Chapter 4: The Weight of Power
Ethan Carter was not human.
He knew that.
Not because of some vague feeling. Not because he slowly discovered his ,
He remembered dying in another life.
He remembered standing before a god, being granted a wish.
And he remembered what he had chosen.
I want the life of Superman.
And so, he had been reborn as a Kryptonian.
But in doing so, he had destroyed Krypton.
The thought haunted him every night. It didn't matter if it had always been doomed, if it was a fixed event in time—his wish had ensured it. His choice had rewritten history, had made Krypton real only to let it die.
And now, he was here. Alive. With all the power he had asked for.
But power meant nothing when he had already failed once.
Childhood in the Carter Family
The Carters were good people.
Rebecca and Jacob Carter had found his pod in the middle of a field one cold autumn night. There had been no questions, no hesitation. They had taken him in, given him a name.
Ethan.
He grew up with two older brothers, Daniel and Lucas, twins born just a year before his arrival. To them, he was no different—just their little brother, always getting into trouble, always tagging along on their adventures.
And for a while, he let himself believe he was normal.
But he wasn't.
Knowing He Was Different
By the time he was four, Ethan understood the extent of his powers.
Not through discovery. Not through accident.
He already knew.
He knew that he could lift anything. That he could hear a whisper from miles away. That if he focused too hard, his eyes would unleash raw heat capable of melting steel.
He knew because he had chosen this life.
Superman, in the comics, had always seemed so effortless. But living with that power? Every second was a struggle.
He had to think before every movement.
What if he shook someone's hand too hard? What if he accidentally ran faster than a car in front of everyone? What if he miscalculated his strength and broke something—or worse, someone?
He had all the power in the world, but one wrong move, and he could destroy it.
The Fire That Changed Everything
It was the winter of his ninth year when his father almost died.
The storm had rolled in fast, winds howling through the fields. A bolt of lightning struck the old barn, igniting it instantly.
Jacob Carter ran outside first. Ethan followed, knowing exactly what was about to happen.
He had seen this kind of moment in Superman's stories before. The test. The moment the young hero first revealed himself.
But this wasn't fiction. This was real.
His father struggled with the stable doors, trying to free the horses. The fire raged around him. And then, just as Ethan had known it would—
A beam snapped.
It fell fast. Too fast.
Without thinking, Ethan moved.
One second, he was standing near the house. The next, he was there.
A blur of motion. A rush of air.
Then—his hands were up, catching the massive burning beam as if it weighed nothing.
Jacob Carter froze.
Ethan barely noticed. The heat of the fire seared against his skin, but it didn't hurt. The weight in his hands was nothing.
He tossed the beam aside. It crashed to the ground, shattering into embers.
The stable doors were still stuck. His father reached for the crowbar—
Ethan grabbed the doors instead.
And pulled.
The metal groaned, twisted—then snapped off its hinges.
The horses bolted out, escaping just as the barn collapsed behind them.
For a long moment, there was only silence.
Then—
"…Ethan?" Jacob's voice was quiet. Careful.
Ethan turned. His father was staring at him, eyes filled with something unreadable.
Not fear.
Something closer to understanding.
"Son," Jacob said slowly, "do you wanna tell me what the hell just happened?"
The Talk
Later that night, after the fire had been put out, after the rest of the family had gone to bed, Ethan sat in the kitchen, staring at the table.
His father sat across from him, arms crossed.
Jacob Carter was a simple man. He didn't believe in things he couldn't see. But tonight, he had seen something he couldn't explain.
Finally, he spoke.
"You're strong."
Ethan nodded. "Yeah."
"Stronger than you should be."
"…Yeah."
Jacob exhaled. "You knew, didn't you?"
Ethan hesitated. "…Yeah."
His father studied him for a long moment. Then, without warning, he reached forward and grabbed Ethan's wrist.
Ethan didn't flinch, but he felt the strength in that grip. His father was testing him.
So, Ethan let himself be weak. He let his arm be moved, let himself seem normal.
Jacob frowned. He wasn't an idiot—he could tell his son was holding back.
Finally, he let go. "How long?"
Ethan swallowed. "Forever."
Jacob leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face. "You… you're not like us, are you?"
Ethan clenched his fists under the table. "No."
Silence.
Then—his father sighed. Not angry. Not afraid. Just… tired.
"Well." He exhaled, shaking his head. "Reckon you're still my son."
Ethan's breath hitched. "…You're not scared
Ethan looked down. "What if I mess up?"
Jacob shrugged. "Then don't."
It was simple.
Direct.
But the weight behind it was everything.
Ethan had power. More than anyone could comprehend. But power wasn't what made Superman who he was.
Choice did.
His father stood, patting his shoulder. "You did good tonight. Saved my life."
Ethan swallowed the lump in his throat. "I couldn't save Krypton."
Jacob frowned. "Krypton?"
Ethan shook his head. "Nothing. Just… a place I lost."
Jacob didn't ask. He just gave his son a long look, then ruffled his hair. "Well, you're here now. That's what matters."
And somehow, that made Ethan feel lighter.
Just a little.
The Promise
Ethan Carter was not human.
He knew that.
But maybe, if he tried hard enough—if he chose to be better—
He could be something more.
He could be their Superman.
And this time, he wouldn't fail.
---