Superman Reveals How Long Kal-El Can Hold His Breath

by

I’m wondering if anyone knows for how long Superman can hold his breath in the DC Universe, as depicted in both the comics and movies? In the latest film, his breath-holding abilities were quite impressive during the battle with Luthor’s metahuman allies.

In their attempt, they tried to assassinate Superman by sneaking into his windpipe and lungs. However, the Kryptonian miraculously lived through it and breathed anew, eventually reversing the situation and vanquishing Luthor and his subordinates. Here’s additional information about Superman’s respiratory capabilities.

Here’s how long Superman can hold his breath

It’s been revealed that Superman can survive without breathing for up to an hour in the DCU.

In a heated battle, Superman and Lex’s metahumans clash with great force. This fight quickly becomes dangerous. The Engineer releases her nanotech, tiny machines designed to penetrate Superman’s airways, causing him to suffocate within minutes and eventually meet his end.

Nonetheless, the villain’s schemes unravel when it is found that Superman had inhaled fresh air beforehand. In the midst of battle, he endured by not breathing, carrying nanites up into orbit where they froze due to the cold. Upon his return to Earth, he managed to defeat The Engineer who released the nanites. After landing, he expelled and inhaled anew, thus ridding himself of all the nanites.

In the movie, Superman was depicted as able to hold his breath for about an hour, but in the comics, it’s suggested that due to his Kryptonian physiology being more reliant on solar energy than oxygen, he can actually go without breathing for days or even weeks, especially during space missions. However, this extraordinary ability can still be challenging for him at times. Consequently, you might occasionally see him using a breathing device in space to help him adapt to different conditions.

Read More

2025-07-14 08:26