Eric

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Eric Kent (originally Zhang Tong / 艾瑞克)
Alias(es)	Homelander; Kyle Missa
Species/Race	Kryptonian; possesses Homelander and Doomsday system templates
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Kent family; Justice Society headquarters; later the Yellow Lantern Corps
Occupation/Role	U.S. President; superhuman leader; former high-school student
First Appearance	2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Homelander Template — 70%	2	Possessed immense strength, speed, Heat Vision, and X-ray vision, but could not yet fly.
Homelander Template — 95%	105	The Cosmic Staff and Jor-El's attempted alteration triggered a breakthrough; Eric gained markedly greater power, increasingly pronounced Kryptonian traits, and flight.
Homelander Template — 100%	165	Fully unlocked after Eric pushed himself beyond his limits and crashed into the Moon; granted Moon Knight's Blessing.
Doomsday Template — 25%	328	A new template active during Eric's battle with Kalibak; initially provided limited additional strength.
Yellow Lantern	388	A Yellow Power Ring chose Eric after he survived Hal Jordan's shockwave and Doomsday's nuclear bombardment; he absorbed global fear to empower himself.
Doomsday evolution	471	Anger fully activated the Doomsday Template, causing violent cellular enhancement and an increasingly monstrous form.

Background / History

Eric was originally Zhang Tong, a man from another life who became Clark Kent's younger brother through a misunderstanding surrounding their arrival on Earth. Because Zhang Tong remained inside the spacecraft while Clark was pushed outside, Jonathan and Martha Kent believed Eric had been protected and therefore had to be the younger child. 2

In his previous life, Eric grew up in a rural Chinese village with a younger brother, Xiao An. Their mother later threw both children from a mountain; although they caught on branches, Xiao An untied himself to avoid burdening Eric and fell into the abyss. Eric survived and was sent to an orphanage. The loss continued to haunt him after his rebirth. 221

By high school, Eric's Homelander Template had reached 70%, giving him abilities far beyond the still-developing Clark. He deliberately sought stronger opponents and life-threatening situations to break the template's limit. 2 13 His clash with Clark provided the pressure he wanted, while his confrontation with Jor-El's influence later pushed the template to 95% and accelerated his Kryptonian traits. 14 105

Eric eliminated the Metropolis Owl Council after tracking its members through reporter Chris, declaring himself Homelander to the organization before taking its resources and former Justice Society headquarters for his own use. 29 47 108

After acquiring the Cosmic Staff, Eric used it to purge dangerous cosmic radiation from Martha Kent's body, restoring her heartbeat and saving her life. 94 He later defeated threats including Brainwave, Icicle, Eclipso, Kryptonian attackers, Kalibak, and Hal Jordan, while repeatedly using force, intimidation, and political control to impose his own order. 148 192 204 331 389

Eric eventually became U.S. President and ruled openly as Homelander. He regarded himself as responsible for preventing an Earth-wide disaster like Krypton's destruction, but his methods—including militarizing Gotham, suppressing opposition, and pursuing enemies without restraint—made him a deeply divisive figure. 323 339 354 356

Appearance

Eric is described as an imposing, Greek-statue-like man whose presence becomes especially intimidating when he adopts his Homelander persona. 255

• Often wears a pitch-black uniform with a dark cape as Homelander. 255
• Has crimson, glowing eyes when using Heat Vision. 29
• Later develops Doomsday-like physical changes, including bone spurs, enlarged limbs, body hair, and scars left by repeated transformations. 471 472
• The scar across his cheek remains visible after his body returns to a more normal form. 472

Personality

Eric is calm, intelligent, patient, restrained, and highly observant. He understands social rules clearly but initially lacks sympathy and empathy for others; unlike Clark, he avoids displaying his abilities before outsiders. 4 He is also intensely proud and reacts badly to being judged, controlled, or looked down upon. 244 389

His methods are often ruthless. Eric kills opponents he considers useless or dangerous, uses fear and threats as tools, and sees conventional law as inadequate when it obstructs his goals. 16 47 464 Yet he is not indifferent to everyone: protecting the Kent family, Clark, Rachel, and later Lyla repeatedly motivates decisions that would otherwise appear contradictory. 94 255 402 475

Eric has a pronounced creative side. His expanding mental power drives him to paint disturbing, Cthulhu-inspired imagery and write dark fiction, which later inspires a fan club devoted to him. 19 223

Abilities & Skills

Kryptonian Physiology

Eric possesses a Kryptonian body enhanced by the Homelander Template. His Kryptonian traits became substantially more pronounced after Jor-El's attempted alteration. 105

• Superhuman strength sufficient to overpower Kara, Kalibak, Captain Atom, and other enhanced opponents. 98 314 331
• Extreme speed and flight; he can create sonic booms and move faster than ordinary sight can follow. 40 105
• Exceptional durability, though Kryptonite can still weaken and slow him. 482
• Can survive extreme impacts, including crashing into the Moon and nuclear bombardment. 165 388

Heat Vision

Eric fires highly destructive crimson energy beams from his eyes.

• Killed Chris by piercing his heart. 29
• Can destroy structures, cut through vehicles, and overwhelm powerful enemies. 105 202
• Uses precise control when he chooses not to kill; he redirected a blast away from Clark during their fight. 77
• Uses the ability ruthlessly against enemies, including Ashley and vampire attackers. 209 250

Super Vision and Enhanced Senses

Eric uses vision-based powers for investigation, tracking, and identifying hidden threats.

• Possesses X-ray vision. 2
• Can inspect unusual bodily structures and locate concealed spaces or individuals. 213 220
• Uses his senses to locate targets and claims he can hear any sound he chooses to pursue. 354
• Tracks physical evidence, including footprints and residual energy. 108

Super Brain and Mental Power

Eric's mental strength grows alongside his physical power, granting extraordinary thought speed, memory, perception, and resistance to mental control. 19

• Creates dark paintings and fiction drawn from the “indescribable” entities within his consciousness. 19
• Froze a crowd, police officers, and Barbara Gordon with mental power to avoid interrogation. 144
• Resisted Eclipso's attempt to control him; Eric later stated that his consciousness could not be controlled because of his immense mental power. 192
• His mind became even stronger after decades spent accompanying Rachel in a mindscape. 411

Moon Knight's Blessing

Unlocked when the Homelander Template reached 100%. 165

• Strengthens Eric under moonlight.
• Heals injuries while under moonlight.
• Allows him to recover after pushing his body beyond its limits. 165

Magic Sensitivity and Resistance

Eric is not a skilled conventional magician, but his encounters with Hecate and the Triple Goddess changed his relationship with magic. 167 180

• Can sense magical traces in the environment. 180
• Gained improved magical defenses and can visually perceive magical auras. 180
• Remains vulnerable to sufficiently powerful magical restraints and artifacts. 105 402

Doomsday Template

Eric later gained a Doomsday Template that provides adaptation, regeneration, and monstrous physical evolution. 328 439

• Rapidly heals from severe damage. 439
• Evolves in response to extreme danger and anger. 440 471
• Produces destructive physical changes, including bone spurs and increased cellular power. 471
• Its predatory aura can make Clark feel suppressed “through bloodline.” 358

Yellow Lantern Power

A Yellow Power Ring chose Eric during his battle with Hal Jordan. 388

• Draws strength from fear, including fear absorbed on a global scale. 388
• Allows Eric to project overwhelming fear energy and enhanced attacks. 410
• Enabled him to defeat Hal Jordan and suppress Parallax within a fear-powered lantern furnace. 389 450
• The power's use is associated with Eric becoming more aggressive and the reawakening of his Joker Virus. 389 442

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Cosmic Staff / Star Staff — A cosmic-energy weapon Eric took from Courtney Whitmore; he uses it for energy attacks, radiation purification, sensing residual energy, and countering powerful entities. 88 94 105
• Yellow Power Ring — A fear-based power ring that transformed Eric into a Yellow Lantern. 388
• Green Kryptonite — Used strategically to weaken Kryptonians such as Kara and capture hostile Kryptonian opponents. 112 204
• Lasso of Truth — Used alongside Green Kryptonite to subdue the controlled Kara and Wonder Woman. 220
• Spellbooks — Eric possesses spellbooks that Rachel secretly borrowed while pursuing magic. 336

Relationships

• Clark Kent — Adoptive older brother and Eric's most important, most conflicted relationship. They repeatedly fight over power, responsibility, and morality, but Eric has protected Clark and surrendered himself to Zod's forces in part to protect him and Earth. 76 204 255
• Martha Kent — Adoptive mother. Eric saved her from the effects of cosmic radiation and is fiercely protective of her. 94 339
• Jonathan Kent — Adoptive father. Eric values Jonathan's approval and family bond; Jonathan's death is described as Eric's most unbearable loss. 170 386
• Rachel Kent — Younger sister. Eric encourages her talent for dark illustration, warns her about magic, and reacts with desperation when she is taken. 240 336 402
• Lana Lang — Friend and early supporter of Eric's art and writing. She later witnesses both his violence and his growing hostility toward human authority. 19 244
• Kara / Supergirl — Kryptonian relative and frequent rival. Eric has defeated, interrogated, and restrained Kara, while Kara remains suspicious of his motives and searches for answers about her missing spacecraft. 112 220 337
• Courtney Whitmore / Stargirl — Initially opposed Eric over the Cosmic Staff; later works with him against greater threats despite fearing his ruthlessness. 88 192
• Hal Jordan / Green Lantern — Former acquaintance turned major adversary. Eric ultimately became a Yellow Lantern and defeated Hal, later imprisoning Parallax within a fear-powered lantern furnace. 298 389 450
• Hannah Duncan — Fan club leader who became Eric's secretary. Eric redirected her devotion toward supporting Jonathan Kent's political campaign. 223 337
• Lyla — Eric's niece, whom he trained from childhood in flight and Heat Vision. Their bond resembles that of father and daughter. 475

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Early Smallville — Eric awakens the Homelander Template, kills Jeremy, and develops his dark artistic output while Clark's powers begin to emerge. 2 16 19
• Owl Council conflict — He tracks, exposes, and annihilates the Metropolis Owl Council, acquiring its wealth and a hidden base. 28 29 47
• Cosmic Staff and Kryptonian awakening — Eric targets the Cosmic Staff to save Martha and Clark, then breaks through to 95% template progress while resisting Jor-El's intervention. 88 94 105
• Justice Society and Injustice Society — He takes the Justice Society headquarters, confronts Brainwave and Icicle, and uses Brainwave's network to implant an idea into the minds of people in Metropolis and Smallville. 100 148
• Eclipso and Shadowlands — Eclipso exploits Eric's emotional vulnerability and possesses him, but Eric regains control and expels the entity using the Star Staff. 192
• Rise of Homelander — Eric publicly embraces the Homelander identity, confronts Zod's forces, and later becomes U.S. President. 255 323
• Apokolips and Doomsday — Eric battles Kalibak and Parademons, revealing the Doomsday Template and increasingly destructive physical evolution. 328 358 471
• Yellow Lantern conflict — After Hal's betrayal, Eric becomes a Yellow Lantern, absorbs global fear, defeats Hal, and establishes dominance over the Green Lantern Corps. 388 391
• Rachel's abduction — Eric abandons restraint when Rachel is taken, racing to Gotham and breaching magical defenses to find her. 402 462
• Lyla's future — Eric supports Lyla's attempt to resolve global conflict through dialogue, revealing a gentler side of his ambitions through his niece's ideals. 475

Notable Quotes

“So... will you surrender to the monster?” 29

“Homelander. Remember that name!” 328

“I won't become Rudolf, Clark. You, on the other hand, are rather like Yang Wen-li—a ‘democratic Superman!’” 493

Trivia

• Eric's Cthulhu-themed art and stories inspired the creation of the Eric Kent Fan Club at Metropolis University. 223
• He considered using publication of his art and manuscripts as a way to launder money. 19
• Eric once described himself as having been born with his abilities. 173
• He trained Lyla in standing, flying, and using Heat Vision. 475