Zod (Donnerverse)
From DC Database
Contents |
History
General Zod is most widely recognized as the primary antagonist from the 1980 film, Superman II. Played by actor Terrence Stamp, Zod actually made his on-screen debut in the first Superman film. Appearing with his Kryptonian confederates Ursa and Non, they made a brief appearance in the opening scenes of the movie, where the Kryptonian Science Council sentences all three of them to banishment in the Phantom Zone. This scene foreshadowed the major plot of the sequel.
In Superman II, an explosion in space shatters the portal to the Phantom Zone setting the Kryptonians free. Note: The nature of the explosion that breaks the criminals free of the Phantom Zone varies depending upon the version of the film. In the theatrical release of Superman II, the explosion was caused when Superman heaved an explosives-laden elevator car into outer space. In the Richard Donner Cut, the explosion is caused when Superman hurls nuclear missiles (as seen in the first Superman movie) into space where they detonate harmlessly. Immediately gifted with superhuman abilities from Earth's yellow sun, they set down on the moon where they encounter an International team of astronauts. From listening to the Astronauts' broadcast, Zod mistakenly believes that the name of their home planet was Houston.
From there, Zod, Ursa and Non fly to "Planet Houston" where they learn that the son of Jor-El (the man responsible for imprisoning them) is living under the pseudonym, Superman. Hungry for new worlds to conquer, Zod quickly takes control of the United States, and sets up a base of operations at the White House. With the aid of criminal mastermind Lex Luthor, he learns of Superman's attachment to Lois Lane and the location of his Fortress of Solitude.
Superman squares off with Zod and the others in a massive brawl that nearly destroys Metropolis. Their fight eventually brings all of the combatants, as well as Lois and Lex Luthor, to the Fortress of Solitude for their final confrontation. There, Superman tricks the three Kryptonians into entering a special Red-Sun chamber that robs them of their powers. Superman finishes Zod off by throwing him against a wall adjacent to a deep catacomb. No longer gifted with the ability to fly, General Zod falls to his doom. This behavior on the part of Superman, is extremely uncharacteristic, as he would not needlessly take the life of an enemy who was no longer a threat to him.Powers and Abilities
Powers
Like all Kryptonians, Zod develops superhuman abilities while operating under a yellow sun. Some Kryptonians, such as Non, may experience difficulty adapting to their unique gifts and require some practice in order to effectively make their powers work.
- Energy Absorption
- Enhanced Vision
- Heat Vision
- Flight
- Hyper-Reflexes
- Invulnerability
- Superhuman Durability
- Superhuman Stamina
- Superhuman Strength
- Super-Speed
Abilities
- Intimidation
- Leadership
Weaknesses
- Green Kryptonite: All Kryptonians are vulnerable to exposure from green Kryptonite. Immediate exposure causes great discomfort, while prolonged exposure will prove fatal.
- Kryptonians: The greatest threat to a super-powered Kryptonian is another Kryptonian. A Kryptonian's enhanced physical attributes appear to be in proportion to their overall body mass. A larger, more physically fit Kryptonian may have an advantage over a smaller Kryptonian in battle.
See Also
- Discuss Zod (Donnerverse) on the forums
- Appearances of Zod (Donnerverse)
- Character Gallery: Zod (Donnerverse)
- Fan-Art Gallery: Zod (Donnerverse)
- Quotations by Zod (Donnerverse)
- Images featuring Zod (Donnerverse)
Links and References
