The Escape from the Black Zero was an escape orchestrated by Kal-El and Lois Lane, with the support of Jor-El's artificial intelligence, from the Kryptonian frigate known as the Black Zero after being abducted by the Sword of Rao.
Background[]
Zod's Message[]
- "To Kal-El, I say this: surrender within twenty-four hours, or watch this world suffer the consequences."
- ―Dru-Zod[src]
Shortly after detecting a distress beacon from a scout ship located on Earth, General Dru-Zod and the Sword of Rao directed the Black Zero into orbit around the planet. From there, Zod sent a broadcast signal to all screens on Earth, threatening Kal-El to surrender to him or watch the entire planet suffer the consequences. As a result, reporter Lois Lane was kidnapped for knowing Kal-El's identity, before the latter surrendered to the United States Armed Forces and General Calvin Swanwick and was brought to Zod by Sub-Commander Faora-Ul.
Kal-El is subjected by the Black Zero's atmosphere.
Prior to arriving aboard the Black Zero, Faora gave Lane a breather due to the ship's incompatible atmospheric composition for humans, while Kal-El secretly handed her the House of El Command Key. Upon entering the Kryptonian ship, Kal-El and Lane were greeted by General Zod, who explained that their meeting should be a cause for celebration, not conflict. However, due to being unaccustomed to the Kryptonian atmosphere, Kal-El began to feel weakened, to the point of beginning to bleed and eventually falling unconscious.[1]
Escape[]
Weakened, Kal-El was mentally probed to locate the Growth Codex. Upon awakening, Kal-El found himself in a mental projection in front of Dru-Zod, who revealed his true intentions to locate the Codex, with which he would build a new Krypton on Earth, regardless of the human civilization that would be killed. Surrounded by human skulls, Kal-El flatly refused to participate in Zod's plan, causing the latter to head to the Kent Farm in Smallville to retrieve the Codex.
Meanwhile, Lane was captured in a cubicle with a console, into which she proceeded to insert the command key. Within seconds, Jor-El's artificial consciousness appeared in front of Lane, proposing to teach her how to send the Sword of Rao back to the Phantom Zone, as well as modify the atmospheric composition for human compatibility. Jor-El's consciousness then helped Lane escape the ship, disabling the ship's doors to disarm Car-Vex and guiding her to an escape pod while telling her where to shoot. However, Car-Vex appeared to try to attack Lane, damaging the pod before being thrown out.
Meanwhile, with his strength restored by the human atmosphere, Kal-El was able to break free from his captivity, scaring Jax-Ur away. Once on his feet, Kal-El was reunited with his father's consciousness, who explained that both he and his mother wanted him to experience being a human before being the bridge between the Kryptonian and human civilization. With that, Kal-El watched Lane's pod heading towards Earth as it caught fire. Encouraging him to save humanity, Jor-El watched Kal-El exit the ship to throw himself into Lane's pod, saving her from being killed in an explosion upon landing.[1]
Aftermath[]
- "The craft he arrived in, where is it?
Go to hell." - ―Dru-Zod and Martha Kent[src]
Zod introduces himself to Martha Kent.
Dru-Zod and Faora-Ul's dropships sent to Earth landed near the Kent Farm in Smallville, Kansas. Upon arriving, Zod asked Kal-El's adoptive mother, Martha Kent, for the location of the craft Kal-El had arrived on. When Faora began to strangle her, Kent forced her to look directly into the barn, where Faora made her way, however, she found no sign of the Growth Codex on the ship. Before attacking Kent, Kal-El appeared to confront Zod for threatening his mother, sending him into the town of Smallville and beginning a showdown between him and the Sword of Rao in the streets.[1]