These stars have a theoretical maximum luminosity and, at the distance of the SMC, HV 2112 was typically calculated to be slightly more luminous than this limit at around 60,000 L☉.

[4] More modern calculations gave higher values for the luminosity of HV 2112 above 100,000 L☉, which is unambiguously too luminous to be an AGB star.

These calculations included an interstellar extinction value of 0.4 magnitudes which is higher than average for massive stars in the SMC.

The star was thought to contain unusually high levels of the elements lithium, molybdenum and rubidium that are expected only to be produced by TZOs.

[7] A 2018 paper re-appraising the properties of HV 2112 found no evidence for unusual chemical abundances and a luminosity that is lower than previously thought.