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Description
Full Table of Contents

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Section Outline:

B. Settings
3. Krypton
i. Destruction
ii. The Phantom Zone
iii. Significant Residents
a. Jor-El (now deceased) and Lara Lor-Van (now deceased)
b. Zor-El (now deceased) and Alura In-Ze (now deceased)
iv. Kryptonian Powers and Weaknesses
v. Kryptonite
a. Green Kryptonite
b. Red Kryptonite
c. Blue Kryptonite
4. The Fortress of Solitude
i. Significant Contents
a. Alien Zoo
(i). Krypto, the “Superdog”
(ii). Starro
(iii.) Black Mercy
b. The (Model) Bottled City of Kandor
c. Portal to the Phantom Zone
d. Armory of Confiscated Weaponry
e. Statue of Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van
5. National City
i. Structures and Landmarks
a. Catco. Worldwide Media
b. Lord Technologies
ii. Significant Residents
a. Cat Grant
b. Maxwell Lord
c. Lucy Lane

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Section Contents:

Metropolis, Smallville, National City, and Krypton
B. Settings
3. Krypton – a former planet in a galaxy far from Earth and the birthplace of Superman and Supergirl. Krypton once orbited the Red Sun of Rao and was home to the human-like Kryptonian race for millennia up until the planet’s destruction. Krypton was a highly advanced planet. Arts and scientists flourished and Kryptonian technology was some of the most advanced in the known Galaxy. But as advanced as it was, Krypton was also highly flawed. Over the centuries, Kryptonian society had grown cold and reclusive. While there was little crime and war on Krypton itself towards the end of the planet’s life, the Kryptonian people were highly bigoted towards outside species and secluded themselves from the rest of the galaxy, deeply resenting all other alien races. And despite all their political, scientific, and artistic advancement, the Kryptonian people were deeply detached from their emotions by the time of the planet’s destruction. Krypton was regulated by three bodies: (1) a Grand Political Council which oversaw all matters of Kryptonian importance and established all laws, (2) a Grand Judicial Council which oversaw the sentencing of deviants and the enactment of laws, and (3) the AI system, Brainiac, which regulated information storage and distribution throughout the planet.
i. Destruction – Krypton’s destruction was long-coming and preventable. In the pursuit of scientific advancement, Kryptonians had tapped into the planet’s radioactive core as a source of seemingly limitless energy. Oceans were polluted and ecosystems depleted. Few Kryptonians concerned themselves with the environment (or with questioning the status quo of Kryptonian society in general), so few noticed or cared about the rapid depletion of Krypton’s environment. The scientist Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the rare exception to this rule who dedicated his life towards reversing the wasteful practices of the Kryptonians. Jor-El and his wife, Lara, repeatedly campaigned and fought to alter Kryptonian lifestyle in order to ensure the future of their planet. And though they had a few minor successes, Jor-El learned soon after the birth of his son that Krypton was beyond saving. The scientist theorized that Krypton’s core had gone nuclear due to the strain of its energy being siphoned by Kryptonians. Jor-El brought this information to the Grant Political Council and speculated that Krypton would be destroyed within a year, if even that long, and that Kryptonians had to find a means of evacuating the planet to preserve the race. But because of the Council’s denial of their wasteful nature and Jor-El’s lacking of strong enough evidence, the Council brushed off Jor-El’s warning and reiterated their forbidding of space travel and exploration. Jor-El continued to attempt to warn Kryptonians of their impending demise, but was ignored by everybody. Eventually, Jor-El learned that Krypton had even less time than he had originally thought, and stopped his attempts to save the entire race and set about saving his son, Kal-El. Krypton exploded in a nuclear blast from the planet’s core. The blast also destroyed Krypton’s nearby moon and the Red Sun Rao. The complicated chain reaction from the explosion mixed with the radiation from Rao created the radioactive substance Green Kryptonite from the remnants of Krypton. Ironically, these minerals – the last remnants of the destroyed planet – are now deadly when exposed to surviving Kryptonians due to the centuries or waste perpetrated by the Kryptonian race.
ii. The Phantom Zone – an alternate “pocket” dimension discovered by the Kryptonians. The Phantom Zone is effectively a tear in the fabric of the universe that leads to a massive world of nothingness where time stands still and beings trapped inside remain cognizant but do not age. The Kryptonians utilized the Phantom Zone as a prison and the harshest sentence a criminal can be issued (as Krypton did not have a death penalty). Imprisonment in the Phantom Zone was typically reserved for only the harshest of criminals and traitors since prolonged time in the nothing world was considered maddening. Kryptonians used the Phantom Zone very sparingly, and rarely sentenced Kryptonians there except in extreme cases (such as that of General Zod and his followers). Kryptonians did sentence non-Kryptonian invaders to the Phantom Zone quite often as a reflection of the race’s bigotry and desire to remain apart from the rest of the universe. The Phantom Zone is inescapable from the inside, and one can only be released from the dimension by an outside force from the main universe. A being can exist in the Phantom Zone forever because the body does not age while imprisoned there nor does it require sustenance of any sort.
iii. Significant Residents
a. Jor-El (now deceased) and Lara Lor-Van (now deceased) – the biological parents of Kal-El/Superman. Both were well-respected Kryptonian scientists, with Jor-El’s emphasis being in environmental research and Lara’s emphasis being in space exploration and astronomy. Jor-El and Lara were an anomalous couple among their species, which over the centuries had grown cold and detached in their interpersonal relationships. The couple truly loved, valued, and respected one another and they both sought to affect real change in their society which had, in their opinions, made miraculous achievements in science, arts, and politics at the cost of their souls and compassion. Unfortunately, Jor-El’s and Lara’s quest proved to be futile when Jor-El discovered that Krypton’s destruction was imminent. He attempted to bring this knowledge to the public, presenting it before a high political council, but was brushed off and dubbed a “crackpot”. Jor-El took to the streets, warning Kryptonians that they needed to take immediate precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones. These outbursts cost Jor-El his professional reputation and swayed nobody. Jor-El and Lara quickly realized that Krypton’s destruction could not be prevented, and that they needed to use the little time they had left to ensure the safety of their newborn son: Kal-El. They worked quickly to design a rocket that would take Kal-El to safety and spare him the fate of his race. Lara provided the primary technical expertise for designing the escape pod and selecting a suitable planet as a new home for her child while Jor-El raced to construct the pod itself from Lara’s designs. The couple were forced to perform this act in secret due to Krypton’s strict regulation over space travel and exploration. Shortly before the planet’s destruction, the couple’s plans were discovered, and they were forced to complete their work in hiding. They had originally intended to construct a pod that would save all three members of the House of El, but due to restrictions on resources and time they were only able to create a pod suitable for their infant son. Jor-El and Lara sent Kal-El to Earth shortly before Krypton’s destruction and spent their last moments together praying for the safety and well-being of their son.
b. Zor-El (now deceased) and Alura In-Ze (now deceased) – the biological parents of Kara Zor-El/Supergirl. Zor-El was a Kryptonian scientist and the brother of Superman’s father, Jor-El, while Alura was a Kryptonian judge responsible for sentencing a great many criminals to prison and to the Phantom Zone, including General Zod. The two raised Kara for the first sixteen years of her life. Though they were good people, they were somewhat cold and distant which left Kara feeling somewhat lonely throughout her childhood. Zor-El and Jor-El became somewhat estranged when Zor-El was initially dismissive over Jor-El’s theory that Krypton’s destruction was imminent. This estrangement quickly grew to become outright resentment when Jor-El’s reputation deteriorated, dragging Zor-El’s with it. Only days before the planet’s destruction, new evidence came to light revealing to Zor-El that his brother was, in fact, right. As a familial courtesy, though it was too late to save the planet or its population, Jor-El urged Zor-El that is was not too late to save Kara and gave his brother the schematics for the pod that he was building for Kal-El. Zor-El raced to build a similar pod for his daughter and completed it only moments before Krypton’s destruction. The two said their quick tear-filled goodbyes to Kara and instructed her to watch over Kal-El and to be a better, more trusting, and kinder person than they were. They were both killed in Krypton’s explosion moments later.
iv. Kryptonian Powers and Weaknesses – Kryptonians receive their powers from exposure to a Yellow Sun’s rays. Krypton orbited a Red Sun, the rays from which actively inhibited the alien species’ potential for extraordinary abilities. And because of Kryptonian culture’s general disapproval of far space travel, few Kryptonians ever actually learned about their potential abilities before the planet’s destruction.
a. Standard Kryptonian powers from exposure to Yellow Sun rays include: super strength, super speed, heat vision, X-ray vision, ice breath, near-invulnerabilities, enhanced hearing, and telescopic vision.
b. Standard Kryptonian weaknesses include:
(i.) Exposure to Red Sun rays which render Kryptonians powerless and with the strength and speed of normal humans.
(ii.) A vulnerabilities to Magical attacks. Kryptonians resist most natural and scientific onslaught, but have an acute weakness to supernatural-based attacks.
(iii.) Dependency on oxygen. Interestingly, Kryptonians need to breath in much the same was as normal humans. A Kryptonian who has been exposed to the rays of a Yellow Sun will not die from lack of oxygen, but risk falling into a coma if oxygen cannot reach the brain. It should be noted that Kryptonians (even unpowered) have a great lung capacity that average humans. A depowered (i.e. Red Sun) Kryptonian can likely hold his/her breath for an average of two to three minutes, while a powered (i.e. Yellow Sun) Kryptonian can likely hold his/her breath for an average of seven to ten minutes.
(iv.) Exposure to Kryptonite substances (see next section)
v. Kryptonite – a variety of radioactive minerals that have bizarre effects on Kryptonians. half-Kryptonians, such as Conner Kent/Superboy, are also affected by Kryptonite, but to a lesser extent than full-Kryptonians such as Clark Kent/Superman and Kara Kent/Supergirl.
a. Green Kryptonite – the only known natural occurring Kryptonite. Green Kryptonite are radioactive fragments of the planet Krypton. These rocks were made during Krypton’s destruction as a result of the nuclear explosion that destroyed the planet. The composition of Kryptonite is deeply complex, with nuclear elements that partially mimic the radiation from Rao (Krypton’s Red Sun). Green Kryptonite radiation is very dangerous for Kryptonians and prolonged exposure can weaken and even kill a Kryptonian. The rock generally has no effect on humans, but prolonged direct exposure can have a variety of adverse effects on human physiology and health. Kryptonite is rare, and have been found sporadically in various locations around the universe. However, a few plentiful deposits of Kryptonite can be found around Smallville and surrounding towns. These deposits were likely brought to Earth in large groups caught in the same trajectory as the pod that brought Kal-El to Smallville.
b. Red Kryptonite – a Kryptonite variant accidentally created when Maxwell Lord attempted to artificially create Green Kryptonite as a precaution against Superman and Supergirl. Unfortunately, Lord was unable to mimic the complex structure of Green Kryptonite and instead fashioned a drastically different compound. The radiation from Red Kryptonite affects Kryptonians on a psychological level, removing their inhibitions and restraints. Prolonged exposure to Red Kryptonite can render a Kryptonian completely amoral and very dangerous.
c. Blue Kryptonite – another synthetic Kryptonite substitute. Blue Kryptonite was created by Doctor Emil Hamilton to weaken Bizarro. When it was discovered that Green Kryptonite did not affect the failed clone, Superman theorized that if Kryptonite was given a reversed ionic charge it might harm Bizarro, being that he as the apparent “opposite” of Superman.
4. The Fortress of Solitude – Superman’s secret base in the Arctic constructed by a combination of Kryptonian technology and Superman himself. The Fortress was first constructed shortly after Clark graduated from High School. In his Kryptonian rocket was a small device with the instructions for Clark to take it somewhere far from prying eyes and that he would be able to speak with his biological father. Clark ran to the Arctic and activated the device, which rapidly constructed an underground Fortress beneath the ice and allowed Clark to communicate with a recording of his father, Jor-El. Clark spent several months in isolation in the Fortress, learning about his Kryptonian heritage, Krypton’s culture and destruction, and the Kryptonian language. After he exhausted the recording, Clark returned to civilization with a newfound understanding of himself. Throughout his college years, Clark would retreat to the Fortress whenever he needed time alone or time to reflect in private. The sanctuary was jokingly dubbed Clark’s “Fortress of Solitude” by Jonathan Kent when Clark first brought his adoptive parents to visit the Fortress. Over the years, Clark has slowly expanded and refurbished the Fortress, creating a resource facility similar to the Batcave that houses some of his greatest souvenirs and treasures. Today, the Fortress of Solitude still remains as a place that Clark and his family can retreat to when needed, and also houses a great many alien treasures and creatures.
i. Significant Contents
a. Alien Zoo – Superman keeps a zoo of non-sentient alien life in his fortress. Most of the creatures that exist there are the last of their kind who have no planet or ecosystem to return to. Some are considered highly dangerous (such as the Black Mercy) and kept by Clark because he does not want to kill the creature (endangering the continued existence of the species) but does not want to risk it harming anybody else. Many of the creatures in the Alien Zoo were acquired during a battle with the alien known as the Preserver who would kill off the entire race of an alien species and then imprison one remaining member for his personal collection. Clark freed the sentient beings that the Preserver had accumulated and created a sanctuary for the non-sentient creatures with nowhere else to go.
(i). Krypto, the “Superdog” – an alien creature that closely resembles a white Earth dog. Krypto’s planet of origin is unknown, but Superman believes the creature to be the last of its kind. It first made its way to Metropolis by chance, having been caught in a Boom Tube that Superman used to return to Earth after being stranded on a planet near Metropolis. Krypto was startled by the city around him, and began rampaging. Superman managed to stop and calm the dog, taking him to the Arctic so that he might train it in isolation. He named the dog Krypto and gave the dog free roam of the Fortress of Solitude, hoping to keep him somewhere that he would not accidentally hurt humans. Krypto looks and acts like an ordinary dog, but has significantly enhanced strength and invulnerability. The dog’s strength rivals Superman’s himself. And while he is far from completely invulnerable, Krypto can withstand far more pain than most alien creatures. Krypto cannot fly, but utilizes his super strength to leap great distances in a manner that can resemble flight. Superman rarely takes Krypto out of the Fortress of Solitude due to the danger the wild animal could cause to humans, but routinely visits and cares for Krypto in the Fortress.
(ii). Starro – a purple starfish-like creature with mind-controlling capabilities. Though Starro itself is non-sentient, it will practice mind control as a defense mechanism if another being approaches it. A psychic connection with Starro can easy control the creature and utilize it as an amplifier for telepathy and mind control. Starro’s mind-controlling capabilities are some of the most powerful in the known universe, and the creature has been known to even affect other telepathic races, such as Martians. Starro’s telepathic capabilities are tactile, however, and it can only exercise control when physically attached to its subject.
(iii.) Black Mercy – a parasitic plant-like creature that can induce comatose hallucinations in even the most powerful of beings. Black Mercy renders its host unconscious and completely unresponsive to the world by inducing a hallucination of the host’s idyllic, perfect life while it slowly feeds on the host’s energy. The Black Mercy, in some cultures, is viewed as a benevolent end because the host dies after experiencing a perfect world in his or her hallucination. Superman was very famously infected with Black Mercy by Mongul and shown a vision of a Krypton that never exploded and a marriage to Loana (a hybrid of his two greatest loves, Lois Lane and Lana Lang). Black Mercy is a rare plant. Their origin is unknown, but Superman keeps one specimen in his Fortress of Solitude as a sobering reminder of its hold on him and the experience of having to lose Krypton – and his perfect life – again.
b. The (Model) Bottled City of Kandor – [COMING SOON]
c. Portal to the Phantom Zone – Superman stores one portal to the Phantom Zone in the Fortress of Solitude. The portal resembles a shattered mirror fragment and was acquired during Clark’s first fight with General Zod. He kept the portal as a precaution in case he ever needed to make his way into the Phantom Zone for any reason. However, because the Phantom Zone is so large and empty, Clark has yet to actually use this portal for fear of getting lost in the expanse.
d. Armory of Confiscated Weaponry – much like his alien zoo, Clark has made prominent display of various forms of alien weaponry from his myriad encounters with alien life over the years. He keeps the weaponry both for research purposes and as a means of preserving alien cultures which, like Kryptonian culture, could be destroyed at any moment and left with no trace.
e. Statue of Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van – enormous marble statues built by Clark with Lana Lang’s artistic assistance to commemorate Clark’s birth parents. The large statue rests at the entrance to the Fortress and is the first thing one sees upon entering.
5. National City – a small burgeoning city in Kansas. National City is only one-hundred miles away from Smallville, and is the current home to Kara Kent/Supergirl. National City is only recently urbanized as part of a joint initiative between Lord Technologies and Catco. Worldwide Media, the CEOs of which noted that growth potential of the location. After several years living on the Kent Farm with Martha Kent and acting as a fledgling hero in Smallville and its surrounding towns, Kara Kent/Supergirl decided to establish herself as a protector of the newly constructed National City.
i. Structures and Landmarks
a. Catco. Worldwide Media – a media conglomerate founded and managed by journalist Cat Grant. Catco. Worldwide Media originated in Metropolis, but quickly relocated to Coast City to avoid competition with the Daily Planet. The company gained its footing and notoriety in Coast City before finally finding a home in National City. Alongside Lord Technologies, Catco generates a great deal of revenue and tourism for the newly constructed National City and is in large part responsible for stimulating the economy of the fledgling city that its CEO helped finance the construction of. Catco reports on all forms of news (local, national, worldwide, and extraterrestrial) through all forms of media (newspaper, television, online).
b. Lord Technologies – a technologies manufacturing company founded and run by millionaire Maxwell Lord. Lord Technologies prides itself on innovative and varied technological applications that cannot be found in any other companies. The company’s products range from unique brands of cell phones and laptops to telepathy inhibitors and (flawed) metahuman detectors. The companies’ tagline is “For better or for worse, the world has changed drastically and overnight. So we must change with it. And it’s our job to provide the resources and technologies to allow everyday Americans to keep up in an out of control universe.” Alongside Catco. Worldwide Media, Lord Technologies generates much revenue and tourism for the newly constructed National City. Lord Technologies is privately funded and supervised, and had been rumored to have made a great many enemies both inside and outside the US government.
ii. Significant Residents
a. Cat Grant – a forty-something year old media mogul and the CEO of Catco. Worldwide Media. Cat Grant began her journalism career as a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet who was routinely disrespected and overlooked by Perry White. Over the years, Cat fought her way through the ranks, eventually becoming a well-known journalist and later a television reporter. Once she amassed enough fame and fortune, Cat created Catco in order to create “new” media, utilizing the latest technologies to tell all kinds of news without the bigotry and biases of traditional media outlets (biases she had experienced first-hand throughout her career as a female reporter in a male-dominated profession). Cat’s rise to stardom continued when she relocated her company from Metropolis to Coast City, where it remained for several years. Eventually, Cat saw the opportunity to finance the construction of National City as an opportunity to expand her brand and to create millions of new jobs and homes. After National City’s construction, Cat quickly adopted Supergirl as Catco’s “property” and made it her mission to properly “market” the hero as National City’s Superman equivalent. Although Cat often comes off as a no-nonsense and ruthless woman, she is a truly caring woman. And while she seldom admits it, her endorsement of Supergirl comes in large part because the young hero inspires the weathered journalist with her optimism and kindness. Today, Cat is one of the most wealthy, well-connected, and powerful women in the world. She employs Kara Kent as her intern and assistant and is an avid supporter of Supergirl, not knowing that the two women are one and the same.
b. Maxwell Lord – the businessman, technological genius, and millionaire CEO and founder of Lord Technologies. Maxwell Lord is a former employee and later-business partner of Lex Luthor. At a young age, Maxwell lost both of his parents in a lab explosion at the government research building at which they worked. The explosion was deemed the result of poor safety guidelines within the highly regulated facility. Because of their deaths, Maxwell is very critical of government, and often makes a point of criticizing the secrecy and invasiveness of big government. During his time in Metropolis and with Lex Luthor, Maxwell learned to fear aliens as well. Much of Maxwell’s issues with aliens stem from the same fears he has concerning the US government. Maxwell very firmly believes that no individual or entity should hold an exorbitant amount of power that leaves the common man powerless. Because of this, Maxwell was horrified by Superman when he first emerged in Metropolis and even went as far as to aid Lex Luthor in his attempts to defame and even destroy Superman. Lord was arrested on a few occasions for conspiring against Superman and was a known adversary of the hero for a great many years. However, Lord eventually realized that Lex Luthor represented the very same power-hungry enemy that Lord hated. The two had a falling out, and Lord was forced to reevaluate his life. In an attempt to alleviate his guilt at having associated himself with Lex, Maxwell partnered with Cat Grant in financing the construction of National City, hoping to help create something rather than aiding in destroying. Unfortunately for the millionaire, it didn’t take long after the city’s construction for Supergirl to make the city her home. Lord felt violated and terrified by Supergirl’s presence in the city, and took several steps to investigate and study the Kryptonian in order to even the balance of power. Though Maxwell was careful not to make the same mistakes as Lex, his efforts to study Supergirl were often morally gray and put many people – including Supergirl – at risk. Over time, Maxwell has slowly grown to respect Supergirl to an extent. He is still highly critical of her and believes that it is important to take precautions against the massive amount of power she possesses. But he is no longer an outright villain seeking the destruction of Supergirl. Maxwell Lord is aware of the secret identities of both Clark and Kara, having discovered them while investigating Kara.
c. Lucy Lane – [COMING SOON]

Description
Full Table of Contents

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Section Outline:

B. Settings
3. Krypton
i. Destruction
ii. The Phantom Zone
iii. Significant Residents
a. Jor-El (now deceased) and Lara Lor-Van (now deceased)
b. Zor-El (now deceased) and Alura In-Ze (now deceased)
iv. Kryptonian Powers and Weaknesses
v. Kryptonite
a. Green Kryptonite
b. Red Kryptonite
c. Blue Kryptonite
4. The Fortress of Solitude
i. Significant Contents
a. Alien Zoo
(i). Krypto, the “Superdog”
(ii). Starro
(iii.) Black Mercy
b. The (Model) Bottled City of Kandor
c. Portal to the Phantom Zone
d. Armory of Confiscated Weaponry
e. Statue of Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van
5. National City
i. Structures and Landmarks
a. Catco. Worldwide Media
b. Lord Technologies
ii. Significant Residents
a. Cat Grant
b. Maxwell Lord
c. Lucy Lane

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Section Contents:

Metropolis, Smallville, National City, and Krypton
B. Settings
3. Krypton – a former planet in a galaxy far from Earth and the birthplace of Superman and Supergirl. Krypton once orbited the Red Sun of Rao and was home to the human-like Kryptonian race for millennia up until the planet’s destruction. Krypton was a highly advanced planet. Arts and scientists flourished and Kryptonian technology was some of the most advanced in the known Galaxy. But as advanced as it was, Krypton was also highly flawed. Over the centuries, Kryptonian society had grown cold and reclusive. While there was little crime and war on Krypton itself towards the end of the planet’s life, the Kryptonian people were highly bigoted towards outside species and secluded themselves from the rest of the galaxy, deeply resenting all other alien races. And despite all their political, scientific, and artistic advancement, the Kryptonian people were deeply detached from their emotions by the time of the planet’s destruction. Krypton was regulated by three bodies: (1) a Grand Political Council which oversaw all matters of Kryptonian importance and established all laws, (2) a Grand Judicial Council which oversaw the sentencing of deviants and the enactment of laws, and (3) the AI system, Brainiac, which regulated information storage and distribution throughout the planet.
i. Destruction – Krypton’s destruction was long-coming and preventable. In the pursuit of scientific advancement, Kryptonians had tapped into the planet’s radioactive core as a source of seemingly limitless energy. Oceans were polluted and ecosystems depleted. Few Kryptonians concerned themselves with the environment (or with questioning the status quo of Kryptonian society in general), so few noticed or cared about the rapid depletion of Krypton’s environment. The scientist Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the rare exception to this rule who dedicated his life towards reversing the wasteful practices of the Kryptonians. Jor-El and his wife, Lara, repeatedly campaigned and fought to alter Kryptonian lifestyle in order to ensure the future of their planet. And though they had a few minor successes, Jor-El learned soon after the birth of his son that Krypton was beyond saving. The scientist theorized that Krypton’s core had gone nuclear due to the strain of its energy being siphoned by Kryptonians. Jor-El brought this information to the Grant Political Council and speculated that Krypton would be destroyed within a year, if even that long, and that Kryptonians had to find a means of evacuating the planet to preserve the race. But because of the Council’s denial of their wasteful nature and Jor-El’s lacking of strong enough evidence, the Council brushed off Jor-El’s warning and reiterated their forbidding of space travel and exploration. Jor-El continued to attempt to warn Kryptonians of their impending demise, but was ignored by everybody. Eventually, Jor-El learned that Krypton had even less time than he had originally thought, and stopped his attempts to save the entire race and set about saving his son, Kal-El. Krypton exploded in a nuclear blast from the planet’s core. The blast also destroyed Krypton’s nearby moon and the Red Sun Rao. The complicated chain reaction from the explosion mixed with the radiation from Rao created the radioactive substance Green Kryptonite from the remnants of Krypton. Ironically, these minerals – the last remnants of the destroyed planet – are now deadly when exposed to surviving Kryptonians due to the centuries or waste perpetrated by the Kryptonian race.
ii. The Phantom Zone – an alternate “pocket” dimension discovered by the Kryptonians. The Phantom Zone is effectively a tear in the fabric of the universe that leads to a massive world of nothingness where time stands still and beings trapped inside remain cognizant but do not age. The Kryptonians utilized the Phantom Zone as a prison and the harshest sentence a criminal can be issued (as Krypton did not have a death penalty). Imprisonment in the Phantom Zone was typically reserved for only the harshest of criminals and traitors since prolonged time in the nothing world was considered maddening. Kryptonians used the Phantom Zone very sparingly, and rarely sentenced Kryptonians there except in extreme cases (such as that of General Zod and his followers). Kryptonians did sentence non-Kryptonian invaders to the Phantom Zone quite often as a reflection of the race’s bigotry and desire to remain apart from the rest of the universe. The Phantom Zone is inescapable from the inside, and one can only be released from the dimension by an outside force from the main universe. A being can exist in the Phantom Zone forever because the body does not age while imprisoned there nor does it require sustenance of any sort.
iii. Significant Residents
a. Jor-El (now deceased) and Lara Lor-Van (now deceased) – the biological parents of Kal-El/Superman. Both were well-respected Kryptonian scientists, with Jor-El’s emphasis being in environmental research and Lara’s emphasis being in space exploration and astronomy. Jor-El and Lara were an anomalous couple among their species, which over the centuries had grown cold and detached in their interpersonal relationships. The couple truly loved, valued, and respected one another and they both sought to affect real change in their society which had, in their opinions, made miraculous achievements in science, arts, and politics at the cost of their souls and compassion. Unfortunately, Jor-El’s and Lara’s quest proved to be futile when Jor-El discovered that Krypton’s destruction was imminent. He attempted to bring this knowledge to the public, presenting it before a high political council, but was brushed off and dubbed a “crackpot”. Jor-El took to the streets, warning Kryptonians that they needed to take immediate precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones. These outbursts cost Jor-El his professional reputation and swayed nobody. Jor-El and Lara quickly realized that Krypton’s destruction could not be prevented, and that they needed to use the little time they had left to ensure the safety of their newborn son: Kal-El. They worked quickly to design a rocket that would take Kal-El to safety and spare him the fate of his race. Lara provided the primary technical expertise for designing the escape pod and selecting a suitable planet as a new home for her child while Jor-El raced to construct the pod itself from Lara’s designs. The couple were forced to perform this act in secret due to Krypton’s strict regulation over space travel and exploration. Shortly before the planet’s destruction, the couple’s plans were discovered, and they were forced to complete their work in hiding. They had originally intended to construct a pod that would save all three members of the House of El, but due to restrictions on resources and time they were only able to create a pod suitable for their infant son. Jor-El and Lara sent Kal-El to Earth shortly before Krypton’s destruction and spent their last moments together praying for the safety and well-being of their son.
b. Zor-El (now deceased) and Alura In-Ze (now deceased) – the biological parents of Kara Zor-El/Supergirl. Zor-El was a Kryptonian scientist and the brother of Superman’s father, Jor-El, while Alura was a Kryptonian judge responsible for sentencing a great many criminals to prison and to the Phantom Zone, including General Zod. The two raised Kara for the first sixteen years of her life. Though they were good people, they were somewhat cold and distant which left Kara feeling somewhat lonely throughout her childhood. Zor-El and Jor-El became somewhat estranged when Zor-El was initially dismissive over Jor-El’s theory that Krypton’s destruction was imminent. This estrangement quickly grew to become outright resentment when Jor-El’s reputation deteriorated, dragging Zor-El’s with it. Only days before the planet’s destruction, new evidence came to light revealing to Zor-El that his brother was, in fact, right. As a familial courtesy, though it was too late to save the planet or its population, Jor-El urged Zor-El that is was not too late to save Kara and gave his brother the schematics for the pod that he was building for Kal-El. Zor-El raced to build a similar pod for his daughter and completed it only moments before Krypton’s destruction. The two said their quick tear-filled goodbyes to Kara and instructed her to watch over Kal-El and to be a better, more trusting, and kinder person than they were. They were both killed in Krypton’s explosion moments later.
iv. Kryptonian Powers and Weaknesses – Kryptonians receive their powers from exposure to a Yellow Sun’s rays. Krypton orbited a Red Sun, the rays from which actively inhibited the alien species’ potential for extraordinary abilities. And because of Kryptonian culture’s general disapproval of far space travel, few Kryptonians ever actually learned about their potential abilities before the planet’s destruction.
a. Standard Kryptonian powers from exposure to Yellow Sun rays include: super strength, super speed, heat vision, X-ray vision, ice breath, near-invulnerabilities, enhanced hearing, and telescopic vision.
b. Standard Kryptonian weaknesses include:
(i.) Exposure to Red Sun rays which render Kryptonians powerless and with the strength and speed of normal humans.
(ii.) A vulnerabilities to Magical attacks. Kryptonians resist most natural and scientific onslaught, but have an acute weakness to supernatural-based attacks.
(iii.) Dependency on oxygen. Interestingly, Kryptonians need to breath in much the same was as normal humans. A Kryptonian who has been exposed to the rays of a Yellow Sun will not die from lack of oxygen, but risk falling into a coma if oxygen cannot reach the brain. It should be noted that Kryptonians (even unpowered) have a great lung capacity that average humans. A depowered (i.e. Red Sun) Kryptonian can likely hold his/her breath for an average of two to three minutes, while a powered (i.e. Yellow Sun) Kryptonian can likely hold his/her breath for an average of seven to ten minutes.
(iv.) Exposure to Kryptonite substances (see next section)
v. Kryptonite – a variety of radioactive minerals that have bizarre effects on Kryptonians. half-Kryptonians, such as Conner Kent/Superboy, are also affected by Kryptonite, but to a lesser extent than full-Kryptonians such as Clark Kent/Superman and Kara Kent/Supergirl.
a. Green Kryptonite – the only known natural occurring Kryptonite. Green Kryptonite are radioactive fragments of the planet Krypton. These rocks were made during Krypton’s destruction as a result of the nuclear explosion that destroyed the planet. The composition of Kryptonite is deeply complex, with nuclear elements that partially mimic the radiation from Rao (Krypton’s Red Sun). Green Kryptonite radiation is very dangerous for Kryptonians and prolonged exposure can weaken and even kill a Kryptonian. The rock generally has no effect on humans, but prolonged direct exposure can have a variety of adverse effects on human physiology and health. Kryptonite is rare, and have been found sporadically in various locations around the universe. However, a few plentiful deposits of Kryptonite can be found around Smallville and surrounding towns. These deposits were likely brought to Earth in large groups caught in the same trajectory as the pod that brought Kal-El to Smallville.
b. Red Kryptonite – a Kryptonite variant accidentally created when Maxwell Lord attempted to artificially create Green Kryptonite as a precaution against Superman and Supergirl. Unfortunately, Lord was unable to mimic the complex structure of Green Kryptonite and instead fashioned a drastically different compound. The radiation from Red Kryptonite affects Kryptonians on a psychological level, removing their inhibitions and restraints. Prolonged exposure to Red Kryptonite can render a Kryptonian completely amoral and very dangerous.
c. Blue Kryptonite – another synthetic Kryptonite substitute. Blue Kryptonite was created by Doctor Emil Hamilton to weaken Bizarro. When it was discovered that Green Kryptonite did not affect the failed clone, Superman theorized that if Kryptonite was given a reversed ionic charge it might harm Bizarro, being that he as the apparent “opposite” of Superman.
4. The Fortress of Solitude – Superman’s secret base in the Arctic constructed by a combination of Kryptonian technology and Superman himself. The Fortress was first constructed shortly after Clark graduated from High School. In his Kryptonian rocket was a small device with the instructions for Clark to take it somewhere far from prying eyes and that he would be able to speak with his biological father. Clark ran to the Arctic and activated the device, which rapidly constructed an underground Fortress beneath the ice and allowed Clark to communicate with a recording of his father, Jor-El. Clark spent several months in isolation in the Fortress, learning about his Kryptonian heritage, Krypton’s culture and destruction, and the Kryptonian language. After he exhausted the recording, Clark returned to civilization with a newfound understanding of himself. Throughout his college years, Clark would retreat to the Fortress whenever he needed time alone or time to reflect in private. The sanctuary was jokingly dubbed Clark’s “Fortress of Solitude” by Jonathan Kent when Clark first brought his adoptive parents to visit the Fortress. Over the years, Clark has slowly expanded and refurbished the Fortress, creating a resource facility similar to the Batcave that houses some of his greatest souvenirs and treasures. Today, the Fortress of Solitude still remains as a place that Clark and his family can retreat to when needed, and also houses a great many alien treasures and creatures.
i. Significant Contents
a. Alien Zoo – Superman keeps a zoo of non-sentient alien life in his fortress. Most of the creatures that exist there are the last of their kind who have no planet or ecosystem to return to. Some are considered highly dangerous (such as the Black Mercy) and kept by Clark because he does not want to kill the creature (endangering the continued existence of the species) but does not want to risk it harming anybody else. Many of the creatures in the Alien Zoo were acquired during a battle with the alien known as the Preserver who would kill off the entire race of an alien species and then imprison one remaining member for his personal collection. Clark freed the sentient beings that the Preserver had accumulated and created a sanctuary for the non-sentient creatures with nowhere else to go.
(i). Krypto, the “Superdog” – an alien creature that closely resembles a white Earth dog. Krypto’s planet of origin is unknown, but Superman believes the creature to be the last of its kind. It first made its way to Metropolis by chance, having been caught in a Boom Tube that Superman used to return to Earth after being stranded on a planet near Metropolis. Krypto was startled by the city around him, and began rampaging. Superman managed to stop and calm the dog, taking him to the Arctic so that he might train it in isolation. He named the dog Krypto and gave the dog free roam of the Fortress of Solitude, hoping to keep him somewhere that he would not accidentally hurt humans. Krypto looks and acts like an ordinary dog, but has significantly enhanced strength and invulnerability. The dog’s strength rivals Superman’s himself. And while he is far from completely invulnerable, Krypto can withstand far more pain than most alien creatures. Krypto cannot fly, but utilizes his super strength to leap great distances in a manner that can resemble flight. Superman rarely takes Krypto out of the Fortress of Solitude due to the danger the wild animal could cause to humans, but routinely visits and cares for Krypto in the Fortress.
(ii). Starro – a purple starfish-like creature with mind-controlling capabilities. Though Starro itself is non-sentient, it will practice mind control as a defense mechanism if another being approaches it. A psychic connection with Starro can easy control the creature and utilize it as an amplifier for telepathy and mind control. Starro’s mind-controlling capabilities are some of the most powerful in the known universe, and the creature has been known to even affect other telepathic races, such as Martians. Starro’s telepathic capabilities are tactile, however, and it can only exercise control when physically attached to its subject.
(iii.) Black Mercy – a parasitic plant-like creature that can induce comatose hallucinations in even the most powerful of beings. Black Mercy renders its host unconscious and completely unresponsive to the world by inducing a hallucination of the host’s idyllic, perfect life while it slowly feeds on the host’s energy. The Black Mercy, in some cultures, is viewed as a benevolent end because the host dies after experiencing a perfect world in his or her hallucination. Superman was very famously infected with Black Mercy by Mongul and shown a vision of a Krypton that never exploded and a marriage to Loana (a hybrid of his two greatest loves, Lois Lane and Lana Lang). Black Mercy is a rare plant. Their origin is unknown, but Superman keeps one specimen in his Fortress of Solitude as a sobering reminder of its hold on him and the experience of having to lose Krypton – and his perfect life – again.
b. The (Model) Bottled City of Kandor – [COMING SOON]
c. Portal to the Phantom Zone – Superman stores one portal to the Phantom Zone in the Fortress of Solitude. The portal resembles a shattered mirror fragment and was acquired during Clark’s first fight with General Zod. He kept the portal as a precaution in case he ever needed to make his way into the Phantom Zone for any reason. However, because the Phantom Zone is so large and empty, Clark has yet to actually use this portal for fear of getting lost in the expanse.
d. Armory of Confiscated Weaponry – much like his alien zoo, Clark has made prominent display of various forms of alien weaponry from his myriad encounters with alien life over the years. He keeps the weaponry both for research purposes and as a means of preserving alien cultures which, like Kryptonian culture, could be destroyed at any moment and left with no trace.
e. Statue of Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van – enormous marble statues built by Clark with Lana Lang’s artistic assistance to commemorate Clark’s birth parents. The large statue rests at the entrance to the Fortress and is the first thing one sees upon entering.
5. National City – a small burgeoning city in Kansas. National City is only one-hundred miles away from Smallville, and is the current home to Kara Kent/Supergirl. National City is only recently urbanized as part of a joint initiative between Lord Technologies and Catco. Worldwide Media, the CEOs of which noted that growth potential of the location. After several years living on the Kent Farm with Martha Kent and acting as a fledgling hero in Smallville and its surrounding towns, Kara Kent/Supergirl decided to establish herself as a protector of the newly constructed National City.
i. Structures and Landmarks
a. Catco. Worldwide Media – a media conglomerate founded and managed by journalist Cat Grant. Catco. Worldwide Media originated in Metropolis, but quickly relocated to Coast City to avoid competition with the Daily Planet. The company gained its footing and notoriety in Coast City before finally finding a home in National City. Alongside Lord Technologies, Catco generates a great deal of revenue and tourism for the newly constructed National City and is in large part responsible for stimulating the economy of the fledgling city that its CEO helped finance the construction of. Catco reports on all forms of news (local, national, worldwide, and extraterrestrial) through all forms of media (newspaper, television, online).
b. Lord Technologies – a technologies manufacturing company founded and run by millionaire Maxwell Lord. Lord Technologies prides itself on innovative and varied technological applications that cannot be found in any other companies. The company’s products range from unique brands of cell phones and laptops to telepathy inhibitors and (flawed) metahuman detectors. The companies’ tagline is “For better or for worse, the world has changed drastically and overnight. So we must change with it. And it’s our job to provide the resources and technologies to allow everyday Americans to keep up in an out of control universe.” Alongside Catco. Worldwide Media, Lord Technologies generates much revenue and tourism for the newly constructed National City. Lord Technologies is privately funded and supervised, and had been rumored to have made a great many enemies both inside and outside the US government.
ii. Significant Residents
a. Cat Grant – a forty-something year old media mogul and the CEO of Catco. Worldwide Media. Cat Grant began her journalism career as a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet who was routinely disrespected and overlooked by Perry White. Over the years, Cat fought her way through the ranks, eventually becoming a well-known journalist and later a television reporter. Once she amassed enough fame and fortune, Cat created Catco in order to create “new” media, utilizing the latest technologies to tell all kinds of news without the bigotry and biases of traditional media outlets (biases she had experienced first-hand throughout her career as a female reporter in a male-dominated profession). Cat’s rise to stardom continued when she relocated her company from Metropolis to Coast City, where it remained for several years. Eventually, Cat saw the opportunity to finance the construction of National City as an opportunity to expand her brand and to create millions of new jobs and homes. After National City’s construction, Cat quickly adopted Supergirl as Catco’s “property” and made it her mission to properly “market” the hero as National City’s Superman equivalent. Although Cat often comes off as a no-nonsense and ruthless woman, she is a truly caring woman. And while she seldom admits it, her endorsement of Supergirl comes in large part because the young hero inspires the weathered journalist with her optimism and kindness. Today, Cat is one of the most wealthy, well-connected, and powerful women in the world. She employs Kara Kent as her intern and assistant and is an avid supporter of Supergirl, not knowing that the two women are one and the same.
b. Maxwell Lord – the businessman, technological genius, and millionaire CEO and founder of Lord Technologies. Maxwell Lord is a former employee and later-business partner of Lex Luthor. At a young age, Maxwell lost both of his parents in a lab explosion at the government research building at which they worked. The explosion was deemed the result of poor safety guidelines within the highly regulated facility. Because of their deaths, Maxwell is very critical of government, and often makes a point of criticizing the secrecy and invasiveness of big government. During his time in Metropolis and with Lex Luthor, Maxwell learned to fear aliens as well. Much of Maxwell’s issues with aliens stem from the same fears he has concerning the US government. Maxwell very firmly believes that no individual or entity should hold an exorbitant amount of power that leaves the common man powerless. Because of this, Maxwell was horrified by Superman when he first emerged in Metropolis and even went as far as to aid Lex Luthor in his attempts to defame and even destroy Superman. Lord was arrested on a few occasions for conspiring against Superman and was a known adversary of the hero for a great many years. However, Lord eventually realized that Lex Luthor represented the very same power-hungry enemy that Lord hated. The two had a falling out, and Lord was forced to reevaluate his life. In an attempt to alleviate his guilt at having associated himself with Lex, Maxwell partnered with Cat Grant in financing the construction of National City, hoping to help create something rather than aiding in destroying. Unfortunately for the millionaire, it didn’t take long after the city’s construction for Supergirl to make the city her home. Lord felt violated and terrified by Supergirl’s presence in the city, and took several steps to investigate and study the Kryptonian in order to even the balance of power. Though Maxwell was careful not to make the same mistakes as Lex, his efforts to study Supergirl were often morally gray and put many people – including Supergirl – at risk. Over time, Maxwell has slowly grown to respect Supergirl to an extent. He is still highly critical of her and believes that it is important to take precautions against the massive amount of power she possesses. But he is no longer an outright villain seeking the destruction of Supergirl. Maxwell Lord is aware of the secret identities of both Clark and Kara, having discovered them while investigating Kara.
c. Lucy Lane – [COMING SOON]