Why does Kryptonite Affect Superman?

[Holy_Knight]

Is there an actual explanation in the comics of why Superman is weakened by Kryptonite? I've always figured it must have something to do with his not having built up what would otherwise be a natural immunity to something in the composition of Krypton, but is there an official reason?

[Jack Mann]

As I recall, the radiation was caused by the destruction of Krypton. If he went back to Krypton before it exploded, he'd be fine, though powerless under the red sun.

[Dhavaer]

The kryptonite energy pushes the yellow sun energy out of his cells, or something like that.

[Ing]

because he'd be too powerful without something to weaken him occasionaly. the Kyrtonite is actually crystalized Karma balacing out the otherwise Deus Ex Machina character


and every criminal who graduates from Lord Reclus's school of villanry gets a wear house full of it and a lifetime acess to a factory that can craft it into any shape or construct.

[The_Kobold_Hero]

Didn't you know?

"Bits of Chuck Norris' DNA was found to be contained in Kryptonite. Thats how it hurts Superman."

[DMaster]

Enough of friggin' Chuck Norris! I get it, he's cool, but everywhere I go, that's all anyone blabs about! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

....

Scuse. I tend to get snappish when surrounded by people who parrot the same old statements endlessly.

[Steward]

Enough of friggin' Chuck Norris! I get it, he's cool,

That is not true.

As to the kryptonite question:

The titanic interstellar explosion that destroyed Krypton transformed the hurtling remnants of the shattered planet into kryptonite, a glowing, green, radioactive substance which is toxic - and potentially fatal - to all Kryptonian survivors. "When Krypton exploded," explains Superman #61, "all the atomic elements fused to become one deadly compound! That compound gives off rays which apparently can only affect Kryptonites!"

From a Superman encyclopedia.

Also, Wikipedia's article on Kryptonite concurs with what Daever said.

Kryptonite's radioactivity possibly interferes with this semi-photosynthetic process, driving the energy out of his cells in a painful fashion

.

And, of course, Ing is right.

[Midnight Son]

The real question is, "How did so damn much of it end up on earth?"

Rocks from asteroids and such are so rare that they make diamonds common, but a planet light years away blows up and suddenly you can't walk through a field without stumbling over the stuff. What!? Was it a directed blast? Did someone blow it up with the express purpose of increasing the Earth's mass?

[Steward]

The real question is, "How did so damn much of it end up on earth?"

Rocks from asteroids and such are so rare that they make diamonds common, but a planet light years away blows up and suddenly you can't walk through a field without stumbling over the stuff. What!? Was it a directed blast? Did someone blow it up with the express purpose of increasing the Earth's mass?

Kryptonite is magically generated by the tiny Plot Contrivactinus star that orbits invisibly over Superman.

[Dawnstrider_Moogle]

The real question is, "How did so damn much of it end up on earth?"

Rocks from asteroids and such are so rare that they make diamonds common, but a planet light years away blows up and suddenly you can't walk through a field without stumbling over the stuff. What!? Was it a directed blast? Did someone blow it up with the express purpose of increasing the Earth's mass?

It was probably carried in the wake of the spaceship that brought Superman here.

[Finwe]

Because ships have really big wakes in space ::)

[xyzchyx]

The real question is, "How did so damn much of it end up on earth?"

There was an explanation given, although it was quite some time ago (pre-crisis era) and the answer may no longer be canon.

The story as I remember it was that as the rocket which carried the baby Kal-El entered hyperspace, kryptonite in the vicinity was drawn along with it, being carried by the same warp field that guided the rocket. The rocket came out of hyperspace in our solar system, and so there is a disproportionately large amount of the stuff in our own solar system relative to Earth's distance from the planet.

Now is this story actually anything more than an after-the-fact hand-waving explanation offered by the writers that wanted to satisfy the more scientifically curious readers? Probably not... but if one is going to suspend disbelief enough to enjoy a Superman story anyways, this explanation works as well as any other.

[Beleriphon]

Because ships have really big wakes in space ::)

Depending on which pseudoscience propulsion system you like to use it produce a very large gravitic wake. So *raspberry* to you then :)

As for why there is so much of the stuff, Lex Luthor found a way to create kryptonite through artificial means. Thus the vast majority of kryptonite is articially created on Earth.

[Ing]

Kryptonite effects everyone...and everything. just Kyrptonians are more effected and more quickly because their body is just a spongue for radiation. pretty much that's the reason, he soaks up the stuff like no bodies buisness.

[Steward]

As for why there is so much of the stuff, Lex Luthor found a way to create kryptonite through artificial means.

Lex Luthor accomplished this through the powers of death unlife.

[Alchemistmerlin]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/ref/kry...e.htm?cid=rss1

[Bookman]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/ref/kryptonite.htm?cid=rss1

*jaw drops* THAT. IS. AWESOME!!!!!!

[CelestialStick]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/ref/kryptonite.htm?cid=rss1

From that link:
Its original purpose was to give voice actor Bud Collyer, who played the role of Superman, a vacation. With Superman incapacitated by kryptonite, another voice actor could supply his incomprehensible moans, filling the role until Collyer returned.

In the Golden Age, Superman hadn't reached the apogee of his powers, which probably came in the Silver Age. The Superman of the first Christopher Reeve movie (1978 ), who could shift tectonic plates, absorb nuclear blasts and turn back time, probably represents the Silver Age Superman best. That Superman had almost no weaknesses and therefore needed kryptonite as a challenge. The earlier Superman, however, just wasn't as powerful, and was thus easier to challenge. I will say, however, that the best challenges have always come from good plots, not from kryptonite or, as after the Silver Age, magic.

In any case, this has been an excellent thread all around--so excellent, in fact, that I'd call it a super thread. ;D

[Beleriphon]

In any case, this has been an excellent thread all around--so excellent, in fact, that I'd call it a super thread. ;D

Does that mean we need brown kryptonite to use against it should one of the Bat-threads need to defeat this Super-thread if it becomes to powerful?

[Ing]

that's why i liked the Animated Superman. good mix of lowerpowered Gold superman and they used Kryptonite as a fairly well, it didn't show up all the time and there was often just as much threats without it.

[Alchemistmerlin]

*jaw drops* THAT. IS. AWESOME!!!!!!

You're Welcome

[Zita_G.]

cause he's queer and likes shiney metals

[Kanashimi]

I thought the stuff that Lex made ended up being that "red kryptonite" stuff

[Guntarrr]

cause he's queer and likes shiney metals

WHOA. No place for that. Really.

[TreesOfDeath]

The animated Superman was cool. No contrived Kryptonite/ plot power nonsense, they just made Superman fight really powerful foes

[CelestialStick]

I thought the stuff that Lex made ended up being that "red kryptonite" stuff

I think in the pre-Crisis continuity Luthor did create artificial kryptonite, which was red in color. Each different piece of red krytponite affects Kryptonians differently. One piece might make Superman have trouble controling his superpowers, while another might get rid of all of his inhibitions. The red kryptonite of Lois and Clark worked the same way. Red kyrptonite in Superman III got rid of his inhibitions, and the makers of Smallville followed that storyline. Rather than having a different effect, each piece of red kryptonite merely removed Clark's inhibitions.

The animated Superman was cool. No contrived Kryptonite/ plot power nonsense, they just made Superman fight really powerful foes

They did use kryptonite on a number of occasions in the animated Superman, but not so much that it got pathetic. I'd say though that the Superman of the animated series is a little weak for my taste. I prefer him at the apogee of his powers, as he was in the Silver Age or in the Chris Reeve movies.

There was on episode of Justice League or Justice League unlimited where several of the other superheroes admit that they'd be in real trouble if they didn't have Superman to absorb all the damage while the rest of them figure out how to defeat their enemies. :D

[Ing]

how does kryptonite work?

from the movie, in a law of inverse proportions (like bakini chain mail)

the more kryptonite there is centered around a common mass, the less effect it has on him

example: entire continant is no problem, a tiny dagger is enough to kill

[Skyserpent]

Spacey is awesome.

Just throwing it out there.

[Zzarchov]

Chuck Norris is basically superman, except people make fun of his unbeatable powers.

[Ing]

goddamn that's annoying...and no longer funny

can we have one thread without mentioning *beep* Noris!?