Fans think they know everything about how Superman's powers operate, but one development may change everything they know. New Super-Man #5 revealed the origin of Kong Kenan's powers and how they put a twist on the Man of Steel's abilities.
Thanks to the unique physiology of a Kryptonian, exposure to yellow sun rays endows them with power that makes them almost godlike. Overwhelming strength, flight and an array of powers too long to list all are at people like Superman's disposal. And while Clark Kent isn't the only person to have these particular abilities, his lifelong training gives Superman an advantage compared to his allies like Superboy and Supergirl. But whether they've had them for a lifetime or only a few years, the weight of Superman's powers is a heavy one. Thankfully, the responsibility that comes with the abilities of a Kryptonian only falls onto a select few.
However, Superman's abilities have passed on to average humans, and the reason why may put the hero's powers in a brand-new light. In New Super-Man #5 by Gene Luen Yang and Viktor Bogdanovic, Kong Kenan, the Super-Man of China has just recovered from a near-death experience. After being endowed with Superman’s powers through an experimental procedure, Kenan has found himself struggling to make his powers work properly. And while his lack of control nearly gets him killed, he’s saved by the Ministry of Self-Reliance’s lab head, Mingming. She briefly studies Kenan and ponders why his powers aren't operating in the same way that the original Superman's are. Mingming theorizes that the origin chamber that empowered Super-Man didn't give him Clark's power, but Superman's life force, or qi, instead. She advises Kenan that he must listen to Superman's qi in order to make use of his power.
Superman's Power Is Out In The World, Not Contained To Him
While other people have gained Kryptonian powers through some means or another, Kenan is the first to be endowed Superman’s abilities through a channeling of the Man of Steel’s qi. While the idea of everyone have a life force isn’t a huge stretch in a world with a high number of magic users, this is the first time it’s suggested that Superman’s powers are tied to such a force. This would mean that Clark's powers might be more available than previously thought.
Does this mean that anyone could suddenly become a Kryptonian? It’d be very unlikely without the same equipment that gave Kenan his powers. However, it’s clear Superman’s powers are tied directly to his qi, and that life force flows freely throughout the universe. If someone is able to channel that qi in the same way Kenan is, whether through science or magic, then they’d be able to do all the amazing things Clark could do. While one would hope that such tremendous abilities aren’t easily attainable, Superman’s life force makes it possible for others to gain his power by channeling his qi.