what if superman came from a incredibly fragile planet instead of harsher one?

[manwhohaseverything]

thought experiment,What if superman or clark was the weakest and the most fragile person in the room dealing with evil and supernatural stuff?

can a guy like this be called superman?how would you go about the story of such a superman?what sort of powers would you give the dude?

[Quinlan58]

When out of costume, he is "Clark Kent, Intrepid Reporter": he's exactly as fragile as he's always pretended, but because no one would expect him to secretly be a vigilante, he's free to express himself in the Daily Planet and be as passionate as you'd want him to be. He went from "my unearthly nature isolates me from others" to "my unearthly abilities are awesome!" while growing up. Ma and Pa Kent were less adamant on him hiding his true nature (since it's less obviously alien) and thus he probably has less complexes about his identity. He's probably in a relationship with Lois earlier, his office conflicts with Steve are more prominent, people think of him as Jimmy Olsen's oddly intense pal rather than the other way around.

As far as superpowers go, to keep with the "fragile" theme, no superstrength, or superspeed, or flight. His main power would be his supersenses and his supermind (I'm undecided on whether he should have heat vision or freeze breath). He'd have reverse-engineered his rocket from Krypton to build himself an exo-skeleton that gives him the super-strength/speed, so his main weakness is something that makes the suit malfunction (something that "chains" him to his born fragility by taking away the strength he has built for himself). Luthor, after realizing what he is, sees him as a brute living out childish fantasies rather than a symbol of everything he can never be, but he's about the same level of aggravated when that brute keeps foiling his schemes over and over again. Brainiac's how he's eventually able to go on cosmic adventures, by stealing his tech and making it his own.

[Robanker]

thought experiment,What if superman or clark was the weakest and the most fragile person in the room dealing with evil and supernatural stuff?

can a guy like this be called superman?how would you go about the story of such a superman?what sort of powers would you give the dude?

Sounds like a good Elseworlds story idea. I imagine his primary foes would be incredibly alpha bully types that portray toxic masculinity.

It'd become about strength of character as opposed to physical prowess.

[seismic-2]

thought experiment. What if superman or clark was the weakest and the most fragile person in the room dealing with evil and supernatural stuff?

Then he probably wouldn't be at all good at it, so he should leave that stuff to the Justice League while he pursues another line of work, such as being a reporter.

[MadFacedKid]

When out of costume, he is "Clark Kent, Intrepid Reporter": he's exactly as fragile as he's always pretended, but because no one would expect him to secretly be a vigilante, he's free to express himself in the Daily Planet and be as passionate as you'd want him to be. He went from "my unearthly nature isolates me from others" to "my unearthly abilities are awesome!" while growing up. Ma and Pa Kent were less adamant on him hiding his true nature (since it's less obviously alien) and thus he probably has less complexes about his identity. He's probably in a relationship with Lois earlier, his office conflicts with Steve are more prominent, people think of him as Jimmy Olsen's oddly intense pal rather than the other way around.

As far as superpowers go, to keep with the "fragile" theme, no superstrength, or superspeed, or flight. His main power would be his supersenses and his supermind (I'm undecided on whether he should have heat vision or freeze breath). He'd have reverse-engineered his rocket from Krypton to build himself an exo-skeleton that gives him the super-strength/speed, so his main weakness is something that makes the suit malfunction (something that "chains" him to his born fragility by taking away the strength he has built for himself). Luthor, after realizing what he is, sees him as a brute living out childish fantasies rather than a symbol of everything he can never be, but he's about the same level of aggravated when that brute keeps foiling his schemes over and over again. Brainiac's how he's eventually able to go on cosmic adventures, by stealing his tech and making it his own.

I think a good way to balance something like Heatvision out would be he has the potential to burn out his own corneas or he gets headaches with an overuse of his power.

Mental powers would definitely be the way to go. TK, TP, Empathy type abilities

Would the sun still power him? How would kryptonite effect a already fragile Superman?

[williamtheday]

What if he came from a planet where super powers kicked In only when they were in fear for their lives?

[manwhohaseverything]

Then he probably wouldn't be at all good at it, so he should leave that stuff to the Justice League while he pursues another line of work, such as being a reporter.

I mean,the people of his home world did survive.I would have to assume they have resourcefulness built into him.

What if he came from a planet where super powers kicked In only when they were in fear for their lives?

like a survival instinct.Fight or flight reaction.that would be interesting.That would be kinda like clark's altrustic instinct.

Sounds like a good Elseworlds story idea. I imagine his primary foes would be incredibly alpha bully types that portray toxic masculinity.

It'd become about strength of character as opposed to physical prowess.

Exactly,clark would not be able to punch without having severe backlash.Either he would have to find another way or risk his life constantly.

[Restingvoice]

thought experiment,What if superman or clark was the weakest and the most fragile person in the room dealing with evil and supernatural stuff?

can a guy like this be called superman?how would you go about the story of such a superman?what sort of powers would you give the dude?

A good Ultra? Professor X sans telepathy? Oracle? More like Charismatic Leader than physical fighter? Interesting concept though. So I won't give him power and just make him a good Ultra

[Kuwagaton]

You know Zod, Lex, and Brainiac don't actually mind getting physical when they are at an advantage. But a great Superman type that doesn't use any violence at all...

[marhawkman]

There actually WAS an elseworld kinda like this. "What if Superman went to Thanagar instead of Earth?" This Superman grew up unable to do much except watch over the people of Thanagar. Both in the sense of protecting them AND in the sense of "big brother".

Turns out though that it was in part because the Thanagarians who found him.... knew enough about Kryptonians to see him as a science project they could benefit from. Part of the reason his powers functioned differently was something the Thanagarians did. Yeah they somehow redirected his energies to enhance his vision, but reduce his other powers.