Spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned. For more, read our review.

If you’ve been reading Doomsday Clock you’ll know by now the world is on the verge of utter destruction. The fact this is all taking place in canon is a bit disturbing and in the last issue, even Superman is getting himself into trouble. Out today, Doomsday Clock #9 reveals Dr. Manhattan is enacting a plan, but he’s doing so under a bit of fog. He can’t peer into the future or past so well and in a rousing action sequence most of the DC heroes take him on.

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As the heroes blast him Dr. Manhattan appears to gain some insight into the energy being blasted into him.

It appears all of the heroes’ powers are from the same source, or at least were at one time. What they think is magic is actually energy possibly from the Big Bang (or, if you’ve been reading Justice League, Perpetua). This is a startling revelation since it simplifies all the powers and suggests heroes are clinging to random bits not used to create life and all the rest. One has to imagine Dr. Manhattan isn’t wrong since he is a character who doesn’t lie and since he’s practically speaking to himself here (explaining things out loud) it must be true, right?

In the next panel, Dr. Manhattan says something that seems to confirm this information as true:

A character who in the original Watchmen grew tired of life after understanding all the secrets of the universe is enjoying the simple endeavor of learning something new. Whether the DC heroes kill him, or not at least we know this event has given Dr. Manhattan a moment of joy.

This is only a fraction of the story however and I recommend you read the book today.