When 2013's Man of Steel kicked off the DCEU (newly branded the "DCU" by Warner Bros.), Superman was immediately established as one of its most powerful characters. But as Dwayne Johnson once said, with the introduction of Black Adam, the hierarchy of power in the DC universe has finally changed. Black Adam was given the powers of the Egyptian gods, using them in his violent quest for revenge. Unlike Superman, Black Adam has not exactly shown interest in pulling his punches.

The ending of Black Adam gave fans a small tease at what's to come in the DCU. After years of ignoring Superman, DC has shifted course and is now building towards a showdown between Superman and Black Adam. With the characters seemingly being evenly matched, who is more likely to win? Join us as we have a look at what would make Superman the victor.

No Kryptonite, No Chance Against Superman

Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel
Warner Bros.

In all of Superman's time in the DCEU, the only characters who managed to defeat him where those who used kryptonite. Even General Zod (who could carry millions of tons) was unable to defeat Superman through brawn. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder's Justice League teased a possible future where Superman succumbed to the Anti-Life Equation, a formula that robs people of their free will. The "Knightmare" future presented an unhinged tyrannical Superman that all heroes and villains failed to stop.

Kryptonite has been portrayed as Superman's Achilles' heel, a weakness when he is nearly invulnerable. Similarly, Black Adam has a weakness to the mineral known as Eternium. A single missile made of Eternium proved to be enough to knock Black Adam unconscious for hours. In Black Adam, the Intergang used Eternium not just in their weapons, but also for their hover cycles. Eternium appears to be more easily found than Kryptonite, which could give Superman an edge over Black Adam.

Superman has already died and come back from the dead. He was resurrected by the Justice League using a Mother Box, and it's possible some of that energy has amplified Superman's powers. When Silas Stone used a Mother Box to save his son, Victor became a powerful cyborg as well as one of the most powerful people on the planet. Superman was strong enough already, but he has returned stronger than ever. DC movies have only begun to scratch the surface of what Superman is capable of. In an interview with Jake's Takes, Johnson even described Superman as "the most powerful and unstoppable force in the entire universe."

Related: Explained: What Are Black Adam's Powers?

Superman Easily Defeated Steppenwolf

Superman fighting Steppenwolf.
Warner Bros. Pictures

Steppenwolf was Darkseid's uncle, a war general, and among the most powerful of the New Gods. He conquered hundreds of thousands of worlds during his lifetime, and was too much for Batman and Wonder Woman to take on alone. Although Cyborg, Aquaman, and the Flash joined the Justice League, they still had a difficult time fighting Steppenwolf. That all changed when Superman arrived, who looked like he could fight Steppenwolf in his sleep.

Zack Snyder's Justice League showed Superman taking a direct hit from Steppenwolf's axe without taking damage. Despite Steppenwolf being covered in metallic spikes, Superman was able to deliver blows without feeling any pain. The fight was visibly easy for Superman, who had a smile all throughout and made remarks like "not impressed". Had Superman appeared in the first two acts of Zack Snyder's Justice League, it would have been a much different movie.

Faster Than the Speed of Light

Superman vs. the Flash.
Warner Bros. Pictures

While the title of "Fastest Man Alive" has been given to the Flash, Superman has previously been seen moving at speeds close to him. When a disoriented Superman fought the Justice League, the Flash struggled to avoid Superman's attacks. In Zack Snyder's Justice League, the Flash was able to save lives by reversing time and preventing the Mother Boxes from joining together. A similar feat was performed in the 1978 Superman movie that starred Christopher Reeve. Superman turned back time, undid a missile detonation, prevented an earthquake, and saved Lois Lane's life.

Slow motion sequences in Black Adam showcased Teth-Adam's speed, but it did so in comparison to Intergang soldiers. In the DC Comics, Superman was faster than both Shazam and Black Adam. The movies however, could potentially be giving Black Adam a speed boost to put him on more level-ground with the Man of Steel. At this point in time though, Superman and the Flash remain the fastest characters in the DCEU.

Related: Zack Snyder Touts Henry Cavill as the 'Greatest Superman Ever'

Superior Tactics

black-adam
Warner Bros. Pictures

Black Adam has the Wisdom of Zehuti but that does not mean he has always used it. He has still given in to his anger and rage, which at times has clouded his judgment. As one of Earth's greatest tacticians, Amanda Waller has kept tabs on the metahumans of Earth. She has been able to find their weaknesses and use that as leverage. Since Superman is now working with Waller, he has access to everything he needs to know about Black Adam.