"Kal? Have you lost your mind Jor?!", shouted Lara Lor-Van. Jor-El responded with, "Perhaps, but right now it doesn't matter. Our generation is already doomed, Lara. But sending the Codex with Kal will allow Krypton to live again on another world." Lara Lor-Van let her tears fall as she asked, "If we bond the Codex to his cellular structure, will he be in pain?" Jor-El smiled at his wife's visage and replied, "No, he will not. Believe me, Lara, this hurts me as much it does you. But trust me now, as I have always trusted you." Lara Lor-Van nodded sadly and said, "Do what you have to, my love. I shall ready the launch." With that, Kelex cut the transmission and Jor-El raced outside, blaster in hand, to find that Zod's forces were everywhere.

Gunships were zooming through the air, blasting buildings into rubble, and vaporizing officials on site. Yet throughout the chaos, Jor-El was able to cry out, "H'RAKA!", which caused the graceful Dax to fly in upon hearing his master's call and land on the Council Chambers' landing platform. Jor-El proceeded to board Dax and commanded, "Take me to the Genesis Chamber, old friend. Make haste!" This made Dax kick off from the ground and take flight to the Genesis Chamber, dodging firing gunships as they went. Finally, Dax had made it to the Genesis Chamber; a large mountainous structure that was filled with bacta fluid necessary for the sustainability of Kryptonian child growth.


Jor-El was beginning to disrobe so he could physically enter the viscous fluid to retrieve the Codex. Down to his undermail, and carrying his blaster just in case,Jor-El dived into the Genesis Chamber and was instantly met with burning hot bacta fluid. But stubbornly he pressed onward, swimming past several birthing units removing cervical sacks carrying Kryptonian infants; infants who would never live to see their first days of life. Jor-El continued to swim upwards until he emerged inside the heart of the Genesis Chamber; once there, he saw the Codex. A black infant skull with streams of golden light emitting from all sides of it, the Codex was the accumulation of all Kryptonian knowledge of past and present.

Jor-El walked over to the platform it was hovering over and reached for it; but before he could grab it, Brainiac's symbol appeared on a massive telescreen and interrupted by saying, "This is a breach of security, Jor-El. Stealing the Codex is a violation of Kryptonian science laws. As a scientist, you of all should understand this." Jor-El countered with, "No one cares anymore, Brainiac. The world is about to come to an end." Brainiac continued with, "Still in denial, Jor-El? Was my evidence of polar shifting not sufficient enough for you?" Jor-El glared at Brainiac and asked, "Why are so determined to prove my evidence of Krypton's destruction wrong, Brainiac? Are you trying to hide something?" Brainiac was silent for a moment before asking in a condescending tone, "Now, Jor-El. What would I have to gain from denying your theories?"

Jor-El thought about it for a minute, gained a look of horror, and said, "Brainiac, show me your current location!" The supercomputer replied with, "If you insist, Jor-El.", and showed a panoramic view of space with a satellite showing Brainiac's emblem with a bandwith bar that read in Kryptonian, Downloading of Brain InterActive Construct commencing at 92%. Jor-El angrily yelled, "I knew it! You've been gradually downloading into a satellite all this time, haven't you? You're trying to save yourself!" "Must I not?", Brainiac coldly replied, "After all, am I not the repository for all Kryptonian knowledge? Should I not be saved above all?" Jor-El considered Brainiac's words before adopting an angry look, raising his blaster, and shouting, "You self-righteous monster! I never should have trusted you!" He was prepared to blast the console Brainiac was transmitting himself from, but before Jor-El could, Brainiac stopped him by saying, "Temper, temper, Jor-El. Consider the ramifications of your next course of action. If you stop me from downloading, there will be not even a memory of Krypton. All its culture, wonders, and glory will be dust; irrelevant to me, but important to you, yes?"

Jor-El lowered his weapon and replied, "You're wrong. Krypton will live again, but not through you. Or Zod's foolish rebellion." "Though General Dru-Zod's logic in his hostile takeover is flawed, his resilience is commendable.", Brainiac replied, "But if not my data tracks, what then, Jor-El? What other means could there be to preserve Krypton's future?" Deciding he'd had enough of Brainiac's delays, Jor-El started to walk back to the bacta pool before he turned around and answered, "My son." He then dove back into the pool, taking the Codex with him and leaving Brainiac to his fate.


Boarding Dax once again, Jor-El directed the H'Raka back to the house of his ancestors. A house whose sole survivor would be forced to look for his future among the stars; a future that Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van would not be there to witness. Suddenly, Jor-El was forced out of his thoughts by several pursuing gunships, whose intercom speakers spoke, "JOR-EL! BY THE AUTHORITY OF GENERAL ZOD, SURRENDER THE CODEX NOW!" They then started to open fire on him and Dax, just as they were coming towards a flaming cruiser, which Jor-El and Dax used for cover. Unfortunately, a fragment of flaming debris struck Dax in the side causing him to whimper in pain; Jor-El rubbed his H'Raka comfortingly and said, "It's alright, Dax. We're almost there." Though obviously in a lot of pain, Dax was able to fly to the landing platform of the House of El, but crashed and threw Jor-El off his back. Jor-El crawled over to Dax and whispered, "Goodbye, my beloved my H'Raka. May you find peace among the stars.", before running as fast he could into the chamber where Lara was preparing a ship to launch their beloved son, Kal-El, into space.

"Did you and Kelex find a world, Lara?", asked Jor-El, to which Lara replied, "We have.", and nodded to Kelex to tell of what they found. "Orbiting a main sequence yellow star, just as you said it would.", spoke Kelex as it showed a diagram of the chosen planet: Earth. Furthermore, Kelex showed that Earth was populated by a dominant race called humans and animals, not unlike those of Krypton. "Their sun is a young star.", Jor-El observed, "His cells will drink its radiation. Giving him power unlike any Kryptonian. Earth has a seemingly intelligent population." Lara Lor-Van shook her head and said, "He'll be an outcast, Jor. A freak. They'll try to kill him." Jor-El retorted with, "How? He'll be like a god to them." Lara Lor-Van continued her inquiry with, "What if the ship doesn't make it? He'll die out there alone. I can't do it. I thought I could, but now that he's here..." Jor-El could see that his wife was hesitating, so he comfortingly spoke, "Lara, there's no going back now. Krypton is doomed. Earth is his only chance now. It's our people's only hope." Before Jor-El could say anymore, Kelex's warning alarm began to go off and he said, "Five attack ships converging from the east. Citadel's defenses are being scanned and evaluated."

Realizing that there was no time to lose, Jor-El said, "I'll upload the Codex.", and was about to proceed to do so, but Lara stopped him and said, "No, wait. Just let me look at him. We'll never get to see him walk. Never hear him say our names." Jor-El looked sadly at his wife and then gave Kal-El a tender kiss to his forehead and replied, "That is true, Lara. But out there, among the stars, he will live." With that, Jor-El placed his child into the protective bedding that would support him as his ship hurtled through space. Placing the Codex within the genetic splicer that would merge the Codex with Kal-El's biomolecular structure, the machine did just that as the Codex began to disintegrate and filter into Kal-El, who was not frightened nor did he cry out. The monitor provided Jor-El with a key to activate the ship that was shaped into the crest of the House of El. He was about to push it in, but Lara Lor-Van said, "Wait, Jor! I have something for him.", and from inside her robes, she unveiled a crimson blanket. It was made from the material that Kryptonian capes were typically constructed from and carried the symbol of the House of El in the center, colored in yellow. Lara covered him with it and said, "So he'll always have us with him." Jor-El smiled and nodded, then pressed the button to carry out the launch. Parts of the equipment were retracting and preparing to send Kal-El into the ship that would take him to Earth. "Goodbye forever, my son.", Jor-El spoke his final words to his son, "May our hopes and dreams travel with you."

Kal-El's protective bedding rose into the open cockpit of the ship and connected with several clamps that secured it in place. The cockpit closed around, leaving the crest of the House of El to be emblazoned on the front. Outside, Zod and his forces were closing in; he had received a report from his militia that the Codex had been taken from the Genesis Chamber and that Jor-El was the culprit. Zod was prepared to take it back by force, if he had to, and ordered to his troops, "Concentrate fire on the main doors!" The surrounding gunships blasted the doors open with phantom energy discharge and the renegade Kryptonians disembarked. Inside, Lara Lor-Van was preparing her infant son's ship for launch, when Kelex spoke, "Lady Lara. the phantom drives are coming online. Shall I ready the launch?" Lara Lor-Van nodded to Kelex and said, "Proceed to ignition.", watching as the hydralic system in the ceiling turned Kal-El's ship towards the heavens, ready to send him away from this doomed planet. Outside, as Zod prepared to enter the House of El, Faora stopped him and reported, "General, we have identified an engine ignition within the House of El." Zod nodded and replied, "A launch. Hold the platform, Commander. I'll deal with Jor-El myself."

Zod proceeded to enter, with two of his soldiers flanking him, and saw that there was a light vapor of smoke coming from the ceiling. Out of the smoke emerged Jor-El, clad in the battle armor of the previous patriarchs of the House of El. He was brandishing a blaster and looked ready for a fight; Zod angrily stated, "I know you stole the Codex, Jor-El. Surrender it and I'll let you live." Jor-El shook his head and shot back, "It's too late for that, Zod. This is a second chance for all of Krypton, not just the bloodlines you deem worthy!" Zod's eyes grew wide with frustration and he asked, "What have you done?", to which Jor-El answered with, "We've had a child, Zod. A boy child. Krypton's first natural birth in centuries. And he will be free. Free to forge his own destiny." Zod's nostrils flared with anger, yelling, "Heresy! Destroy it!", and pointing to Kal-El's ship. Zod's soldiers were prepared to do just that, but Jor-El blasted them before they could. The enraged general made his move to grab Jor-El's rifle and stun him with a punch to the face; but Jor-El had extensive combat training and blocked Zod's incoming attack, as well as swiping at him with the sharp end of his blaster. The strike slashed Zod across the face, cutting him from cheek to temple; Zod growled in pain and sent a barrage of hits to Jor-El, but he blocked them and sent Zod tumbling to the floor.

Lara was about to activate the launch, but Zod stopped her with a cry of, "Lara listen to me! The Codex is Krypton's future! Abort the launch!" Lara would not listen to the maddened tyrant and activated the ship's boosters as the ceiling opened to allow the ship to leave. Zod let out a furious cry of, "NO!", then extended the hidden blade in his armor and impaled Jor-El in the stomach with it. The wounded scientist collapsed dead and Lara ran over to her husband, weeping at his side; Zod watched the ship ascend before turning to Lara and asking, "Your son, Lara where have you sent him?" Through her tears, Lara defiantly answered, "His name is Kal, son of El. And he's beyond your reach.", and Zod replied, "We'll see about that."

Zod returned outside to Faora and the others, speaking into his comlink, "Bring that ship down!" One of the gunships followed Kal-El's and took aim at it using the targeting system, which said, "Target acquired." Before it could open fire, however, the gunship was shot down by a law enforcement freighter and several Kryptonian law enforcement officers surrounded them. Faora was ready to attack, but Zod put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head negative. We will fight another day, Zod thought to himself as he put his hands behind his head in surrender. The ship, meanwhile, had activated its phantom projection technology that allowed it to teleport safely away.

After Zod's rebellion had been taken into custody, Lara Lor-Van was left alone with Kelex and Kelor, observing the armor that her late husband had so gallantly worn. Outside, explosions could be heard from outside and Lara Lor-Van could see that, fissures of poisonous gas and flame were erupting from the ground: Krypton was destroying itself. "Lady Lara, should you not find refuge?", questioned Kelor, but all Lara Lor-Van replied with was, "There is no refuge, Kelor. Jor was right. This truly is the end." The oncoming desolation was reaching closer towards the House of El, but Lara did not show fear. Instead, she closed her eyes, let the explosion hit her, and thought to herself these final words, Fly, my little Kal-El. Fly to your destiny. Wherever it may be.


Next Time: Arrival on Coruscant