But I like to think that at that last moment... We communicated! And we know that every generation is bound up with a past and future it can never meet-- But will always be a part of. I had a feeling he'd been watching over me for quite some time, and for all I know... He's watching me still. 
Var-El was a native of the planet Krypton, and a respected member of the House of El.
History
In the 19th Century, Var-El discovered a means for crossing long interstellar distances without a spaceship and journeyed to a planet in the Solar System called Earth. There, Var-El conducted scientific experiments in secret that would have been considered forbidden on Krypton. Var-El's discovery later inspired his grandson, Jor-El, to send his child, Kal-El, to Earth shortly before Krypton exploded. Var-El's Earth expedition is not common knowledge among surviving Kryptonians. Many years later, a statue of Var-El was erected in the House of El memorial vault on the planet Rokyn.[1][2]
In the modern day, the location of Var-El's Earth laboratory was discovered on accident by an archaeologist peer of Carter and Shiera Hall. The archaeologist, assuming his find to be an American Indian site, asked Shiera to interpret the unfamiliar writing inscribed on the outer entrance. Shiera identified the language as Kryptonese and made Superman aware. Together, they explored the decayed underground laboratory and inadvertently accessed a dangerous transdimensional gateway still functioning inside. Superman and Hawkwoman were forced to conclude that Var-El likely met his end after being sucked into the gateway long ago.[2]
However, in truth, Var-El was saved from the deadly dimension by a technologically advanced, yet creatively sterile, race called the Orgons, who intended to enslave Var-El's scientifically inclined mind to hastening their weapons development process. Var-El escaped and returned to Earth after some time, abandoning his former lab and setting up a log cabin in the American wilderness. A version of one of Var-El's inventions was retrieved from this time-period by Professor Hyatt's Time Pool, causing Hyatt, Superman, and Atom to make the time-travel voyage to contact Var-El personally. While Superman and the Atom were attacked by the Orgons, Hyatt discovered Var-El and spoke with him at length about the future -- Krypton's destined destruction, Kal-El's adoption of the Earth as its greatest hero, and the inevitability of death. Var-El helped Superman and Atom defeat the Orgons, and Hyatt secretly brought Var-El into the present-day world at the latter's request.[3]
Unbeknownst to Kal-El, Var-El set up his experiments anew in contemporary times, operating from a spacefaring vessel in the Polaris System. Even a century later, Var-El was pursued by the Orgons, who attacked Var-El's ship to steal his research, but Hawkman and Hawkwoman came to Var-El's defense. Meanwhile, Var-El sent out an emergency broadcast signal to Earth for "Kal-El", attracting Superman into that sector of space. Superman and the Hawks saved Var-El from the Orgon attack and rallied to defend Thanagar against another Orgon raid in search of Absorbascon technology. Recovering his Kryptonian powers, Var-El sacrificed his life to save Kal-El from the Orgon invader.[4]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Var-El possesses the same potential powers as an average Kryptonian. These include:
- Solar Energy Absorption: Under optimal conditions, this is the main source of Var-El's super powers as they are contingent upon exposure to solar radiation from a yellow sun star system. His biological make up includes a number of organs which lack analogues in humans and whose functions are unknown. It is believed that between one or more of these and his bio-cellular matrix, "yellow" solar energy is stored for later use. This allows for the use of these powers to fade when yellow solar radiation is not available instead of immediate failure.
- Heat Vision: Var-El can, as a conscious act, fire beams of intense heat at a target by looking at it. He can vary the heat and area affected.
- Super-Hearing: Var-El's hearing is sensitive enough to hear any sound at any volume or pitch. With skill and concentration, he can block out ambient sounds to focus on a specific source or frequency.
- Enhanced Vision: Var-El's vision processes the entire electromagnetic spectrum as well as allowing vast control over selective perception and focus.
This umbrella ability includes the following:- Electromagnetic Spectrum Vision: Var-El can see well into most of the electromagnetic spectrum. He can see and identify radio and television signals as well as all other broadcast or transmitted frequencies. Using this ability, he can avoid detection by radar or satellite monitoring methods. This also allows him to see the aura generated by living thing.
- Telescopic Vision: This is the ability to see something at a great distance, without violating the laws of physics. Though limited, the exact extent of the ability is undetermined. In function, it is similar to the zoom lens on a camera.
- X-Ray Vision: This is the ability to see through any volume of matter except lead. Var-Els can see things behind a solid, opaque object as if it were not there. He can focus this ability to "peel back" layers of an object, allowing hidden image or inner workings to be observed. The exact type of energy perceived—such as x-rays, cosmic rays, or some other energy invisible to normal humans—is unclear. This ability perceives an ambient energy source though, it does not involve the eye projecting a concentrated, possibly toxic, beam to be reflected back from objects.
- Microscopic Vision: This is the ability to see extremely small objects and images down to the atomic level.
- Infrared Vision: Var-El can see with better acuity in darkness, and to a degree in total darkness.
- Flight: Var-El is able to manipulate graviton particles to defy the forces of gravity and achieve flight. This ranges from hovering to moving in any posture, in any direction.
- Invulnerability: Due to the interaction of his dense molecular structure and supercharged bio-electric aura, Var-El is nigh-invulnerable to extreme energy forces. In addition, his extends this protection against toxins and diseases.
- Superhuman Stamina: Var-El is able to maintain continuous strenuous physical action for an indefinite period of time. This based on his body converting yellow solar radiation directly to energy, but is limited by physiological and psychological needs to eat, drink, and sleep.
- Superhuman Strength: Var-El's strength is augmented by yellow solar radiation interacting with the greater than human density, resilience and biological efficiency of his musculature. His strength is more an act of conscious will on energy fields than actual physical strength. It is this act of conscious will that enables him to perform physical feats that are beyond the mere application force, such as moving a mountain top without said rock crumbling under its own mass.
- Superhuman Speed: Var-El is able to move at incredible speed by sheer force of will. This extends to his perceptions and allows for feats such as catching bullets in mid flight as well as covering vast distances in little or no time.
This also confers: - Super-Breath: Var-El is able to create hurricane force winds by exhaling air from his lungs. He can chill the air as it leaves his lungs to freeze targets. He can also reverse the process to pull large volumes of air or vapor into his lungs.
- Longevity: Var-El can live longer than regular humans, remaining at his prime as long as he was under the exposure of the "yellow" sun.
Notes
- This version of Var-El, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
Related
- 3 Appearances of Var-El (Earth-One)
- 1 Images featuring Var-El (Earth-One)
- Quotations by or about Var-El (Earth-One)
- Character Gallery: Var-El (Earth-One)
Footnotes