MAN: I ask you now to pronounce judgment...
on those accused.
On this...
This mindless aberration, whose only means of expression...
are wanton violence and destruction.
On the woman, Ursa...
whose perversions and unreasoning hatred of all mankind...
have threatened even the children of the planet Krypton.
MAN: Finally, General Zod.
Chief architect of this intended revolution...
and author of this insidious plot to establish a new order amongst us...
with himself as absolute ruler.
The decision of the council will now be heard.
Guilty.
- Guilty. - Guilty.
Guilty.
The vote must be unanimous, Jor-El.
It has therefore now become your decision.
ZOD: You alone will condemn us if you wish...
and you alone will be held responsible by me.
ZOD: You will bow down before me, Jor-El.
I swear it.
No matter that it takes an eternity, you will bow down before me!
Both you...
and then one day... your heirs!
ZOD: You will bow down before me!
URSA: Forgive me! ZOD: I'll be back!
URSA: Forgive me!
[EXPLOSION]
JOR-EL: Your mother Lara has sent you three blankets, of red, yellow and blue.
Their protection will ensure your strength.
[SCREAMING]
[EXPLOSION]
LEX: It's kryptonite, Superman. A little souvenir from the old hometown.
You were great in your day, Superman. But it just stands to reason...
when it came time to cash in your chips...
this old, diseased maniac...
would be your banker.
Mind over muscle.
Aah!
Why did you kiss me first?
It... I didn't think you'd let me later.
Stand aside, now.
URSA: Aah!
[SCREAMING]
Free!
Nice fresh melons. Nice fresh melons. Get them fresh here.
Good for the cooking, huh? Look at this, the best.
MAN: "Lex Luthor's scheme bombs. Superman saves nation.
Master criminal draws harsh sentence. Exclusive story by Lois Lane.
Photographs by James Olsen."
Ahh, Luthor, you never looked lovelier.
Lois, terrific job.
- Thanks, chief. - Great story, really great.
Hey, good morning, chief. You're late.
Yeah, Miss Lane, that's a great story. One of the best.
Jimmy, usually a picture isn't worth a thousand words when I write the story...
but in this case, congratulations.
- Yeah, thanks a lot. - Yeah.
There's Mr. Kent. Bet he wishes he'd been around when it all happened.
Clark, he's never around when Superman appears.
Poor gUY-
- You got a page in the front? - Yeah.
JIMMY: Miss Lane got the best story.
Good morning, Lois.
Hm. Hi.
[WHISTLES]
PERRY: Lane, Kent, get in here!
Now, see, Jimmy, you got me in trouble.
- We were talking. - So long. A big mistake.
Next time, don't do that to me.
- Good morning, Lois. How are you? - Oh, I'm just super. Thanks.
- Good morning, Mr. White. - |'m super.
- Yeah, morning. You're late, Kent. - I know. I'm sorry, Mr. White.
- I got stuck in traffic. - Oh, that's a new one.
- Excuse me? - I mean, as opposed to:
"| was stuck in a phone booth" or "| got locked into the men's bathroom."
What are you talking about? I'm sorry I was late.
If you two wanna bicker, I have just the assignment for you.
You'll pose as a honeymoon couple to get an expose on the newlywed racket-.
Some of those hotels are bilking those poor kids for every cent they can get.
Real human-interest stuff. Make your Aunt Hattie cry her eyes out.
- Um, newlyweds? - That is a great idea, Mr. White.
- I'm sorry, but I'm in the middle of... - I mean, it wouldn't take long-.
We could just fly right up there and zoom back down again.
No, Superman?
If he'd give you two a ride, maybe we could save a couple bucks.
I gotta see young Olsen. Six lousy photographs...
- and he's hitting me up for a raise. - Excuse me. Mr. White? Could we talk?
Darn.
You look like the cat who swallowed the canary this morning.
A canary? No, actually I was thinking of something bigger...
something that flies, something more in blue.
Lois, as usual, I'm totally in the dark...
Let me just turn on the lights for you then.
- Get the picture? - Mm.
I didn't put this together until this morning. Which is really strange...
because a good reporter isn't supposed to let anything slip by her.
Mm. Well, that's very amusing. Yes.
- Excuse me. - Amusing?
Yes, sirree, that's... That's very amusing.
Amusing, huh?
Tall, broad shoulders...
dark hair.
Gotta give you credit, you really had me fooled.
And I'm nobody's fool...
Superman.
Superman?
You mean you think I'm Superman?
- Willing to bet my life on it. - Lois, you know, you are priceless.
Really. That is the single most ridiculous thing I've ever...
- Lois, what are you doing? - You wouldn't let me die, Superman.
[SCREAMING]
[YELLING]
[CROWD SCREAMING]
MAN: Oh, God. - Help her out. Help her out.
- Clark! - Lois, what have you done?
Clark, the... You're not...
Hey, Clark, you seen Lois?
Uh, um, oh.
She just stepped out for a minute.
[ALARM BUZZING]
This is how it ends for the greatest criminal mind of our time.
Not with a whimper, not with a bang.
How do they choose to reward Lex Luthor...
the greatest genius in this world?
Do they give him glory or treasure? What, matter of fact, do they give him?
Life plus 25, Luthor. Get to work.
Don't feel bad, Mr. Luthor. It almost worked.
I mean, California almost fell down, right in the ocean.
Millions of people was almost killed.
If it hadn't been for that guy Superman, that overgrown Boy Scout.
- I want my Liberace record back tonight. - Tonight?
What do you do with a guy like that? He flies around so fast and everything.
I mean, they can't even trace that guy on that radar they got.
Every time they try, he just flies off.
LEX: Where? - North.
Why?
To ski?
Otis, every man has his vulnerable point.
Some, like you, Otis, have more than one.
I didn't see Superman's in time.
But now, through patience, invention, and skill...
my little black box is just about ready.
Oh, that little black box in our cell?
That little black box, Mr. Luthor...
what's it for?
That little black box goes beyond any normal, conventional radar.
It tracks alpha waves.
Alpha waves. Yeah.
I could've said it tracked pasta e fagioli, couldn't I?
Oh, with garlic, Mr. Luthor. And butter.
BOY -
Those alpha waves will take me north to his secret.
And when I have his secret, I'll have Superman.
Slasher Fogelstein's a bed wetter.
Slasher Fogelstein's a bed wetter. Pass it.
Hi, Mr. Fogelstein.
MAN 1: too fast. Can you get the speed right?
MAN 2: I told you, they installed those three weeks ago.
Hey.
You follow the bouncing ball for a while. Thing's giving me a headache.
Anyway, somebody's gotta check up on those guys.
Yeah, I keep on forgetting about them.
How long they been up there, 45 days?
The whole world's forgotten about it.
Houston calling Artemis II.
Houston calling Artemis II. Come in.
NATE [OVER RADIO]: Morning, Houston. MAN 2: Hold on, Nate.
NATE: Yo. MAN 2: How are things?
All systems normal, Houston.
Andy is out doing the geological survey.
MAN 4 [OVER RADIO]: More rocks. Nice.
NATE: And cosmonaut Boris is getting some soil samples.
By the way, Boris and I are engaged.
I had a feeling about you guys when I saw your Rorschach tests.
Just a little détente humor there, Houston.
MAN 4 [OVER RADIO]: Surface conditions unchanged?
Well, it's mighty pretty out there. Mighty...
pretty. MAN 4 [OVER RADIO]: Mighty pretty.
Right.
Uh, look, Nate?
Nate, wake up, will you?
That's it. I'm dreaming.
MAN 4 [OVER RADIO]: Artemis, come in.
Well, Houston, we seem to have an unidentified flying object.
Unidentified?
MAN 4 [OVER RADIO]: What does it look like?
Well, a lot like a girl.
You.
- What kind of a creature are you? - Just a man.
A man?
[AIR HISSING]
AN DY: Aah!
Aah!
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]
What a fragile sort of life form this is.
NATE: Houston, come in. Come in, Houston.
Come in, Houston. Come in.
Attempting manual liftoff.
Can somebody hear me?
Houston!
Aah! Oh, come on.
NATE: Come on, Houston!
Oh, no. No!
Somebody help me!
- Artemis, Houston calling. Come in. - What's going on?
- I don't know. We've lost contact. - So?
Well, we really...
Artemis, come in, please.
[STATIC OVER RADIO]
All right, which one of you guys is using the hair dryer?
Strange. I tore those metal fibers like paper.
And what he did was amazing.
- Something is happening. - Yes, to all of us.
The closer we come to an atmosphere with only one sun...
a yellow sun...
the more our molecular density gives us unlimited powers.
They come from there.
A place called Houston.
Then we will go there too... to rule.
Finally, to rule.
MAN: Three-eighty-two, out.
Three-eighty-three, out.
Three-eighty-four, out.
Three-eighty-five, out.
Lights out, Luthor.
I said, lights out.
You guys are about 10 seconds away from solitary, you know that?
I told you to...
Freeze, freeze.
[CHATTERING ON TV]
OTIS: Mr. Luthor.
- How we gonna get over that wall? - How'd we get in?
- We flew in here, remember? - That's how we'll get out.
Oh, no, not that guy.
VOICE: Psst.
Did you just go "psst"?
I wish I had, Mr. Luthor, before we left.
VOICE: Psst.
- Not that "psst," that "psst." - Oh.
VOICE: Psst. - Psst.
Psst.
- Don't go "psst" when I go "psst." - You do it.
VOICE: Psst. - Psst.
- Psst. Psst. - Go out there and find it.
- What am I looking for? - You'll know when you see it.
I think I found it.
What is it?
It's a ladder, you dummy.
OTIS: Hi, Miss Teschmacher. - Shh.
Psst. Psst.
Come on.
EVE: Hurry up. Hurry up.
Come on, hurry.
Otis, hold that ladder. Hurry up.
MAN [ON TV]: yard line, touchdown! Oh, what a beautiful play.
But there's a marker downfield. It could be against...
- Come up. - Come on.
Here I come, Mr. Luthor.
- Get off. Get off. - Otis!
EVE: We're sinking! - Get off, get off!
[ALARM SOUNDING]
[DOGS BARKING]
Very good, Miss Teschmacher. Very good.
- What am I doing here? Why am I here? - Miss Teschmacher...
is this a philosophy seminar?
- No. This is a getaway. - No.
- Getaway. - Right.
It's ingenious. I don't know where you got the inspiration from.
- I got it from you, Lex. - Ah.
Hot air rises.
[BOTH CHUCKLING]
Would you like to take a trip?
A trip? A vacation.
Lex, I can go shopping. I can buy a bikini.
You thought about me in a bikini while in prison?
No, I didn't, actually.
I thought about you in a parka.
You thought about me in a parka?
You are sick, Lex. You are really sick.
That's possible.
[MACHINE BEEPING]
North, Miss Teschmacher.
Due north.
Lex, north.
That's what I said, due north.
EVE: That's what you said. LEX: I know I said I said that.
-I just heard it. EVE: Yes, Lex.
LEX: Don't repeat what I say when I say something.
EVE: I won't repeat what you say. LEX: Okay, don't.
Well, stop repeating me.
Excuse me.
If you'd like to carry Mrs. Smith over the threshold...
It's sort of traditional.
I can give you a hand if you have trouble lifting.
- Oh. No, of course not. - Honey. Thanks, I'll walk.
Certainly, dear.
LEX: Mush! Mush!
EVE: I am mushing.
LEX: North, Miss Teschmacher.
-North, north! EVE: Yes, Lex. North.
Oh, you must be wrong, Lex. This couldn't be his home way up here.
"Wrong, Lex."
Miss Teschmacher, those are two words we do not use in the same sentence.
Well, it's funny there's no front door.
Miss Teschmacher, "funny" is a person trying to smile without any teeth.
[BOTH CHUCKLING]
Right.
EVE: All right, come on, Lex. Come on.
LEX: Move out of the way. EVE: Oh.
- This way. - It's this way.
Lex, it's this way.
It's this way, Lex.
- Come on. Come on. - Get off!
[CHUCKLING]
Come on.
- Fantastic. - Fantastic.
It's fantastic!
The construction goes far beyond any known architectural theory.
-It's beautiful- -It's beautiful-.
Lex- -I'll be all right.
No, me.
[BOTH GASPING]
LEX: Why can't you be more careful?
-It's beautiful- -Beautiful.
- It has everything. - Wrong.
- Why didn't you go before we left? - That was two days ago.
EVE: Be careful, Lex.
Get...!
Frankly, I think this place is a little boring. It's all white.
Why doesn't the guy put up some pictures?
Maybe some bullfighting posters.
LEX: Don't touch anything. EVE: Don't touch anything.
- Ice. - I said, don't touch it.
LEX: It's not ice. EVE: It looks like a crystal.
The virtuous spirit has no need for thankful approval.
- What the...? - Only the certain conviction...
that what has been done is right.
That's the old man. He looks just like the kid.
- Are you the old man? - Ask him where the bathroom is.
Shh. - Develop such conviction in yourself.
Are you here?
- The human heart on your planet... - He's not here.
It's a voice from the past. That's cute. That's really cute. Nice.
Lies, monstrous deceptions.
So much for moral rearmament.
Give me another crystal.
Education crystal 108. Earth culture.
A typical ode much loved by the people you will live among, Kal-El.
Trees by Joyce Kilmer.
I think that I shall never see.
A poem as lovely as a tree.
Come on, I like trees.
So does your average cooker spaniel. Give me another.
Cute.
My son...
- The man never ages. - Never ages.
The time has come to tell you of the darkest episode in Krypton history.
-Now, this I wanna hear. Unfortunately...
even on our peaceful planet...
there have appeared once in a great while...
certain antisocial elements.
Deviants...
what you call on Earth "criminals."
Criminals.
Deviants. He was right in the first place.
Though of course, we are not a penalty planet like Earth...
and these unhappy souls were almost always successfully transformed...
- .. .into productive citizens. - You never heard of Lex Luthor?
There were, however, three exceptions... Only three.
Who proved impossible to rehabilitate.
Aha. There's hope.
"JOR-EL". Non, the destroyer.
Unreasoning violence in the shape of a being.
Ursa. Vicious, cruel, obsessed by a single-minded hatred...
which could never be deterred.
And the one force that could unite them...
the only one whose warped genius could harness these forces of evil:
General Zod.
-He looks kind of cute. JOR-EL: His intended insurrection...
was the most painful episode our people ever had to endure.
But after a long and terrible battle...
peace and harmony were once again restored.
Kind of an anticlimax.
We had, of course, no death penalty.
Sensible enough.
"JOR-EL". And so they were placed in the Phantom Zone...
[YELLING]
To be imprisoned for all eternity.
I do not know what could be done if they were to escape.
On Krypton, these villains were uncontrollable.
On Earth, each of them would have the identical powers...
that you have.
LEX: Think of it. Three super villains.
All three with the same power he has.
All three totally dedicated to corruption, violence, evil.
They need a contact on Earth.
Someone who felt the same as they did, someone who...
had the same wonderful contempt for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Too true to be good.
Right?
[TOILET FLUSHING]
-Miss Teschmacher? EVE: I found it.
I think.
- Where's Jimmy Olsen when I need him? - Golly, isn't it beautiful?
Yeah, it's gorgeous. Gorgeous.
- Lois? - Yeah?
Look. Everybody's holding hands. Maybe we should hold hands too, huh?
- Here's my hand, Clark. Hold it. - Thanks.
You know what? They're afraid to let go.
- Why? - They let go, straight to the lawyer.
Oh, I don't know about that. They look kind of happy to me.
That's because you're blind, Clark.
- Oh, yeah. - Here.
- No, I've got it. No, I... - Yeah. Clark.
You've gotta look after yourself. You've only got one pair of eyes.
- God. - Lois?
- Now, here. - Right.
- Don't say I never did anything for you. - Thank you.
Son! Excuse me, please.
-Be careful. WOMAN: What are you doing?
Get down! Get down!
You embarrass me here in front of everybody.
Lois, did you see what almost happened there? That little b0y...
Hey, I'm hungry. You hungry?
- Lois, you're amazing. - Why, because I'm hungry?
No. Here you are standing in front of one of nature's most awesome spectacles...
and you're thinking about food. Aren't you impressed?
Clark, once a girl's seen Superman in action...
Niagara Falls kind of leaves you cold, you know?
Him again, huh?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I have a one-track mind, don't I?
Well, my one-track mind is telling me that I'm hungry.
- Hot dog? - Hot dog.
Hot dog.
Could I have some orange juice?
- Freshly squeezed. - Freshly squeezed, I know.
Hey, Mom. Look!
Uh-huh. Yeah, honey. That's nice.
MAN 1: Okay, it's two mustard and relish, and...
[SCREAMING]
Oh, my God!
Help!
LOIS: Help!
Somebody help!
[CROWD YELLING]
MAN 2: Do something!
Good.
MAN 3: Hey, Superman!
Way to go, Superman!
We got a great shot.
What a nice man. Of course he's Jewish.
MAN 4: Incredible.
- There you go. - Again, again!
No, I'm sorry. Only one ride to a customer.
- Superman. Superman, it's me, it's Lois! - Bye.
Come here. You're gonna get it!
WOMAN: Give me a heart attack here- -It's me. It's Lois.
It's Lois Lane.
Well, hello and goodbye.
So this is planet Houston.
A very strange surface.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
- Oops. - Oh, my gosh.
Oh, that's all right. I just didn't hear you knock, that's all.
- Lois. - Mm-hm.
The door wasn't even locked. Just anybody can walk in here.
There you go putting yourself down again.
- Oh, very funny. - No, really, I'm serious.
Well, anyway...
here, a little something for the newlyweds' dinner tonight.
Pansies. Clark, how... How different.
Would you believe they grow wild all around here?
You should see what they charge for roses at the gift shop.
- I'll bet, huh? - Hm.
- Um, you know something, Lois? - What?
Well, you know, in spite of the unreality of all this...
You know, posing as newlyweds for the sake of a newspaper story.
Well, in spite of myself even...
I'm kind of starting to feel like one in a way-.
- A newlywed, you? - Don't see why that should be so strange.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.
I mean, I'm sure there's thousands of girls who'd...
Well, a few girls anyway.
- Go ahead and say it. - Say what?
That somehow you're not satisfied...
being here with me. Hm?
That in some way I don't seem to shape up very well in your eyes.
I don't have anything to apologize for. I'm a good reporter.
No, I'm a very good reporter. And an even better friend to you.
- Stand up. - Stand up?
Yeah, stand up, just for fun.
Now, come here. Look at yourself. Just look at yourself.
What we have here is a potentially aggressive, dynamite guy...
who can do anything he wants.
I mean, it's not my fault you keep putting yourself down.
- Oh, yeah? How? - Well, for starters...
you slouch all the time. Here, stand up straight.
There, that's better.
And get yourself a jacket with a vent and shoes that don't lace up...
and a shirt with a little color or a pattern or something.
And a bow tie that doesn't look like a letter opener.
All right, Lois. All right.
- We've been through this, haven't we? - Yes.
I know where this is all leading to. Um...
And I'm sorry. I mean, I'm sorry...
but no matter how hard I try, I just...
Just... Just never will be him.
Him who?
"Him who"? Him Superman.
Now, I can't help the fact that you seem to think that you love him.
That's something I'll have to live with. But darn it, Lois, that's enough.
Maybe I just can't stand the competition anymore.
And just maybe you've been the competition all along.
Lois, I've never been particularly good at riddles.
Let me make this one really easy for you.
Why, with thousands of children potentially falling off something lethal...
a|| around the world, would Superman be in Niagara Falls today?
Why not the Grand Canyon?
- Ask the child's family. They would know. - Why is it always when I'm with you...
until Superman appears? And then you seem to disappear.
Very conveniently, it seems to me.
I was out for hot dogs. For Pete's sake...
Uh-huh. When Superman appeared, I looked at that hot dog stand...
and you were gone.
- I was... - Nowhere.
I can't help it if I had to go to the...
You are Superman, aren't you?
Lois, look, we've been through these hallucinations of yours before.
Can't you see what you almost did?
Throwing yourself off a building 30 stories high?
Can't you see the tragic mistake you almost made?
Yeah, I made a mistake. I made a mistake because...
| risked my life instead of yours.
Lois, don't be insane.
And don't fall down because you're just gonna have to get up again.
Lois, now, don't be crazy now. Lois!
It is you.
I guess I've known this for the longest time.
You realize, of course...
if you'd been wrong, Clark Kent would have been killed.
With a blank?
Gotcha.
A primitive sort of life form.
Did you see that?
Did you see what I did?
I have powers beyond reason here.
We all have them, my dear.
- Wow, this is your home? - No.
Actually, I live in the city, about three blocks from you.
CLARK: No, this is a very special place for me.
I wanted you to see it.
Listen, you warm enough?
I guess I should be freezing, but I'm not.
Good.
Come on, let me show you.
MAN: I don't know.
From the look of them, I'll bet $10 they're from Los Angeles.
[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO]
[SIREN BLARING]
Hey, you hippies, get your butts off the road!
I like the globe. It flashes red like our Krypton sun.
ZOD: But not this irritating noise.
Make way.
Did I hear right?
That son of a bitch give me an order?
Duane, you take care of it.
Just what in the hell do you think you're doing here?
What is this symbol?
Do you follow another leader?
Follow the leader?
Holy skunk sweat.
- All right. - A weapon of some sort.
How the hell did you do that?
Jesus H. Christ.
- Mm. That was good. - I thought we might...
abandon the orange juice for once.
- Here, cheers. - Cheers.
Must be tough being Clark Kent, isn't it?
No. No, I really...
I really like it sometimes.
Even though I do make a fool of myself.
But, you know, if it weren't for him, I never would have met you.
But he is you.
-It's kind of confusing- -Not to me, it isn't.
Everything's clear.
Until yesterday, another middle-American town...
Middle America had forgotten.
But today, the population... Exaggerated reports put it at 123.
Has increased by three.
And these three new arrivals bring destruction in their wake.
As I look west into East Houston this morning...
| see a town gripped with fear.
WOMAN [OVER RADIO]: Who's the guy? Get that guy. Follow the guy.
MAN 1 [OVER RADIO]: Who's the big guy? Okay, yeah, we've got a...
-You got that? ZOD: No.
MAN 2 [OVER RADIO]: That's fine- MAN 3 [OVER RADIO]: Wiggle it.
Who else is seeing this?
Well, with this satellite linkup, just about everybody. The whole planet.
The whole planet Houston?
Earth. The whole planet Earth.
You may continue.
As the extraordinary story c0ntinues...
- Enough of this man. - As this extraordinary...
If the whole planet is watching, let's show them something interesting.
MAN 4 [OVER BULLHORN]: Throw down your arms and surrender!
This is an order.
General Zod does not take orders. He gives them.
[EXPLOSION]
[METAL CRASHING]
[GROANING]
He was in the line of that fire and nothing happened to him.
I haven't seen the likes of this since Superman.
MAN [ON TV]: Yes? Yes.
The Newsbeat control room has informed me that a fleet of helicopter gunships is...
- Mr. President, sir, can't we...? - There's nothing anybody can do.
They have such powers, nothing can stop them.
Where's Superman?
Where is he? Why doesn't he do something?
MAN [OVER RADIO]: Fire again.
Fire again.
Look. They need machines to fly.
MAN [OVER RADIO]: Banking now. ZOD: What bravery.
Be nice to them, my dear. Blow them a kiss.
MAN [OVER RADIO]: Rockets ready. Coming in on target. Wait, wait.
We're out of control.
We're coming in, coming down. Can't control it!
We're coming down.
I win.
I always win.
Is there no one on this planet to even challenge me?
Come forward.
Your general wishes to speak.
I am General Zod, your ruler.
ZOD: Yes, today begins a new order!
Your lands, your possessions...
your very lives will gladly be given in tribute to me.
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?
And who is your superior?
- I answer only to the president. - And he will answer to me.
Or all of his cities will end up like this one.
PRESIDENT: Thousands of hours to create, and they defaced it in seconds.
Imagine what they'll do to the world if we resist.
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 every question.
This was one I'd...
I'd hoped you would not ask.
My attachment, 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 expense 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 defenseless, the needy...
for the sake of your 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, an 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.
Father...
| love her.
Think, Kal-El.
Come on. Come on.
[YELLING]
MAN: Look out! Aah!
Aah!
You are the one they call president?
I am.
I see you are practiced in worshipping things that fly.
Good.
Rise before Zod.
Now, kneel before Zod.
ZOD: You are not the president.
No one who leads so many could possibly kneel so quickly.
PRESIDENT: I am the man they are protecting.
I am the president.
I'll kneel before you if it will save lives.
It Will.
Starting with your own.
What a backward planet this must be...
where the men wear the ribbons...
and the jewelry.
What I do now...
| do for the sake of the people of the world.
But there is one man here on Earth who will never kneel before you.
Who is this imbecile? Where is he?
I wish I knew.
Oh, God.
Zod.
CLARK: Hey.
You're awfully quiet over there.
LOIS: Hm? Oh. Yeah, I was just thinking...
| can't believe what you've given up for me.
CLARK: Are you kidding? I didn't do it for you, Lois, I did it for us.
LOIS: See, I told you there'd be a hot dog place somewhere.
CLARK: Okay. It sure takes longer when you can't fly.
LOIS: Hurry up.
-Come on. CLARK: Okay.
LOIS: Come on, it's my treat. Come on.
[HORN HONKING]
Oh, boy, it's Mr. Wonderful.
Thank you.
- Do you have a men's room? - Yeah. Right in the corner.
- Want to sit down? - Yeah.
Hi, what would you folks like?
I'd like a cheeseburger with everything on it, and a Coke...
an order of fries and a side salad, please.
- And for you, sir? - I'll think about it when I get back-.
Right. That's one cheeseburger...
-Steak and eggs, over easy, coffee. LOIS: Can I have my Coke?
Coming right up.
- I'm sorry, that seat's taken. - It is now, sweetheart-.
Can I buy you something to eat?
No, thank you.
Excuse me. I think you're sitting in my seat.
Your seat's in there, four-eyes.
Oh.
Gee, I think perhaps somebody ought to teach you some manners, sir.
Yeah? Well, let me know when he comes in.
- Look, Clark, we can just... - Honey.
Excuse me, sir, would you care to step outside?
I said, excuse me, sir, would you care to step outside?
[CHUCKLING]
Now, listen, Rocky, your steak's coming right up.
Keep it on the flame, Ron. This is just a minute steak.
After you.
LOIS: Clark. CLARK: It's all right, honey.
Clark!
You all right, fella?
He's gonna be fine, just give me that.
- Clark? - Blood. It's my blood.
I think maybe we ought to hire a bodyguard from now on.
I don't want a bodyguard. I want the man I fell in love with.
I know that, Lois.
I wish he were here.
Clark.
Boy, you just don't have enough sense to stay down, do you?
LOIS: You... You... You are no good.
Settle down!
I don't like your meat anyway.
Oh, God.
[GROANING]
Clark? Clark?
Clark, can you get up?
- All right. Come on. I got you. - Go slow. Go slow.
LOIS: Try and get up in that chair.
Sit down. - I'm all right. I'm all right.
Okay, everybody, he's all right. Just relax. We'll have some fresh coffee.
I'll turn the box on.
MAN [ON TV]: We interrupt this program for an urgent message...
from the president of the United States.
PRESIDENT [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...
| hereby abdicate...
all authority and control over this planet...
to General Zod.
Zod.
Only by strict compliance with all his directions...
will the lives of innocent millions be spared.
Superman, can you hear me'?
- Superman, where...? - Who is this Superman?
- You'll find out. And when you do... - Come to me, Superman, if you dare.
"ZOD". I defy you.
Come! Come and kneel before Zod.
Zod!
- Here? When? - When?
Where the hell have you been, Mac? On a desert island?
I have to go back.
You can't go back.
- There's no way now. - I have to.
I've gotta try, damn it. I've gotta try something, anything.
It's not your fault.
You didn't know this was gonna happen.
He knew.
I heard him.
I just didn't listen.
You're master of all you survey.
And so I was yesterday.
And the day before.
LEX: Hello, there.
Lex Luthor.
You've heard the name? The greatest criminal mind on Earth.
I told you this was a puny planet.
Wait just a moment.
Wait until you get to know me better. Will you, please?
Wait. Look, I can give you anything you want.
I can give you the brass ring...
the unlimited freedom to maim, kill, destroy.
Plus, Lex Luthor's keen mind. Lex Luthor's savvy.
Lex Luthor's career guidance. Lex Luthor's School of Better...
We have all of this without you.
You cannot bargain with what you don't have.
Magnificent One...
what I am bargaining with is what you do not have.
The son of Jor-El.
The son of Jor-El?
I Said that, didn't I?
Jor-El, our jailer?
No, Jor-El, the baseball player.
Yes, Jor-El, your jailer.
-The son of Jor-El? On this planet? LEX: Aye.
Possibly you know him better by his nom de voyage...
or his name he travels under:
- Superman. - Ah.
So this is Superman.
How do you know of Jor-El?
My Fullness, as I explained to you before...
I'm about the best there ts.
Revenge.
We will kill the son of our jailer.
- Revenge. - Revenge! Now we're cooking.
- He flies, then? - Constantly.
- He has powers as we do? - Certainly.
But, Magnificent One... he's just one...
where you are three.
- Or four, if you count him twice. - We will bring him to his knees.
Wait!
LEX: First, you must find him.
And Lex Baby is the only one who knows where he is.
What do you want?
Well, general...
the world is a big place.
Thank goodness... my needs are small.
As it turns out, I have this affinity for beachfront property.
What do you want?
Australia.
Hey.
Listen... Hey, come on, where are you...? Please!
AW... Oh!
Father?
If you can hear me...
| failed.
I failed you...
| failed myself...
and all humanity.
I've traded my birthright...
for a life of submission in a world that's now ruled by your enemies.
There's nobody left to help them now...
the people of the world.
Not since I...
Father!
Listen carefully, my son, for we shall never speak again.
If you hear me now...
then you have made use of the only means left to you:
The crystal source through which our communications begun.
The circle is now complete.
You have made a dreadful mistake, Kal-El.
You did this of your own free will...
in spite of all I could say to dissuade you.
I, uh...
Now you have returned to me for one last chance to redeem yourself.
This too finally I have anticipated, my son.
Look at me, Kal-El.
Once before when you were small, I died...
while giving you a chance for life.
And now, even though it will exhaust the final energy left within me...
Father, no.
Look at me, Kal-El.
The Kryptonian prophecy will be at last fulfilled.
The son becomes the father, the father becomes the son.
Farewell forever, Kal-El.
Remember me, my son.
My son.
Father!
[CHATTERING]
Harold. Coffee, black, no sugar.
Black, no sug... Yeah. Yeah.
Who's paying, huh?
No, no! There's three of them. That cockamamie general...
and a big truck with hair and a broad that looks like the queen of the runway.
They can fly and see through things. Anything Superman can do, they can do.
Where is he, anyway?
Maybe he hasn't heard about it yet, chief.
- Maybe... - Maybe he's just run out of guts.
- No sugar. And don't call me "chief." - He'll be here.
- If there's any way at all, he'll be here. - Yeah, he'll be here.
[CRASHING]
MAN 1: What's going on? WOMAN 1: I don't know.
-Hey, Charlie, you feel that? CHARLIE: Yeah.
Sounds like an earthquake.
WOMAN 2: Oh, my!
[SCREAMING]
MAN 2: It's those three. MAN 3: Stop!
-Oh, my God, they're here now! WOMAN 3: Oh, no!
WOMAN 4: This is scary!
Oh! Aah!
You all right, chief?
Hi. I...
You should see the White House. They'll be cleaning for months.
Lex Luthor.
Wouldn't you know it?
This is the son of Jor-El?
- No, but I bet you're a son of a... - Jimmy!
You promised me the son of Jor-El.
Yes, Your Grace.
But what I've given you is the next best thing.
You just hold on to that little lady, and he'll be along.
See, they have this relationship.
She does all his public relations, and he gives her every exclusive.
They're the best of friends. You know what I mean?
What an undemanding male this Superman must be.
You could use a tuck here and there yourself, sister.
ZOD: Wait!
-I'm sorry! ZOD: She lives for now-.
Kill the rest, starting with him.
[GROWLS]
Wait. Wait, wait, wait!
Wait. Wait.
Don't you remember the White House? Oval Room? We had a few laughs there.
[GROWLS]
You ought to have that fixed.
SUPERMAN: General...
haven't you heard of freedom of the press?
- Superman! - Superman, thank God.
I mean, get him!
ZOD: Come to me, son of Jor-El!
Kneel before Zod!
[YELLING]
LOIS: Watch out. You all right?
Son of Jor-El.
We were beginning to think you were a coward.
I'm not a coward, Zod.
It is extremely likely you are merely a fool.
Like father, like son.
WOMAN: Look out!
Then die as you deserve to!
Come on, come on, Superman! Get him!
Man, this is gonna be good.
[CHATTERING]
URSA'S VOICE: Superman.
- Hey, that's the chief's. - The chief's got it.
What, you hit a woman?
[CROWD YELLING]
Oh, my God! My baby!
Help my baby!
Thank you.
This Superman is nothing of the kind.
ZOD: I've discovered his weakness. URSA: Yes.
ZOD: He cares.
He actually cares for these Earth people.
- Like pets? - I suppose so.
I'll draw his fire...
with some of my own.
[SCREAMING]
MAN 1: What's happening to those cars?
WOMAN 1: Get out of the way!
[CRASHING]
URSA: Superman.
WOMAN 2: Oh, thank you!
I never thought this thing would go the distance.
[SCREAMING]
No! Don't do it!
SUPERMAN: The people!
Throw it!
MAN 2: Get away from there. Get away. WOMAN 3: Let's help them out!
MAN 3: I got her. I got her. Don't worry. - He's dead.
MAN 4: Superman is dead.
They've killed Superman.
MAN 5: He's dead. - Let's go get them!
- Come on, we'll show them! - I know some judo. Let's go!
MAN 6: Come on!
[YELLING]
MAN 7: I'm holding it, I'm holding it!
WOMAN 4: What can you do if you can't see what's happening?
MAN 8: Hold on! MAN 9: Oh, my God!
WOMAN 5: You can't leave us!
So he is a coward after all.
He's gone.
Come back, Superman!
Don't leave us!
He chickened out.
Phony!
BOY: Superman didn't even do nothing-.
Come on, let's go.
[YELLING]
- There they are. - Get away from here. Jimmy.
Our victory is complete.
The son of Jor-El has fled.
- Superman fled? - I don't believe you.
You heard him. Three against one, you should've taken two ears and a tail.
- He fled in fear of us. - He'll be back.
As long as he's alive, he's gonna try again.
-The next time, we will kill him. LEX: The next time?
The next time?
What am I gonna do with you people?
LEX: I held up my end. I delivered you the blue boy.
What do I get from my triple threat?
"Bow, yield, kneel." That kind of stuff closes out a 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?
LEX: Eradicate the only man on earth with...
Let me kill him!
Superman's address?
What more do you want? I can see the greed written on your face.
A small incentive, O Fullest One.
A mere bauble to jog the memory.
What more'?
Cuba.
[GROWLS]
I trust you are not wasting my time, Lex Luthor.
LEX: Of course not, Your Turbulence.
[SHRIEKING]
Show yourself, coward!
Son of a coward!
I'm here, Zod.
-Let Miss Lane go, step inside. We'll talk. LOIS: No, don't, Superman!
Please don't listen to him. He's just...
Stop.
Your powers are identical to mine.
But we are three. We could tear you limb from limb.
Do it, Your Grace.
Just grab a leg and just make a wish.
But you are victim to another fatal weakness...
your compassion. The death of others means more to you than your own.
Yes, with rare exceptions.
Your father condemned us to an eternal living death. Your fate will be the same.
You will live, Kal-El, forever...
as my slave. If not, then others will pay for your obstinate attitude.
Innocent people, millions if necessary, beginning with this Lois person.
- Don't, Superman, don't! - Stop it!
All right, Zod.
It's over.
Your Grace, don't believe him! You don't know him the way that I do.
I sense the presence of Jor-El here.
We will destroy this place.
And then kill him.
Him.
Him? Me?
General, this is Lex Luthor.
Remember...? I helped you through the tough times.
I filled your inside straight.
You came to me with nothing. I gave you Superman.
Silence!
Well, look...
Guy's a clod.
LEX: You think you know people, right?
Promises were made, gifts were exchanged.
I gotta hand it to you, you know. You always told the truth.
A guy always knew where he stood with you.
Try to get them all into this molecule chamber here.
It takes away their powers, see...
and turns them into ordinary human beings.
Now, if you could... Shh. Shh.
- Don't go in there. It's a trap. - Luthor, you poisonous snake!
That's a molecule chamber.
It makes people like you into people like me.
- You've done well, Lex Luthor. - I thought so.
Seize him.
- Kill her. - No! Superman, no!
All right! All right, leave her alone, Zod!
SUPERMAN: You win.
General, the crystal there activates the mechanism.
Lex Luthor, ruler of Australia...
activate the machine.
With your permission.
And now, finally...
ZOD: Kneel.
Take my hand...
and swear eternal loyalty to Zod.
[GASPING]
Aah!
[GROWLING]
LEX: He switched it.
He did it to them.
The lights were on out here while he was safe in there.
Hey, you know something?
You're a real pain in the neck!
[URSA YELLING]
- Are you all right? - Uh-huh.
I knew you'd double-cross me, Luthor. A lying weasel like you couldn't resist.
Who, me? Are you kidding?
Hey, I was with you all the time. That was beautiful.
Did you see the way they fell into our trap?
Too late, Luthor. Too late.
Look. Look, Superman.
I got a proposition for you.
Now, don't stop me till you've heard this...
because I know I owe you one, but we're in the North Pole, right?
Look, Lois-—.
No regrets, okay? I did it.
I got the man I loved to love me.
- Didn't I? - Oh, yeah.
Well, okay then. Those people need you.
Do you think I don't understand that?
We can still see each other, you know. I mean, all the time.
But it just can't be...
Just don't forget, that's all.
Don't ever forget.
- Well, here we are. - Home sweet home.
- See you at work in the morning. - Mm-hm. Bright and early, huh?
- Same old Clark and the same old Lois. - Yup.
Except... maybe I won't be quite so mean to you from now on.
You don't have to worry.
Your secret's safe with me.
I know. I know that, Lois.
Well, there he goes, kid.
UP, up and away.
URSA: No! ZOD: No!
MAN 1: Hey, is Mr. White free? WOMAN 1: On the telephone.
WOMAN 2: He's in conference at the moment.
MAN 2: Yeah, that's what he says.
MAN: Give me three carbons of that. - Hi.
WOMAN: It's gonna be an insert in the paper. That's what they said.
Good morning. Hi.
Good morning, Lois. Whoops.
Uh...
- Good morning, Lois. - Hi, Clark.
Jeepers, I have seen some faraway looks in my time...
but with that look, you might as well be on the North Pole.
The North Pole.
No, that's too silly.
Did you ever feel like you knew something that was so important that...
-Whoops. LOIS: No, you never did.
I feel like I'm sitting on the single most important story of my career...
and I can't remember what it is.
Well, knowing you, it must have been about Superman.
Maybe how he saved the city or the world or saved the universe.
Clark, Clark. Listen. Jealousy's really counterproductive.
Now, there's some things that you can do too.
Oh, yeah?
Really? Um, like what?
Um, get us a pizza.
- A pizza. Now? - Yeah, I'm hungry.
Actually, I don't think Mr. White would like it if...
I'll pay for half of it, all right?
I'm going.
- Um, Lois? - Mm?
You know, about the pizza? Um...
It's okay. I'll pay for the whole thing.
You know, you're really super.
Ah!
- Hey, Ron. - Yeah?
Give me another plate of this garbage.
Garbage? That's my number-one special, Rocky.
All right. Get me some more coffee too, will you?
Gee, that's funny. I've never seen garbage eat garbage before.
Excuse me, sir. I think you're sitting in my favorite seat.
Come and get it, four-eyes.
RON: Now cool it, Rocky.
Take it easy, will you?
I just had this joint fixed. It cost me a fortune.
[GROANING]
Oh, God!
[YELLING]
This order's to go.
Aah!
I'm terribly sorry about all the damage, sir.
I've been working out.
[ENGLISH SDH]