General Zod quotes from Krypton

General Zod

[to Lyta] You made me work for this when I just a boy. Then you put it on me, and you said, we kneel for no one.

General Zod

We will seek out civilizations beyond our system, and we will conquer them! If they submit peacefully, they will fall under my protection, and shall never know fear again. But if they do not, then like the recalcitrant leaders of Krypton's other city-states we see before us, eventually they will all KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!

General Zod

[to Seg-El] You're not willing to sacrifice the life of one man to save millions? What if one of those millions of lives was your own, hmm? The reason is took so long for me to figure out that you were my father, was that my mother never told me very much of you. She was too grief-stricken. All she ever said that you were lost in the bottling of Kandor.

General Zod

[to Brainiac] You can have the universe, as long as I have Krypton.

Seg-El

So this is what you do. Just kill anyone you think is in your way.

General Zod

No. I kill who I know is in my way. Our existence is at stake, and if you fail to understand that, then you're just another idealistic El without the stones to effect real change.

Seg-El

Another? You knew my grandfather?

General Zod

My history with your family is complicated. But it doesn't have to be that way any longer. The choice is simple, Seg. You help me find that Sentry, and together we can protect the future of Krypton.

Seg-El

Well, that sounds good in theory. But I have no way knowing if you will keep you're gonna keep your word.

General Zod

You're right. How can I prove that I am honorable?

Seg-El

Breaking a prisoner out of Fort Rozz would be a start.

Seg-El

What was that thing? What did you do to me?

General Zod

Nothing to cause permanent damage.

Seg-El

If you're gonna torture me, asshole, at least ask me some questions.

General Zod

You endured a test, not torture.

Seg-El

Oh, a test. Good. Thanks for explaining. I feel so much less tortured now.

General Zod

If Black Zero knew about Brainiac, do you think they'd be wasting time battling that six-faced liar and his unraveling theocracy?

Seg-El

So you're on your own?

General Zod

Black Zero initially provided me with some manpower. And some very useful resources. But my men follow my orders. And my orders serve Kandor.

Seg-El

Of course. You know, I hate to be you when Black Zero find out they're being used.

General Zod

Black Zero is of no concern. Krypton's survival is. And to protect it from Braniac, I need to know what his Sentry was doing in that communications hub.

Seg-El

She was uploading data to Brainiac. We tried to stop her, but she too far along.

General Zod

I thought we had more time. After it uploaded the data, what happened to the Sentry? Did you destroy it, or did it go dormant?

Seg-El

Hey, that it is a she, and her name is Rhom. And I'm not answering any more of your questions, and you...

General Zod

Is it still alive?

Seg-El

I don't give up my friends.

General Zod

That Sentry's not your friend. Not anymore, and if it's still alive, then it didn't complete its mission.

Seg-El

No, I told you. She uploaded the data to Brainiac.

General Zod

That was just a part of it. A Sentry will seek to infect a more useful, powerful host, after which it is disconnected and shut down. If I can tear it open, access its memory nodes...

Seg-El

Hey, no one's tearing anyone open, you son of a bitch. She's still alive.

General Zod

There has to be a way in. I know if we work together, we can find it.

Seg-El

[noticing something] I think you might be more right than you realize. I can't believe I didn't see it before. Doesn't that symbol look familiar to you? It's the El and Zod sigils superimposed on each other. I think our famiies put this vault here. Raika... Raika said that because I'm an El, I have the power to destroy everything.

General Zod

And the power to open the vault.

Adam Strange

Seg, I know how this sounds, but please. This is a key moment in history. Things need to unfold the way that they originally did. Okay, any changes could set off history in some new and crazy way, and something huge, like stopping Brainiac, that could ruin everything.

Seg-El

By everything, you mean my grandson. Your obsession. Tell me, how is it that my world goes extinct, but he ends up on yours?

Adam Strange

He was sent off just before this planet explodes. That's why he's called the Last Son of Krypton. I don't have all the answers here. I admit it. I guess if... if Brainiac doesn't take Kandor, if Krypton doesn't explode, then anything can happen. And maybe Kal-El will exist. Maybe he won't. But what I do know is that is a risk we cannot afford to take.

General Zod

One might argue that millions of lives on Krypton are more important than one immature survivor on Earth.

Adam Strange

And one might argue how many times Superman saves the universe, if you want to count numbers.

Seg-El

Forget the numbers! I care about my world. My friends. What's the point of any of it? Or making the world a better place? Of having children? Of protecting our loved ones? If it all just ends in fire and death? Everything that we are. Everything we've built. You're asking me to sacrifice all of it. For an idea. An abstraction. A future if.

It's amazing to see you like this.

Lyta-Zod

Happy?

Happy, open. Smiling. What I remember most about you was how heavy the loss of Kandor weighed on your heart. You didn't like to talk about it, but I learned that you were in one of the military vessels attacking Brainiac's ship when he ripped the city from the ground. You never forget your failure to defend the city. It made you bitter.

Lyta-Zod

I guess you're saying I'm not a perfect mother.

Maybe, but you taught me to put the defense of this world above all else. You fashioned me into a weapon. I take pride in that.

According to the archive, we find that symbol, we find the weapon.

Lyta-Zod

It looks like a house sigil.

It doesn't match any house currently on Krypton. [Seg takes it back] You recognize it. All you have to do is take me there.

Adam Strange

Seg, you can't...

Seg-El

Shut up. You'll have your turn. The people who live down here, the Cythonnites. This weapon is what they're sworn to protect, isn't it?

Yes, and they will guard it with their lives. Because that is how powerful it is. Which is why we need it.

Lyta-Zod

Where did you get those? They're military-grade explosives.

Perks of using Black Zero.

Adam Strange

This sorry bastard has traveled back through time to get here. I don't know how, but it's not hard to see why. He's obviously working with Braniac to destroy Krypton.

General Zod

Why would I destroy our world? I'm here to save Krypton.

Adam Strange

Oh, so it's just a coincidence you're here the same time as Brainiac?

General Zod

Of course not. History tells us this when that creature ripped Kandor City away from the planet and made it part of his collection. I'm here to prevent that tragedy.

Seg-El

I'm confused, you're saying that Brainiac isn't from the future?

General Zod

That's exactly what I'm saying. Brainiac didn't travel through time to launch his attack. This is what he's always done.

Adam Strange

No, that... That can't be right.

General Zod

It's elementary Kryptonian history. The beginning of the end for our civilization. Brainiac takes Kandor City, which destabilizes Krypton's core. Causing the planet to explode in 200 years.

Seg-El

The planet explodes in 200 years? That, that, that's insane.

Adam Strange

He's here to destroy Krypton, and make sure Superman is never born.

No Zod would ever destroy Krypton. It's our duty to defend our city, and our world.

Lyta-Zod

Our duty, and...

Our proud privilege.

Adam Strange

Oh, this is some grade-A, premium bullshit.

General Zod

Come now, you're obviously not built for this. You're only resting that weapon on my chest to stop your hands from shaking.

Adam Strange

Go on, say one more word. And you'll see exactly what I'm built for.