EXT. KENT FARM – EARLY MORNING
A rooster trumpets in the dawn of a new day as a gentle breeze blows some drifting hay across the front porch of the Kent home.
In the distance, someone cries with the pain of a thousand damned souls. Almost instantaneously, Martha Kent and Pete Ross fly through the storm door and out onto the porch.
MARTHA
Clark? Clark, is that you?
Pete follows Martha down the porch steps, but quickly stops in place as an entire uprooted tree rolls by the front of the house, crashing through a fence, before coming to a stop in front of the barn.
Clark, still in his fatigues from the night before, but the paint mostly sweated from his face, chops through the horizontal bars of an entire section of the wooden fence in front of the Kent house. In a fit of rage, he violently tears one of the freed fence posts out of the ground with his bare hands. Swinging it like a baseball bat, he screams, teeing off on the second post, sending it bouncing along the ground, end over end, before embedding in a tree in the next door neighbors' front yard.
Martha and Pete race out to meet Clark.
MARTHA
Clark Kent, where have you been? I've been worried sick.
PETE
We saw the news report about what happened at the airport.
MARTHA
You could have killed someone!
Clark pauses briefly to catch his breath.
CLARK
But I didn't.
Is that regret in his voice? Clark swings the post up over his head and down like a hammer on a third post, driving it all the way into the ground.
MARTHA
Clark!
PETE
What are you doing?!
Pete tries to put his hand on Clark's shoulder to stop him, but Clark shrugs him off and pushes him away.
CLARK
I'm saving time.
Clark swings at yet another post in the fence, this one obliterating on contact.
MARTHA
Clark, stop it! Stop it right now!
CLARK
Why? What's the difference? Darkseid's just going to burn it to the ground anyway! He's going to burn this entire town right to the ground! Who knows, maybe if I destroy it, he won't want to anymore!
Clark bends down and breaks the post in his hand over his knee. Taking the two remaining halves, one in each hand, he slams them together, turning them to dust.
CLARK
It isn't enough for him to just attack me, he wants to hurt me. He wants to hurt everyone around me, take my home, take my entire life!
Clark yanks another post out of the ground. He tosses it into the air, waiting for it to come back down before punching it in two.
CLARK
Well, let him have it! He can have it all! I never asked for this. I never asked to come here, to come to Earth. I never asked for any of it, but did anyone ever think of that? Did anyone ever bother to think of what I wanted? Did anyone ever once think about what kind of life I wanted to live? All these powers I have, all these... gifts... more like a curse!
Clark looks at his hands, flexing then, before balling up his fists and closing them together, using them like two massive battering rams on one last post, exploding the frail piece of wood into a million tiny splinters.
CLARK You want to know what a real gift is? You want to know what real powers are? How about the power to live a normal life? How about the ability to walk down the street without hunching forward because the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Super strength, speed, X-Ray vision; give me ignorance any day of the week!
MARTHA
Clark, please, calm down... talk to me.
PETE
You're starting to scare me, man.
CLARK
Good. You should be scared. It's about time everyone started getting a little scared, because who's gonna save you, Pete? Is it gonna be me? Of course, it's always me. Whenever something bad happens, someone's life is in danger because of the latest freak of the week turned lunatic, it's always Clark to the rescue. It's always Clark in the nick of time. He's everybody's favorite hero, but look out, look at what happened to his father. He couldn't save him. What makes him so sure he'll be able to save me?
Clark storms passed Pete and Martha and starts walking toward the house.
CLARK
But don't worry, there's always fate. It's my destiny to save the world. I could walk right up to Darkseid and spit in his fat ugly face and there wouldn't be a thing he could do about it, because I'm supposed to win. Destiny is on my side. Ah, the safety and comfort of the pre-determined. It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside to know that my life, my entire life's purpose is to fight and win a war. Who the hell asked for that?!
MARTHA Clark...
Clark runs up the porch steps and inside the house.
INT. KENT HOUSE – KITCHEN
Martha and Pete follow Clark through the kitchen to the stairs leading to the second floor.
CLARK
Well, guess what happens in war, Mom? People die. Not that I should be surprised, this isn't exactly new information or anything.
Clark heads upstairs and Martha and Pete follow him.
INT. KENT HOUSE – MARTHA'S BEDROOM
Clark nearly smashes the door clear off its hinges as he barrels into the room. He heads for the closet and pulls out two suitcases. Tossing them on the bed, he unzips one and makes a beeline for the dresser.
MARTHA
Clark, what are you doing?
CLARK
What does it look like I'm doing? I'm packing your things.
He opens the top drawer to the dresser. Reaching in, he grabs a handful of clothes and brings it over to the first suitcase.
CLARK
I'm getting you out of here. I'm taking you someplace safe. I'm not letting him take you too.
MARTHA
Clark, you can't do that.
CLARK
Oh yes I can. Watch me. I know where Darkseid is. I know where he's gonna be, which means I also know where he 'isn't' going to be.
He grabs another handful of clothes and moves on to the next drawer in the dresser.
MARTHA
Where?
CLARK
Out of the country.
MARTHA Out of the country!?
CLARK Darkseid is in every major city, coast to coast. You name it, he's there; New York, Gotham, Chicago, L.A., just to name a few. If I can get you out of the country, maybe he won't be able to find you.
MARTHA
Where will we go?
CLARK
As far away as it takes to keep you safe.
MARTHA
How far is that?!
She shakes her head and starts taking her clothes out of the suitcase.
MARTHA
No, this is my home. Smallville is my home. I'm not leaving.
He grabs the clothes back from her and puts them back into the suitcase.
CLARK
Yes, you are. Darkseid wants to hurt me. It's his mission in life. He wants to get at me and he'll use whatever means he can to do it. He came after Dad and that means he'll be coming after you next. He'll come after anyone and everyone I care about.
PETE
So, what are you going to do, evacuate the entire town?
CLARK
If I have too. I may be destined to be some kind of savior to humanity, but I'm only one man. I can't protect everyone all the time.
MARTHA
But you can't hide everyone either.
PETE
What happens when he comes looking for us and can't find us? What happens then? What's preventing him from going after somebody else? Don't you care about them? Don't you care about what happens to them?
CLARK
Don't you get it, Pete? I found a map. He has an army, an entire army, and he's getting ready to strike.
MARTHA All the more reason to stay. Wherever we go, we're not going to be safe, because no one is. We're not going to be able to get away from Darkseid, he'll find us. We have to make our stand here if we're going to fight this.
CLARK
'We' aren't a part of this! I am! Me! I'm the reason he's here. He followed my ship. That's why he's here, because of me. That's why he came here and that's why Dad's dead. He never would have come to Earth if it wasn't for Jor-El sending me here.
MARTHA
You don't know that! From everything you've told me, he would have found us eventually.
CLARK
But maybe by then, Earth would have been better prepared. Earth would have stood a fighting chance.
MARTHA
We stand a fighting chance, now, because of you!
CLARK No, that's not it! That's not why I'm here. You're not listening to me! You don't have a chance, I do! Jor-El sent me here to protect his son, to protect me not Earth, because of the powers I would have here!
MARTHA
That's right, the power to have a life! The power to live and grow up in a family that loves you!
PETE
The power to make friends who care about you and who will be there for you...
MARTHA
And the power to stand up and fight when someone wants to take that all away from you... because wherever you go, wherever you run too, there will always be someone who tries... and that's not destiny Clark Joseph Kent, that's life. Life is a challenge. Life is a fight! It's a fight against failure. It's a fight against being overwhelmed and wanting to give up. It's a fight against depression and everything in this world that hurts... and makes you just want to drop to your knees and cry... and hope that when you open your eyes, all the pain will just disappear. Well, that's not going to happen. It's not going to go away and it isn't fair. The difference is we have the power to fight back.
CLARK But, you don't understand. He's everywhere... How can I fight that? I'm alone here. I can't fight a war by myself. I'm only one person.
MARTHA
But you're not alone! Yes, you're from another world, but this is your home. But what you have to remember is that it's my home too.
PETE
And mine!
MARTHA
And it's home to a lot of other people too... and you can bet that none us are going anywhere without a fight. You may be the last son of Krypton, but here you're one of billions and we're all in this together... and we will fight this war together.
Clark hangs his head, letting his shoulders drop. He sits down on the bed, solemn and forlorn. Martha sits down next to him.
CLARK I can just see it all so clearly. Darkseid was right. It doesn't matter who wins and who loses. So what if I can beat him? How many people is he going to hurt before it's over? How many is he going to kill because of me? So what if I win if so many people have to suffer because of it? What's it going to cost? How many lives?
MARTHA
But what is it going to cost if you don't fight him at all?
CLARK He's going to hurt as many people as he needs too to get to me.
MARTHA
That's what evil does, Clark. It hurts people. You want to protect them. You want to protect everyone, but you can't... and you don't have too. But you do have to do what's right.
CLARK Be the best man that I can be, huh?
Clark remembers what his father told him on the porch the night he died.
CLARK That's my job now.
Clark closes his eyes, probably picturing his father's face. He opens his eyes.
CLARK
I have to stop it. I have to stop Darkseid... I just don't even know where to start.
Martha leans in and hugs Clark.
Meanwhile, something on top of one of the dressers catches Pete's eye, an old black and white photograph of a man in uniform. He walks over to it and reads the inscription on the golden frame. It reads: "Colonel John R. Kent". The date under the name reads "1943".
PETE
Well... you're going to war.
Clark and Martha look up at Pete. He walks over to them and hands them the photograph.
PETE
You're gonna need a uniform, soldier.
EXT. SMALLVILLE ROAD – DAY
Martha drives with Clark in the front seat and Pete in the back. They come to a stoplight where a large group of runners, wearing spandex running outfits, cross over a crosswalk in front of them.
The light turns green and Martha continues driving. Turning in the backseat, Pete watches the runners turn down another road from out of the rear window.
Pete leans forward from the backseat and points to an upcoming turn in the road.
PETE
Turn here.
MARTHA
What?
CLARK
The entrance to the mall is two blocks down.
PETE
We're not gonna find what you're looking for at the mall, Clark, unless you were planning on fighting Darkseid in an Old Navy performance fleece pullover.
EXT. ALL SEASONS SPORTING GOODS – DAY
The sign outside the sporting goods store reads in large red letters, "All Seasons Sporting Goods: Your #1 Source for Sporting Goods Year Round".
INT. ALL SEASONS SPORTING GOODS – SHOWROOM
Clark, Martha, and Pete browse through the sporting goods store, basically the equivalent of a Mid-Western version of The Sports Authority, when they are approached by an eerily cheerful saleswoman.
SALESWOMAN Good morning, and welcome to All Seasons Sporting Goods where we have your sporting goods needs for every season. How are ya? Can I help ya'll find anything, today?
CLARK
Um... Do you have any uniforms?
SALESWOMAN Uniforms? Why, yes, of course we do, sir. Which team specifically were you looking for?
CLARK
::confused:: Team?
SALESWOMAN
Mm hmm...
The saleswoman looks Clark up and down. He's wearing a blue t-shirt and dark denim jeans.
SALESPERSON
Judging by your affinity for blue, I'd say you're a Jayhawks fan. Well, today is your lucky day, sir . We're having a twenty-four hour blowout sale on all Kansas Jayhawks throwback jerseys and...
CLARK
No, that's not what I meant. I mean, do you have any...
Pete interrupts.
PETE
Do you have a track and field section?
SALESWOMAN Yes, sir, we most certainly do, right this way. If you'll just follow me...
The saleswoman steps between Clark and Pete and starts walking toward the back of the store. Clark shoots Pete a confused expression.
CLARK
Track and field?
PETE
You said yourself Darkseid's in every major city in the country, right? Well, last I checked you can't fly and half a dozen coffees a week at the Talon don't exactly rack up the frequent flier miles. That means you're going to be doing a lot of running.
The saleswoman escorts them to the track and field section. She motions in different directions as she points out the various sections.
SALESWOMAN Training equipment, footwear, outerwear, and accessories... Were you looking for anything specific?
PETE
Nah, we're just browsing.
SALESWOMAN
Very good. If you need any help, just give a shout, k?
She smiles brightly, tilting her head at an awkward angle. Pete forces himself to smile back.
PETE
K.
She gives them two thumbs up.
SALESWOMAN Awesome!
She heads off back towards the front of the store.
CLARK
Someone's been slipping the Prozac into the Cheerios.
PETE
All right. You're going to want something that's form fitting, but not too tight. You want to be able to move around in it, but it can't be too bulky either.
CLARK
I thought we were here looking for a uniform, not a costume.
MARTHA
You weren't exactly drafted into United States army, Clark.
PETE
Besides, you don't want to look like everybody else. The fact of the matter is you're not like everybody else. You're going to want to stand out.
Pete sifts through a rack of outerwear, removing a one piece jumpsuit. It's primarily purple, with pink stripes.
PETE
Ew... but not that much.
Pete sifts through the rack and pulls out one that's all black.
PETE
What about this?
CLARK ::shakes head:: Too dark. I'm not a serial killer.
Pete continues sifting through the rack and stops at one that's yellow with black stripes leading from the neck, over the shoulders, and down the arms. The pants are also black.
CLARK ::shakes head:: Too Star Trek...
Pete continues sifting and stops at one that's all red with a white circle on the chest.
PETE
What about this one?
CLARK ::shakes head:: Too flami...
Clark looks over his shoulder to see his mother standing right behind him.
CLARK Um...
She raises her eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest.
MARTHA
Too what?
Pete catches his meaning and moves on.
PETE
Okay, so red's not your color.
CLARK
No, I like red. It's just... not that much red.
Just for good measure, Martha slaps him in the back of the head.
CLARK
Ow.
PETE
That hurt?
CLARK
Kryptonite fingers. All mothers have them.
PETE
All right, fine.
Pete grabs about twenty running suits off the rack all at once and dumps them in Clark's arms.
PETE
The dressing room's over there. Try them on. Pick one that you like.
CLARK
Okay...
He starts to turn towards the dressing room, but stops.
CLARK
I'm going to be wearing something over this, right?
PETE
Like what?
CLARK
I don't know, body armor?
PETE
What do 'you' need body armor for?
CLARK
I don't know, I want to look cool.
PETE
Clark, you're six foot three, two hundred and fifteen pounds, black hair, blue eyes, muscles out to here, and can lift a car up over your head. I hate to break it to you, but you're just not going to get any cooler than that.
Clark shrugs and heads for the dressing room.
MARTHA
And remember, I can always do alterations, you know, if it's too tight in the crotch or something.
CLARK
::embarrassed:: Mom!
MARTHA
I'm just saying.
Clark takes the outfits to the dressing room and starts trying them on.
PETE
It's going to need more. He can't just be running around trying to save the world in a jogging suit. He's going to need something that says more, "I'm a man you don't want to mess with", as opposed to just some Lord of the Dance reject run amuck.
The two of them look around the showroom for inspiration. Something catches Martha's eye.
MARTHA
You know... Jonathan always used to say to me, there are only two things a man really needs in this world...
Pete looks at her.
MARTHA
... a woman and a good pair of boots.
Pete turns his attention to where Martha is looking. Above a section in the footwear department is a sign carved into the side of a tree trunk with an outdoorsy looking roughneck chopping down a tree. The sign reads: "Nothing Says Rugged Like a Pair of Timbers".
INT. ALL SEASONS SPORTING GOODS – DRESSING ROOM
Clark removes part of a black and silver striped running suit and throws it on the pile of suits on the bench in front of the mirror. He reaches for another to try on, a solid dark blue two piece, just in time to get hit in the head with four or five boxes of boots as they are tossed over the top of the dressing room door.
CLARK
Ow... Hey!
PETE (voice) Try those on.
INT. ALL SEASONS SPORTING GOODS – SHOWROOM
Martha and Pete stare at Clark, scrutinizing his choice carefully. It's a plain dark blue two piece that looks like a one piece, but it is separated at the mid-section. It fits snugly against his body, showing off his impressive physique.
CLARK Well, what do you think?
PETE
I would have gone with the black, personally.
MARTHA
You'll certainly stand out.
PETE That much is certain... It's so monotone.
CLARK Hey, I'm the one that's going to be wearing it and I like this one.
PETE
It's just so Tron.
Clark looks insulted.
CLARK Fine...
He starts back towards the dressing room.
CLARK
... I feel stupid in this thing anyway.
PETE
What's wrong with it?
Clark stops and looks back at Pete in shock that he would even ask such a question.
CLARK
It's spandex!
PETE
Hey, Warrior Angel wore spandex, the Gray Ghost, and don't forget Marvelous Man.
CLARK I'd prefer too.
MARTHA
Who's Marvelous Man?
PETE
He's...
CLARK
Nevermind!
PETE
Besides, it's not spandex, it's Zyflex. Look, there's nothing wrong with it. It just needs some work, that's all... maybe a cape.
CLARK
A cape?
MARTHA
A cape?
PETE
No cape?
Clark rolls his eyes.
Clark starts walking back to the dressing room, trying to keep the pants from riding down as he does.
CLARK
::mumbles:: How about something to keep these pants up?
PETE
A belt!
Clark turns back around.
CLARK
How am I going to put a belt around me, there aren't any belt loops.
MARTHA
I can fix that.
Pete looks around hurriedly. He grabs the first thing he can find off the shelf. It's a pair of red jock shorts, complete with interior jock support and belt loops. It does, however, have conspicuously short legs, making it look a little more like underwear than actual shorts.
PETE
What about these?
Martha takes them from Pete.
MARTHA
These are good. I can sew the two of them together at the hem line. Plus, it'll help to cover up your thing better. Those pants leave very little to the imagination.
Clark looks down, then covers up with his hands.
CLARK
::embarrassed:: Mom, please, you're killing me!
He runs back to the dressing room. Pete laughs a little under his breath.
MARTHA
What? They don't. He's still my little boy, you know. Well... maybe not so little anymore, but...
From inside the dressing room...
CLARK (voice) Mom!
MARTHA
Sorry.
A rooster trumpets in the dawn of a new day as a gentle breeze blows some drifting hay across the front porch of the Kent home.
In the distance, someone cries with the pain of a thousand damned souls. Almost instantaneously, Martha Kent and Pete Ross fly through the storm door and out onto the porch.
MARTHA
Clark? Clark, is that you?
Pete follows Martha down the porch steps, but quickly stops in place as an entire uprooted tree rolls by the front of the house, crashing through a fence, before coming to a stop in front of the barn.
Clark, still in his fatigues from the night before, but the paint mostly sweated from his face, chops through the horizontal bars of an entire section of the wooden fence in front of the Kent house. In a fit of rage, he violently tears one of the freed fence posts out of the ground with his bare hands. Swinging it like a baseball bat, he screams, teeing off on the second post, sending it bouncing along the ground, end over end, before embedding in a tree in the next door neighbors' front yard.
Martha and Pete race out to meet Clark.
MARTHA
Clark Kent, where have you been? I've been worried sick.
PETE
We saw the news report about what happened at the airport.
MARTHA
You could have killed someone!
Clark pauses briefly to catch his breath.
CLARK
But I didn't.
Is that regret in his voice? Clark swings the post up over his head and down like a hammer on a third post, driving it all the way into the ground.
MARTHA
Clark!
PETE
What are you doing?!
Pete tries to put his hand on Clark's shoulder to stop him, but Clark shrugs him off and pushes him away.
CLARK
I'm saving time.
Clark swings at yet another post in the fence, this one obliterating on contact.
MARTHA
Clark, stop it! Stop it right now!
CLARK
Why? What's the difference? Darkseid's just going to burn it to the ground anyway! He's going to burn this entire town right to the ground! Who knows, maybe if I destroy it, he won't want to anymore!
Clark bends down and breaks the post in his hand over his knee. Taking the two remaining halves, one in each hand, he slams them together, turning them to dust.
CLARK
It isn't enough for him to just attack me, he wants to hurt me. He wants to hurt everyone around me, take my home, take my entire life!
Clark yanks another post out of the ground. He tosses it into the air, waiting for it to come back down before punching it in two.
CLARK
Well, let him have it! He can have it all! I never asked for this. I never asked to come here, to come to Earth. I never asked for any of it, but did anyone ever think of that? Did anyone ever bother to think of what I wanted? Did anyone ever once think about what kind of life I wanted to live? All these powers I have, all these... gifts... more like a curse!
Clark looks at his hands, flexing then, before balling up his fists and closing them together, using them like two massive battering rams on one last post, exploding the frail piece of wood into a million tiny splinters.
CLARK You want to know what a real gift is? You want to know what real powers are? How about the power to live a normal life? How about the ability to walk down the street without hunching forward because the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Super strength, speed, X-Ray vision; give me ignorance any day of the week!
MARTHA
Clark, please, calm down... talk to me.
PETE
You're starting to scare me, man.
CLARK
Good. You should be scared. It's about time everyone started getting a little scared, because who's gonna save you, Pete? Is it gonna be me? Of course, it's always me. Whenever something bad happens, someone's life is in danger because of the latest freak of the week turned lunatic, it's always Clark to the rescue. It's always Clark in the nick of time. He's everybody's favorite hero, but look out, look at what happened to his father. He couldn't save him. What makes him so sure he'll be able to save me?
Clark storms passed Pete and Martha and starts walking toward the house.
CLARK
But don't worry, there's always fate. It's my destiny to save the world. I could walk right up to Darkseid and spit in his fat ugly face and there wouldn't be a thing he could do about it, because I'm supposed to win. Destiny is on my side. Ah, the safety and comfort of the pre-determined. It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside to know that my life, my entire life's purpose is to fight and win a war. Who the hell asked for that?!
MARTHA Clark...
Clark runs up the porch steps and inside the house.
INT. KENT HOUSE – KITCHEN
Martha and Pete follow Clark through the kitchen to the stairs leading to the second floor.
CLARK
Well, guess what happens in war, Mom? People die. Not that I should be surprised, this isn't exactly new information or anything.
Clark heads upstairs and Martha and Pete follow him.
INT. KENT HOUSE – MARTHA'S BEDROOM
Clark nearly smashes the door clear off its hinges as he barrels into the room. He heads for the closet and pulls out two suitcases. Tossing them on the bed, he unzips one and makes a beeline for the dresser.
MARTHA
Clark, what are you doing?
CLARK
What does it look like I'm doing? I'm packing your things.
He opens the top drawer to the dresser. Reaching in, he grabs a handful of clothes and brings it over to the first suitcase.
CLARK
I'm getting you out of here. I'm taking you someplace safe. I'm not letting him take you too.
MARTHA
Clark, you can't do that.
CLARK
Oh yes I can. Watch me. I know where Darkseid is. I know where he's gonna be, which means I also know where he 'isn't' going to be.
He grabs another handful of clothes and moves on to the next drawer in the dresser.
MARTHA
Where?
CLARK
Out of the country.
MARTHA Out of the country!?
CLARK Darkseid is in every major city, coast to coast. You name it, he's there; New York, Gotham, Chicago, L.A., just to name a few. If I can get you out of the country, maybe he won't be able to find you.
MARTHA
Where will we go?
CLARK
As far away as it takes to keep you safe.
MARTHA
How far is that?!
She shakes her head and starts taking her clothes out of the suitcase.
MARTHA
No, this is my home. Smallville is my home. I'm not leaving.
He grabs the clothes back from her and puts them back into the suitcase.
CLARK
Yes, you are. Darkseid wants to hurt me. It's his mission in life. He wants to get at me and he'll use whatever means he can to do it. He came after Dad and that means he'll be coming after you next. He'll come after anyone and everyone I care about.
PETE
So, what are you going to do, evacuate the entire town?
CLARK
If I have too. I may be destined to be some kind of savior to humanity, but I'm only one man. I can't protect everyone all the time.
MARTHA
But you can't hide everyone either.
PETE
What happens when he comes looking for us and can't find us? What happens then? What's preventing him from going after somebody else? Don't you care about them? Don't you care about what happens to them?
CLARK
Don't you get it, Pete? I found a map. He has an army, an entire army, and he's getting ready to strike.
MARTHA All the more reason to stay. Wherever we go, we're not going to be safe, because no one is. We're not going to be able to get away from Darkseid, he'll find us. We have to make our stand here if we're going to fight this.
CLARK
'We' aren't a part of this! I am! Me! I'm the reason he's here. He followed my ship. That's why he's here, because of me. That's why he came here and that's why Dad's dead. He never would have come to Earth if it wasn't for Jor-El sending me here.
MARTHA
You don't know that! From everything you've told me, he would have found us eventually.
CLARK
But maybe by then, Earth would have been better prepared. Earth would have stood a fighting chance.
MARTHA
We stand a fighting chance, now, because of you!
CLARK No, that's not it! That's not why I'm here. You're not listening to me! You don't have a chance, I do! Jor-El sent me here to protect his son, to protect me not Earth, because of the powers I would have here!
MARTHA
That's right, the power to have a life! The power to live and grow up in a family that loves you!
PETE
The power to make friends who care about you and who will be there for you...
MARTHA
And the power to stand up and fight when someone wants to take that all away from you... because wherever you go, wherever you run too, there will always be someone who tries... and that's not destiny Clark Joseph Kent, that's life. Life is a challenge. Life is a fight! It's a fight against failure. It's a fight against being overwhelmed and wanting to give up. It's a fight against depression and everything in this world that hurts... and makes you just want to drop to your knees and cry... and hope that when you open your eyes, all the pain will just disappear. Well, that's not going to happen. It's not going to go away and it isn't fair. The difference is we have the power to fight back.
CLARK But, you don't understand. He's everywhere... How can I fight that? I'm alone here. I can't fight a war by myself. I'm only one person.
MARTHA
But you're not alone! Yes, you're from another world, but this is your home. But what you have to remember is that it's my home too.
PETE
And mine!
MARTHA
And it's home to a lot of other people too... and you can bet that none us are going anywhere without a fight. You may be the last son of Krypton, but here you're one of billions and we're all in this together... and we will fight this war together.
Clark hangs his head, letting his shoulders drop. He sits down on the bed, solemn and forlorn. Martha sits down next to him.
CLARK I can just see it all so clearly. Darkseid was right. It doesn't matter who wins and who loses. So what if I can beat him? How many people is he going to hurt before it's over? How many is he going to kill because of me? So what if I win if so many people have to suffer because of it? What's it going to cost? How many lives?
MARTHA
But what is it going to cost if you don't fight him at all?
CLARK He's going to hurt as many people as he needs too to get to me.
MARTHA
That's what evil does, Clark. It hurts people. You want to protect them. You want to protect everyone, but you can't... and you don't have too. But you do have to do what's right.
CLARK Be the best man that I can be, huh?
Clark remembers what his father told him on the porch the night he died.
CLARK That's my job now.
Clark closes his eyes, probably picturing his father's face. He opens his eyes.
CLARK
I have to stop it. I have to stop Darkseid... I just don't even know where to start.
Martha leans in and hugs Clark.
Meanwhile, something on top of one of the dressers catches Pete's eye, an old black and white photograph of a man in uniform. He walks over to it and reads the inscription on the golden frame. It reads: "Colonel John R. Kent". The date under the name reads "1943".
PETE
Well... you're going to war.
Clark and Martha look up at Pete. He walks over to them and hands them the photograph.
PETE
You're gonna need a uniform, soldier.
EXT. SMALLVILLE ROAD – DAY
Martha drives with Clark in the front seat and Pete in the back. They come to a stoplight where a large group of runners, wearing spandex running outfits, cross over a crosswalk in front of them.
The light turns green and Martha continues driving. Turning in the backseat, Pete watches the runners turn down another road from out of the rear window.
Pete leans forward from the backseat and points to an upcoming turn in the road.
PETE
Turn here.
MARTHA
What?
CLARK
The entrance to the mall is two blocks down.
PETE
We're not gonna find what you're looking for at the mall, Clark, unless you were planning on fighting Darkseid in an Old Navy performance fleece pullover.
EXT. ALL SEASONS SPORTING GOODS – DAY
The sign outside the sporting goods store reads in large red letters, "All Seasons Sporting Goods: Your #1 Source for Sporting Goods Year Round".
INT. ALL SEASONS SPORTING GOODS – SHOWROOM
Clark, Martha, and Pete browse through the sporting goods store, basically the equivalent of a Mid-Western version of The Sports Authority, when they are approached by an eerily cheerful saleswoman.
SALESWOMAN Good morning, and welcome to All Seasons Sporting Goods where we have your sporting goods needs for every season. How are ya? Can I help ya'll find anything, today?
CLARK
Um... Do you have any uniforms?
SALESWOMAN Uniforms? Why, yes, of course we do, sir. Which team specifically were you looking for?
CLARK
::confused:: Team?
SALESWOMAN
Mm hmm...
The saleswoman looks Clark up and down. He's wearing a blue t-shirt and dark denim jeans.
SALESPERSON
Judging by your affinity for blue, I'd say you're a Jayhawks fan. Well, today is your lucky day, sir . We're having a twenty-four hour blowout sale on all Kansas Jayhawks throwback jerseys and...
CLARK
No, that's not what I meant. I mean, do you have any...
Pete interrupts.
PETE
Do you have a track and field section?
SALESWOMAN Yes, sir, we most certainly do, right this way. If you'll just follow me...
The saleswoman steps between Clark and Pete and starts walking toward the back of the store. Clark shoots Pete a confused expression.
CLARK
Track and field?
PETE
You said yourself Darkseid's in every major city in the country, right? Well, last I checked you can't fly and half a dozen coffees a week at the Talon don't exactly rack up the frequent flier miles. That means you're going to be doing a lot of running.
The saleswoman escorts them to the track and field section. She motions in different directions as she points out the various sections.
SALESWOMAN Training equipment, footwear, outerwear, and accessories... Were you looking for anything specific?
PETE
Nah, we're just browsing.
SALESWOMAN
Very good. If you need any help, just give a shout, k?
She smiles brightly, tilting her head at an awkward angle. Pete forces himself to smile back.
PETE
K.
She gives them two thumbs up.
SALESWOMAN Awesome!
She heads off back towards the front of the store.
CLARK
Someone's been slipping the Prozac into the Cheerios.
PETE
All right. You're going to want something that's form fitting, but not too tight. You want to be able to move around in it, but it can't be too bulky either.
CLARK
I thought we were here looking for a uniform, not a costume.
MARTHA
You weren't exactly drafted into United States army, Clark.
PETE
Besides, you don't want to look like everybody else. The fact of the matter is you're not like everybody else. You're going to want to stand out.
Pete sifts through a rack of outerwear, removing a one piece jumpsuit. It's primarily purple, with pink stripes.
PETE
Ew... but not that much.
Pete sifts through the rack and pulls out one that's all black.
PETE
What about this?
CLARK ::shakes head:: Too dark. I'm not a serial killer.
Pete continues sifting through the rack and stops at one that's yellow with black stripes leading from the neck, over the shoulders, and down the arms. The pants are also black.
CLARK ::shakes head:: Too Star Trek...
Pete continues sifting and stops at one that's all red with a white circle on the chest.
PETE
What about this one?
CLARK ::shakes head:: Too flami...
Clark looks over his shoulder to see his mother standing right behind him.
CLARK Um...
She raises her eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest.
MARTHA
Too what?
Pete catches his meaning and moves on.
PETE
Okay, so red's not your color.
CLARK
No, I like red. It's just... not that much red.
Just for good measure, Martha slaps him in the back of the head.
CLARK
Ow.
PETE
That hurt?
CLARK
Kryptonite fingers. All mothers have them.
PETE
All right, fine.
Pete grabs about twenty running suits off the rack all at once and dumps them in Clark's arms.
PETE
The dressing room's over there. Try them on. Pick one that you like.
CLARK
Okay...
He starts to turn towards the dressing room, but stops.
CLARK
I'm going to be wearing something over this, right?
PETE
Like what?
CLARK
I don't know, body armor?
PETE
What do 'you' need body armor for?
CLARK
I don't know, I want to look cool.
PETE
Clark, you're six foot three, two hundred and fifteen pounds, black hair, blue eyes, muscles out to here, and can lift a car up over your head. I hate to break it to you, but you're just not going to get any cooler than that.
Clark shrugs and heads for the dressing room.
MARTHA
And remember, I can always do alterations, you know, if it's too tight in the crotch or something.
CLARK
::embarrassed:: Mom!
MARTHA
I'm just saying.
Clark takes the outfits to the dressing room and starts trying them on.
PETE
It's going to need more. He can't just be running around trying to save the world in a jogging suit. He's going to need something that says more, "I'm a man you don't want to mess with", as opposed to just some Lord of the Dance reject run amuck.
The two of them look around the showroom for inspiration. Something catches Martha's eye.
MARTHA
You know... Jonathan always used to say to me, there are only two things a man really needs in this world...
Pete looks at her.
MARTHA
... a woman and a good pair of boots.
Pete turns his attention to where Martha is looking. Above a section in the footwear department is a sign carved into the side of a tree trunk with an outdoorsy looking roughneck chopping down a tree. The sign reads: "Nothing Says Rugged Like a Pair of Timbers".
INT. ALL SEASONS SPORTING GOODS – DRESSING ROOM
Clark removes part of a black and silver striped running suit and throws it on the pile of suits on the bench in front of the mirror. He reaches for another to try on, a solid dark blue two piece, just in time to get hit in the head with four or five boxes of boots as they are tossed over the top of the dressing room door.
CLARK
Ow... Hey!
PETE (voice) Try those on.
INT. ALL SEASONS SPORTING GOODS – SHOWROOM
Martha and Pete stare at Clark, scrutinizing his choice carefully. It's a plain dark blue two piece that looks like a one piece, but it is separated at the mid-section. It fits snugly against his body, showing off his impressive physique.
CLARK Well, what do you think?
PETE
I would have gone with the black, personally.
MARTHA
You'll certainly stand out.
PETE That much is certain... It's so monotone.
CLARK Hey, I'm the one that's going to be wearing it and I like this one.
PETE
It's just so Tron.
Clark looks insulted.
CLARK Fine...
He starts back towards the dressing room.
CLARK
... I feel stupid in this thing anyway.
PETE
What's wrong with it?
Clark stops and looks back at Pete in shock that he would even ask such a question.
CLARK
It's spandex!
PETE
Hey, Warrior Angel wore spandex, the Gray Ghost, and don't forget Marvelous Man.
CLARK I'd prefer too.
MARTHA
Who's Marvelous Man?
PETE
He's...
CLARK
Nevermind!
PETE
Besides, it's not spandex, it's Zyflex. Look, there's nothing wrong with it. It just needs some work, that's all... maybe a cape.
CLARK
A cape?
MARTHA
A cape?
PETE
No cape?
Clark rolls his eyes.
Clark starts walking back to the dressing room, trying to keep the pants from riding down as he does.
CLARK
::mumbles:: How about something to keep these pants up?
PETE
A belt!
Clark turns back around.
CLARK
How am I going to put a belt around me, there aren't any belt loops.
MARTHA
I can fix that.
Pete looks around hurriedly. He grabs the first thing he can find off the shelf. It's a pair of red jock shorts, complete with interior jock support and belt loops. It does, however, have conspicuously short legs, making it look a little more like underwear than actual shorts.
PETE
What about these?
Martha takes them from Pete.
MARTHA
These are good. I can sew the two of them together at the hem line. Plus, it'll help to cover up your thing better. Those pants leave very little to the imagination.
Clark looks down, then covers up with his hands.
CLARK
::embarrassed:: Mom, please, you're killing me!
He runs back to the dressing room. Pete laughs a little under his breath.
MARTHA
What? They don't. He's still my little boy, you know. Well... maybe not so little anymore, but...
From inside the dressing room...
CLARK (voice) Mom!
MARTHA
Sorry.