Kryptonite


Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton that emits a peculiar radiation that weakens Superman, but is generally harmless to humans when exposed to it in the short term. There are other varieties of kryptonite such as red and gold kryptonite which have different but still generally negative effects on Superman. Due to Superman's popularity, kryptonite has become a byword for an extraordinary exploitable weakness, synonymous with "Achilles' heel".

Origin

An unpublished 1940 story titled "The K-Metal from Krypton", written by Superman creator Jerry Siegel, featured a prototype of kryptonite. It was a mineral from the planet Krypton that drained Superman of his strength while giving superhuman powers to mortals. This story was rejected because in it Superman reveals his identity to Lois.
The mineral known as kryptonite was first officially introduced in the radio serial The Adventures of Superman, in the story "The Meteor from Krypton", broadcast in June 1943. An apocryphal story claims that kryptonite was introduced to give Superman's voice actor, Bud Collyer, the possibility to take a vacation at a time when the radio serial was performed live. In an episode where Collyer would not be present to perform, Superman would be incapacitated by kryptonite, and a substitute voice actor would make groaning sounds. This tale was recounted by Julius Schwartz in his memoir. However, the historian Michael J. Hayde disputes this: in "The Meteor From Krypton", Superman is never exposed to kryptonite. If kryptonite allowed Collyer to take vacations, that was a fringe benefit discovered later. More likely, kryptonite was introduced as a plot device for Superman to discover his origin.
In the radio serial, Krypton was located in the same solar system as Earth, in the same orbit, but on the opposite side of the Sun. This provided an easy explanation for how kryptonite found its way to Earth.
Kryptonite was incorporated into the comic mythos with Superman #61. Editor Dorothy Woolfolk stated in an interview with Florida Today in August 1993, that she "felt Superman's invulnerability was boring."

Forms, colors and effects

Various forms of the fictional material have been created over the years in Superman publications.
Green kryptoniteOriginally red in color, the material debuted in Superman #61 and did not adopt its characteristic green hue until Action Comics #161. Green kryptonite weakens Superman and other Kryptonians. It can and will kill them with long-term exposure. Kryptonians under kryptonite's effects experience severe muscular weakness, usually to the point of collapse, and excruciating pain, with both conditions progressively intensifying. They often develop a fever and eventually will lose consciousness before death. The mineral will also gradually turn Kryptonian skin and blood green.
Although canonical depictions vary widely, the majority of accounts maintain that although kryptonite exposure victims experience severe weakness and pain, exposure in itself does not eradicate the victim's superpowers, except those related to physical strength. Therefore victims retain most of their visual and sensory powers, although kryptonite itself appears impervious to damage by heat vision. Kryptonite exposure does not compromise the subject's invulnerability to other forms of injury; therefore it is not a practical strategy for a villain to first expose the victim to kryptonite, then kill them with a gun or other conventional weapon. However, some enemies have occasionally used weapons with kryptonite projectile ammunition, which can not only seriously wound a Kryptonian, but surgical treatment can be difficult, with the resistance to injury in an yellow sun environment being a major complication. In one such incident, the surgeon was forced to give Superman a controlled exposure to the mineral in order to make the proper incisions to remove all the internal bullet fragments. Some accounts maintain paralysis is an effect of kryptonite exposure, although most depictions show victims still capable of limited movement.
Kryptonian characters have been shown to become immune to the effects of green kryptonite due to either long-term absorption of sunlight or extremely high short-term exposure to the Sun. Post-Crisis sources establish that green kryptonite is also harmful to humans; with sufficient long-term exposure, it can result in cancer, as Lex Luthor discovered, much to his dismay, from a ring with a green kryptonite jewel he wore to ward off Superman's presence.
Red kryptoniteDebuted in Adventure Comics #255. Originally red kryptonite simply weakened Superman, but to a greater degree than green kryptonite. Red kryptonite was later described as causing odd behavior or bizarre transformations, albeit temporary and non-fatal. The effects of red kryptonite are sometimes described as lasting exactly 24 hours, but in other accounts the effects may persist up to three days. In the Smallville spin-off red kryptonite affects Clark's mental state and the effect wears off as soon as he stops being in close proximity to the stone. Clark becomes selfish and uses his powers selfishly. He is also shown drinking and philandering. On Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, the effects of Red Kryptonite make Superman apathetic.
Anti-kryptonite/Fool's kryptoniteDebuted in Action Comics #252. Resembles green kryptonite, but is harmless to Kryptonians; however, it has the same effect as green kryptonite on normal humans. Anti-kryptonite is also the power source for one version of the character: Ultraman, Superman's evil counterpart from an antimatter universe.
X-kryptoniteDebuted in Action Comics #261. Created by Supergirl in an unsuccessful attempt to find an antidote to green kryptonite. Harmless to Kryptonians, the mineral gives normal lifeforms superhuman abilities, as in the case of Supergirl's pet cat Streaky. Revised in Superman Family #203 to have the same effect as the green variety on Kryptonians.
Blue kryptoniteDebuted in Superman #140. An imperfect form of kryptonite which affects the imperfect Superman duplicate Bizarro and the members of the Bizarro League in the same way that green kryptonite affects Kryptonians. Kryptonians, however, are unaffected by it. Blue kryptonite is also the antidote to the random and bizarre effects of red kryptonite.
White kryptoniteDebuted in Adventure Comics #279. Kills all plant life from any planet.
Red-Green kryptonite Debuted in Action Comics #275. An alloy created by the villain Brainiac, the red-green kryptonite caused Superman to mutate, temporarily growing a third eye in the back of his head.
Gold kryptoniteDebuted in Adventure Comics #299. Kryptonite affected by atomic radiation, capable of permanently removing a Kryptonian's ability to process yellow sunlight, which nullifies all superhuman abilities. In Post-Crisis stories, this kryptonite only removes a Kryptonian's powers temporarily.
Red-Green-Blue-Gold kryptoniteDebuted in Superman #162. An imaginary story in which Superman combines the minerals to power an intelligence-expanding device. An explosion occurs and the hero is split into two separate beings, both of whom possess enhanced intelligence.
Silver kryptoniteDebuted in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #70. Revealed by Jimmy Olsen to be a hoax. In Post-Crisis stories, silver kryptonite first appeared in Superman/Batman #46, modeled after the version that appeared in the Smallville TV series in season 5 episode 7 "Splinter", where Clark suffers paranoid delusions. Silver kryptonite causes Kryptonians to suffer from altered perceptions, loss of inhibitions, and extreme hunger cravings. On the Supergirl TV series, this kryptonite causes Superman to hallucinate his "greatest fear" of an attacking General Zod during the final episode of season 2, "Nevertheless, She Persisted".
Jewel kryptoniteDebuted in Action Comics #310. Fragments of Krypton's Jewel Mountains. Amplifies the psychic powers of the criminals imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, allowing them to project illusions or perform mind control.
Bizarro-red kryptoniteDebuted in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #80. Affects humans in the same manner that red kryptonite affects Kryptonians.
Red-Green kryptonite Debuted in Superboy Comics #121. This caused Superboy to lose his powers permanently, but the Phantom Zone criminal Vakox unwillingly cured him, thus restoring his powers.
Red-Gold kryptoniteDebuted in Superman #178. Temporarily deprives Kryptonians of their memories.
Magno-kryptoniteDebuted in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #92. Created by the villain Mr. Nero, this variety is magnetically attracted to all substances originally from Krypton.
Red-Green-Gold kryptoniteDebuted in Superman #192. An imaginary story in which the alloy permanently removes Superman's powers and memories of himself as Superman.
Slow kryptoniteDebuted in The Brave and the Bold #175. A modified variety of green kryptonite produced by the supervillan Metallo that affects humans in a manner similar to how green kryptonite affects Kryptonians.
Kryptonite-XDebuted in The Adventures of Superman #511. A one-time fluke, kryptonite-X was created when the Eradicator filtered a harmful barrage of kryptonite discharged by the villain the Cyborg Superman at Superman. The result was beneficial for Superman, supercharging him and restoring his ability to process solar radiation.
Pink kryptoniteDebuted in Supergirl #79. Pink kryptonite seemingly turns Kryptonians gay. This type of kryptonite was mentioned in a single panel in a story that was a satire of the plots of many Silver Age comic stories which featured some strange new variety of kryptonite. In the Justice League Action short "True Colours", it switches a Kryptonian's gender.
Black kryptoniteDebuted in Smallville’s “Crusade” on September 22, 2004. In Pre-Flashpoint continuity, it could split a Kryptonian into two separate beings: one good and the other evil. In, set on the Dark Multiverse's Earth −22, a Batman corrupted by the Joker creates a modified strand of black kryptonite. He tests it first on Supergirl, causing her to murder her family before dying herself. He then uses it again on Superman and Superboy, who literally tear apart Lois Lane before also dying themselves.
Orange kryptoniteDebuted in Krypto the Superdog #4. Provides super-abilities to any animal that comes into contact with it for 24 hours.
Periwinkle kryptoniteDebuted in Superman Family Adventures #9. A non-canonical version. Exposure to periwinkle kryptonite causes Kryptonians to lose all inhibitions.
Platinum kryptoniteDebuted in Batman Secret Files #001 "True Strength", and Batman #85. From "an impossible universe inside the Phantom Zone, on an impossible planet". When touched by a normal human, platinum kryptonite changes their cells in an instant, giving Kryptonian super-powers for life. Used by Batman to restore Gotham Girl's powers.

and Jimmy Olsen discuss the mineral kryptonite, with the jewel variant making its debut, in Action Comics #310.
Art by Curt Swan.

In other media

Television

Live action

produced two 15-part motion picture serials that used kryptonite as a plot device: Superman and Atom Man vs. Superman.

Music

Songs: