Why is Superman weak to Kryptonite? Man of Steel's biggest vulnerability explained

When it comes to the weaknesses of comic book heroes, Superman is the most iconic in a way. Having been dubbed the Man of Steel, there is hardly anything that can affect him. With an indestructible body, Supes is pretty much invulnerable to any threat. However, one small rock from space can cause him unimaginable pain.

Being a green and glowing rock, Kryptonite is Superman's biggest weakness. Clark Kent has lost many battles because of it, and the rock pretty much renders him useless in a battle. But why does that happen? That's a question that has hardly been explored, but there is still a pretty good explanation for it. So, let's take a look at how Kryptonite affects the Man of Tomorrow.

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How does Kryptonite make Superman weak?

The creation of Kryptonite itself is a fascinating story. It didn't originate in the comics, but was rather made for a radio serial called The Adventures of Superman that used to air back in the 1940s. When the voice actor for Man of Steel needed a vacation, the space rock was formed so that the actor could go on a leave for a while.

That was basically the inception of Kryptonite into Superman media, and ever since then, we have seen the concept grow more and more. But why does it affect him and how does it affect him? The science behind it has been rarerly explored; however, there is a good enough answer for this.

Going all the way back to the 2013 Man of Steel, the movie gave us a good explanation for the cause. While it didn't feature Kryptonite, the movie was still able to explain the science behind the Kryptonian's body pretty well.

When Kal-El entered Zod's ship, he would feel some changes in his body that would make him weaker than he was on Earth. That's because the ship had a Kryptonian atmosphere to it and essentially turned Clark into an everyday Joe. On Earth, he receives his powers due to the yellow sun; however, Kryptonite changes his physiology due to its Kryptonian origins.

It is essentially the only thing that is able to pierce Superman and cause him harm. Even staying close to it can cause him a lot of pain. Hence, making it one of his biggest weaknesses. While Clark does his best to prevent it and has made a lead-lined suit as well, there have been instances where other sources have hurt him pretty badly.

Clark is also vulnerable to magic. While not on the level of Kryptonite, magic can prove to be a huge issue for him. Characters like Black Adam, Doctor Fate, Shazam, Zatana and more have been quite a troublesome matchup for Supes.

Moreover, if he is exposed to a red sun, Superman can end up losing his powers as well. It works the same as Kryptonite since it strips him off all his powers and turns him into a normal human. So, it looks like its not just Kryptonite that can hurt Clark Kent, but a lot of different elements can also render him powerless.