Some of the truth behind Mr. Oz’s shocking words spoken in the Rebirth One-shot has finally started to be revealed in Superman #19.

The Flash ran back in time to save his mother from being murdered, thus creating a timeline paradox known to readers of DC comics as Flashpoint, published in 2011.  After Flash fixed the timeline, the New 52 was created and an entire rewrite of DC’s continuity, one of them being Superman.  Geoff Johns, DC President and Chief Creative Officer as well as the architect for Rebirth, felt that New 52 was missing the legacy of DC’s history.

In 2016 New 52 met its end and so did that era’s Superman, who died by combusting into red energy.  Shortly after the New 52, Lois Lane gained powers and died, red energy seeping outward from her body turning it to ash.  It was so sudden, and raised questions by readers as the dying Lois called out to Clark, saying that she understood everything.

In the Rebirth One-shot, it was revealed that there was a Clark Kent still out there on Earth.  One who was older, with a wife named Lois, and a son named Jon. This family was from the pre-Flashpoint era. Believing that they now lived in a parallel world keeping their lives secret.

It was a mysterious hooded man named Mr. Oz who found the Family of Steel, telling Clark that he and his family were not what they believed to be, and neither was the fallen Superman.

Now Superman #19 begins to tie the loose ends together.  The first pages opening with the super son Jon, vanishing to another dimension. Surrounded by nothing but pictures of his parents and Lois beginning to forget her family.  It’s all thanks to Mr. Mxyzptlk, who pulls Superman and his wife into a space outside reality. Immediately Clark glows blue with all of his surroundings glowing too.  Everything is blue here, Mxy explains, because it’s Superman’s inner essence.

The imp then reels them through snapshots of Superman’s pre-Flashpoint history. It’s here Mxyzptlk complains about “all the hope and optimism being split,” and after there were two Supermen no one saved him. That’s why he didn’t care that the second Superman blew up into red energy. Before more can be revealed the two lovers are thrown into a twisted game of saving their son before their memories are erased.

Meanwhile, two orbs of red energy confront Jon and to the boy they sound very similar to his parents.  Just as Superman’s memories are erased, the red energy orbs help Jon break out of his prison.  The red energy connects with Superman and Lois resulting in a shocking ending with the New 52 counterparts being returned on the last page.

With the return of the New 52 Superman and Lois Lane it would appear that Superman Reborn continues to raise questions.  The biggest being; what did Mxy mean when he said the hope and optimism was split?  Did he mean that the DC Universe was also separated? It is possible that those were a play on Johns words, hinting that more than ten years was taken away from the DC Universe.

Readers will have to find out in Action Comics #956.