- Do you feel it, Superman? Can you tell how strong I am becoming? The blast merely had the explosive force of ten hydrogen bombs-- and my power is still growing! My body has become an ever-increasing nuclear chain-reaction! In time, Man of Steel, I'll be able to decimate worlds! Nothing will be able to stop me then, Superman-- Not even you! Now do you see why, Superman? Because of you, I am being converted into pure energy! And as you know-- energy can never be destroyed!
- — Neutron src
Neutron is an enemy of Superman with radiation-based powers sufficient to give even the Man of Steel a run for his money on a good day. However, these powers came at the cost of shedding Neutron's physical form. As such, Neutron must remain confined to a containment suit at all times or the high-energy particles which carry his essence will dissipate into the environment. Neutron has traditionally acted in the role of hired muscle for other criminals set upon world-spanning schemes, such as Lex Luthor and Vandal Savage. He has also fought the Teen Titans as a member of the Fearsome Five.
History
Nathaniel Tryon was originally a member of a gang of saboteurs known as the TNT Trio. While on a mission for their employer Lex Luthor, Tryon was trapped under lead debris at a nuclear power plant as a meltdown occurred. Abandoned by his two comrades and unspotted by Superman, whose X-ray vision was incapable of penetrating lead, Tryon was mutated by the leaking radiation. Using every iota of his strength to save himself and make his way back to Luthor's headquarters, Tryon was subsequently given week-long radiation treatments by Luthor in order to transform him into a super-powered pawn against Superman. However, this scheme never came to be, and Tryon gradually found himself reduced to an energy being contained within a suit of Luthor's construction. As the villain Neutron, Tryon blamed Superman for his mutation and battled him several times. Eventually, Neutron decided to take his fury out on all of Metropolis by transforming the Daily Planet globe into a city-destroying bomb. Fortunately, Superman stopped the bomb threat in time by throwing the globe into the atmosphere and captured Neutron, who was incarcerated in S.T.A.R. Labs for scientific exploration of his unusual condition. After some time, Neutron was released from custody and employed as a deconstruction engineer by the Abraxas Corporation, whose CEO Vandal Savage intended to use him in his plan to ruin Superman's reputation. Knowing that Neutron's wholly legal deconstruction activities superficially appeared to be wanton property damage, Savage tricked Superman into attacking Neutron in order to sully the Man of Steel's good name. In the end, Superman exposed Savage as a criminal, and Neutron was presumably arrested and incarcerated once again for his part in Savage's plot. Before long, Neutron was freed alongside fellow S.T.A.R. Labs detainee Jinx by the Fearsome Five, who made him their newest member. In that capacity, Neutron ran afoul of the Teen Titans a few times, although he ultimately quit the Fearsome Five.
When next seen, Neutron joined Warp and Plasmus on a mission from Conduit to assassinate Jonathan and Martha Kent, the adoptive parents of Superman. Superman intervened and the clash ended with Plasmus and Neutron colliding in a blast that seemingly obliterated them both. However, both later turned up alive, and Neutron was next seen in Slabside Penitentiary, from which he was freed during the Joker's "Last Laugh" riots. Months later, Neutron and the Master Jailer were telepathically directed by Manchester Black to attempt the assassination of Clark Kent's friends Pete Ross (who was Vice President of the United States at the time) and Lana Lang. The two allied villains were defeated and forced to flee by the unexpected intervention of Superman. Despite initial failure, Neutron returned before the chaos was over to take on Superman again alongside the Master Jailer, Bizarro, Mongul, and the Silver Banshee. Superman used Neutron's body to bombard the other villains from Earth's orbit, putting them all out of commission.
In the lead-up to Infinite Crisis, Neutron became a member of the Society led by Lex Luthor's imposter.
One Year Later
After World War III, Neutron began work as a villain-for-hire. He and another radiation-powered villain, Radion, were hired by Intergang to kill Clark Kent. After Kent was hit by a commuter train, Neutron and Radion left, thinking him dead, though the accident actually caused Kent to regain his powers as Superman.
Neutron is also a member of the Nuclear Legion alongside Professor Radium, Geiger, Mister Nitro, Nuclear and Reactron. The Nuclear Legion was hired by the Secret Society of Super Villains to invade Blüdhaven and assist the Nuclear Family in recovering the source of a radiation leak. While there, the group fought the new Atomic Knights. Now sporting a new containment suit, Neutron was also seen fighting Superman when the hero discovered that Intergang was planting mysterious energy spheres, about the size of softballs, in various locations in Metropolis.
Neutron was one of the villains picked up by Operation: Salvation Run and exiled to Hell Planet. There, he was used by Lex Luthor as a power source for a teleporter and was seemingly killed when the device self-destructed.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Atomic Physiology: Nathaniel Tryon had been transformed by a nuclear meltdown into a living radiation entity. With the assistance of a specially designed suit, Neutron can retain his physical form and ability to interact with the outside world, although he has also demonstrated the ability to jettison the radioactive emissions that compose him and exist as a pure energy being outside his suit.
- Energy Projection: Neutron, as an atomic energy being, had the ability to launch blasts of neutronic radiation from his hands and his visor that carried enough sheer force to knock Superman through a wall if he was not sufficiently prepared.
- Superhuman Strength: Neutron possessed enough raw strength to harm Superman with his blows.
- Radiation Production
- Energy Absorption: Neutron had the power to absorb radiation.
- Flight
- Superhuman Durability
- Self-Sustenance
- Energy Form: Neutron could exist outside of his suit for brief periods of time as a being of pure nuclear radiation. However, he was forced to inhabit his suit to maintain his stability over prolonged periods.
Weaknesses
- Power Instability: If Neutron's suit was breached or broken, then his energy form would dissipate in an explosion, rendering him inactive and formless until another corporeal vessel could be located. Also, when Neutron released himself from his suit in the form of an atomic energy being, he quickly drained himself of his stamina and would be forced to return to his suit before long to maintain his continued stability.
- No Physical Body
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Notes
- Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-One era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and should be considered apocryphal.
- In spite of encountering Superman with no memory of prior confrontations in the Ending Battle story arc, Neutron's Pre-Crisis origin and history with Superman were confirmed as canonical by The DC Comics Encyclopedia and The DC Comics Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded. Additionally, Neutron's behavior in that story arc is inconsistent even within the context of the Post-Crisis era, as Neutron had a previous Post-Crisis encounter with Superman under the employ of Conduit.
Related
- 29 Appearances of Nathaniel Tryon (New Earth)
- 5 Images featuring Nathaniel Tryon (New Earth)
- 4 Quotations by or about Nathaniel Tryon (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Nathaniel Tryon (New Earth)
Footnotes
Superman Villain(s) This character has been primarily an enemy of Superman in any of his various incarnations, or members of the Superman Family. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Superman Villains category." |
Titans Villain(s) This character has been primarily an enemy of the Teen Titans, the Titans, or any of the other various Titans incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Titans Villains" category. |
Secret Society of Super-Villains member |