(With East Houston in ruins, the US Army battalion surrenders to the Zod trio)
Come forward. Your General wishes to speak.
I am General Zod. Your ruler. Yes, today begins a new order! Your lands, your possessions, your very lives will gladly be given in tribute to me, General Zod. In return for your obedience, you will enjoy my generous protection. In other words, you will be allowed to live.
So you are a general too? And who is your superior?
AG Army General
I answer only to the President.
And he will answer to me! Or all of his cities will end up like this one!
[After Kal-El and Lois sleep together in the Fortress of Solitude, Kal-El addresses the image of his father, Jor-El]
The people of your planet are well pleased with you, Kal-El. You have served them faithfully and they are grateful for it. And yet you have returned to reason with me once again. My son, I have tried to anticipate your ever question. This is one I'd... hoped you would not ask.
My attachments, um, the feelings which I have developed for a certain human being have deeply affected me, Father.
You cannot serve humanity by investing your time and emotion in one human being at the expence of the rest. The concepts are mutally exclusive.
And if I no longer wish to serve humanity...
Is this how you repay their gratitude? By abandoning the weak, the defenceless, the needy for the sake of you selfish pursuits?
Selfish!? After all I've done for them? Will there ever come a time when I've served enough? At least they get a chance for happiness. I only ask as much, no more.
Yours is a higher happiness. The fulfillment of your mission, as inspiration you must have felt. You must have felt that happiness within you. My son, surely you cannot deny that feeling.
No, I cannot... any more than I can deny the other, which is stronger in me, Father. So much stronger. Is there no way then, Father? Must I finally be denied the one thing in life which I truly desire?
If you will not be Kal-El, if you will live as one of them, love their kind as one of them, then it follows that you must become one of them. This crystal chamber has in it the harnessed rays of the red sun of Krypton. Once exposed to them all your great powers on Earth will disappear... forever. Once this is done, there's no going back. You will feel like an ordinary man and you can be harmed like an ordinary man. Think, Kal-El, I beg you.
Think, Kal-El.
[Kal-El steps into the chamber]
[Back at the Daily Planet, Clark nervously enters the office of a brooding Lois]
Hi.
How'd you sleep, all right?
No, I didn't close my eyes all night.
I understand. I understand. I sat up all night listening to the voices of reason. Do you know how vile it is to hear the first bird of the morning singing, when you've been sitting up all night, crying?
I'm sorry, too. I guess it's, uh… sorta like being married to a doctor, you know. The doctor gets wakened in the middle of the night, and then the wife has to cope with the fact that he's gone. I guess I'm just too selfish.
No, no, you're not selfish at all.
Yes, I am selfish when it comes to you. I am selfish. And I'm jealous of the whole world.
Lois, it may not be easy for you to hear this now, but… someday, you'll—
Clark! Look. Don't tell me that I'll meet somebody. You're kinda… tough act to follow, you know? Now, I'm gonna be fine. You don't have to worry about me.
I like worrying about you.
[Lois fights more sobbing as she continues.]
Would you stop? Don't you know that this is killing me? Do you know what it's like to have you come in here, every morning, and not be able to talk to you? Not be able to… show I have any feelings for you, not… be able to tell anyone I know who you are? I don't even know what to call you!
Lois, I don't know what to say.
I dunno, just... say that you love me.
[Clark and Lois enter Mr. White's office]
Good Morning, Lois. How are you today?
Oh, I'm just super. Thanks.
[elbows Clark]
I'm super.
Yeah, morning. You're late, Kent.
Yeah, uh, sorry, Mr. White. I got stuck in traffic.
I mean, as opposed to: "I got stuck in a phone booth" or "I got locked in the men's bathroom".
Lois, what are you talking about? I'm sorry I was late-
If you two wanna bicker, that's great! I have just the assignment for you. You're gonna pose as a honeymoon couple in Niagara Falls to get an expose on the newlywed racket. Some of the hotels up there are just bilking those poor kids for every cent they can get. Real human-interest stuff, though. Make your Aunt Hattie cry her eyes out.
That is a great idea, Mr. White!
Excuse me, Mr. White, I'm sorry, but I'm right in the middle of a series on the city council and I-
I mean, it wouldn't take long! We could just fly right up there and zoom back down again. No, Superman?
Ha! Yeah. If he'd give you two a ride, maybe we could save a couple bucks.
[Clark and Lois watch the President address the nation on TV.]
This is your President. On behalf of my country, and in the name of the other leaders of the world, with whom I have today consulted, I hereby abdicate all authority and control over this planet...to General Zod.
Only by strict compliance with all his directions will the lives of innocent millions be spared. [desperately] Superman! Can you hear me? Superman! Where—?
(The camera pans to Zod as he grabs a microphone)
Who is this "Superman"?!
You'll find out, General, and when you do —
Come to me, Superman! If you dare. I defy you! Come! Come and kneel before Zod! Zod!
R Rocky
[Clark returns to Ron's Diner...where he was beaten by Rocky, who is stuffing his face.]
Gimme another plate of this garbage.
AW Annie, the Waitress
Garbage?! That's my number one special, Rocky!
R Rocky
All right, Annie! Gimme some more coffee, too, will ya?
Gee, that's funny. I've never seen garbage eat garbage before...Excuse me, sir, I believe you're sitting in my favorite seat.
R Rocky
Come and get it, four-eyes.
RO Ron, the Owner
Take it easy, will you? I just had this joint fixed; it cost me a fortune!
The unimpressed Rocky shoves Ron aside and then punches Clark, who is unaffected. Rocky, however, breaks his hand. Clark picks Rocky up and sets him on a stool, which he spins at super-speed...leaving Rocky dazed and looking ready to throw up. Clark then sets Rocky on his own meal.
This order's to go.
Clark then super-pushes Rocky, which sends the bully sliding from one end of the diner's countertop to the other. Rocky lands on a pinball machine, which flashes "TILT". Truck stop patrons look on in awe.
Clark hands a wad of cash to the dumbfounded Ron.
I'm, uh...terribly sorry about all the damage, sir...Oh, I've been...uh, working out.
[Lex, walking through the Daily Planet, observes the destruction wrought by Non] [muttering]
Even with all this accumulated knowledge, when will these dummies learn to use a doorknob?
[He enters Perry White's office]
Hi! You should see the White House. They'll be cleaning it for months.
[holds Jimmy up by the scruff of his neck]
This is the son of Jor-El?
No, but I'll bet you're the son of a...
You promised me the son of Jor-El.
Oh yes, Your Grace. But what I've given you is the next best thing. You just hold onto that little lady and he'll be along. You see, that have this relationship. She does all his public relations and he gives her every exclusive.
[Luthor snickers]
They're the best of friends. [snickers again] You know what I mean?
What an undemanding male this Superman must be.
Yeah, and you could use a tuck here and there yourself, sister.
. . .
She lives for now. Kill the rest. [nods to Lex] Starting with him.
W— w— wait! W-wait! Wait! Don't you remember the White House? The- the Oval Room? We had a few laughs, right? Oh, it's Australia, Australia! It's too much, right, okay forget it. I can turn over a new leaf...a tree, a whole forest.
S Superman
[Superman arrives, floating just outside Perry White's office window.]
General? Would you care to step outside?
Superman! Thank God. [Zod looks sharply at Lex] I mean, get him!
Come to me, son of Jor-El! Kneel before Zod!
[Non, Ursa, and Zod lounge about the Oval Office, bored.]
You're master of all you survey.
So I was yesterday. And the day before.
[Lex Luthor waves a white handkerchief in the doorway, knocks, then enters.]
Hello, there. Lex Luthor. Lex Luthor. Possibly you've heard of the name — the greatest, eh, criminal mind on Earth?
I told you this was a puny planet.
[She and Non advance on Lex]
Wait just a moment! Wait— till you get to know me better, will you, please? [laughs nervously] Wait! Look! I-I-I-I-I can give you, uh, anything you want! I-I can give you the brass ring! The… uh, unlimited freedom to maim, kill, destroy! Plus . . . Lex Luthor's keen mind, Lex Luthor's savvy . . . [He grasps Ursa's hand.] . . . Lex Luthor's career guidance, Lex Luthor's school of better re—
[Ursa squeezes. Lex grimaces as his bones audibly crunch.]
We have all of this without you. You cannot bargain with what you don't have.
Oh, Magnificent One. [bows] What I am bargaining with is what you do not have. The Son of Jor-El.
(Non turns to General Zod, clearly intrigued by Luthor's offer) (taken aback)
The son of Jor-El?
Jor-El, our jailer?
Lex Luthor{sarcastically): No, Jor-El the baseball player.... (seeing Non and Ursa start toward him)
Lex Luthor{serious tone}: Uh yes! Jor-El, your jailer.
(still at a loss)
The Son or Jor-El! On this planet?
Ah, possibly you know him better by his nom de voyage, or his . . . name he travels under — Superman.
(everything now making sense)
Ah, so this is Superman. How do you know of Jor-El?
Oh, my Fullness . . . as I explained to you before . . . I'm about the best there is.
Revenge! We will kill the son of our jailer!
Revenge! Heh heh, now we're cooking, huh?
Certainly, but, uh . . . oh, Magnificent One, he is . . . just one, where you are . . . three!
[Non growls menacingly]
Or four, if you count him twice.
We will bring him to his knees!
[Zod strides toward the door, Ursa and Non following]
Wait!
[They turn back to Lex]
First you must find him. And Lex Baby is the only one who knows where he is.
[Lex makes himself at home in the President's chair and lights a cigar.]
Well, General . . . the world is a big place. Thank goodness, uh . . . my needs are small. Eh, as it turns out, I have this affinity for, uh . . . beachfront property.
(approaching Luthor and mildly irked)
What do you want?
[Lex, feet up on the Oval Office desk, makes a Nixonian double-V sign with his fingers]
Australia!
[Superman flies off, abandoning Metropolis to Zod]
Our victory is complete. The Son of Jor-El has fled.
You heard him. Three against one.
(shakily)
He'll be back! As long as he's alive, he's going to try again.
The next time we will kill him.
The next time? The next time? What am I gonna do with you people, huh? I held up my end. I delivered the Blue Boy. What do I get for my triple threat? "Bow! Yield! Kneel!" That kind of stuff closes out of town.
Why do you say this to me… when you know I will kill you for it?
Kill me? Lex Luthor? Extinguish the greatest criminal flame of our age? Eradicate the only man on Earth with—
