Superflash:Collison Course (Volume 2)

Chapter 2: Remanants

As Barry and Kara were taking the Kryptonian pod to the D.E.O., they were unaware that another ship had entered Earth’s atmosphere. This vessel had severe hull integrity damage and broke apart into four smaller pods, each crashing into different locations around the planet. Three of the pods impacted so hard that they buried themselves deep underground, their occupants remaining in a state of hyper-sleep. The fourth pod, while it too suffered a violent crash, appeared over a rural farming town.

A farmer on his way back from his fields saw the streak of fire in the sky just before it hit his truck, destroying the vehicle in a massive explosion. He had barely managed to escape the vehicle, landing in the wheat fields. What he saw next defied explanation as a woman with blood red hair emerged from the wreckage. He passed out shortly after, and his story would become a tale over many beers at the bar nearest his home.

Billions of years before the births of Kal-El and Kara, the planet Krypton was a violent world, inhabited by only a few scientists who were forced to remain in their vessel as the very environment of the planet was fatal to humanoids. Among them was an off-world alien by the name of Bertron. He had been one of the top minds in the universe and the natives of the planet had sought him out to help tame their world.

None of them could have known when he came to answer their call that his plans had far more dangerous ramifications. Bertron had set out to create the ultimate life-form. For several years he and the rest of the scientists cloned a baby, sending it out into the world. Each time the baby was destroyed and the process would begin again. Forty years later, the baby had evolved into the creation Bertron had envisioned.

But this evolution came with a price. The creature, now being referred to as the Ultimate, remembered each instance where he met his death. Enraged, he killed all of the native life forms before turning his attention to the scientists themselves. With nothing to keep him on the planet, the creature escaped by means of a supply ship that Bertron had kept in contact with, as he despised the locals and wished to have as little contact with them as possible outside of their experimentation. Years passed and the experiment known as the Ultimate faded into legend until he was forgotten completely. Krypton flourished and became a scientific haven.

During what would become known as the Golden Age of Krypton, the Science Council learned of past genetic experimentation and ordered their most respected members to form the guild that would restart these tests. Jor-El and Zor-El were the first two of many to follow. While Jor-El saw practicality in the genetic engineering and all the benefits it could provide, Zor-El was heavily influenced by the military guild to create weapons. The High Council of Krypton had grown into an attitude of extreme isolationism. They felt that the outside universe had no need for their scientific advancements which led to many wars. Apokolips, Thanagar, and Colu sent warriors to Krypton, leading to the decimation of many cities.

These attacks furthered the decision to create genetically modified warriors, a call to arms spearheaded by General Zod whom had fought valiantly to protect Kandor against Braniac and his Coluan army. The calls were listened to by the High Council, and Zor-El and his team were forced to cooperate. Five aliens of varying species were taken, most of which were criminals that had attacked Kryptonian ships that had left the planet. These five were tested on and turned into what the military guild dubbed Worldkillers. With promises of their sentences being commuted; they fought to protect Krypton, but soon realized that it was only a matter of time before an army came that would prove to be more than they could handle.

Twelve years had passed as the Worldkillers along with Zod’s army had kept Krypton safe. Kara had been born during those years of peace and Zor-El realized he didn’t want his daughter to grow up knowing only war. When Kal-El was born, his arrival brought the two brothers back together after years estranged. Jor-El had thought his brother was participating in the experimentation voluntarily as Zod only showed his altruistic side in public.