The Superman Elimination Machine (SEM) was the automated module for a disarmed Kryptonian experimental weapon. Years after the original weapon was disarmed, the module was rediscovered in the arsenal of the Bottle City of Kandor and modified by Kandorian scientist Fax-Or into an instrument of psychological warfare against Superman, at the Man of Steel's own request.
History
An automated offensive weapon-module that Jor-El built on Krypton to defend against alien threats, the NX-Weapon was disarmed when its target recognition system proved faulty and almost caused it to attack the infant Kal-El. Stored in the Kandor arsenal for decades, the module was rediscovered by the scientist Fax-Or when Superman consulted with him to develop an anti-Superman weapon, for use in the eventuality that he should eventually turn rogue against Earth. Rebranded as the SEM (Superman Elimination Machine), the disarmed module had no power except its indestructibility, super-speed, and the subconscious fright Superman experienced due to his encounter with it back on Krypton. At Superman's behest, Fax-Or built in a homing device that would train itself on Superman's brainwaves; the means by which the SEM would "eliminate" Superman if necessary would be exploiting his instinctive psychological fear of it to frighten him to death. Superman then wiped his understanding of the SEM from conscious awareness by post-hypnotic suggestion and gave the device over to the President of the United States to activate in case of a dire emergency. The SEM was placed in a vault and buried 10,000 feet beneath the Earth's surface, connected to a release mechanism accessible in the Oval Office by heavily insulated wiring. A mild ground tremor damaged the side of the vault, exposing the SEM to the emissions of a radioactive isotope lodged in the crust of the Earth and prematurely activating it. The SEM proceeded to hound Superman across the globe until the Man of Steel decided to have a final stand-off with the machine in his Fortress of Solitude. Superman learned enough from Fax-Or prior to the SEM's arrival that he knew the SEM used his brainwaves to track him. Consequently, Superman used an alien relaxation-helmet to block his brainwaves from being detected by the SEM, causing it to self-destruct. Afterwards, Superman learned the full story behind the SEM from Fax-Or in Kandor, coming away with the message that there is no such thing as the perfect anti-Superman weapon.
See Also
- Appearances of Superman Elimination Machine
- Item Gallery: Superman Elimination Machine
- Images featuring Superman Elimination Machine