Nth Metal
Nth Metal is a substance that features in DC Comics.
Contents |
History
Origin
Nth Metal was a material that was originally found on the planet Thanagar. (Rann-Thanagar War v1 #2) It was unique to that world and considered the life blood of the planet. During the reign of the Old Empire thousands of years ago, the Thanagarians ancestors discovered the secrets of Nth Metal and used this knowledge to conquer the stars. (JSA v1 #23) As the first Thanagarian empire spread, their religion was noted to had touched the new worlds in their spheres of influence. (Rann-Thanagar War v1 #2) Eventually, the empire collapsed with the knowledge and secrets of Nth Metal being lost. It took centuries for the Thanagarian civilization to pull themselves back from the brink of ruin. (JSA v1 #23)
Around the 19th century, a Thanagarian ship had crash landed on Earth in Ancient Egypt with this event prophesized by the sorcerer Nabu. Khufu, Nabu and Teth-Adam made their way to the ship before their enemies where they cared for the dying pilots that spoke of Nth Metal along with a danger that will come in a thousand years. After the pilots death, they took the craft into the pyramid to study its secret that included a small cache of Nth Metal. From it, they crafted weapons for Khufu including the Claw of Horus that were weapons to be used in the coming conflict in the future. (JSA v1 #22) Afterwards, Khea Taramka secretly murdered her husband the Pharaoh whereupon she became Queen of Egypt after which she along with Hath-Set killed her daughter Chay-ara and her mate Khufu. They used the enchanted dagger to make herself and the priest immortal where she ruled Egypt for many years. Eventually, she decided to seek the source of the metal and made her way to Hawkworld where she came to rule it and had turned the natives into her slaves. During this era, she came to be known as Queen Shrike and had her slaves construct the floating Nth City where she continued to rule. (Brightest Day v1 #13)
During the Rann-Thanagar war, the Seven Devils Cult placed a bounty to Khundian mercenaries for the acquisition of deposits of Nth Metal in outlying worlds. (Rann-Thanagar War v1 #2)
On Earth, the villainous Headhunter had discovered a way to manipulate Nth Metal that he spread as a fine gold dust that could incapacitate others. (Hawkman v4 #21)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of history was created with a different series of events. It was known as the Ninth Metal that was a pure strain of the metal that resided at the World Forge in the Multiverse. (Dark Knights: Metal v1 #4) Nth Metal was substance was long believed to be a fable on Thanagar that was used as stories to enchant children. After suffering from the plague sent from the Daemonites, the Thanagarian race suffered greatly following the loss of their emperor. As a result, the heir turned to be the eldest son Corsar who began to commune with the Great Old Ones in order to find a salvation for his people. These ancient deities told him that the future lay within the magical abilities of Nth Metal that was buried deep beneath Kolamoran island. A sample was retrieved before the mine collapsed and further attempts to gain more failed. This combined with Corsars growing obsession with obtaining the Nth Metal's power led to Katar Hol fearing the substance would be abused by the new emperor. After bonding with it, Katar's wings were restored and he attempted to keep the metal away from Corsar leading to the emperor's apparent death. This act branded Katar Hol a traitor and he was forced to flee Thanagar where he crashed on Earth and suffered amnesia. In the aftermath, the Thanagarians began a tireless search for him as they believed the acquisition of the Nth Metal would restore their race to glory. (Savage Hawkman v1 #0)
After the Source Wall was broken, Nth Metal all across the universe became far more reactive and powerful. (Justice League v4 #15)
Overview
This metal was unique to the planet Thanagar and was considered the life blood of that world. Due to it being psycho-receptive, it absorbed and responded to certain emotional states. This was similar to the way quartz crystals were able to generate electrical voltage. (JSA v1 #23) It was psycho-receptive and was capable of controlling the fundamental forces of the universe. (Rann-Thanagar War v1 #2) In proper hands, Nth Metal could not only be used to govern gravity but the fundamental forces binding the universe. (JSA v1 #23)
The abilities possessed by it meant that some considered it a mystical element. (Savage Hawkman v1 #0)
As the Ninth Metal, it was a pure strain with the eighth metal being used the Earth gods which was weaker with the metal degrading in quality the lower the ranking. (Dark Knights: Metal v1 #4)
The material was considered sacred and was used to fashion statues of the Seven Devils of Thanagarian beliefs. (Rann-Thanagar War v1 #2)
Users
- Hawkman :
- Hector Hall :
- Deathstroke :
- Khea Taramka : a human woman from the time of ancient Egypt who was the mother of Chay-ara who usurped rule after murdering the Pharaoh. She later sought the secrets of Nth Metal and journeyed to Hawkworld where she ruled into the modern age. Khea by this time had constant exposure to Nth Metal to the point that it infused her body and she developed the power to manipulate any substance that was composed from it. (Brightest Day v1 #13)
- Headhunter : a masked killer who managed to tap into the other properties of Nth Metal that he used for his hunts such as distilling it into a powder to paralyse his victims. (Hawkman v4 #21)
Notes
- Nth Metal was created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville where it made its first appearance in Flash Comics v1 #1 (January, 1940).
In other media
Television
- In the Justice League, Nth Metal appeared in the setting of the animated television series that was set in the DC Animated universe. It was described as being a transuranic iron with an atomic number of 676 and had innate anti-magical properties. Furthermore, it was a hyperconductor and had the ability to invert mesons and gravitons. It was primarily used by Hawkgirl in the series who used it to great effect against Icthultu and other magical foes.
- In The Batman, the Nth Element made an appearance in the animated series episode "What Goes Up...". It was an element unknown to Earth with anti-gravity properties that was incredibly potent and unstable. Hawkman made use of it which gave him his strength and flight abilities. Black Mask hired Shadow Thief to acquire a meteor of Nth Element with the anti-gravity particles being chemically treated where it was used as part of a gem depository heist.
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Nth Metal appeared in the setting of the animated television series. Batman was known to keep brass knuckles and handcuffs fashioned from Nth Metal in his utility belt, for the purpose of fighting Gentleman Ghost. Batman began adding Nth Metal to more of his tools, including Batarangs, in order to better fight Gentleman Ghost. The Faceless Hunter managed to kill a Thanagarian in combat then stuffed his body to be a display aboard his space cruiser. His armor and even the Nth Metal Mace were kept in working condition. It appears to have been destroyed in battle with Batman, though.
- In the Arrowverse, Nth Metal was referenced and show in a number of episodes in the shared continuity setting.
- In Arrow, Nth Metal was mentioned in the setting of the live-action television series in the episode "Legends of Yesterday". It was the metal of the meteors that decimated an Egyptian kingdom and was used in Vandal Savage's knives.
- In Legends of Tomorrow, Nth Metal was mentioned in the episode "Night of the Hawk" as composing the meteor that made Vandal Savage immortal along with giving Hawkman and Hawkwoman their powers. In the 1950s, Savage in his guise as Dr. Curtis Knox used an Nth Metal meteorite as part of his experiments in replicating Carter and Kendra's origins leading to the mutation of numerous inhabitants of Pleasantville into monstrous half-bird monsters. Vandal in 2166, after being captured by Rip Hunter, escaped with Kendra Saunders and Scythian Torvil to take their blood, which he planned to use to destroy the timeline by finding every Nth metal meteor throughout time, allowing him to remake the world in his own image. However, the Legends managed to kill Savage and destroy the meteors.
- In Supergirl, Nth Metal was mentioned in the live-action television series episode "The Darkest Place". It was said to be from Thanagar and was used by Project: Cadmus to create their prison cells for aliens. The substance became so widespread that L-Corp financed its production to surpass steel and aluminum products, resulting in Nth metal being used even for basic requirements such as blackboard linings. As a result, an economic crisis ensued for industrial workers and steel manufacturers, including the Lockwood family, whose business went bankrupt as the banks refused to give loans to the steel factories, relying on the more durable Nth metal. Later on, Project Cadmus captured Mon-El and Supergirl and imprisoned them in Nth metal cells that could withstand Daxamites' and Kryptonians' super strength.
- In Young Justice, Nth Metal was mentioned in the animated television series third season Outsiders in the episode "Influence". It was said to be a common metal on the planet Thanagar with unique properties which was why forces from Apokolips raided the world to steal a supply of it. The metal was being used to help build a mysterious machine at Granny Goodness's Orphanage space station.
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, Nth Metal appeared as a crafting material in the setting of the MMORPG video game.
Appearances
- Flash Comics v1: (1940)
- Rann-Thanagar War v1 #2
- Savage Hawkman v1 #1-20
External Links
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