Martha Kent, often referred to as Ma Kent, is a fictional character in Superman stories. Martha is the adoptive mother of Superman. She lives in the rural town of Smallville, Kansas. In most versions of Superman's origin story, Martha was the first to come across the rocket that brought the infant Kal-El to Earth, with her adopting him shortly thereafter, naming him Clark Kent, Clark being Martha's maiden name.Martha is usually portrayed as a caring mother who instills within Clark a strong sense of morals, and she encourages Clark to use his powers for the betterment of humanity. In a few continuities Martha is also the one who creates Clark's Superman costume from his baby blanket.In the DC Animated Universe, she and her husband Jonathan witnessed the arrival of the Kryptonian spacecraft bearing the infant Kal-El. Martha fell instantly in love with the baby, and insisted that they keep the child and raise him as their own, in contrast to her husband's wariness. She chose to name the baby Clark, after her maiden name.Over the years, Jonathan and Martha's loving, ive parenting instilled in young Clark a strong sense of morality and the importance of helping those in need thus providing Superman with an essential heroism to match his vast physical power. During Clark's teenage years, Martha also showed her heroic side, when she wielded a shotgun to defend Clark from Brainiac, who had traveled back in time to crush Kal-El before he ever became Superman.Later, after Clark had grown up and started his careers (as a reporter and a superhero) in Metropolis, she suggested that he share some of his story with the public, to assuage their fears (in her words, she said he should avoid being compared to that nut in Gotham City .)Martha and her husband would also take in Kara, the last surviving Argoan, who would later become Supergirl. As with Clark, the Kents provided her with a stable home and a loving family. The Kents put it around that Kara was Clark's cousin , and themselves as her foster uncle and aunt, but Kara still called them Pa and Ma .Martha also welcomed J'onn J'onzz into her home when Clark brought him along for his annual Christmas visit.In Smallville , Martha Kent (n Show less «