The story opens on the Planet Krypton, wherein Lara Lor-Van
(Ayelet Zurer), has just given birth to a son. She and her husband Jor-El (Russell
Crowe) have birthed their son naturally, in violation of the basic laws of the
planet, where babies are to be bred through genetic engineering with a
planetary 'Codex' that imprints just what a person's place in life is to be
(leader, scientist, general, etc).
Jor-El and his wife have
chosen this path, as their planet is on the brink of destruction. Harvesting
their planet's core for resources has made it unstable and it will destroy
itself. After the birth of his son, Jor-El appears before the Kryptonian
Leaders, pleading with them to allow him to save the planet's Codex, and to
search for a habitable world beyond Krypton. However, even with destruction
imminent, the council will not abandon its ways.
The council is set upon by General Zod (Michael Shannon) and numerous
followers, intending to take control of the planet. Though Jor-El does disagree
with Council, he refuses to join Zod's coup. Zod orders Jor-El to be arrested,
but Jor-El escapes, and flees to an area nearby, wherein the planet's birthing
chamber resides.
Stealing the Codex from the chamber, Jor-El races back to his home, where his
wife Lara has found a planet to send their baby to. Though Lara is sad at the
loss of their child, Jor-El claims he will live his life in a new way: free of
the limitations imposed by Kryptonians. Their son, Kal-El, will be able to
choose his way in life. Lara worries about their son's ability to survive on
his new planet; Jor-El assures her he will be stronger, faster, invulnerable
and possess powers that will make him a super-being there.
As they prepare to launch the pod containing their son, Zod and his followers
enter their residence, demanding that Jor-El hand over the Codex. Jor-El claims
it is in the pod with his son, causing Zod to battle Jor-El, before stabbing
him to death. In the fight, Lara engages the pod's engines, and it shoots into
the sky.
Angered that Jor-El and his wife have doomed the Kryptonian race with the
removal of the Codex, Zod orders his followers to shoot down the pod. However,
his orders are suddenly cancelled when Kryptonian security ships appear,
arresting them. In the confusion, a Phantom Drive engages on the pod, rocketing
the baby away in the blink of an eye.
For punishment, Zod and his followers are banished to The Phantom Zone, causing
Zod to lash out that even though their planet will soon be gone, the leaders
will not grant him and his followers a quick death. He also swears to Lara (who
is present), that he will find her son. Zod and his followers are placed in a
giant craft that is sent into the Phantom Zone.
Shortly after, Krypton is destroyed. Many worlds away, the pod carrying Kal-El
rockets into Earth's atmosphere, touching down near Smallville, Kansas.
The scene then shifts to ocean waters, where we see a bearded man (Henry Cavill),
having trouble concentrating on his duties. However, the crew are soon alerted
to a distress call for help from a flaming oil rig. The bearded man quickly
disappears from the ship, but is on the rig moments later, rescuing the crew
and getting them to board a Coast Guard chopper. He is unable to join them, as
he rushes to keep a part of the rig from collapsing. As the chopper flies away
with the rig's crew, the rig collapses down on him and he ends up floating in
the water.
We soon learn that this is Clark Kent, as in a deep mental state, he recalls
when he was younger, and manifested X-Ray vision, and super-hearing. Scared at
what he was seeing and hearing, Clark runs from his classroom and locks himself
in a closet. His Mother Martha Kent comes to the school, and manages to coax
him out, helping him to focus his powers, quelling the myriad sounds he hears.
Back in the present-day, Clark has managed to return to land, and borrows some
clothes. As he attempts to figure out where he is, he sees a school bus nearby.
Clark has another flashback to when he was 13. He recalls being picked on by a
boy named Pete Ross (Jack Foley), before the school bus they were on suddenly
blows a tire, and careens off a bridge into a river. Thinking quickly, Clark
escapes out the emergency door, and pushes the bus to shore, along with the
very boy who bullied him.
Though Pete's mother claims that Clark miraculously saved the occupants of the
bus, Clark's father Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) tries to convince her
otherwise. Needless to say, Clark feels even more conflicted, as his father has
tried to tell him to suppress his powers, but Clark was torn by a need to help
others.
When Clark demands to know what's wrong with him, Jonathan shows his son the
pod he came to Earth in, along with a strange metallic item that was found with
him. Jonathan claims he had a metallurgist examine it, but it is comprised of
elements not found on Earth. Imprinted on the small fragment of metal is a
shield-like shape containing an "S".
The scene then returns to the present day, where Clark has a job at a truck
stop in Canada. As he works, he hears some military men talking quietly about
some object found in the ice a ways north of the stop. When a trucker comes in
and starts harassing one of the waitresses, Clark attempts to stop him, but
afraid others will see his powers, stands there and takes the trucker's taunts.
Without saying a word, Clark takes off his apron and leaves the stop. Later, as
the trucker leaves, he is shocked to find his rig impaled on several of the tree
logs he was hauling.
The scene then cuts to Lois Lane (Amy Adams), landing at the base in Canada,
where she is met by Professor Emil Hamilton (Richard Schiff), and Colonel
Nathan Hardy (Christopher Meloni). Drilling is still commencing within the ice
to get to uncover the craft, but ice drilling tests have at least confirmed
that the ice surrounding the object is thousands of years old.
Going out in the evening to shoot some pictures, Lois is shocked when she
checks them to see a man walking on a ridge near the drilling site, not wearing
any cold-weather clothing. She sneaks up to where he was, and finds a tunnel
bored into the ice.
This is Clark's doing, as he had followed the word of the Military men, and
made his way to the site, using his heat vision to tunnel into the ice. He then
finds a strange spacecraft, and going inside, finds a panel that opens up. It
contains a hole, that seems to match the shape of the object his father found
with him in the pod. Entering it into the hole causes a person to suddenly
appear nearby. He doesn't say a word, but just starts walking off. Clark
attempts to catch up to this person, but he always seems to be several steps
ahead of him.
Meanwhile, Lois has found her way onto the ship, but is attacked by a sentry.
Her screams cause Clark to come running. After dismantling the sentry by
crushing it with his bare hands, he sees that Lois has a wound in her lower
abdomen. He tells her she's bleeding internally and uses his heat vision to
cauterize the wound.
Shortly after, military forces nearby are all surprised when the ice starts to
crack, and a giant ship emerges, flying off.
Lois is found the next day and shortly thereafter writes up an article about
what she experienced. However, her editor at the Daily Planet, Perry White (Laurence
Fishburne), refuses to publish it. Even the Pentagon has denied her 'aliens and
spaceships' story. Lois then attempts to play hard ball. Going to a contact of
hers named Glen Woodburn (Chad Krowchuk), she allows him to publish her story.
Though he cautions that she could get in trouble for leaking the story, she
claims she wants to do this, in hopes that it will catch the attention of the
person she met.
Meanwhile, Clark has piloted the spaceship to another remote location in the
Arctic. It turns out the figure he was following is a hologram of his Father
Jor-El, who is appearing via the 'key' Clark inserted into the ship. Jor-El
explains the history of the planet Krypton and that the ship Clark found was a
sentry ship sent out many years before, when the the council of Krypton had
attempted to colonize other planets.
Also on board the ship, Clark finds a suit that he puts on, and finds out that
the crest on the suit (and on the key he had), is both a symbol of hope crest
of his true family. Jor-El also explains that the planet's sun has made Clark
stronger, and has been helping him manifest powers for some time. Jor-El also
shows Clark a dark blue and red uniform that will symbolize his mission: to help
the people of Earth and act as their guardian. Stepping outside the ship, Clark
begins to push his powers: first taking flying leaps, before eventually being
able to fly at great speeds, breaking the sound barrier.
Back in Metropolis, Perry White is furious that Lois leaked her story to the
internet, and suspends her for three weeks. Lois uses this time to begin
tracking down leads to her mystery man. Her sleuthing leads her to Smallville,
and eventually, Martha Kent.
Visiting the grave of Jonathan Kent, she is surprised when her mystery man
appears (albeit in nondescript clothing). Lois claims she wants to tell Clark's
story, but he tells her of how he abides by his father's request to not reveal
himself until the world 'was ready.'
Clark then relates how Jonathan died. After the two have an argument during a
drive, they stop when a tornado forms, threatening everyone on the road nearby.
Clark gets his mother and several others to safety, with Jonathan attempting to
get the family dog free of their vehicle. The dog makes it to safety, but
Jonathan ends up injuring himself, unable to make it to the overpass where
everyone has taken shelter. Clark had wanted to help his father, but a gesture
from Jonathan cautioned him to not reveal himself, leaving Jonathan to be swept
away by the tornado. Hearing his story, Lois respects Clark's wish for privacy,
and stops trying to pursue a story from him.
Clark returns to his Mother, and happily tells her that he has found where he
came from, and who his true parents are. Though Martha fears that her son will
now be taken from her, Clark assures her it won't happen.
Meanwhile, the military has received word of a strange ship in geosynchronous
orbit around the planet. Soon, others report the strange sighting, but are
surprised when power is cut off to all parts of the world, and a message is
broadcast...from General Zod. Zod demands that the people of Earth hand over
Kal-El within 24 hours, or there will be consequences. A worldwide manhunt is
initiated to find this Kal-El. Glenn Woodburn is interviewed about the aliens,
and drops Lois' name, which soon results in numerous FBI agents being sent to
intercept her. She is then held in custody by the army.
Back in Smallville, Clark goes to a local church, and confesses to the pastor
there, that he is the one the aliens want. Though he admits he is conflicted:
he doesn't trust that Zod will leave Earth in peace, but he is also wondering
if he should trust humanity. His decision is made when the Pastor tells him
that sometimes one must take a leap of faith.
Clark then appears before the Army in his Kryptonian suit, willing to surrender
on condition that he can meet with Lois, and that she be freed. Clark is
handcuffed (he allows them to, as a gesture of trust and to help them feel more
secure), and he and Lois have a short conversation. She asks him about the
"S" on his chest which he tells her is not an S as Earthlings know
it, but a symbol of hope. When she suggests a new moniker, her voice is cut off
by feedback from the audio system observers are using behind a 2-way mirror.
Clark stands up and effortlessly breaks his handcuffs and tells the observers
that he'll protect the planet from whatever plan Zod has.
In a remote desert, a black craft appears to bring him to Zod's ship. The craft
is commanded by Faora-Ul (Antje Traue), who also demands of General Swanwick (Harry
Lennix), that Lois also be taken with them. Though Swanwick points out that the
deal was originally for Kal-El to be handed over, Lois goes along. Before they
reach Zod's ship, Lois is fitted with a breathing apparatus, as the atmosphere
on the ship will not be suitable for her. When Faora is distracted, Clark slips
Lois the key he used to restart the Arctic ship.
On board the ship, Zod welcomes Clark, who few moments later, collapses to the
floor of the ship, seemingly unable to breathe. Though Lois is worried for him,
Zod assures her that Clark's body is simply adjusting to the Kryptonian
atmosphere aboard the ship.
Clark passes out, and finds himself in a dreamlike vision of his family's farm.
Zod explains to Clark that after the destruction of Krypton, the portal to the
Phantom Zone where they were trapped, was opened again. Utilizing the portal's
Phantom Drive, they were able to transport themselves all across the galaxy.
Searching out the various planets which colonizing ships were sent, their
searches for a new planet proved unfruitful, as each of the colonists sent to
these various planets were found to have perished. However, Zod and his
followers took what they could from the remnants of their civilization,
including a "World-Building" machine.
When Clark activated the ship in the Arctic, it sent out a signal, which lead
Jor-El to Earth. Jor-El claims that he then intends to turn Earth into a New
Krypton, but Clark is unwilling to go along with this plan.
Awakening from the vision, Zod tells Clark that with or without him, he will
revive their civilization. As well, Clark's adjustments to the ship, have made
him as strong as the other Kryptonians on it. This allows one of Zod's men, Jax-Ur
(Mackenzie Gray), to obtain a blood sample from Clark.
Meanwhile, Lois is thrown into a holding cell, where she comes across a panel
with a small hole. Lois notes it is the same size as the key she has. Inserting
it allows the information from Jor-El to appear before her. The key causes the
ship's atmosphere to alter towards more suitable conditions for Clark and Lois,
and Jor-El gives Lois valuable information for stopping Zod, along with leading
her to an escape pod.
The changing of atmosphere allows Clark to break his bonds, and Jor-El appears
before him, pointing out that Lois needs to be saved (as her escape pod was
ruptured by laser fire).
Clark manages to save Lois from the pod, but his attention is soon drawn to his
mother, who is set upon by Zod and Faora, come to the Kent farm, looking for
the Codex. Faora finds Clark's pod, but no sign of the Codex. When Zod
threatens Martha, Clark races to save her, hitting Zod with such force, that
the two end up thrown into the heart of downtown Smallville.
Upon recovering, Zod's face-mask short-circuits, and his body begins to adapt
to the Earthen environment, as he suddenly gains X-Ray vision, and his hearing
begins to take in everything at once (just like Clark did when he gained these
powers long ago). The effect is debilitating to Zod as his senses overload and
he is forced to retreat.
Clark claims that his parents helped him hone his skills to control the sensory
overload, but his assurance is thrown aside when a ship recovers the stunned
Zod, and Faora and a larger Kryptonian (Nam-Ek) attempt to bring Clark down.
Word of the alien presence in Smallville has reached the Army, and Col. Hardy
approaches with helicopters and planes. Hardy claims that all three of the
aliens (including Clark) are hostile, and all form of weaponry are thrown at
them.
Though Faora and Nam-Ek escape, Clark is able to change Hardy's mind when he
saves the Colonel along with several other soldiers.
Clark returns to his mother, but also encounters Lois, who explains to him what
Jor-El told her on the ship.
Back on his ship, Zod is informed what happened to the Codex. It seems that
Jor-El had it transplanted into Clark's cells, making him the source to create
new Kryptonian life. When Zod is informed that Clark does not need to be taken
alive to retrieve the Codex, he puts his plans into effect.
Zod then launches the World-Builder. As it touches down near the South Indian
Ocean, Zod's ship hovers over Metropolis. Using the Phantom Drive, Zod
activates the World-Builder, which creates a link with the ship through the
Earth, beginning the process of terraforming Earth, creating a stronger
gravitational pull. The effect causes massive destruction, flattening cars and
shaking skyscrapers apart. The force of the machine also causes objects to
repeatedly rise and plummet to Earth.
As Swanwick contemplates what to do, he receives word that Clark (now being
called "Superman" by some of the soldiers), has a plan. Using the
information that Lois obtained, Clark reasons that if the pod that brought him
to Earth is activated by the key he has, it will start up the Phantom Drive
inside. As well, if it collides with Zod's ship which also has its drive
activated, a black hole will warp the ship and the people inside into the
Phantom Zone.
Meanwhile, Zod leaves his ship, and heads for the ship Clark found in the
Arctic. On board the ship is a gestation chamber with many unborn fetuses. The
projection of Jor-El speaks to Zod, telling him to halt his operation, but Zod
refuses to listen to the words of a ghost, and willing to do what he can as
general of Krypton, to revive its civilization and planet. Zod's key eventually
overrides Jor-El's, and the ship now responds to Zod, causing Jor-El's hologram
to disappear.
Col Hardy, Dr Hamilton, and Lois board a plane to take the pod to Metropolis,
while Superman flies around the world to try and stop the World-Builder.
However, he is assailed by a Kryptonian defense mechanism within the machine,
that attempts to fend him off with long tentacles.
The situation over Metropolis isn't any better, as none of the planes are able
to get close to Zod's machine, which has created a gravitational vacuum that
keeps the transport unable to properly drop Clark's pod. Realizing there's no
way he can fend off the tentacles, Clark goes deep under the World-Builder, and
punches his way through it, causing the connection to sever, and the machine to
explode. With the gravitational disruption gone, Hardy flies the transport
closer to Zod's ship, but it is intercepted by Faora, who attempts to stop
them.
As well, Zod has arrived in Metropolis with the ship. As he attempts to blow up
the Military plane, Clark swoops in and crashes into the ship's control panel.
Zod yells for Clark to once again let him complete his plan to revive Krypton.
"Krypton had its chance," yells Clark, who then uses his heat-vision
to tear apart the ship, causing it to crash, and the gestation chamber to
fracture.
Faora's attempts fail as well as Hardy steers the plane into the ship. As Lois
was on the rear of the plane as it tilted down towards the ship, she loses her
balance, and falls off into space. The collision of the two Phantom Drives
causes the Military aircraft, and Zod's ship (along with the people on the
vessels), to disappear.
Clark manages to save Lois, and puts her safely on the ground. Nearby, the
sound of moving metal is heard, and Clark finds Zod, thoroughly enraged. Zod
tells Clark that he was engineered to be a General of Krypton, and to protect
it and its people. With nothing left to revive the planet, Zod seethes that
Clark has taken his soul and promises to kill the humans one at a time, in
retribution for what Clark has done.
The two then battle across Metropolis, smashing through buildings. During the
fight, Zod adapts further to Earth's atmosphere, spawning heat-vision and the
ability for flight. The battle soon sends them into a train station, where Zod
turns on his heat vision, aiming it at a trapped family. "If you love
these people so much, then you can mourn for them," he shouts. Clark begs
Zod to stop, but when Zod claims he will never stop, Clark snaps the General's
neck, killing him. It is clear that Clark did not want to exact such a terrible
judgement, and he agonizes over having not only killed another person, but one
of the last of his race. Lois appears and comforts him.
The film then cuts ahead some time later, with Swanwick and Major Carrie Farris
(Christina Wren) finding Superman downing a drone. Superman claims that he
knows they had sent it to find his home on Earth, but he wants the search to
stop, and that he'll continue to fight for what is right and the security of
Earth.
Clark then returns to Smallville, where he and Martha visit Jonathan's grave.
Clark claims he wishes his father could have seen what he did, but Martha Kent
says he did. When she asks what Clark intends to do now, he claims he'll get a
job where he can be updated on what is going on with the world, and be able to
ask questions if needed.
We then see him in the Daily Planet building, being introduced to Lois Lane.
Though he is now sporting a pair of black-rimmed glasses, it is apparent (to
the audience) that Lois knows just who this new person is.
