Interesting thread! I would like to offer some ideas of my own, if I may.
Krypton:
My favorite depictions of Krypton are that of the 1977 movie and the post crisis 1986 Man of Steel versions. I like the idea of Krypton being an alien planet that was sterile and largely devoid of animal and plant life. I would depict Krypton as a dying planet, as the Kryptonians had tapped the natural resources of the planet and also their red sun, Rao. Rao is actually red due to both its age and the fact its power has been depleted further by the Kryptonian civilization, thus explaining why its power output is so low compared to a yellow sun. In the far distant past, Krypton was not unlike Earth, but towards the end, much of its flora and fauna had been destroyed by radiation emitted by Krypton's core. This created a harsh environment on Krypton, which forced the Kryptonians to genetically engineer and modify their genetic code, in order to adapt to their harsh environment.
Kryptonians:
One of the things that has always bothered me about Superman, is that he is essentially an alien humanoid that receives powers from sunlight, and is able to fight gods to a standstill. Divine beings like Darkeid, Zeus, or even Wonder Woman (a demigod), should be able to out ant out kill Superman with ease. Also, since it seems magic is commonplace int he DC, any magical or supernatural being should also be able to kill superman. By all rights, superman should be a mid level hero, but for his long history, and favored status in DC. I would not try to re-adjust superman to be more mid level, but rather, try to present explanations why Superman can hang with such beings, and why he is so powerful.
I would first start with changing the background of the Kryptonians, somewhat. I would introduce something very similar to the Kardashev Scale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kardashev_scale), as an explanation. All gods and demigods in the DCU would actually be classified under this scale.
Members of Type 1 (ranging from 1.0, the low end to 1.9, the high end) civilizations in this context would be highly evolved humanoid beings that posses powers and technology that to humans, appear divine, but compared to more highly evolved beings, like Type 2 or higher, are not. A Type 1 civilization would be one that has complete mastery of their planet, can manipulate nature, possess near immortality (though they can be killed), great intellect, and possess highly advanced technology and powers. An example of a Type 1 civilization is that of Earth's original civilization, which are what humans know as gods, which includes the Olympian gods and Titans. Regardless of pantheon, they are all actually part of the same civilization, however, they can be considered a failing civilization as they no longer are able to reproduce, except for "Sky Father" level gods, like Zeus, Darkseid, or High Father. Type 1 level civilizations are able to travel space, but are either limited to their own solar system, or have the capability of going beyond it, but have no interest in doing so. In some cases, some Type 1 beings who are of supernatural origin, such as demons, spirits, and some gods, are tied to their native planet and cannot travel beyond it. Type 1 beings on the higher end include most gods, demons, devils, angels and can manipulate life, and cause it to evolve faster (IE manipulate DNA of primates-like creatures to evolve into humanoids far faster than if it had occurred naturally) but do not have the ability to actually create it from nothing (similar to Lorian from Babylon 5). Most superheroes and villains would be either on the cusp of Type 1 level of power and intellect.
Modern day humans, by comparison, would barely be a Type 0.25 civilization based on this scale. Type 2 civilizations would be capable of mastery of an entire solar system, interstellar flight
Type 2 civilizations (similarly ranging from 2.0 to 2.9, low and high ends of the spectrum), are capable of all that type 1 can do, but at levels that are orders of magnitude greater, on the higher end of the spectrum. On the low end of the spectrum, a Type 2 being is comparable to a Skyfather level god, on the high end, much greater. Oans might be considered on the higher end of Type 2. Unlike some Type 1 beings, Type 2 beings are not tied to their native planet, and have complete mastery of their solar system. They can travel across the galaxy, possess powers greater than Type 1 beings, can manipulate the laws of physics and time. Superman Prime 1 million, for example, could be considered Type 2. Type 2 is able to be killed, but it is very difficult to do, and generally speaking, only another Type 2 can do it, with few exceptions, like a very high level type 1 being.
Type 3 beings are the highest order. They are capable of all that Types 1& 2 beings are capable of, and more. They have complete mastery over the universe, can travel to other dimensions or realities, and some of the highest levels of Type 3 beings are said to be capable of creating universes, manipulate time, etc. These beings are pure energy, and rarely encountered or bother themselves with the affairs of Type 2 or lower. A being at the highest level of Type 3 would be what humans know as the biblical GOD, lower levels being on part with avatars or saints.
Kryptonian civilization would be one of the oldest civilizations in the known galaxy, and it would be revealed that at one point, Kryptonians were space faring, and had a number of colonies throughout its solar system, and in other close by star systems in its distant past tens of thousands of years before Krypton was destroyed, which formed an empire. Most Kryptonians were at that time militaristic and believed they were a superior race. During this period of expansion, it was discovered that Kryptonians exhibited greater power levels under yellow suns. Widespread hubris caused by their pride in their technology and new found powers, led Kryptonians to take it upon themselves to conquer other planets and spread their civilization. This empire took place before Kryptonians started modifying their genetic code further, so at that time, Kryptonians were not as powerful under the yellow sun as they became, but powerful enough to exhibit powers that caused an even older, Type 3 civilization to take note of Kryptonian expansion.
When the Kryptonians started using even more brutal methods of conquest, this Type 3 civilization intervened and fought a war that wiped out most of the Kryptonian colonies. Survivors who surrendered were relocated back to Krypton, where this unknown Type 3 civilization forced the Kryptonians to remain only on Krypton or its moons to inhibit their powers under the red sun, until that civilization was satisfied Kryptonians had changed their ways and desires for conquest. This confinement was imposed by setting up satellites around Krypton and its colony moons to destroy any Kryptonian ship attempting to leave Krypton or its moons, with travel only permitted between the planet and moons.
The Type 3 civilization was largely successful in relocating Kryptonian colonists back to Krypton, except for one case. During the sterilization of one Kryptonian colony under a yellow sun, Nova Argos (named in honor of Argo City), a small group of Kryptonians escaped in a colony ship prior to the destruction of the colony, unbeknownst to the type 3 civilization. This group of Kryptonians traveled a great distance to another planet, Daxam, under a red sun. The planet was livable but harsh, and had flora and fauna, and a small, primitive humanoid civilization. Seeing this as a second chance and assuming all other colonies and Krypton itself was destroyed, this group of Kryptonians made a home of their new found planet and intermarried with the native culture (creating a new, hybrid race, the Daxamites), adopted a xenophobic attitude, and imposed policies preventing Daxamites from leaving Daxam. Over time, the Daxamites lost records of their Kryptonian heritage, but Kryptonian DNA survived through the new hybrid Daxamite race. Daxamites, as a result, still retained similar powers as Kryptonians, and over time due to the harsh Daxam environment, evolved naturally to nearly the same level Kryptonians had evolved to through genetic engineering thousands of years later.
Kryptonian genetics:
In the case of Kryptonians, as a civilization, and people, they would be a Type 1.9999 people, on the verge of evolving to Type 2. Kryptonian technology was one of the most advanced technologies in the known galaxy, on par with Oans. Also, as with classic Superman mythos, Kryptonian physiology had evolved naturally under a red sun that allowed their cells to supercharge under a yellow sun. This evolution was further enhanced by Kryptonian genetic engineering and incorporation of birthing matrices, to survive the increasingly harsher Kryptonian environment. This directly resulted in Kryptonians speeding up their evolution process, in order to survive Krypton's harsh environment, instead of leaving Krypton becase Kryptonians were prohibited from leaving the Rao system. The byproduct of this artificially induced evolution resulted in all Kryptonians, being able to receive power from yellow suns at even greater levels. One important difference is that after they started manipulating their DNA, Kryptonians did have limited powers under red suns, making them naturally more powerful than humans (IE they have abilities that equate to about 5 times that of a human of similar build) granting the average Kryptonian a minor superhero level of power, under the red sun. In other words, Kryptonians were powerful, but not nearly at their full potential, while under a red sun. This is because like in the Man of Steel movie, however, because Krypton's sun, Rao, was a dying red giant, its radiation did not "supercharge" a Kryptonian cells, like a yellow sun does. However, counter-intuitively blue and white stars, though younger than yellow stars, do not provide an even greater level of power to Kryptonians, as those stars have not matured enough to create the necessary radiation to supercharge a Kryptonian's cells. At best, a Kryptonian can expect the same power level as if under a red sun, which is to say they lose their Superman level of power, but still remain more powerful than a human.
When exposed to a yellow sun, Kryptonians are at their full potential, and receive a power that is on par with Earth gods. However, Superman is no ordinary Kryptonian, but one that was genetically modified further by his father, Jor El. This explains why not only Superman, as most Kryptonians, are at a power level of an Earth god, but why Superman is the most powerful of all known Kryptonians (that is unless there are other Kryptonians that also exist, that were also modified, like Hel, Doomsday, or Kryptonian clones). This also explains why Superman is more powerful than most other superheroes, or at least on par with them when those beings should actually be more powerful than Superman (IE Wonder Woman, Shazam, Martian Manhunter, etc). The way Superman's genetics are modified is by the maturation chamber within the birthing matrix, within the rocket that brings him to Earth. Realizing that Kal El was going to need to be able to survive on his own, that Earth was similar to ancient Krypton and needed someone to help prevent Earth from making the same mistakes Krpton made, Jor El programmed the birthing matrix to further enhance Kal El's DNA. This gives Superman roughly 3 times the power level of a typical Kryptonian under a yellow sun, making Superman super not only among humans, but also other Kryptonians.
Superman's Powers:
Superman, and other Kryptonians, under yellow suns would exhibit all of the classic powers: super strength, flight, super speed, invulnerability, xray vision, heat vision,etc. His power levels would basically be about that of the modern era, so no planet juggling. That said, Superman would be the strongest, most invulnerable hero on Earth, bar none. More powerful than Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Shazam, Black Adam, etc, though each of them would be able to hold their own. Superman could hold his own against Skyfather level gods, like Zeus, Dark Side, Orion, and High Father, with the ultimate outcome uncertain and dependent on the actual circumstances of the fight..
Log in to comment