Original subtitles

[instrumental music]

It's funny, Timber Wolf.

I always pictured Superman's

Artic Fortress of Solitude differently.

- What? More ice? - No.

'Fewer killer robots.'

[grunts]

Roar roar

roar

[dramatic music]

Zap zap zap

So what do you have in there that Imperiex wants so badly?

Don't know. The Fortress is a thousand years old to you.

But I remember building it six months ago.

I barely had time to stock the fridge.

And the less you know, the better.

The Fortress houses mementos for many of your

yet-to-be-had adventures.

To find out about the now could affect your future.

Boom

[grunts]

Zap zap

[rumbling]

[grunting]

Okay. So either they teleported away

or they're playing hide and seek.

[crackling]

Zap

I'm going with A, teleported.

[man gasps]

- He's back. - It's him. Wow!

It's sure been a long time since you've been back to Kandor.

Did you say Kandor?

That was the capital of Krypton.

[instrumental music]

Tell us you've at last returned to fulfil your ancient promise.

- Promise? - Yes.

Your promise to restore this city

from our bottled imprisonment.

[intense music]

[theme music]

[music continues]

[wind whooshing]

They did come in here, right?

That you, Sups?

I am not the master.

Merely the robot the master built for the Fortress' upkeep.

This place is seriously wacky.

If you're looking for the master

I'm afraid he went to Kandor.

Is he talking about the model?

That's no model.

It's an actual Kryptonian city that's been shrunk.

Currently home to two million

three hundred and sixty nine thousand

four hundred and three miniaturized Kryptonians.

Yup! Seriously wacky.

Got to say, uh, I'm drawing a blank on this promise.

Refresh my memory?

You act like you've never

been to Kandor before.

Actually, I haven't.

Well, maybe I have, but not me

uh, future me, in the past.

Uh, any of you follow this?

[crowd screaming]

- 'No!' - 'Run!'

Tell me where I can find The Messenger.

- I will not ask twice. - I don't know.

But a map to The Messenger

is said to reside in the chancellery.

(Superman) 'Imperiex!'

Who's this Messenger and why do you want him?

It's ironic that after downloading the Legion database

I know more about your beloved city than you.

How do you expect to defeat me at such a disadvantage?

With my fists!

[grunts] Ow!

Without a yellow sun you are as powerless

'as the rest of your brothers in here.'

Then all I have is my flight ring.

[grunts]

Thud

[groans]

So how do we get in?

The master used this to shrink and teleport himself in.

But he entered in such a rush

he forgot his power suit.

Would you mind?

Well, what are we waiting for?

[instrumental music]

- Will you be joining them? - You just beam me in.

I'll handle the shrinking part myself, Jeeves.

[pulsating]

[crackling]

Weird. I don't feel small.

Uh-h-h!

Now I feel small.

Oh, the teleporter must have affected my powers.

[barking]

[whining]

[grunts]

Hey.

Glad you guys caught up.

And now that you have we got to move.

Imperiex is after some Messenger.

- The Messenger. - Then you know who that is?

Look, Brainy, if we're gonna stop Imperiex

you can't keep holding back information.

First of all, The Messenger isn't a who.

It's a what.

(Brainiac 5) When your father Jor-El

realized Krypton had become unstable

he created The Messenger.

A device that held the planet together

by reprogramming matter into fresh, strong crystal.

It was housed in Kandor, and it worked

until the one the Kandorians called The Terror arrived.

The Terror shrunk the city and removed it from Krypton

along with The Messenger..

Dooming Krypton to its terrible fate.

Boom

So then, why is Imperiex after The Messenger?

To use it as a weapon against those who stand in his way.

With its full powers unleashed

he could turn the planets of his enemies

into barren, lifeless balls of crystal.

What do we know about this Terror

that put Kandor in a bottle in the first place?

Uh, certain information about Kandorian history

was lost in the great crisis.

Boom

[intense music]

I brought you a change.

A power suit. You're the best, Brainy.

Where is the map to The Messenger?

I will never tell you.

Perhaps when they've seen you fall

someone else will answer the question.

Is it multiple choice?

[grunts]

[dramatic music]

Thud thud

zap

[grunts]

[grunts] Huh?

Ow!

- 'I will take that.' - Ooh!

The map.

We have what we came for.

Boom

[rumbling]

[all screaming]

[dramatic music]

Thud

You saved us. Thank you.

- Oh! - No! It can't be.

(female ♫1) 'It has the mark of The Terror.'

[indistinct chattering]

"Mark of The Terror?"

Are they talking about your face?

He has the same marking as the villain

who shrunk us and destroyed Krypton.

That has to be some kind of coincidence.

Those people seem to think you have a connection

to The Terror.

Is there something you're not telling me?

Come on, Superman.

You're not suggesting Brainy is The Terror, are you?

Vi is right. That wasn't me.

It was my ancestor. Brainiac 1.0.

Wait. Your great-great-granddad destroyed Krypton?

Why didn't you ever tell me this before?

Because it could affect your future.

And I was afraid to.

I was afraid of how you would react.

Then all those secrets you kept from me.

That wasn't for my benefit. It was for yours!

That's not true.

I was also trying to protect you

from your own overconfidence.

- The promise. - Yes.

The one you made to the Kandorians years ago.

The promise that you would not rest

until you reversed my ancestor's shrinking technology.

Well, look around. You failed.

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

- Are you okay? - Fine.

I'm just checking to see if I caught a glimpse of the map.

Look, Superman had a chance to cool down.

He knows you're nothing like that original Brainiac.

[sighs]

But what if I am?

All my life I've tried to hide from his legacy

afraid that one day it could overwhelm me.

I feel trapped like I can't escape it.

We all have to eventually face our pasts.

I bet if you do, you'll only come out stronger.

[beeping]

There! The Kandorian temple.

'That's where The Messenger is.'

[dramatic music]

- Where is The Messenger? - Relax, big guy.

We'll help you find it.

[crackling]

Zap zap

Any guess where The Messenger might be hidden?

The Messenger is supposed to stabilize the ground.

I calculate a 92% chance it isn't in the temple.

It's under it.

Thud

zap zap

[growls]

[rumbling]

Wha.. Why is the tunnel attacking us?

It's The Messenger.

It's programmed to constantly form new crystal.

We must be near.

[grunts]

[grunting]

Zap

thud

[grunts]

(Superman) 'The suit's been damaged.'

[dramatic music]

Thud

zap

thud

[all grunting]

Take care of these four. I'll attend to the other two.

Zap

[music continues]

Creak

[instrumental music]

(Superman) There it is. The Messenger.

Attention, Superman!

'Bring The Messenger to me by day's end.'

Or a price will be paid for your defiance.

'Starting with your friends.'

[all grunting]

We can't hand over The Messenger.

But your suit.. You have no superpowers.

If we keep fighting, Imperiex's forces

will most likely prevail.

Then what's your plan B?

I believe our best option to prevent Imperiex

from obtaining The Messenger is to destroy it.

And sacrifice Kandor?

For a much greater good? Yes.

And we might still rescue our friends and evacuate

a percentage of Kandor's population

before the city crumbles.

Your ancestor destroyed most of Krypton

and now you're ready to finish the job.

You're just taking your frustration out on me

because despite your promise you never found a way to beat

my ancestor's tenth level technology.

Well, this time things are going to be different.

I'm going to save Kandor.

You can do whatever it is Brainiacs do

when they're not shrinking cities.

The Messenger. I'm going to face Imperiex.

If I don't come back

you'll have to decide what to do with it.

I'm sorry.

It looks like I failed to save Kandor.

Then and now.

Failed? But you've already saved us in more ways

than you can imagine.

You see, when you first came here just a few decades

after the city had been imprisoned

Kandor was in chaos.

It was your example, your leadership

that gave them hope.

Since then the city has flourished

'despite our shortcomings.'

You stood behind our ancestors then

we are ready to stand behind you now.

You can't blame me for hiding from your legacy.

You're The Terror of Kandor.

Even now I'm paying for your crimes.

But I won't let you define who I am

even if you may be a part of me.

A part of me.

You are a part of me.

Along with all your knowledge.

[dramatic music]

Take me to 1.0.

(automated message) 'Warning! The 1.0 subroutine is in lockdown and off-limits.'

'Bypassing this firewall may expose current systems'

'to malicious code. Please choose again.'

Override command protocol.

Give me access to 1.0 now!

[music continues]

Welcome, Brainiac 5.

I have been expecting you.

I've watched you since you came online.

Here is the information you seek.

This is a mistake.

This is an upgrade.

The information you hold will open for you

new avenues of possibility.

The choice is yours.

[instrumental music]

Their time is up.

Validus, what toy would you like to break first?

(Superman) 'Release them, Imperiex.'

[dramatic music]

I see Kandorian rabble

but I don't see The Messenger.

Here's your message.

Leave now and never come back.

A last stand.

How charmingly pointless.

What he said may be true. You sure about this?

I say it's time we stop listening to tales of heroes

and started living them!

[Kandorians screaming]

Zap

[grunting]

Give me The Messenger and I shall end this swiftly.

Otherwise you can watch every last Kandorian

perish beneath my heel.

(Brainiac 5) Since you want him to watch, let's turn up the lights.

Zap

[instrumental music]

Even with your powers back you are still outnumbered.

Better check your math.

I asked myself

if a yellow sun gives Superman his power

'imagine what its rays can do'

'to an entire city of Kryptonians?'

[instrumental music]

[dog growls]

[screams]

Thud

zap

thud

Why don't you pick on someone your own size?

Ha ha! I always wanted to say that.

[grunting]

Thud

Perhaps it would be wisest if we teleported

back to our ship now.

I suggest we worry about unshrinking ourselves

when there isn't an army of Superman burying down on us.

Zap

[all cheering]

So how'd you do it?

I... tapped into a part of myself I'd been afraid of.

Not the look of a man who just kicked major bad-guy butt.

I just wish I'd kept my promise.

Well, if you enjoyed the opening act

you'll love my main event.

(Superman) 'Here it is. The remains of Krypton.'

Well, here's hoping this works.

Thud

[intense music]

[instrumental music]

Hiss

Ready when you are, Brainy!

Zap

[instrumental music]

(Superman) Thank you, chancellor.

We'll be by for a nice, long visit

just as soon as we can.

Couldn't have done it without you, Brainy.

I am sorry, Superman.

Forget it. I'm the one who should apologize.

Whatever your ancestor did, you're nothing like him.

I mean, I'm sorry I have to do this.

Swoosh

[grunts] Weird.

I just blanked. What was I saying?

Uh, you were telling us about Kansas farm days.

(Chameleon Boy) No one tells a cow-milking story like you do, Superman.

Uh, thanks.

I, uh... think I'm gonna go lie down.

We really had to erase his memory?

Superman can't remember any of this.

The temptation to use what he learned here

to fix Kandor in his own time would be too great.

The time stream must be protected.

I'm happy for you, Brainy.

You faced up to your past.

And I bet anything, you're stronger for it.

You know something?

I think you're right.

[theme music]