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: you asked for it: (This idea ©Islanders! 2000) : : SUPERMAN LIVES : (un-produced working draft) : Written by : Kevin Smith : (reported by imdb to be rejected) : WARNER BROS. March 27, 1997 : 4000 Warner Boulevard © 1997 : Burbank, California 91522 WARNER BROS. : All rights reserved. : ------------------------------------------------------------------ : EXT. SPACE : An Alien craft floats through the void, approaching a slow-moving : ASTEROID. : INT. ALIEN CRAFT : Two humanoid ALIENS dressed in uniforms pilot their craft nearer : to the asteroid. : ALIEN #1 : Receiving a signal from an alien system, : but there's interference on the channels. : ALIEN #2 : Once we get past this asteroid, it should : clear up. : Suddenly, THROUGH the windshield, we see tentacles shoot out of : the asteroid. : EXT. SPACE : The tentacles wrap themselves around the craft, and electrical : energy courses between the pair. The "Asteroid" reveals itself to : be the BRAINIAC SKULL SHIP - a tentacled craft that looks like it : sounds. A set of "jaws" protrude and puncture the hull of the : small craft. It glows white hot with power. : INT. SKULL SHIP - OPERATING THEATRE : We see a surgical table, its contents obscured by the shadows, : save for the back of a malformed head. Computer banks and monitors : are everywhere. A small ROBOT works beside the table - implanting : a cable into the back of the malformed head. It throws a switch. : Raw energy blows through the cable, causing the "patient" to : convulse and writhe, screaming. : CLOSEUP - METALLIC SHAFT : as it begins to reconfigure, taking the shape of an arm. We see : the same happen to other parts of his "body" -- hands, legs, : facial features. : EXT. SPACE : The craft the Skull Ship holds then goes dark, the energy being : sucked from it having run dry. : INT. SKULL SHIP - OPERATING THEATRE : The "patient" stops convulsing, as the cable attached to its head : ceases to glow. : BRAINIAC : That was all the energy the craft : yielded? : L-RON : The craft was a short-ranger, my Lord. : I'm surprised that can had enough juice : to give you this much form. We pulled 1.9 : trigs out of it. There's nothing more to : get. : BRAINIAC : (rising) : An inaccurate assessment. : INT. SMALL CRAFT : The frightened Aliens try to re-start their craft. : ALIEN #1 : (off computer) : Motion detectors are picking up something : breaching the hull! : The DOORS melt. BRAINIAC enters: humanoid in appearance, green- : skinned, black-eyed, red-lipped. Metallic, and bald. A series of : metal relays criss-cross his forehead -- three solid circles, : intersected by straight lines. : The aliens reach for LASER-GATLINGS and FIRE, but they cause no : damage. Brainiac instead grabs the weapons, jamming them into his : body -- consuming the lasers into his form, energizing. He drops : the guns, and his hands morph into tendrils, which plunge into the : chests of the terrified Aliens. He absorbs their life forces, : making them husks -- at which point they explode, covering the : cabin in goo. Brainiac inhales deeply, charged. : EXT. SPACE : The tentacles of the Skull Ship unravel from the wrecked craft. : The Skull Ship powers up and thrusts into the void. : INT. SKULL SHIP BRIDGE : Brainiac watches space part before him on the View Screen. L-Ron : joins him, holding a containment unit. : BRAINIAC : The cosmic irony, L-Ron -- I who have : destroyed a world am now forced to : subsist like a parasite. Once, infinite : power was my manifest. Now look at the : pride of Colu -- feeble attempts to : maintain even this meager anthropomorphic : form! : L-RON : At least you have what passes for legs. : Brainiac gives L-Ron a withering look. : BRAINIAC : What did your search of the craft yield? : L-Ron holds up the containment jar, inside which scurries a multi- : legged fist-sized creature. : BRAINIAC : (glances at it) : Thanagarian Snare Beast. Infancy stage. : Illegal in sixteen systems due to the : advanced nature of their growth patterns : outside of their own atmosphere. : (beat) : Add it to the menagerie. : Then, a BEACON sounds. On the main screen, scrambled letters and : numbers appear, forming the distorted image of Lex Luthor -- : commanding, corporate, suave, bald... And ominous. : LEX (V.O) : Greetings. This message -- transmitted in : over one hundred languages -- comes to : you from Earth. : Brainiac regards the message curiously. : LEX (V.O.) : I am Lex Luthor, owner and C.E.O. of : LexCorp -- a vast and powerful : conglomerate that dominates trade on this : planet. To whatever life form that may : receive this, I extend an invitation to : our world. Non-hostile and eager to : establish contact with extraterrestrial : races, Earth welcomes a visit from : whomever receives this greeting. I myself : call upon you to make contact, so that we : may establish relations, open trade : routes... : Brainiac turns away, disinterested. Then, the "friendly" greeting : onscreen turns darker. : LEX (V.O.) : ... and discuss any information you might : have regarding a visitor to this planet : of Kryptonian descent. : Brainiac snaps to attention, shocked recognition crossing his : face. : BRAINIAC : My days of scavenging are over, L-Ron. : Lock onto this transmission and follow it : to this Earth his speaks of. : L-RON : What for? : BRAINIAC : Jor-El's most accomplished creation, : L-Ron -- the Eradicator still exists! : Brainiac's eyes glow with intrigue. L-Ron shrugs and begins : entering coordinates. Lex's message continues onscreen. : LEX (V.O.) : From one superior intellect to another -- : whomever or whatever you may be -- I : implore you to come to Earth, so that we : might discuss the problem we call... : INT. TELEVISION STUDIO : A CLOSEUP of a stiff-looking TELE-JOURNALIST fills the screen. : HOST : Superman -- friend to Earth, or hindrance? : Tonight we take a closer look at the Man : of Steel. : We're in a television studio. While the "Nightline"-like opening : logos play, cameras whirl and reposition. Then: : HOST : Does the existence of a seemingly : god-like vigilante impact the world : positively or negatively? Examining this : with us tonight is LexCorp C.E.O. and : Metropolis' second most well-known figure, : Lex Luthor. : Seated across from the host, LEX LUTHOR winces at the : introduction. Looking far more congenial than he did in his clip : aboard the Skull Ship, Lex is in public persona. : HOST : Mister Luthor -- you've been the most : vocal proponent of the Wertham Act -- the : bill that seeks to outlaw costumed : vigilantes in the greater Metropolitan : area. Given that Superman is the sole : individual who could fall under this : criteria, the question begs asking -- why : so much distrust of 'the man of tomorrow'? : LEX : I'm no enemy of Superman, Ted -- quite : the contrary. I find his flair for : fashion and whimsical abilities very... : David Copperfield. Such a crowd-pleasing : showman who makes Metropolis his home is : a boon for the tourist trade. But I do : question the good that Superman represents : for the human race -- beyond entertainment : value. : HOST : Such as? : LEX : Well -- aiding the planet at every turn : against war, famine, natural disaster, : for starters. It represents a complete : freeze on the evolutionary process. And : what of his more immediate effects on our : society? Having Superman make his home in : Metropolis is a veritable call-to-arms : for any psychotic with dreams of world : domination. The Wertham Act would be a : deterrent to those who might consider : jumping into a pair of tights and : challenging the Man of Steel to a battle : royale right here on the streets of our : fair city. : HOST : An interesting position, Mister Luthor -- : but one that I'm sure your opposition : will refute. We welcome city beat : reporter for the Daily Planet, Lois Lane. : LOIS sits beside Lex -- beautiful yet poised... even though she : looks thoroughly pissed. : LOIS : This proposed act, which even Metropolis' : own Governor Bree opposes, is nothing : more than Lex's one-man crusade against : Superman. Outlawing the Man of Steel, : would be like removing the soul of this : city. I mean, can anyone even remember : what Metropolis was like before Superman : arrived? : LEX : As I recall, there were less red, white : and yellow souvenir stands. Miss Lane -- : have you ever been able to look past your : blind allegiance to this off-worlder to : think that maybe he employs criminals to : improve his P.R.? For all we know, : they're on his books. : LOIS : In Salem, it was a witch-hunt, in : Hollywood, it was the 'Red Scare'... : Leave it to your fertile imagination to : come up with 'Cape-Gate.' : LEX : The vehement defense you put up for him, : I'd say the only thing fertile around : here is someone's hopes of carrying a : super-brat one day. : LOIS : That's it... : Lois jumps Lex, who tumbles back in his chair. She begins laying : into him, as the Host LEANS INTO the FRAME, addressing the TV : "audience." : HOST : We'll be right back. : Fade to a commercial -- in an open field, a WOMAN spins a small : boy in her arms: : V.O. : Family -- it's the bottom line behind : every decision she makes. Yours, or hers. : In November, vote with your heart. : The chyron at the bottom of the screen reads 'Paid for by the : Committee to Re-Elect Governor Bree', as the visual locks on the : small BOY in her arms. : CUT TO: : EXT. HOB'S BAY STREET - DAY : The same small Boy, exits a BISTRO, holding the hand of this : mother, GOVERNOR CAITLIN BREE. They are flanked by SECRET SERVICE : MEN. PAPARAZZI and TELEJOURNALISTS (including Cat Grant) converge : on them, snapping photos. : CAT : Madam Governor -- how was the meal? : GOVERNOR : Excellent. This Bistro represents the : first major step in the revitalization of : Metropolis' historic Hob's Bay. : CAT : Do you think the redevelopment project : can change the public's perception of this : area as 'Suicide Slum'? : GOVERNOR : If the meal was any indication, I'd say : absolutely. : CAT : (to the boy) : How about it, Brodie -- what'd you think : of the Bistro's food? : BOY : It was the bestest p'sghetti I had in my : whole life! : The Journos laugh. The Governor kisses her son's head and hugs : him, then turns back to the cameras. : GOVERNOR : I want Metropolitans to know that there : is no danger in Hob's Bay. : Suddenly, across the street, the side of the building EXPLODES, : raining debris on the crowd. The Governor covers her son. : Five crudely-masked THUGS pour from the hole in the building, : opening fire, sending people running. : Then, from the still-smoking blast-hole, DEADSHOT emerges. Clad : completely in silver and red, featureless (save for the glowing : red gun sight covering his right eye). : The Secret Service Men covering the Governor draw their guns. : Deadshot takes aim with his WRIST-REVOLVERS and shoots the pieces : from their hands. The thugs clear a path for their leader. : The Governor looks up to see Deadshot standing over her. : GOVERNOR : This city will not bow down to terrorism : of any kind! : DEADSHOT : Maybe not... : He drops the Governor and grabs the boy by his collar. : DEADSHOT : ...but I'm sure you will. Won't you... : mom? : Deadshot holds his wrist-revolver to the scared Boy's head. A : crimson laugh echoes out from behind his mask. : EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING ROOFTOP - DAY : We still hear Deadshot's laugh, but from someone else's : perspective - a super-hearing perspective. A very familiar pair of : BOOTS steps to the edge of the building, then steps off : disappearing in a flash of red. : EXT. HOB'S BAY STREET - DAY : A SONIC BOOM fills the air. Deadshot looks to THUG #1. : DEADSHOT : Tell me that was your stomach. : High above, a streak of RED descends at a rapid rate, rocketing : into the pavement, leaving a hole in the ground. : DEADSHOT : Oh, shit... : The street beneath their feet explodes, and the same red streak : flashes past Deadshot, taking with it the Boy in the blink of an : eye. All immediately mobilize. : DEADSHOT : GRAB THE BROAD AND LET'S GET OUT OF : HERE!!! : The thugs grab the Governor as a VAN screeches up. : EXT. TOP OF BUILDING - DAY : The Boy is set down lightly on the roof. He opens his eyes, which : then go wide. Before him stands SUPERMAN (um... 90's style), : licking his hand. : SUPERMAN : Mmmm -- Spaghetti. : (hand on the boy) : You okay? : BOY : Can we do that again?! : SUPERMAN : First I gotta beat up the bad guys. : BOY : My mom thinks you're cute. : SUPERMAN : That's why I voted for her. : Superman winks and leaps into the air, disappearing. : INT. VAN - DAY : The Governor under Deadshot's gun, Thug #1 revs the engine. : Suddenly, through the windshield, Superman explodes up through the : hood of the Van, adorned in engine parts. : DEADSHOT : GET OUT THERE AND VENTILATE HIM!!! : EXT. HOB'S BAY STREET - DAY : Superman pulls himself from the Van, and hurls the engine at two : of the Thugs. The remaining three open fire. The bullets bounce : from Superman's chest. : EXT. SPACE - SOMEWHERE OVER EARTH : The Skull Ship slinks into our atmosphere. : INT. SKULL SHIP : On the view screen, Brainiac and L-Ron watch Superman fight the : masked thugs. : L-RON : Ugh. Do they all dress like that on this : planet? : BRAINIAC : That symbol on his chest. It's a seal of : scientific office. From... : (gets it) : Krypton! It's the Kryptonian! : L-RON : It can't be him. Kryptonians were never : known to manifest above-average strength : or invulnerability. : BRAINIAC : Perhaps he derives his power from the : Eradicator... : L-RON : I don't know -- he's not wearing any : technology. : BRAINIAC : Get us to this Lex Luthor of Earth... now! : CUT TO: : EXT. HOB'S BAY STREET - DAY : As bullets bounce off Superman's chest, the Man of Steel's eyes : glow red. Two HEAT BEAMS seer into the machine gun in the hands of : one of the Thugs. The gun glows red, and the Thug drops it. : Superman repeats this with the remaining four thugs, until they're : all disarmed, waving their hands in the air to cool them, looking : as if they're waving goodbye. Superman waves goodbye back at them. : Then we hear... : OC DEADSHOT : Hey - boy scout! : DEADSHOT'S POV THROUGH GUNSIGHT : Superman turns, his face falling into the crosshairs. : Deadshot, holding the Governor, FIRES a single kill SHOT. : Superman's head jerks backwards and pauses momentarily. When he : brings his dead forward, we see the bullet is caught in his teeth. : He rocket-spits the bullet out... : ...which hits Deadshot's wrist-revolver, throwing the villain's : arm back, away from the Governor. In a flash of red, Superman is : in front of Deadshot, shaking his head. : SUPERMAN : Look at your outfit. What is this -- : Gotham? : He grabs Deadshot's wrist-revolver, and then finger-flicks the : villain in the head, knocking him out. : People emerge from the Bistro, cheering as the terrorists are : collected by the Authorities. : Superman dusts the Governor off and nods at her. : SUPERMAN : Madam Governor... : He disappears in a flash and a gust of wind, then reappears : holding the Boy. : SUPERMAN : ... your most important constituent. : The Governor hugs first her son, then Superman. : GOVERNOR : Thank you, Superman. : Superman blushes slightly, rub's the Boy's head, and walks away. : He glances down at Deadshot's wrist-revolver. : SUPERMAN'S X-RAY VISION POV : We see first the weapon, then through the weapon and into the : components that make it tick. ZOOM IN ON a set of microscopic : serial numbers, etched into a tiny chip. : BACK TO SCENE : Superman shakes his head and sighs. : SUPERMAN : What a shock. Luthor. : The wrist-revolver EXPLODES in his hands. He drops it to the : ground, where it continues to burn. : EXT. GBS BUILDING - NIGHT : Lex exits the building, flanked by MISTY, his gorgeous but lethal : bodyguard. He holds a small icepack to his cheek. : LEX : I can't believe the bitch tagged me. What : do I pay you for? : Then JIMMY OLSEN shows up, out of breath. He looks at LEX, : panting, then nods to Luthor's shiner. : JIMMY : Superman? : Lex seethes, as Lois emerges from the building. : LOIS : It was the Joker, Jimmy. He was mad that : Luthor stole his act. : LEX : I thought journalists were supposed to be : impartial. : LOIS : I thought humanitarians were supposed to : be human. : (takes out pen and pad) : Care to comment? : LEX : Pithy to the last. : Lex hurries to his limo. : LOIS : (to Jimmy) : Pithy. Who uses that word anymore? : JIMMY : Chief wants you back at the Planet, Miss : Lane. something big just broke out in : Hob's Bay! : LOIS : Superman? : JIMMY : There and gone. : They climb into the taxi that pulls up. : INT. LEX'S LIMO - NIGHT : Lex puffs on a cigar. Sipping brandy from a snifter, he clicks on : the TV news, which shows SUPERMAN at Hob's Bay. Lex goes white hot : and wide-eyed with rage. : Up front, Misty rolls her eyes. : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - NIGHT : Lex exits his limo and marches bitterly toward the LexCorp : building followed by Misty. : LEX : Six months of planning, and all for : nothing! With Governor Bree in line, I : could've taken back control of this city : from that... that... alien! : INT. ELEVATOR - NIGHT : Metropolis shrinking behind him, Lex watches the digital numbers : rise, seething. Then, the elevator stops abruptly. Misty catches : Lex, setting him upright again. : Suddenly, the hatch at the top of the elevator is ripped off. A : blue-clad arm reached in, pulling Lex out. : INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT : Superman holds Lex in his grip. : SUPERMAN : Fifth floor - hair care products. : LEX : One of these days, they're going to pass : the Wertham Act, and then one of these : nights, I'll be able to blast your : pajama-clad ass out of the sky... legally! : SUPERMAN : Speaking of acts of violence -- did you : hear the one about Hob's Bay? See, this : guy wants to get his anti Superman bill : passed. So he hires a few masked goons to : threaten the Governor to speed the bill : along. : Lex yawns slightly, as if bored. : SUPERMAN : But here's the punchline -- he's got such : a big ego, he demands that a serial : number from his company show up somewhere : on the hardware he provided his hired : mercenaries, thus implicating him in a : federal offense. Isn't that a gut-buster? : Lex arches his eyebrows slightly. Then, a pissed Superman yanks : Luthor to him, bringing them face-to-face. : SUPERMAN : I'm putting you behind bars! : LEX : No... proof... loaded... hardware with... : self-destructs... triggered by the... : radiation waves of your... x-ray vision! : Superman glares at Lex, knowing he's right. : SUPERMAN : Then maybe I should save the courts of : Metropolis the time -- make myself the : judge, jury... : Superman hooks his foot under a bar on the elevator and starts : 'towing' the car up the shaft at an alarmingly fast rate. : SUPERMAN : ... and especially executioner. : Luthor looks up. : LUTHOR'S POV - The fast-approaching top of the shaft -- jagged and : deadly. If his head so much as touches it, he's a dead man. : Lex panics, as the top of the shaft gets closer. Superman : nonchalantly checks the nails on his free hand. : The ceiling gets closer. Lex jams his eyes shut. Then, Superman : stops, thus stopping the car as well. Luthor's head is a half-inch : from a nasty spike. He opens his eyes slowly, looking from the : spike to Superman. : SUPERMAN : You're hardly worth the effort. : He drops Lex, and disappears in a burst of red. : EXT. SPACE : The Skull Ship slips into Earth's orbit, menacingly. : EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING - NIGHT : The globe spins atop Metropolis's once-largest skyscraper (Lex : built his bigger). All the windows ark dark... except one. And : THROUGH it, we see Lois. : INT. DAILY PLANET CITY ROOM - NIGHT : Lois -- alone at her desk -- types on her laptop. In the midst of : the tapping her fingers create against the keys, ANOTHER PITCH OF : TAPPING joins in. Lois spins around to see Superman floating : outside the window. : Lois trips over a desk or two rushing to the window. : LOIS : Superman! : SUPERMAN : 'Evening, Miss Lane. Late night? : LOIS : I'm just... filing my piece on Hob's Bay. : Nice bit of work there. : Superman flies in, setting down beside a desk. The nameplate on : the desk says "CLARK KENT." : SUPERMAN : Mister Kent's desk? : LOIS : This is Mister Kent's fastidiously : immaculate work station -- I call it : Smallville Central. : SUPERMAN : He's not around tonight? : LOIS : Thankfully, no. If I had to withstand : Clark Kent day and night, I'd be at my : therapist's twice a week as opposed to : one. : SUPERMAN : Doesn't take super senses to detect a : little friction there. Not a fan of : Mister Kent, Miss Lane? : LOIS : Clark's Clark, you know. He's great and : all, don't get me wrong. But he is kind : of a... Dudley Do-right. It's hard for me : to relate to a man like that. : SUPERMAN : And why's that? : Lois looks him dead in the eyes. The costumed Adonis gives it back : as good as she's giving. Lois slams down the lid of her laptop and : stands up. : LOIS : Well, Superman, I'm not into all that : Kansas Boy Scout babble. I'm the kind of : woman... : (moves closer) : ... who like a man... : (brings her lips to his) : ... in tights. : And Lois plants one on Superman -- long and passionate. Superman : breaks the kiss and steps back. : SUPERMAN : Miss Lane... I have something to tell you. : He pulls Clark's glasses from his cape and slips them on. : SUPERMAN : I'm really Clark Kent. : Lois goes wide-eyed and faints. Superman rushes forward and : catches her. Then she opens her eyes and shakes her head. : LOIS : Really, Clark -- must we go through this : every night? : They kiss. He brings her back to her feet. : LOIS : Nice job with the bad guys, babe. I was : proud of you. : SUPERMAN : 'Smallville Central.' Who calls it that? : LOIS : Try everybody, Clark. Even Jimmy. : SUPERMAN : (shakes his head) : And I loaned that kid twenty bucks last : week. Ungrateful slacker. : (beat) : How about dinner? : LOIS : Not Burger King again. Let's just eat at : my place. : SUPERMAN : Why, Miss Lane, you underestimate me. I : was thinking a more... monumental : dinner... : INT. LEX'S OFFICE - NIGHT : The nerve center of Lex Corp. A bank of monitors with a vast array : of channels adorns one wall, over which hangs an alarmingly : increasing digital readout titled 'ACRES OF LEXCORP-CLEARED RAIN : FOREST'. In the center of the room, a monolithic desk, backlit by : a large picture window. : Misty sits on the couch, reading a magazine. Lex enters, fuming, : covered in grease. He puts up his hand. : LEX : Don't ask! Just draw me a bath. : Misty heads off for the huge, sunken marble tub at the far end of : the office and runs the water, while Lex crosses to his desk. He : passes the bank of TV's, all of which detail SUPERMAN'S HOB'S BAY : ENDEAVOR. He pours himself a drink and sits, not noticing L-Ron : resting atop the desk. : L-RON : Greetings -- : Lex goes wide-eyed at the robot and leaps from his chair. : LEX : BOMB!!! : Grabbing the robot, Lex charges by Misty and hurls L-Ron into the : tub. He dives onto the floor, hands over his head, awaiting the : blast. After a beat, he looks up. : L-Ron slowly rises from the tub. It discharges water from its : circuits and SPUTTERS. : L-RON : Go with entrance 'B.' : Then, the PICTURE WINDOW EXPLODES. Brainiac glides in, god-like, : much to Luthor's shock. Misty leaps in front of her boss/lover as : the ALARMS sound. : BRAINIAC : Lex Luthor of Earth, I am Brainiac! : A pair of LexCorp SOLDIERS burst through the doors. : LEX : Kill it!!! : The soldiers open FIRE at Brainiac. He absorbs the bullets. Then, : pulls his energy-suck maneuver (from the first scene). Lex and : Misty stare, wide-eyed. : BRAINIAC : I come to discuss the Kryptonian you : mentioned in your homing message. : LEX : (beat; to Misty) : Clean up what's left of those guys. : Misty nods, backing away. Lex and Brainiac eye each other : cautiously until Lex motions toward his desk. Brainiac follows, : but stops short at Lex's impressive computer setup. He seems : astonished. : BRAINIAC : This technology... : Brainiac sharply raises his hand between he and Lex. Lex startles : a bit as Brainiac's hand then reconfigures into something that he : inserts into the computer. Downloading sounds are heard, as : Brainiac cocks his head, as if sampling wine. : LEX : LexTech Prime. My computers division : builds these things. : (touches computer) : It's the most cutting-edge, the most : sophisticated, the most... : BRAINIAC : Primitive. Ancient. : Brainiac extracts his appendage, which reconfigures anew. : LEX : (beat) : Yes, well -- you obviously know whereof : you speak. : BRAINIAC : This Kryptonian you mentioned -- I know of : him as well. : LEX : Unit nine -- full display. : The images on the monitors align into one single visual of : Superman in action, from earlier that day. : LEX : He's my mortal enemy, the object of my : ire, the... : (change of tone) : You're not a... friend... of his, by any : chance... Are you? : BRAINIAC : Where I come from, we destroy that which : impedes our progress. Why have you not : done the same? : LEX : Kill Superman? Look, I've had everyone : who was ever a thorn in my side done away : with. From my third-grade teacher to my : third wife, nothing eases friction like... : (mimes a gun to the head) : Pow -- you know what I'm saying? Superman : would've been dead as white weddings if : it weren't for the fact that he's from : Krypton -- whatever the hell that is -- : which means he can't be killed. : BRAINIAC : I watched Krypton die screaming, Lex : Luthor. Invulnerable is something its : inhabitants weren't. : (beat) : He is aided by technology of some sort -- : a machine? : LEX : Far as we can tell, Pinocchio has no : strings. : BRAINIAC : (thinking aloud) : Then it's his chemistry -- it must be : affected by this planet. Radioactive : shards of our destroyed home world would : be toxic to his system. : LEX : Kryptonite. : Brainiac whirls back. : LEX : I've spent the last two years and : millions of LexCorp dollars trying to : synthesize the stuff. You know what it : yielded? : Lex reaches into a drawer and pulls out a pottery shell, covered : in mossy grass. : LEX : The 'Chia Pet.' : Lex places it on his desk, beside a model of a SPACE STATION WITH : LARGE MIRROR PANELS. Brainiac analyzes the model curiously. : LEX : One of LexCorp's long-range goals -- a : solar conductor. One of these days, this : puppy's going to make me a multi- : billionaire -- going to draw energy : directly from the sun's surface and sell : it to the masses. : Brainiac presses something on the model and huge gun turrets pop : out, with accompanying cannons. Lex smiles. : LEX : That's the long, long-range goal -- a : massive solar-powered cannon. : As Lex speaks, Brainiac's attention is drawn from the model, to : the footage of Superman in action, then back to the model. A plan : begins formulating. : LEX : We're thinking concentrated sunbeams might fry a hole : through the man of steel. It's a stretch -- but a guy's gotta have : a dream. : BRAINIAC : (quickly turns) : Blasting him with a solar beam will only : enhance his power. This world is fueled : by the light of a yellow sun, is it not? : LEX : Last time I checked. Why? : BRAINIAC : Krypton, too, was fueled by a sun -- a : red sun. : (thinks) : The actual construct of this -- is it : operational? : LEX : Maybe in twenty years. But for what it's : worth, it's up there already. : BRAINIAC : Surrender it top me. I'll augment it with : my own technology. Provide me with this, : and you will not only have your solar : conductor twenty years ahead of schedule, : but this Super-man will be... : (mimes gun to head) : Pow -- as you say. : LEX : (catches on) : All the capital, material, and : technologies of my company are at your : service... if you can kill Superman. You : accomplish that, and to this planet's : inhabitants, I'll make you a god. : EXT. LEXTECH DYNAMICS - NIGHT : A RADAR DISH reconfigures, as we hear... : SHUSTER (V.O.) : Mister Luthor -- you can't do this! : INT. LEXTECH DYNAMICS CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT : A scientist, SHUSTER, argues vehemently with Lex, as Misty : oversees a TECHNICIAN. : LEX : Who pays the bills here, Shuster? I want : the solar conductor reconfigured to these : coordinates. : SHUSTER : But it's not durable enough to travel : this far out of Earth's orbit! : Lex nods to Misty, who puts the kibosh on Shuster, dropping him to : the floor. Lex glares at the Technician, who feverishly works on : his computer. : MISTY : I would never presume to tell you your : business, but it seems you're trading one : alien for another. : LEX : Never trust anyone with the stones to : call himself Brainiac. I equipped that : rocket we gave him with a diagnostics : scanner that'll get me a complete : breakdown of what makes him and his : technology tick. And when we have that, : LexCorp will be the most powerful : corporation in the world. : MISTY : Because Superman will be gone? : LEX : Because I'll have harnessed the : capabilities of an artificial : intelligence so advanced, it can hold a : conversation with people... not to : mention the computers that make up the : defense systems of every NATO nation on : Earth. : MISTY : An extortion racket? : LEX : The extortion racket, my dear. : EXT. SPACE : The SOLAR CONDUCTOR (a huge version of the model) powers up. It : rockets deeper into the stars. We pan down from those stars to : see... : EXT. MOUNT RUSHMORE - NIGHT : A nice VIEW of the Presidentially-sculpted mountain. On top of : Washington's head, we see a small fire burning. : EXT. MOUNT RUSHMORE - ATOP WASHINGTON'S HEAD - NIGHT : Clark and Lois sit on a blanket, looking out over the vista. There : is a campfire going, and the remnants of their dinner lay strewn : about the open picnic basket. Lois sips wine from a glass. Clark : drinks orange juice. : LOIS : Monumental. You're such a goof. : CLARK : Thank Pa for that. He was the punster of : the family. Ma's the one who taught me to : cook, though. : LOIS : Ma also teach you how to reheat chicken : with your eyes? : CLARK : Some things a boy has to learn on his own. : LOIS : (beat) : Did it ever bother you -- being the : 'adopted' child? Never knowing your real : parents? : CLARK : If I ever did, it was only because I : couldn't help but feel my destiny : might've been stolen from me. : LOIS : How so? : CLARK : I'd start wondering what I was supposed : to do in life -- what would I be like if : Krypton hadn't... you know? Who were my : parents? Would I have ever left the : planet? Would I have ever come to Earth? : (beat) : Would I have ever met you? : LOIS : No. But you'd probably still read me. : You'd say to yourself "If I could only be : half the writer this Lois Lane of the : planet Earth is!" : CLARK : (chuckles; then) : I know it sounds silly -- where do I get : off complaining? Me -- the guy who's : faster than a speeding bullet, more : powerful than a locomotive... what's the : last one? : LOIS : Something about tall buildings. : CLARK : Right. But all that aside, I'm just a : person, you know? I have what-ifs like : everyone else. What if I'd grown up under : a red sun, and never had these powers? : LOIS : (smiles) : Who would save me, again and again and : again? : CLARK : Somehow I doubt you'd have any trouble : getting along without me. : LOIS : Trouble? No. Fun? Yes. : They kiss deeply, as we cut to... : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac and L-Ron watch the solar conductor on their view screen. : BRAINIAC : Launch the hybrid technology. : L-Ron presses a button on the control panel. : INT. ROCKET CARGO HOLD : Technology extremely alien in appearance fills the cargo hold. It : begins vibrated, then explodes, "growing" out of the smoke. It : spreads throughout the cargo hold and... : EXT. SPACE : ...out through the rocket's seams. It consumes the rocket from : within, covering it in bio-metallic tendrils. : In the midst of the Solar Conductor, an Earth made rocket labelled : LexTech 37 grows white hot with energy. Then, lasers burst out of : it from all sides, striking and bouncing off the mirrors of the : solar conductor, creating a 'net' across the miles-wide diameter. : The 'net' begins to slowly prevent sunlight from passing through. : The light that shone on Earth now fades slightly, as Brainiac's : SHADOWCASTER goes to work. : EXT. MOUNT RUSHMORE - NIGHT : Packing up, Clark doubles over slightly, as if suddenly woozy. He : rights himself and shakes it off, smiling. : CLARK : Indigestion. Maybe I didn't cook the : chicken long enough. : LOIS : You know what I was just thinking about? : The rocket -- the one you told me brought : you to Earth... whatever happened to it? : CLARK : It's at the fortress. : LOIS : Ah -- the He-Man Woman Haters Club. : (laughs) : Do you ever study it? Try to learn : something more about where you came from? : About your parents even? : CLARK : I know all I'm ever going to know -- : there was a planet. It blew up. End of : story. I'd rather dwell on the present... : and the future. : (hugs her) : Which is something I'd like to talk to : you about... : LOIS : (gently moving away) : No-no. Let's talk about flying home and : going to bed. We both have work tomorrow. : CLARK : Why do you always get like this when I : try to talk about where out relationship : is going? All I'm saying is that I love : you... : LOIS : And I love you too... : CLARK : ... and I'd like to talk about something : more... permanent. : Lois' eyes go wide. She stares at him for a beat, then looks down. : LOIS : You know, the first time I heard about : you, I thought you were a hoax. 'Flying : Man Stuns City,' the paper said. 'Yeah, : right.' I said. But then I saw you land : that downed shuttle on your back. And in : that moment, every jaded bone in my body : believed that a man could fly... : (touches his face) : The first time I met you -- as Clark -- I : thought you were the squarest hick to : ever escape Kansas. But when you called : me 'Miss Lane'... you were so polite and : even gallant, that you made me feel like : a princess. : (her head on his chest) : The first time you told me about... well, : about your other job, there was a moment : of shock. And then it all made sense. Who : else but Clark Kent could care so much : about people he didn't even know... : (smiles) : And the first time we kissed... : (gets teary) : ... I knew it was you. You were the : person I'd stopped believing in years : before -- the one my mother told me about. : (beat) : And the first time you left me in the : middle of the night to rescue that luxury : liner, I knew that you didn't belong to : me. You belong to the world. : She steps back and looks at him. : CLARK : Lois -- : LOIS : (finger to his lips) : Your responsibilities are huge. I can't : possibly expect you to divide your time : between a wife and the world. What about : children... if that's even possible? : CLARK : I could slow down -- pace myself... : LOIS : And feel the weight of a death you : couldn't prevent because you were too : busy bringing the kids to the video store? : Lois shakes her head sadly. Clark's eyes are downcast -- her words : truer than he can bear. : LOIS : There's nothing I'd want more than to : share a life with you... : (beat) : But I won't settle for a half-life. : Clark takes it in somberly. Then he lifts his head, as if : listening to something far away. : CLARK : (beat) : A plane's in trouble over Paraguay. : (looks at her) : Lois... : LOIS : Go ahead. Just don't forget to come back : for me. : Clark becomes a blur that turns into Superman. He leaps off the : cliff. : EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS : The ShadowCaster seals off a large section of sunlight. : EXT. MOUNT RUSHMORE - CONTINUOUS : Suddenly, Superman is struck, as if shot. He falters in mid-air : and falls against the edge of the cliff. : Lois shrieks and grabs his hand, catching him in the nick of time. : Superman looks up at her, wide-eyed. He throws his other hand up : to Lois. She digs her heels into the ground and pulls, as Superman : climbs up to the safety of the level ground. He collapses to his : hands and knees, breathing heavily. Lois is on top of him, : checking his pulse, feeling his head. : LOIS : God, Clark - are you okay?! What : happened?! Was it Kryptonite?! : SUPERMAN : It wasn't a toxic reaction. It was : something else. : LOIS : We've gotta get you home... : SUPERMAN : (leaps to fly) : I'll be okay - that plane won't if I : don't leave now. : LOIS : (pulls him back) : Are you out of your mind?! You almost : fell of a cliff, Clark! You! : Superman gently extracts his cape from her grip, touching her : face. He then lifts off the ground, hanging there -- apparently : back to normal. He shrugs at her, and disappears in a flash of : red, leaving behind a worried Lois. : EXT. SPACE - NIGHT : The Skull Ship looms through the vacuum of night. : INT. SKULL SHIP - CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT : Brainiac punches some buttons, and the specs on the Eradicator : fill the screen. : L-RON : But how do you know the Eradicator will : even show up? It's been years, my liege : -- the technology could be ancient : history by now. : INT. MENAGERIE - NIGHT : DOORS HISS open, and they enter the vast MENAGERIE -- a zoological : collection of various species collected during Brainiac's journey : through the cosmos. Brainiac heads to one in particular -- a knee- : high, translucent tube, filled with what looks like the contents : of a Lava-Lamp. : Brainiac opens the case, extracting an embryonic protoplasmic life : form. It looks harmless, if ugly, letting out a meager YOWL. He : places it into a missile-looking tube, sealing it closed. : BRAINIAC : Jor-El was no fool -- he would not have : sent his only child to an alien world : without the protection the Eradicator : would provide. The technology is out : there, L-Ron, and absorbing it will : provide me with enough power to both : maintain my body permanently and make me : a god! : L-RON : Right. Let's kill the cape. : A hole opens in the wall, and Brainiac slides the tube into it. He : pushes a large button on the panel. : EXT. SKULL SHIP - NIGHT : The tube rockets from the rear of the ship, and heads toward : Earth. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - NIGHT : The capsule rockets into the atmosphere and pierces the ground, : imbedding itself deep within the Earth, unseen. : EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING - DAY : The streets of Metropolis bustle below, as we hear... : PERRY (V.O.) : One more time, Olsen -- in English, : please: how did we get these shots again? : INT. PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE - CLOSEUP - COMPUTER MONITOR : We scroll through photos of the Hob's Bay incident. : JIMMY (O.S.) : Like I said, Chief -- I'm wired. : PULL BACK to reveal Clark and Lois sitting in front of Perry's : way-too-busy desk, watching Jimmy clicking on a mousepad. PERRY : WHITE, the Planet's venerable old editor, watches, befuddled. : JIMMY : I'm linked to thousands of other : photo-journalists around the world. We : exchange images all the time. : CLARK : Jump into the cyber pool with the rest of : us, Mister White. : PERRY : And we're allowed to run these pictures? : JIMMY : Free and clear, with a photo credit. : LOIS : Give the kid a break, Perry. He's all : about the paper. : PERRY : Lois -- my office. MY office. : CLARK : Lois works here under the assumption it's : hers as well. : LOIS : Eat it, Smallville. : PERRY : Alright, Olsen. You can keep your : computer-thing up. Mow vamoose. : Jimmy shuffles by Lois, who pats him on the back. Perry slumps in : his chair. : PERRY : Down to brass tacks -- what have either : of you got? : LOIS : A top LexTech scientist, a Dr. Shuster, : went missing last night. : CLARK : Got a call from a technician who said : that Shuster and Lex got into a heated : argument over the altered trajectory of : that LexTech experimental space station. : PERRY : The one Lex has yet to disclose the : purpose of to NASA? What else? : LOIS : The boys in weather fed me this one -- : seems that dawn was eleven minutes behind : schedule this morning. : PERRY : Cause? : LOIS : Unsubstantiated rumors of something : spotted by the fellas up at the : observatory. Sounds like a story up : Smallville's alley. : CLARK : I believe Mister White gives out the : assignments here, 'Laney.' : LOIS : Don't call me that. : CLARK : Then don't call me Smallville. : The PHONE RINGS. Perry pounces on it. : PERRY : White -- go!... What?... I'll be right : there! : (hangs up) : Both of you stay here and hash out who : gets the space-thing. I'll be right back. : Perry storms out of his office, leaving Clark and Lois alone. : There is some silence. Then... : CLARK : I'm sorry I didn't stay over last night. : LOIS : I'm an adult, Clark. I'm not throwing a : hissy just because you missed my : sleepover. : CLARK : I'm having a hard time understanding what : I said that was so wrong. : LOIS : You didn't say anything wrong, Clark. You : said everything a woman spends her whole : life waiting for a man to say to her. : CLARK : Then why your reaction? Why this distance? : LOIS : Because you're not a man, Clark. You're a : god. : Clark attempts to say something, but pauses. He listens to : seemingly nothing. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK : From the hole in the ground the pod made, smoke begins to rise : ominously. There's a rumbling sound. : INT. PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE - DAY : Clark is still listening. Lois looks at him, puzzled. : LOIS : What is it? : INT. DAILY PLANET CITY ROOM - DAY : Journalists look up from there keyboards, as the ROOM begins to : SHAKE. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK : The ground shakes; thunderous roars emit from the hole. : INT. PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE - DAY : Lois looks slightly panicked. Clark unbuttons his collar. : LOIS : Earthquake? : SUPERMAN : Can't be - I checked the crustal plates : just last month. : INT. METROPOLIS SEWER SYSTEM : At a dank and dripping cross section, a pair of SEWER WORKERS : check a pipe that's broken loose. The tunnel begins to shake : violently, and the sewerage begins bubbling. The workers look at : it, then head for the manhole. Suddenly, something erupts from the : muck, looming huge in the shadows behind the fleeing workers. : Whatever it is pulls them beneath the sewerage. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - DAY : Suddenly, the GROUND EXPLODES, throwing passersby flying, leaving : a six foot crater. : INT. PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE - DAY : Perry bursts in, as Clark quickly re-buttons his collar. : PERRY : There's a report of an explosion in the : sewer beneath Metropolis Park! : LOIS : (grabbing Clark) : We're on it, Chief. : She pulls Clark out of the office at a speedy clip. : EXT. STAIRWELL - DAY : The door flies open and Lois and Clark rush in. Lois slams the : door closed behind her. : LOIS : Sounds like a job for... : CLARK : (pulls off jacket) : I want you to do me a favor -- whatever : you do, stay away from Metropolis Park. : I've got a bad feeling about this. : LOIS : I've got a good feeling that whatever it : is is news. And me being a journalist... : CLARK : Lois -- no! : Lois looks in to his eyes. He seems almost afraid. : CLARK : (softening) : Last night -- the cliff... : LOIS : You slipped, Clark. That's all. : CLARK : But it happened when I grabbed the plane, : too. Something didn't... feel right. My : strength... : (hands on her arms) : Just, please -- stay put until I know : everything's alright. : LOIS : (smiles and nods) : Go find a phone booth. : Clark dashes away, taking the stairs two at a time, then five. In : the blur that travels at more-than-human speed down flight after : flight, the colors that emerge from the gray of Clark's suit are : the familiar blue and red. : EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING - DAY : Through the revolving doors shoots the Man of Steel, creating a : SONIC BOOM in his wake, sending the papers, trash and hair of : Metropolitans flying. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - DAY : Superman arrives at the crater. He looks into the darkness. Then, : he hears something above. : EXT. SPACE : The ShadowCaster seals off another section of sun. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - DAY : Superman looks down again, then up. He's about to leap into the : air to investigate the sound from above. Suddenly, two gray, meaty : paws erupt from the Earth, pulling Superman underground. : INT. SEWER TUNNEL - DAY : Superman emerges from the muck spitting out waste. He wipes his : eyes clean and looks up to see... : An unearthly monster -- ferocious and gray in appearance, leathery : skin pock-marked with rock-like protrusions. : Doomsday has arrived. : The beast leaps at the Man of Steel. the pair begin their fight, : throwing punches and kicks. Doomsday grabs Superman by his cape : and swings him through the side of the tunnel. : Doomsday pulls aside concrete, giving himself a clear passage into : the other tunnel, when Superman appears from no where, : uppercutting the tremendous beast, sending him flying... : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - DAY : ... through the crater, into the park. Superman shoots out of the : hole behind him, landing beside the beast. : SUPERMAN : (to BYSTANDERS) : CLEAR OUT OF HERE! NOW! : Doomsday kicks Superman in the back, but Superman rallies. : INT. SKULL SHIP : On the main screen, we see the combatants fighting. : L-RON : He's incredible. He just keeps going. : BRAINIAC : I call it 'Doomsday.' : L-RON : Not that thing -- Superman. Look at him : battle! : Brainiac offers the little robot a dour expression. L-Ron : deflates. Brainiac pushes a button on the control board. : BRAINIAC : I wouldn't lay wagers on the Kryptonian : just yet. : EXT. SPACE : The ShadowCaster goes full throttle, completely cutting off what : little sunlight was seeping out. : EXT. METROPOLIS - DAY : The sun -- eclipsed by Brainiac's device -- disappears, plunging : the Earth -- and the city -- into the darkness of moonlight. : INT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING - NIGHT : Lois and Jimmy watch from the windows. The City Room's in a panic. : Perry joins them. : JIMMY : Hey! It's only noon! What's going on with : the sun? : PERRY : (handing them photos) : This just came in from government weather : satellites... : The photos show the ShadowCaster in its dormant and operative : mode. : PERRY : I can only hope Kent's out there covering : this... : (to Lois) : The same place you should be, although : from a safe distance. : LOIS : But Chief, I promised... : PERRY : Olsen -- you go with her. I want some : candids of whatever that thing is : Superman's fighting. : JIMMY : I'm on it, Chief! C'mon, Miss Lane! : Jimmy drags Lois out. Perry calls after them. : PERRY : And hurry! If I know the Man of Steel, : this rumble's going to be over before : it's started. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - NIGHT : Superman takes a hit from Doomsday and goes stumbling backwards. : He pauses and notices the fading sunlight. Then, it dawns on him: : his power source is being cut off. : Doomsday plows into him. Superman fights back valiantly, but knows : that he's being depleted. He begins to falter. Doomsday grabs him : and hurls Superman back into the hole. : INT. SEWER SYSTEM : Superman lands, and Doomsday is on him anew, holding Superman in a : headlock. Superman flips Doomsday off his back and drop kicks him : down the tunnel, out of sight. : Then, we hear a HIGH PITCH SHRIEK sounding. Superman winces -- the : sound filling his head. The SHRIEK FADES, and we hear TAPPING, as : if on a MICROPHONE, and... : LEX (V.O.) : Is this thing on? : (chuckles) : Hello, Blue-boy. It's your better -- : Luthor -- speaking to you from a : frequency that only super-hearing can : detect. : INT. LEX'S OFFICE - NIGHT : Lex looks out upon the prematurely-darkened Metropolis -- a : microphone in his hand. : LEX : Things don't look too good for you, alien. : It seems I've finally found your Achilles : heel: the Earth's yellow sun. : EXT. SEWER DROPOFF DRAIN : Superman enters cautiously. : LEX (V.O.) : Without it, you're not that impressive. : Look at you -- alone, beaten, nearly : broken. Where are all the good people : you've put your neck on the line so many : times for? You'd think they'd return the : favor. : Then, Doomsday drops from the ceiling, crushing the Man of Steel. : They fight through the current, heading toward the dropoff. : Superman pulls himself from D-Day's grasp, but Doomsday double- : fists the floor, shaking the ceiling loose, which comes down : around Superman, pinning him. : Doomsday winds up and gives Superman a right-hook, sending him : falling into the churning muck below. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS : Lois slides across a cab's hood, rushing toward the park. She : muscles through the crowds that keep their distance. : INT. SEWER DROPOFF : Doomsday studies the muck below. : Superman explodes from the sewerage. howling up at Doomsday in a : flash, catching him with his fists. The pair... : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS : ... shoot through the pavement, spraying debris everywhere. : Superman goes ballistic, racing at the beast anew, pummelling him. : But Doomsday rallies back, throwing punches that actually draw : blood. The Man of Steel drops to his knees, Lex's voice still : filling his head. : LEX (V.O.) : You'd think the solar energy that you : store would last longer, wouldn't you? I : mean, you fly at night, and there's no : sun then? Why are you weakening now? : (chuckles) : Apparently, soaring through the sky, : catching muggers, and rustling the : occasional cat burglar doesn't take the : effort it's taking you to hold your own : against the mindless wonder there. Any : stored solar energy you may have is being : exhausted. Plainly put -- you're running : out of gas, and the pumps are closed. : Doomsday leaps atop Superman, beating him down, savagely. : Superman's running out of time. : EXT. ANTARCTIC : The snow is almost blinding, even in the darkness. We PAN ACROSS : the tundra and DROP INTO a large canyon. : INT. ANTARCTIC CANYON : Buried deep in the snow, we see the FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE -- : Superman's home away from home. Outside the massive front doors : stand two statue-like POLAR BEARS. : INT. FORTRESS : Amongst various trophies and keepsakes, hangs a ROCKET - an escape : craft that brought Superman to Earth, all those years ago. : INT. CRAFT : In the cabin, electrical pulses start to ignite. A screen forms, : igniting with a series of random numbers and Kryptonian letters, : until they form the "S" insignia. : CUT TO: : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS : The torn "S" insignia on Superman's chest, dripping with blood. : Superman gives it his all against the mindless Doomsday, the voice : of Lex still filling his head. : LEX (V.O.) : I really just called to tell you that : your reign is over. You're being replaced. : And this city... this world is about to : fall on its knees before LexCorp and its : C.E.O. : We hear Superman's HEARTBEAT -- and it's not that strong. : INT. CRAFT : Back in the Antarctic, the HEARTBEAT FAINTLY ECHOES through the : cabin. The "S" on the screen gives way to a vital signs graph, : including a heart-rate monitor. All the signs are dangerously low, : as indicated by the readout. : INT. FORTRESS : The body of the rocket dislodges from the ceiling, falling to the : snow. It begins transforming, growing a body. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS : Superman and Doomsday go at it, both weakening. But it's clear : Superman's the worse off. : Lois pushes through the crowd, followed by Jimmy. Her eyes go : wide. : LOIS : Clark! Go! Fly away! Get out of here : before that thing kills you! : His power diminished, the Man of Steel is on the ropes. His lethal : opponent, too, appears to be reaching for the grave. But neither : relents. And even now, Superman has Lex's voice in his head. : LEX (V.O.) : You had no business here from the start, : Kryptonian -- but here you'll die... : CLOSEUP - SUPERMAN : who allows himself a quick, pained glance at... : CLOSEUP - LOIS : -- eyes filled with tears. : CLOSEUP - SUPERMAN : as he manages a final weak smile, as if to say good-bye. : LEX (V.O.) : I just wanted you to know who it was that : beat you, boy! : CLOSEUP - LOIS : She at first smiles through her tears as well, until she realizes : what it means. : LOIS : (shaking her head; screaming) : Noooooo! : And the pair throw their last punches, connecting with one : another's heads. The shock of their mortal BLOWS EXPLODE like a : sonic boom throughout Metropolis. : CLOSEUP - LOIS : Wide-eyed. : CLOSEUP - JIMMY : Who stops snapping photos and looks up. : INT. LEX'S OFFICE - CLOSEUP - LEX : Who stares down at the tiny spectacle from high above, smiling. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS : And in a moment that seems like an eternity, the two mighty : combatants fall to the ground. : INT. FORTRESS : ... And the Eradicator comes on-line. He stands erect, taking in : his surroundings. He moves to a nearby computer and hooks into it. : A map of the world fills the screen. We digitally race through it : and land in... : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS : The city is paralyzed. Then, the crowd starts to move -- news : crews and military personnel converge, crowding around the fallen : Superman. : Lois fights her way through the masses, dropping to her knees : beside the fallen Man of Steel. She lifts his head from the : rubble, cradling it. He opens his eyes, partially, muck, filth, : and blood obscuring his vision and suit. : SUPERMAN : (weakly) : Is... is it... : LOIS : Shhhhh... you did it, Clark. You did it. : SUPERMAN : (looking into her eyes) : Lois... : He goes limp. Lois breaks down. The crowd's in shock. : Superman is dead. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac and L-Ron smile at the same image on the ship's view : screen. : BRAINIAC : Throw out a wave-pulse net. If my : calculations are correct, the technology : will be coming on-line soon. : INT. FORTRESS : The Eradicator stares up at the mapping system, with a flashing : red light indicating the fallen Superman's location. : ERADICATOR : Metropolis. : INT. SKULL SHIP : L-Ron looks up from the monitor on the control panel. : L-RON : So far, nothing, my Liege. : BRAINIAC : Patience, L-Ron. He'll come. : INT. FORTRESS : The mapping on the screen transposes, and rises above Metropolis, : landing on a diagram of the Skull Ship. Over the image flashes the : message "predator detected." : ERADICATOR : Brainiac? Here? : The image disappears, replaced with "activating cloaking device." : The Eradicator then concentrates on the map. : ERADICATOR : Now -- how to get to Kal-El without being : detected... : (thinks) : Or get Kal-El... to me! : The Eradicator types at the computer he's hooked into. The screen : begins filling with numbers, letters, and an array of binary : codes. : INT. SKULL SHIP - ON CONTROL BOARD : A signal BEEPS. Brainiac punches a button anxiously, only yo be : greeted by Lex's face on the view screen. : LEX : What are you waiting for? phase two! If : this is going to work, we have to move to : Phase Two, now! : Brainiac scowls at the screen and switches off. : BRAINIAC : Insolent hunk of meat. : (sighs) : Animate the carcass. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS - NIGHT : CLOSEUP - DOOMSDAY'S EYES : A HIGH-PITCHED CHARGE is heard, and the dead eyes snap open. : The CREATURE stirs, then sits bolt upright, GROWLING.l The crowd : begins screaming. : The tearful Lois looks up from her fallen lover, to see Doomsday : moving. : INT. SKULL SHIP : L-Ron enters codes and presses buttons, animating Doomsday's : corpse, which we see on the view screen. : BRAINIAC : Finish this mess so we can find the : technology! : L-Ron hits a button. : EXT. SKULL SHIP : From the Skull Ship's bow, a red beam emits, cutting through : space. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS : The beam strikes the animated dead body of Doomsday, incinerating : it. People leap out of the way as DOOMSDAY EXPLODES. : Metropolitans look skyward for the source of the blast, but find : nothing. : Lois is among them, for a beat. She then goes back to cradling her : lover's head. Jimmy comforts her, then sadly stands, looking : through the eyepiece of his camera. : JIMMY : Rest in peace, big guy. : We HOLD on the FROZEN PHOTO IMAGE of the Man of Steel held by his : secret love. : DISSOLVE TO: : EXT. METROPOLIS SKYLINE - NIGHT : The next day, the city is dark -- both in mourning and in lack of : sun. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS - NIGHT : On the streets below, artificial light is cast from high-powered : LexCorp kliegs. It's the same straight down the avenue -- LexCorp : lights, everywhere. : And people, as well. The crowds are enormous -- all wearing black : arm bands emblazoned with Superman's "s" shield. They scramble to : get a look at... : A horse-drawn carriage, in the midst of which is a casket. Its : open top reveals Superman -- eyes closed, peaceful, his cape hangs : over the lid. : EXT. METROPOLIS - NIGHT : Its backdrop draped in black, with a blown-up photo of Superman : adorning the center, the viewing stage hold various city and world : dignitaries, who stare mournfully at the approaching carriage. : Cat Grant addresses her camera team, flanked by Lois. : CAT : Cat Grant here, bringing you W.G.B.S.'s : continuing coverage of what the President : has called 'the world's darkest hour.' : Offering her perspective on this sadly : historic day is Daily Planet reporter, : Lois Lane -- whose name is synonymous : with the Man of Steel's. : LOIS : While we here in Metropolis say goodbye : to a friend, around the globe, crisis : management teams are working tirelessly : to counter the effects of the eclipse. : EXT. FOREIGN LOCALES : While Lois speaks, we see LexCorp kliegs powering up, at sights : around the globe. LexCorp trucks empty LexCorp food supplies. : LOIS (V.O.) : Financial analysts have predicted that : LexCorp will make billions from around : the globe as the sole supplier of : available energy. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - NIGHT : Lois continues. : LOIS : The burial monument, commissioned by Lex : Luthor himself, strikes this reporter as : being built in a remarkable expedient : fashion. When questioned on this, Luthor : responded evasively, "We had our : differences, but a man such as this : deserves an equal memorial." : CAT : Lois, perhaps the greatest memorial to : his efforts is that so far, zero : casualties have been reported from this : city-wide battle. : LOIS : Although my... : (choking it back) : My... colleague, Clark Kent is still : missing, presumably killed during the : fallout from the battle. Rescue teams : have been sifting through the rubble, but : so far there's no sign of... of him. : CAT : More on that story tonight, but right now, : the procession has reached the tomb. : The carriage stops, and a priest says a blessing over the Man of : Steel's body, closing the casket lid. But before it closes, we get : a glimpse of two small blinking lights attached to his suit. : INT. SKULL SHIP : On the view screen, an outline of Superman's body has the same : corresponding blinking red lights. L-Ron notes this. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK : Pallbearers carry the casket toward the MONUMENT: a huge, bronze : replica of Superman in his up, up, and away stance. : Jimmy snaps away, stopping momentarily to wipe a tear from his : eye, as the pallbearers insert the casket into the base, sealing : the metal doors. : INT. SKULL SHIP : On the view screen, digital tumblers lock into place, and a : message flashes: "ALARM ENGAGED." : L-Ron turns to Brainiac, who is suiting up in some : uncharacteristically resplendent costuming, complete with cape. : L-RON : The security measures on both the suit and the tomb have : been activated, if anything attempts to remove his body. And : that's a big 'if'. : BRAINIAC : There are no 'ifs,' L-Ron. The Eradicator : is here. I know it. : L-RON : (off costume) : And who, might I ask, is opening for my : Liege in Vegas this weekend? : BRAINIAC : (off outfit) : Lex Luthor's idea of what a Kryptonian : should look like alone marks him for : execution. : L-RON : Something we should act on now. : BRAINIAC : I have further use for Lex Luthor. Until : such time as we have the Eradicator, I : will feed off LexCorp's energy supplies : to maintain my form. Once we have the : technology of Jor-El, you may kill Lex : Luthor. Now prepare my skiff. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - NIGHT : Governor Bree rides a cherry-picker to the outstretched arm of the : statue, where she hangs Superman's cape. : For the crowd that can't get near the tomb, the burial is : broadcast on the WGBS building giant screen TV. Then, the image of : the funeral is interrupted by a familiar symbol: The BAT-SIGNAL! : It gives way to a shadowy image of the DARK KNIGHT, deep within : the Batcave. : BATMAN : Good evening, Metropolis. It is with : heavy heart that I offer you my and : Gotham's deepest condolences. I apologize : for my absence -- but with the loss of : the sun, I am all that opposes the : criminal element in my city, who've : seized upon the cover of darkness to : further their evil purposes. : From atop the viewing stage, Lois and the others stare up at the : screen. : BATMAN (V.O.) : The guardian of your city... of the : world... held Metropolis and its : inhabitants very near to his heart. : The message continues on the screen. : BATMAN : It's been said that he fought a never- : ending battle for truth, justice and the : American way. Honor this fallen soldier : well by keeping his memory alive in the : face of this adversity. From this day : forward, we forever shoulder the burden : of a world without a Superman. : On the giant screen, The Dark Knight withdraws further back into : the shadows, until he is completely unseen. The Bat-Signal comes : up again, and then scrambles into the image of the funeral below. : But suddenly, over the top of the giant screen, a hover-skiff : rises, sending the crowd below into a panic. : Jimmy joins Lois, snapping pictures of the descending craft as it : lands on the viewing stage. : Aboard the craft is Brainiac -- now decked out in "alien" garb, : replete with face-obscuring helmet, and Lex, with an arm draped : over Brainiac's shoulder. Lex jumps to the podium microphone. : LEX : People of Metropolis -- this is a great : day in our planet's history. Today, you : will learn of a secret too-long kept by : myself... and Superman. : A murmur goes through the crowd. : Atop the viewing stage, Lois looks at Lex, suspiciously, as Lex : continues. : LEX : Superman's job was not to protect our : city, but instead to pave the way for an : amazing new era in this planet's history. : Cat moves closer to Lois, whispering. : CAT : Has the old man finally lost it? : LOIS : I think it's worse than that. : Lex encourages applause from the confused crowd. : LEX : Over the last two years, Superman and I : had been working closely to prepare this : world for its introduction to more : extraterrestrials like himself... and : like the being I now present to you. : Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the true : power behind our fallen Man of Steel... : Brainiac! : Urged by Lex, Brainiac approaches the podium, as a hush falls over : the crowd. : BRAINIAC : Today marks a terrible day for our planet : Krypton. Superman, as you called him, was : a herald of the highest order, having : gone before me to many planets, preparing : them for first contact. I stand before : you now in the spirit of hope and peace. : A cheer goes up from the crowd. Brainiac looks out upon the : thrall, emotionless. Lex pats him on the back, whispering in his : ear. : LEX : Keep it up! They're buying it! : Lois watches Brainiac's and Lex's interaction with suspicion, but : her face belies fear that what's being said may be the truth. : BRAINIAC : His true mission was kept secret from you : to protect you, until you were ready to : accept aliens into your world. : Sorrowfully, my herald gave his life : fighting a foul menace -- weakening the : beast so that I was able to vaporize it : using the power of my ship above. : (as the crowd murmurs) : The creature was from a race of : war-mongers that have designated this : planet for annihilation! But in concert : with Superman and Lex Luthor, I have been : able to blanket your planet in darkness : to protect you from the approaching : hordes. : Lois goes bug-eyed, her journalistic instincts kicking in. She : charges the podium, fighting off LexCorp security. : LOIS : (to Lex) : What is he talking about?! Is he saying : that you two... what... blocked out the : sun?! : LEX : Ms. lane, let the deity speak. : BRAINIAC : (to the crowd) : Using materials provide by Lex Luthor and : my own advanced technology, I fashioned a : device to enshroud the planet in a : darkness that will provide camouflage. : LOIS : From what?! : BRAINIAC : From them. : Suddenly, the dark skies above shimmer, and an armada of ships can : be seen moving slowly through space, patrolling. With the : multitude of spacecraft visible, it would appear that Earth is : under attack. : The Metropolitans panic, screaming, moving to run. Brainiac holds : his hands out. : BRAINIAC : Do not fear. We are not visible to the : armada. : The crowd calms, listening to Brainiac. : BRAINIAC : The forced eclipse that darkens the skies : is what keeps us hidden. The menace above : cannot detect your world, and will slowly : pass through your galaxy within days. : Once they have moved on, I will end the : eclipse, and bring back the sun. : LEX : (stepping up) : Until that time, LexCorp energy will fuel : the planet, and LexCorp industrial : services will keep the world operating : smoothly as if the sun had never left. : The crowd slowly breaks into applause. : Lex smiles, joining hands with Brainiac and raising them into the : air. Brainiac seems to be confused by this, but goes along with : it. His attention is more focused on... : The tomb. Surrounded by people, Brainiac cannot see it. : INT. FORTRESS : The Eradicator stops typing at the computer. He presses "enter." : The numbers on the screen reconfigure, forming Superman's "S" : insignia. It glows red. : INT. TOMB : Back in Metropolis, inside the casket, the "S" on Superman's chest : also begins glowing red. Superman's body begins shimmering, and : teleports (Trek-style) out of sight, leaving behind his suit, on : which the security measures still blink. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - NIGHT : Lex urges Brainiac to further address the crowd. : BRAINIAC : Like Superman, I will endeavor to protect : Earth and its inhabitants. It's the least : I can do in return for your warm, warm : welcome... : (beat) : And in memory of Superman! : Brainiac raises his arms like Nixon. The crowd goes wild. : Luthor leads the crowd in a rallying cry of cheers for Earth's : greatest hero, Brainiac. And as Cat Grant rushes the podium to get : an interview with the "heroic pair," Lois stares at them both : coldly and at a loss, amid the thrall of support for Brainiac. : FADE TO BLACK : DREAM SEQUENCE : We SMASH CUT into a speeding tracking shot, travelling on : electrical impulses through the tortuous path of SUPERMAN'S BRAIN, : hearing... : JOR-EL (V.O.) : Greetings, my son. : A CLOSEUP of JOR-EL fades into view. : JOR-EL : It has been many years since you have : looked upon the face of your birth father : through infant eyes. I only wish this : message cam to you under better : circumstances. : 1) Jor-El and Lara work in their lab. They step back to reveal the : ERADICATOR, who sits up and opens his eyes. : JOR-EL (V.O.) : Your mother and I spent years : constructing an autonomous free-form : computer in order to study more closely : the volatile core of our home world. : 2) The Eradicator emerges from a deep, smoky shaft. : JOR-EL (V.O.) : We named the living computer the : 'Eradicator' -- after a Kryptonian : mythological figure. : 3) The Eradicator plugs himself into the computer in their lab. On : the monitor, images of the planets volatile core appear. After a : beat, a metal shaft appears in the lava. : JOR-EL (V.O.) : It confirmed our worst fears -- the : planet was unstable. But even more : horrifying, was the cause of the duress. : Then, alarms sound, and lights flash. The screen goes black, : filling with the symbol of Brainiac. : JOR-EL (V.O.) : The Brainiac system had come from off- : world, brought online to police the : planet. We learned it was up to far more : than that. : 4) Bound in handcuffs and illuminated by a shaft of light, Jor-El : stands before Brainiac in a darkened chamber. : BRAINIAC : I discovered the renegade science officer, : Jor-El, engaged in illegal planetary : experimentation. : COUNCIL VOICE : How does the accused plea? : JOR-EL : I'll plea anything you wish -- if the : Council will hear my plea that the planet : be evacuated now! In moments, Krypton : will perish! : COUNCIL VOICE : Brainiac - is there any validity to : Jor-El's claim? : BRAINIAC : None. He's lying -- the planet is in no : danger. But Jor-El himself represents a : threat -- he has ignored the tempered- : technology code and constructed a : sentient computer system with a perpetual : battery... the Eradicator! : A second shaft of light illuminates the Eradicator, sealed in a : glass containment chamber. : JOR-EL : The Eradicator's no the threat -- : Brainiac is! The data we collected points : to him as the cause of the core's : instability! He's siphoning off the : planet's energy! : Suddenly, a beam shoots out of the Brainiac symbol, striking the : Eradicator, absorbing its power. : JOR-EL (V.O.) : Brainiac had intended to fashion a body : for himself, using the energy from the : planet's core... : 5) In a containment chamber, Brainiac's 'body' begins growing. A : schematic of the goal is pictured on a monitor. : JOR-EL (V.O.) : ... but by absorbing the Eradicator, not : only could he have the body he so desired : -- he'd also possess the perpetual : battery by which to power him, : indefinitely. Ironically, his drain on : the planet's core finally took its toll. : 6) The Council chamber begins to shudder and crumble. A piece of : ceiling breaks free and crashes into the monitor, breaking the : connection with the Eradicator. : 7) In the containment chamber, the body formation stops, resulting : in a half-formed Brainiac. The view screen fills with Brainiac's : symbol, shuddering. : BRAINIAC : NOOOOOO!!!! : JOR-EL (V.O.) : Facing the destruction he created, : Brainiac was forced to depart Krypton on : a craft he'd constructed in secrecy... : without the body he so desired. : INT. JOR-EL'S LAUNCH PAD : Lara hands the infant Superman to Jor-El. He holds the child in : his arms, addressing the camera. The room is shuddering and : falling apart. : JOR-EL : The planet is in it's final moments, my : son. As I hold you one last time, I : record this message to be viewed in the : even the marauder Brainiac ever tracks : either you or the Eradicator back to the : planet I'm sending you -- Earth. Avoid : him at all costs. I've used these last : minutes to code your chromo frequency : into the Eradicator. In the event of a : significant drop in your vital signs, the : Eradicator will come to your aid. : (hugs the infant) : Be well, Kal-El -- you were so cherished. : As Jor-El hands the infant to the Eradicator, static fills the : screen. : INT. FORTRESS - CLOSEUP ON SUPERMAN'S FACE : Superman lays in a Kryptonian resuscitation chamber. Arms folder : over his chest, he is immersed in a gelatinous, green mass. His : eyes snap open, and he sits bolt upright, breaking out of the : dense goo. He throws up a lungful of the muck, inhales deeply. : SUPERMAN : Father...! : He slowly rises, wiping the jelly from his body and face. The old : blue and red togs are gone, replaced by a black resuscitation : suit. : Then, there are ripples along the surface of the gelatin within : the resuscitation chamber. : The Eradicator rises behind Superman. : ERADICATOR : Greetings, son of Jor-El. : Superman turns quickly to see the Eradicator. He looks from E to : where the resuscitive bath no longer is, save for some remnants of : the goo. Superman then looks back at the Eradicator, dazed. : ERADICATOR : It has been some time since last we met. : Your hardware has improved... and now you : wear clothes. : SUPERMAN : I... I saw my father -- Jor-El... : (beat) : It was like... my life flashed before my : eyes... but it was from a part of my life : I don't remember. Krypton -- I've never : seen it. I saw my birth parents, but not : Ma and Pa. And Lois -- why didn't I see : her? You'd think your final reflection : would include the most important person : in your life. : ERADICATOR : Perhaps because your reflection was far : from final. : Superman stares at the Eradicator, slowly grasping. Then... : SUPERMAN : I'm... alive? : The Eradicator nods, Superman leaps to his feet, triumphantly. The : Eradicator proceeds around the chamber, constructing a small two- : man SHIP. : SUPERMAN : I'm alive!!! Then that was just a dream?! : ERADICATOR : A message downloaded it into your : cerebral cortex while you were in the : resuscitation bath. : SUPERMAN : You were on Krypton, too -- with my : father! How did you get here?! : ERADICATOR : I was the craft that brought you to this planet years : ago. : SUPERMAN : (notices it's gone) : The rocket...? How? : ERADICATOR : My programming allows me to shape-shift : into any form of equal mass to my own : humanoid structure. The rocket was only : large enough to carry a child -- a factor : that prevented me from transporting your : parents as well as yourself. : SUPERMAN : You've been in the Fortress all this time : and I didn't know it?!? : (thinks) : Wait, wait, wait... did you ever see Lois : and I... while we... : (beat) : Well, why the hell did you never say : anything?! : ERADICATOR : I was programmed to lie dormant, until : such a time as your vital signs waned. : That's never been a factor until now. : SUPERMAN : I'm remembering now -- the sun was : blocked! My father warned me about a : threat from Krypton in the message... : BRAINIAC! Is that the creature I was : fighting? : ERADICATOR : No -- Brainiac is far more dangerous than : that beast. : SUPERMAN : Then I've gotta bring him down! Where's : my suit? I've gotta get back to : Metropolis... : He leaps, as if to take off, but falls to the ground. : ERADICATOR : Your powers are still gone. : Superman rises to his hands and knees, wide-eyed -- he's never : been powerless in his life. : SUPERMAN : Will they return? : ERADICATOR : Once we get away from the shadowed Earth : and closer to the sun, you should be back : online. This ship will be taking us : offworld in less than an hour. : SUPERMAN : Whoa! Whoa! Leave?! : ERADICATOR : We must find another world where the sun : affects you as it did here. : SUPERMAN : But what about Brainiac?! I can't leave : all these people behind! : ERADICATOR : When Earth was chosen as your home, it : was so that the powers you would manifest : would place you above its inhabitants -- : not so you could be their champion. : SUPERMAN : No, no -- we're staying here and fighting : Brainiac. I don't care if I really die : this time. : ERADICATOR : Fortunately, that will never be a factor. : The program your father imparted to me : before we left the dying Krypton was to : insure your longevity. : Superman stares at him, taken aback. : SUPERMAN : I can't die? : ERADICATOR : As long as I function -- no. : SUPERMAN : (beat) : Then all the more reason to go after this : Brainiac character! I'm not letting him : do to Earth what he did to Krypton! : ERADICATOR : Brainiac has come to this planet to hunt : me -- he sides my perpetual battery, and : he will destroy this world if he must to : acquire it. That endangers your life, : which is against my programming. We must : find you a new home. : SUPERMAN : Earth is my home! You expect me to just : leave it behind -- leave Lois -- just to : save myself?! : ERADICATOR : Yes. : Superman offers the Eradicator a sharp, shocked look. : ERADICATOR : This race is as good as extinct, Kal-El. : You cannot save them now. : SUPERMAN : (beat) : I have to at least try. That's in my : programming. : The Eradicator sees the passion in Superman's eyes. He processes : this, and stands back. Superman proceeds. : SUPERMAN : The first order of business would be to : remove whatever's blocking then sun. But : apparently, I'm unable to fly. Which : leaves the question of how to reach that : thing. : Superman looks to the two-man ship, then back to the Eradicator. : EXT. METROPOLIS - NIGHT : We get our first look at what Metropolis has become. : The Skull Ship now rests atop the twin Metro Towers, and it's : "grown", encasing the buildings in the steel of its hull, squid- : like in nature. : The large screen TV that rests atop the WGBS building now airs : updates and reports of the armada's distance from Earth. : At the LexCorp building, we can see Luthor -- flanked by : bodyguards -- on the front steps. He stands at a podium before : bundled-up members of the press. : LEX (V.O.) : As his designated representative, : Brainiac has asked me to give you this : latest update. : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - NIGHT : At the podium, Lex reads from a prepared statement. : LEX : According to his calculations, the armada : should completely pass through our solar : system in a matter of days. At which time, : the sun will return! : The press let out a cheer -- Lois stands among them, looking on : suspiciously. She speaks up. : LOIS : There are rumors of a rebellion of sorts : -- a group that doesn't necessarily trust : or believe either you or Brainiac. : Lex's eyes flare briefly, then settle. He smiles kindly. : LEX : Ms. Lane, this city -- this world -- : knows how much Brainiac has done for us. : There are some people who'll take issue : with anything, for the sake of being : contradictory. Don't let their bitter : voices echo louder than the joyous praise : of the majority. : LOIS : Ironically enough, you were once the : bitter minority, complaining about : Superman's interference with the Planet, : yet now you lay like a lapdog at the feet : of Brainiac. Why the switch? : LEX : I did not understand Superman's purpose. : Brainiac explained it to me. I only wish : I had known his import before he died. : LOIS : Call me a skeptic, but somehow I don't : buy your sincerity, Lex. : LEX : Well, Ms. Lane... : (opens coat) : It's like the shirt says... : Lex rips open his button-down shirt... Superman style, revealing a : T-shirt beneath. : On it is the image of a stone-faced Brainiac, around whose head : the letters spell out: "I'M A MANIAC FOR BRAINIAC." The press : cheers. Lex owns them. : CLOSEUP ON SHIRT : CUT TO: : INT. LEAGUE OF NATIONS CONFERENCE ROOM : The same shirt, only on a different being -- L-Ron. The little : robot sits among the DELEGATES as brainiac addresses the WORLD : CONGRESS. : BRAINIAC : Ladies and Gentlemen of the World : Congress -- it is my conclusion that the : marauders who seek to ravage your planet : have sent an even deadlier threat than : the Doomsday creature. : The delegates panic. L-Ron pulls up his shirt, and his chest : opens, revealing a projector of sorts. An image of the Eradicator : is thrown onto the screen. : BRAINIAC : This being is an anthropomorphic weapon, : a hundred times more powerful than your : atomic bomb. It's detonation, while : effectively wiping out half of Earth's : population, will also signal the armada : of the planet's hidden location. : DELEGATE #1 : What can we do to prevent this?! : BRAINIAC : Utilize your military. Have them locate : this weapon, but do not engage it. When : you have found it, contact me -- I will : defuse... it. That is all. : INT. SKULL SHIP BRIDGE : Brainiac and L-Ron enter. : L-RON : You sure scared the hell out of those guys. : BRAINIAC : Which will insure that they work twice as : hard as even us to locate the Eradicator : technology. : L-RON : Won't Lex Luthor ask questions when he : hears about this? He'll know you're lying. : BRAINIAC : We have nothing to fear on this dismal : planet, L-Ron -- least of all the slow- : witted Lex Luthor. : Brainiac then notices the small marble replica of himself sitting : on a pedestal across from the control board. A note is attached : which reads "TO EARTH'S NEXT MASTER." : Brainiac regards the statue curiously. He looks to L-Ron. : L-RON : Speak of the dummy. Obviously from Luthor. : Not so much a gift as a vulgar attempt to : stay on your good side. : Brainiac seizes the statue, and crushes it in his grip. There, : amidst the dust, sits a micro spy camera, blinking. : BRAINIAC : Apparently, Lex Luthor is more clever : than we gave him credit. : (hands it to L-Ron) : Show the cretin what he wants to see. : EXT. SPACE : The two-man ship rockets through space. Through the windshield, we : see the Eradicator at the helm. The lower half of his body makes : up the control board, while his upper half operates it. : INT. SHIP : Surrounded by various pieces of what resemble armaments, Superman : attempts to pull them on. : SUPERMAN : What is it going to do exactly? : ERADICATOR : We're building you a resuscitive suit -- : your trial has left you injured and : weakened. These units will expedite your : recovery. : SUPERMAN : (off equipment) : In little league, it was easy -- it began : and ended with a cup. : Then, tendrils reach out of the Eradicator's back and scoop up the : various pieces, outfitting Superman. : ERADICATOR : This will support strained back muscles, : these will repair the fracture in your : shoulder, your ankles will need the : support of this, this will protect your : vertebrae. : The tendrils draw back into their operator, revealing a newly- : outfitted Superman (minus the 'S' shield). He looks ready for : action. : SUPERMAN : All this and I'm still powerless? : ERADICATOR : But protected. Strap yourself in now, : Kal-El. We've almost reached our : destination. : They soar toward the far-off ShadowCaster. : INT. LEX'S OFFICE - NIGHT : CLOSEUP ON A MONITOR : which displays Brainiac and L-Ron analyzing a LEXTECH schematic on : their view screen. : Misty and Lex watch the monitor. : MISTY : You were right -- he's trying to access : the weapons division. : LEX : That's what we're supposed to think. This : is a fake. : (points to monitor) : See this -- it's pixelated. If this were : truly from our surveillance camera, we'd : see scan lines, like a television image. : This picture was created -- digitally. : : MISTY : But how? : LEX : He's a living computer, Misty. It's : certain not beyond his capacity to : manipulate an image. It would seem that : Brainiac is on to us... and hiding : something. : MISTY : How do you want to play it? : LEX : Like every business deal -- cordial on : the surface. Meantime, we put to use that : data we've compiled from the diagnostics : check on the ShadowCaster technology, and : the moment Brainy-not steps out of line : we simply cut off the chow-bag he thinks : we know nothing about. : MISTY : You are incredibly attractive when you're : like this. : (kisses him) : It's noon -- you've got an interview with : the Daily Planet. : LEX : Is it noon already? So hard to tell : anymore. : As Misty exits, Lois and Jimmy enter. : LEX : Well, well, well -- Metropolis' own voice : of dissent. : LOIS : If I'm the mouthpiece, wouldn't that make : you the other cavity? : LEX : Good ol' Lois -- always a quipper, aren't : you? : (all business) : You want something to print in that rag : you work for, print this: this anti- : Brainiac rhetoric you've been spouting : both today and in the pages of the Planet : is dangerous. I only pray that your : columns continue to be read as merely : sociopolitical criticism -- and not as an : act of sedition. : LOIS : Sedition? Since when is an opinion : considered sedition? : LEX : What do you think those huge ships are -- : parade floats? If you unsettle Brainiac : with your mistrust, you put this planet : in peril. There's not a government on : Earth that wouldn't call that sedition. : LOIS : So we wait out the cold and dark bestowed : upon us by an alien who's supposedly : protecting us from other aliens? Six of : one, half dozen of the other. : LEX : Is that any different from what Superman : did? You were his greatest advocate, Miss : Lane. And when, in death, his true agenda : is revealed, you turn against your Man : of Steel's own master. : LOIS : The day I believe Superman was in league : with Brainiac is the day I quit the city : desk and take over the Planet's horoscope : page. : LEX : Then start watching the stars, young lady! : LOIS : You've already got most of the world : doing that! : Jimmy jumps between the verbally sparring pair. : JIMMY : This'd probably be a great time to take : that photo, Mister Luthor. : Lex goes soft, smiling at Lois. He rounds the desk and scoots next : to her. : LEX : I'm sure if Miss Lane had it her way, : this photo would appear on the obituary : page, under the heading "Luthor -- : Finally Out Cold." : Then, Lex drops to the ground, out cold. REVEAL Lois palming a : small needle resembling a joy buzzer. : JIMMY : How long've we got? : LOIS : Doctor Hamilton said about five minutes. : Do your thing, kid. : Jimmy hits the computer, typing as fast as he can. : EXT. FORTRESS : The Skull Ship rests on the snowy plains. Brainiac and L-Ron : emerge, led by GENERAL DERRIS and two soldiers. : DERRIS : The President's known about Superman's : Fortress for years, but we've always : respected the Man of Steel's privacy. It : wasn't until your address that I : suggested we investigate the premises for : a breach. : BRAINIAC : Very wise of you, General Derris. : L-RON : Good monkey. : Then, as the trio approach the entranceway, the two POLAR BEARS : rise from their statue-like positions and attack the escort : Soldiers, tearing them apart. The bears turn on Brainiac, who : ferociously wrestles the first bear to the ground, savagely : breaking its neck. Seeing this, the second bear turns and flees. : L-Ron brushes snow from his master, as Derris stands there, open- : mouthed. : BRAINIAC : (to Derris) : Shall we? : INT. FORTRESS : Brainiac stops where the resuscitation bath was. A remnant of : green goo from the bath lies on the snow. His hand morphs into a : mini vacuum of sorts and sucks it up. : BRAINIAC : It's him. The Eradicator was here! : (to Derris) : Prepare your men for his return, but do : not shoot to kill. Leave his capture to... : Then, Brainiac falters. He looks at his arm, which begins : withering -- the reversal of how it was affected when he drained : the Alien Craft. L-Ron ushers Derris away. : L-RON : Alright, show's over -- nothing to see : here. Go outside with your drones and : march around or something. : Derris is ruffled, but exits. Brainiac leans on L-Ron. : L-RON : We have to get you back to the ship, my : liege. : BRAINIAC : No... I will gain my... energy by : absorbing... the Eradicator... upon his : return... : Brainiac withers further. L-Ron grabs hold of him, pulling him out : of the room. : L-RON : If we don't return to Metropolis and hook : you back into the core to maintain your : form, you'll be off-line in minutes. : We'll come back for the Eradicator -- : he's not going anywhere. : INT. LEX'S OFFICE - NIGHT : On the screen, we see Jimmy gain access to Lex's files. He scrolls : through them, while Lois looks over the desk, keeping an eye on : Luthor's condition. : JIMMY : I think I've got something. : Jimmy accesses a file marked 'AI'. He opens it, and we get the : gist of his back-stabbing plans for Brainiac. : LOIS : Well, well, well -- seems the old : weasel's not such a 'maniac for Brainiac' : after all. That could be helpful down the : road. : Jimmy pops a disc into the computer, downloading the file. : Then, there's a groggy grunt. Lex begins to stir. Lois rushes to : his side. She motions to Jimmy, who jumps away from the computer, : grabbing the disc. : Lois helps Lex to his feet. : LEX : Wh... what happened? : LOIS : You passed out, Lex. Must be all the : stress. : LEX : (crossing to desk) : Must be. Although I wouldn't discount the : effect you've been known to have on men, : Ms. Lane. : LOIS : My girlish charm? : LEX : Your devilish... : Then, Lex freezes. He notices his computer is on. : LEX : ... inquisitiveness. : Lex looks sharply at Lois. : CLOSEUP ON LEX'S EYES : as they accuse. : CLOSEUP ON LOIS' EYES : as they "shrug." : BACK TO SCENE : Then, Lois grabs Jimmy and sprints to the balcony. Lex punches his : intercom. : LEX : Security! Seal all exits! Now! : EXT. LEX'S OFFICE BALCONY - NIGHT : Lois drags Jimmy outside, slamming the doors behind them. Lois : looks in every direction and spots... Brainiac's hover skiff, : parked to the side. She looks at Jimmy. : LOIS : Gotta be close to a moped, right? : INT. LEX'S OFFICE : A team of LexCorp security piles in. Lex points frantically at the : balcony, screaming. : LEX : Don't let them get away!!! Shoot to : kill!!! : EXT. LEX'S OFFICE BALCONY - NIGHT : The Security team kicks the doors open and take aim. Lex is right : behind them. : Lois and Jimmy leap aboard the hover-jet, GUN the ENGINE, and : shoot into the air, over the heads of Lex and the security team. : LEX : Fire!!! : And FIRE they do, unloading a lethal payload into the air. : With Jimmy holding on for dear life, Lois maneuvers the hover-jet : like a pro, dodging SHOTS left and right. She soars higher into : the air, steering the vehicle toward the top of the building. : JIMMY : (yelling to be heard) : Uh... shouldn't we be getting as far away : from here as possible? : LOIS : (yelling to be heard) : This is kind of like a date, isn't it, : Jimmy? Well, on a date you get dinner... : and a movie! : Lois flies over the roof of LexCorp and we REVEAL the huge : holograph device that throws the image of the "armada" against the : sky. : LOIS : Shoot it, Jimmy. Now we've got all the : proof we need. : Jimmy takes pictures. : EXT. SPACE : Superman and the Eradicator reach the ShadowCaster. It's imposing : as hell. : The Eradicator hooks into the satellite and begins processing. : ERADICATOR : Fascinating. You would imagine he'd take : some security measures. With no : interference, I should have it shut down : momentarily. : But Superman's attention is drawn to the hull of ship. : SUPERMAN : Eradicator -- can you enhance the view : screen to X-ray? : INT. ERADICATOR/CRAFT : The visual Superman sees through the window X-rays until the words : "LexTech 37" are revealed. Superman growls. : SUPERMAN : What a shock. : EXT. SPACE : Suddenly, an electrical charge runs through the Eradicator's : hookup. It detaches itself from the ShadowCaster and goes dark. : Then, Superman and the Eradicator craft begin plummeting toward : Earth. : SUPERMAN : Uh... Eradicator. : ERADICATOR : Brainiac's technology has taken a bit out : of me, Kal-El. : The ship continues to fall, the ERADICATOR seemingly "out." : SUPERMAN : We're free-falling here... : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : The technology is not only working from a : program my processors find too foreign to : crack, it has also had a negative impact : on my neural net. My systems are shutting : down. : SUPERMAN : What?!? : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : It's akin to the toxic effect Kryptonite : has on your systems. : SUPERMAN : But Kryptonite leaves me powerless! : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : Bingo. : INT. SKULL SHIP BRIDGE : L-Ron throws switches on a control panel. : Brainiac lays in the midst of an enormous device. A helm is : lowered over his head. He points to L-Ron, who in turn presses a : button. Pure energy shoots through Brainiac sending him into : convulsions. : On the device monitor there is an illustration of the device : pulsing with rising (the amount Brainiac is sucking up) and : decreasing (the amount he's taking) numbers. The source of this : power, according to the graphic -- the Earth's core. : L-Ron shuts the machine down. Brainiac throws off the helm, : rising. : BRAINIAC : WHY DID YOU BRING ME BACK HERE?! IF WE'D : WAITED, THE ERADICATOR WOULD'VE BEEN MINE! : L-RON : My liege, you were nearly powerless... : Brainiac seizes the little robot, holding him aloft. : BRAINIAC : If you've interfered with my manifest, : you little talking cog, I will absorb the : insignificant energy that's wasted on you! : (drops him) : Bring us back to the antarctic! Now! I : will have that technology! : Then, an alarm goes off. Both Brainiac and L-Ron look to the view : screen. : A mapping system comes up on the screen. It zooms in on a free- : falling blip, located in the upper atmosphere. : The pair rush to the control board. : L-RON : Something rapidly descending toward Earth : that doesn't match any known terrestrial : crafts, giving off radiation readings : native to you-know-where. : Brainiac goes wide-eyed. : BRAINIAC : The technology of Jor-El! : EXT. SPACE : The Eradicator's ship SCREAMS into the lower atmosphere, rocketing : at the surfaceof the planet. : INT. ERADICATOR SHIP : Superman looks about nervously. : SUPERMAN : Come on, man -- up, up and away! : EXT. SPACE : The Eradicator ship SCREAMS through the clouds, racing toward a : land mass. : ERADICATOR : I'm attempting a cross-relay with my : trans-net. Should take approximately : thirty minutes. : INT. ERADICATOR CRAFT : Superman punches at the control panel. : SUPERMAN : We don't have thirty minutes! We're going : down now! I did not come this far in life : and cheat death just to die in what's : essentially a plane crash! : ERADICATOR : Ah -- never mind. Here we are. : The Eradicator comes back on line, as the craft's interior lights : come back up. : EXT. COAST CITY - NIGHT : Just in time to pull its nose up, narrowly missing a violent : impact with the ground, and coming to a rocky landing in the midst : of a desolate city. : INT. SKULL SHIP BRIDGE : Brainiac and L-Ron stare up at the view screen. : BRAINIAC : Lock onto the signal. We'll follow it to : the source. : The mapping system disappears, replaced by "SIGNAL LOST." : L-RON : What the...?! Where did it go?!? : BRAINIAC : It's cloaking itself -- it's on its way : here, to Metropolis. It means to enter : the city undetected to revive the : Kryptonian's body. : L-RON : Then surely the League of Nations search : teams will pick it up on radar... : BRAINIAC : I'm leaving nothing to chance. It may be : cloaked now, but cloaks are simple : encryption programs. : (to L-Ron) : Break its code. Do not fail me, little : robot! : EXT. COAST CITY - NIGHT : Superman and the Eradicator climb out of the flying craft. : Superman hugs the ground, sweating bullets, breathing heavily. : SUPERMAN : Is this... your idea... of preserving my : life?! : ERADICATOR : It would appear that Brainiac has : rendered the device tamper-proof. The : anti-technology is beyond my : comprehension. The hardware... : SUPERMAN : (standing up) : Provide by Luthor... That's why he moved : his space station. : (chuckles) : Lois was right -- that story was up my : alley. : ERADICATOR : You dream of this Lois, when you were in : the resuscitation chamber. She was : without clothes... : SUPERMAN : (cutting him off) : I remember... thanks. : ERADICATOR : You would have her -- as Jor-El had Lara? : SUPERMAN : I would. But she has trouble... having me. : ERADICATOR : And this disturbs you? : SUPERMAN : It has its drawbacks, yes. : ERADICATOR : I've ascertained that the inhabitants of : this planet hold you in high esteem. I : don't see why the affection, or lack : thereof, of one matters -- in respect to : the multitude who show you allegiance. : SUPERMAN : (beat) : That's something I've been dwelling on : since I came back. And I think I've come : to a truth that I've never wanted to face : before... : (steels himself) : Yes, I do it all for the multitude. But : when I save lives, or fight for the weak, : I'm saving one life, fighting for one : person -- again, and again, and again. : (beat) : It's her -- don't you see? She represents : all of them -- their hopes, their : fragility, their passion. And if I ever : feel like no matter how much I do, it's : not enough, I think of Lois. And then, : I'm off, faster than a speeding bullet to : be Earth's champion... but always hers : first. : ERADICATOR : This does not compute. : SUPERMAN : (touches Eradicator's head) : That's because it's not about this... : (touches his own heart) : ... it's about this. : Suddenly, an explosion is heard. Superman reacts, racing toward : the sound. The Eradicator follows. : EXT. BURNING BUILDING - NIGHT : An APARTMENT BUILDING has caught fire. Tenants pour out of the : building. Then, SCREAMS FOR HELP can be heard. Superman looks up. : SUPERMAN : No! : From their windows on the second and third floors, tenants call : out for help, trapped. : Superman takes his classic stance and attempts to blow super- : breath, forgetting his lack of powers. He appears crestfallen for : a moment, then looks to the Eradicator. : SUPERMAN : Bust that fire hydrant open! Now! : The Eradicator offers him a puzzled look. : SUPERMAN : Do it! : The Eradicator kicks a hydrant open and water begins spilling onto : the street. Superman soaks himself in it from head to toe. : He races off, leaving the Eradicator standing there. : Superman gets to the front of the building. Flames already block : the front door. He moves toward the flames, then pulls back, : overcome by the heat. He stares at the flames for a second, : shocked. His face says it all: he's afraid. He slams his eys shut, : as if willing his fear away. He then covers his face and leaps : through the wall of fire. : The Eradicator's eyes go wide. : ERADICATOR : I just don't understand that boy. : INT. BURNING BUILDING : The powerless Superman emerges from the flames, landing on the : other side, singed, but otherwise okay. : He heads up the stairs of the fast-flaming complex, and bangs on : the doors. Frightened people emerge, coughing. : SUPERMAN : Everything's going to be fine! I'm going : to help the kids out first. Just stay : calm! : Superman scoops up two children. A WOMAN grabs him by the : shoulder. : WOMAN : What about the rest of us?! : Superman looks from the Woman to the rest of the people in the : now-crowded hallway. He's given pause -- can he do this? He shakes : it off... : SUPERMAN : I'll be back! I promise. : And down the stairs with his precious cargo he charges. : EXT. BURNING BUILDING - NIGHT : Superman leaps through the wall of flame, cradling the children in : his arms. He moves through the crowd outside, rushing the kids to : the Eradicator, who wraps them in the wet blankets. : ERADICATOR : Have you lost sight of the fact that you : are now as vulnerable to those you seek : to aid? : SUPERMAN : I can't just stand here like you and : watch! : Then, the WINDOWS BLOW OUT of the bottom floors. People scream : from the second and third floor windows. : Superman lets out a defeated howl. He looks to the Eradicator, : desperate. They lock eyes. The Eradicator steps back, and morphs : into a dazzling display of body armor. : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : Climb in. : Superman eagerly jumps inside the suit. : ERADICATOR : This will enable you to duplicate any of : your former powers. : SUPERMAN : You didn't think to suggest this earlier?! : ERADICATOR : And patronize your messiah complex : further? : The suit seals itself around Superman, concealing his identity, : and lifts into the air. They make a bee-line to the top floor : windows. : INT. APARTMENT : The Supersuit bursts through a wall, giving the now-literal Man of : Steel access to the top floor. : SUPERMAN'S POV : As the suit simulates his former X-RAY VISION. We see THROUGH a : wall, where a frightened family cowers. : BACK TO SCENE : Lasers shoot from the eye-pieces of the suit, cutting through the : wall. Superman steps through the hole. The family looks up, : transfixed. : SUPERMAN : Sorry I'm late. Shall we? : EXT. BURNING BUILDING - NIGHT : Superman gently sets the family down on the street where they're : greeted by FIREMEN, who are hosing down the building. : Superman trains his heat vision on the generator, repairing the : damage. The power on the block comes back on, and the people : cheer. : CHIEF : What do they call you, man? : SUPERMAN : Huh? : CHIEF : You're one of those super heroes, right? : What do they call you, so I don't look : like an idiot when I tell the press some : guy in a robot suit saved a lot of people? : SUPERMAN : (beat) : Just tell them... I'm back. : And as the people cheer, Superman leaps into the sky, rocketing : out of sight. : CHIEF : (calling after him) : Who's back?!? : EXT. SKY - NIGHT : With the aid of the Eradicator suit, Superman soars again, : maneuvering gracefully. : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : (ECHOING within the suit) : Where are we going, Kal-El? : SUPERMAN : Metropolis. : ERADICATOR : Is there ever a moment's peace with you? : In this form, you're monopolizing energy : that was chiefly powering my cloaking : field. : SUPERMAN : Shut it down. : ERADICATOR : What?! Brainiac will detect us. : SUPERMAN : Let him. I want him to know that I'm : coming. : The pair-as-one head east, hellbent. : INT. SKULL SHIP : L-Ron bangs at the keys of the main computer. Then, a flashing : image and SHRILL BEEP come up on the view screen. : L-RON : Uh... my Liege, I think I cracked the : code. : BRAINIAC : You have the technology's position? : L-RON : It's three hours west. And heading toward : us at an alarming rate. : INT. DAILY PLANET - CITY ROOM - NIGHT : LexCorp security, now decked out more like soldiers, topple file : cabinets, and rifle through desks. Perry shouts in Lex's face. : PERRY : Great Caesar's ghost, you're going to : have the biggest lawsuit on your hands : when I get through with you! Brainiac's : emissary or not, you've got no right...! : LEX : I've got every right, White... : (holds out writ) : National security. Lois Lane and James : Olsen are under suspicion of engaging in : espionage and propaganda that threatens : not just this country, but the world. : He tosses the writ at Perry. : PERRY : This is a newspaper, for the love of God! : We don't trade in propaganda! We print : the news! : LEX : Then print this, old man: by order of the : authority given Brainiac by the World : Congress while this planet is under his : protection, Lane and Olsen are hereby : charged with sedition and insurrection! : And unless you want to be charged with : aiding and abetting known felons, I'd : suggest you divulge their whereabouts! : INT. CLARK KENT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT : On the mantle, we see a picture frame containing a photo of Lois : and Clark at a press junket. : Lois picks it up, looking at it. Jimmy is behind her, his laptop : set up on a table. He taps away at the keys. : JIMMY : I'm sending the picture of the : holographic projector to every news : service and paper on the net. They should : have it in seconds. : (off computer) : Hey, look at this, Miss Lane. : ON COMPUTER : A news story accompanied by a murky image of the Eradicator suit : leaving the burning building in L.A. Jimmy reads from the screen. : JIMMY : Some sort of hero saved a building full : of people from a fire out in Coast City. : When asked for an identity, he replied, : 'I'm back.' : (looks to Lois) : You don't think...? : LOIS : No. And neither should you. : JIMMY : (beat) : Kind of weird, us being here in Mr. : Kent's apartment, Miss Lane. : LOIS : Best place to lay low until tonight. : Nobody'd think to look for us here. : Besides, I don't think Clark would mind. : He won't be needing it anymore. : JIMMY : You can't think like that, Miss Lane. : Clark may be fine. : LOIS : I wish I shared your sense of optimism. : JIMMY : (stops typing) : That's something I've been meaning to ask : you about. From the start of all this, : you've never believed Lex or Brainiac -- : especially the part about their : connection to Superman. How do you know : it's not the truth? : LOIS : (off photo) : Gut feeling, kid. Journo's instinct. : JIMMY : I mean, we know the armada story is all : bull, but what if what Brainiac said : about Superman was true? : Lois puts the picture frame down and pulls Clark's jacket from off : a chair, holding it close to her body. : LOIS : C'mon, Jimmy. You're talking about : Superman here. : As Jimmy speaks, Lois inhales Clark's jacket deeply. She tears up : a bit. : JIMMY : Yeah, but what did any of us really know : about him? : LOIS : Not enough. : As Jimmy speaks, Lois finds a pair of Clark's glasses. : JIMMY : Superman and Brainiac both came from the : same planet, they both have these powers. : All I'm saying is, what if they meant to : conquer Earth together, you know? After : all, the guy was an alien. : LOIS : (reels on him) : Would you shut up, already?! Clark gave : his life fighting that thing! He loved : this planet! He cherished the people! And : you sit here, throwing out this... crap... : about how he might have been in league : with a scumbag like Luthor! : Jimmy looks down, cowed. Lois breaks down. : LOIS : I lost everything when I lost him! And : now he's not here, and I never got to : tell him how much I wanted to say 'yes' : that night! : Lois has worked herself into a crying frenzy. Jimmy looks on, : stupefied. : JIMMY : I'm sorry, Miss Lane. I didn't mean : anything by it. : LOIS : (sniffles) : It's all right. It's just nerves. : JIMMY : (beat) : You said 'Clark.' : LOIS : Huh? : JIMMY : You said, 'Clark gave his life fighting : that thing.' : Lois freezes, a little panic on her face. She looks at Jimmy. : Jimmy looks at her, shocked by what he sees in her face. He knows. : Then, he smiles kindly. : JIMMY : I'm sure you meant to say Superman. : Lois looks at him, and nods slowly. : LOIS : Yes. Yes, I did, : They look at one another and nod. The secret's safe. Jimmy hands : Lois a remote and picks up a gym bag. : JIMMY : I've patched the camera in. This is all : you need for broadcast. Just press this : when you're ready. : LOIS : You've got twenty minutes. : JIMMY : It's business as usual, Miss Lane. You : take care of the text... : (slaps bag) : ... and I'll take care of the visuals. : INT. SKULL SHIP - NIGHT : Brainiac and L-Ron monitor the view screen. Lex enters, escorted : by Misty. : LEX : We've had a slight problem. A reporter -- : she may have accessed information about : our 'armada'. : BRAINIAC : This charade no longer concerns me. : L-RON : (off view screen) : It's about twenty minutes outside of the : city, my liege -- and closing fast. : Lex looks to Misty, curiously. : INT. CLARK KENT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT : Lois stands before a video camera, which is plugged into Jimmy's : laptop. She points her remote at it. : LOIS : I'm ready for my close-up, Mister DeMille. : She presses the button on the remote, and the camera's red light : goes on. : EXT. METROPOLIS SKYLINE - ON GIANT SCREEN TV : On the giant screen atop WGBS, the visual of Lois phases in : through STATIC. : INT. SKULL SHIP - ON VIEW SCREEN - SAME TIME : Lois pops up as well. : EXT. APPLIANCE STORE WINDOW - SAME TIME : All the TV's show Lois as well. People stop and listen as she : speaks. : LOIS (V.O.) : (televised) : People of Metropolis -- : EXT. SKULL SHIP - NIGHT : Armed LexCorp soldiers patrol the front of the building. A flash : of black swoops pass, leaving them gunless and perplexed. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Lex moves closer to the view screen, shocked. : LOIS (V.O.) : (televised) : For weeks, we've watched the skies, : dreading an invasion from aliens. But the : real invasion took place when Superman : died. He was not the minion of Brainiac. : He died fighting the minion of Brainiac. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREETS - NIGHT : On a lightpost hangs a "MANIAC FOR BRAINIAC" sign, similar to the : T-shirt. Another flash of black whooshes by, and the sign : sprinkles to the ground, shredded. : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - NIGHT : Jimmy sneaks behind a trio of smoking LexCorp soldiers and into : the building. : INT. CLARK KENT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT : Lois addresses the camera. : LOIS : (beat) : I do not carry any torch that Superman : may still be alive. I watched him die, : protecting our world one last time. But : his spirit is still alive. : EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING - NIGHT : There are a pair of flags hanging outside the building -- one : American, one Brainiac. : A black gust of WIND TEARS through and only the American flag : remains. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Lex is riveted on Lois, nervously. Brainiac regards the screen : angrily. : LOIS (V.O.) : (televised) : It's alive in those who always saw : through Brainiac's lies. : EXT. APPLIANCE STORE - NIGHT : The small crowd gathered outside watching Lois have their coats : and hair blown to the right, as a black GUST WHIPS past them. : EXT. LEXCORP ROOFTOP - NIGHT : Jimmy pops out of the rooftop door and rushes to the POWER SHED. : He pulls a BOLT CUTTER from his bag and pops the lock. : INT. GENERATOR SHED - NIGHT : Along the wall, hang a series of POWER GRIDS, all matched by huge : lever. Jimmy pulls a schematic from his bag, looking for the right : switch. : JIMMY : Just keep talking, Miss Lane. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREET - NIGHT : A couple of kids on skateboards jump a curb. One of the pair wipes : out, and is about to hit the asphalt when something catches him, : puts him back on his feet, and is gone. The kid looks around to : see nothing. : INT. DAILY PLANET CITY ROOM - NIGHT : Perry and the reporters watch the ceiling-hung TV. : LOIS (V.O.) : (televised) : It's alive in all of you watching this -- : to whom I say, the Armada is a hoax. : And outside the window, something whips past the WINDOWS, RATTLING : them. Perry rushes to the sill and pops his head out, looking : around. : INT. CLARK KENT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT : Lois wraps it up for the camera. : LOIS : So I urge you -- the people of Metropolis : -- go outside, look to the skies. For : tonight we reveal the lie sold to you by : Brainiac and Lex. Because if... : (chokes up) : ... if Superman... : (gathers herself) : ... if he were here, he would have done : this for us. Since he's not, we do this... : for him. : (stands with a fist) : For Superman! : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - NIGHT : Jimmy tries to figure out which lever will shut down the : holographic projector from the schematic. He shrugs... : JIMMY : For Superman. : ... and starts throwing every lever. : EXT. CLARK KENT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT : Lois emerges, looking to the LexCorp Building, where -- floor-by- : floor, from the ground up -- the power's going off. She then looks : up at the "Armada." : EXT. METROPOLIS - NIGHT : People emerge from their buildings, looking up. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac, Lex, and Misty watch this on the view screen. L-Ron man : the computer. : An ALARM GOES OFF on the control panel. : L-RON : The LexCorp Building's power is being : shut down. : LEX : Losing power...? : Lex's eyes go wide. He barks into a walkie-talkie. : LEX : All LexCorp troops -- quell any uprising : around the buildings. And get a team to : the roof! Now! Use of force permitted! : INT. GENERATOR ROOM - NIGHT : Jimmy comes to the last switch. : JIMMY : Had to be the last one, didn't it? : He throws it. : EXT. LEXCORP ROOFTOP - NIGHT : The holographic projector shuts down. : EXT. SKY OVER METROPOLIS - NIGHT : And the visual of the "Armada" shimmers momentarily, then : DISAPPEARS FROM VIEW, for good. : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - NIGHT : Lois joins the mass of people gathered, staring up at the sky. She : lets out a victorious howl. : EXT. LEXCORP ROOFTOP - NIGHT : Jimmy steps out of the shed and looks up, smiling. He leaps into : the air, echoing Lois's victory howl. : Then the rooftop door explodes. LexCorp soldiers pile out, racing : at Jimmy, rifles drawn. The soldiers train their sights on him and : begin FIRING. Jimmy dodges bullets, chased to the edge of the : roof. His footing slips, and he falls, plummeting to his death. : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - NIGHT : Jimmy falls toward the crowds below, screaming. Until... : Something swoops in and catches him, ten floors from the pavement. : SUPERMAN : You're nowhere near a pool to be diving : like that, kid. : Jimmy opens his eyes to see... Superman (clad in the Eradicator : Suit). But with the cowl-like nature of the Suit's head-piece, : Jimmy doesn't recognize him. : JIMMY : Holy shit! Who are you?!?! : Superman swoops to the ground, setting Jimmy down in a back alley. : SUPERMAN : Where's Miss Lane? : JIMMY : On the streets somewhere. I'm supposed to : meet her out front. : SUPERMAN : Find her and both of you get to safety. : This city's oppressors are about to feel : my wrath. : He breaks into takeoff position. Jimmy rushes to him. : JIMMY : WAIT! : Superman stops. Jimmy hands him the LexCorp disc. : JIMMY : This might come in handy. : Superman nods, and inserts the disc into the suit. he takes to the : skies again, leaving Jimmy staring up, confused. : EXT. METROPOLIS - NIGHT : People cheer at the Armada-less skies, but angry mobs start moving : toward -- : EXT. SKULL SHIP : Crowds swarm the building and the LexCorp soldiers outside. The : soldiers fight the crowds back, toward nearby Metropolis bridge. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Lex stares up at the rooftop skylights, seeing no "Armada." He : shrugs to Misty. : LEX : There goes my bid for mayor. : (to Brainiac) : That feed only went as far as Metropolis : -- there's still time to contain this! : BRAINIAC : You are the one facing public furor here, : Luthor -- not I. : (mimes gun to head) : Pow, as you say. : Lex glares at Brainiac and nods. : LEX : You've yet to learn the most important : lesson of American history -- always have : a patsy. I won't be taking the rap for : this, my alien friend -- you will. : Brainiac regards him curiously. Lex nods to Misty. : LEX : Shut him down. : Misty presses a button on a remote control. : EXT. SKULL SHIP POWER GRID - NIGHT : A red light flashes on a panel. An ENGINEER nods. : ENGINEER : PULL THE PLUG! : A team of engineers disengage the POWER CABLES that Brainiac used : to 'feed' into the Earth's core. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Five LexCorp Soldiers enter as the Skull Ship power dims. Brainiac : looks around, panicked. : LEX : (smiling) : I've disengaged your power source. Learned a few things : from the diagnostics scanner I'd loaded onto that rocket. Feeding : off the planet's core to maintain your form -- no, no, no. Lunch : hour's over. : Brainiac goes into paroxysms, convulsing. Lex smiles victoriously : as the alien weakens. Then, cables erupt from Brainiac's form, : locking onto five Soldiers, and then Misty -- as Brainiac absorbs : their energy (much as Brainiac had done in the first scene). Lex : moves slightly toward his Valet, but then freezes, watching wide- : eyed as the group -- now drained -- fall to the ground as burned : husks. Fully energized, Brainiac stands erect, the cables : retracting. : BRAINIAC : Enough with the appetizers. Onto the main : course! : Brainiac grabs Lex by the throat. Lex smiles. : An alarm goes off on the control board. : L-RON : We're under attack. Violent crowds have : gathered here and at LexCorp. : LEX : Ah, the fickle masses -- how quickly one : can become the focus of ire of the vox : populi. If they access the building, : they'll tear you limb from limb. : BRAINIAC : Nonsense. I'll crush these fleshy : nuisances as easily as I crush you. : LEX : Powered merely by the life-force of a : girl and some per-hour grunts? Somehow I : doubt it. However, if you holster your : pistols, I'll hook you back up into the : core. Then you can crush whomever you : like... except your ol' partner. Agreed? : L-RON : (to Brainiac, quitely) : We will need all the energy we can get : for our confrontation with the Eradicator, : sire. : BRAINIAC : (releases Lex) : Agreed. : LEX : (into walkie-talkie) : Plug him back in. : BRAINIAC : (to L-Ron) : Disengage the ship. I'll teach the apes : to fear their god! : L-RON : That doesn't make sense! The Eradicator : is within minutes of the Citadel -- we : should concentrate our efforts on that, : not the Earthlings! : BRAINIAC : Do as I command! : Exasperated, L-Ron mans the controls. : BRAINIAC : Our location matters little. The : technology is coming to me, regardless. : EXT. SKULL SHIP - NIGHT : The SKULL SHIP disengages from Metro Towers, taking off. : EXT. SKY - POV SUPERMAN - NIGHT : On a digital readout screen, we see the Skull Ship moving toward : the distant bridge. : Superman flies, with the aid of the Eradicator suit. : SUPERMAN : It's heading for the bridge. Now so are : we. : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : I was afraid you'd say that. : SUPERMAN : Then you'll have to excuse me, because : it's been some time since I've been able : to say this... : (hero voice) : This looks like a job for... : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : May we just proceed, please? : EXT. METROPOLIS BRIDGE : The LexCorp troops have chased the angry mobs back onto the : bridge. In the distance, the Skull Ship approaches from the sky. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac turns to L-Ron. : BRAINIAC : Fire. : EXT. METROPOLIS BRIDGE - NIGHT : The Skull Ship BLASTS a LASER at the Bridge's suspension cables. : The bridge begins to snap and crumble. : ON BRIDGE : The massive crowds, including LexCorp troops, rush to the side of : the bridge, hanging on for dear life. : The bridge begins to fall into Metropolis Bay... : But look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! Superman, in : the Eradicator suit, swoops in, grabbing the suspension cables. He : pulls with all the suit's strength, trying to keep the bridge from : falling. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Lex stares at the view screen, perplexed. L-Ron looks to Brainiac. : BRAINIAC : Did I not tell you it would come to me? : L-RON : I'm getting another reading from it -- a : biologic. : BRAINIAC : Yes -- the Kryptonian. It would appear : the Eradicator has succeeded in : resuscitating him. : LEX : Wait a second... who?!? : EXT. METROPOLIS BRIDGE - NIGHT : Superman strains, holding the suspension cables. : On the land-locked side of the bridge, Lois emerges from the crowd : that stares up at the costumed spectacle. Transfixed, Lois shakes : her head, bewildered. : The crowd slides down the unstable bridge, holding on to anything : they can. : Superman continues to strain, as does the suit. : SUPERMAN : (to Eradicator) : Amplify... my voice! : The crowd runs toward the land-locked sides of the bridge. : Superman's voice booms out at them, as if through a bullhorn. : SUPERMAN : PLEASE... CLEAR OFF THE BRIDGE... AS : QUICKLY... AS POSSIBLE! : The bridge cleared of people, Superman lets the cables go, and the : entire structure COLLAPSES into Metropolis Harbor. : Superman hangs in the air, surveying the crowds on the shore. : SUPERMAN : We did it! We saved them! : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : What's this 'we' nonsense? : Then, a LASER BLAST shoots past them. Superman reacts. : The mid-section of the Skull Ship jettisons, becoming an : independent craft. Claws jutt out, grabbing the Man of Steel. : INT. ATTACK CRAFT : L-Ron man the controls. Through his windshield, we can see : Superman struggling. : L-RON : I've got him! : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac watches the action on the view screen. L-Ron's voice is : heard over the loud-speaker. : L-RON (V.O.) : Jeez, is he a slippery sonova... : BRAINIAC : Quickly -- inject the anti-technology. : INT. ATTACK CRAFT : L-Ron punches a button on his control board. : EXT. METROPOLIS SKYLINE : While Superman fights to free himself from the craft, a syringe- : like arm shoots from the craft into the suit, sending a charge : through it. The Eradicator shuts down. : SUPERMAN : E -- what's wrong?! : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac is delighted by what he watches. Lex is puzzled. : L-RON : The technology's offline, my liege. : BRAINIAC : Excellent. Bring it to the loading bay -- : I shall withdraw the Kryptonian from the : technology, personally. : LEX : Kryptonian?! Are you talking about : Superman?! No, no, no -- Superman's dead! : We killed Superman! : EXT. SKULL SHIP - NIGHT : The Attack Craft carries Superman-in-the-suit to the rear of the : Skull Ship. : SUPERMAN : Not again! Come on, man! Wake up! : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : Would you pipe down? : SUPERMAN : Why the hell didn't you say something?! : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : It's called playing possum, Kal-El. I'm : not from Earth, and even I know that. : Diverting power from X-Ray vision cells. : Get ready. : We hear a SURGE OF POWER charge through the suit, and Superman : breaks free of the attack crafts grip. : INT. ATTACK CRAFT : Superman-in-the-suit peers through the windshield of the attack : craft. L-Ron freaks. : L-RON : Uh... Houston? We have a problem. : EXT. SKULL SHIP : Superman grabs the attack craft and swings it into the Skull Ship, : puncturing the hull. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac and Lex duck as the attack craft rips into the ship, : spilling L-Ron out at their feet. The ship grows dim, and a : massive power loss is heard. : EXT. NIGHT SKY : The lights on the ship grow weak. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Lex is in a panic. Brainiac and L-Ron tumble toward the control : board. : BRAINIAC : Lock onto that suit! : L-RON : I can't! We've had a massive surge! All : systems are offline! : EXT. NIGHT SKY : Superman watches the Skull Ship falter. Then, something catches : his eye. Superman freezes. : Near the bridge below, Lois stares up at him, wide-eyed. : After a long beat, Superman-in-the-Eradicator suit moves slightly : toward her. : INT. SKULL SHIP : The lights come back up, full. : L-RON : Power back online, Lord Brainiac. Suit in : sight. : BRAINIAC : Fire! : EXT. METROPOLIS SKY - NIGHT : From the Skull Ship, a LASER BLASTS, striking the Superman combo. : The pair go rocketing through the sky. : Below, Lois panicks as the mystery hero is blasted out of the sky. : Jimmy rushes up to her. : JIMMY : Miss Lane! I think... I think I saw... : Then Lois turns and dashes away. : JIMMY : Miss Lane! Wait! Where are you going?! : LOIS : (running off) : I've gotta find something out -- once and : for all! : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac searches the view screen, fiercely. : BRAINIAC : Do not fail me, L-Ron! Where is the : Eradicator?! : L-RON : The short has damaged our detection : systems! I can't get a reading... : Suddenly, an ALARM SOUNDS. On the view screen, the graphic of the : tomb comes up. : L-RON : The tomb's been breached! It must be them! : BRAINIAC : Go!! : EXT. SUPERMAN'S TOMB - NIGHT : The tomb has indeed been breached. Two LexCorp soldiers lie on the : ground, knocked out cold. The doors are swung open. The beam of a : flashlight can be seen inside. : INT. SUPERMAN'S TOMB : Lois holds the flashlight in her teeth. She uses a crowbar, : slamming at the casket lock. It gives, and she stares at the : casket for a beat. She places her hands on it. : LOIS : I don't want to do it, Clark. If you're : still in here, I don't think I'll be able : to take it. : (steels herself) : But I have to know... : Suddenly, blinding light fills the small room. Lois drops the : flashlight and covers her eyes. She peers out from behind her : fingers to see... : L-Ron standing in the doorway, backed up by LexCorp soldiers. : L-RON : Peek-a-boo. : EXT. SKULL SHIP - NIGHT : The Skull Ship lands atop Metro Towers and again seals itself onto : the building. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac fumes at L-Ron on the bridge. : BRAINIAC : What do you mean you can't locate it?!? : L-RON : I can't get a reading on the technology : anywhere. : BRAINIAC : Then who was in the tomb?! : The soldiers march Lois onto the bridge. Lex rushes her, grabbing : her by the collar. : LEX : Alright, Lane -- what the hell is going : on...?! : Brainiac pushes Lex to the side and faces Lois. : BRAINIAC : You are the woman from the televised call : to arms. : L-RON : This is the woman that held Superman's : affections. : BRAINIAC : The Kryptonian? : L-RON : That's what the soldiers told me. They : said whenever she was in trouble, he'd be : there to save her. In turn, she gave him : plenty of ink in the Daily Planet. : BRAINIAC : Is this true? : (touches her hair) : You harbor affection for the corpse they : called... Superman? : (beat) : I killed him, you know... : Lois lurches forward at Brainiac, but is held back by the : soldiers. Brainiac is delighted, and then shocked. : L-RON : I'd take that as a 'yes.' : BRAINIAC : His weakness all along -- all I ever : would have needed was this woman! : Blocking out the sun, dealing with the : insufferable Lex Luthor of Earth... a : waste of Brainiac's time! I could have : offered the woman's life in exchange for : the technology. But now... : LEX : What the hell are you talking about?!? : Superman's dead!! : L-RON : Good God -- when are you going to get it, : ape-man? Superman lives. : LOIS : If that's true, Lex, I can promise you : one thing -- he's going to kick your bald : ass! : Lex rushes her, but Brainiac throws his back, motioning for the : soldiers to hold him. : BRAINIAC : Enough of these games! : (grabs Lois's face) : You will be the bait that draws the : Kryptonian to me. And with him comes, too, : the technology I seek. : (to L-Ron) : We still have a Thanagarian Snare Beast : in the menagerie -- yes? : (as L-Ron nods) : Introduce him to the atmosphere here on : Earth. : EXT. METROPOLIS STREET - NIGHT : The place is abandoned. There's not a soul in sight. Then, the : Eradicator suit crashes down, cracking the ground. The suit opens : and Superman falls out on his hands and knees. The suit morphs : back into the Eradicator. Superman is breathing heavy, sweating , : exhausted. : SUPERMAN : You didn't see that blast coming?! : ERADICATOR : I had to divert all the power from my : shields so you could play hero! And now : there's a circuit malfunction from the : effects of that anti-technology surge. : I'm going to need time to repair : internally. : SUPERMAN : How long's that going to take?! We have : to get back out there and finish Brainiac! : ERADICATOR : Barring battles with killer spacecraft or : the lifting of multi-tonned bridges -- : twenty minutes. : SUPERMAN : (sighs, calms down) : I hate to say it, but I could use some : time to heal myself. : (rubbing muscles) : This is the first time in... well, ever... : that I feel completely exhausted. Except : for that whole death thing. : ERADICATOR : You've touched on the precise factor that : plagues me, Kal-El. Your life on Earth : thus far has been spent as we have spent : today -- saving lives, battling : aggressors. Yet I would imagine that : after your mortal trial, you would have : reevaluated your role amongst the people : of Earth. : SUPERMAN : I have, actually. Before I died, I have : always felt like a... how do I say this... : a stranger in a strangle land. I may look : like them -- but I'm still... an alien. : That always put distance between me and : everyone else. But now I know I'm more : like them than I ever thought. : ERADICATOR : In what fashion? : SUPERMAN : Before, I couldn't identify with their : frailty -- now I honestly can. I've : tasted mortality -- it's humanizing. : ERADICATOR : Your father would be proud. : Superman regards this with interest. : ERADICATOR : You could have been a god on this world : -- enslaved it like Brainiac. But you : never chose that path. Instead, here you : sit -- musing over the possibility of : death, between moments of saving this : planet from its oppressor. : SUPERMAN : It's an antiquated notion -- but it : really is better to serve than be served. : ERADICATOR : This is what marks the difference between : your kind and mine -- we serve because we : have to. You serve because you choose to. : SUPERMAN : The how do you explain Brainiac? He's one : of your kind, but he's serving no one. : ERADICATOR : Inaccurate, Kal-El. He's serving himself. : He has taken an aspect of humanity, but : it's the worst one. And when a machine : begins to feel -- positive or negative -- : then it ceases to be a machine, and for : the good of all, it must be shut down. As : you must shut down Brainiac. : SUPERMAN : Tough talk from a guy who only yesterday : thought we should find another planet. : ERADICATOR : I can only point to the bad influence you : have become. : Suddenly, light down on the pair. Superman looks up, shielding his : eyes. : EXT. METROPOLIS SKY - NIGHT : Shimmering against the sky is the holographic image of Brainiac's : face. : BRAINIAC : People of Metroppolis. You need no longer : fear takeover by hostile aliens. The : hostile alien is here. I claim your : planet as my own. : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - NIGHT : Metropolitans cease celebrating and stare up at the image of : Brainiac. : BRAINIAC : Gone is the charade of the benevolent : Brainiac. I have come to enslave your : race! Your world has no champion to save : you now! And to mark this historic night, : I offer you a display of the price to be : paid for rebellion. : INT. SKULL SHIP : Brainiac pulls Lois to him. : BRAINIAC : Tonight, Lois Lane -- the instigator of : the anti-Brainiac call-to-arms -- will : taste the might of my fury, as she is : executed, for all to witness! : (to Soldiers) : TO THE MENAGERIE! : EXT. METROPOLIS STREET - NIGHT : Brainiac cackles against the night sky as he slowly fades. : Superman turns on the Eradicator, rising. : SUPERMAN : How are those circuits coming? : ERADICATOR : Not again. : SUPERMAN : Open up. : The Eradicator rolls his eyes, and reconfigures into the suit. : Superman leaps in, and it seals around him. : SUPERMAN : This may be the only chance I get to say : this, but... thank you. For everything. : (beat) : Up, up, and away... : Off they rocket, into the night. : EXT. METROPOLIS SKYLINE - NIGHT : The sky lights up anew, with the image of the Skull Ship : Menagerie. : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - NIGHT : Jimmy and Perry watch wide-eyed as the imaghe in the sky depicts : Lois being dragged toward two huge doors. : PERRY : They're going to kill her! Somebody's : gotta do something! : Jimmy looks up, smiles, and pats Perry on the back. : JIMMY : Somebody is, Chief. Somebody is. : EXT. METROPOLIS SKY - NIGHT : The holograph is "shattered" by Superman in the Eradicator suit, : soaring toward the Skull Ship Citadel. : INT. MENAGERIE : Two huge doors open revealing a darkened pit. The captive Lois is : ushered toward it by Brainiac, L-Ron, Lex, and the soldiers. : LEX : (to Lois) : Oooh -- I don't even wanna know what's : lurking in there. Should've kept your : nose for news out of business that wasn't : yours. It's a lesson you're going to : learn as harshly as your ex-boyfriend. : Lois looks at Lex, wounded. : LEX : That's right -- you're not going to put : this in any paper. Yeah -- I helped kill : the Man of Steel! So what?! : Lois shakes her head, teary-eyed. : LOIS : You bastard. : She knees Lex in the groin. He doubles over, as Brainiac rounds : him to face her. : BRAINIAC : Save your energy, Miss Lane -- that : maneuver will not have the same result on : me. Do you have any last words for the : viewers of the world? : Lois looks up sharply, as if she hears something. So does Lex. : Brainiac notices this and looks up as well. : EXT. SKULL SHIP - SUPERMAN'S POV - NIGHT : The roof of the Citadel is RUSHING TOWARD us. The SOUND is HUGE. : INT. MENAGERIE : There is the faintest sound of WHOOSHING -- as if something is : moving through the air outside, very, very fast. Lex looks up with : a mix of anxiety and confusion. : LEX : I know that sound... : EXT. SKULL SHIP - SUPERMAN'S POV - NIGHT : We're getting even CLOSER TO that roof, now. The SOUND is : DEAFENING. : INT. MENAGERIE : Then, through her tears, Lois smiles. Brainiac is puzzled as her : smile turns to laughter. : LOIS : Last words?!? : (to Brainiac) : You're dead meat, you f...! : EXT. SKULL SHIP - NIGHT : Superman in the Eradicator suit EXPLODES through the ROOF on the : Citadel... : INT. SKULL SHIP - NIGHT : ... then through the ceiling of the bridge, and through the : floor... : INT. MENAGERIE - NIGHT : ... and finally, through the ceiling over the assembled group's : heads. : LOIS : (under her breath) : Baby...! : LEX : (under his breath) : Shit! : BRAINIAC : (under his breath) : Finally! : And when the dust cloud settles, there stands the indiscernible : Superman in the Eradicator suit. : SUPERMAN : Border patrol. I hear we've got an : illegal alien here. : Brainiac holds his hand up, which reconfigures into something : pointy and deadly. He holds it to Lois's head. : BRAINIAC : Step out of my technology, Kryptonian. Or : I get painfully intimate with the woman. : Superman makes an offensive move, but is interrupted. : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : No, Kal-El! : Lex, Lois and L-Ron look around for the source of the voice. : Brainiac smiles. : SUPERMAN : I can take him! : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : You can't. He's rendered himself electro- : radioactive. If we touch him, the power : surge will kill you... even within me. : The Eradicator opens, and Superman steps out. Lois tearfully : smiles. Lex goes wide-eyed. Superman looks at Lois. She moves : slightly toward him, but Brainiac pulls her back. Then, the suit : morphs into the Eradicator again, as all look on in wonder. : BRAINIAC : It's been some time, Eradicator, but here : we are again -- the pride of Jor-El and : the pride of Colu. : ERADICATOR : The killer of Krypton is more appropriate. : BRAINIAC : I have waited decades and searched : galaxies -- all in pursuit of this moment. : And now, you're mine. : ERADICATOR : It is your aim to absorb my technology : and become all-powerful, I would imagine. : BRAINIAC : And they call me Brainiac. : He moves toward the Eradicator. : ERADICATOR : (steps back) : But aren't you worried? : BRAINIAC : What could possibly worry me? : ERADICATOR : When I attempted interface with your : ShadowCaster device I was contaminated. : Temporarily shut down. What if the same : thing happens when you attempt to absorb : my technology into yours? What if your : technology is too advanced to interface : with mine? : Brainiac throws his head back, laughing. Superman looks to the : Eradicator, who offers him a reassuring wink. : BRAINIAC : You think it's advanced? The irony is how : primitive it is compared to your own! You : have no-doubt overthought on the : ShadowCaster, when in reality, you should : have approached it as a child's toy! : ERADICATOR : A child's toy? : BRAINIAC : Certainly! It's Earth hardware, crossed : with my own Coluan technology -- its : systems are so far beneath your own : capabilities that a simple binary synapse : would've bypassed any contamination : factor. : ERADICATOR : (smiles) : And they call you Brainiac. : The Eradicator quickly morphs back into the suit, grabbing : Superman and hurling the Man of Steel into himself. : BRAINIAC : For this insolence, I will erase your : memory banks, machine! : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : I'm not a machine. You are. : The suit leaps into the air, rocketing out of the Citadel. Lex : looks around fearfully, and sneaks out a side exit. : LEX : (into cell phone) : I want the jet fueled and standing by... : now! The pajama-boy is back! : As Lex disappears unnoticed, Brainiac grabs Lois and shouts up at : the ceiling. : BRAINIAC : Hear me, son of Jor-El -- your guardian : may have saved your life, but he just : damned two more to hell!!! : Brainiac takes Lois to the two large doors that end the Menagerie. : As the doors open, Brainiac throws Lois into a dark pit. She : SCREAMS as she falls. : EXT. SPACE : Superman in the Eradicator races through the outer atmosphere, : heading toward the distant ShadowCaster. : SUPERMAN : What the hell are you doing?!? Why are we : running?!? : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : Kal-El -- I think I've had what's called : an 'epiphany'. : SUPERMAN : Really? That's excellent to hear. But : we're getting FARTHER AWAY FROM RESCUING : THE WOMAN I LOVE!!! : ERADICATOR (V.O) : Your passion is inspiring -- it has : taught me something I'd thought far : beyond my ability to comprehend. I must : thank you, Kal-El -- you've imparted to : me the wisdom of a life lived in service : to others. : SUPERMAN : What are you talking about? : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : Were it not for your insight, I'd be no : better than the machine that oppresses : your world -- operating solely on the : cold logic of what it's programmed to do. : But now, I'm choosing to serve. Now -- I : understand your commitment to this planet : and its inhabitants... and I'm going to : help you honor it. : SUPERMAN : You picked a hell of a time to tell me : how you feel... : (suddenly gets it) : How you feel... No! : ERADICATOR (V.O.) : When a machine begins to feel -- positive : or negative -- then it ceases to be a : machine. It must be shut down... or shut : down itself. : The Eradicator grabs a piece of itslef and pulls it off, which : morphs into a silver version of the familiar 'S'. : ERADICATOR : Take a deep breath, and remember to stay : in the light. : Before he can react, the Eradicator separates from Superman. He : slaps the 'S' on his black suit, and lets him go, sending him : hurtling earthward. : ERADICATOR : Superman lives. : The Eradicator then rockets out of sight, as Superman free-falls : through space. : EXT. SHADOWCASTER : The Eradicator reaches the mammoth device and links into it. The : anti-technology sends shockwaves coursing through his body. He : fights against shutdown. : INT. SHADOWCASTER : CIRCUITS BLOW UP. TRANSISTORS EXPLODE. : EXT. SHADOWCASTER : It begins losing power. Sections of panel begin shutting down. : Sunlight begins pouring through in shafts. : The Eradicator begins to shift in shape, the anti-technology : coursing through his body. His form finally comes to rest on the : figure we've come to know him as most. His face forms a peaceful, : joyous smile. : Then, HE EXPLODES. : EXT. SPACE : Superman is plummeting to Earth. VISIONS SMASH CUT through his : head, like all of the life we've seen him lead: Lois at Mount : Rushmore, Lex on the rooftop of LexCorp, the Doomsday battle, : waking from the goo... : And still, he falls, coming closer to the planet. The VISIONS : CONTINUE; the Eradicator forming into a suit, catching Jimmy, the : strangling tentacles of the Skull Ship, the Eradicator in the : train station, and finally, Lois staring up at him from the : bridge. The Eradicator's voice echoes through his head. : ERADICATOR : ... stay in the light. : Miles above Earth, Superman fires through our atmosphere, nearing : the ground faster by the second. : Then, one of the stray sunbeams from the shattered ShadowCaster : hits him full force. The ground races up to meet the Man of Steel, : as he absorbs a concentrated beam of solar energy. His face : tightens. : SUPERMAN : Yaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!! : EXT. METROPOLIS - NIGHT : Mere yards from the ground, Superman stops falling in mid-air and : rights himself swooping upwards. While flying, he stretches his : muscles like he's just woken up after a loooooonnng sleep. : He zips past the huge billboard just outside of the city that : depicts him in his old suit, flying over greeting "WELCOME TO : METROPOLIS -- HOME OF SUPERMAN." : A knowing smile crawls across the Man of Steel's face. His powers : returned, Superman lives! : INT. SKULL SHIP : At the control board, L-Ron turns to Brainiac in a panic. : L-RON : The ShadowCaster is destabilized! : Sunlight is getting through! And : something is moving toward us at an : alarming rate... : A SONIC BOOM ECHOES through the Skull Ship. : L-RON : Something pissed. : BRAINIAC : Let the whelp come. : Brainiac takes a seat on his throne. He closes his eyes, as the : helm lowers over his head. : BRAINIAC : I will deal with him... impersonally. : Brainiac shuts his eyes, as the HELM begins to WHIR. : INT. PIT : Lois squirms about in a mire of fiberglass-looking "webbing." : From the darkness above, an echoey growl is heard. : EXT. METROPOLIS PARK : The cape still hangs off the statue's extended hand., Then, a : black flash whips in and out of the frame, and the cape is no : longer there. : INT. MENAGERIE : Superman bursts through the ceiling again - now wearing his cape - : and through the many levels of the ships, still contained in the : single beam of light. : INT. PIT : He rockets through the ceiling of the pit, allowing the singular : shaft of light to follow. Suddenly, he's struck by a high-powered : stream of murky liquid from above, which knocks him out of the : light, and entraps him in the "webbing," beside the struggling : Lois. : LOIS : Baby! : SUPERMAN : Hey, kid. How about we get out of here? : Something huge and quick, drops from the shadows beyond the shaft : of sunlight, striking Superman. : The THANAGARIAN SNARE BEAST has grown. It resembles something of a : cross between a squid and a spider, but very bio-mechanical and : sleek. And now -- inhabited by Brainiac's consciousness -- it's : extra lethal as well. Brainiac's voice is heard, hissing from : somewhere within the creature. : BRAINIAC : SSSSSSSSSSSSUUUUUPERRRRRMAAAAAANNN! : It batters the Man of Steel, then moves quickly back into the : darkness. Superman's a bit dazed. : LOIS : Are you alright?! : SUPERMAN : I'm... I'm okay... : (squints up) : I just wish I could see what I'm fighting. : Then, the beast drops on Superman anew, its massive legs tearing : at him. Superman struggles free, bolting toward the shaft of light : to strengthen his powers, but the creature grabs hold of him, : pulling the Man of Steel back into the darkness. : Suddenly, the creature's underbelly opens, setting loose six : smaller, metallic versions of itself. Superman breaks free of the : beast and begins fighting the creatures off, smashing them : together, crushing them in his grip. We hear LOIS'S SHRIEK. : Superman reacts. : The micro-beasts crawl all over Lois. Superman uses his heat : vision to blast the CREATURES, which EXPLODE, hissing. Using his : powers leaves Superman a little dazed. : But the TSB is on him again -- its mid-section spreading to reveal : a primeval head. The BEAST brings Superman to its jaws while : letting loose an ungodly SCREECH. The pair violently tussle, the : beast's head and legs rising and striking, Superman blocking and : attacking. A leg shoots from the darkness and catches Superman by : the throat, pinning him against the web. The beast's jaws come in : close to Superman's face, preparing to gorge. : We see the strain on Superman's face, the veins in his neck and : head throbbing. : Then we see why -- Superman uses all of his strength to stretch : his fist into the just-out-of-reach shaft of light. He makes it, : charging himself. : The jaws of the creature almost on his head, Superman comes across : with a right hook that knocks the creature into the air. : Superman crawls into the sunlight, takes in as much as he can, and : leaps up at the beast, grabbing hold of the wildly flailing : creature. He flies it up and... : INT. MENAGERIE : ... out into the full beam of sunlight. : SUPERMAN : You wanna hide in a bug... I'll crush you : like one! : Superman begins mangling the beast. : Hooked into his helm, Brainiac convulses, feeling the pain of the : beating. : Superman grabs the head of the creature and pulls it off, : ferociously. : The MACHINE he's hooked up to EXPLODES from the feedback, and : Brainiac flees back into his own body, throwing the helm off. He : weakly tries to crawl away from the wreckage. Breathing heavily, : Superman grabs a hold of him, lifting Brainiac above his head. : SUPERMAN : You destroyed my homeworld! You killed me! : And you forced my friend to give his life! : BRAINIAC : You... do not... take... lives... Th... : that... is the... code... you... : live by... Like... the Eradicator... I : live... : SUPERMAN : No -- he was one of the most human beings : I've ever known. You -- you're just a : machine. : Superman punches his fist through Brainiac's chest and out his : back. Brainiac convulses, and 'dies'. Superman drops his mangled : form to the floor, where it reverts back to its most primitive : form -- some metal and circuitry. : INT. PIT : Superman flies to Lois' side. : SUPERMAN : Do I look tired? Because I feel tired. : LOIS : You look a little worn, yes. but right : now, I have a million questions about : what happened to you. : Superman pulls Lois from the web, and scoops her up into his arms. : SUPERMAN : Well maybe I can help shed some light on : the subject. : Superman streaks up one of the shafts of light, Lois in his arms. : EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING ROOF - NIGHT : Superman sets Lois down on the roof of the building. : SUPERMAN : Give me a sec, okay? : Lois nods. Superman leaps into the air, and is gone, leaving a : SONIC BOOM in his wake. : EXT. SPACE : Superman reaches the partially-functioning, sparking ShadowCaster. : He begins pushing the SHADOWCASTER, getting up some speed, until : he lets it go. It whips through space, until it hits the surface : of the sun and EXPLODES. : The device destroyed, sunlight pours through space and... : EXT. EARTH : ... over the planet. : EXT. METROPOLIS - DAY : Sunlight is everywhere, filling the streets. : EXT. LEXCORP BUILDING - DAY : Lex emerges from his building, carrying two suitcases -- both : packed to the brim. He rushes toward his limo, looking up at the : new dawn. : LEX : Aruba -- Aruba's always excellent this : time of year. I'll have all documentation : involving Brainiac destroyed, while I : down daiquiri's in the dunes, offering a : steady stream of I-don't-remember's! Hell : -- it worked for Reagan! : As Lex reaches for the limo door, Superman lands in front of him. : Lex shrieks. : SUPERMAN : 'morning Luthor. Going somewhere? : LEX : Superman! Thank God! That alien cloned me : like a sheep, and used my double to make : it seem like we were in league! : SUPERMAN : You get points for originality. : Superman lifts Lex into the air. : EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING - DAY : On the ground, Superman lowers Lex into the midst of the POLICE. : LEX : Alright -- that's it! I want this : vigilante arrested, now! : POLICE #1 : On what charge? : LEX : Endangering a public figure, harassment, : whatever! : SUPERMAN : I have a charge of my own, Officers -- : against Mister Luthor. A charge of : espionage against the world government. : Luthor utilized Brainiac for his own : selfish gain, and had further designs on : governmental extortion. : LEX : Unsubstantiated, gentlemen. Like you fine : people, I was duped by that lying alien! : While I do have suspicions that Superman : himself was working in conjunction with : Brainiac, I can assure you that there is : zero proof that I was ever anything but : an unwilling participant in... : Superman tosses the police the download disc from Jimmy. He : disappears momentarily, and returns in a flash with a laptop, : which he hands over to the police. They pop the disc in and look : from the computer screen to Lex. Lex glares at Superman. : SUPERMAN : (as Lex) : "I just wanted to let you know who beat : you, boy!" : Superman chuckles and takes off into the air. The Police stare : down Lex, angrily. Lex recoils. : EXT. METROPOLIS - DAY : Jimmy looks up and sees... : Superman -- winging his way toward the Daily Planet. : Jimmy nods, smiling. : JIMMY : I wonder if Mister Kent will be back to : work Monday? : EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING - DAY : Clark Kent walks out onto the roof, where Lois has her arms : outstretched, soaking up the sun. He offers her a tube of : sunscreen. : CLARK : You might want to apply some sunblock. : You look like S.P.F. 14. : LOIS : Pithy... to the last. : Lois spins into his arms, embracing him tightly. Clark hugs her : right back. : CLARK : Pithy -- who uses that word anymore? : LOIS : Oh God, I thought you were really gone. : CLARK : So did I. : (beat) : But I learned a few things -- I know what : keeps me here, what keeps me doing what I : do, what kept me from accepting the grave. : It's you, Lois. Superman may look out for : everyone, but he doesn't belong to the : world -- he belongs to you. : Lois wells up. : CLARK : And you belong to me. : LOIS : I love you, Clark. Never leave me again. : CLARK : I won't, babe. I won't. : (embraces her) : From now on, I'm going to try to be more : man than Super. : LOIS : (looks at him) : Oh, Clark -- are you still dwelling on : Mount Rushmore? Forget what I said -- : that was before the maniacal robots from : outer-space killed you. : CLARK : Wait, wait, wait -- you're going to let : something small like that alter your : opinion? You? Lois Lane? Hard-bitten : journalist for the Daily Planet? : LOIS : See, that's one thing you have to learn, : Smallville -- a woman's allowed to change : her mind at any given moment... : especially after a bad week. : (smiles) : Now kiss me, dead man -- before I change : my mind. : CLARK : Must you always have the last word? : Lois is about to respond, but Clark kisses her instead. : And everything goes back to normal in Metropolis. : INT. SKULL SHIP : The metal Brainiac symbol is picked up off the floor by a small, : metal hand. L-Ron deposits the remnant into his circuitry, and : looks at the camera. : L-RON : I know, I know. But I'm a glutton for : punishment. : He whisks off, and out through the hole in the roof. : THE END : --------------------------------------------------------- : Found on INFlow Screenplay Repository

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