Superman Names the Type of Kryptonite He Fears Most (and It’s Not Classic Green)

Notice! Spoilers ahead for Action Comics #1070!The green kryptonite angered Superman for years, but it’s nothing compared to a hue that has a much more dire effect on Kryptonians. As bad as classic irradiated rock is, its variants are capable of causing much more serious damage.

Kryptonite is, of course, the fragments of Clark Kent’s home planet of Krypton, which ended up becoming the Man of Steel’s greatest weakness. Several villains have used the iconic green stones to harm Clark and his fellow Kryptonians. But when a powerful threat from the Phantom Zone arrives in Metropolis, Superman must turn to the version of kryptonite he fears most.

Superman’s Ultimate Secret Weapon Is Golden Kryptonite

A powerful threat forces Superman to face his greatest fear

In Action Comics #1070 by Mark Waid, Clayton Henry, Matt Herms and Dave Sharpe, it’s been weeks since the heroes defeated Amanda Waller in Absolute power and the new and improved Fortress of Solitude stands proudly. But deep inside Superman’s base, the Phantom Zone projector begins to break down before releasing several Kryptonians. But this trio of Kryptonians fuse into one powerful, angry form as they head out into the world, and It doesn’t take long for Superman to detect the amalgamated threat terrorizing Metropolis..

Superman finally catches up with the escaped prisoners and discovers their horrible state. Although he tries to get them help, the trio goes crazy with grief and attacks Clark. His powers prove to be more than a match for Superman, although he is thankfully aided in the fight by his cousin, Supergirl. Realizing he can’t simply imprison the prisoners in the Phantom Zone again, Superman follows the only plan he can think of. Superman heads to the most isolated place on Earth when discussing the various shades of kryptonite.

As Superman searches for his secret weapon, he notes that while green kryptonite’s fatal potential and red kryptonite’s unpredictable nature are bad, they are at least temporary. The golden kryptonite, which is what Clark buried underground, can permanently de-energize a Kryptonian like Superman with just a tiny bit of exposure. Clark carefully takes the lead-lined container with the gold kryptonite with him, but mentions how the mere existence of the material deeply disturbs him. But Superman does what he must in hopes of defeating his powerful new enemy.

Golden Kryptonite Could End Superman Forever

Clark is right to fear the most dangerous kryptonite

Superman has been in the game for a long time and has been challenged by many villains who have used Kryptonite to their advantage (Lex Luthor, Metallo, Titano, and obviously the Kryptonite Man). But as bad as green kryptonite is, it’s not insurmountable for Clark to overcome. Yes, it causes him intense pain and weakens him considerably, but he almost always finds a way to survive. Even the red kryptonite, which transformed Superman, gave him new powers and even turned him into an ant-hybrid (seriously) are just minor inconveniences for the Man of Tomorrow.

But gold is a serious problem because it cannot be undone. Generally, whenever Clark or his powerful allies are exposed to green or red kryptonite, they are fine once they are out of proximity. But with Gold, it only takes a split second to take away the power of someone as powerful as Superman, and unlike the other variants, no amount of distance will help. Guaranteed, gold is an extremely rare variant and Superman has the only part on Earth. But the idea that Superman is holding on to something that could end his career as a hero is truly disturbing.

While it’s smart for Clark to keep an eye on the only golden kryptonite in existence, the logical thing to do would be to destroy it if it presents. what a great threat. But Superman can’t risk not having it when dealing with powerful threats like the trio of Kryptonian prisoners. So he really has no other chance but to keep him around. But this means it’s possible for an incredibly determined villain to get his hands on the golden kryptonite. And if that happened, they wouldn’t just be able to depower Superman, but all the good Kryptonians in the DCU.

Superman’s Worst Nightmare Could Occur With Golden Kryptonite Around

He should completely destroy his secret weapon

Superman just faced a world where he had no abilities Absolute power, and he should do his best to never let something like that happen again. Although golden kryptonite helped in this specific situation, Clark knows how dangerous this variant is and admitted how much it scares him. He also knows that it is not just him who is at risk, but all members of his family. If Clark is so afraid of golden kryptonite, he should take steps to destroy it instead of keeping it around. Otherwise, the thing Superman Fears more than anything can end up becoming a reality.

Action Comics #1070 is now available from DC Comics.