Original subtitles

In the far reaches of space,

like a pinpoint at infinity,

there once was a tiny blue star.

Spanning the billions of miles

that separated this star from the Earth,

we discover that it was, in reality,

a planet like our own.

This was the ill-fated planet Krypton,

which revolved about the brilliant sun

of its own solar system.

While satellites, like ringed moons,

in turn, revolved about it.

Krypton was a rugged planet,

laced with jagged mountain chains

rich in strange minerals unknown to Earth.

And on a wide plateau

lay the capital of Krypton,

the nerve center of a civilization

that was far advanced,

for it boasted a race of supermen and women.

Among the leaders was Jor-El,

the foremost man of science.

Jor-El had concluded that Krypton

was being inexorably drawn towards its sun,

and would one day explode

like a giant bubble and disintegrate.

Jor-El's wife, Lara, inspired him

in his feverish race to construct a trial spaceship.

If successful, he planned to build a mammoth fleet

to carry the inhabitants of the doomed planet

to safety on Earth.

Now, giant subterranean pockets of gas exploded,

touching off long-sealed volcanoes.

Plumes of fire lit the sky.

Molten lava scarred Krypton's surface.

The fears of Jor-El and Lara were intensified

by their concern for the safety of their infant son.

To Jor-El, the tremors and shocks,

which were now more frequent and violent,

were an indication that the cataclysmic day

was not far off.

Yielding to Jor-El's urgent demands,

Ro-Zon, leader of the council,

summoned his colleagues in emergency session.

Members of the council,

we're all well-aware of the phenomena

that Krypton has been experiencing the past few weeks.

Recently, a great tidal wave

threatened to engulf our capital.

Now, quakes and eruptions of mysterious origin

are occurring with increasing frequency.

Our distinguished scientist Jor-El

has brought me an alarming report.

I refer him to you.

Gentlemen.

I cannot stress enough the urgency of the task before us.

Krypton is doomed.

Even as we discuss this holocaust

our days, perhaps even our hours, are numbered.

I urge you to heed my warning.

I demand that Jor-El explain his reason

for uttering this fantastic prophecy.

Jor-El is trying to frighten us.

Jor-El, your predictions are nonsense,

an insult to this distinguished body.

We're waiting, Jor-El, for you to spin your tale of horror.

Derision and disbelief are not new to men of science.

For centuries they have combated the skepticism you display.

Give us facts.

Briefly gentlemen, it is this:

The sun is gradually drawing our planet into its orbit.

Soon, the gravitational pull will be so strong

that Krypton will be unable to withstand the strain.

When that moment occurs, our world will shatter

into millions of fiery fragments.

Nothing can survive such a catastrophe.

Perhaps he is right. We must do something.

I believe we should give him the benefit of the doubt.

We cannot risk such peril.

Gentlemen. Gentlemen.

Assuming for a moment that what you say is true,

how can we avoid this disaster?

It cannot be avoided.

It is a natural evolution of nature.

A force even we supermen are powerless to prevent.

We are powerless?

Yes.

But we can use our great ability elsewhere.

We must flee Krypton.

To effect an escape,

I urge that an army of workmen be drafted at once

to construct a fleet of spaceships

to transport our people to Earth.

There we will find an atmosphere similar to ours.

So this is how you plan to solve the dilemma you have created.

By flight, in spacecraft.

Yes.

Even now, I am working on a model for trial purposes.

Well, now, what assurance do we have

that it will reach its destination on Earth?

How can we undertake such a project on pure chance?

You must be guided by my knowledge,

which this august body has always respected.

No one questions your integrity or learning.

But it occurs to me that a man of science

should be ingenious enough

to combat this alleged impending disaster

rather than run away like a frightened child.

What have you to say to that?

Here that, gentlemen?

That is your answer.

What manner of wizardry is this?

Are you perpetrating a new horror

for some base and personal reason?

Krypton has experienced quakes in the past and has survived.

Now, Jor-El challenges credulity

by claiming our planet is being drawn

into the sun's orbit.

The doom of Krypton.

Escape through the air.

Gentlemen, are these not the utterances of a man

whose mind perhaps has begun to wander?

I, for one, refuse to be intimidated.

This is my final plea.

Time is our mortal enemy.

We must prepare to escape in spaceships without delay.

There is no alternative

if our advanced civilization is to endure.

We shall put it to a vote.

Is it the desire of this assembly

to concur with Jor-El's proposal

to construct spaceships to remove Krypton's population?

No.

No.

No. No. No.

The council has spoken, Jor-El.

Not spoken, Ro-Zon.

It has pronounced the death sentence for all Krypton.

With each hour, the intensity of the tremors increased.

Krypton became unbearably hot

as it was drawn closer to the sun.

Jor-El worked incessantly to complete his tiny spaceship

though he knew only one of them could go in it.

The fatal moment had come.

All Krypton shuddered

as it suffered the tormenting agonies of doom.

And as Krypton and all its people perished,

the infant son of Jor-El and Lara

hurtled through the infinite reaches of space

toward distant Earth.

Eban, it's landed over there behind that rock.

A baby.

It's alive.

How could it be?

The blankets are made of some odd material.

It must be fireproof.

Hey, it's a cute little tyke, isn't it?

Ethan, this baby,

the queer machine that brought it here...

where did they come from?

Out of the sky, I reckon.

That doesn't make sense.

What are we going to tell people?

We're going to tell them nothing.

Want everybody to think we've gone crazy?

Say, we'd better get back to the house.

The baby may be hungry.

The Kents took the baby into their home,

decided to raise him as their child,

and gave him the name of Clark Kent.

He developed rapidly,

and it was soon clear that he was no ordinary infant.

As he grew older, there was no doubt

that Clark's mysterious origin had made him different

from other children.

By using his remarkable x-ray vision and super hearing,

he could perform unbelievable feats.

The Kents were successful

in their determination to avoid publicity

and to keep Clark's surroundings

as normal as possible.

But Clark himself was anything but average.

I'll get it son, go on with your reading.

Hello? Yes.

Oh. Well, thank you for calling.

That was Judd, says a tornado's heading this way.

You must find your father and warn him.

Where is he?

Down in the south meadow, quickly.

Dad, don't touch any metal.

Clark, that was the most remarkable thing you ever did.

I'm... I'm grateful to you, son.

I'm grateful too.

That the tornado didn't head for the farm.

Hope Mom hasn't been too worried.

Later, when Clark had reached manhood,

the Kents decided to have a talk with him.

Clark...

we've had you with us as long as you can remember.

But, you know, we're only your foster parents.

My real parents couldn't have done more for me.

You came to us out of the sky.

From what distant place we can't even imagine.

You're different from other people.

Your unique abilities make you a kind of superman.

Because of these great powers,

your speed and strength,

your x-ray vision and supersensitive hearing,

you have a great responsibility.

I now what you're going to say, Dad.

I must use my powers wisely and justly.

Yes, you must use them always in the interest

of truth, tolerance and justice.

The world needs a man

of such extraordinary capabilities.

That is why you must leave this farm.

You must go where they can be best put to use.

Very well.

And when I leave,

I'll get a job that will keep me close to world events.

Then when anything happens, I'll know about it at once.

Here's a uniform I made for you

out of the blanket you were wrapped in when he found you.

It's a strange kind of cloth that resists both fire and acid.

I hope it will protect you always.

Well, thank you, Mother.

And I'll only wear it when I'm...

When I'm Superman.

I think it's best that no one knows

that he and Clark Kent are the same person.

Shortly after this,

Clark's foster parents passed away.

Remembering their last wishes...

Yes?

It's Jimmy, can I come in?

It's, "May I come in?"

And the answer is yes. You're in.

Lois Lane, ace reporter of the Daily Planet,

prepares her story for a waking world.

Hold it.

Thank you.

Just a minute.

It's going to be a very long wait

unless you get busy and help me through these clips

on the mine disaster we're covering.

But, Lois, I was gonna take a pic...

She'll have to wait.

Here.

The rail is broken,

and the Limited is due any minute.

Ace has gone to telegraph up the line to stop it.

He certainly was exited.

Well, he should be.

That crack flier races through here,

and she's loaded to the hilt.

The Limited just passed the last station.

You... You'd better call the emergency hospital

and have them standby.

Hey, this train is really going.

The engineer must be late for dinner.

The way he's traveling, he hasn't eaten all week.

He's not gonna make it.

This looks like a job for Superman.

Can even Superman save this train from destruction?

What will happen to Clark Kent when he arrives in Metropolis?

Don't miss "Depths of the Earth,"

the second exiting chapter of Superman,

at this theater next week.