Tag: Brainiac

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The planet Krypton was home to a scientifically advanced, human-like civilisation, but it was threatened a series of increasingly strong tremors which were shaking the entire world. Krypton was governed by a central Planetary Council, but most of its day-to-day administration was left to an intelligent computer network called Brainiac. It attributes the quakes to a polar shift in Krypton’s orbit, but the independent scientist Jor-El thinks otherwise. Jor-El conducts a five month study into Krypton’s geology and seismic activity. The last survey point is a deep shaft cut into the Krypton’s northern ice fields. He is so intent upon studying the data that he doesn’t notice an approaching ice creature, a 30-foot long semi-transparent amoeba like creature that had been awoken by a recent quake, until it snares him from behind. Jor-El manages to wrestle free from the creature and escapes in his personal flier.

Brainiac contacts Jor-El as soon as he returns to his mobile research base. The scientist is not comfortable that Brainiac is monitoring him so closely, but it protests that the Planetary Council has commanded it to analyse his data as soon as possible. It cuts off their conversation the moment the data is transmitted. Jor-El’s mood improves when his infant son, Kal-El, toddles into the laboratory. The sudden movement of the research base signals that their five month research trip is ending, but Jor-El’s wife, Lara, has mixed feelings. They’ll be back in capital city, but she knows that it means Jor-El will probably spend all his time analysing the data that they’ve collected.

Jor-El believes that the tremors are caused by a chain reaction in Krypton’s core that will eventually destroy the planet. His theories, however, are not widely supported. Lara’s father, Sul-van, is a member of the Planetary Council. He warns her that Jor-El’s predictions of “the end of the world” risks his scientific and political career. Their argument is interrupted by a strong tremor that causes extensive damage across the capital city. Later, in a tense and rowdy session, Jor-El delivers his report to the Planetary Council. They refuse to believe his evidence and blindly trust Brainiac’s conclusion. Jor-El argues that Brainiac is wrong and they must act now to place everybody in the Phantom Zone, but his proposals horrify the Council and they refuse to listen further. Even Sul-van agrees with his fellow Council members.

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