TV + Movies

DC Fans Believe Superman’s Fourth Identity Is Hiding In A Red Suit

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The idea that Santa Claus might be a Kryptonian isn’t even close to the strangest thing you’ll find in the pages of your favourite DC comic books. After all, we are talking about a fictional universe where Batman’s dog has a Bat-Signal, Supergirl dated a horse, and the Joker was pregnant with a clay-like version of himself. So, seeing Santa wearing a red cape with a bright yellow ‘S’ on his chest doesn’t seem too far-fetched, does it?

Yes, DC has taken more than a few creative liberties with the character over the years, and depending on who you ask, Santa’s either a magical immortal, a super-powered alien, or the most committed FedEx guy in the world. But maybe he’s all of those things. One of the most outrageous theories amongst comic book fans is that Santa Claus is actually a Kryptonian, and possibly even Superman’s distant cousin or uncle… or maybe even Superman himself. When he’s not Kal-El, Clark Kent, or Superman, he could actually be Father Christmas.

Reddit user u/DarnOldMan may have nailed it with the idea that Santa was once a Kryptonian explorer named No-El. According to the theory, No-El arrived on Earth way before Kal-El did and decided to stick around. Somewhere along the line, he started delivering presents to kids. Which, you’ll admit, is a very Superman thing to do.

In fact, when you think about it, the theory actually fits surprisingly well. Santa’s uncanny ability to deliver presents to every child on Earth in a single night could be thanks to his Kryptonian speed and flight. His knack for knowing who’s naughty and nice could be because of his super hearing. And why did Superman build his Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic of all places? Maybe it’s so he could be neighbours with another Kryptonian or maybe that they’re actually the same place.

If you take the idea even further, the elves in Santa’s workshop could just be similar to the robots in Superman’s own Fortress of Solitude. Even the reindeer need to bask in the sun in order to power up and fly, which is kind of like Krypto, right? Maybe they’re all Kryptonian creatures.

Santa’s track record in the DC Universe is kind of epic, too. Every year, without fail, he manages to bypass every high-tech defence system just to deliver a lump of coal to Lex Luthor. And then, just like that, he vanishes. No sleigh marks. No trace. He’s just gone. Well, until he does it all again the next year.

So what do you think? Is Santa Claus a Kryptonian explorer with a taste for festive traditions, or is he just the most overpowered magical being in the DC Universe? Either way, you probably don’t want to end up on his naughty list.

As Superman (2025) takes off this July, you might want to look out for the clues. This is just the sort of thing that James Gunn would feature in his DCU. After all, this is the same guy who gave us The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special a little while ago, and that had a story about Drax and Mantis kidnapping Kevin Bacon in order to save Christmas.