Kryptonite

In the Pre-Crisis continuity, depending on the particular dimension such as Earth-One, there were many forms and colors of Kryptonite, while others showed only one form such as Earth-Two and Earth-Three. As far as Earth-One and related alternate realities were conc

Kryptonite
Gallery
Official Name	Kryptonite
Aliases	K-Metal; Meteor Rock
Origins
Universe	Earth-One · Earth-Two · New Earth · Prime Earth · Donnerverse · Smallville (TV Series) · Arrowverse: Earth-38 · Arrowverse · Arkhamverse
First Appearance	Adventures of Superman (Radio Series) Episode: The Meteor from Krypton

Kryptonite is the name given to shards of matter cast off from the planet Krypton during its destruction.

History

In the Pre-Crisis continuity, depending on the particular dimension such as Earth-One, there were many forms and colors of Kryptonite, while others showed only one form such as Earth-Two and Earth-Three. As far as Earth-One and related alternate realities were concerned, Kryptonite was a transuranium element that decayed into iron and did not chemically react with oxygen (which was used to explain why small rocks of Kryptonite did not burn up when entering Earth's atmosphere).

In the Post-Crisis primary New Earth universe, there is only one natural form of Kryptonite, Green, and it is a compound made up of various elements.

All other variants of Kryptonite in the New Earth universe are artificially created from Green through certain techniques to produce these other variants, such as radiation bombardment to accelerate Green's half-cycle into Red. Luthor successfully recreated Gold in the New Earth universe, which strips all power processing of Kryptonians' bodies, though seemingly it is only temporary in its effect and not permanent, unlike the Pre-Crisis Earth-One Gold Kryptonite.

Powers

Exposure to Kryptonite can have a wide variety of effects depending upon its color and present form; the majority of them are detrimental, if not outright deadly.

Green Kryptonite

 Main article: Green Kryptonite

Easily the most abundant and the first discovered, Green Kryptonite sapped Kryptonians of their strength and abilities provided by a yellow sun. They initially get flu-like symptoms and would quickly get weaker until death if not removed from the radiation. It was originally believed that the radiation emitted by Green Kryptonite was harmless to anyone but Kryptonians, but it was later learned that long-time exposure was carcinogenic to humans through Lex Luthor's use of a fragment of Green Kryponite in a ring he wore.

Red Kryptonite

 Main article: Red Kryptonite

In the Pre-Crisis continuity, Red Kryptonite has unexpected consequences and what happens to Kryptonians when they are exposed to it varies from exposure to exposure: turning into a dragon, excessive hair growth, gaining telepathy, etc.

In the Post-Crisis continuity, Batman created an artificial version of Red Kryptonite which, upon exposure, would turn Kryptonians' skin translucent - causing them to absorb copious amounts of solar energy to the point of being incapacitated.

Gold Kryptonite

 Main article: Gold Kryptonite

This rare variant of the mineral would destroy a Kryptonian's ability to process yellow sunlight, thus permanently removing their superpowers; otherwise, it was not harmful to Kryptonians.

Blue Kryptonite

 Main article: Blue Kryptonite

Has the same effect on Bizarros as Green Kryptonite does on normal Kryptonians. It is also an antidote to the effects of Red Kryptonite.

White Kryptonite

 Main article: White Kryptonite

Kills all plants, bacteria and viruses, regardless of their planet of origin.

Platinum Kryptonite

 Main article: Platinum Kryptonite

Gives Kryptonian super-powers to humans permanently.

Kryptomites

 Main article: Kryptomites

Living beings composed of various variants of Kryptonite.

Yellow Kryptonite

Originally, "Yellow Kryptonite" was part of a hoax masterminded by Lex Luthor. It was not actually Kryptonite, but a harmless yellow sphere (as were the other types of Kryptonite that he used). He hoped that Superman would think that it was Kryptonite and thus hold back - which he did. Luthor later learned that it was not actually Superman he faced, but a Superman Robot.

• However, Yellow Kryptonite first appeared in Superman Family Adventures #2 as a real variant. Nevertheless, the effects of this Kryptonite are unknown, as that subject was not touched on in depth.
• The DC Super Hero Girls continuity shows both Yellow K and its main effect, which is the same as the Sinestro Corps' Yellow Power Battery: it instills fear in everyone near it. Lena Luthor used it to create yellow Kryptomites.
• Graft developed a form of synthetic Yellow Kryptonite which appears to have some kind of temporal effect. A blast of energy from it destabilised Marilyn Moonlight's powers and sent her and Superman back in time to the 19th century.

Black Kryptonite

 Main article: Black Kryptonite

• The Post-Crisis continuity showed Lex Luthor's Warsuit equipped with a knuckle armament that has the same, as well as potentially different, effects as the Smallville universe, that being the splitting of Kryptonian vices from their lighter selves as well as reuniting them.
• First seen on the TV series Smallville, the only time that it was ever used on Clark was in the Season 4 episode "Crusade", when he was reprogrammed as Kal-El. Martha Kent placed a chunk of Black Kryptonite (given to her by Dr. Swann's assistant, Bridgette Crosby) on his chest and the two personalities physically split. Clark then used the Black Kryptonite chunk to eliminate Kal-El.
• Another effect, as shown in All-Star Superman, is that it caused kinder personas to darken and become more evil, but also weakened their superhuman abilities and mental acuity over time.
• In the recent DC Rebirth continuity, it was also found in the Dark Multiverse and used by The Batman Who Laughs. It caused those affected by it to turn murderously rabid, making them hostile to anyone and everyone around them.

Artificial/Synthetic Kryptonite

Another version of faux kryptonite was developed by Gus Gorman in the film Superman III, where he substituted the "unknown element" in Green Kryptonite with tar. The result of the exposure to Synthetic Kryptonite was that it caused Superman's moral behaviors to change to the point of being evil and destructive both to himself and to others. It also eventually caused Superman to split into two separate selves, the evil self and the heroic self, battling for dominance until his heroic self-prevailed, restoring his normal moral behaviors.

• In the Super Friends continuity, Artificial Kryptonite was created by a villain named Doctor Rebos.
• Power Ring wielders apart from the Green Lantern Corps can simulate the effect of the green variant of the isotope at will; it originally only appeared during the Silver and Bronze Ages. It has appeared sporadically throughout various instances and its lethal potency was just as diverse as its scarce appearances, but artificial Green K has proven potent enough to critically injure Kryptonians, if not outright leave them at the brink of death. As certain Kryptonians are immune to different dimensions' Kryptonite radiation due to the discrepancy of alternate universes, Kryptonians are unaffected by Kryptonite from different worlds. The Lantern in question had to calibrate the energy signature of which one to match that of the Kryptonian doppelganger for it to be effective.
• In a simulation, Grodd used a type of Kryptonite called Artificial Kryptonite. It was a cloud of Kryptonite that masked Earth, keeping Superman off-planet and making Grodd into Earth's ruler.
• On Earth-Two, Synthetic Kryptonite was invented by Alexei Luthor using some extremely rare and unobtainable ingredients, including a mammoth pearl, dust from the dark side of the Moon, pollen from the man-eating Asiatic Homocessandi plant, and Binarium. A second formulation of Synthetic Kryptonite was developed by Dr. Vallin, using more readily available ingredients, including gold, silver, lead and bismuth fused together with acid and electricity. These forms of Synthetic Kryptonite had the same paralyzing effect on Superman as Green Kryptonite did. The Luthor synthesis was quite powerful but it had a short half-life so that, after a few days of criminal use and some hours spent in a police evidence locker, its charge would fade to a level that was harmless to Superman.
• Within modern publishing, Lex Luthor and a host of other criminal-minded individuals got into the business of fabricating K-Rad emission emulations, as well as a carbon copy of Green Kryptonite, to ward off Superman. It was not as effective as genuine Green Kryptonite, but it was potent enough to cause a Kryptonian physical harm.

Silver Kryptonite

In Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #70, Silver Kryptonite is part of a joke played by Jimmy to celebrate Superman's silver anniversary. It did not have any effects; it was just a prop.

• In Smallville, Silver Kryptonite is an artificial form of Kryptonite created by Professor Milton Fine (the human alias of the Kryptonian artificial intelligence known as Brainiac) using ordinary rock and the liquid metal that his body is made of. When Clark is pricked by this artificial variant of Kryptonite, he begins having paranoid delusions and becomes convinced that his family and friends are out to destroy him. Silver Kryptonite causes hallucinations, such as an imagined conversation between Clark and Professor Fine, and delusions that what is actually happening is, in fact, something much more sinister.
• In the Post-Crisis continuity, Silver Kryptonite demonstrates certain mystical properties that are of great value to the supernatural community. Two known samples of this "Magic Kryptonite" have been forged into a pair of twin medallions known as the Ach-om Rashay - the Amulet of Mindfulness. One-half of the amulet was located inside of a volcano on Dinosaur Island, while its twin was forged into a stone tablet found at the Oblivion Bar. For Kryptonians, exposure to Silver Kryptonite yields effects similar to those of marijuana on a human. Those affected by it experienced a loss of inhibition, altered perceptions, extreme hunger cravings, and some psychotropic hallucinations.
• In the TV series Supergirl, Silver Kryptonite induced hallucinations. After coming into contact with it, Superman believed his cousin to be Zod.

Pink Kryptonite

In Supergirl (Volume 4) #79, when Linda Danvers takes the original Kara Zor-El's place and arrives in the Pre-Crisis era, there is a comical scene where Superman is apparently exposed to Pink Kryptonite, with the implication being that it temporarily turned him gay.

• Justice League Action sports Metallo's Kryptonite heart being transmuted into Pink Kryptonite by Firestorm which flips the physical genders of Kryptonians, having turned Superman into a Woman of Steel instead.

Purple Kryptonite

In an early appearance of Kryptonite (Adventure Comics #171), the Kryptonite that appeared was purple, but it acted like Green K. Some speculate that purple may have been an incredibly rare version of Kryptonite that disappeared, but the chances of this are unlikely and it is most likely because of the writer's indecision over color or a coloring error.

• The DC Super Hero Girls continuity shows Purple Kryptonite as an existing variant. The effect of this Kryptonite is hypnotic, and it can control the minds of anyone that is near it. Lena Luthor used it to create purple Kryptomites.

Kryptonite-X or Kryptisium

Professor Hamilton coined this term to refer to the change that occurred to the Kryptonite that the Cyborg Superman blasted the Eradicator with when it passed through the latter and struck Superman. Instead of being lethal, it restored Superman's powers. Unfortunately, it also apparently clung to him and caused him to absorb solar energy at a rapidly accelerated rate, eventually causing his super-powers to go out of control and his body to build more mass. Superman was purged of it after battling the Parasite. Not to be confused with X-Kryptonite (see below).

Slow Kryptonite

Slow Kryptonite is a variant of Kryptonite produced by Metallo that affects only humans. Why it is called "Slow Kryptonite" is because the rays sent out by normal Kryptonite are "fast" (high in frequency) and synced with the accelerated Kryptonian body. Slow Kryptonite, which releases "slow" rays, is synced with a slow human body, allowing it to affect it.

Kryptonite Plus

Kryptonite Plus was a batch of 30 or so multi-colored stones that were left behind by aliens, who said that they were "Kryptonite Plus" or Ultra-Kryptonite. They were actually Tikron stones.

Magno-Kryptonite

Magno-Kryptonite is a variant of Kryptonite that tracks down objects from Krypton. It apparently affects people from Krypton as well, and not even the strength of Superman or Bizarro can escape it.

Jewel Kryptonite

 Main article: Jewel Kryptonite

Jewel Kryptonite possesses the ability to amplify the psychic powers of people in the Phantom Zone.

• Jewel Kryptonite was introduced in Season 9 of Smallville. It enabled Clark to make someone do whatever he asked them to do, but the process worked only once on each person; he could even affect himself with it.

Anti-Kryptonite

 Main article: Anti-Kryptonite

In the Pre-Crisis continuity, Anti-Kryptonite does nothing to harm super-powered Kryptonians, but has the same effects of normal Green K on non-superpowered Kryptonians.

In the Post-Crisis continuity, this is the formal name of the Kryptonite source of the first Antimatter Universe that the reformatted Clark Kent of the Crime Syndicate of AmeriKa is powered by. This is very different from the second Antimatter Ultraman and the long-dead Earth-Three Ultraman, who are both powered by the same Kryptonite that harms Superman. Anti-Kryptonite from the first Antimatter Universe of the Crime Syndicate of AmeriKa has no effect on matter-based Kryptonians.

Bizarro Red Kryptonite

This variant affects humans in the same way that Red Kryptonite affects Kryptonians.

X-Kryptonite

 Main article: X-Kryptonite

X-Kryptonite (in the Pre-Crisis continuity only) is a synthetic Kryptonite that granted Streaky the Supercat his superpowers.

Fool's Kryptonite

Fool's Kryptonite (again in the Pre-Crisis continuity only) looks exactly like Green Kryptonite, but is harmless to Kryptonians. It is, however, harmful to humans and affects them in the same way that Green Kryptonite affects Kryptonians.

Blood Kryptonite

In 52, the Cult of Conner - a religious sect dedicated to resurrecting Superboy - employed "Blood Kryptonite" in a preliminary ritual to resurrect Sue Dibny. While physically resembling Green Kryptonite, the "Blood" variant drained a portion of the life force from the present attendees, and was intended to direct this energy towards an effigy of the deceased as part of a Kryptonian resurrection ceremony. It is later revealed that this was a manipulation of Felix Faust and the rock was either regular Green Kryptonite or not Kryptonite at all.

Purple Spotted Kryptonite

A faux Kryptonite in the animated cartoon series Krypto the Superdog, this variety made Krypto chase his tail.

Fake Kryptonite

Seen in an episode of Superboy, Superboy's friends are selling crystals which are labeled as "fake Kryptonite" to raise money for charity. These crystals are clearly false and the vendors make no dispute about it; however, they use humorous references such as "Buy one and have nothing to fear, even Superboy will run away from you!"

Bizarro White Kryptonite

Also seen in an episode of Superboy: in order to stop Bizarro's rampage, Superboy ran Green Kryptonite through the same duplication process that created Bizarro from him in the first place. To Superboy's surprise, the resulting mineral had the effect of healing Bizarro, curing the instability that threatened to make him violently explode.

Red/Green Kryptonite

A synthetic Kryptonite created by Brainiac that mutated Superman; this variant made him grow a third eye on the back of his head. Superman tricked Brainiac with his mutation, however, as he waited for his return (he went into outer space to monitor the change) and allowed everyone on Earth to believe the Red/Green K had driven him insane, as he would never appear without a hat, and he would act out a hat's properties to solve crimes. He also used this to cover his third eye. Brainiac attacked Superman with a dunce cap, but Superman used the force of heat vision from all three eyes to dissolve Brainiac's force field. He then took Brainiac into custody. It appears the Green K in Red/Green Kryptonite does nothing to Kryptonians, although the mutation did last longer than 24 hours, perhaps indicating that the Green K amplified the effects.

Krypton Steel

Appearing only in the Challenge of the Super Friends episode "Super Friends: Rest in Peace", Krypton Steel was described by Lex Luthor as a "harmless form of Kryptonite" that only Superman could break. It is, presumably, a refined metal with similar properties to the iron alloy steel. Superman forged a box made of this material to store a weapon that they confiscated from the Legion of Doom at some point. The Legion figured out how to trick Superman into opening the box for them.

Opal Kryptonite

Opal Kryptonite is a synthesized variant of Kryptonite that was created by Terrence Sloan on Earth 2, which can apparently drive Kryptonians temporarily insane. Opal Kryptonite can only work for a short time, however, and will eventually burn out and turn into an ordinary stone after a certain amount of time.

Krimson Kryptonite

In the Post-Crisis continuity, Krimson Kryptonite appeared as an artificial construct of Mr. Mxyzptlk that eliminated Superman's powers. The effect of this Kryptonite could be everlasting until Luthor confessed to Clark Kent that the Fifth Dimensional imp gave him the rock without knowing Superman's alter ego. Unlike other Kryptonite variants, this one was not radioactive.

Orange Kryptonite

• In the Tiny Titans continuity, a chunk of Orange Kryptonite was in the possession of Lex Luthor.
• In the animated film DC League of Super-Pets, Lulu and Lex Luthor spent decades contemplating its effects upon living biology. The mad scientist mistakenly believed that this Kryptonite variant would empower normal individuals like himself with abilities greater than even that of his nemesis. But it was said experimental animal that Lex used to test his thesis who was the only one to realize that Orange K only works on lower animal forms or, in this case, simple house pets.
• In the Krypto the Superdog tie-in comics, Orange Kryptonite was briefly used by Isis and Snooky Wookums to give themselves super-powers. Orange Kryptonite was also portrayed here as only being able to give powers to animals, although the effects would last only for 24 hours.
• The DC Super Hero Girls continuity shows a completely different effect of Orange Kryptonite. In this version, this Kryptonite makes people paranoid. Lena Luthor used it to create orange Kryptomites.

Periwinkle Kryptonite

In the Tiny Titans continuity, Brainiac hit Superman with a Periwinkle Kryptonite ray. It turned his skin and costume periwinkle and caused him to briefly charm Lois Lane with charm and dancing skills. Later that day, Lois used a piece of physical Periwinkle Kryptonite on Clark Kent, achieving the same effect.

In the DC Super Hero Girls continuity, Periwinkle Kryptonite makes Kryptonians feel "giddy" and naturally causes Bizarros to go into fits of rage.

Amber Kryptonite

A Last 52 Multiverse iteration of Lois Lane had used an unheard-of Kryptonite variant to transfer her world's Superman's abilities into herself before killing him. She would then go onto take the pieces of this Kryptonite and hand them out to like-minded anti-meta constitutes whom she would turn into an army to wage genocidal war on the supers.

Notes

• The Kryptonite concept was first developed by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel for an unpublished Superman story. In Siegel's original vision, the deadly mineral was known as K-Metal.
• The first use of Kryptonite was actually in an unaired episode of the radio dramatization The Adventures of Superman titled "The Meteor from Krypton". The first comic book appearance of Kryptonite was in Superman #61.
  
  

Trivia

• Writer Brian Bucellato stated Godzilla's atomic breath has a similar radioactive siginture to Kryptonite to explain how Godzilla easily defeated Superman in Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #2.

See Also

• Appearances of Kryptonite
• Item Gallery: Kryptonite
• Images featuring Kryptonite

External Links

• When We First Met: The Evolution of Green and Red Kryptonite

Footnotes

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