01x09 - Hope

[bunniefuu]

Every moment

of your life is a test,

one that reveals
who you are.

And if you truly
are worthy of the name Zod,

you will follow
in the footsteps of those

who have come before you.

Or you will die trying.

If you didn't know
Brainiac had corrupted

the Voice of Rao,
then why even attempt a coup?

Because Daron-Vex
offered to spare your life

in exchange for my help.

- Stop!
- And I would do it again.

Hello, Father.

I came to tell you...

that I forgive you

for what
you tried to do to me.

Black Zero is in.

They want something in return.

There he is.
My old friend, Daron-Vex.

We have a lot
of catching up to do.

Ona!

What's wrong?

Through fire,
we are reborn.

I learned of
a pre-cataclysm instrument

of v*olence so powerful

it would give
even Brainiac pause.

That thing in there,

they told me
it's called Doomsday.

If you let
that thing loose

it will k*ll everything
that it comes across.

It's true.

That's why we have given
over our lives

to protecting the universe
from Doomsday.

What does
this alien want?

To rip this city
right from the ground

and add it to his collection.

You didn't really think

the Voice of Rao was a god,
did you?

Why k*ll the chancellor?
And the others?

All I can say
is there's going to be

a lot more bodies
if we don't find him.

Look...

I can't risk
being up here any longer.

Just have you Sagitari...

You mean what's left
of the Sagitari?

They're already
spread too thin.

The remains of the Council
are either dead or in hiding.

The Primus has turned traitor.

Black Zero is openly
walking the streets.

I can't help you.

Does anyone know
what's happening?

Back. Back!

How come they haven't
addressed the people yet?

Move! Now!

Do us a favor
and go back inside.

It's not safe out here.
Go on! Move!

Back off!

You, come here!

Was this Black Zero?

Clear the streets!

Whoa.

It's chaos out there.

I know.
And it's getting worse.

Pretty soon people
are going to figure out

that no one's in charge.

Then the whole city is going
to descend into anarchy.

Making it even harder
to find the Voice.

Three days of searching
and nothing.

Nyssa said they found a trail
of m*nled bodies

leading out
of the Tower of Justice.

She's there now.
She's trying to find out more.

Brave of her.

We need to find him, Lyta.
We need to find him

and stop him
from bringing Brainiac here.

We will.

And we'll make him pay
for what he's done.

How's Dev?

I-I managed to get him
in a med bay.

He's recovering.

Itching to get back
in the fight.

Good.

We're going to need him.

And a whole lot more
just like him.

Seg...

I know losing Ona
was hard for Kem,

but sending him
to Kryptonopolis...

Was that to help him
or to help you?

I'm worried
you're starting to think

this fight we're in,
that maybe we can't win it.

Is that what you think?

Everything that Adam said...

about my grandson,
about the Els,

about who we are...

who we're meant to be.

He believed that
I could save the universe.

I couldn't even save him.

I've lost too many people
already, Lyta.

I can't lose anyone else.

You're not
going to lose me.

You can't stop me.

I'm coming for you
and your world.

That's a lot of hardware.

The Voice of Rao is wounded.

And like all wounded animals,

this is when
they are most dangerous.

No one's seen him.
He's in hiding.

It's not him
we're going after.

The fall in the Genesis Chamber
didn't k*ll the Voice.

The only way to fight something
that cannot be k*lled

is with a w*apon
that is unkillable.

We're going to get Doomsday?

Look how far you've fallen,
old friend.

The same could be
said for you,

Sela-Sonn.

How does one transition...

from one of the most respected

and highly regarded members
of the Science Guild,

protégé of the great Val-El,
no less,

to leader of an insurgency

whose only currency
is death and destruction?

It started with a betrayal.

From someone I trusted.

You think
I didn't know?

That you'd covered
your tracks so well

I wouldn't follow them
back to you.

That's no excuse.

You dedicated your life
to saving lives.

Not destroying them.

That was a long time ago.

And all my work trying
to ease people's suffering

gave me keen insight
into how to inflict it.

I have a lot of questions
for you, Daron,

and I intend
to get answers.

And my name is Jax-Ur now.

Lyta's disappeared.

So has Zod.

With far more firepower
than one man can handle

and with one
of Black Zero's skimmers.

They're going for Doomsday.

To think
you were all expecting me

to screw you guys over.

I realize
this wasn't easy for you.

Going against Seg.

And I understand
why you admire his idealism.

But ideals are no good
to the dead.

It was sheer luck
that he survived

that blast in the tavern.

Get to the point.

It's up to us to save him
and everyone else.

And the only way we can do that
is by making the hard choices.

Even ones as extreme
as unleashing Doomsday.

But how can we be sure?

You said Doomsday
is a genetically engineered

k*lling machine
that can't be controlled.

He functions
like any apex predator.

Focusing on the most
formidable opponent first.

- That's Brainiac.
- Great.

And after that,
he'll work his way

down the food chain.

That's us.

Before that happens,

we return him to stasis.

We're risking a lot on
being able to pull that off.

That's Seg talking.

Don't think of this
as a betrayal.

You and I, we're Zods.

Duty-bound
to protect our people

by any means necessary.

Seg's an El.

He will never understand that.

But at least he'll be alive
to forgive you.

So how are you planning
on getting inside?

I'd like to know that, too.

'Cause all that firepower isn't
going to get you in there.

You need a Zod and an El.

And I won't do it.

I don't need you to.

Lyta, you once asked

if I knew who my father was.

At the time,
I didn't.

But I do now.

House of Zod...

House of El.

You're both.
You're my son.

Where is it?

Seg, if you know something...

Doomsday is already
far beyond your reach.

I've made sure of that.

You knew.

It was your mother
who convinced me.

She knew that Zod
would come for it.

I just never thought
that you'd help him do it.

You couldn't
have moved it far.

- I will find it.
- You like to believe

you're a few steps ahead,
General.

But it turns out I know these
tunnels better than you do.

How else do you think
we b*at you here,

when you snuck away
in the middle of the night?

Then you have sealed
Krypton's fate.

Careful.

Seg, come in.

Go ahead.

We have a problem.

Admit it, Daron.

Admit what you did
and this pain will end.

I didn't do anything.

Exactly.

I trusted you.

I told you of my fears
and you did nothing.

You were the one who
restored the Codex technology.

What did you think
was going to happen?

Without my work on the Codex,
the Genesis Chamber

would have become
unsustainable

and we would have lost
our only means of reproduction.

Well, if your intentions
were so noble...

why is you work shrouded
in such secrecy?

Because I knew

that in the wrong hands
it could be used

to purify
the Guilded bloodlines.

Weed out those viewed
as weaker.

Just never
could have imagined

you would be
the one to betray me.

Back then, the only people
I trusted were you

and Val-El.

And when you
sentenced him to death...

I knew I was next.

That's not the worst
of it, is it, Daron?

You had to take it
one step further.

Yes, I know about
the Vara Protocol.

And now you are going
to tell me how to access it.

Why have we stopped?

What's happening?

Raika, what's going on?

The containment field.

It is failing.

What do you mean, failing?

He thinks we damaged it
when we moved it.

This is all that keeps
the beast inside.

How long do we have?

It is ancient technology.

It could be
days or weeks.

Or maybe hours.

One thing is certain,

the beast will break free
of his tomb.

Now I know why,
growing up,

my mother never spoke
of her mother.

The shame she must have felt.

Your willingness
to betray everything

the House of Zod stands for.

I'm fighting
for a better Kandor.

You and I can restore
order to Kandor.

I reclaim my role
as Primus of the Sagitari,

and with you by my side

we can rebuild our city.

Return it to what it once was.

Not the Kandor
he wants to create,

a place ruled by fear!

How can you say that?

All my life
all you have done

is made me afraid.

Afraid that I wasn't
good enough.

That I wasn't strong enough.

That I wasn't worthy
of the Zod name.

I have failed you

in so many ways, Lyta.

I tried to mold you
into a hardened warrior.

Tried to drive out
your love for Seg.

Your refusal to follow orders
you disagreed with.

I saw your constant questioning
as a weakness.

And now I see
it's your greatest strength.

Don't lose it now
when you need it most.

Because you're going
to have to make a choice.

Grandpa, come in.
Do you read me?

Yes.
What's wrong?

You weren't by any chance
programmed by

real Grandpa
with a working knowledge

of ancient Kryptonian
technology, were you?

Like, say,
how to repair

the containment field
on a capsule designed

to hold a genetic experiment
gone horribly wrong?

No,
but I'd be willing to try.

Well, that's
confidence-inspiring.

Would you like me
to divert my efforts

from determining the proximity
of Brainiac's ship?

Has it arrived
in our system yet?

No, but it's only
a matter of time.

Then let's concentrate

on problems closer
to home first.

Thank you, old friend.

You've been very helpful.

Wait!

There's one more secret

I didn't divulge
to your leader.

And what would that be?

One that could make you

one of the richest men
in Kandor.

The location of
the Voice of Rao's cache

of untraceable solars.

You can't buy me.

Perhaps you just haven't
been offered the right price.

Think of your family.

All that you could
do for them.

I have no family.

They d*ed
in the Xarxas outbreak.

All the medication
was rationed to the Guilded.

It was not a quick death.

So unless you can
bring them back,

you have nothing
I could want.

Please.
Please.

You have to help me.

Look into your heart.
I'm begging you.

You can't let me die here.

No, please!

I'll do anything.
Anything!

Just please, please,
let me g...

Please!
Please!

Please, you can't
leave me in here!

Please!

Please, help me.

I can't die here
in this place.

Talk to Raika about
the fastest way to the surface.

I'm going
to go get the skimmer.

Or we could not
do that.

What are you doing?

It is time for my people

to rid themself
of this burden.

We will take the creature
to your city.

And risk the lives
of everyone in Kandor?

You can't be serious.

Look, you'll never get it
through the Outlands.

These catacombs
contain many secrets.

Even a tunnel to your city.

And when the Collector
of Worlds comes for Kandor,

he will take Doomsday
along with it.

And my people will be free
of their duty.

And Krypton will be free
of the thr*at

from that vile creature.

That's not
going to happen.

We're going to stop Brainiac.

You cannot even stop
your own people

from trying
to take the beast.

How will you defeat
an alien conqueror?

You will fail, Seg-El.

Listen to me.

If Brainiac is allowed
to take Kandor,

then eventually all of Krypton
will be destroyed as a result.

Eventually.

We're guaranteed destruction
far sooner

if we do not rid ourself
of this scourge.

You saved my life once.

And for that,
I will allow both of you

to leave this place alive.

But try to stop us,

and you will die
where you stand.

I'm done wasting time.

Are you really
going to sh**t me?

Take one step further
and find out.

Then do it.

Better that than
stand here doing nothing

with our planet
facing destruction.

Mother stop,
please don't do this.

No!

Very well.

You say you intend
to restore Kandor

and reclaim your position
as Primus of the Sagitari.

Well, so do I.

Jayna-Zod,
I, Dru-Zod,

hereby invoke the spirit
of Jo-Mon

and our ancient traditions
in challenging you

to a Kandorian Duel.

For the loser,
no mercy will be shown.

I accept.

Mother...

Are you being quiet because
you're coming up with a plan?

The Voice of Rao
is still helping Brainiac

get here to take Kandor...
which now has

a genetically-engineered
k*lling machine

ready to break free
of its cage

somewhere underneath it.

You know,

we could take a skimmer,

make a break for Argo City.

If you're planning on joining
the rapidly swelling ranks

of people screwing me over,

I'd appreciate it
if you just got it over with.

I'm not Lyta.

I believe in you.

Maybe you shouldn't.

You sell skimmers, right?

I want the fastest one
you have.

One that won't be picked up
by any of the city scanners.

One that I am prepared
to pay a great deal for.

In fact...

I could make you one
of the richest men in Kandor.

Adam should have given
this to someone else.

Instead of giving
his life for mine.

But he chose you.

Yeah, well,
you met Adam.

Not to speak ill of the dead,
but...

he wasn't exactly
the brightest star in the sky.

He picked a guy...

whose only accomplishment

is having a grandson,
who I'll never meet...

Who does something great
one day.

Becomes a hero.

Becomes this...

Superman.

Do you know
the origins of the El sigil?

It comes from
an ancient Kryptonian word.

That means hope.

Our house wasn't
just given that symbol.

Our ancestors chose it.

And the generations
to follow defined it.

Not through words...

but through action.

As long as there is
an El on Krypton,

there will be hope.

And hope...

can be a powerful w*apon.

Get away from me.

- How dare you.
- What?

Intervening
in a Kandorian Duel.

I saved you.

You stole my honor.

Oh, would you like
to be buried with it?

You talk about making
hard choices.

Well, I have made one.

Forget her.

We have to go.

What is it?

Daron-Vex escaped.

Fled in a skimmer.

He could be halfway through
Outlands by now.

Ever the survivor.

Still can't reach Jayna.

We need
to get through to her.

She's the one best suited
to tracking down

the Cythonnites and Doomsday.

And the other problem?

Been thinking about that too.

We never knew why the Voice

was draining power
from the Genesis Chamber.

But I think I know now,
and if I'm right

Brainiac will be here sooner
than we thought.

What if he needs it
to power Brainiac's ship?

Bring it here.

He's probably looking
for another source.

But where else would he
get that kind of power?

Grandpa?

There's only one option.

The generator that powers
the city's protective dome.

Then that's where
we make our stand.

But we're going to need help.

This could be our last chance
to save Kandor.

You want me to commit
the few remaining Sagitari

we have left to work
alongside t*rrorists?

Never!
They have hunted us,

ex*cuted us,
forced us underground,

and now you want us to turn
to our oppressors for help,

at the very moment
when we've gained a foothold?

That foothold's about
to be ripped from under you.

And it will happen.

Brainiac is coming
and he will take Kandor.

Unless we declare a truce.

And combine our forces

to put an end
to this thr*at to our world.

All right,
but when this is over

we will round up Black Zero

and take back the city.

We will shatter the Guilds,

strip the ranked
of their power,

and we will return Kandor
to its people.

Or maybe,
instead of both sides

k*lling each other
we can use this as a chance

to build a better tomorrow.

You sound
like your grandfather.

Don't forget which side
had him ex*cuted.

Jayna.
Jayna!

Daron-Vex,
manual override.

Passcode:
Hantha, Flame-bird, Rokan,

Oregus, two, nine,
seven, one, eight.

Passcode accepted.

Initiate Vara Protocol.

What are they?

Clones.

Of the most
elite ranked houses.

For what?

So that the people
who have everything

can hold onto it.

Forever.

With our combined forces
we can defeat him,

but it will come at a cost.

I know that we all
have our differences here.

But we only have one city

and a common enemy
who wants to take it from us.

So let's work together.

Let's hit the Voice of Rao
with everything that we've got.

I don't take orders from you.

I don't take orders
from you either, or you.

It wasn't so much an order
as a common sense suggestion.

Now you do what
you have to do.

But I'm going.

Look, if this goes badly...

and there's every indication
that it will...

I want you to take this.

You go to the fortress,
you tell Val

to shut everything down,
and you take that skimmer

to Argo City.

Sure you wouldn't
rather me take a blaster?

I need you to do this.

You're the only one
that I can trust.

Unit 1,
in position.

Unit 2,
in position.

Unit 3,
in position.

Let's go.

Fascinating.

Opposing forces
with nothing in common

but their obsession
with power.

One hoping to cling to it,

the other to seize it.

Now united...

against me.

But tell me:

does you fear of me

outweigh your fear
of each other?

- What are you doing?
- It's not me!

I swear!

Whoa!
whoa!

g*ns down! g*ns down!
g*ns down!

Such weak minds.

Polluted by fear
and hatred.

So easily manipulated.

Go on.

You know you want to.

You did what you had to do.

If we don't find Doomsday,

this will all have been
for nothing.

Maybe not.

Doomsday was the only way
I could see

to destroy Brainiac,
but there may be

someone who has another way.

Who?

Val-El.

Val-El d*ed 14 cycles ago.

No, he didn't.

You think
I'm responsible for this?

All did
was offer an opportunity

for them to express
their truth.

So easy when
the desire is so strong.

Now come closer.

Interesting...

that you, a being
of no apparent significance,

are the cause
of so much trouble.

A shame.

You would have been
quite the prize.

If I'm being 100% honest,

I really didn't
expect that to happen.

You all right?

Shouldn't you be on
that skimmer to Argo City?

We have to go.

We have to go.

Krypton.

Your world

is mine.