♪
SUPERMAN [NARRATING]: A black hole. A collapsed star so dense
that not even light can escape from its gravitational pull.
S.T.A.R. Labs had discovered one
less than six light years from Earth.
And with my ship,
we had the perfect opportunity to study it,
up close and personal.
After watching the probe being pulled into the gravity well,
this was about as up close as I wanted to get.
But I wasn't the only one observing it.
[ALARM BEEPING]
[ALL SCREAMING]
[ALL GRUNTING]
I had no idea how their ship got so far off course,
but I didn't have much time.
♪
[GRUNTING]
They were going to be all right.
Still, I had to find a place to take them.
Fortunately, their ship had left a vapor trail.
It led to a nearby star system
and one planet in particular.
♪
[ALL GROANING]
[DOOR OPENING]
I hope everyone's all right.
[ALL GASP]
He's one of them.
Excuse me?
WOMAN: What should we do?
MAN [WHISPERING]: I don't know. Let's go.
What's wrong?
Run!
♪
I don't understand.
I just saved your lives.
Then maybe you'd better run too.
[GRUNTING]
So much for gratitude.
[YELLS]
He's still alive. I think he's one of them.
MAN [OVER RADIO]: That's not our concern.
Our orders are to take them all out.
[GRUNTS]
[YELLS]
Maybe you can tell me why I'm so popular around here.
[SHIPS APPROACHING]
[GUNS COCKING]
Hold your fire!
Stand down at once!
Kal-El, welcome to New Krypton.
♪
You'll find the food almost as good as on Krypton,
if you can remember that far back.
Ah!
Idiot.
I see you still have a weakness for the inferior, Kal-El.
Some things never change.
The last time I saw you,
you were trapped in the Phantom Zone.
How did...?
Did we escape? A stroke of luck.
About a year ago, scientists here
detected two meteors of lunar proportions
heading towards the black hole.
They sent out a research ship to study the phenomenon.
[ALL GRUNTING]
When the meteors collided,
the released energy tore open a rift into the Phantom Zone.
[GASPING]
JAX-UR: We were free, but helpless.
Had the aliens not been there, we would have asphyxiated
or been pulled into the hole.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
And to express your gratitude,
you seized control of their planet.
You see things so crudely, Kal-El.
ALTERUS: General Jax-Ur,
your pardon.
What is it?
Four of the escapees have been recaptured.
Two are still at large.
JAX-UR: Come back when you have them all.
Those citizens you so recklessly saved were criminals.
Anarchists, condemned by due process.
Even on your world, you don't interfere with that, do you?
Before we arrived, this was a planet in chaos,
divided by petty conflicts and factions,
not unlike Earth.
We have brought to it the order it needed.
Is that a fact?
Don't take my word for it. See for yourself, Kal-El.
♪
Production instead of destruction.
Factories, where there were once useless forests and wetlands.
JAX-UR: Workers who now cooperate with each other, instead of compete.
A job for everyone according to his abilities and our needs.
[GRUNTING]
To insure a future as orderly as the present,
we have built new schools to teach morality, loyalty
and purpose.
Needless to say, disciplinary problems are now nonexistent.
[ALARM BEEPING]
All over this planet,
we are tearing down the irrational past
in order to make room for an efficient future.
In one year, we have put a new face on this world,
creating the paradise Krypton would have been under our rule.
Now, if only someone down there would smile.
I hope you're not thinking of opposing us, Kal-El.
We've had a year to develop our powers.
I don't think we have to worry about that, Mala.
Kal-El knows his place, and this planet
is simply out of his jurisdiction.
[MISSILE APPROACHING]
I'll find them.
Anarchists.
These days, a minor annoyance.
♪
I've had my troopers recover your ship.
You'll find it undamaged,
though I'm sure you'll want to x-ray it yourself.
I know I would.
Have a pleasant journey.
[GRUNTS]
You're taking quite a risk.
How do you know I won't turn you in?
It's a chance I'll have to take.
My name is Cetea.
I used to work for the National Council.
The people you saved in the execution ship were leaders,
not criminals.
We may have our wars and factions,
but we are not the barbarians Jax-Ur portrays.
Even so, I can't fight him, Cetea.
You must. You're the only one powerful enough.
If I do, your planet will be the loser.
A battle between us would cause more destruction and bloodshed
than all the wars that came before.
We're willing to risk it.
I'm not. Not that way.
I understand. This is not your world.
But I don't believe our royal benefactors
have given you the whole picture.
There's something else you should see.
From what I gather, he was unconscious for about an hour.
Cetea!
We should have killed her the first time she crossed us.
She doesn't know much, but still, we'd better find them.
You have performed well, Alterus.
As you always do.
Business before pleasure, Mala.
Ugh.
This is what they didn't show you
on your little tour.
Interstellar ships, manned by robots.
They're building an armada.
[BUTTONS BEEPING]
What are you doing?
Activating the guidance system.
I wanna know where these ships are headed.
Here.
Earth.
Why am I not surprised?
[ALARM BEEPING]
They know we're here.
♪
JAX-UR: Fall back.
Well done, Kal-El.
[GRUNTING]
The restraints create a magnetic field
not even you can break.
You should have left when you had the chance, Kal-El.
Ha!
JAX-UR: Mesmerizing.
Of all the phenomena of nature,
none fascinates me more than a black hole.
It is the one true force
of absolute power.
Everything it touches becomes its own.
You would admire that.
We're within range, Jax-Ur.
Think of it, Kal-El.
You might actually last long enough
to get a glimpse inside the hole.
I almost envy you.
Almost.
Ah!
Great Ral!
Alterus, what's happening?
We've hit a gravitational anomaly.
Navigation is off-course.
We're being pulled into it.
Keep an eye on them while we adjust the navigation.
Come.
A short reprieve at best, Kal-El.
♪
Plague on you
and your self-serving treachery, Alterus.
My dear Cetea, I deserve much worse than that.
We have to hurry. It won't take that witch long to realize
it was I who disabled the navigation.
JAX-UR: Look for yourself, Mala.
There's no anomaly here.
Your soldier boy has been playing tricks.
[ALARM BEEPING]
What's that?
An escape pod.
♪
It's ejected with two passengers.
Two?
I decided to stick around.
I thought we might find a new planet.
A nice, cozy one, just for the two of you.
[BOTH GRUNTING]
I mean it, you're not going back.
[GRUNTS]
Ah!
We're caught in the gravity well!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
JAX-UR: Mala!
Put it on.
[GRUNTING]
Ah!
[GASPING]
Your lungs are going to burn.
[GROANING]
Forget Kal-El. He'll never survive without air.
[BOTH GASP]
[SCREAMING]
♪
SUPERMAN [NARRATING]: Although Cetea's people were grateful for my help,
I wondered if it wasn't I who should be grateful.
They reminded me of the saying,
"Evil triumphs when good men do nothing."
I won't forget it again.
♪