Origin

In most of their incarnations Kryptonians have been displayed as a very technologically advanced race though their space program was extremely limited. In most of their incarnations they also didn't display any superpowers. Their red sun Rao suppressed the superhuman potential that the Kryptonians had. Very few Kryptonians survived the destruction of Krypton. Most of the survivors ended up on the planet Earth. Their numbers have been largely increased by clones, humans who have been spliced with Kryptonian DNA, and alternate reality counterparts from different Kryptons. Recently however, Kal-El was able to rescue the true Kryptonian city of Kandor from Brainiac. With a total of 100,000 Kryptonians rescued and set up on Earth, the future for the species is looking brighter than it has in ages.

In the future of Earth Prime it had shown that Kryptonian survivors have populated the isolationist planet of Rokyn in a red sun solar system.

Krypton had a great civilization based on a planet whose ecosystem and very energies were self-destructive. On their own planet, the Kryptonians were nothing like humanity and crystal life populated the forests. The Kryptonian bodies were as flawed as their planet was. Because of a religious taboo against leaving their home-world, only a few Kryptonians left the homeworld before Krypton was dying as their planet.

On Earth, the Kryptonian bodies would cure themselves of any disease. They would also gain powers that they never dreamed of on Krypton. The Kryptonians may look similar to humans, but their DNA is entirely different, as shown when Cadmus cloned Superman to create Superboy; they could not create a true clone, and instead created a human facsimile.

Powers

The Kryptonians also display many powers similar to Superman. These powers include:

• Solar Energy Absorption

Under optimal conditions, this is the main source of Superman'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.

• • Solar Flare

The ability to immediately expel all stored solar energy in one gigantic burst of explosive force. This however may leave them weakened.

• • Heat Vision

Able to produce rays of extreme heat from their eyes, but it drains their solar radiation faster than other abilities.

• Flight

The Kryptonians were able to alter their gravity when charged with yellow sun radiation. However, they couldn't fly on Krypton, due to the radiation from their red sun suppressing their powers, and they experience the same effect on other planets with red suns.

• Super strength

Kryptonians show incredible strength, being able to lift more than 1,000 tons. I would like to make this clear that not all Kryptonians are the same. It depends how much solar energy they process.

• Super speed

Kryptonians can travel faster than a speeding bullet. Although they aren't fast like all speedsters. They are still very fast, and increase their speed thru absorbing more solar radiation.

• • Intangibility: can vibrate their molecules at superspeed in order to move through solid objects.
  • Invisibility: can also vibrate so fast that light does not reflect off them, rendering them invisible.

• Super Hearing

The ability to hear any sound at any volume or pitch. The only Earth creature who can detect sounds at the frequency they can is a blue whale (0.01-200,000 Hz).

• Super Stamina

Can survive in the deep reaches of space. They don't need to sleep, eat or drink. Their body cells are powered by yellow solar radiation.

• X-Ray Vision

The ability to see through anything except lead.

• Microscopic vision

Kryptonians can see anything microscopic.

• Telescopic vision

Kryptonians have the ability to see far distances. They can also see throughout the galaxy without using a telescope. It wasn't mentioned how far they can see, through.

• Super-Breath

Kryptonians can create whirlwinds due to their massive lung capacity by forcefully exhaling.

• Invulnerability

Kryptonians' mass is much denser than human mass which makes them nigh invulnerable. It is due to a bio-electric aura. Think of it as telekinesis. It increases if the Kryptonians absorb more solar radiation. They are weak against Kryptonite and vulnerable to magic.

• Ice Breath

Kryptonians have the ability to freeze any object or person by blowing, which is similar to Super Breath.

• Longevity

The Earth's yellow sun radiation allows any Kryptonian to live longer than a normal human being. They are, however, not immortal, meaning they age slower than a human does.

• Healing Factor

Even if they are somehow injured, they have a rapid healing factor.

• Photographic Memory

Kryptonians can read a book at high speeds and are able to remember every exact detail that is printed in said book.

Weaknesses

The Kryptonians also have weaknesses such as the exposure to various forms of Kryptonite, magic, high sound frequency, and advanced weaponry such as the gravity gun and other types of technology. These weaknesses include:

• Kryptonite

Various forms of Kryptonite can affect the physiology of Kryptonians. Green Kryptonite can affect the Kryptonians and gives them pain. The green Kryptonite acts like a radiation exposure that can kill a Kryptonian in long periods of time. Red Kryptonite can remove the inhibitions of Kryptonians which would make them dangerous. It can also affect the Kryptonian's actions while they are using their powers. Clark Kent was seen using red Kryptonite in various forms of TV and movies where he becomes the bad guy and his actions couldn't be controlled. However, it wasn't mentioned that a red Kryptonite can affect the bad Kryptonians such as General Zod and Ursa. Blue Kryptonite can strip off the Kryptonians' powers temporarily. The blue kryptonite also acts as a radiation exposure that can affect Superman's imperfect clone, Bizarro. Black Kryptonite is used to split a personality from a Kryptonian or a human. In Smallville, the black Kryptonite was used on Clark that tries to separate him and Kal-El. Gold Kryptonite can be used to damage a Kryptonian even though it can kill them. This was mentioned in Smallville episode, Luthor where Earth-2 Lex used the gold Kryptonite to brand an L-scar in Clark Luthor's arm. The gold Kryptonite can also strip off Kryptonian's powers permanently. The silver Kryptonite can cause the Kryptonians to have hallucinations. Although, this form of Kryptonite didn't exist in the comics, it was only mentioned in the Smallville series where Clark experiences hallucinations thinking that everyone is turning against him. Gold Kryptonite is far more dangerous. It destroys the Kryptonian's solar absorbing cells, and leaves forever powerless.

• Magic

Various forms of magic can affect the Kryptonians. Including Black Adam and Captain Marvel's magic powers.

• Advanced Technology

Gravity guns can be developed to change the gravity of Kryptonians which causes their weight to slow down. Sonic weapons or devices can also cause a Kryptonian great pain, making their ears to bleed. There is also Kryptonian technology that can remove their powers as seen in the Superman 2 movie when Clark wanted to become a normal human being.

• Solar Power

Kryptonians gains part of their power from the Earth's yellow sun. If deprived of all Sun light or are placed within the vicinity of a Red sun, the Kryptonians lose all of their powers.

• Psionics

Kryptonians are highly vulnerable to mental infraction, such as telepathic attack or telekinetic transmogrification.

Physiology

The Kryptonians' physiology were entirely different from humans even though they look human. Due to the affects of the Earth's yellow sun, the Kryptonians became like Gods having various powers. However, it wasn't mentioned that a Kryptonian and an Earth woman could have a child since their physiology weren't compatible. This incompatible physiology was mentioned in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman TV series when Dr. Klein told Superman that he couldn't have kids. But the Kryptonians can use a blue Kryptonite shard that can strip off their powers so that it's possible for either a male or female Kryptonian to have a child with a human.

The Kryptonians also have a longer lifespan than a normal Human. If the Kryptonians' powers were taken away, they would age and grow older as a normal human being would. The Kryptonians never had powers when they lived on Krypton due to their red sun.

Locations

These are the locations where the Kryptonians used to live or get imprisoned.

Krypton

Krypton is a distant planet which orbits a red sun. Before its destruction, it was home to a great civilization which boasted advanced science and technology. In many versions of the story, it was either barren or icy, and often the home to huge crystals and crystalline structures. Krypton had many strange creatures like glass-eaters and beautiful landscapes that simply don't exist on other worlds. The planet was destroyed late in its life due to internal pressures.

Krypton has changed completely over the years while retaining many elements from its past. It is the homeworld of Superman, but also to Supergirl, Krypto and other Kryptonians. Unfortunately, the destruction of the planet also created Kryptonite, radioactive chunks of the planet which are deadly to all Kryptonians.

Argo City

Argo City is the name of a prominent Kryptonian city, home to Zor-El and his wife Alura, as well as their daughter Kara. When Krypton was destroyed, Argo was one of two cities to survive its destruction. The other being Kandor, which was shrunken and abducted prior to the planet's destruction.

Argo was flung into space on a solid chunk of the planet which miraculously remained intact. The inhabitants began to attempt to survive, using their still-working machines to produce food and oxygen. However, the chain reaction that had destroyed Krypton had also done molecular changes to the rock which they were stuck on. It began to slowly transform into Kryptonite, which was poisoning the population. Zor-El managed to send his daughter to Earth before everyone died.

Kandor

Kandor is a city on the planet Krypton, prior to the planet's destruction. It was one of Krypton's largest and most important cities, until it was shrunken and abducted by the villainous Brainiac. In the Smallville TV series, Kandor was mentioned by Kara as she was trying to find the lost city herself.

Phantom Zone

The Phantom Zone is a pocket dimension used by Kryptonians. It was originally discovered by Jor-El and used by the Kryptonian Council as a prison for corrupted Kryptonians and other alien races. Although the Phantom Zone zone is a barren wasteland, the prisoners will never get old or die. They can also watch the events of the outside world from the Phantom Zone.

Fortress of Solitude

The home and headquarters of Superman and sometimes the Justice League. Most of the time, Superman operates alone and gains guidance through the spirit of his dead father, Jor-El.

Technology

Kryptonian technology and architecture was mostly based on giant self-grown crystals which were very common on their planet and could be used to store information. These structures might have been natural or artificial, or a combination of both. Kryptonian technology was so advanced, that they had the potential to download inscriptions (including all of their knowledge) onto the very electrons of their ships and metals.

Culture

The Kryptonians had two primary culture traits: science and warriorism. The political powers on the planet were governed by a council of scientists and warriors (but mostly scientists). Each noble Kryptonian family (or "House") was symbolized by particular symbols which resemble Earth's alphabetical letters (such as "S" for El or "Z" for Zod). The red dwarf star, Rao of Krypton's planetary system was worshiped as a god, but in a more scientific manner than Earth's spiritual religions.

Kryptonian dogs were kept as pets by the Kryptonian people, much like Earth dogs are kept as pets by humans. The Kryptonians were a very xenophobic race that hardly ever left their homeworld, making Kal-El (a.k.a. Superman) the only Kryptonian left when the planet exploded.

Enemies

Kryptonians were somewhat of a self-promoting and -indulging race and were willing to utilize lethal force to take valuables from other worlds. The planet Dheron, the fifth planet from Krypton's red sun, was one such planet. Every twenty years, the planets were at war over each other's treasures. In an act of revenge, the two races disabled each other's star travel abilities.

The Dheronians view themselves as the natural enemies of Kryptonians and are partially responsible both for the destruction of Krypton and the near-extermination of the Kryptonian race.

Daxamites

Daxamites are an alien race from the planet Daxam. Their planet, like Krypton, orbits a red sun called Valor and like Kryptonians, Daxamites will gain superpowers when living under a yellow sun. In fact, their powers and abilities are nearly identical to those of Kryptonians. The only difference being that they have no weakness to Kryptonite, and instead are severely weak to Lead. Daxamites are an off-shoot of the Kryptonians. Modern Daxamites are the descendants of an indigenous humanoid race with the Kryptonian colonists.

Mon-El is a member of the Daxamite race.