Scene 1: Superman's Growing Influence
The early morning light filtered through the clouds, casting the city in a pale, washed-out glow. High above, Superman hovered, his gaze sweeping across the skyline. From up here, the city seemed peaceful, almost serene. But he knew better. Beneath the surface, tension was building—unseen but palpable.
For days now, Superman had been tirelessly working to help the people of this world, saving lives, stopping crimes, and quietly making an impact where he could. But even though the people were beginning to take notice, the skepticism remained. It was as if they couldn't fully trust what they were seeing—couldn't believe that someone could do good simply because it was the right thing to do.
I'll keep going, Superman thought to himself, his resolve hardening. One life at a time.
Below him, a small group of people had gathered around a public screen, watching the latest news broadcast. Superman tuned his super-hearing to their conversation, curious about how the public was reacting to his presence.
On the screen, a news anchor was covering the events of the previous night—another daring rescue by Superman, who had saved dozens of people from a collapsing building after an explosion rocked the downtown area.
"…witnesses say Superman was on the scene within seconds, pulling people from the wreckage before emergency responders could even arrive," the anchor reported, her voice laced with a mix of awe and skepticism. "But the question remains—who is this mysterious hero? And why isn't he part of Vought's official roster?"
One of the people in the crowd, a middle-aged woman, shook her head as she watched the broadcast. "I don't know what to think," she muttered. "I mean, he's saving people, but why isn't he with The Seven? If he's really a hero, why doesn't Vought trust him?"
A man beside her, his face weathered and lined with years of cynicism, snorted. "Because he's probably got something to hide. No one does this stuff for free. Not in this world."
Superman sighed, his heart heavy with the weight of their words. He understood their doubt—Vought had spent years conditioning the public to see heroes as commodities, tools to be used and controlled. The idea of a hero operating outside of Vought's influence was foreign to them, almost unthinkable.
But Superman wasn't deterred. He knew that change took time, especially in a world as broken as this one. He would continue to do what he had always done—help people, no matter the cost. Eventually, they would see the truth.
I'm not doing this for recognition, Superman thought as he turned away from the city below. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do.
Just as he was about to fly off to continue his patrol, a new sound reached his ears—faint at first, but quickly growing louder. It was a series of hurried footsteps, frantic and panicked. Superman focused his super-hearing on the source, filtering out the ambient noise of the city until he pinpointed the location: a narrow alley several blocks away.
Without a moment's hesitation, Superman sped toward the sound, his body moving faster than the human eye could track. Within seconds, he arrived at the alley, landing softly on the ground.
What he saw made his heart sink.
A young boy, no older than twelve, was crouched in the corner of the alley, his arms wrapped protectively around his younger sister. Towering over them were two men, both armed with knives, their faces twisted into sneers.
"Hand over your bag," one of the men growled, pointing the knife at the boy. "Or things are gonna get real ugly."
The boy's eyes were wide with fear, but he held his ground, shielding his sister with his body. "Leave us alone!" he cried, his voice trembling.
Superman didn't hesitate. In an instant, he was between the children and their attackers, his cape billowing behind him as he stood tall, his arms crossed over his chest.
"That's enough," Superman said, his voice calm but commanding. "Walk away. Now."
The two men froze, their eyes widening as they took in the sight of Superman standing before them. For a moment, they hesitated, as if weighing their options. But the decision was made for them when Superman stepped forward, his gaze locking onto theirs.
Without another word, the men turned and fled, disappearing down the alley as fast as their legs could carry them.
Superman turned to the children, his expression softening. "Are you two okay?"
The boy nodded, though his hands were still trembling as he clutched his sister's hand. "Y-Yeah… thanks."
Superman knelt down to their level, offering them a reassuring smile. "You're safe now. No one's going to hurt you."
The younger girl, who had been silent until now, looked up at Superman with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Are you one of the good guys?" she asked, her voice small and uncertain.
Superman's heart tightened at the question. In a world like this, even children didn't know who to trust anymore. But he nodded, his smile unwavering.
"Yes," he said softly. "I'm one of the good guys."
Scene 2: Vought's Next Move
The boardroom of Vought Tower was eerily quiet, the tension palpable as the executives gathered around the long table. Madelyn Stillwell sat at the head of the table, her sharp eyes scanning the room as she waited for the latest reports to come in. The mood in the room was grim—Superman's influence was growing, and despite Vought's best efforts, the public was starting to take notice.
"Let's hear it," Stillwell said, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
Ashley Barrett, Vought's PR director, shifted nervously in her seat as she pulled up the latest data on her tablet. "The situation is… complicated," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "Superman's been making a lot of high-profile rescues lately, and the public is starting to ask questions. They want to know why he's not part of The Seven, why he's not under Vought's control."
Stillwell's expression darkened. "And what's the general sentiment?"
Ashley hesitated before responding. "It's mixed. There are still plenty of people who are suspicious of him—people who don't trust a supe that's not part of the system. But there's a growing number of people who… admire him."
The room fell into a heavy silence as the weight of Ashley's words sank in. Admiration was dangerous—more dangerous than distrust. It meant that people were beginning to believe in Superman, beginning to see him as something more than just a rogue supe. And if that belief spread, Vought's control over the narrative would start to slip.
Stillwell's eyes narrowed as she leaned back in her chair. "That's unacceptable," she said coldly. "We can't let people start believing in him. We need to ramp up the campaign—double down on the messaging. Make it clear that Superman is dangerous, that he's operating without oversight. We need to sow doubt. Make them afraid."
One of the senior executives, a man with graying hair and a permanent scowl, cleared his throat. "What about Homelander? He's not exactly pleased with the situation. If we push too hard, he might take matters into his own hands."
Stillwell's lips curled into a tight smile. "That's exactly what we need him to do."
The executives exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what Stillwell was planning.
"Let Homelander get involved," she continued, her voice calm and measured. "Let him go after Superman. The public loves conflict, and when they see two supes going head-to-head, they'll eat it up. We'll make sure Superman looks like the aggressor, and Homelander will come out on top."
Ashley looked hesitant. "But what if Superman doesn't take the bait? He's different from the others. He doesn't seem interested in fame or attention."
Stillwell's smile widened. "Then we'll force his hand. We'll stage an incident—something big, something that forces Superman to act. And when he does, we'll make sure it looks like he's overstepping his bounds."
The room buzzed with quiet murmurs as the executives processed Stillwell's plan. It was risky, but Vought had built an empire on risk. They had always managed to stay ahead of the game, controlling the narrative and shaping public perception to suit their needs.
And Superman was no different. He would fall, just like all the others.
