Original air date: July 13, 2021
* * *
[♪ ♪]
[sighs]
Welcome back, sir.
For the last time, it’s John.
Were you able to find her?
She must have gone home already.
Shall we try her residence?
The townhouse is 25 yards due east.
Let me find a parking spot.
Scans indicate she’s the passenger in the taxi on your left. You could easily catch her. John, if you wish to connect with this world’s version of your younger sister, now is your chance.
[cell phone ringing]
Lois?
John, it’s happening, just like you said it would. I think Superman’s been turned.
[grunting]
[screams]
It’s been a long time since you’ve felt pain, hasn’t it, Kal? Or perhaps you’ve never felt it, which will make this process all the more excruciating. Pain is a weakness my father removed from me after I arrived here. I remember it, though. Wanting nothing more than my suffering to end. All you have to do is submit, and yours will cease.
Listen to me.
You gave me you word, Kal.
Please…
Submit.
I can help you, brother.
I am not your brother! You rejected me. Remember? Rejected your family, your own people, for them. So be it. Delay the inevitable. Fight as long as you can, but eventually, you will fade as this new mind comes to light. Not even Superman is strong enough to resist the will of Zod.
[breathing heavily]
[grunting in pain]
[heart pounding]
[voices echoing]
What do we do?
We can’t do anything.
We have to. We have to.
Like what?
I don’t know We need to think, Jon.
We have to think.
Boys, he’s gonna be okay.
Mom… Edge just took off with him.
I know.
He said we’ll never see him again.
Yeah, I know, honey, and I know how scary that sounds. I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but your dad has been in worse spots than this, and he always gets through them. I’ve been dealing with this for 20 years. Trust me. Your dad will fight through this, and he will win. It’s not gonna do either of you any favors by staying up all night. Try to get some sleep. Go on.
[sighs]
[soft music]
[♪ ♪]
DOD satellites are scanning airspace across the globe. We know they departed here, but… lost them after that. That place he goes to, his fortress, I know its location is a secret, I get it, but… we might want to start there.
He’s not there. I think Edge has one too though. He mentioned his was in the desert.
Hmm. I’ll adjust our search grid.
[keyboard clacking]
Pumpkin.
[crying]
[theme music]
[♪ ♪]
[warm music]
[♪ ♪]
Feeling okay about today, babe?
Well, let’s see. [sighs] I got to go downtown for a mandatory military check-in. Some doc’s are gonna swab me. A shrink’s gonna ask me questions about being mind-controlled, to make sure our brains are just ours. So yeah, I’m great.
Can’t you call off work, Dad? I mean, shouldn’t you stay home with us and, I don’t know, just rest?
[chuckles] Look, I’d love to, mija, but I think I need to get back into some sort of routine. You know, go to the station, see my team, get back to normal.
[doorbell rings]
I got it.
Tamera.
Sorry for the house visit, Chief.
Something wrong?
Look, I overheard some of the guys talking this morning, knowing you were coming in.
Mm-hmm?
There’s some concern, Chief.
About what? … About me.
You vouched for Morgan Edge. After what happened, well, people are angry.
Okay, but all I was trying to do was bring jobs in, get investors to bet on this town. I don’t…
I get it, Chief. I do. But maybe just take a few days. Give people a minute to cool off. I’m sorry.
[soft dramatic music]
[♪ ♪]
Hey.
Eat anything yet?
Not hungry.
Have you heard anything that they’ve said?
They got nothing. All this state-of-the-art tech, and they can’t do anything.
We can though. Jordan, listen. When dad was attacked by John Irons, you heard him, and then we found where he was.
Yeah, they were a couple miles away.
So?
So Dad could be anywhere in the entire world.
Why does that matter?
It just does.
Jordan, Dad said that he can hear all of the fluctuations in the collective sonic frequency.
Yeah, but he also said that it took years of training at the fortress in order to do that.
Jordan, listen to me. This is just like punching that training log in the cellar, okay? It’s just like it. You could do it, but you had to believe you could do it. And can do this, too.
[sighs]
Yeah, well, there’s too many people here.
Okay, so let’s find a spot. Come on, you can do this. Come on.
And Superman’s last known location was this farm?
That’s right.
Edge came after me and the boys after Superman saved everyone Edge was turning to create his army.
And then Superman just agreed to have his consciousness replaced?
To spare our lives and buy us some time, but he signaled me. He wanted me to contact you so that we could find Edge and stop him.
And you think they’re somewhere in the desert, Sam?
Based on intelligence we’ve gathered, yes.
John, you know better than anyone what’s at risk here.
I do.
Which is why we need your help to come up with a rescue plan.
A rescue plan? Lois, Superman must have known there was a chance he’d be turned. If he signaled you to bring me in, he knows the likelihood is, there is only one hope. To save this world, I need to put him down by any means necessary.
No, John. We’re not killing Superman. That’s not why I called you.
You said it yourself. He signaled you to call me. Why would he do that?
I don’t know why, but I know he’s not giving up.
Lois, he knows what he’s up against. He’s trying to stop the end of the world.
We do that by saving him.
Look, Superman’s our greatest ally against Morgan Edge. At this juncture, it would be a tactical error to rule out a rescue.
No, a tactical error would be to let this Earth fall the way that mine did. It took him seven minutes to wipe out Metropolis. Seven minutes.
[dramatic music]
It’s not too late for him.
Lois, the more time that passes, the greater the odds are that he’s gone.
He won’t be turned.
He will eventually.
No, he won’t, and I will prove it.
Lois?
Just figure out how to find him.
[sighs]
Sam…
Lois doesn’t know this, but I’m rounding up every weapon I got in Project-7734’s arsenal for when the time comes.
I might have more effective means than kryptonite.
I’m all ears.
[white noise, chatter, siren wailing]
Damn it.
How far can you hear?
Oh, I don’t know. Somewhere in Australia?
Australia?
Or New Zealand. I can’t tell the accents apart. Regardless, it doesn’t matter. I couldn’t hear Dad.
Okay, well, I mean, what if he just wasn’t saying something and you, like… You scanned over him or…
Jon, I don’t know. That’s what I’ve been saying. I just got this power good enough that I’m not having a migraine every two seconds. Look, this isn’t gonna work.
Hey. Yes, it will, okay? Just try again.
We’ve been at this for an hour, and I don’t even know what I’m hearing half the time.
Look, I know it’s hard, but right now, you are the only one who can find him.
Yeah, but what if I can’t? What if I keep trying and trying, and my powers just aren’t good enough?
[somber music]
Jordan, you’re good enough.
[Jordan] Really? ‘Cause that didn’t stop Edge. When I used my heat vision on him, I gave everything I had, everything, and he just… He just tossed me around like a rag doll. Then he took off with Dad. I was the only one with powers who could’ve done something, and I just… I didn’t.
[♪ ♪]
You can do something now. You can do something now, okay? Just focus, okay?
[machine beeping]
What is this?
State-of-the-art rocket-powered projectile. Uses red solar tech. It’s designed to completely deplete a Kryptonian’s power.
For how long?
Long enough to kill them.
You made this thing?
With Lex Luthor.
And it worked?
[dramatic music]
I used it in my fight against Kal-El. The plan was to draw him deep into space.
Icarus Protocol activated.
Fire! Almost there. Come on.
He thought I was running, but I wasn’t.
Almost there.
Ballistic shields failing.
But before I saw if it worked… I ended up here.
So you don’t know if it worked?
It would’ve worked, Sam. If we want to end this once and for all, we should do the same thing here.
Kind of hard to do without your ship and your suit, isn’t it?
Don’t worry about that. Get someone to produce me one of these, and I’ll take care of the rest.
Photography is strictly prohibited inside the processing area. No exceptions.
It’s like “1984” out here.
Yeah, it’s just Big Brother doing their job. They’ll be gone soon.
Hey, Emily.
Please, Lana, just don’t.
Em…
She said don’t.
Whoa, hold up there, Duc.
You kidding me, Kyle? Just look around here. That’s you’re doing!
Wait. Hey. I made a mistake, okay? I was just…
The only mistake made was all of us trusting you. And now, after what they said I did… to Lois Lane, Clark’s son…
It wasn’t your fault.
No, it’s not. It’s your fault. I trusted you. How am I supposed to live with myself? How am I supposed to go back to normal?
I am so sorry, Emily.
Just stay away.
Hey, you’re not to blame for this. Edge is.
Yeah, well, I’m not sure everyone sees it that way.
They will eventually. I’ll make sure of it. Before you get tested, can I talk to you both in private?
Yeah.
Is this about Superman?
Anything you can tell me about what it was like being a subject, even if it seems insignificant. Do either of you have any memory of what happened while you were taken over?
No, I just remember waking up and seeing you, Lois.
What about you?
Mine came and went.
What was that like?
Um… it was like I was losing myself. Yeah, I couldn’t remember things. Couldn’t picture my family. And it hurt, you know, trying to push through, and then… I’d see their faces. And this darkness came over me.
But you could fight back?
Yeah, some. But there was this overwhelming sense that… My family would just be better off if I just… let go. And I almost did.
But you did fight, Kyle. Thank you both so much. This means more than you know.
[breathing heavily]
[grunting]
[heart pounding]
Won’t be long now, Father.
[dramatic music]
[♪ ♪]
Jordan.
[white noise, chatter, siren wailing]
Jordan. Jordan!
[gasps]
[Jordan] It’s Dad.
Jordan.
[Jordan] Dad!
Jordan!
[Jordan] Where were you?
The Badlands.
[breathing heavily]
You think your boy can help you?
[dramatic music]
Jordan, what’s wrong?
If you send anyone for your father, know this: he won’t be the man they find waiting.
Is he still alive?
[Jordan] We need to go. We need to go right now.
Okay, okay.
[radio chatter]
General Lane needs this delivered to his tent straight away.
Yes, sir.
John Diggle?
Lois Lane.
[laughs]
So this where you and Clark moved the family.
Yeah, we thought a slower pace of life might be good for us.
Well, looks like that didn’t go quite as planned.
What’re you doing here? Is Argus helping with the search?
I assumed you knew. Your father called Lyla, needed some tech delivered, so, she sent me.
What kind of tech?
Can you make it work?
I can.
I thought you were on my side.
Lois, it’s just a precaution. No decisions have been made.
Except the part where you lied about what you were using this Argus tech for.
It’s a fluid situation. I didn’t want to involve you and Lyla in the decision-making.
Because you knew we would say no, Sam. You can’t try to kill Superman. You sure as hell can’t use Argus tech to do it.
The tech is mine. Argus is simply providing the ammo.
I’m sorry, who the hell are you?
This is John Henry Irons. He’s helping us coordinate a fallback plan if we run out of time.
Which looks more and more likely.
That’s not true. I just spoke with one of Edge’s former subjects who confirmed it’s possible to fight back against eradication.
Possible? Maybe. Not probable.
This is the proof that we needed.
Are you really gonna gamble on the fate of your world?
Wait, wait. You’re from another Earth?
Yeah, he is.
You and I are gonna have a serious conversation about this, General.
Mom, Mom, we need to talk. It’s important.
Oh, my God.
What is with everybody? Seriously.
People are angry. They’re lashing out.
But they know us. We’ve lived here our whole lives. Everything Dad does has done is for this town. They actually think we’re gonna leave?
No, no, sweetie. We’re not going anywhere, okay? Everything will be fine.
They attacked our home.
And we’re gonna fix it.
Our children sleep here.
It’s a good thing that no one was home.
Yeah, well, what if someone had been, Lana?
Okay, Kyle…
No. Look, okay? All we did is try and help. Someone had to step up and try something.
Dad.
No. We come in with the best of intentions, and everyone now just assumes the absolute worst? No, like, I can’t even go to work, okay? We can’t go into town without getting harassed, and now I can’t even keep my family safe. This is…
Kyle. Kyle!
Look at me. Look, look. What those people think, they’re wrong. And they will figure it out, okay? The only thing I care about is us, okay? And we are gonna get through this together as a family. Yeah?
Okay.
Okay.
I’m gonna go get some paint.
Okay.
Y’all don’t go in the living room until I get all that glass cleaned up.
Okay.
[Jordan] So Dad said he was somewhere in the Badlands. Do you think that’s enough information to find him?
If your dad’s still in that desert, we’ll know soon enough.
There’s one more thing.
[Jordan] Jon.
We have to tell them. Look, Edge told Jordan that if anyone went looking for Dad, it wouldn’t be him they’d find.
Boys, you’ve done great work here. Can you give your mom and me a minute?
It’s okay.
He was bluffing. He had to be.
Lois…
Dad, please.
Honey, I don’t have a team equipped to take on numerous Kryptonians and win. I have to shift my priorities, treat this as I would any other global threat, make the same decision I would if it were anybody else. [sighs] When we locate them, I’m sending John in. I’m sorry.
[somber music]
[♪ ♪]
Can I talk to you?
[dramatic music]
[♪ ♪]
Lois, I know what you’re gonna say, and I…
No, you don’t. And you need to hear this.
[sighs]
I have told you repeatedly that this world is different from yours, that our Superman is different from the monster who destroyed your Earth, that he would never turn on humanity. And you’ve asked me just as often how I know that for sure. I’ve never really answered that question, but I’m going to now. The reason I know how much Superman loves humanity is that he’s not just someone I report on. He is everything to me. He is the love of my life, the father of my sons. John, Superman is my husband.
[soft dramatic music]
Clark Kent is Superman?
[♪ ♪]
And your boys?
They didn’t know who he really was until this year. It’s part of why we moved here. I needed you to know the truth about why Superman is different here. He has a family to fight for, which means he won’t give up, and neither can we.
Lois, this doesn’t change anything.
How can you say that? He loves his sons. He loves me. That matters.
What about all the other sons, the other wives, that will be killed when he attacks?
He won’t attack. He won’t give up, which means he can be saved.
Lois, he wanted you to call me because he knew what I would do.
He knows, worst-case scenario, if it comes to that, that you won’t hesitate.
Fine. I need you to believe the possibility that there’s hope.
If that’s what you need, then you called the wrong guy.
John.
No, Lois. Everything you are saying is just getting in the way of what needs to be done. But you were right about one thing, Lois. I will not hesitate. I saw you die. I lost Natalie. Millions of people, gone. I won’t let that happen again. I have a responsibility to do the right thing.
And I am telling you that killing Superman is not the right thing. John, please, I’m begging you, don’t do this.
I’m sorry, Lois.
I know this isn’t what you expected, but Lyla wouldn’t have helped otherwise.
Yeah, and I wouldn’t have come.
That, too.
Doppelgangers, other worlds, glowing boxes, losing the people I love, I’m done with that life.
Knowing your past, I don’t blame you. Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of letting this one just play itself out.
Come on, he’s Superman. I’ve fought beside him. He’s the best we have. Oliver would’ve said that. Hell, they have would have.
This is not an easy decision for me to make.
What? Exhausting every option to save the life of an ally? A hero? That should be an easy one.
I can’t imagine the courage it took for you to survive whatever the hell it was that got you here, but you’re gonna need that courage today. The world will be praying you made the right call.
[Ethan Gruska’s “Enough for Now”…]
[upbeat pop music]
[grunts]
Okay. Try that. … Oh, come on. Are you kidding me?
I don’t know, maybe scrub a little harder?
Are you critiquing my scrubbing skills?
Yeah, you got little arms. You gotta put your back into it.
Okay, okay, how about letting me have a go, hmm?
Oh.
See, one thing you gotta know, Sarah, is that your mama, well, she’s always right.
Oh. [laughs]
We absolutely can fix this. It’s just gonna take a little bit of paint thinner and… some good old American muscle.
Ay!
Ooh.
All right. Oh, oh. Well, well.
Oh. Sorry. You know, just the hose malfunctioning. Maybe you could give it some American muscle.
♪ Maybe I’ll try, maybe I’ll die trying ♪
No? Yeah, I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t…
[laughing]
What, you too?
[yelps]
♪ Maybe I’ll try ♪
♪ Maybe I’ll try dying ♪
[♪ ♪]
[laughter]
[bell dings]
[Jordan] Mom.
[somber music]
[♪ ♪]
Are we too late?
I don’t know.
[dramatic music]
[♪ ♪]
I told you, Kal. No one can fight forever.
[breathing heavily]
Father.
[♪ ♪]
[with deep voice] You’ve done it, Zeta.
Yes, I have, and now we can move towards completing what we came here to do. General Zod.
We got something.
Right there, zoom in.
[computer beeping]
That’s it.
We a go?
We’re a go.
Run a final systems check. Make sure my full arsenal’s locked and loaded. I don’t want any surprises.
Of course, John.
And get me a digital read on the topography so I can…
Do you know who I am?
I have a pretty good idea.
My name’s Jonathan. Jonathan Kent. When you were at the DOD, your RV was parked at our farm. I saw a lot of videos about you there. I saw what happened to my mom. I saw who my dad was. I saw a lot about you too. I saw about your daughter, Natalie. You seemed like a really good dad.
[somber music]
But I just want you to know… This guy you’re about to kill… He’s a really good dad, too.
I wish there was another way, son.
There’s always another way.
[♪ ♪]
Arrived on site.
[beeping]
[tense music]
There’s no sign of…
[computer beeps]
Hold on. I got incoming.
[dramatic music]
Superman.
[♪ ♪]
[Heart pounding]
[muffled speaking]
[♪ ♪]
Get me visuals now.
He must be down. I can’t find him.
He’s not down. Telemetry shows his vitals are fine.
Got him, but he’s not in the Badlands anymore.
John. Talk to me. Is Superman…
He’s been turned.
Are you sure?
[dramatic music]
You won’t stop what’s coming. None of you can stop this.
I’m sure.
[computer beeps]
[shouts]
Irons, listen to me. You are fully authorized to retaliate. Weaken him and then take him out.
No, Dad, wait.
He’s gotta fire that missile, or he’s dead. That solar missile is only good for one shot. If you wastes it, we have nothing to use against Edge. John’s got to get through him, or they’re both dead.
All right.
Let’s go.
Oh, my God.
[♪ ♪]
Armor at 57%.
John, you can’t beat him. You have to make him remember who he is.
[grunting]
[computer beeping]
John, please don’t.
He’s got no choice.
[grunting]
[as himself] You gotta do it.
John, he’s still in there. John, please.
[coughing]
I can’t stop.
John, he’s still in there. I promise you can get through to him. Please.
You gotta save them. You gotta save them. You gotta do it, John. I can’t stop.
We lost audio.
Clark, Lois sent me to help you. She still believes in you. I met your boys, and they believe in you too.
[grunts]
And let me tell you something, man, I know what it means to lose the people you love. That pain you feel right now, that is nothing compared to what happens if you lose them. Right now, you got a chance to fight. Do not let that bastard take you away from your family.
[heart pounding]
You remember who you are, and you fight back, damn it! You fight!
[screaming]
[soft music]
[♪ ♪]
[breathing heavily]
We got him. He’s back.
John, can he hear me? Superman?
I’ll be back soon. First, you and I are gonna deal with Morgan Edge.
We got him. He’s back.
First, you and I are gonna deal with Morgan Edge.
He’s gone. For good.
Kal-El?
Zod.
[sighs]
Then it is time.
Father, we can still…
It’s time! You had one mission and veered from it because you’re weak. You shall not veer from it any longer. Now go and complete what you were sent here to do. Or know that you are the sole reason Krypton was lost.
[dramatic music]
Goodbye, Father.
[♪ ♪]
Come on. Come on.
Almost in range.
I got him. Stay back.
[computer beeps]
Target locked.
What’s Edge doing?
Ready for launch.
[screaming]
You could have ruled with me as my brother. Instead, I will bury you in the ashes of this world.
[heroic music]
[jets whoosh]
[♪ ♪]
I know the feeling you’re feeling. It is the actual, literal worst. But he’ll be here.
[sonic boom]
[Jordan] Mom, Jon, it’s him.
Hey.
Hey, yourself.
[both laughing]
[sighs] All right, you two.
[both laughing]
[warm music]
[♪ ♪]
You did good.
[Jordan] It was all his idea. We were just trying to think, what would you do?
How’d you do it, Dad? How’d you break free?
Thought about you guys, remembered what I was fighting for. I had a little bit of help.
It’s okay. It’s okay. [laughs] He’s on our side.
Lois.
John, you’ve actually met our kids before.
Ah, yeah, I remember. Nice to do this under better circumstances.
Thank you. And I never said sorry about hitting you with a truck.
[snorts]
No hard feelings.
[laughs] The good news, Morgan Edge is in a state-of-the-art military prison. He’s never gonna hurt anyone again.
Do you wanna stay for dinner? I order a mean takeout.
[laughs] I gotta wrap things up with your dad. Besides, family time is sacred, and you guys are definitely due.
Bring it in. Come on. Bring it in.
[laughs]
Hey, everyone, look who’s here.
Oh, my sweet girl. I missed you so much. You smell what Daddy’s got cooking up over here?
Are those dinosaur pancakes?
Mm-hmm.
For dinner?
Yeah, why not? All right, I got two Sophie-saurus Rexes coming right up.
[imitates roaring]
[both laughing]
Sophie.
Sarah!
[laughs] Hi!
Oh!
Did you miss me?
I missed you so much.
Anything happen when I was gone?
No, things are kinda boring when you’re not around, so…
All right, a little appetizer for you.
You know we’re gonna be okay, right?
Yeah, I’m gonna make sure of it.
So Leslie Larr is still in the wind?
At this point, she doesn’t really have a next move.
Finding her is our number one priority. Good news is, between you and Mr. John Henry Irons, smart money says she’ll be in custody by the end of the week. And then DOD packs up, heads home. Maybe this town can breathe again. Not to mention this family. For what it’s worth, Lois, about yesterday…
I know, Dad. You were just doing your job.
What I wanted to say is, I’m proud of you. When the chips were down, you still had faith, and that’s what made the difference. I’m very glad you’re better, Clark. I won’t doubt you again.
[whispering voices]
[dramatic music]
Complete what you were sent here for.
