The Official Story:
* Jon Osterman, a brilliant but introverted physicist, was working on a project called the "Intruder Alarm" at the "Osterman Gate," a prototype of the first atomic bomb. This project, designed to detect incoming nuclear attacks, involved a complex experiment that resulted in an accident.
* Osterman volunteered to test the machine, entering an experimental chamber filled with unstable radioactive isotopes. The machine malfunctioned, leaving Osterman seemingly dead. However, he emerged from the chamber as a blue, god-like being, with immense psychic and physical powers.
Beyond the Official Story:
* There are hints that the experiment was not a true accident, and might have been orchestrated by forces manipulating Jon's fate. This includes the mysterious presence of a "Smiling Man" during the experiment, and the fact that the machine was intentionally sabotaged.
* Dr. Manhattan's origin is tied to the larger themes of the Watchmen story, which explore the consequences of scientific advancement, the nature of godhood, and the complex relationship between humanity and technology.
* The nature of his powers and how they came to be is never explicitly stated, leaving it open to interpretation. Some believe he was simply "reborn" as a new being, while others speculate that he was transformed into a being of pure energy, with his physical body now being a construct of his will.
Important Notes:
* Dr. Manhattan's powers are extraordinary, including telekinesis, telepathy, the ability to manipulate matter at a subatomic level, and even the ability to see the past, present, and future.
* He becomes a symbol of the dangers of scientific progress, and also of the potential for humans to transcend their limitations and become something more.
Overall, Dr. Manhattan's origin is a powerful and enigmatic part of the Watchmen universe, open to various interpretations and leaving the reader to ponder the implications of his existence.