The Last Son of Krypton
The Last Son of Krypton, Part 1 is the first episode of Superman: The Animated Series.
Plot[]
Brief Plot[]
After the government of his world fails to see the truth in his warning of doom a scientist sends his infant son to an alien world so that he may escape the planet's destruction.
Detailed Plot[]
On a distant world known as Krypton, a native of that world named Jor-El gathers final readings from a borehole in the planet's northern core. As the results come in his heart sinks though a tremor followed by an attack from a strange beast lends him to carry on- back to a mobile research base. There Jor-El is much to his annoyance met by the transmitted presence of Brainiac, a super computer built to monitor all activity on Krypton. In service to the council Brainiac requests for Jor-El's findings and hearing Jor-El's annoyance reminds him that it is the wish of the council that he receive Jor-El's findings as they are made. After providing his finding to Brainiac Jor-El is welcomed back by his wife and son. Jor-El informs his wife that as those where the last readings the family will be returning home. His wife is not too thrilled about such, as it means having to interact with the council; an assembly governing the planet that has found Jor-El's theories of doom disruptive.
After returning home he is met with his wife's father who berates him for causing harm to the family's reputation with his theory of doom. Another quake where upon Jor-El's infant son is nearly killed by a falling statue Jor-El appears before the council with his father in law starting to seeing Jor-El as right. The council upon hearing him yet again rely his belief that Krypton is about to explode due to changes in its core ask Brainiac what he has made of Jor-El's findings. Brainiac reports that while Jor-El's work is admirable Jor-El is incorrect and it is as Brainiac first told the council when inquired about the theory- the tremors are the result of a slight polar shift and the world will stabilize.
Jor-El insists the machine is incorrect and states that the council's reliance on Brainiac will be it's downfall. The council asks what Jor-El would have them do if he was right to which Jor-El proposes sending the population into the Phantom Zone, pocket dimension reserved for criminals. One man in a single ship could be sent from their world to find a new home for the Kyrptonians and then restore them from the Phantom Zone. The council is offended that he would suggest they all live among criminals and leave before Jor-El can further argue.
Jor-El returns home, night falls over Krypton. There he plays with his son and his wife voices how much Jor-El's theory has harmed the family's reputation. Jor-El tells her that he's going to go to the Brainiac center to find out why they disagree. His wife asks if that's necessary but because Jor-El is stubborn he does not reliant in doing so. There he begins accessing data and is met by the transmitted presence of Brainiac who asks if he can be of assistance. Jor-El tells the machine that he wishes to know why they disagree, and needs to find out what Brainiac knows that he hasn't uncovered. The machine begins locking him out of certain files in the astronomical database- where proof of what Brainiac told the council could be found. This leads Jor-El to conclude that Brainiac for some reason is hiding something.
Breaking into the primary core with a blaster weapon Jor-El finds that Brainiac is transferring his own self into a satellite. Realizing the machine is trying to save it's self he pulls his weapon upon the machine's core who then explains. Brainiac is the sum of all Kryptonian knowledge, if he is destroyed all that is lost- all memory of Krypton. Jor-El withdraws his weapon, and Brainiac explains that if he had told the council they would devout all of Brainiac's resources to evacuating the entire planet- a futile effort given how much time they have. Jor-El asks how much time they have, Brainiac tells him that the sun has set on Krypton for the last time- they have only hours before the end.
Security, having been alerted when Jor-El first broke into the core chamber, arrive. Neither Jor-El nor Brainiac speak for a moment as the officers explain that they had gotten an intruder alert. Before Jor-El can say a word Brainiac informs the officers that Jor-El is the intruder and Jor-El makes a break from the facility. Pursued by security who are aided by Brainiac who has authorized the use of lethal force as Jor-El is armed the escape almost fails. Stumbling back home Jor-El finds that his father in law now believes him after Jor-El's wife shared his findings and explained them more clearly. His father in law is ready to support him, but Jor-El informs him it's too late- the final day has dawned. Jor-El tells his wife to prepare the ship and their son. Jor-El knowing the police will eventually come to his house explains to his father in law that the couple plans to send their son to another world. This upsets him, Jor-El explains that it was all part of his plan to save everyone. Send everyone to the phantom zone, send their son to Earth, where he would then restore the Kryptonians there where they would settle and begin anew.
As the police arrive Jor-El and his wife prepare to launch their son towards Earth. His father in law protests saying there is no way Jor-El can outrun the police, and is asked if he has a better idea. Having one, he enters a civil aircar and leaves to distract the police who believe Jor-El is fleeing the scene. Jor-El and his wife prepare the craft, and seeing her in tears Jor-El suggests that if he recalibrates the auto-pilot to compensate he may be able to send her along with their son. She, decides to stay with Jor-El- giving her son the best chance of reaching Earth given the risk of such flight failing if she went too.
Back at Brainiac central the officers report that Jor-El has gotten away, to which Brainiac tells the officers it doesn't matter anymore. He bids their world goodbye and suddenly, vanishes- having completed the transfer of himself to the satellite. The officers don't know what to make of what just happened, and his absence causes a panic as Brainiac himself, now inhabiting a Kryptonian satellite, sets course far from the doomed world. As Jor-El's son is launched towards Earth he and his wife kiss for the final time, holding each other as the final tremor rocks the planet. Monuments to ancient leaders topple over, cities sink beneath the ground, the Brainiac center collapses, and with a torrent of volcanism the planet is destroyed leaving Jor-El's son alone on his journey through space.
Category Clarification[]
- 1990s Science Fiction: Is a narrative of fiction published in the year 1996 which explores environmental changes on another planet with space travel and artificial intelligence as plot elements.
- Superhero Fiction: Is the first episode of Superman: The Animated Series.