Explain Kryptonite.

[The Curmudgeon]

It's staggeringly good writing that even 70 or whatever years later, Superman's origin still remains fairly logical and believable. Krypton, Kal-El, Jor-El etc all still sound good, intelligent names (instead of Zarkor or Astromous or something hokey like that). Even now, the premise is sound.

But I just don't GET the whole logic behind Kryptonite.

So this is part of their planet, yes? And it kills Superman if he's exposed to it for a lengthy amount of time, but it instantly zaps his powers and leaves him helpless, struggling to breathe (certainly in Smallville anyway).

So.. wouldn't they all be dead on their planet in the first place? If Kryptonite kills Supes, how could he and his people survive on the planet? I could understand if Kryptonite merely reduced him to our level of powers, (his powers becoming magnified by the Sun and all that), but it actually KILLS him.

Anyone care to clear that one up?

[trashcanman]

This is just my idea, but I figured it was the interaction between the yellow sun and it's effects on Kryptonian physiology and the kryptonite itself that creates the sapping effect on Superman. Just my own nerdy rationalization, no comic issue or anything to point to.

[InvisibleWolfMan]

Actually, Kryptonite is a product not of the comic books but the radio show. You see, every so often it was "vacation time" for staff...including the lead vocal actors. They were perplexed how to solve the problem of the voice of Superman suddenly having a different tonality and expression. It was wisely settled upon that pieces of his home planet which made their way to Earth affected him greatly...thus explaining the vocal difference.

The comic book guys liked it, and began to change it around. Different colors did different things to him. I'm sure we've all picked up a Superman comic or at least have seen either SUPERMAN III or SMALLVILLE so I'm not gonna bother with a recap of colors here.

The main idea is that being around it makes him "normal" like us, which raises the logic of how a body reacts on a different planet with different properties. Also, it can be assumed that the explosion that destroyed his home planet left high levels of radiation on the pieces remaining of Krypton...thus leading to exposure and killing him. ;D