DC Database
Advertisement

Xa-Du is the Phantom King, a Phantom Zoner who escaped to fight Superman and Supergirl. He is the first kryptonian ever banished into the Phantom Zone.

Origins

Xa-Du was a Kryptonian researcher, interested in improving research into suspended animation. However, the unethical nature of his studies led to the Kryptonian Science Council suspending his research and choosing him as the first inmate of the Phantom Zone. A sociopath, Xa-Du swore revenge on the family of the Phantom Zone's discoverer, Jor-El.

Over the course of his incarceration in the Phantom Zone, Xa-Du built an "ecto-suit" to allow him to walk free. However, Krypton exploded before it was complete, and his one attempt at revenge was thwarted by Krypto, the El's dog.

Years later, Xa-Du was able to use the temporarily reactivated Phantom Zone Projector to swap places with Kal-El, son of Jor-El, the hero Superman. Unfortunately his scheme was unsuccessful, and he was banished to the Phantom Zone.

Escape from the Phantom Zone

 Main article: Supergirl: Escape from the Phantom Zone

Xa-Du Prime Earth 002

Xa-Du in the Phantom Zone

After being banished again, Xa-Du found an area where the Zone wasn't intangible. There he built his Headquarters -Aethyropolis- and a cruiser -Val-Kon- to traipse around the Zone safely.

Later Xa-Du lured Gayle Marsh (Psi) -a young psychic whom a Project Cadmus experiment had given the capability to open doorways between the real world and the Phantom Zone- into the Zone, with the promise to cure her power-induced pains.[1] Once Psi got in the Zone, Xa-Du tried to force her to open a doorway to the real world, but Psi thwarted him by wrapping herself in an unbreakable psychic energy bubble and putting herself to sleep.

Undeterred, Xa-Du turned dozens of Phantom Zoners into fuel for his ecto-suit, hoping to become powerful enough to break Psi's energy husk.[2] When Supergirl and Batgirl fell into the Zone, he captured both girls, looking to turn their bodies and souls into more fuel.[3] Nonetheless, both heroes rescued Psi, wrecked his fortress and defeated him. Xa-Du swore he'd get out someday and gut them.[4]

The Future

At some point in the future, Xa-Du will become a member of the Anti-Superman Army, a grouping of super-criminals who oppose Superman. They will return through time to fight their enemy; however, they will be stopped.

Mythological

When Superman's and Synmar Utopica's battle took them to the Phantom Zone Xa-Du observed them and decided to intervene in Utopica's favor as he considered any enemy of Superman an ally but was quickly overpowered when the Synmar attacked him. Xa-Du later recovered just as Superman was opening a portal back to Earth and tried to make a run for it but he was caught and thrown back deep into the Phantom Zone.[5]

Powers

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

Abilities

Weaknesses

Equipment

  • Ecto-Suit: It allows him to interact with the physical realm from the Phantom Zone, provided another connection exists. However, the suit is vulnerable to psychic interference from the Phantom Zone, and a strong enough opposing will could theoretically render it inert. In addition, the suit itself is difficult to wear, and users have described wearing it as "like trying to walk through glue".

Transportation

  • Val-Kon: Also named Phantom Cruiser, Val-Kon is a sailboat-looking ship which allows to move around the Zone.[3]

Weapons


  • His Pre-Crisis version was named "Xadu".
  • Though Xa-Du has been repeatedly established as the first prisoner of the Phantom Zone, World of Krypton establishes that the first prisoner was Kru-El.

Related

Footnotes


Villains-secret-files
Superman Villain(s)
DC Bullet 2024

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."

Supergirl Vol 7 6 Textless
Supergirl Villain(s)
DC Bullet 2024

This character, team, or organization, is or was primarily an enemy of Supergirl. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Supergirl Villains category."

Advertisement