Fictional History
It is native to Thanagar, the home planet of Katar Hol and Shayera Thal, the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman. Among the unusual properties of Nth metal is the ability to negate gravity, allowing a person wearing an object made of Nth metal, such as a belt, to fly. In addition, Nth metal also protects the wearer from the elements and speeds the healing of wounds, increases their strength, and protects them from extremes in temperature. It has many other properties that have yet to be revealed in full. It has been implied that the apparently "magical" abilities of the Thanagarian supervillain, Onimar Synn, all stem from his unique mastery of the properties of Nth metal. These powers are augmented to a god-like level in the Rann-Thanagar war when he builds himself an artificial body made of the substance.
In ancient Egypt a Thanagarian spaceship made of Nth metal crash-landed, only to be discovered by Prince Khufu and his betrothed, Chay-ara. Constant exposure to Nth metal forced Khufu and Chay-ara into a cycle of reincarnation. In the 20th century, they were incarnated as Carter Hall and Shiera Saunders, the original Hawkman and Hawkgirl. As Hawkman and Hawkgirl, they wore Nth metal belts, made with the help of the Thanagarian Paran Katar, father of Katar Hol, when he was visiting Earth.
Many years later, Carter and Shiera's son, Hector Hall, made a suit of armor made of Nth metal and took the name Silver Scarab as a founding member of Infinity Inc. The suit provided him with protection from attacks, let him lift great weights, and allowed him to fly and project solar energy blasts.
The current Hawkman and Hawkgirl continue to wear Nth metal.
In the future, members of the Legion of Super Heroes wear flight rings made of an alloy of Nth metal called Valorium.
Read more about this topic: Nth Metal
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