Laughing Dragon

"According to this, the Laughing Dragon has earned quite a foreboding reputation. Ever since it was carved in China nearly thirty years ago, it has passed through several owners, all of whom died prematurely. And I can tell you why. This so-called 'jade' is emitting low level radiation."

- Alfred Pennyworth and Batman about the Laughing Dragon.



The Laughing Dragon was an antique Chinese dragon effigy made of Kryptonite that peaked an interest as well as brings out a "smile" in the notorious and insane criminal mastermind, the Joker. It was featured in the 3-part episode "World's Finest", which is the thirty-second through thirty-fourth episodes, of Superman: The Animated Series.

History
The Laughing Dragon was carved by monks in China 3 decades ago from a green rock thought to be jade. However, the rock was in fact Kryptonite and during the subsequent 30 years, all of the Dragon's possessors died prematurely from Kryptonite poisoning. The Dragon was passed on from owner to owner, until it found its way to an antique shop in Gotham City.

Somehow the Joker ascertained the existence and whereabouts of the Dragon, and stole it, much to the confusion of the Gotham City Police Department (as Joker allegedly had gone broke as a result of Batman stopping him numerous times, and all the other valuable items had been left untouched). He then traveled to Metropolis, and offered Lex Luthor a deal — he would use the Laughing Dragon to kill Superman for one billion dollars. He also expected the value of the statue to skyrocket in the collectors' market, once it had killed Superman.

After luring Superman into a trap, the Joker used half of the statue to subdue the Man of Steel. However, his plan went downhill when Batman intervened and dissolved the chunk of Kryptonite in hydrochloric acid. Still, the Joker had the other half-effigy.

He strapped the remainder of the statue to a colossal Wayne/Lex T-7, which he had programmed to target Superman. The remnant of the Laughing Dragon was finally shattered to pieces when Superman smashed the robot against a cliff with a giant lead door.