Anybody ever read this theory about Kryptonite?

[RedSunOfKrypton]

I swiped this off the discussion page for Kryptonite on Wikipedia.

Another theory proposes that Kryptonite is actually an ordinary element that contains an unusual type of nucleon in addition to the usual protons and neutrons present in atomic nuclei. This hypothetical nucleon has been dubbed the krypton (lowercase, to distinguish it from the planet of the same name); atoms that contain them are said to have been kryptonized, and highly kryptonized atoms (such as those of Kryptonite) may be unstable and emit krypton particle radiation. The exact properties of kryptons and kryptonized atoms have not been studied in any sort of rigorous detail, but it is speculated that low levels of kryptonization in their tissues may be directly responsible for the unusual properties exhibited by Kryptonian natives in krypton-poor environments such as Earth. Krypton theory can account for many of the effects that different versions of Kryptonite have; for example, gold Kryptonite may contain high levels of antikryptons that dekryptonize any Kryptonians that are exposed to its antikrypton radiaton.

Under this theory, the transmutation of Earth's Kryptonite to iron may be explained by Kryptonite being kryptonized iron which returned to the form of ordinary iron when the kryptons were removed.

I thought it was pretty cool and worth sharing. Props to whoever wrote it.

[Captain Kal]

Yeah, I've seen that theory.  I believe it originated on Unca Cheek's website where he speculates about all kinds of comics stuff.  He also suggests that red K really acts on the psionic aspect of Kryptonian powers to make them into whatever they're subconsciously thinking about at that instant.

While the red K idea has some scant evidence supporting it in the books, the special nucleon theory of K doesn't.  I'd consider that baseless speculation until something in the books that supports it is published.

[Captain Kal]

I found the link to Unca Cheeks' article:
http://www.geocities.com/cheeksilver/quentin3.htm

See for yourself.

[RedSunOfKrypton]

Ah yes, Quentin "Cubist" Long. I corresponded with him a few times way back. Cool guy, pretty good writer.

[JulianPerez]

Yeah, I've seen that theory.  I believe it originated on Unca Cheek's website where he speculates about all kinds of comics stuff.  He also suggests that red K really acts on the psionic aspect of Kryptonian powers to make them into whatever they're subconsciously thinking about at that instant.

Here's something to bake the brain: if Unca Cheeks's theory is right, that Red Kryptonite turns thought into reality, what if Superman happened to be thinking about being immune to Red Kryptonite...WHEN exposed to Red Kryptonite?  :shock:

I don't know if I'd subscribe to that theory for three reasons:

1) If Red Kryptonite is able to do what it does because it transforms thought into reality, why would it exclusively affect living matter from Krypton? That is, what if Superman, while being exposed to Red K, is thinking about some bizarre fantasy about Cheetohs falling from the sky, wouldn't it be able to amplify his super-thoughts in that direction also? Why are all the changes in red Krypton personal - erasing memory, giving Superman a lightbulb shaped brain, etc.?

2) Superman must have a really messed up subconscious if all he thinks about is having giant ant heads, turning into a giant gorilla, or becoming an inflatable Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloon. Maybe losing his planet and his parents warped him a lot more than we thought.    I'm sure Supergirl thinks a lot about puppies and world peace; wouldn't Kara getting exposed to Red Kryptonite lead to world peace, or at least turn her into a puppy?

3) Red Kryptonite has fairly reliable properties. For instance, Superman keeps a chunk of Red Kryptonite in the fortress in lead foil, which allows him to shrink to tiny size. If it was based on transitory thoughts on the subconscious, it would not have this effect. Also, Superman and Supergirl have identical reactions to the same chunk of Red Kryptonite; if it was based on translating thoughts into reality, as both have different thoughts at that particular moment, wouldn't the pair turn into different things?

Ah yes, Quentin "Cubist" Long. I corresponded with him a few times way back. Cool guy, pretty good writer.

I've never emailed him, but anybody that's a fan of AMETHYST: PRINCESS OF GEMWORLD is okay by me. Though his constant harping about how "Crisis saved DC" and "DC is better than Marvel because Marvel has continuity" is really, really bothersome in otherwise readable articles.

[Captain Kal]

If he made himself immune to red K with red K, it would only affect other red K for the duraction of the temporary effects, I believe.  He still would be affected by that particular piece of red K. IMHO

Kryptonian powers evidently are focused on their physical forms for the most part.  They rarely manifest remotely to outside their bodies and even then it takes a conscious effort to do so (e.g. super-ventriloquism, X-ray vision, Heat vision).  Red K being limited to their bodies is consistent with how their powers usually manifest themselves.  It may be red K isn't as generic a psi amplifier as Cubist suggests but is more specific in its effects.

Supergirl has turned into an evil version of herself which isn't a good thing by definition, instead of a puppy.  Also, she tends to just ape what her more experienced cousin tells her.

Possibly the interaction with red K is two-way.  While it acts on psi impulses it also gets imprinted with a tendency to reproduce those effects on others afterwards.  Madigan suggested something like that with his X-kryptonite speculations.

In the end, it's all fun speculation but I don't really consider any of it canon until DC says so.

[JulianPerez]

Also, she tends to just ape what her more experienced cousin tells her.

Possibly. A "test case" that would prove Unca Cheek's theory or not would be if some Red Kryptonite was exposed to a Kryptonian form of life that was UNAWARE of its effects, and the effects of the Red Kryptonite would be identical as what happened to Superman or Supergirl.

I can't think of such a moment offhand, but it must exist somewhere.

Possibly the interaction with red K is two-way.  While it acts on psi impulses it also gets imprinted with a tendency to reproduce those effects on others afterwards.  Madigan suggested something like that with his X-kryptonite speculations.

If this is true, this may have some interesting permutations if Superman can "imprint" Red Kryptonite with their predictable effects. For instance, a type of Red Kryptonite that disguises Superman for 24 hours has uses that would make it very handy, or one that makes Superman giant would be helpful for certain types of monsters like the Flame Dragon. Perhaps one type of Red Kryptonite "poisons" Superman's powers with its red radioactivity, so that when the Parasite attempts to drain him, it only makes him weaker. Or alternatively, Superman growing a giant lightbulb brain can be helpful in many situations that call for superintelligence.

Another possibility is that if Red Kryptonite only affects Kryptonians, Red Kryptonite can be "imprinted" by Superman's enemies for all sorts of deadly effects.

I've often wondered how the serum Luthor used in "The Brainiac/Luthor Team" worked; generally, most things that affect Superman play on one of his weaknesses. Maybe Luthor got his hands on the Red Kryptonite that temporarily removed Superman's powers in that story where he loved a rodeo girl, and perhaps with his scientific knowhow, tinkered with it so that it also didn't drain his memory.

On the other hand, Superman's memory does appear addled slightly; for instance, he forgot all about the now OMNIPOTENT metal-eating mole in that first Brainiac story, and the premise of the Superbaby stories is that Superman lost most of his memory of his childhood on Krypton as a result of "exposure to kryptonite" (note that Superboy doesn't say WHICH Kryptonite) and he needed a memory device to recover them.

Here's a thought: is Superman's memory device used in the Superbaby stories possibly based on the Absorbascon? True, the Hawks hadn't come to earth yet, but it is likely Superman ventured to Thanagar, where the device was built and with his super-memory and brain, mastered the scientific principle, applying it to recovering knowledge of his past.

[llozymandias]

Kal invented his mind probing device when he was Superboy.  He based it on the kryptonian technology he studied.