Chapter Text
In the vast void of space, many planets orbiting stars bear life. All with such vastly different societies that to comprehend them all at once may be overwhelming. One of these planets is Krypton, a glowing utopia of what society should ideally look like on the surface, but the surface is never the full image. Krypton, like many planets before it, like many will be after it, is dying. Scientists had warned of the planet dying, and that the tremors felt throughout Krypton were death rattles before it finally gave in. While most scientists had been fighting to find a means of countering this, to save their planet, one scientist had other worries before him.
Walking through the chaotic streets of one of the former metropolitan cities was a man wearing a flowing white robe, marked by golden padding. Etched in this flowing uniform’s chest was a geometric symbol, it vaguely represented what on earth is referred to as an “S”. This symbol was a Kryptonian emblem representing hope. It was the symbol of the house of El. The man’s short black hair was peppered with white markings, his golden eyes showed the sheer exhaustion in his body.
Jor-El, a brilliant scientist from the house of El, had returned home to an empty home, a robotic maid wearing the illusion of his wife caring for the child lying in a small pod floating aimlessly about. Most of Krypton believes him mad for saying they must abandon this planet, though one person believed him. Despite how awful the thought is as he looks at the robot mimicking his wife, he just wished that she had taken their baby with her. Kryptonian society is far from perfect, and as Jor-El makes his way towards a back room to work on his latest invention, he prays whatever planet Kal-El finds himself in, it won’t be doomed to the nothingness Krypton is doomed for, as a leeched planet.
As Jor-El sits in his workshop, creating the last of his great works, he would look out the window to the red sun above them. It had gone from a gleaming symbol of warmth, to a reminder of the impending doom. Perhaps the gravity of Krypton had shackled them down as they floated so close to the sun, and perhaps somewhere, there is a sun that will give warmth and life to his child, a warmth that could not be felt here on Krypton. The ship was already made, there was only so much time before the certain doom of this planet, of Kal-El's first home. Jor-El quietly picks up Kal-El from his crib, the robotic servant buzzing out of life as Kal-El makes small whines and reaches for Jor-El. The scientist had gently placed his son within the cushioned pod, wrapping him in a red blanket bearing the mark of House El.
“My son. There’s nothing left for Krypton now. I have nothing to give other than this small ship, and a blanket.” Jor-El's deep voice lulls Kal-El to sleep as he rocks him gently, though a quiver could be heard. “I hope that somewhere out there, you can find a world more loving. A world that will accept you as its son. And I pray that perhaps somewhere, you can live, thrive. Survive for Krypton. Believe this. Your mother. Your father. Loved you. And whatever creatures claim you as their child. I only pray that they love you more.”
Jor-El quietly seals the ship, holding his hand against the glass looking at his sleeping child. His heart burns to hold his son once more. But he cannot wait. As he reaches to touch the button to send off the ship, he heard the whirring of the mechanical servant behind him sparking back to life. Jor-El turned and saw the machine begin to glow with an eerie purple light, the illusory projector simply projecting three dots as it suddenly charges him. Jor-El knows not what this creation is, but he slams the button down before turning to plant his fist against the maddened machine. Kal-El’s ship soars high into the sky, before eventually blinking out of existence. Krypton’s last son had escaped the planet’s utter doom.
Far from Krypton, far from the three-eyed monster that orchestrated the destruction of an entire planet, there is a small, relatively underdeveloped planet orbiting around a yellow sun, though where we’re going is currently under night, and the pouring rain. In the countryside, bordering Smallville, a small blue house is sat, surrounded by farmland. Martha Kent was sitting and waiting for her husband to come home. She had to make a run to the doctor, and Jonathan’s been busy all day. The news is far from good. As Jonathan enters the small building, he slips off a yellow raincoat and sighs. Limping in, he sits down on a small red chair as Martha remains silently sitting.
Martha remained silently waiting for Jonathan to relax. Her golden hair in loose curls that go just a little beyond her shoulders. She was at the time wearing a purple sweater and a pair of beige pants that are worn from her frequent tending to the animals. Her baby blue eyes trying to hide the pain of what the doctor told her. Jonathan stands taller than Martha, though collapsed on the chair he seems far smaller. His face was marked with a 5 o'clock shadow, and his deep brown hair cut to keep dirt out of it. His green button-up was covered in mud, despite using the raincoat. His blue jeans were worn, and his heavy brown boots would’ve tracked in mud if he hadn’t kicked them off at the door.
“Wonderful weather, huh?” Jonathan quietly jokes to lighten the mood, then he sees the expression on Martha’s face.
Without a second thought, or a second word, Jonathan leans over. Placing his hand gently on Martha’s knee. He could see hiding pain as she tries to fake a smile. The smile on his face however melted at the sight of his wife so in pain.
“John. I went to the doctor. They gave me a scan. I can’t…” Martha stumbles as she tries to find the way to word it. “I’m barren.”
Jonathan gently falls from the chair, moving on his knees to hug onto Martha. The two of them had hoped to have a little bundle of joy, to raise a child, or maybe two. They were even considering three kids. Those thoughts were to be pushed aside for the time being by one of these two. Jonathan kept a tight hold on Martha as she clings to him. Sobbing as she feels denied the family she dreamed of.
“We can… We can adopt love. There are so many children needing loving parents.” Jonathan stumbles, trying to comfort her. “We could be that for them.”
“We’d never be allowed to adopt.” Matha mutters out. “They’d see a couple of smallville hicks. They’d think we’re just trying to use the children.”
Jonathan tries to think of something, trying to find words. Trying to think of anything to say, to do to make the hurting stop. He simply holds onto her as she sobs into him. The two of them were basically made for each other, they completed each other so rightly, facing adversity and the denial of both of their families. And now here they are, facing an even greater adversity, one that seems insurmountable. As the two hold each other as rain pours down on their tiny home, a thunderous crash is heard just outside the back porch. This sudden sound shakes the entire building. It caused Jonathan to stand in shock.
The back porch light turned on, and Jonathan could see a strange white cylinder, with blue glows coming from around it. A golden mark on the sides that vaguely resembled an S. Jonathan slowly slips on his raincoat as Martha stands, shaken and still suffering from the news she received. It looked to be a new possible adversity coming their way. Perhaps it fell out of a WayneIndustries plane flying overhead. Jonathan slowly approaches the strange structure and places a hand on the darkened glass, rubbing off condensation to see what is inside. This however activates the machine, and causes the glass to slide away and reveal a baby inside.
The child inside was wearing a white and gold onesie, the S mark bore onto the front. Small black hairs coming from the child’s head as he lay sleeping. The baby was also loosely wrapped in a red blanket. Jonathan stares in complete shock. He was expecting a number of things to be in this, but a baby? Was this a sign from above? Or was this all merely coincidence.
“Martha. There’s… There’s a baby in here!” Jonathan shouts back to his wife.
“What?!” Martha shouted as she decided to run down into the rain, hurriedly moving in to look down at the child, and shield it from the weather. “Well I’ll be… Its a little baby alright. What was a baby doing in this… This thing?”
“Let’s take him inside.” Jonathan said quietly as Martha nodded along.
Jonathan acting as a sort of umbrella for the baby, Martha wraps it up in the red blanket. The two walk back inside and look down at the child. So many thoughts ran through both of their heads on what this could be. Jonathan however figured one thing, he’d need to hide that machine. If the government knows about this, who knows what they’d do to him. This is just a boy after all. Jonathan steps back out towards the door.
“Johnny. What should we name him?” Martha questions as she holds the baby.
“I… How about… Clark?” Jonathan suggests.
“Clark. What a wonderful name. My little Clark…” Martha says happily through tears. “It’s like heaven dropped you down.”
Years would pass by, and Clark grew into an upstanding young man. Every day making his parents more proud than the day before. He always did his best in school, often being tutored by his parents in creative ways. One place he always seemed to excel at was gym, no matter what, Clark was always the best when it came to physical fitness. Everyone chalked it up to the fact he’s a farm boy who's constantly keeping himself busy. This all would end up becoming rumors after one fateful day.
Little do they know, little do any of them know, this boy was not simply Clark Kent, he was also Kal-El, the Last Son of Krypton.