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Non was an underling of General Zod.

The origin of Non actually dates back to the story of an earlier Kryptonian scientist named Jax-Ur. Jax-Ur's unorthodox research into interstellar space travel caused the destruction of Krypton's moon – an act that also caused the seeming destruction of the Kryptonian lunar colony, Kandor.

As a result, the Kryptonian Science Council appointed the distinguished scientist, Non, to study atmospheric anomalies. Along with his best student, Jor-El, Non discovered that Krypton's sun had become unstable. Analyzing the research, they discovered that Krypton had less than ninety days before the sun's instability caused the planet's ultimate destruction. They addressed their concerns to the Kryptonian Science Council, but they were met with scorn and derision. Citing them for the illegal act of heresy, the Science Council sent the militaristic Defense Council to arrest Non and Jor-El. Among the arresting officers was General Zod and his lieutenant, Ursa. Non and Jor-El's punishment was light, but they were warned against causing a global panic by spreading such sensationalized findings.

Jor-El chose to obey the council's wishes, but Non could no longer keep silent. He began speaking publicly to anyone who would listen, spreading the word that Krypton was doomed. In a short amount of time, General Zod and Ursa learned that Non was absolutely correct. They defected from the Kryptonian Defense Council and joined Non's cause. The Kryptonian Science Council eventually caught up with Non's followers and apprehended them. Non was lobotomized and turned into a brutish, mute savage.

General Zod was outraged. He decided to continue Non's work, and was determined to take control of the planet Krypton – if only to save it from itself. He tried to enlist the aid of Jor-El, but Jor-El refused. He wanted to save Krypton as well, but he was not prepared to throw his lot in with insurrectionists.

The Science Council captured Zod and Ursa, and were prepared to sentence them to death. Jor-El argued on their behalf, and convinced the Council to adapt a more humane means of punishment. Jor-El had discovered an inter-dimensional reality known as the Phantom Zone. He exiled Non, Zod and Ursa into the zone where they existed as insubstantial ghosts that would never age and never die. Zod swore revenge against Jor-El for betraying him, and promised that he would strike back against both him and his family.

Non and the others remained in the Phantom Zone for many years, but eventually they found a means to escape and made their way towards Earth. Following Zod's leadership, Non found himself in conflict with Jor-El's son, Kal-El, better known to the rest of the world as Superman.

Sent back to the Phantom Zone with Zod and Ursa, Non was rescued by the inhabitants of New Krypton. When Superman joined the Military Guild, General Zod assigned Non to his unit - partially as a cruel joke, but also partially as a reminder that his actions are being observed.

Powers

  • Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Non possesses the same potential powers as an average Kryptonian. These include:
    • Solar Energy Absorption: Under optimal conditions, this is the main source of Non'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: Non 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: Non'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: Non'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: Non 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. Nons 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: Non can see with better acuity in darkness, and to a degree in total darkness.
    • Flight: Non 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, Non is nigh-invulnerable to extreme energy forces. In addition, his extends this protection against toxins and diseases.
    • Superhuman Stamina: Non 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: Non'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: Non 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: Non 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: Non can live longer than regular humans, remaining at his prime as long as he was under the exposure of the "yellow" sun.

Abilities

  • Science (Formerly): Prior to his lobotomy, Non was one of the keenest scientific minds on Krypton

Weaknesses

  • Diminished Intellect: Following his lobotomy his intelligence was substantially reduced and he lost the ability to speak. Therefore he is easily tricked and manipulated.


  • This version of the character is exclusive to the continuity of the comic book stories considered to be set on New Earth. It is an adaptation of Non. The original character was created by Mario Puzo, David Newman, and Leslie Newman and first appeared in the film Superman.

    The character of Non is actually based upon an original character first featured in the 1978 film, Superman. Played by actor Jack O'Halloran, Non was little more than a muscle-bound mute with no real back-story other than that he was a violent sociopath. His appearance in Superman was brief and served to foreshadow a larger role in the film's sequel, Superman II. In Superman II, Non was the only one of the three Phantom Zone refugees that had difficulty adapting to his newfound powers under a yellow sun. Although his enhanced strength came naturally, Non took great joy when he was able to use his heat vision for the very first time. Along with Zod and Ursa, Non engaged in a massive battle with Superman in the streets of Metropolis. The final battle took place in the Fortress of Solitude. Superman tricked his Kryptonian foes into stepping into a special chamber that robbed them of their powers. Unaware that he no longer possessed the ability to fly, Non attempted to leap at Superman, only to fall to his doom in the deep caverns below.
  • Non's ability to function on Earth owes largely to material established in the 2003 limited series Superman: Birthright. Birthright provided what is now considered the definitive origin of Superman, as well as that of his Kryptonian upbringing. Originally, Pre-Crisis canon established that during Krypton's 5th historical epoch, a scientist named Kem-L (an ancestor of Superman), created a device known as the Eradicator. On a historic day, the Eradicator was activated and produced a wave of energy, which genetically bound all Kryptonians not only to each other, but to the planet as well. Because of this, if a Kryptonian ever attempted to leave Krypton, they would die.[1] All Kryptonians born after the time of Kem-L inherited this same genetic defect (which helped to explain why there were never any Kryptonian Green Lanterns). In Krypton's final days, Jor-El managed to find a cure for the defect, and administered it to his son Kal-El before sending away from the planet.[2] When Mark Waid wrote Superman: Birthright, this aspect of Kryptonian biology was excised from the new history. As Kryptonians no longer suffer this genetic defect, characters such as Non are able to leave their home environment and travel to new worlds.

Related

External Links

Footnotes


Villains-secret-files
Superman Villain(s)
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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."

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