The Attack on the Council of Five was an attack carried out by General Dru-Zod and the Sword of Rao to defeat the Council of Five, which began a coup d'état on the planet Krypton and the Kryptonian Civil War.
Background[]
Blaming the Council of Five for Krypton's resource shortages and decline, General Dru-Zod, leader of the Warrior Guild, formed the Sword of Rao to overthrow the Council of Five, intending to seize political power to form a new Krypton and eliminate the degenerative bloodlines.[1]
Attack[]
- "Don't do this, El. The last thing I want is for us to be enemies."
"You have abandoned the principes that bound us together. You've taken up the sword agaisnt your own people! I will honor the man you once were, Zod, no this monster you've become." - ―Dru-Zod and Jor-El[src]

Dru-Zod attacks the Legislation Chamber.
Following the birth of his son, Jor-El, knowing that Krypton would eventually explode, went to the Legislation Chamber to meet with the Council of Five, attempting to gain access to the Growth Codex. The council, however, decided to deliberate again, citing. Suddenly, General Dru-Zod and the Sword of Rao attacked the chamber facility, killing several Sapphire Guards and High Eminence Ro-Zar, as well as arresting the council's other legislators, such as Lor-Em, and declaring a planet-wide military coup.

Seeing this, Jor-El angrily confronted Zod for rising up against his own people, while Zod attempted to convince him to join him. Disagreeing with Zod's plans, Jor-El claimed to honor the man Zod once was, but not the monster he had become, causing him to be arrested. While being escorted away, Jor-El was aided by his service droid Kelex, who emitted a blast of light that allowed him to dismantle the guards and escape his sentence.[1]
Aftermath[]
- "I'm compelled to warn you, breaching the Genesis chamber is a class B crime, punishable-"
- ―Kelex to Jor-El[src]

Jor-El steals the Growth Codex.
With no other options, Jor-El called upon his war kite H'Raka to head to the Genesis Chamber that housed the Growth Codex. Despite being warned by Kelex, Jor-El entered the Genesis Chambers, swimming toward the Codex's cubbyhole while watching the birth of artificial Kryptonians. After stealing it, Jor-El was quickly attacked by the Sword of Rao, which pursued him to the House of El Citadel. There, Jor-El rushed to encrypt the Codex into the individual cells of his newborn son, Kal-El.[1]