Matthew returned home as usual and his mother, May, greeted him.
"Matthew, you're late. Did you eat?"
"Yes mom. The class was tiring so I'm going to bed now," Matthew said as he made his way to his bedroom.
"Okay," his mother said, watching him enter his bedroom.
Inside, Matthew sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his phone screen. His fingers tapped furiously as he searched for any information that could help him understand what was happening to him. He typed in keywords like superhuman strength, super speed, comics, superheroes, and even control powers.
The first results were familiar names: Homelander from The Boys, Superman from DC Comics, and Omni-Man from Image Comics. They were all characters known for their godlike abilities—super strength, super speed, and a level of invulnerability. The more Matthew read, the more he realized just how similar his powers were to theirs.
Homelander: A powerful figure, known for his strength, speed, and brutal control over others. But the articles painted a darker side—Homelander was feared because he had no limits, no moral compass holding him back. He manipulated, terrorized, and dominated those weaker than him. Matthew shuddered. He didn't want to become someone like that.
He quickly switched to reading about Superman. Despite his immense power, was loved and respected. Superman always exercised restraint, using his abilities only when necessary, constantly aware of the fragility of the world around him. Superman controlled his power by understanding the responsibility that came with it, Matthew thought. But Superman had grown up with powers, learning over time how to master them. Matthew didn't have that luxury—his powers had appeared overnight, and he was struggling to make sense of them.
Then there was Omni-Man, a father figure who, like Superman, was immensely powerful but carried a dark secret. Matthew learned about how Omni-Man viewed the world through a lens of superiority. He could crush anyone who stood in his way, and his strength was something he wielded with terrifying efficiency. Omni-Man believed that strength meant dominance, and that anyone weaker than him didn't deserve compassion.
As Matthew sat there, reading about these characters, he started to see the different paths he could take. He could become feared like Homelander or Omni-Man, or he could learn to control his abilities and use them to help people, like Superman. But the more he read, the more he realized that learning to control his strength wasn't just about physical restraint. It was about understanding himself, keeping his emotions in check, and figuring out where he stood in the world.
He searched further—how did these characters learn to control their powers? The answers varied. Superman learned from his parents, who taught him discipline and moral values. He was constantly aware of the consequences of his actions, knowing that one wrong move could destroy lives. Homelander and Omni-Man, on the other hand, let their powers fuel their egos, caring little for the destruction they left behind.
Matthew leaned back, taking a deep breath. The idea of control, of not letting his powers define him, resonated deeply. He had felt the raw surge of anger back in the alley, and the terrifying strength that had come with it. He didn't want to be like Homelander or Omni-Man—feared, hated, and dangerous. He needed to find a way to be more like Superman, who was using his powers for good—.
For good? He had read a sentence that stated where with great power comes with great responsibility. Well he had powers in the real world and he could use them for good, but in order to do so, he needed to control his power.