Heat Vision

"I started to feel hot. My eyes started to burn. All of a sudden this spot I was staring at burst into flames."

— Clark on his first experience with heat vision. ^Heat

Heat vision is the power to project beams of concentrated heat from one's eyes. A potent and dangerous ability, the temperature can range from gently breathing warmth onto something or someone, to reaching levels hot enough to melt steel or strong enough to demolish a skyscraper.

Heat vision is most often associated with Kryptonians as it is one of their trademark superpowers. Because their cells absorb the power of Earth's young sun, they can project this heat from their optic organ as a form of heat vision - usually triggered at first by sexual arousal.

Kryptonian heat vision[]

Kryptonian heat vision, at least for those who are aware of the ability, manifests almost instantly after exposure to an environment under a yellow sun, such is demonstrated by the disciples of Zod. However, this ability is in some way cognitively tied to Kryptonian arousal and sexual attraction and develops during puberty, spraying erratically and chaotically during intense moments of sexual desire, but through dedicated practice, they can control this ability. While it's not known exactly how hot it can get, Clark was able to evaporate a whole flood into steam and ash an entire tower with his heat vision and Clark said that it can vaporize a human being, at stated in Fanatic, Hypnotic, and Fallout.

Also, heat vision doesn't seem strong enough to affect another Kryptonian's body, but Clark's was able to minimally affect Brainiac's clothes which were made out of nanites. (Oracle)

Characters with this ability[]

Kryptonians[]

Clark Kent - This ability first manifested in Heat. Clark can emit extreme heat and fire beams from his eyes.
- Clark Luthor - Since he is the evil counterpart of Clark on Earth-2, he has all his super powers and special abilities, including the heat vision.

10ud0 — Kara Kent using her heat vision to destroy a kryptonite.
(click for animation)

Kara – Kara can emit extreme heat and fire beams from her eyes.
Conner Kent - Conner, because he has strands of Kryptonian DNA, specifically Clark's, can emit extreme heat and fire beams from his eyes.
Disciples of Zod - They both were able to project extreme heat and fire beams from their eyes.
Alia - Alia can project extreme heat and fire beams from her eyes.
Major Zod - Major Zod can project extreme heat and fire beams from his eyes.
Basqat - Basqat can project extreme heat and fire beams from his eyes.
Kryptonian Visitor - The mysterious Kryptonian could project extreme heat and fire beams from his eyes.

Aliens[]

S7e1-1903 — Bizarro fires his heat vision.

Bizarro - Bizarro gains heat vision after replicating some of Clark's DNA strands, but emits it differently. He can release extreme heat and energy bolts from his eyes.
John Jones - John can emit strong beams of multi-colored energy from his eyes.
Megan Morse - Megan can emit strong beams of multi-colored energy from her eyes. However, according to John, she is somewhat inexperienced with this power.

Metahumans[]

Lana Lang - Lana temporarily got the ability to use heat vision after drinking Clark's blood after being bitten by a "vampire".
Jeremiah Holdsclaw - Jeremiah could emit intense heat and fire from his eyes while wielding Palak, very similarly to Kryptonians.

Technology[]

Brainiac - As a Kryptonian machine, Brainiac can emit extreme heat and fire beams from his eyes.

Appearances[]

Season Two: Heat, Duplicity, Red, Visage, Insurgence, Rush, Prodigal, Rosetta, Witness,
Season Three: Exile, Phoenix, Slumber (dream only), Perry, Relic, Asylum, Velocity, Talisman, Forsaken,
Season Four: Gone, Devoted, Transference, Spell, Unsafe, Pariah, Recruit, Onyx, Blank, Ageless,
Season Five: Arrival, Thirst, Splinter, Fanatic (mentioned only), Reckoning, Tomb, Hypnotic, Oracle
Season Six: Zod, Wither, Freak, Promise, Prototype
Season Seven: Bizarro, Fierce, Traveler, Descent, Arctic
Season Eight: Toxic, Committed, Legion, Identity (mentioned only)
Season Nine: Savior, Metallo, Echo (offscreen), Kandor, Absolute Justice, Part 2, Persuasion, Escape, Checkmate, Upgrade
Season Ten: Isis, Abandoned, Scion, Booster (mentioned only)

In the Comics[]

180px-Normal benes superman 2 — Superman uses his heat vision

Martian vision — Martian Manhunter uses martian vision

Superman possess heat vision. He uses this ability primarily to save people and stop crime, as such, he can kill humans, most aliens, and other beings with his heat vision. Right now, the exact magnitude of this power remains unknown. Superman can, just by looking at the individuals, kill someone in seconds, demonstrating the speed of this power, although some members of the Flash family have proven capable of out running it.

Martian Manhunter can shoot extremely hot lasers from his eyes, though the exact magnitude of this ability is unclear, but he has proven to be able to shoot his lasers at Superman's heat vision and most of the time, it ends in a draw.

Notes[]

Originally in the Pilot Clark was to have developed his heat vision in a sex ed class (similar to Heat). It was dismissed for the time as the creative team thought it was too soon, and wanted to develop better visuals for it.^[1]
Lana has acquired Clark's heat vision twice: Once after biting Clark as a krypto-vampire in Thirst, and another time after having Clark's powers transferred to her through kryptonite and electricity.
Clark, Kara, Conner and Lionel all had problems controlling their heat vision powers for the first time. (Heat, Transference, Fierce, Scion) However, Lana had no problems immediately using her heat power both times she acquired the power.
Early in Smallville episodes, Kryptonian heat vision was represented by shimmering air as the heat was expelled from the eyes. (Heat) In later seasons, heat vision is more commonly displayed as red or orange 'fire beams'. (Bizarro, Fierce)