The legend began in the last years of the second millennium anno Domini with a birth not of this Earth. That child was Kal-El of Krypton, the sole survivor of a cataclysm that destroyed one of the most advanced and ancient civilizations in the galaxy. Kal-El was raised as a normal human child by the Kansas farmers Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent. It was their love and care that would transform one of the world's most powerful individuals from the product of a cold alien civilization into one of the most noble and charismatic men alive. Under the Earth-name of Clark Kent he was a reporter for the Metropolis Daily Planet where he worked with his future wife Lois Lane. Kal-El is however more widely known by the name, Superman.
It was as the costumed "super-hero" Superman (an identity designed to preserve his privacy as Clark Kent and to protect his adopted family) that Kal-El had his biggest impact. He was the leader of Earth's superhuman (and often much of the human) community and served as the role model that all subsequent heroes were measured by. In his career he saved the world from the threats of interstellar invasion, natural disaster and the continued activities of a cadre of "super-villains" (including the original, the early Bizarros and the sentient anti-sun Solaris). During this time Superman rose to the height of his activities, married his beloved Lois Lane, served as leader to the Justice League and acted as mentor to a new generation of heroes.
The vast Kryptonian powers that served to make him Superman also made Kal-El essentially immortal. He would watch as he out lived his parents, then his friends and then even his wife Lois. Still serving as the world's foremost champion he began to slow as the sadness of the losses began to mount. Legend then tells how close to the end of the twenty first century Superman Prime (as history will remember Kal-El) passed the responsibilities of being Superman to his heir, Superman Secundus, and created the Superman Dynasty. Then one day he left Earth.
The Return
His travels lasted from the 21st Century, and ended somewhere at the turn of the 700th Century. During his travels, he acquired vast abilities and skills from across the universe. When he returned he forged a covenant with his descendants, he would bestow upon them a small fraction of his power as long as they served for truth and justice. After the covenant he left and returned into his fortress of solitude in the center of the Super Sun.
When Solaris fired what he thought was the Knight Fragment at the Sun in order to kill Superman Prime, the Green Lantern retrieved a DNA sample from Solaris' core which had been placed there when he was constructed, starting a supernova reaction in Solaris' core. The Green Lantern then attempted to contain the explosion with his power ring. He was joined by Kal Kent who used his force vision to contain the explosion. Superman Prime suddenly reappeared from the sun after fifteen thousand years of absorbing solar energy and crushed the tyrant sun once and for all with the Green Lantern ring that Solaris had inadvertently given to him.
The time he spent in the sun magnified his already great power to presumably infinite levels. His strength and other countless abilities he gained also rose to unknown levels from the time he spent in the sun.
In the aftermath of Solaris' destruction a lot was revealed about Superman Prime's hibernation in the Super Sun. During this period, he had been waiting for Solaris' attempt on his life because he had foreknowledge of the events thanks to his time-traveling younger self. He knew about the DNA sample in Solaris' core and, with the help of Lzyxm Ltpkz (the Superman of the Fifth Dimension) and Hourman, used it to his advantage and, in the process, resurrected his beloved Lois Lane. After what seemed to him like an eternity, he had retreated into the sun to await her return and now a Silver Lois Lane and a Golden Superman Prime were reunited. In all the time since her death, life had held little meaning or warmth for him, but now Superman Prime felt he was complete once more.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, The average Kryptonian possesses the potential for the following power set:
Solar Energy Absorption: Under optimal conditions, this is the main source of their super powers as they are contingent upon exposure to solar radiation from a yellow sun star system. Their 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 their 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: Kryptonians can, as a conscious act, fire beams of intense heat at a target by looking at it. Typically, the power is seen as two beams of red light emanating from the eyes. These beams can be made invisible, allowing the power to be undetectable. The maximum temperature of their heat vision is said to be around that of a nuclear detonation. They can also consciously determine the area affected, down to the microscopic level.
Super-Hearing: Kryptonian hearing is sensitive enough to hear any sound at any volume or pitch. With skill, practice, and concentration, they can block out ambient sounds to focus on a specific source or frequency. As such, they can identify a person by their heartbeat, or pick out a single voice in an entire city.
Enhanced Vision: Kryptonian 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: Kryptonians can see well into most of the electromagnetic spectrum. They can see and identify radio and television signals as well as all other broadcast or transmitted frequencies. Using this ability, they can avoid detection by radar or satellite monitoring methods. This also allows them 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. Kryptonians can see things behind a solid, opaque object as if it were not there. They 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: Kryptonians can see with better acuity in darkness, and to a degree in total darkness.
Flight: Kryptonians are able to manipulate graviton particles, in an unknown and apparently unconscious manner, to defy the forces of gravity. Under one Earth gravity, they are capable of speeds of multi-Mach speeds in Earth's atmosphere. Their control of their flight is very precise and they can perform aerobatic feats such as hovering, flying backwards and even lifting great weights while flying.
Invulnerability: The bodies of Kryptonians are nigh-invulnerable to extreme energy forces. In addition, their immune systems protects them from toxins and diseases. The most common explanations for this rely on the presences of a super-dense molecular structure, a supercharged bio-electric aura which acts as an invisible force field, or a combination of the two. A byproduct of the aura is that items close to the skin share their invulnerability. Using clothing as an example, loose fitting fabric would tend to shred or burn in adverse conditions, but skin tight outfits would not.
Superhuman Stamina:: Kryptonians have the ability to maintain continuous strenuous physical action for an indefinite period of time. In theory they have unlimited stamina as their enhanced nourishment is produced from the yellow solar energy their cells process, which also provides the majority of the power for their superhuman abilities. However, their base physical structures do need to process food stuffs and they have a psychological need to eat and drink just as Earth humans do. They also require sleep on occasion so that they can dream. They can also hold their breath for an indefinite period of time.
Superhuman Strength: A Kryptonian develops enhanced physical strength after absorbing a sufficient amount of yellow solar radiation. This radiation interacts with the greater than human density, resilience and biological efficiency of their musculature to trigger superhuman levels. While the exact magnitude of their strength is unknown, it is generally accepted that it is sufficient to lift 100,000 tons or more. The specific range is unknown as a their strength, like their other powers, may fluctuate over time. Their strength is also more an act of conscious will on energy fields than actual physical strength. It is this act of conscious will that enables them 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. At full power, their normal strength levels are well into the multi-megaton range.
Superhuman Speed:: Kryptonians are able to move at incredible speeds by sheer force of will. They can match most other speedsters in super-fast movements, reactions, and processes. They can use this power to disarm opponents without heightened reflexes, catch bullets or shrapnel or cross vast distances in seconds. This also confers:
Super-Breath: Kryptonians are able to create hurricane force winds by exhaling air from their lungs. They can chill the air as it leaves their lungs to freeze targets in a variation sometimes called "freeze" or "arctic breath". They can also reverse the process and pull large volumes of air or vapor into their lungs.
Longevity: Kryptonians can live longer than regular humans, remaining at their prime as long as they was under the exposure of the "yellow" sun.
Superman Prime is also known as the Last Son of Krypton, as well as the Golden God.
Superman Prime, at one point, held the last known Green Lantern Ring.
Because of the extensive time, effort and experimentation given to Superman throughout his life he achieved an incredible level of power, effectively making him a 'god' and easily one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe.
Superman Family member This character is or was an incarnation of or an ally of Superman, and a member of the Superman Family. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Superman Family members" category.
Daily Planet Staff member This character is or was an emplyee of the Daily Planet, a daily newspaper based in Metropolis. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Daily Planet Staff members" category.
This character is or was a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from both interstellar and domestic threats. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice League of America members" category.
