Protium was an ancient element sought by Dr. Sivana.
History
Dr Sivana could stop the magic lightning from reaching the Marvel Family, if he had a power source stronger than an atomic bomb. His son had read about Protium in a book of ancient Atlantis, and its daughter isotopes Neutrium and Electrium; which were more powerful than Plutonium.
To obtain a vial of each element, Doctor Sivana sent his daughter to the past for Protium and his son to the future for Electrium; so that they each returned with one of the isotopes. Combined with Sivana Sr's sample of Neutrium; they forged a machine that made a shell of electrons around the Earth which successfully prevented Billy Batson and the other Marvels from calling down the lightning from the Rock of Eternity.
Properties
Chal-Patzun forseaw the sinking of Atlantis and needed 8 vials of Electrium to raise it, but had to wait 20,000 years in order for the Protium to first decay to Neutrium, and then the Neutrium to decay into Electrium. His family safeguarded this secret through generations -- each of which were killed by the Sivanas.
The final vials of Electrium were used by Chass Passon to raise Atlantis, power a disintegration gun, and -- combined with Neutrium and Protium -- they created a powerful shell of electrons around the earth that repelled lightning.
Decay Series
Protium was the parent isotope of several cascade elements; Neutrium, followed by Electrium. Chal-Patzun stated that it took 10,000 years for each subsequent material to be formed.
Trivia
- In the outside world, Protium refers to the simplest and most widespread isotope of hydrogen; which has one Proton and no Neutrons
- If it takes 10000 years for Protium to decay into Neutrium; then real-world mathematics would place the radioactive half-life of Protium at between 1000 and 1500 years.