You may not believe it but the world was changed when this note was sent to Clark Kent.
'"I know your secret," the note said. "Meet me outside the Talon. Midnight."
It had been a rough couple of days for Clark. After fighting Tina Greer outside the Talon, he learned Whitney Fordman had died in combat. The news was devastating to his friend Lana Lang.
In the cave where Clark studied the wall paintings, a weeping Lana came to him.
"I don't care if you have secrets," she said in a tearful voice. "You are the one good constant thing in my life. I don't want to lose you, too."
As Clark embraced her, he spoke in a gentle reassuring voice.
"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered.
That was then. Now there was this note. Who could this be? A corrupt cop like Sam Phelan? Some reporter like Roger Nixon out to exploit him?
Clark stepped into the alley where he had fought Tina. A dark figure stood in the shadows.
Like any young man trying to find his own identity, Clark could sometimes be timid and insecure. At other times, he could be bold and defiant.
"Who are you?" Clark demanded as he stood with arms out, fists clenched..
The figure stepped into view. Dressed in a light tan trench-coat, the man was short with a broom mustache and strands of red hair combed over his bald pink head.
"My name's Hank McCoy. I'm an insurance adjustor."
"What do you want?"
"Don't worry, Clark, I'm not out to expose you." He held his hands up to show he was no threat. "Look, I know all about the meteor freaks and your secret battles. All I ask is that you use your powers, in secret, to help clean up some of the mess."
Clark thought for a moment then nodded. "I can do that." He immediately set to work, at super-speed, repairing the damage from his fight with Tina. When he finished, he turned to McCoy. "Fair enough?"
McCoy nodded. "Fair enough."
You may not realize it but this was a significant moment in Earth's history. Each time Clark did damage repair after a fight (and especially after Dark Thursday), he helped the insurance company save so much money that they were able to cover more poor people. They opened up new divisions and even helped fund private space exploration.
All this resulted in a society where poverty was eliminated.
Hundreds of years later when people on Earth were forming a federation and beginning early attempts at interstellar space exploration they modeled their Federation after this perfect society that Clark and the insurance man helped create.
In the 23rd and 24th centuries that perfect society involved the "U.S.S. Enterprise."
In the 31st century it involved the Legion.
Now you know.