Published Jun 27, 2026, 11:36 PM EDT
Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero.
With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.
Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.
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Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Supergirl (2026)
James Gunn's DCU already features multiple suns with different colors, which drastically affect heroes like Superman and Supergirl. As seen in the new Supergirl movie starring Milly Alcock as the titular Girl of Steel, Kara Zor-El travels the galaxy, visiting other worlds beyond her cousin's adoptive homeworld of Earth. As such, many of these worlds orbit unique suns with varying kinds of solar radiation.
In the DC Universe seen in the comics, several sun colors have been featured at different points, and each one can affect Kryptonian physiology differently. Over the decades, the number of different stars and colors seen on the page has been quite impressive, ranging from blue, white, orange, and more. However, the new DCU so far only has three different confirmed colors (so far).
Keeping that in mind, here's everything we know about each confirmed sun color in the DCU after watching 2026's Supergirl, and how they can change Kryptonian powers and abilities.
Yellow Sun
Without a doubt, yellow suns are the most important (and most frequent) celestial body in the DC Universe, the source of the powers and abilities typically associated with Superman, Supergirl, and Kryptonians in general. Yellow suns are younger stars compared to the red sun of Krypton, explaining why its solar radiation affects Kryptonians so differently, turning them into superhuman beings with a full range of powers (flight, super strength, durability, speed, heat vision, freeze breath, etc.)
Kryptonians like Superman and Supergirl are constantly absorbing solar energy like living batteries, and concentrated doses of yellow sunlight can rapidly speed up their healing as seen in 2025's Superman with David Corenswet's Man of Steel after taking some major hits from the Hammer of Boravia (Ultraman). Likewise, the yellow sun has been featured as a major source of regeneration even from the brink of death in comics and past movies (like when Superman survived a direct hit from a nuke following direct sunlight exposure in Dawn of Justice).
Additionally, the benefits and advantages of yellow sunlight extend beyond Kryptonians to other alien species from the comics also born on worlds with red sunlight (like Daxamites), though differing physiologies can lead to different powers and weaknesses.
Red Sun
If a yellow sun unlocks a Kryptonian's full potential, a red sun does the exact opposite. Red stars are older than yellow ones, and Krypton itself orbited a red sun for most of its history. As such, Kryptonians evolved as a race not unlike ordinary humans, albeit with more advanced technologies and cultures. Comparatively, red suns emit much lower solar radiation, meaning a Kryptonian existing under a red sun has no powers at all. It's only when under a yellow sun that their powers and abilities emerge.
This explains why Kara Zor-El's Supergirl spent time on worlds orbiting red suns, both in the original Woman of Tomorrow comic by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, as well as the DCU's new Supergirl movie, which took much of its inspiration from the critically acclaimed 8-issue series. With a red sun, Kara was able to party and get drunk when she otherwise couldn't with an increased metabolism under yellow sunlight. However, the trade-off is that she can also experience pain and be injured just like any human.
This includes Krypto the Super Dog, which is why the Kryptonian canine was struck by a poisoned arrow by Krem of the Yellow Hills. The red sun also explains why Kara needed her own ship, as she was unable to fly until reaching a yellow sun's vicinity. In the comics, multiple villains have been known to use weapons utilizing red solar radiation and prisons against Superman and his cousin, particularly Lex Luthor. One has to wonder if the DCU's version will ever implement the same.
Green Sun
Last but not least, green suns have one of the more unusual histories in DC Comics, seeing how their effects have changed over the years. During the Silver Age, a green sun was essentially another type of depowering star like reds, preventing Kryptonians like Superman and Supergirl from using their abilities.
However, things changed with 2022's Woman of Tomorrow. Tom King reinvented the concept by introducing a star that had been infused with Kryptonite, making its green sunlight lethally toxic for Kryptonians thanks to the irradiated pieces of their destroyed homeworld. The longer Kryptonians remained exposed, the more they were poisoned by the toxic solar energy.
In the Woman of Tomorrow miniseries, Supergirl and Ruthye were transported to the world of Barenton, an artificial planet created as a trap for Superman. According to Kara, the Man of Steel claimed his time on the world was his "closest brush with death", which was truly saying something after fighting Doomsday. However, Superman was only trapped on Barenton for 45 minutes before he was saved by the Justice League.
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01
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
AThanagar BKrypton CApokolips DOa
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
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02
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
ADiana Prince BLana Lang CLois Lane DCat Grant
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
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03
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
AKryptonite BVibranium CNth Metal DRed Sun Ore
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
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04
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
AHenry Cavill BBrandon Routh CTom Welling DChristopher Reeve
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
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05
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
ABrainiac BLex Luthor CDarkseid DDoomsday
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
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06
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
AGotham City BMetropolis CSmallville, Kansas DCoast City
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
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07
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
ADaily Planet BDaily Bugle CMetropolis Star DGotham Gazette
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
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08
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
ABizarro BParasite CMetallo DGeneral Zod
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
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Conversely, Supergirl was forced to endure the extreme pain and wait out Barenton's sun for 10 hours until it finally set. Likewise, the world was also full of predatory alien dinosaurs whom Ruthye had to ward off as best she could while protecting an incapacitated Kara.
While the DCU adapts Barenton and its green sun for the ending of Supergirl, there were some key changes. Not only were there no dinosaurs, but Barenton also had a yellow sun which rose the moment the green sun set, restoring and healing Kara immediately after and allowing her to save Ruthye, who'd been captured by the Brigands while she was out of commission.
With yellow, red, and green suns now established on-screen in the DCU, it will be interesting to see how Kryptonian mythology continues to expand when and if more colors debut in future projects. After all, there are plenty of colors from the comics still waiting in the wings (white, black, violet, orange, blue, and more). As a result, there's plenty of room to feature these other alternate sun colors as James Gunn's universe expands, especially with both Superman and Supergirl confirmed to appear next year in 2027's Man of Tomorrow.
Supergirl is now playing in theaters from DC Studios.
Release Date June 26, 2026
Runtime 108 minutes
Director Craig Gillespie
Writers Ana Nogueira
English (US) ·