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STAR Labs kryptonite

Kryptonite crystals in S.T.A.R. Labs.

Kryptonite is a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the natural weakness of Kryptonians.

The only sample of kryptonite originally found on Earth was a single fist-sized chunk that had been caught in the tail of the infant Kal-El's rocket and carried to Earth along with him upon the explosion of Krypton.
This sample had been found by the scientist who resurrected John Corben as Metallo in a paranoid attempt to save the world from Superman. Metallo was soon kidnapped and his power source forcibly removed by Lex Luthor who, after discovering its debilitating effects on Kryptonians, created a ring with a kryptonite gem to keep Superman at bay.

The amount of kryptonite on Earth increased dramatically after a meteor storm that accompanied the rocket that brought Kara Zor-El to Earth. Superman-friendly corporations, such as Wayne Enterprises and Kord Industries took it upon themselves to round up this influx of kryptonite, but much of it goes into illicit circulation or is stolen from holding facilities.

Involvement[]

Villains[]

  • To defeat Supergirl as she attempts to free the rioting patients in the Metropolis General Hospital, Lex Luthor instructs the new villains to find a container of kryptonite he had moved to the hospital for just such an occasion.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Kryptonite was first introduced in 1943 on the Superman radio series, as both a plot device and to allow Superman's actor, Bud Collyer, to take occasional time off. It was not until 1949 that kryptonite was incorporated into comic book mythos.
  • Kryptonite hurts Kryptonians as their cells absorb electromagnetic radiation from stars (like Earth's sun). Kryptonite's radioactivity interferes with this semi-photosynthetic process, driving the energy out of their cells in a painful fashion.
  • As Power Girl is a Kryptonian from an alternate Earth, kryptonite from this Earth does not affect her.
  • If kept in contact for prolonged periods, kryptonite can hurt Earthlings too, as seen in Lex Luthor's case, who developed radiation cancer from continuous use.

See Also[]

v · e · d
Characters
Heroes Power Girl - Steel - Superboy - Supergirl - Superman - Superman (Sixth Dimension)
Villains Bizarro - Brainiac - Bruno Mannheim - Doomsday - General Zod - Hank Henshaw - Kalibak - King Shark - Lex Luthor - Livewire - Metallo - Mister Mxyzptlk - Non - Parasite - Toyman - Ultra-Humanite - Ultraman - Ursa - Xa-Du
Other Alura - Jimmy Olsen - Jonathan Kent - Jor-El - Krypto - Lana Lang - Livewire - Lois Lane - Lora - Maggie Sawyer - Martha Kent - Pete Ross - Zor-El
Items
Bottle City - Kryptonite - Kryptonian Bouncy Sphere - Phantom Zone Kryptonite Chunk - Phantom Zone Projector - Red Kryptonite - Sunstone Crystal
Weapons Parasite's Power Harness
Apparel Avatar Bombardier - Bizarro Cap - Brainiac Invader - Brainiac's Back-Mounted Cannons - Cadmus T-Shirt - Corrupted Kryptonian Gauntlets - Cybernetic Semblance - Daily Planet Cap - Doomsday's Savage Spines - Enhanced Lex Luthor Emblem - Enhanced LexCorp Salvation 2022 - Fallen God - Future Luthor Eyepiece - Hijacked Servitor - House of El Warsuit - Kryptonian (Style) - Kryptonian Commander - Kryptonian Flexsuit - Kryptonian Medico - Kryptonian Military - Kryptonian Militia - Lex Luthor Emblem - LexCorp Salvation - LexCorp T-Shirt - Metallo's Maw - Phantom Zone Reaver - Plastic Lex Luthor Mask - Plastic Superman Mask - Power (Style) - Power Girl's Reinforced Grips - Shock Jock - Sixth Dimension Kryptionian - Stalwart Defender - STAR Ex - STAR Labs Cap - STAR Labs Hoodie - Steel Cap - STEELsuit MK-1 - Sunstone Bulwark - Sunstone Edge - Superboy Hoodie - Supergirl's Kandorian Battleboots - Superman Doll Accessory - Superman Hoodie - Superman's 80th Emblem - Talon Lord - Visitor's - Zonewalker
Vehicles
Locations
Ace o' Clubs - Bottle City of Kandor - Daily Planet Building - Fortress of Solitude - Kent Family Farm - Krypton - LexCorp Tower - Metropolis - Phantom Zone - Sixth Dimension Hall of Justice - Smallville - Starrware Industries - Steelworks - Suicide Slums - Stryker's Island
PvE Fortress of Solitude: The Chasm - Fortress of Solitude: Power Core - Fortress of Solitude: Sunstone Matrix - Krypton: House of El
PvP Fortress of Solitude (PVP Map)
Miscellaneous
Brainiac's Forces - Daily Planet - Intergang - Justice League of America - LexCorp - Metropolis Fire Department - Metropolis Police Department - New Gods - OMAC - Phantom Zoners - Project CADMUS - Science Police - S.T.A.R. Labs - Team Superman
Brainiac's Bottle Ship - Darkseid's War Factory - Home Turf - Kandor Central Tower - Origin Crisis - The Bombshell Paradox - The Death of Superman - The Phantom Zone - The Science Spire - The Will of Darkseid
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