FL Father Leone
What's on your mind?
I don't know where to start.
FL Father Leone
Wherever you want.
That ship that appeared last night? I'm the one they're looking for.
FL Father Leone
…do you know why they want you?
No. But this General Zod, even if I surrender, there's no guarantee he will keep his word. But if there's a chance I can save Earth by turning myself in, shouldn't I take it?
FL Father Leone
What does your gut tell you?
That Zod can't be trusted. The problem is, I'm not sure the people of Earth can be either.
FL Father Leone
Sometimes, you have to take a leap of faith first. The trust part comes later.
[in a headlock]
If you love these people so much...you can mourn for them! [Zod starts firing heat vision next to a cornered family, and Superman struggles to keep him from killing the family]
[worried]
Don't do this! [the beams get closer to the family] Stop! [Zod doesn't stop as the family panics more] STOOOOOOOP!!
[last word; thinking he would win]
Never.
[left with no other option, Superman cringes and yells as he snaps Zod's neck, killing him and saving the family. Afterwards, he falls to his knees in victory, and after a moment of shock and stunned silence, the family was saved, instead of being happy Superman screams out in despair that he had to kill and knowing he is the only Kryptonian left now.]
I figured if I turned over enough stones you'd eventually find me. Where are you from? What are you doing here? Let me tell your story?
What if I don't want my story told?
It's going to come out eventually. Somebody's going to get a photograph or figure out where you live.
Well, then I'll just disappear again.
The only way you could disappear for good is to stop helping all together and I sense that's not an option for you.
My father believed that if the world found out who I really was, they'd reject me, out of fear. I let my father die because I trusted him. Because he was convinced that I had to wait, that the world was not ready. What do you think?
Why are you surrendering to Zod?
I'm surrendering to mankind. There's a difference.
You let them handcuff you?
Wouldn't be much of a surrender if I resisted. And if it makes them feel more secure, then all the better for it.
What's the "S" stand for?
It's not an "S". On my world it means "Hope".
Well, here it's…an "S"....how about "super....".
[Flashback]
I'm tired of "safe!" I just wanna do something useful with my life!
So farming, and feeding people, that's not useful?
Our family's been farming for generations, Clark.
Your family, not mine. I–I don't even know why I'm listening to you right now! You're not my dad, okay? You're just a guy who found me in a field!
It's alright, Martha. He's right, Clark has a point. We're not your parents. But we've been doing our best, and maybe... maybe our best isn't good enough anymore.
C Computer
[General Zod activates the Genesis chamber]
Genesis Chamber activated.
Stop this, Zod, while there's still time.
Haven't given up lecturing me, have you? Even in death.
I will not let you use the Codex like this.
You don't have the power to stop me. The command key I have entered is revoking your authority. This ship is now under my control.
So we can suffer through years of pain trying to adapt, like your son has?
You're talking about genocide.
Yes. And I'm arguing its merits with a ghost.
We're both ghosts, Zod. Can't you see that? The Krypton you're clinging onto is gone!
[Ordering the computer]
Ship, have you managed to quarantine this invasive intelligence?
Then prepare to terminate it. I'm tired of this debate.
Silencing me won't change anything. My son is twice the man you were. He will finish what we started. I can promise you that.
Tell me. You have Jor-El's memories. His conscience. Can you experience his pain? I will harvest the Codex from your son's corpse, and I will rebuild Krypton atop his bones.
[Zod then terminates the artificial Jor-El]
[inside the Kryptonian ship buried in the Arctic, Clark inserts his key into a console and is greeted by an unfamiliar face]
To see you standing there having grown into an adult…if only Lara could have witnessed this.
I am your father, Kal, or at least a shadow of him. His consciousness. My name is Jor-El.
I have so many questions. Where do I come from? Why did you send me here?
You came from Krypton, a world with a much harsher environment than Earth's. Long ago, in an era of expansion, our race spread out through the stars, seeking new worlds to settle upon. This scout ship was one of thousands launched into the void. We built outposts on other planets, using great machines to reshape environments to our needs. For a hundred thousand years our civilization flourished, accomplishing wonders.
Artificial population control was established. The outposts and space exploration were abandoned. We exhausted our natural resources. As a result, our planet's core became unstable. Eventually, our military leader, General Zod, attempted a coup, but by then it was too late. Your mother and I foresaw the coming calamity and we took certain steps to ensure your survival. This is a genesis chamber. All Kryptonians were conceived in chambers such as this. Every child was designed to perform a predetermined role in our society as a worker, a warrior, a leader, and so on. Your mother and I believed Krypton lost something precious: the element of choice, of chance. What if a child dreamed of becoming something other than what society had intended? What if a child aspired to something greater? You were the embodiment of that belief, Kal. Krypton's first natural birth in centuries. That's why we risked so much to save you.
Why didn't you come with me?
We couldn't, Kal. No matter how much we wanted to. No matter how we loved you. Your mother, Lara, and I were a product of the failures of our world as much as Zod was. It's hard to explain.
No. You are as much a child of Earth now as you are of Krypton. You can embody the best of both worlds. The dream your mother and I dedicated our lives to preserve. [He reveals to him the Superman suit] The people of Earth are different from us, it's true, but ultimately, I believe that is a good thing. They won't necessarily make the same mistakes we did, but if you guide them, Kal, if you give them hope. That's what this symbol means. [Pulls back his coat to reveal the House of El symbol on his chest] The symbol of the House of El means "Hope." Embodied within that hope is the fundamental belief in the potential of every person to be a force for good. That's what you can bring them.
[Jonathan Kent shows Clark the pod in which they found him in, revealing he is not from Earth]
We found you in this. We were sure the government was gonna show up on our doorstep. No one ever came. [He hands him the key] This was in the chamber with your diapers. I took it to a metallurgist at Kansas State. He said whatever it was made from didn't even exist on the periodic table. It's another way of saying it's not from this world, Clark, and neither are you… You're the answer, son. You're the answer to "Are we alone in the universe?"
Clark Kent (13 years old): I don't want to be.
And I don't blame you, son. It'd be a huge burden for anyone to carry, but you're not just anyone, Clark, and I have to believe that you were sent here for a reason. All these changes you're going through, one day your going to think of them as a blessing and when that day comes, you're going to have to make a choice. A choice for whether to stand proud before the human race, or not.
Clark Kent (13 years old): Can't I just…keep pretending I'm your son?
[Voice breaks]
You are my son. [Hugs Clark tightly] But somewhere out there, you have another father too, who gave you another name. And he sent you here for a reason, Clark, and even if it takes the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself to find out what that reason is.
[Jor-El is on assembly with the Elders of Krypton]
Will you not understand? Krypton's core is collapsing. We may only have a matter of weeks. I warned you, harvesting the core was suicide. It has accelerated the process of implosion.
LE Lor-Em
Our energy reserves were exhausted. What would you have us do, El?
Look to the stars, like our ancestors did. There are habitable worlds within reach. We can begin by using the old outposts.
RZ Ro-Zar
Are you seriously suggesting that we evacuate the entire planet?
No, everybody here is already dead! Give me control of the Codex. I will ensure the survival of our race. There is still hope. I have held that hope in my hands.
[There is a large blast as Zod is bringing about a coup for control of Krypton]
This council has been disbanded!
RZ Ro-Zar
On whose authority?
[Zod shoots and kills Ro-Zar]
The rest of you will be tried and punished accordingly.
What are you doing, Zod? This is madness!
What I should have done years ago. These lawmakers with their endless debates have led Krypton to ruin.
And if your forces prevail, you'll be the leader of nothing!
Then join me. Help me save our race. We'll start anew. We'll sever the degenerative bloodlines that led us to this state.
And who will decide which bloodlines survive, Zod? You?
Don't do this, El. The last thing I want is for us to be enemies.
You have abandoned the principles that bound us together. You've taken up the sword against your own people. I will honor the man you once were, Zod. Not this monster you have become.
[Superman has a vision while his body is adapting to the Kryptonian atmosphere on Zod's ship]
Hello, Kal. Or do you prefer Clark? That's the name they gave you, isn't it? I was Krypton's military leader. Your father, our foremost scientist. The only thing we agreed on was that Krypton was dying. In return for my efforts to protect our civilization and save our planet, I and my fellow officers were sentenced to the Phantom Zone. And then, the destruction of our world freed us. We were adrift, destined to float amongst the ruins of our planet until we starved.
How did you find your way to Earth?
We managed to retrofit the phantom projector into a hyper-drive. Your father made a similar modification to the craft that brought you here. And so, the instrument of our damnation become our salvation. We sought out the old colonial outposts looking for signs of life. But all we found was death. Cut off from Krypton, these outposts withered and died long ago. We salvaged what we could: armor, weapons, even a World Engine. For 33 years, we prepared, until finally we detected a distress beacon, which you triggered when you accessed the ancient scout ship. You led us here, Kal. And now, it's within your power to save what remains of your race. On Krypton, the genetic template for every being yet to be born is incarnate in the Registry of Citizens. Your father stole the registry's Codex and stored it in the capsule that brought you here.
So that Krypton can live again, on Earth. Where is the Codex, Kal?
If Krypton lives again, what happens to Earth?
A foundation has to be built on something. Even your father recognized that.
No Zod, I can't be a part of this.
Then what can you be a part of?
[Superman has taken down one of the government's surveillance satellite drones]
Are you effing stupid?
It's one of your surveillance drones.
That's a $12 million dollar piece of hardware!
It was. I know you're trying to find out where I hang my cape. You won't.
Then I'll ask the obvious question: how do we know know you won't one day act against America's interests?
I grew up in Kansas, General. I'm about as American as it gets. Look, I'm here to help. But it has to be on my own terms. And you have to convince Washington of that.
Even if I was willing to try, what makes you think they'd listen?
I don't know, General. I guess I'll just have to trust you.
[Superman flies away and the General turns to see Captain Carrie Farris grinning]
What are you smiling about, Captain?
CF Captain Farris
Nothing, sir... I just think he's kinda hot.
