed that it was all a ploy.
** For Professor Hamilton revealed in JLU's "Question Authority". Hamilton explains that he joined Cadmus to protect the world from people like Superman.

* ClothingDamage: In "The Doomsday Sanction", Superman takes a savage beating from Doomsday while fighting in a volcano, leaving him shirtless. This is the only instance in the ''DCAU'' where his costume is destroyed.

* TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong: Averted. Throughout the entirety of ''Twilight'' in ''Justice League'', Superman insists that Darkseid can't be trusted despite his seeming sincerity about stopping Brainiac. Superman turns out to have been right as Darkseid and Brainiac were working together the entire time. Likewise in season 2 of ''Justice League Unlimited'', Superman doesn't buy that Lex Luthor was making a legit HeelFaceTurn. As it turns out, he was right again.

* CynicismCatalyst: Anyone close to him dying is at risk of becoming this: there are at least two alternate realities where someone being killed led to him becoming a KnightTemplar, and even in the main reality hurting his loved ones is ''the'' fastest way to enrage him. If Superman has one shortcoming, it's that he doesn't handle death too well, especially if he feels he should've been able to prevent it.

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: During ''Justice League''[='=]s first season, this Superman sported cheek bones and a line under his eye in an attempt to make him seem more mature. After fan complaints that he looked too old, the design of his face in the second season (which he retained in the ''Unlimited'') was altered to be more akin to the face that he had in the design that he had back in ''Superman: TAS''.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: In the second part of “The Last Son of Krypton“, a teenage Clark Kent is going through some serious personal problems related to his powers developing quickly (most likely due to the onset of puberty as, though he was strong enough as an infant to break a man's finger, he was nowhere near as powerful as he started to become in his teen years). Clark feels like an outsider and is dealing with feelings of isolation not sure of his place in the world. Then, suddenly a camper crashes into a gas station and without hesitation or even conscious thought, Clark speeds in to help, tearing the camper apart and saving the people inside while rescuing their little girl at the last second. This version of Clark may have more doubts and insecurities (in other words, more human qualities) than previous versions to that point, He is still Superman, the BigGood who will always step up to save the day.

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: He spins rapidly quite a bit in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', often to [[ThisIsADrill drill]] through the ground.
* EvilMeScaresMe: After the Justice Lords two-parter.

* TheFettered: Discussed in the ''Justice League'' episode "A Better World". After witnessing [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman's]] [[MurderIsTheBestSolution actions]], [[NotSoDifferent Superman admits that he has the same urges and temptations as his Justice Lord counterpart.]] The difference is that Big Blue doesn't allow himself to give in to them.

* FingerPokeOfDoom: In Justice League he did it to Grodd at the end of "Secret Society", knocking him across a football stadium, also adds a little Crap Under the Radar since Superman uses his middle finger to do it. . He did the same thing to Ten in "Wild Cards".
* FlashStep: Uses his SuperSpeed like this frequently.

* {{Foil}}: To Batman as usual. They both have their own animated series in the ''DCAU''. Superman averts DeceasedParentsAreTheBest while Batman deals with OrphansOrdeal. Superman won the SuperpowerLottery and Batman is a Exaggerated BadassNormal. Superman gave Lois an exclusive interview, his motivation being to alleviate public fears by ensuring that people knew where he came from and why he was here, or, as his adoptive mother put it, so that people would not think he was like "that nut from Gotham City."
** In "Hereafter"

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Superman was often absent from JLU episodes due to this trope. In JLU's "Patriot Act", Eiling accuses Superman of being a coward when he doesn't show up. Shining Knight informs Eiling that Superman is billions of miles away, saving a star system of alien lives from a planetary crisis.

* HeroicSelfDeprecation: The main quality that keeps Superman from going dark. He has a sense of humor and is aware of his failings and willing to apologize for his mistakes. He admits to Flash that he never made it past his Boy Scout merit badge, that he let Luthor push his buttons too many times and that he was a jerk to Captain Marvel. This also leads him to be more forgiving of Hawkgirl after her betrayal (noting that "I believe in second chances") and to Captain Atom who briefly sided with Cadmus but who Superman still considers Justice League. Indeed his alternate universe EvilCounterpart share the opposite trope of CantTakeCriticism and NeverMyFault.

* IAmNotLeftHanded: In his struggle against Doomsday in "The Doomsday Sanction", he takes a brutal beating until he's forced to go all out. And in the grand finale of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'', he unleashes all his strength on ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} after giving him ''[[TropeNamer the]]'' WorldOfCardboardSpeech.

** Throughout JLU's Cadmus Story Arc, he does what’s right, not what’s easiest. Consider: Superman is powerful enough to end Cadmus right away. Why doesn’t he? He tells Huntress why in ‘Question Authority.’ Later, despite his understandable anger and frustration, rather than going after Cadmus he talks about it with the rest of the Justice League, who he knows will disagree with attacking. As J’onn points out, Superman came there to be talked down.

* TheIdealist: In JLU's "Wake the Dead", explaining his tie-breaking vote that allowed Hawkgirl to stay in the Justice League.

* {{Leitmotif}}: The intro theme to the ''Superman: The Animated Series''.

* LovesMyAlterEgo: Lois isn't at all interested in Clark Kent while at the same time develops feelings and eventually a relationship, in ''Justice League Unlimited'', with Superman.

* ManlyTears: In JLU's "For the Man Who Has Everything", Kal-El, [[BrokenMasquerade now realizing he is simply imagining his new life]], tearfully says goodbye to a son who can never exist.

* TheNeedsOfTheMany: A more selfless example in "Doomsday Sanction", Superman tells Wonder Woman to stay with the evacuation rather than help him fight Doomsday.

* NotSoSimilar: In JLU's "Divided We Fall", proving once and for all...

* ItsPersonal: With Darkseid after the events of "Legacy". In "Twilight", Superman would rather let his homeworld by exterminated by Braniac than help Darkseid, and in a fight between the two Darkseid is the one exception to Superman's restraint (see WorldOfCardboardSpeech below).
* PhysicalGod: Becomes part of the conflict with Cadmus, post-Justice Lords.
* PowerIncontinence: His greatest fear, as revealed in "Only a Dream" is losing control over his powers to such an extent, that he can no longer function among people, and be among the ones he loves. As he tells memorably to Darkseid, he lives in a world made out of cardboard, and if he loses control of his powers, people will die.

* PrimaryColorChampion: His traditional blue and red costume. Ditches the primary color part in ''Batman Beyond''.

* SarcasticConfession: In "The Last Son of Krypton"

* ShootingSuperman: As early as the first season of ''Superman Adventures,'' he tells a mook who pulls a gun on him, "You must be new in town." In "Question Authority", Doctor Moon pulls a gun on Superman, who shouts, "Don't be stupid! Drop it." Moon meekly drops the gun.

* SkilledButNaive: Is this earlier in his career, always thinking the best of everyone and often having people take advantage of him. Because of this he gets a lot more cynical as time goes on, to the point of receiving a WhatTheHellHero speech from [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] in JLU. Eventually he finds a middle ground, though some [[KnightTemplar alternate versions of himself]] took it to [[PoliceState much more extreme]] lengths.
* StrongAsTheyNeedToBe: Supes' strength seems to be all over the place sometimes. In "Paradise Lost" of Justice League, Wonder Woman was a match for him and their was no cause to hold back as they were both seeing each other as monsters. In "For the Man Who Has Everything", Wonder Woman gets handed a CurbStompBattle by Mongul, who Superman beats right afterwards.
* StrongFamilyResemblance: He looks (and at the proper age, [[TimeShiftedActor sounds]]) ''exactly'' like his Kryptonian father Jor-El.
* {{Superhero}}: TropeCodifier and TropeNamer.
* SuperheroesWearCapes: TropeCodifier.
* SuperpowerLottery: Earth's most devastating FlyingBrick - and he has a generous helping of additional powers. In general, his only serious challenges are beings of the DimensionLord or galactic conqueror level.

** FlyingBrick: The TropeCodifier.
** NighInvulnerability: He and Doomsday have their only DCAU showdown knee-deep in lava. In "Flashpoint", he was hit by the outer fringes of a blast from the Watchtower's Binary Fusion Generator, which was directly stated to have the punch of a small nuclear weapon, although Superman was left floating unconscious in space.

** SuperBreath: Can be hurricane-force winds or arctic cold. In Justice League's "Starcrossed", Kragger attempts to use one of Mr. Freeze's freeze guns on Superman, but is easily overpowered by Superman's own freeze breath.
** SuperSenses: XRayVision, Microscopic vision, Super Hearing...
*** He uses Microscopic Vision in JLU's "Dark Heart" to discover that at the centre of the alien structure is a [[TitleDrop Dark Heart]] which is replicated in each of the alien attack robots.
** SuperSpeed: Though he's not quite as fast as Flash. In the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "The Call", he had no trouble catching up to Batman's flying batmobile which travelled at mach 3.

*** [[KungFuSonicBoom His fight with Captain Marvel in "Clash" destroys Lexor city.]]

* TakingTheBullet: Discussed in "Secret Society", he admits he refuses to let the other Justice League members take any hits in a battle because of his superior invulnerability. In "Hereafter", Toyman takes aim at Batman and Wonder Woman. Superman throws himself in front of them and takes the blast, disappearing without a trace leading to his supposed death. Unknown to any of them, Superman had not been destroyed, only sent into the future.

** A very, very strong believer in this code, and most of the time he makes it work. "A Better World" revealed what he'd be like without it - essentially, [[Literature/NineteenEightyFour Big Brother.]] There ''are'' a few cases where he felt obliged to use lethal force, but as he admits in the ''Unlimited'' episode "Divided we Fall," he cannot bring himself to abandon his code - even though it's tempting.

** Superman on ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' is voiced by Creator/ChristopherMcDonald.
** In the FiveEpisodePilot, teenage Clark was played by Creator/JasonMarsden.

* UnstoppableRage: In JLU's "For the Man Who Has Everything", nearly blind with rage after waking from his [[YourHeartsDesire dreamworld]], [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown Superman batters Mongul]], even using his heat vision to burn Mongul's chest. However, before he can strike the decisive blow, Superman is distracted by a statue-his parents holding Krypton aloft and is saved by Wonder Woman.

* WeirdnessMagnet: Where he goes, weird stuff that probably wouldn't bother Earth comes in search of him.

* WillfullyWeak: Superman has the tendency of holding back his powers during most of his battles in order to prevent people from getting killed, which also allows villains to get the best of him in some occasions. There is also the fact that the first season of ''Justice League'' subjected him badly to TheWorfEffect.

** In the episode "Secret Society" they even worked this in, where Superman admits that he deliberately places himself in the line of fire to draw attention from the more vulnerable members of the League and give them time to react.

* WouldHitAGirl: Although he's willing to put up with a lot more from them before he resorts to it.
** In "Livewire"

** In "Secret Society" he hesitates against Giganta who brings this up, so Wonder Woman ends up hitting her instead.
* WoundedHeroWeakerHelper: Often the case whenever kryptonite is around and Supes needs assistance from an ally.
* YourHeartsDesire: In JLU's "For the Man Who Has Everything", the Last Son of Krypton is subdued by a [[LotusEaterMachine telepathic plant from a distant galaxy that renders its victims helpless and delusional in a dream world]] created from their heart's desires. Superman's fantasy is a Krypton that never exploded. He lives on a small farm, married to a Kryptonian woman named Loana, with his son Van-El, and Brainiac, whom he visualizes as the helpful AI attendant of his home.

* ArtEvolution: In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', this Superman was initially redesigned to appear larger in physical girth than he was back in ''Superman: TAS'', along with a bit of a squint to his eyes and pronounced cheek bones that were meant to make him look older in addition to having a change in coloration and a noticeable shining streak to his hair. Fans did not like the older appearance and in the second season, he received another redesign (which he retained in the ''Unlimited'' seasons of the show): the streak was toned down to the point of almost disappearing and the age lines and pronounced cheek bones were removed, making Superman to resemble how he was back in ''Superman: TAS'' (although his design still retained the bulk, hairstyle, and coloration of his Season 1 design).

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: During ''Justice League''[='=]s first season, Superman sported cheek bones and a line under his eye in an attempt to make him seem more mature. After fan complaints that he looked too old, the design's face was tweaked to something akin to the original ''S: TAS'' design.

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: During ''Justice League''[='=]s first season, Superman sported cheek bones in an attempt to make him seem more mature. After complaints that he looked old, the design's face was tweaked to something akin to the original ''S: TAS'' design.

* AdaptationDyeJob: In the comics and most versions, Superman has blue eyes. Here, he has black irises as a result of having transparent sclera (although he does have blue irises and a white sclera in the ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' episode “Toys in the Hood”).

* AdaptationalWimp: This is only by comparison with his mainstream comic book counterpart. This Superman is by no means weak and at least in the top ten list of most powerful people in the ''DCAU''. But while this Superman can punch Darkseid across a city through several skyscrapers, Comics!Superman can crack the moon in half and under stress, shift the earth right out of its orbit. He also hasn't had the extensive combat training of his mainstream counterpart who's been trained by many warriors like Batman, Wonder Woman, Mongul, Orion and he hasn't been in nearly as many battles or crises that his comic book version has gone through. (Though his comic book version has been around for decades so this is [[JustifiedTrope understandable]])

!!! '''Voiced by:''' Creator/TimDaly (''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''), Creator/JasonMarsden (''Superman: The Animated Series'', teenager), Creator/ChristopherMcDonald (''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', old man), Creator/GeorgeNewbern (''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'')

* {{Animorphism}}: In JLU's "Dead Reckoning", he is transformed into an ape by Grodd's EvilPlan, but Superman manages to destroy the generator, turning everyone back into humans.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Twice. First, he was brainwashed by Darkseid in "Legacy" and then he was possessed by a parasite creature for '''several years''' by the time of the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' two-parter "The Call."

* BroughtDownToNormal: Whenever he is exposed to red sun radiation such as in "Solar Power". Superman rapidly loses his powers, reverting to the stature of a normal human. A nod to the comics that Superman derived his power from the yellow sun of Earth.

* TheCape: The original and, most would say, still the best.
* CharacterDevelopment: Across the ''DCAU'', this Superman loses some of his innocence and lightness as he transitions from NaiveNewcomer at Metropolis in the early episodes of ''Superman: TAS'' to becoming hero for the planet (which also leads to him being confronted by Darkseid, a force who can't simply be beaten in a fight or with all his powers). By the time of ''Justice League Unlimited'' (especially in the Cadmus arc), this Superman becomes increasingly paranoid to the point that even Batman and Lois are concerned and receives a WhatTheHellHero speech from Captain Marvel. This Superman's development is also influenced by [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman]], and while several characters fear him becoming the Justice Lord, this Superman chooses to adhere to being the TheCape, despite the tough choices he has to make.

* ClarkKentOutfit: Trope Namer. He wears a suit, glasses, hair slicked back without the sylized curl, etc.

* CostumeEvolution: ''By WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', he's since switched to a capeless black and white outfit with an abstract S-symbol.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: In the episode Last Son of Krypton, Part 2, a teenage Clark Kent is going through some serious personal problems related to his powers developing quickly (most likely due to the onset of puberty as, though he was strong enough as an infant to break a man's finger, he was nowhere near as powerful as he started to become in his teen years). Clark feels like an outsider and is dealing with feelings of isolation not sure of his place in the world. Then, suddenly a camper crashes into a gas station and without hesitation or even conscious thought, Clark speeds in to help, tearing the camper apart and saving the people inside while rescuing their little girl at the last second. This version of Clark may have more doubts and insecurities (in other words, more human qualities) than previous versions to that point, He is still Superman, the BigGood who will always step up to save the day.

* EternalHero: He's still very much active in the WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond Era leading the Justice League. Having only aged slightly with greying hair on the sides.

* EvilMeScaresMe: After the Justice Lords saga.

* EyeBeams: His famous heat vision - useful for heroics and [[MundaneUtility shaving]].
* TheFettered: Discussed in Justice League's "A Better World". After witnessing [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman's]] [[MurderIsTheBestSolution actions]], [[NotSoDifferent Superman admits that he has the same urges and temptations as his Justice Lord counterpart.]] The difference is that Big Blue doesn't allow himself to give in to them.

* CharacterDevelopment: Across the ''DCAU'', you can see this Superman becoming DarkerAndEdgier or at least losing some of his innocence and lightness as he transitions from NaiveNewcomer at Metropolis in the early episodes of ''Superman: TAS'' to becoming hero for the planet, and then being confronted by Darkseid, a force who can't simply be beaten in a fight or with all his powers. In ''Justice League Unlimited'' during the Cadmus Story arc, he becomes increasingly paranoid to the point that even Lois and Batman are concerned and receives a WhatTheHellHero speech. This Superman's development is also influenced by [[EvilCounterpart Justice Lord Superman]], and while several characters fear him becoming the Justice Lord, Superman chooses to adhere to being the TheCape, despite the tough choices he has to make.

* AdaptationDyeJob: In the comics and most versions, Superman has blue eyes. Here, he has black irises as a result of having transparent sclera (although he does have blue irises and a white sclera in the ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' episode “Toys in the Hood”.