Superman possesses a set of extraordinary powers that make him nigh-invincible, but his Kryptonian biology leaves him vulnerable to a substance that can weaken him dramatically. Kryptonite originates from the remains of his home planet, and its effects have repeatedly placed him in serious danger. Even a hero capable of facing world-ending threats can struggle when exposed to its radiation.
Across DC Comics, Kryptonite has been used in traps, weapons, and carefully planned schemes designed to exploit Superman’s greatest weakness. These encounters have left him largely depowered and weakened, endangering him greatly and resulting in some disastrous situations. They left a huge impact on the Man of Steel, and these few stand out as the worst cases ever.
10
Ra’s al Ghul Used Batman’s Red Kryptonite Against Superman
Ra’s al Ghul is a centuries-old strategist who commands the League of Assassins and pursues his vision of saving Earth through ruthless methods. In JLA , part of the Tower of Babel arc, he steals Batman’s secret contingency plans and uses them to attack the Justice League, including a prepared assault against Superman.
Ra’s daughter Talia deploys synthetic red Kryptonite based on Batman’s research, causing Superman’s skin to become transparent and his body to absorb excessive solar energy. The radiation left him in severe pain and unable to function normally, causing excruciating sensory overload unique to the new type of Kryptonite Batman developed.
9
Metallo’s Kryptonite Radiation Nearly Crippled Superman
Metallo is a cyborg criminal whose artificial body is powered by a Kryptonite heart, giving him a direct means of exploiting Superman’s greatest vulnerability. In Superman , the Man of Steel tracked the cyborg to the Metropolis Natural History Museum, where Metallo fired radiation from his chest and escaped with more Kryptonite for his own purposes.
Their confrontation continued into underground caverns, where Metallo’s Kryptonite beam and nearby fragments steadily weakened Superman until he lay close to death. Water dripping from the cavern ceiling revived him enough to reach an underground river, whose current carried him away from the radioactive fragments before Metallo could claim his heart.
8
Green Arrow’s Kryptonite Arrow Helped Batman Overpower Superman
In The Dark Knight Returns , the American government sent Superman to apprehend Batman after the aging vigilante restored order in Gotham. Bruce prepared for their meeting in Crime Alley wearing a powered exoskeleton, while Oliver Queen, the former Green Arrow, supported his old ally. Though retired and missing an arm, Oliver remained a vital comrade in the confrontation ahead.
Superman gradually overwhelmed Batman’s armor, forcing Bruce to rely on Oliver’s arrow tipped with synthetic Kryptonite. The arrow weakened Superman enough for Batman to overpower him, turning the tide of the battle comprehensively. As Superman was already weakened due to a nuclear blast prior, this could have proved fatal had Batman not resorted to different tactics to end the encounter.
7
Kryptonite-X Overloaded Superman’s Powers
When Cyborg Superman unleashed green Kryptonite against the still-recovering hero in Superman , the Eradicator absorbed the attack to shield him. The radiation nevertheless passed through the Eradicator and reached Superman in a changed state, restoring his depleted powers instead of killing him at the climax of their final confrontation.
The apparent recovery produced a separate crisis, as Kryptonite-X accelerated Superman’s solar absorption until his strength and physical size began increasing uncontrollably at an alarming rate. Professor Emil Hamilton identified the altered substance as the source of Superman’s escalating abilities and warned they could fatally overwhelm him if left unchecked.
6
The A.R.G.U.S. Kryptonite Chamber
At the A.R.G.U.S. archive in Hawaii, Superman risked exposure to its Kryptonite reserve in hopes of regaining his lost abilities. Mutated cells had stopped him from absorbing solar energy, so he believed radiation might destroy the damaged layer and let healthy cells work again. Steve Trevor accompanied him into the restricted facility, where the agency stored its sizeable Kryptonite reserve.
As expected, Superman was incapacitated immediately when the Kryptonite reserve was opened, and this could have resulted in an even worse outcome. Luckily, he sensed a resurgence of power soon enough, and exposed himself further to the radioactive rock so he could get strong enough to face the attacking Puzzler.
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Kryptonite Shards Embedded in Superman’s Face
In Action Comics , an accident involving Dr. Norton’s experimental atom generator left Superman with tiny green Kryptonite particles embedded in his forehead. Believing himself invulnerable, Superman had carried the malfunctioning device into the stratosphere to make sure it couldn’t hurt anyone else. What he didn’t know, however, was that the explosion would create shards of Kryptonite.
The particles scarred and disfigured his face so severely that he could no longer appear in public without a mask or another covering. Although the damage did not paralyze him, the visible marks fueled public speculation and threatened to expose the secret identity he had worked so hard to protect.
4
Black Kryptonite Corrupted Superman and Jon Kent
In The Batman Who Laughs , the story of Earth-22 shows how Batman’s transformation into a murderous figure threatens the entire Justice League. After killing the Joker, Bruce Wayne was infected by the villain’s toxin, lost his moral restraint, and began murdering his former allies across the world without mercy.
At the Justice League Watchtower, the Batman Who Laughs used a modified piece of Black Kryptonite as his final weapon against Superman and his young son Jon. Its influence drove both Kryptonians into a murderous frenzy, leading them to attack Lois Lane before father and son eventually turned on each other.
3
Getting Impaled With a Kryptonite Spear
During the Warworld Saga in Action Comics , Superman and the Authority finally confronted Mongul and his champions on Warworld itself. Warworld’s generators emitted red-sun radiation, steadily draining Superman’s strength while the fighting devastated his team. Even so, he continued battling Mongul as the Authority struggled against the ruler’s powerful forces.
After Lia Nelson, known as Lightray, was killed in battle, Superman rushed to her side as she tried to reassure him that Warworld’s people could still be freed. Mongul seized the moment, driving a Kryptonite spear through Superman’s chest while he remained weakened by the planet’s radiation and still distracted by grief.
2
Lex Luthor’s Kryptonite Deathtrap
In The Death of Superman! from Superman , Lex Luthor appears to reform after discovering Element Z, which he uses to develop a cure for cancer. Superman believes the redemption is genuine, supports Luthor’s parole, and even helps establish an orbital laboratory where he can continue his scientific work safely.
Luthor’s apparent reform is a ruse, and he lures Superman to the satellite before activating a Kryptonite ray hidden behind lead-lined covers. He restrains the weakened hero with Kryptonite bands and forces Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White to watch as the radiation intensifies, ultimately killing Superman in this alternate-world tale.
1
Superman Permanently Surrenders His Powers With Gold Kryptonite
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In Action Comics , Superman’s final confrontation with Mr. Mxyzptlk ends with the imp’s death after Superman traps him between dimensions using the Phantom Zone projector. Though Superman protects the survivors at the Fortress of Solitude, he is shaken by having taken a life, violating the principle that has guided his heroism for years.
Rather than continue as Superman, he enters a chamber containing Gold Kryptonite and knowingly surrenders his abilities as penance for killing Mxyzptlk. The world believes he perished in the Arctic, but the closing scene reveals him living quietly as Jordan Elliot with Lois and their young son in a settled family life.
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