Humans exposed to Kryptonite sometimes develop a Kryptonite-inspired psychosis, where they lose contact with reality and become obsessed with following their natural instincts.
The psychosis afflicts not only Kryptonite-infected metahumans, but also some humans who become temporarily metahuman as a result of Kryptonite exposure.
The transfer of Kryptonian powers to humans may also trigger Kryptonite psychosis. Kryptonian powers have been transferred from Clark Kent to two separate humans: Eric Summers and Lana Lang. Similar powers were also given to Jeremiah Holdsclaw through the presumably Kryptonian Starblade. In all three cases, the humans exhibited many of the symptoms of Kryptonite psychosis. It is unknown whether this is a form of common psychosis or if actually possessing Kryptonian powers is the cause. However, it is important to point out that Lois Lane absorbed Kryptonian powers from Clark and suffered no such ill effects (although it should be noted that Kryptonite was not involved in the transfer) indicating that one's emotional state and stability play a vital role in exacerbating or even negating the possibility of contracting this induced psychosis (given that Lois was of a more benevolent and stable disposition than Eric, Lana or Jeremiah).
Symptoms[]
Kryptonite psychosis seems to enhance the instinctual desires of the infected individuals.
When exhibiting the symptoms of Kryptonite psychosis, individuals often lose the ability to evaluate the moral dimensions of their decisions. This frequently results in homicidal behavior. Coach Walt Arnold was willing to do anything to win, including using his powers to intimidate or even kill others. Other freaks of the week exhibited similar homicidal behavior. Many of these metahumans ended up at Belle Reve.
Kryptonite psychosis can result in non-homicidal behavior if the infected subject does not have homicidal tendencies. For example, Chloe Sullivan abused her temporary truth-coercion powers to invade the privacy of others, including her best friends. That said, she never attempted to kill or hurt anyone with her powers.
Non-psychosis cases[]
While several of the main characters often claims that all meteor-infected goes psycho,[1][2][3][4] there is a fair amount of metahumans (who gained their powers from Kryptonite) who did not suffer from a psychosis:
- Russel Allison sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Scott Bader sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Extinction, Abyss)
- Tim Bartlett sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Elizabeth Bishop sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Travis Black sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Cassandra Carver never developed psychosis despite developing precognition. (Hourglass)
- Sarah Conroy developed a telepathic ability, but never developed psychosis. (Slumber)
- Jordan Cross avoided psychosis despite gaining his precognition powers from the meteor shower of 1989. (Hereafter)
- Ben Derrick sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Allison Dunn was a metahuman student at Smallville High, who never developed psychosis. (Extinction, Ageless)
- Abigail Fine developed the ability to give people hallucinations when she kissed them, but never developed a psychosis. (Facade)
- Karen Gallagher developed an energy absorption ability, but never developed psychosis. (Ageless)
- Evan Gallagher was the son of Karen Gallagher, and a second generation metahuman. Neither mother or son developed psychosis. (Ageless)
- Kevin Grady could create amnesia, but never developed psychosis. (Blank)
- Tonya Hartz was a metahuman student at Smallville High, who never developed psychosis. (Commencement, Legion)
- Jessica Holm sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey, Bulletproof)
- Steve Houle sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Abyss)
- Tom Hunt sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Johnny Jenkins, the son of Earl Jenkins, developed metahuman abilities, but never developed psychosis. (Chloe Chronicles)
- Daniel Kim developed a telekinetic ability, but never developed psychosis. (Freak)
- Cyrus Krupp avoided the usual symptoms of psychosis from his Healing powers, although he did eventually suffer a complete mental breakdown. (Visitor)
- Todd Lapp sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Abyss)
- Nadine Maier was a metahuman student at Smallville High, who never developed psychosis. (Extinction)
- Jared Naiman sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Brian Osbourne developed a Clairvoyant ability, and never developed psychosis. (Freak)
- Mary Pierson sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Megan Poss was a metahuman student at Smallville High, who never developed psychosis. (Extinction, Ageless)
- Tobias Rice could "see" other metahumans despite being blind; he never developed psychosis. (Freak)
- Chloe Sullivan has not developed kryptonite psychosis despite having the meteor-inspired power of empathic healing.
- Moira Sullivan developed a mind control ability. While she eventually went catatonic, she never developed a psychosis. (Progeny)
- Kyle Tippet could influence people with his handshake, but never developed psychosis. (Hug)
- Maddie Van Horn could control glass from kryptonite infection and never developed psychosis. (Fragile)
- Leonard Wallace developed an ability to stretch, but never developed psychosis. (Extinction)
- Jesse Watts sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey, Identity)
- Kyla Willowbrook developed an ability to shapeshift into a wolf, but never developed psychosis. (Skinwalker)
- Gretchen Winters became a ghost, but never developed psychosis. She only wanted to stop Michael Westmore, a serial killer who had killed her (and, at least, nine other women). (Tomb)
- Nick Yang developed electrokinesis, but never developed psychosis. (Vengeance Chronicles)
- An unnamed Male metahuman sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Lara)
- An unnamed Female metahuman sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Lara)
- Another unnamed Female metahuman sought support from the Isis Foundation, and never developed psychosis. (Prey)
- Patient 13785 (Michael) developed a telepatic form of mind control. He was placed in the care of Belle Reve, but his file contain no references to psychotic behavior, indicating that he never developed psychosis. (Kara)
- Patient 132897 developed an ability to shapeshift into other animate/inanimate objects, but never developed psychosis. She was committed to Belle Reve after admitting to possessing metahuman abilities, which resulted in her being deemed insane.
- Patient 11440 developed super-speed, enhanced reflexes, and stamina. He was placed in the care of Belle Reve, but his file contain no references to psychotic behavior, indicating that he never developed psychosis. (Kara)
- Patient 94842 developed an enhanced mental capacity. She was tested for her ability at Belle Reve, but her file contain no references to psychotic behavior, indicating that she never developed psychosis. (Kara)
- Unidentified Metahuman #1 was a meteor-infected resident of Smallville, who seemingly never developed psychosis. This person was killed by LuthorCorp, to cover up their 33.1 experiments. (Freak)
- Unidentified Metahuman #2 was a meteor-infected resident of Smallville, who seemingly never developed psychosis. This person was killed by LuthorCorp, to cover up their 33.1 experiments. (Freak)
- Unidentified Metahuman #3 was a meteor-infected resident of Smallville, who seemingly never developed psychosis. This person was killed by LuthorCorp, to cover up their 33.1 experiments. (Freak)
- Unidentified Metahuman #4 was a meteor-infected resident of Smallville, who seemingly never developed psychosis. This person was killed by LuthorCorp, to cover up their 33.1 experiments. (Freak)
- Unidentified Metahuman #5 was a meteor-infected resident of Granville, who seemingly never developed psychosis. This person was killed by LuthorCorp, to cover up their 33.1 experiments. (Freak)
Post-psychosis cases[]
Some victims of psychosis have been shown to later change. Due to lack of follow-ups with freaks of the week, it is unknown how many changed over time.
- Andrea Rojas was originally obsessed with getting revenge on the people who killed her mother. After she had killed Snake (the man who had killed her mother), and attempted to kill Lionel Luthor, Andrea calmed down and came to regret her actions. She prevented Molly Griggs from murdering Lex Luthor, and began a career as a superhero. (Vengeance, Vengeance Chronicles)
- Greg Arkin was once obsessed with Lana Lang. However, by 2010, Arkin (implied to still possessing his powers) had recovered from his psychosis and went to a reunion at Smallville High School, to thank Clark Kent for stopping him nine years earlier. (Metamorphosis, Homecoming)
- Alicia Baker psychosis was actually the result of a Histrionic personality disorder. After a year at the Belle Reve Sanitarium, Alicia was deemed cured and released. After her release, Alicia remained mostly benevolent. Her one slip was using Red Kryptonite to make Clark Kent leave Smallville with her, after her former doctor (a man who was obsessed with her) threatened the two of them. She soon redeemed herself by taking a bullet to protect Clark's secret. After that, Alicia remained stable until her death. (Obsession, Unsafe, Pariah)
- Sasha Woodman was obsessed with becoming class president. When she returned to Smallville, several years later, she had changed as a person. She credited it to an operation performed by Dr. Curtis Knox, that removed both her powers and her memories. (Cure)
- Jeremy Creek was obsessed with getting revenge against the jocks who had made him the Scarecrow in 1989. Upon seeing that the tradition was still alive in 2001, Jeremy decided to kill everyone at Smallville High. After Jeremy electrocuted himself, and lost part of his memory, he calmed down. (Pilot)
Additional factors[]
- "You see, Ryan, in life, the road to darkness is a journey, not a light switch."
- — Lex Luthor to Ryan James, Ryan
There are evidence to suggest that there might be additional factors, apart from the Kryptonite infection, that causes the behavior in those suffering from it. This would, potentially, explain why not everyone infected with Kryptonite develops a psychosis.
- Alicia Baker, according to her Belle Reve patient file, suffered from a Histrionic personality disorder. During parts of her life, Alicia's parents had kept her locked up in her room. (Obsession, Unsafe)
- Harry Volk had already displayed psychopathic behavior in the 1940s, when he murdered the son of a teacher who he felt had wronged him. Volk had then spent the next 60 years wanting revenge on the 12 people in the jury, by murdering their descendents. (Hourglass)
- Eric Summers had been abused by his father (potentially for years). (Leech)
- Sasha Woodman claimed to be under pressure from her parents, and their expectations of her. It is unknown if they had been abusive towards her (either physically or emotionally. Though, their expectations could point to the latter), like Eric's father. (Drone)
- Greg Arkin had already been obsessed with Lana Lang for some time (filming her in secret, even breaking into her house), before getting bitten by Kryptonite-mutated bugs. Chloe Sullivan and Clark Kent also credited his behavior to the insect-DNA, now being part of his DNA, giving him their instincts. (Metamorphosis)
- Dawn Stiles displayed traits of a narcissistic personality disorder. (Spirit)
- Jeremy Creek had been a victim of Smallville High's "Scarecrow" sadistic annual hazing ritual, which Chloe Sullivan summed up as "years of therapy waiting to happen" (for the victim). (Pilot)
- Walt Arnold had a history of aggressive and abusive behavior, that the people of Smallville chose to look the other way about. (Hothead)
- Buffy Sanders was bitten by rabid bats, and infected with a rabies-like virus (that Buffy passed on to the other members of Tri-Psi). (Thirst)
- Andrea Rojas had been the victim of a violent crime, and seen her mother get murdered. (Vengeance)
- Byron Moore had displayed anti-social behaviour as a child, which a "miracle-drug" (which contained meteor rock) had seemingly cured, with Byron reverting to his original anti-social behavior while in direct sunlight. (Nocturne)
- Lana Lang later attributed her behavior, while possessing Kryptonian powers, to her not having been ready for the powers, physically, mentally or emotionally. (Wrath, Power) A high number of the freaks of the week were teenagers (Jeremy Creek (biologically, a 14-year-old boy), Greg Arkin, Tina Greer, Sean Kelvin, Jodi Melville, Jeff Palmer, Eric Summers, Sasha Woodman, Justin Gaines, Ian Randall, Eric Marsh, Jake Pollen, Seth Nelson, Alicia Baker, Tim Westcott, Dawn Stiles, and Brendan Nash).
Possible misdiagnosis[]
The frequency of kryptonite-inspired psychosis is unknown. Chloe Sullivan (among other main characters) has claimed that all meteor freaks that she has ever met go psycho (kill people), and end up in Belle Reve.[2][3] However, such claims contradicts or ignores encounters with benevolent the meteor-infected metahumans listed above in the Non-psychosis cases section. It is unknown if Chloe's statements comes from a personal bias (born out of several encounters with sinister metahumans, who have tried to kill her).[1] Shortly before her death, meteor-infected metahuman Alicia Baker accused Chloe of having engaged in poison pen writing in the Smallville Torch. Following the murder of Alicia (whom Chloe, and others, had wrongfully accused of some recent attacks in Smallville), and learning about Clark Kent's powers (whom Chloe now mistook for a benevolent meteor-infected), Chloe expressed regret at ferreting out "meteor freaks" due to the prejudice many people express toward them.[5]
In many cases (ex. Graham Garrett, Tim Westcott), the meteor-infected metahuman's life and personality, before gaining powers is unknown. In the case of Harry Volk, he had already displayed psychopathic behavior decades earlier (even a tendency to kill those who wrong him, in his eyes).[6] While Greg Arkin had been engaging in illegal acts of stalking, and breaking-and-entering.[7]
Many meteor-infected metahuman have ended up in places like Belle Reve. However, in the cases of Moira Sullivan, Patient 5846 and Patient 132897 their patient files cite not psychotic behavior, but claims of possessing metahuman powers as the cause for them being labeled insane and committed to an asylum.[8][9][10] While Patient 5846 had engaged in criminal behavior with his powers,[9] Patient 132897 appears to have not broken any laws (or even suffered a psychosis), but simply told the wrong people about her powers (and deemed insane for it).[10] Three more known Belle Reve patients, Patient 13785, Patient 11440 and Patient 94842, also appears to have not displayed psychothic behavior (and only been sent to Belle Reve simply for being metahumans).[10]
Main characters[]
Several main characters have developed mild psychosis while temporarily metahuman, in a matter similar to the freaks of the week from Season One.
- Lana Lang, along with her Tri Psi sorority sisters, killed with no conscience when infected by a meteor-rock-mutated form of rabies. (Thirst) Also, after she temporarily leeched off Clark's powers, she became obsessed with using them for revenge against Lex (very similar to when Eric Summers leeched Clark's powers). (Wrath) Lana later admitted that she had not been ready for the powers, physically, mentally or emotionally (resulting in her behavior). When she donned the Prometheus suit, she had matured and suffered no ill effects from having powers. (Power)
- Chloe Sullivan went drunk with power when she acquired the power to coerce the truth from others due to kryptonite exposure. (Truth)
- Pete Ross had jealousy and narcissistic tendencies that were greatly amplified when he chewed kryptonite-infected chewing gum. (Hero)
Notes[]
- Chloe Sullivan is the only known case of someone who has gained powers twice, but only developed kryptonite psychosis once. The first time she temporarily developed the ability to extract the truth from others, her primary instinct was to find out the truth about Clark. The second time she gained the more permanent healing powers (although they are currently not working). As these powers cannot be used in a destructive way, this could explain why the manifestation of her healing powers has not led to kryptonite psychosis.
- No one who demonstrates precognition or healing powers is known to have developed kryptonite psychosis. This could be because these powers are more defensive or supplementary in nature, and can't be used to hurt or destroy others, or may inherently provide the infectee with some defense against this side-effect.
- Kryptonians have never exhibited kryptonite psychosis due to exposure to green kryptonite. However, red kryptonite has similar effects on Kryptonians, removing inhibitions and heightening base instincts.
- Green kryptonite is the only example of kryptonite causing psychosis in humans; Reverend Joseph Cavanagh went insane after the loss of his daughter and his town's water supply being contaminated by blue kryptonite, but this appeared to be a relatively natural insanity caused by his grief over the loss of his daughter rather than being kryptonite-induced (Harvest).
Quotes[]
- Clark: Jake was exposed to the meteor rocks. He didn't ask for them.
- Lana: No, just like Greg Arkin didn't ask to become a bug boy and Tina Greer didn't ask to become a bone morpher. Look, the fact is when they got their powers, they went psycho and tried to kill me. Tina even came back for seconds. Chloe's been attacked by more of these people than me. You remember Justin Gaines and Sean Kelvin.
- Chloe: Yeah, one tried to psychically impale me with farm implements and the other just wanted my body heat. Thanks for the memories.
- Season Three, Extinction
- Sasha: Do I know you?
- Chloe: Chloe Sullivan. Freshman year, you tried to go queen bee and kill two of my best friends. How did you get past the orderlies?
- Sasha: You don't understand. I don't belong in Belle Reve. I'm not a meteor freak anymore. I've been cured. A few weeks ago, I had an operation.
- Chloe: Operation? Who was the doctor?
- Sasha: Curtis Knox. He changed my life. My family told me about the terrible things I did in the past, but I'm different now.
- Chloe: What do you mean your family told you?
- Sasha: When they took away my powers, some of my memory went along with it. The last...six years are blank. If I did anything to you or your friends, I'm really sorry.
- Season Seven, Cure
- Chloe: You don't understand, Clark. Going psycho or turning into a serial killer aren't the only two things I have to worry about. When I healed Lois in that dam, it almost killed me. Who's to say the next time I try and save someone isn't my last?
- Season Seven, Cure
- Clark: If he ingests any more kryptonite... we both know what happens to people.
- Chloe: Present company on stand-by.
- Season Seven, Hero
Kryptonite in Smallville
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