Batman v Superman: Can Superman Die?

March 24, 2016 2:53 PM EDT

Batman and Superman will face off this weekend in the aptly named Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. But while we know the super strong alien Superman could definitely beat mere mortal Batman in a fight, would it be physically possible for the Dark Knight to actually take down the Man of Steel? Is the god-like hero killable?

The answer based on Superman canon is: sort of. In theory, if Superman is weakened by Kryptonite, he could die like any human. He could also die of old age if he wasn’t exposed to earth’s yellow sun—though old for an alien means thousands of years.

But though Superman has “died” multiple times in the comics, he always comes back.

The most memorable of these incidents is the infamous “Death of Superman” storyline in which Superman perishes fighting a monster named Doomsday. The two duke it out in front of the Daily Planet. Though Superman manages to kill Doomsday (or at least he thinks he killed him), he succumbs to injuries sustained in the fight.

Notably, Doomsday appears in the Batman v Superman trailer as the monster that Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman must fight.

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Lewis Wilson And Douglas Croft In 'Batman' — Lewis Wilson was the first actor to play Batman on screen, with Douglas Croft joining him as the first Robin in the 1943 film *Batman*.Columbia Pictures—Getty Images

MBDNEAD EC016 — Robert Lowery was the second to don the guise of Batman, playing the caped crusader in the 15 chapter serial, *Batman and Robin* in 1949.Everett

BATMAN AND ROBIN — Johnny Duncan played Robin to Lowery's Batman in the 1949 *Batman and Robin* serial.Columbia

Adam West in Batman — Adam West played the role of masked crime fighter for three seasons on the 1960s television series *Batman*.Mondadori—Getty Images

MCDBARE EC003 — Michael Keaton played Batman in the 1992 film *Batman Returns*.Warner Bros.

M2DBAFO EC002 — Following Keaton three years later, Val Kilmer portrayed the billionaire playboy in 1995's *Batman Forever*.Warner Bros.

Chris O'Donnell played Robin for two different Batmen. He was Val Kilmer's Robin in 1995 (pictured above) and then joined George Clooney in 1997 for the widely panned *Batman & Robin*.Warner Bros.

MSDBAAN EC024 — Hard to remember, but George Clooney once took a turn as Batman, back in the 1997--before the Oscars knew his name so well.Warner Bros.

MCDDAKN EC079 — Christian Bale donned the mask for Christopher Nolan's *Dark Knight* trilogy.Ron Phillips—Warner Bros

Ben Affleck is the latest to join the ranks of actors who have portrayed the caped crusader, in the upcoming *Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice* movie.DCComics.com

Will Arnett voices Bruce Wayne/Batman in *The Lego Batman Movie*, a 3D-animated take on the DC superhero and a spin-off of 2014's *The Lego Movie*.Warner Bros.

MORE: Review: Superheroes Duke It Out Superseriously in Batman v Superman

Back to the comics: Superman eventually returns from the dead. The method of resurrection is convoluted to say the least. Superman’s body is put in a regeneration machine in the Fortress of Solitude. In the meantime, his adopted father Jonathan Kent, has a heart attack. Kent briefly crosses over to the afterlife where he finds the spirit of his Superman and brings him back to the real world. Several issues later, Superman returns in both body and spirit. Many fans balked at the fake out, groaning that Superman basically took a nap and came back with a new hairstyle. Critics called the plot a “catastrophe.”

Perhaps the debate—fit for an episode of Seinfeld—about whether Superman could be throttled while weakened by Krypton or drowned or even die of hunger is besides the point. It’s hard to believe DC would kill off one of its most popular superheroes, not to mention ruin the opportunity for a lucrative film franchise.

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