You were tested in ways I couldn't have handled at your age. That almost no one I know could have handled. And when you came back to us, somehow you were the same compassionate, selfless, outgoing, happy kid you were when you left. The resilience that must have taken, Jon. It defies all understanding. Your mom and I will always miss the little barn swallow that we lost. Always. But the next time you wonder if you measure up...or if you ever think of yourself as just "the son of Superman"...know that you're the Superman against whom all heroes will be measured someday. The Superman that I aspire to be. 
Jonathan "Jon" Kent is the firstborn son of Kryptonian superhero Superman and news reporter Lois Lane. He fought crime alongside his father as the young hero Superboy. After growing up in a short period of time, Jon went to the future and joined the Legion of Super-Heroes before returning to the present just in time to pick up the mantle of Superman.
History
Original Birth
Jonathan Samuel Kent is born.
Jonathan was born during a multiversal cataclysm where his mother and father had been abducted from their Earth and placed on a sentient planet to fight amongst other abductees from throughout the multiverse.
After both his and his mother's lives were jeopardized by a mentally unstable counterpart of his father, Superman managed to get his family to safety with the assistance of an alternate Batman, who had also aided Superman in the delivery of his son.[2]
When the being responsible for said cataclysm had a change of heart, Lois and Jon accompanied Superman to the first crisis in order to prevent the Multiverse from collapsing, a mission that proved successful.[3] Jon and his parents ended up stranded on a different Earth than the one they came from and had to learn to adapt. To avoid discovery, the family went undercover while adopting the surname White.
Revised Birth
Following the events of various assorted cosmic upheavals, the circumstances of Jon Ken's birth were changed. Instead of being born in an alternate Batcave, Jon was born on Earth-0 amidst an (attempted) invasion of Earth by an alien force.[4]
Early Childhood
Jon grew up oblivious of his parents' past while living an apparently normal life. However, with his father acting as a secret super-hero and his mother still publishing her work under the pseudonym 'Author X', he was always suspicious of their awkward behavior. This suspicion came to a head when he and his mother were kidnapped by this world's Bruno Mannheim and Intergang. This led to the discovery that Jon had inherited superpowers from his Kryptonian father.[5] After later being rescued by his father, Jon was told the truth about his family's origins.
Jon later discovered he had other superpowers, including heat vision when he accidentally killed his cat. He and his family would later encounter the Eradicator, who was intent on absorbing Jon's Kryptonian side. This battle would eventually end up in the Batcave located on the Moon. Lois would use one of Batman's suits and helped Jon and Superman to defeat the Eradicator.
Afterwards, Clark gave Jon a hat and glasses to help form Jon's secret identity. He would later travel with his father to the Justice League Watchtower and Superman introduced Jon to Batman and Wonder Woman as Superboy, making him a part of the Justice League.[6]
First Adventures as Superboy
While working on a science project for school with his father at the Fortress of Solitude, a device in the base went haywire and transported them to the dangerous Dinosaur Island, where they fought for survival alongside a marooned war veteran named Captain William Storm.[7] Storm helped the pair return home but stayed behind himself to make sure the mutated dinosaurs would never make it to the outside world.
Jon meets Damian
Later, while searching for a Christmas tree,[8] Jon accidentally torched some woodlands near a swamp in Hamilton but was rescued by Nobody and Goliath. Having been brought to the Batcave for questioning, Jon learned that Robin had been keeping him under surveillance for a long time. The two initially did not get along, and the situation was further complicated when Batman and Superman arrived, blaming each other for the conflict. A fight was averted when Jon used his freeze breath to separate the two sides and explain the situation to his father.[9]
In order to properly discipline their sons and teach them the value of working together, Superman and Batman had them undergo a series of challenges, but their lack of teamwork caused them to fail every challenge. The boys finally managed to put aside their differences and save their fathers from an apparent threat in the Batcave, which later turned out to be a ruse.[10] At this point, Alfred Pennyworth declared them to be the Super Sons.
Superman Reborn
History is rewritten
Having been posing as an alternate Clark Kent in Metropolis, Mister Mxyzptlk unveiled himself, having returned to harass Superman. This time, his plan targeted Jon.[11] The fifth-dimensional imp was angry at Superman for not rescuing him from Mr. Oz and intended to get revenge by erasing Superman's son from their minds and history. With Lois Lane already forgetting about their child, Superman desperately offered to play a game with Mxyzptlk in order to get Jon back. The imp agreed and created an obstacle course called the Infinite Planet.[12]
After Lois and Clark completed the course, Jon emerged from the top of the course, infused with red energy, which turned out to be the essence of the Prime Earth versions of his parents, who, in their reality, never had Jon and were never married. After Mxyzptlk abandoned them, Jon convinced his reality-displaced parents to merge with their alternate-reality counterparts to form one set of Superman and Lois Lane with both their histories.[13] In doing so, the Superman family history was altered.
In the new merged timeline, the circumstances of Jon's birth had been rewritten to have taken place inside the Fortress of Solitude with both Batman and Wonder Woman present, and the Kents never lived in hiding under the pseudonym "White".[14]
Super Sons Vs. Kid Amazo
Jon and Damian - Super Sons
Jonathan was unwillingly recruited by Robin to help him investigate a series of break-ins at Lexcorp, but the investigation was complicated by Lex Luthor, who tried to capture them both.[15] The two boys managed to escape and follow a lead to a secret family who still retained their powers from the Amazo Virus. However, one member by the name of Reggie Meyer was driven insane by the excessive use of his powers and took the alias Kid Amazo. He had also stolen the Amazo Armor from Lexcorp and had planned to use it to lure the Justice League into a trap.[16] Thanks to the arrival of Lex Luthor and Reggie's super-powered sister Sara, the Super Sons managed to take Kid Amazo down. Not wanting to explain themselves, Robin and Superboy quickly left the area. However, their absences from their respective homes did not go unnoticed and they were punished by their families.[17] After talking to their parents, Superboy and Robin were given permission to go adventuring on their own, as long as they always stuck together.
Black Dawn
While waiting out a big storm in the basement of their farmhouse, the Kents were paid a visit by Batman and Robin. Batman told them that his analysis on Superboy's DNA had come back inconclusive and theorized that something environmental could have been suppressing the growth of Jon's powers. He deduced that it might be the milk of a neighbor's cow but, while attaining a sample by himself after leaving, Batman was attacked by a strange alien substance within the milk.
Jon's true power revealed
When Batman did not return the following morning, Superman, Robin and Superboy went searching for him, discovering a squid monster that Superboy was forced to kill with his heat vision in self-defense. Superman then had a talk with his son about the consequences of his actions.
It was later revealed that the true villain behind Jon's suppressed powers was Manchester Black. He had recruited a group of aliens, which included the Kent's neighbor Kathy Branden and her grandfather, in order to enact his revenge against Superman and groom Jon into his protegé.[18] Jon, while under the control of Black's mental powers, was forced to fight his own father while his powers were pushed to their limits. Eventually, Jon was able to throw off the mind-control and, with the help of his friend Kathy, defeated Manchester Black with a huge blast of psychic feedback.
Three weeks after the incident, Jon's powers returned and he finally gained the ability to fly.[19]
Moving to Metropolis
After moving to Metropolis from the countryside, Jonathan was allowed to go patrolling the city with Robin, provided that he returned home at 10:00 pm. While patrolling, they were met by the Teen Titans, who were investigating some strange energy readings. Though Starfire invited Superboy to come along, Robin denied the invitation, stating that Superboy was only ten and not a teenager like him.
Having followed their lead with Superboy, the Titans had found their culprit - Atom Master and Chun Yull - but were easily defeated and forced to return to Jon for help. [20] With the Boy of Steel on their side, the Titans managed to easily defeat the foes and redeem themselves, once again making an invitation for Jon to join and having it denied by Damian.
Superboy and Robin continued to follow the mystery of where the villains had come from and, after being sucked into an interdimensional portal, had discovered they had originated from Yggardis, the living planet. Fighting for their lives on the planet with some other survivors, Superboy and Robin successfully returned to their home planet and reported the whole thing to Superman.
Some time after the event, Superman and Batman decided to give Jon and Damian their own secret base of operations equip with Justice League and Kryptonian technology at the bottom of Morrison Bay.[21] Much to Damian's dismay, Superboy nicknamed the new base 'the Fortress of Attitude'.
Super Sons of Tomorrow
Superboy solar flaring
About 3 months later at Titans Tower, Superboy argued with Robin that the Boy Wonder had not been keeping his promise to allow him to participate in a Titans mission once a month. The conflict was interrupted by the arrival of Tim Drake from a dark alternate future, who had come back in time to kill Jon and avoid a possible cataclysm. Superboy, in a panic, flew out of the tower and suddenly exploded, having developed a new, destructive power called the 'super-flare', heavily damaging the headquarters and injuring the Titans.
On the run from Tim Drake and his Titans of Tomorrow, Jon and Damian escaped to the Fortress of Solitude where they found Superman trapped in a cage of Red Kryptonite and freed him. As the Titans of Tomorrow arrived, Jon panicked, accidentally charging up another, more dangerous super flare. With everyone working together to stop the detonation, future-Tim Drake made the final sacrifice by absorbing the energy of the blast and allowed himself to be pulled into hypertime, saving the day and ending the crisis.
With so much drama having been caused by them for the last few months, Superman threatened to disband the Super Sons, but the boys however stood up to the Man of Steel, saying they would not abandon each other. Superman yielded, respecting their friendship.
Later on, at the Justice League Watchtower, Robin put to a vote whether Jon should become a part-time member of the Titans. With Damian being the only supporter, the other members voted no, feeling that the team itself is falling apart under Robin's leadership. Jon accepts their choice, and Robin soon recasts a new team of Titans.
Exploring Space
Jon's altercation with future-Tim Drake actually affected him more than he let on. He became fearful of the possible future Savior was trying to prevent and was dejected at the Titans' refusal to let him join, believing that they saw something wrong with him.[22]
One night at the Kents' residence, the family was visited by none other than Mr. Oz - Superman's time displaced father and Jon's grandfather. Jor-El had come to take Jon on a trip through space to better educate him about the known universe.[23] Lois and Clark initially refused, but Jon tearfully revealed his insecurities to his parents, stating that this could be an opportunity to better understand himself. Convinced, Lois agreed and volunteered to go with them, much to Clark's dismay before finally letting his family go.[22]
Longest Trip to the Galaxy & Return to Earth
Jon returns
A short time later, Lois returned to Earth and their ship suddenly fell into a black hole. Jon crashed to Earth 3, where he was taken prisoner by Ultraman, who imprisoned him in a volcano for years. Jon was eventually rescued by Jor-El and sent back to Earth, where he found that although years had passed for him, on Earth it had only been three weeks since he left.[24][25]
Legion of Super-Heroes
After the battle against Rogol Zaar, the Houses of El and Zod meet with the chiefs of various planets to discuss the roles of Jor-El and Zaar in Krypton's destruction. Jon suggested forming the United Planets, and the Legion of Super-Heroes appeared to offer him a role in the group.
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Fall of the Golden Age
Superboy at the dawn of a new era.
Jonathan along with his father later fight a horde of mysterious alien creatures that come from a breach in space, after the S.T.A.R. Labs space station seals the breach. When the breach later opens up again, Superboy and Superman go back into action and after the battle while eturning from Earth, Clark says that it's hard for him to accept that Jon is now a young man, only for Jon to cry and say that he learned a lot of things about Superman in the future, including that the next time the breach opens, Clark can't go as he will die, something that he deduces from the lack of information that there is about Superman in the future from this moment in time.[26] During another battle as the breach opens up again one final time, Superboy protects his father from an attack and weakens the creatures long enough to take the energy source into the breach. Superboy then detonates the power source, seals the breach and reunites with his father, with Jon questioning that the history books from the future seemed to be wrong about Superman's fate.[27] Jon and Clark later travel to Thakkram where he meets an old ally of his father, Faldr Poornym, whom along his father and Qarath O Daanim stopped and evil Shadowbreed in the past. Superboy is then taken by Clark to the old canyon where the Shadowbreed was defeated, there they discover the Shadowbreed's corpse. Superboy finds his father's old communicator and some kind of device built from the same technology Faldr used to build his radiation bomb, but this device looks like a cage.[28]
For a Better World
Jonathan contemplates his destiny.
Becoming Superman on Earth as his father faces threats from outer space, Jonathan went to California to put down a fire that was caused by a metahuman with heat-radiating powers. While the military shot the meta-human, Jon decided to approach him in a more sensitive way by talking with the Meta, realizing that he didn't start the fire on purpose, Superman hugged the meta-human and told him that everything was going to be okay before turning him over to the authorities. However, when the military knocked the meta out claiming that it was to dangerous to have him conscious due to his unstable powers, Jon had to reluctantly agree as he didn't wanna go against the government. Jon then went to Damian for advice and told him that he wanted to solve bigger problems to help build a better world, Damian showed him an underground stream called "The Truth" that reports things that others are afraid to.[4]
Jon tried to attend college under the alias of "Finn Connors", but his true identity was quickly revealed when he was forced to save some students from an attack. He went to reflect on the Moon and later asked his dad why he couldn't do more as Superman, to which Clark said that Jon could do more as Earth was the planet he was born. His father later gave him the keys to the Second Fortress of Solitude and a new suit. With his father gone for a while, Jon decided to step up and rescue a boat of asylum seekers that were leaving Gamorra Island after listening about it on one of the streams from The Truth. After leaving the refugees on Metropolis, Jon met The Truth, who turned out to be one the people he saved in college.[1]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Kryptonian-Human Hybrid Physiology: Because of his hybrid human/Kryptonian genetic structure under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Jon possesses the same potential powers as an average Kryptonian. However, according to Batman's research,[29] Jon's abilities have the potential to exceed that of his father's and cousins due to his Human/Kryptonian hybrid cells. These powers include:
- Solar Radiation Absorption: Jon's able to absorb the light and radiation of stars & suns, mainly those of the yellow stellar spectrum. His Kryptonian body is constantly absorbing and storing energy from Earth's yellow sun, which in turn grants him incredible powers, such as superhuman strength, super-speed, enhanced senses, impenetrable skin, and even the ability to defy gravity. Superman states Jon's cells ignite with the power of a supernova.
- Invulnerability: Because he is half-Kryptonian, Jon's body is nigh-invulnerable due to his superhumanly dense cellular and anatomical structure as well as his radiating bio-electrical aura. However, in the beginning, his invulnerability was inconsistent, as he got a scraped knee and a concussion. Later on, he has shown certain degrees of durability, such as withstanding the impact of a tree branch,[30] and even Robin's Batarangs.[31] He is capable of withstanding the impact of being slammed through a building.[32] As well as fighting beings of similair strength such as other Kryptonians.[33] In addition, his invulnerability also extends protection against toxins, poisons, and diseases.
- Accelerated Healing: Jon possesses an accelerated "healing factor" enabling him to heal almost instantaneously from most wounds.
- Superhuman Strength: As a result of his half-Kryptonian lineage, Jon possesses incredible superhuman strength and is capable of handling tens of thousands of pounds.[30] He was able to stun a large, flying dinosaur with a single punch.[9] He is able to use his incredible strength to jump incredible distances and land safely.[34] According to Jon's mother, Jon is capable of easily lifting up automobiles and large boulders.[35] He has even stopped a train speeding out of control.[19] Jon is capable of fighting other powerful beings such as full grown kryptonians like Zod [36] and monsters like Rogol Zaar.[37] Batman also comments on how Jon power is growing so quickly he is potentially already stronger than his father or cousin.[38]
- Superhuman Stamina: Jon possesses a stamina phenomenally exceeding that of humans. Despite Jonathan can lengthily go without tiring, he eventually does need to rest or relax.[19]
- Flight: Jon is able to manipulate graviton particles to defy the forces of gravity and achieve flight. Jon is capable of flying at speeds comparable to his fathers.[19] Jon has actually beat his father in a race before. [39]
- Enhanced Visual Perception: Though stated by Robin that it would take him a week, Jon was able to thoroughly scan through 175 hours of surveillance videos in a few seconds.[15]
- X-Ray Vision: Jon possesses the ability to see through solid objects.[35]
- Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Vision: Jon can see into all of the EM Spectrum. He can see and identify radio/television and any and all broadcast/transmitted frequencies, allowing him to avoid detection through radar or satellite monitoring methods.
- Telescopic Vision: Jon is able to see objects from great distances. He was able to focus on the Cosmos One Space Station in orbit.[39]
- Microscopic Vision: Jon can also see extremely small objects and images down to the sub atomic level.
- Heat Vision: His heat vision is powerful enough to singe even his father's skin and cause considerable collateral damage to his surroundings.[8] He has shown some degree of fine-control as he was able to use it to heat-weld a cape to his jacket. Jon has shown better control over his heat vision than his father being able to detonate his heat vision mid air like a bomb, something his father couldn't do. As well as having access to a "hyperviolet spectrum" that Superman doesn't, which produces far more powerful heat vision blasts than normal.
- Super Smell: On various occasions, Jon has demonstrated that his sense of smell is significantly enhanced to the point he can smell odors across the entire city.
- Superhuman Speed: Jon has demonstrated the ability to move, react, run and fly at superhuman speeds. He can use this power to disarm opponents, catch bullets or shrapnel and cross vast distances in seconds.[39] Jon has moved so fast that the Teen Titans have mistaken him for Kid Flash when he saved them all in a battle, while Kid flash himself was unable to see Jon when he saved him.[40] Jon has also snatched a bullet fired from a sniper rifle out of the air while moving too fast for the shooter, Talia al Ghul, to perceive what had stopped it despite having her scope trained on her target the entire time.[41] Jon's speed is so great, that he managed to break free from the Time Commander's Chronokinesis.[42]
- Super-Breath: Jon is able to project his voice at a high decibel level, which is strong enough to shatter all the windows in his home.[43] He later develops the ability to project freezing cold blasts to create considerable amounts of ice.[8] While not having perfected it, Superboy is learning to project hurricane force winds by breathing.[17]
- Superhuman Hearing: Jon first displayed this power to listen in on the conversation between his father, Batman and Wonder Woman.[44]
- Empathic Solar Flare: Jon has demonstrated the ability to immediately expel solar energy in gigantic bursts of explosive force. Jon's blasts are capable of causing widespread destruction, similar to a nuclear explosion.[40] Jon has very little to no control over it due to his human heritage.[45]
Abilities
- Heavy Machinery Operation: Superman has taught Jon how to drive the family tractor at their home, and apparently Jon can also drive a semi-truck.[34]
- Indomitable Will: Superboy's force of will is strong enough to overcome Time Commander's Time Freeze.[42]
Weaknesses
- Vulnerability to Kryptonite: Due to his half-Kryptonian DNA, Jon is susceptible to kryptonite radiation like his father.[46]
- Power Instability (Formerly): When Jon was very young, his Kryptonian powers were inconsistent, especially his invulnerability. His powers seemed to also fluctuate with his emotions.[8] It was revealed that Jon's power fluctuations were the result of Manchester Black's machinations. After Black was defeated, Jon's powers were fully recharged.
- Vulnerability to Psionics: Jon's inexperience in dealing with psychic foes leaves him wide open, especially if those psychic attacks target his powers.
- Solar Energy Dependency: Like average Kryptonians, Jon needs to recharge his energy by absorbing solar energy from the yellow sun radiation. Lack of solar energy in long periods will gradually weaken his abilities, ultimately making him vulnerable.[47]
- Vulnerability to Magic[48]
Paraphernalia
Transportation
- 2003 Kord Motors Jeep[1]
Notes
- He is named in honor of his adoptive paternal grandfather and his maternal grandfather, Jonathan Kent and Samuel Lane. Lois was initially going to name him after his biological paternal grandfather, Jor-El, but Clark wanted a name that showcased his human side.[2]
- Jon was born of the New Earth versions of his parents whilst trapped on Telos during Convergence. Following the Rebirth of the Universe, his parents merged with their Prime Earth versions, folding their histories and Jon's into one. To all those around him, Jon now had always been a denizen of Prime Earth.
Trivia
- He considers Damian Wayne his best friend.[49]
- Perry White was named Jon's godfather.[14]
- Jon's hair is impervious to bleach, meaning he is unable to dye his hair.[1]
- Jon Kent came out as bisexual and he dates Jay Nakamura from Superman: Son of Kal-El #5 onward.[50]
Recommended Reading
- Superboy Recommended Reading
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1)
- Superboy (Volume 1)
- Superboy (Volume 2)
- Superboy (Volume 4)
- Superboy (Volume 5)
- Superboy (Volume 6)
- Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 1)
- Superboy and the Ravers (Volume 1)
- Young Justice (Volume 1)
- Young Justice (Volume 3)
- Teen Titans (Volume 3)
- Teen Titans (Volume 4)
- Convergence: Superman #2
- Superman: Lois and Clark (Volume 1)
Related
- 405 Appearances of Jonathan Samuel Kent (Prime Earth)
- 332 Images featuring Jonathan Samuel Kent (Prime Earth)
- 43 Quotations by or about Jonathan Samuel Kent (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Jonathan Samuel Kent (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Superman: Son of Kal-El #2
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Convergence: Superman #2
- ↑ Convergence #8
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Superman: Son of Kal-El #1
- ↑ Superman: Lois and Clark #7
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #6
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #9
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Superman (Volume 4) #10
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Superman (Volume 4) #8
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #11
- ↑ Action Comics #975
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #19
- ↑ Action Comics #976
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Action Comics #978
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Super Sons #2
- ↑ Super Sons #3
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Super Sons #4
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #23
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Superman (Volume 4) #25
- ↑ Super Sons #6
- ↑ Super Sons #10
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 The Man of Steel (Volume 2) #6
- ↑ The Man of Steel (Volume 2) #5
- ↑ Superman (Volume 5) #8
- ↑ Superman (Volume 5) #9
- ↑ Superman (Volume 5) #29
- ↑ Action Comics #1029
- ↑ Superman (Volume 5) #30
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #20
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Superman (Volume 4) #17
- ↑ Super Sons #5
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #26
- ↑ Superman (Volume 5) #12
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 Action Comics #968
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Trinity (Volume 2) #1
- ↑ Superman (Volume 5) #12
- ↑ Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 8) #12
- ↑ Action Comics #1030
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 Action Comics #966
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Super Sons #11
- ↑ Super Sons #14
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 Super Sons #7
- ↑ Action Comics #960
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #1
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #38
- ↑ Adventures of the Super Sons #1
- ↑ Adventures of the Super Sons #7
- ↑ Challenge of the Super Sons #12
- ↑ Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1
- ↑ Jon Kent Finds His Identity in Superman: Son of Kal-El #5
  Superman Family member |
 Legion of Super-Heroes member |