Kryptonian beacon

Kryptonian beacons are high-pitched ringing or wailing sounds which are emitted from Kryptonian devices, artifacts, or even symbols. Every Kryptonian house family has a specific beacon with a unique tone, making it distinctive.

It has been shown that only Kryptonians can hear beacons, although Jonathan, while acting as Jor-El's vessel, was able to mentally connect with the Key. Much like with symbols, it can also be possible to sound a beacon through Kryptonian writing. Lionel Luthor was able to emit a beacon by writing the symbol for "power" in Kryptonian. According to the Martian Manhunter, this was the same beacon used by Jor-El when they worked together on Krypton. Sounds given off by beacons are able to cause Kryptonians pain, as evidenced by Clark Kent when he is seen clutching his ears with visible discomfort whenever he hears such a beacon.

Chloe Sullivan, through Brainiac, drew the Kryptonian mark for 'Doom', which emitted a Kryptonian beacon that somehow triggered the beast Doomsday through Davis Bloome to him. As Chloe was losing her memories, the only person that she retained any recollection of was Davis.

Appearances

• The key emitted a high-pitched beacon on numerous occasions. (Rosetta, Calling, Legacy)
• The Stones of Power could all emit a beacon.
  • The Crystal of Fire emitted a beacon while it was in Lex Luthor's airplane at 40,000 feet. Clark, while brainwashed as Kal-El, heard the beacon from Smallville and was able to follow the sound of the beacon all the way up to the plane.
  • The Crystal of Water emitted a beacon which drew Clark to the Kansas State Penitentiary, where Lionel tried to use it to switch bodies with Lex, but ended up switching bodies with Clark instead.
  • The Crystal of Air emitted a beacon once it was unearthed by Lana Lang while she was possessed by Isobel, in Shanghai, China. The beacon led Clark to the crystal, which became lost in the ensuing fight with Isobel.
  • The Crystal of Knowledge could emit a beacon through interstellar space, when triggered by the right sound frequency. Queen Maxima of Almerac received the beacon when Tess Mercer ran some tests on the Crystal of Knowledge, and teleported to Earth.
• Raya was able to configure the crystals in the Fortress of Solitude to emit a beacon which drew the Zoner Baern all the way from North America, demonstrating considerable range.

Kryptonian Shield

Dax-Ur, one of Krypton's greatest scientists, had a pendant shaped like the Kryptonian pentagon which was capable of emitting a beacon. Kara says that if the shield is intact, then its owner is still alive, implicating that the shield will dissolve upon the Kryptonian's death. He lost it on Earth around the beginning of the 20th century, and Clark and Kara recovered it from a time capsule.

Dax-Ur's shield.

Clark learned how to use the shield from Brainiac, who was posing as Lionel. When Clark held the shield and spoke Dax-Ur's name, the shield emitted a high-pitched sound and teleported Clark to Dax-Ur's location. Brainiac was able to hear the sound from Suicide Slums, signifying that the beacon has considerable range.

Quotes

Clark-as-Lionel: The ringing I heard, it came from a stone. It was in Lionel's hand and it had a Kryptonian symbol on it, and it was glowing.

Season Four, Transference

---

Clark: Look, this isn't the first time I heard the ringing sound. When I was Kal-El, I heard the same sound, and it led me to an artifact with a Kryptonian symbol on it in Lex's jet.

Jonathan: Where's the artifact now, Clark?

Clark: I put it in a chamber in the cave wall. There's a slot for two more. Lionel's artifact matches one of them. I don't know where the other one is.

Season Four, Transference

---

Raya: (at the Fortress) I'm gonna see if I can re-route whatever residual power is left, just enough to send out a signal... to let Baern know you're here. ... That's all the power I was able to draw. Hopefully it'll be enough.

Clark: That sound – I've heard it before.

Raya: Every Kryptonian family has a unique tone – a beacon to identify itself. Baern's sure to recognize yours.

Clark: And follow it straight to me.

Season Six, Fallout

---

Lionel: (to Clark) It was when Lex was possessed with Zod. I became possessed with all your father's knowledge. I found myself writing, in Kryptonian, the symbol for "power."

Martian Manhunter: It was a beacon – the same beacon Jor-El used when he needed me.

Season Six, Phantom

---

Brainiac: (to Bizarro) When Kryptonians travel through a portal, they carried a beacon so they could be located. A small shield-shaped device synchronized to their individual genetic code. Dax-Ur's fell into human hands. Find it and you'll find him.

Season Seven, Persona