potenties

The Kryptonian scientist Jor-El is collecting data from an ice field on the planet Krypton. After obtaining the samples he needs, Jor-El escapes an earthquake and an attack from a Kryptonian creature. Jor-el analyzes the data and discovers that rising pressure from Krypton’s inner core will eventually destroy the whole world and its people. The computer Brainiac, which is in charge of monitoring all major operations on Krypton, denies this. Jor-El is unable to convince Krypton’s rulers of the planet’s impending doom, and his recommendation to transport all Kryptonians to the Phantom Zone to escape the explosion proves unpopular. When Jor-El confronts Brainiac on the matter, he notices that it is downloading all the data it has collected about Krypton, preparing to flee with it into space. Brainiac reveals that he was aware of Krypton’s mounting pressure long before Jor-El did, but decided not to inform the populace, concluding that saving all the information about the Kryptonian civilization would be just as good as saving the civilization itself. If Brainiac were to be honest, the Kryptonian government would frantically put it to work on an evacuation plan, preventing it from downloading the data in time. Jor-El considers opening fire on the supercomputer, but decides against it as that could possibly wipe out all memories of Krypton. Brainiac orders the Kryptonian police to arrest Jor-El, but he manages to evade them for the time being. Once home, he and his wife Lara send their only son, Kal-El, into space moments before the planet explodes, all but wiping out the Kryptonian race. Brainiac had escaped to its satellite just before.^[1]

• Late actor Tony Jay who played Nigel St. John on ABC Television Network's action/romance Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, voiced Sul-Van, Superman's maternal grandfather.Kal-El’s spaceship crash-lands on the faraway planet Earth, and he is found by Jonathan and Martha Kent. Martha decides to adopt the baby boy despite Jonathan’s protests, and names him Clark. Jumping forward to Clark’s years in high school, he discovers that he has extraordinary speed, strength, and can even see through walls. He uses his super powers to rescue a family in a gas station accident, and his girlfriend Lana Lang is surprised that he emerged unscathed. Clark soon learns he also has heat vision, and after demonstrating to Jonathan that he can melt metal with his eyes, he expresses concern about how abnormal he is. Jonathan realizes it is time to tell Clark the whole truth. He reveals Clark’s extraterrestrial origins, shows him the spaceship, and gives him access to a recorded message from Jor-El and Lara.^[2]Jumping forward a few years, Clark is now living in Metropolis as a reporter for The Daily Planet. Billionaire Lex Luthor is giving a demonstration of LexCorp’s latest robotic battle suit when it is suddenly stolen by terrorists. A super man, sporting blue tights and a red cape, emerges from nowhere to stop two of the terrorists. The third terrorist fires a missile at a plane, forcing Superman to abandon the chase to save the plane from crashing in the city. Soon, reports of the strange new superhero start appearing on the news, and Perry White tells Lois Lane to land an interview. Meanwhile, the terrorist who escaped, John Corben, is using the battle suit to wreak havoc throughout the city. After a tough battle, Superman manages to defeat the suit and take Corben out of the armor, ending with the well-known line “Shall we go a few rounds without the suit?” Meanwhile, out in deep space, some extraterrestrials retrieve the Brainiac satellite. Brainiac kills the aliens and takes over the ship, linking himself online with their computer.^[3]

Intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo is employed to capture the Man of Steel for the rare-species-collecting Preserver, who is obsessed with keeping endangered species in captivity to protect them and prevent their extinction. Superman, the last Kryptonian, is the latest catch for his collection. Upon realizing that Lobo is the last Czarnian (having killed all the others himself), he betrays the bounty hunter and adds him to the collection as well.^[9]

Superman and The Flash compete in a charity running race around the world to determine who truly is the fastest man alive. Meanwhile, a menace called the Weather Wizard harnesses enough power to create devastating storms across the globe. Superman and The Flash put their race on hold, team up, and seek out the tempestuous villain.^[17]

A monkey is found floating in space, returning from years of suspended animation in his ship. It turns out the monkey, named Titano, was a beloved companion of Lois during her childhood. In space, Titano encountered a radioactive asteroid, causing him to mutate on Earth and become big trouble for Superman and Metropolis.^[17][26]

After a successful attempt to stop Darkseids plans, the invasion of Earth begins and Superman gets captured and tortured. The people of Metropolis resist and try to fight the evil lord. Even after seeing Superman defeated and paraded through the streets the citizens of Metropolis continue to fight back which bolsters Superman's confidence. Superman, with the help of Turpin, manages to free himself from his bonds and subsequently a fleet of New Genesis ships arrives to stop Darkseid. Orion informs Darkseid that the ruler of New Genesis, the wise and powerful High Father, has placed Earth under his protection and as such any further aggression will breach the peace treaty between New Genesis and Apokolips. Darkseid calls off the attack and as a last act of spite vaporizes Dan Turpin. Superman goes mad with grief and begin destroys the enemy tank. Later, on a sunny hillside with a large crowd in attendance, a Jewish funeral service is held for the fallen police officer and a Rabbi sings the Kaddish for Turpin. Superman says his goodbyes to his friend; saying 'in the end the world didn't need a Superman just a brave one'.^[39]

• These episodes also introduce the origins of New Genesis and Apokolips and how Highfather and Darkseid exchanged sons as part of a truce
• This episode is dedicated to Jack Kirby

Jax-Ur and Mala have escaped from the Phantom Zone and have subjugated an entire planet, ironically dubbing it “New Krypton.” After rescuing a distraught spaceship from a black hole, Superman stumbles upon New Krypton. At first, he feels he should leave Jax-Ur and Mala alone to rule as they please, but he reconsiders when he sees they are secretly creating a navy with the intent of attacking Earth.^[47]

A member of the Green Lantern Corps crash-lands on Earth and passes his ring on to Kyle Rayner—a Daily Planet artist who becomes the next Green Lantern. With Superman’s help, Kyle learns the power of the ring and quickly becomes a valuable partner. They work together to battle the power-hungry, ruthless opponent Sinestro.^[48]

• This is the only major appearance of Kyle Rayner as the Green Lantern of Earth in the DCAU (he appears briefly in 2 episodes of Justice League as a background character, only in one of which he speaks
• Homage is paid to Hal Jordan, with both his origin given to Rayner and the hero being thrown into his plane while fighting Sinestro at Broom Lake Air-force base
• Before getting his ring Rayner also fights an unnamed mugger which looks a lot like Guy Gardner.

Ra's al Ghul and his Society of Shadows arrive in Metropolis to steal a mythical staff currently on exhibit. The staff can be used to steal Superman’s powers and transfer them to Ra’s. It is up to Batman to locate and rescue Superman from the immortal foe.

• Talia al Ghul makes her first and final appearance
• David Warner, who voiced Ra's al Ghul, previously portrayed Jor-El on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in the episode 'Foundling'.