Superman’s Biggest Weaknesses, Explained

When it comes to Super herosThere is no hero more famous and greater than SupermanWhile comic book heroes like The Shadow and The Phantom preceded him, Superman is seen as the first superhero in comic books and created an entire archetype and genre of stories. In the 86 years since his publication, Superman has been endowed with such incredible powers that many have found it difficult to empathize with the character. Unlike mortal heroes like Batman and Iron Man, Superman seems almost invulnerable to limitless power.

However, writers and artists have introduced many weaknesses into the Man of Steel over the years. While they have given him enemies that can physically equal his strength, like Doomsday or Bizarro, there are also plenty of weaknesses that Superman has that can be exploited by his enemies (Lex Luthor) and sometimes his friends (Batman).

Although Superman is considered to be extremely powerful, he actually has more exploitable weaknesses than more powerful heroes like Thor or the Hulk. Here are Superman's six most significant weaknesses.

6 His super senses and mental abilities can be exploited.

Superman has advanced senses, including X-ray vision and super-hearing. While these abilities are incredibly powerful, they also have their drawbacks. Superman's X-ray vision can see through anything except lead, which is often used to protect and conceal Kryptonite.

Meanwhile, his super hearing ability may allow him to hear crimes happening from all over the world, but it can also be exploited with sonic attacks that can leave him stunned. This has been hinted at in man of steel When Clark Kent's super hearing first began to emerge as a young boy, and when General Zod was first exposed to Earth's yellow sunlight, his senses began to overwhelm him.

Superman's mind can also be exploited and manipulated. From Joker's venom in Injustice: Gods Among Usmaking him believe he is fighting Doomsday, to Brainiac or Darkseid who bend Superman's mind to serve him. His mental powers are powerful, but even Superman has limits that can take a symbol of hope and turn it into a weapon of mass destruction.

5 red sun

Superman is a native of Krypton, coming from a planet orbiting a red sun. His powers only began to emerge when the child Kal-El from Krypton arrived on Earth and was exposed to Earth's yellow sun.

Kryptonians like Superman, Supergirl, and General Zod only have their powers near Earth, as Kryptonians on their own planet have no powers. Thanks to the high gravity on Krypton, with Earth's gravity being lighter, Kryptonians can fly and have super strength. This means that when Superman is exposed to the red sun on Earth, he can lose his powers.

Red Sun in the Media

This has been highlighted several times in the media. Superman and LoisThe United States military manages to detain Kryptonian criminal Tal Ro in Red Sun's prison cell. Meanwhile, man of steelWhen Superman boards General Zod's ship, the ship is set to the atmosphere of his native Krypton, leaving him without his powers but also incredibly vulnerable because his body is not used to them. While it's not a common weakness, it's one that Superman has to take into account.

4 Radiation (with problem)

One reason why the red sun's energy hurts Superman is the radiation element. While Superman is usually immune to most forms of radiation, and his powers come from absorbing the yellow rays of Earth's sun, there have been some exceptions.

It was most prominent in Frank Miller's book The Dark Knight Returnswhere Superman was exposed to an atomic bomb and only survived by absorbing solar radiation from nearby plants. This element was adapted into Zack Snyder's film Batman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeWhere a nuclear missile hits Superman and Doomsday, and he is similarly drained until he is hit by Earth's yellow sun.

poorly defined weakness

Superman has a fascinating relationship with radiation, especially atomic energy. Superman IV: The Quest for PeaceHe manages to convince all the countries of the world to give up their nuclear warheads, and throws them into the sun. He then fights Nuclear Man, a creation of Lex Luthor, who is a symbol of Superman fighting the embodiment of nuclear energy.

In many ways, the nuclear radiation from the atomic bomb seems like a special twist in the story, as Superman's powers come from some form of radiation exposure. Unlike the other weaknesses on this list, this is a special instance that only slows him down for a short time and doesn't seem to hurt him significantly for long.

3 Charm

One of Superman's main weaknesses, which isn't often talked about, is magic. Superman is not weakened by magic the way he is by kryptonite; he doesn't suddenly lose his powers or become mortal (though the right spell might). He is not immune to magic, and thus, is harmed by it in the same way that anyone else would be.

Because of this, characters with superpowers that derive their powers from magical sources, such as Shazam or Wonder Woman, can come face to face with him in battle and weaken or even defeat him.

Magic is the great equalizer.

Superman's lack of defense against magic is why one of his greatest enemies is the fifth-dimensional demon, Mr. Mxyzptlk. Heroes like Zatanna, Dr. Fate, and John Constantine are also capable of posing a threat to Superman if need be. While bullets may bounce off Superman, magic does not and can hurt him in a way that a physical punch never could.

2 His loved ones

One of Superman's greatest strengths is also one of his greatest weaknesses: his heart. While Superman may not be able to withstand physical harm, one way villains have harmed him is by stalking him emotionally and putting his loved ones in harm's way.

One of the most famous examples is when the Joker tricked Superman into killing Lois Lane and his pregnant wife in Injustice: Gods Among Uswhich broke Superman's heart to the point where he became an evil dictator, or during the “Brainiac” storyline where Brainiac fired a missile at the Kent family farm causing Jonathan Kent to have a heart attack and die.

The whole fight is in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice The film revolves around Lex Luthor kidnapping Superman's mother, Martha Kent, and forcing him to fight Batman. Superman Returns In this video game, instead of the traditional health bar, the game developers decided to make Superman invincible while Metropolis has a damage meter, and if too much damage is done to the city, the player loses the game.

Love is weakness and strength

The idea that Superman's loved ones are a weakness is controversial. While his desire to keep them safe is a big part of his character and part of the reason he has a secret identity, it would be a mistake for fans to assume that these bonds are weaknesses and that Superman would be better off without them.

As recently shown on My Adventures with SupermanHis love for Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and his family is what gives Superman the strength to keep fighting and overcome Brainiac's mind control. His enemies may try to exploit the love he shares with people, but in the end it's that love that makes him so strong.

1 Kryptonite

This massive creature is so well known that the word Kryptonite has become synonymous with an unusual weakness that can be exploited. While there are many different colors of Kryptonite and their unique effects, the most famous is green, which emits a specific radiation that is toxic to Kryptonians, and prolonged exposure to it can kill them.

The rock is a radioactive piece of the planet Krypton and has been used as a power source for villains like Lex Luthor or Metallo, and in the show Smallville, It may give ordinary people powers.

The Secret Origins of Kryptonite

Kryptonite is such an integral part of the Superman mythos that one would think it had been around all along. Not only was it not present in the original stories, it wasn't even introduced in the comics. Kryptonite was introduced in the radio series Superman AdventuresIn the story “The Meteor from Krypton,” which aired in June 1943, five years after Superman's first appearance in Action Comics #1.

While one might assume that Kryptonite was introduced as a way to give a powerful character like Superman a weakness in order to create more drama, this was only part of the story.

Another reason this idea was introduced was to give Superman's voice actor, Bud Collier, the ability to take time off, since during the Kryptonite stories, Superman would be incapacitated. Superman's greatest weaknesses, which were the basis for many of the stories, were created to fit the actor's production schedule.

Want to know more about Superman? Watch our interview with My Adventures with Superman Creative team to learn more about season 2.