Superman: The Man of Steel

Scene 12 - Kryptonite!

INT. LEXCORP LABORATORY, EVENING.

Cut to the same LexCorp laboratory as before - with multiple scientists seen across the room working on cutting-edge technology and weaponry to be sold to the military and other high-ranking buyers. Lex, Corben, and General Lane can be seen walking through the lab, with Corben especially admiring all the shiny new toys. General Lane walks up to Lex, seeming impatient to know what Lex called him in for.

GENERAL LANE

OK, enough with the razzle-dazzle, Luthor - why did you call me here? You really think you can find a way to stop this...Superman?

LEX LUTHOR

I can do more than stop him, general - I believe I can kill him...if necessary, of course.

GENERAL LANE

You're really sure about that? Every report I've seen says he has a host of superhuman powers. The man's damn near invulnerable.

LEX LUTHOR

Oh, he's no man, general - he's an extraterrestrial, from some backwater planet in another galaxy. 

(turns towards a table with various gadgets on it) 

But, according to the ultimate scientific authority on the planet - that being me - his powers can be negated, even turned against him by...certain elements.

Lex leads the general and Corben over to a trapdoor in the middle of the room. He nods to Mercy, who is seen pulling a lever on the side of the room. The trapdoor opens, and a large table covered in glowing green rocks is raised up from the floor. Lex looks positively giddy as he displays the green rocks to the puzzled general and Corben.

LEX LUTHOR

I've done my homework on our strange visitor from another planet. If your daughter's article is to be believed, fragments of this...Krypton must have been shot out into space by the explosion that destroyed it. It's reasonable to assume some of the debris landed here on Earth...hence my little collection here.

GENERAL LANE

Your point, Luthor?

Lex paces back and forth next to the table, admiring his green rocks with an almost mesmerized gaze.

LEX LUTHOR

I've collected these meteorites from several showers over the past few decades - and according to my calculations, each of them originated from the exact same coordinates in space! Assuming that the meteorites are as tough as he is, combined with high levels of radiation - to someone from Krypton, even a tiny chunk of these rocks can be lethal!

General Lane and Corben start to look at the rocks with increasing interest...maybe Luthor, crazy as he sounds, might be onto something. However, Lex steps between them and the rocks.

LEX LUTHOR

I wouldn't get too close if I were you, gentlemen...it's way slower than plutonium, but these babies are still radioactive.

(taps his head)

How do you think this happened?

The general and Corben continue to observe the rocks...keeping a safe distance, of course.

JOHN CORBEN

How do you know he won't just shrug it off?

LEX LUTHOR