Everybody knows the story of Superman, but that doesn’t mean it still can’t surprise you. One of the biggest plot twists in recent memory came in James Gunn’s Superman when it was revealed that his birth parents had sent the Man of Steel to conquer the Earth. The comics decided to match the movies and introduce their own major plot twist, going all the way back to Superman’s origin. Superman Unlimited #5 has already been making waves by giving Superman a brand new power, but now it’s giving him an artifact that could completely change the game: a Kryptonian Sun Crystal.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Kryptonian Sun Crystals are highly advanced pieces of technology, storing near infinite amounts of data and able to create entire strongholds from nothing. Originally, Superman was launched to Earth with just one, which became the Fortress of Solitude, which tells you everything you need to know about how powerful these items are. It crashed down with the rest of the Kryptonite meteor outside Caldero, and the newly dubbed Kryptonite Kingdom seems intent on keeping it. So Superman ventured into the most dangerous place on Earth for Kryptonians.
A Treasure Hidden Inside Poison
Superman donned an anti-Kryptonite suit and flew to Caldero, where the people welcomed Superman with a parade. They love him for stopping the Kryptonite meteor from crushing Caldero and letting it land in their borders, elevating them to one of the most prosperous countries in the world. Superman met with the president and the local branch of the Daily Planet, letting them know that the evil cult Kobra was planning to steal the Sun Crystal. The president refused to hand it over to Superman, saying that any salvage that landed in their borders was rightfully Caldero’s, but agreed to help him find it before Kobra did.
In the mines, the Kobra cultists had already unearthed the crystal and went on the attack. Superman took a blow meant for the president, but tore his suit open, the Kryptonite in the area instantly bringing him down. The president chased after the cultist with the crystal and managed to recover it, but accidentally played a hidden message from Superman’s parents. Jor-El said that this crystal contained secrets discovered by the House of El, and they were meant only for Kal-El and his descendants.
The president realized Superman did have a legitimate claim to the crystal, and murdered the Kobra cultist to keep the secret so he could keep it for Caldero. He screamed that Caldero needed its secrets, that they deserved it after living in squalor for so long. Unfortunately for him, a Daily Planet reporter saw what he did. He tried to do the same to her, only to discover it was Lois Lane in disguise.
A Potential Second Fortress, and Something More
Kryptonian Sun Crystals are powerful enough on their own. Not only did one create Superman’s Fortress of Solitude and store the history of Krypton within it, but they’ve also been used to create deadly ships capable of traversing the universe and even produce an entire armory’s worth of defensive weapons. The one that Superman’s parents sent him promises to contain discoveries known only to the House of El, which have the potential to fundamentally change Superman’s arsenal once uncovered. The Els are the ones who created the technology that let Krypton access the Phantom Zone, which is dangerous enough on its own, so the secrets the Els chose to keep must have universe-warping consequences.
These secrets could be the keys to finally understanding the nature of Kryptonite, or even the new evolution of Superman’s powers and his immunity to it. They might even explain why this Kryptonite meteor arrived in Earth’s atmosphere while hidden from everyone, and covered in metal that shouldn’t exist for centuries. Beyond what it can teach its wielder, this crystal likely has the same potential for creating near infinite amounts of structural crystals as the others, meaning whoever uses it could even make their own Fortress of Solitude. The Fortress is one of the most defensive buildings in the universe, so anyone having access to one of their own is incredibly dangerous.
Altogether, this new Sun Crystal has the potential to change everything in Superman’s world, especially if the president of Caldero is so intent on keeping it for himself. What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Focus Features.
