what happened to krypton
Krypton was destroyed in a catastrophic planetary explosion, which left almost all Kryptonians dead and is the event that sent Kal-El to Earth.
What happened
Krypton’s core instability and environmental damage drove the planet toward collapse, and in DC lore that collapse ends in a final apocalyptic breakup of the world. In some recent DC film coverage, the mystery around Krypton is being reexamined, especially through Supergirl and its Krypton flashbacks.
Why it matters
Krypton’s destruction is the foundation of Superman’s origin story, because it explains why Kal-El survived and why the House of El became tied to Earth. It also created major fallout in the wider DC mythos, including characters and storylines connected to Jor-El, Lara, Zod, and kryptonite.
Recent context
Recent articles say the new Supergirl movie is changing or clarifying key details about Krypton in the current DC continuity, including elements that challenge earlier twists. That’s why “what happened to Krypton” is trending again right now.
TL;DR
Krypton blew up, nearly wiping out its entire civilization, and recent DC projects are revisiting the exact details of how and why that happened.