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This article is about "General Zod" and his genetic clone "Major Zod". For the Season Six episode, see Zod (episode).

"Kneel before Zod!"
— General Zod to Clark Kent, Zod

Zod is a ruthless and powerful Kryptonian military leader.

General Zod led an army of dedicated soldiers in an attempt to overthrow the Ruling Council of his homeworld Krypton and claim it for himself. After being promoted within the military following a falling-out with his former friend Jor-El, Zod became corrupted by his own political ideas, thriving on power and conquest and using his soldiers - who greatly respected him because of the measures he was willing to take to save them - as mere pawns. After being partially responsible for Krypton's destruction, the general and his second wife Faora were imprisoned in the Phantom Zone for destroying Krypton but not before they placed their son on Kal-El's spaceship. Years later, Zod escaped after Brainiac kidnapped and prepared Lex Luthor as a vessel for Zod's Phantom wraith. After possessing Lex, Zod placed Kal-El in the Phantom Zone. However, Kal-El escaped the Zone and used the Crystal of El to force Zod's spirit out of Lex's body and back to the Phantom Zone.

Major Zod is a considerably younger clone that's the end result of an experiment to preserve the Kryptonian race in the event of the planet's destruction. He refers to himself as a Major due to being created at a time when Zod held that rank. After released when Tess Mercer opened the Orb, Zod and his Kandorian soldiers discovered that none of them were given the powers that Kryptonians typically gained under the yellow sun due to their DNA being irradiated with blue kryptonite by Jor-El. When they attempted to restore their natural Kryptonian abilities, Kal-El (Clark Kent) tried to help Zod and his people live normal lives on Earth, which didn't sound appealing to Zod. When Zod started the R.A.O. Incorporated to create solar towers to turn Earth's yellow sun into a red one so that he and the Kandorians could gain their powers, Kal-El destroyed the solar towers. A short while later, Zod was shot but was healed thanks to a drop of Kal-El's blood, which also restored Zod's natural powers. Zod killed Faora and their unborn child after suspecting her of betraying him, then manipulated his soldiers into believing that the humans had killed her and would destroy and hunt them down as well. He gave them their powers the same way he received his and, ready to start a war with the humans, declared that Krypton will rise again with him as leader. After being defeated by Kal-El, Zod was transported to a new world where the Kandorians said they would punish him for killing Faora.

After the Kandorians send him to the Phantom Zone, Zod's clone came face-to-face with his original self's phantom and the two merged into one entity. Zod then made a deal with Darkseid so he could have dominion over the Zone and have his revenge. Almost a year later, Kal-El discovered that someone had been releasing people from the Zone, so he and Oliver Queen voluntarily went there to find out who and why and met Zod. After Kal-El destroyed the Phantom Zone crystal, Zod was trapped there forever but vowed he would one day return and defeat Kal-El.

Physical Appearance[]

"Finally, back in the body that you stripped me of. Now I have the full knowledge of two lives and you, you're my enemy in both."
— Zod to Clark, Dominion
ZodKandor

Zod's original self in his younger days when he was a Major.

As a major in his youth, Zod did not have facial hair and occasionally wore a Kryptonian military uniform.[4] But as a general, Zod had facial hair and was noted for wearing black and other dark Kryptonian garments before his body was destroyed and he became a wraith.[5] After he was freed from the Phantom Zone and possessed Lex, Zod took on his physical appearance and wore a long, black leather coat and other dark clothing.[6]

SM901-0004

Zod's clone in his first appearance in Season Nine.

Normal SM922-Salvation 007

Zod's clone in his last appearance in Season Nine.

After appearing out of the Orb, Zod's clone looks exactly like the original Zod's youth. Zod normally wore military clothing whereas he wore high class clothing (like suits) when attended social events.[7]

Zod

After being exiled to the Phantom Zone, Zod's clone merged with the original Zod's Phantom wraith. This fusion kept the some of the clone's appearance sans facial hair and scars. Like before, he wore dark clothing with black battle armor and a long, leather coat with metal studs lining the front and kept a sword which he carried in a brown, leather sheath. Curiously, Zod's eyes were normal despite Zod's phantom inhabiting him.

Aa-0

Zod's fusion in Season Ten.

Full-callum-blue-movies-1168501715

Personality[]

"Zod is a foe not to be taken lightly, with or without his powers."
Jor-El's clone, Kandor

Before the destruction of Kandor, the death of his family, and his animosity with the Ruling Council, Zod was an ideal soldier who worked and fought for what he believed to be the greater good of his people. He deeply admired Jor-El's achievements, even considering them to be superior to his own.

Zod's former personality was forever transformed after his best friend Jor-El refused to resurrect his son after he died in Kandor city with his mother. Because of this, he became disillusioned, ruthless, commanding, manipulative and destructive, standing unfazed by the death and destruction being caused on Earth by Brainiac's virus.

Zod was very charismatic and manipulated many individuals to aid him in his cause, swaying them to follow him as he sought to overthrow the Ruling Council and rule Krypton; he turned Zor-El against the Ruling Council and corrupted Brainiac's programming. After his imprisonment and release from the Phantom Zone, all Zod was interested in was re-shaping Earth into a new Krypton.

Despite being married to Faora, Zod (while possessing Lex) was interested in human women to cater for his heirs.

Zod was power-hungry and narcissistic, and kept grudges against those who opposed him, in particular Jor-El and other members of the House of El. After being freed from the Phantom Zone, he banished Kal-El (Jor-El's son) to the Phantom Zone due to Jor-El sending Zod there in the first place years earlier. It was later revealed that Zod's grudge against Jor-El began after Jor-El refused to re-create Zod's deceased son; after this, Zod declared that Jor-El was more dead to him than his dead son.[8]

Zod has killed several people who defied or betrayed him:

Zod is a master manipulator. He manipulated Tess into buying the RAO Corporation, and later distracted her long enough to kidnap Jor-El's clone, whom Tess had captured earlier (although Tess had planned to let Zod capture Jor-El).[9]

Zod was obsessed with restoring his lost powers and the powers of his fellow soldiers. His partnership with Tess and his building of the solar towers were key elements of his plan to do so. Ironically, although the solar tower was destroyed, Zod was able to gain Kryptonian abilities through a drop of Kal-El's blood.

Like Lionel Luthor, Zod is shown to be a sophisticated individual with expensive tastes. He exhibits a fondness for fine wine and Shakespeare as well as a strong interest in beautiful women. He is one of the more serious characters but shows occasional flashes of dry, sarcastic humour.

Powers & Abilities[]

"No, Jor-El left it here. And when we find it... we will have the means to complete the tower. And we will turn the yellow sun red. And then Kal-El... will not be the only one with powers on this Earth."
— Zod to Faora, Disciple
Zod Flies 1

Zod's clone takes flight.

The original Zod's powers were removed when his body was destroyed and he became a wraith, this was the specific reason why Brainiac's first method was to prepare Clark as the vessel, but when that failed Braniac used the vial of all the viruses he collected around the world to give Zod the powers of a "true Kryptonian" through Lex. When Zod was "recreated" by the Orb, he lacked all the abilities that a Kryptonian would normally receive under a yellow sun due to Jor-El irradiating the DNA of all the clones in the orb with blue Kryptonite. Because of the radiation, his powers worked under a red sun but still worked in the same way physically, storing up solar energy like a battery for future use.[10]

Zod regained his natural powers when Kal-El healed his bullet wound using a drop of his blood which purified Zod's body of the blue Kryptonite radiation and allowed him to access his superpowers. Afterwards, Zod asked Kal-El how he knew that his blood would cure him (Zod didn't mention he got his powers back); Kal-El replied he didn't know but assumed that it was because both of them were Kryptonians. Once his powers were restored Zod displayed unusually adept control over his abilities including an instant mastery of flight and super hearing.

Since clone and original are now merged, it is unknown how powerful Zod will be under a yellow sun. Unlike Clark, Zod does not hold back any of his abilities.

  • Solar Battery: Zod became affected by the sun in that he was able to absorb, store and metabolize solar energy, after he was healed by Kal-El's blood.[11]
    • Red Sun Absorption: In the future timeline, Major Zod absorbed red solar energy in order for his abilities to function.
    • Yellow Sun Absorption: Major Zod, and his merged form General Zod, can absorb yellow solar energy in order for his abilities to function.
Smallville.s09e15.hdtv

Zod's clone using super hearing.

  • Superhuman Hearing: Zod's heightened sense of hearing allowed him to hear indirect whispers, pitches, frequencies and other volumes of sound from vast distances away.[12]
  • Superhuman Strength: Zod was extremely strong, as he could easily overpower metahumans and even other Kryptonians, making him one of the strongest beings ever shown. Zod's original self easily pummeled a 19 years old Kal-El with his bare hands to the point of causing him to bleed, splitting a boulder in two in the process in Zod. Zod's clone was able to toss Amanda Waller into a car windshield with immense force and accuracy in Sacrifice and demonstrated this same ability when he threw Lois Lane into a phone booth in Salvation.
Zodspeedaura

Zod's clone's super speed aura.

  • Superhuman Speed: Zod could move and or exercise at incredible speeds that exceeded the sound barrier and made him appear invisible to the human eye. His reflexes and perceptions were also accelerated, allowing him to perceive speeding bullets in slow motion.[13][14]
  • Invulnerability: Zod's superpowered body was almost indestructible.[15] He was impervious to gunfire and could swat away the bullets with his hand as if they were a mere annoyance.
Zodheatvision

Zod's clone using his heat vision.

  • Heat Vision: Zod could emit extreme pulses and waves of heat along with beams from his eyes.[16]
  • Flight: Zod could easily defy the laws of gravity, enabling him to move, levitate, or even hover, through the air without assistance.[17]
  • Super-Healing: Zod's body could heal from any injury almost instantly and was immune to all human diseases, unless he is exposed to blue, gold or green Kryptonite.[18]
  • Superhuman Breath/Arctic Breath: Zod can exhale vast quantities of pressure and could freeze objects or people with simply his breath.[19]
  • Telekinesis: Zod was able to influence the movement of Kryptonian objects with his mind. His telekinesis only works with Kryptonian computer programs.[20]
Zod major major major

Zod's clone's sword.

  • Enhanced Mental Capacity: Zod’s mind and brain are similarly enhanced just like the rest of his body.
  • Expert Swordsman: Zod proved to be an expert swordsman even before he got Kryptonian powers and is extremely dangerous with or without powers.[21]
  • Master Strategist and Tactician: As a major and later, as a general, Zod is an experienced soldier who is dedicated to his cause. When Jor-El refused to resurrect his son and sometime after he was elevated to the rank of General, Zod became a ruthless, cold, manipulative leader of a large battalion of Kryptonian soldiers on planet Krypton, and his authoritative hand was well regarded by his army, as he had such an influence on his own people.[22]
922Smallville1540

Zod's clone battling Clark.

  • Master Hand-to-hand Combatant: As a trained soldier, Zod has proven to be highly accomplished in hand-to-hand combat, one of the deadliest foes ever encountered by Clark. Jor-El even said that even without his powers or a weapon, Zod's clone is still not to be underestimated due to his great skill in fighting in hand-to-hand combat. [23] Since the original and his clone were merged, is unknown how skilled Zod is now.

Vulnerabilities[]

See: Kryptonian vulnerabilities
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The Crystal of El extracts Zod's phantom wraith from Lex.

Like any Kryptonian, Zod was vulnerable to various types of kryptonite although he demonstrated his weakness only to both the blue and green types.

Further more, Zod's wraith would only have his Kryptonian powers if the vessel already had powers (unlike what happened when other zoners possessed individuals). Because of this weakness for Zod, Brainiac would first try to make Kal-El become Zod's vessel.[24] When this failed, Brainiac gave Lex Luthor Kryptonian powers and then turned him into Zod's vessel.[25]

Zod was originally defeated by Kal-El using the Crystal of El, which was able to exorcise his wraith from Lex's body.[26]

Early life[]

(All birth dates of those born on Krypton are in Earth years)

"If the council wants my blood then let them find it on the battlefield!"
— Major Zod, Kandor

Zod was born in 1935 and raised on the planet Krypton.

ZodinKandor

Zod about to have his blood drawn on the battlefield outside Kandor

907Smallville0078

Zod is devastated after his wife and son are killed in the destruction of Kandor.

As an adult, Zod joined the Kryptonian military, where he rose to the rank of Major. He was best friends with Jor-El, and was married, with a young son. On the border of Kandor, Major Zod and his soldiers (which included Faora, Basqat and Alia) were having their blood taken by a medic as they waged a war against Black Zero. Just as Zod was about to have his blood drawn, Jor-El stopped the medic and informed them that this project was stopped. Zod and Jor-El then witnessed the destruction of Kandor, and Jor-El had to hold Zod back from the blast as his wife and child were still inside the city. When Jor-El was put on trial by the Ruling Council and sentenced to death for his obstruction of the blood intake, Zod intervened and pleaded to the Council that Jor-El be spared, which they agreed to provided that both Jor-El and Zod donate their blood to the Orb. Zod later asked Jor-El to use cells from his dead son to re-create him, but Jor-El declined (reasoning that the clone could possibly develop horrible mutations) before taking blood from himself and Zod. Angered, Zod declared that Jor-El was as dead to him as his son.[27]

907Smallville0871

Zod pleads with Jor-El to resurrect his son.

Years later, Zod rose to the rank of General, and built up an army with the aim of using it to take over Krypton. He married again, this time to a soldier named Faora, and the two saw it as their destiny to take over Krypton. They began their campaign and tried conceiving an heir, but discovered that Faora was unable to bear children. As a result, Zod and Faora took their DNA and fused it together with other violent Kryptonian life-forms, creating their son, "the ultimate destroyer". They also realized that they instead could rule Earth with the powers gained under a yellow sun.

When Jor-El created his own version of Dax-Ur's Brain InterActive Construct, Zod was able to corrupt its system, gaining an advantage in his war with the Council.

Because his forces became so large, Zod gave massive roles in the war to his closest disciples (Nam-Ek and Aethyr). Learning of the attempt on Jor-El's life by his own brother Zor-El, Zod contacted Zor-El and asked him to be his ally, using Zor-El's hatred of his brother to an advantage. Aethyr and Nam-Ek would often plan various attacks on major Kryptonian cities after communicating with Zor-El, who would give them inside knowledge of the Council's plans and weak points in their defenses.

Zod and Faora attached their son, which was mere genetic matter at that point, to Kal-El's ship which was set on a course for Earth. Before Krypton exploded, Zod and Faora were captured by Jor-El and the Ruling Council, who destroyed their physical bodies and placed their essences in the Phantom Zone; the only way either of them could escape was if they found other bodies to inhabit. However, the Council apparently made this especially difficult for Zod, as they removed his intrinsic Kryptonian abilities which would presumably have been passed to such a host when he possessed it, leaving him an incredibly weakened phantom needing the host to possess abilities before he could possess it.

Smallville TV Series[]

General Zod[]


Major Zod[]


Merged Enitity[]


Alternate Future[]

Season Seven[]

In an alternate reality to which Clark was sent in 2008, Brainiac manipulated President Lex Luthor into wiping out life on Earth and intended to use Linda Danvers to release Zod from the Phantom Zone to re-create Krypton on Earth.

Season Nine[]

"You chose to fight me! You forced me to unleash my power! We could have made this planet a paradise!"
— "General Zod" to Clark Kent, Pandora
909Smallville1122

Zod dragging Kal-El

In an alternate future, Zod's clone declared himself as "General Zod" and took over Earth with his Kryptonian abilities. Living in the Luthor Mansion with Tess at his side, he had Lois brought to the mansion for questioning as he took the Legion ring. Since Lois was not being cooperative as was Clark, he didn't see fit to have them both alive. Zod later captured Kal-El, dragging him on the ground. Once the solar tower was shut down due to a computer virus, Kal-El regained his powers as Zod stabbed him with a Kryptonite dagger. He realized that, if Lois was sent back in time, Kal-El would have "destroyed" the world he created.

Appearances[]

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 #
Season 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0
Season 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0
Season 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0
Season 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0
Season 5 - - - - - - - X - - - - - - - - - - - - - X 2
Season 6 X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Season 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0
Season 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X 1
Season 9 X - X - - X X - X X - - - X X X - X - X - X 12
Season 10 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - X 2
Total 18
Zod
Zod's clone
Merged Entity

In the Comics[]

GeneralZod

General Zod as he appears in the comics.

General Zod (full name Dru-Zod) is a DC Comics supervillain and a long-time adversary of Superman, one of the most poignant villains of the franchise due to the character hailing from Superman's home planet of Krypton. Through the many decades since his first appearances, there have been many incarnations of Zod.

2420853-phantom zone criminals

Zod and his disciples (Ursa and Non) being imprisoned in the Phantom Zone.

Once Military Director of the Kryptonian Space Center, Zod had known Jor-El, Superman's father, when he was an aspiring scientist. When the space program was abolished after the destruction of the inhabited moon Wegthor by the renegade scientist Jax-Ur, Zod attempted to take over Krypton and created an army of robotic duplicates of himself (all bearing a resemblance to Bizarro). He was sentenced to exile in the Phantom Zone for his crimes. Zod was first released by Kal-El during his career as Superboy when his term of imprisonment was up. However, he attempted to conquer Earth with the powers he gained under the yellow sun. Zod was sent back into the Phantom Zone, occasionally escaping to target Superman.

Zod is re-introduced during the Superman: Last Son storyline written by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner (who directed the original Superman movie and most of Superman II). In a story partially similar to that of Superman II, Zod, Ursa and Non escape from the Phantom Zone and come to Earth to take control and try to turn it into a "New Krypton." This incarnation is the first Post-Crisis Zod that clearly came from Superman's Krypton and not from an alternate reality. The backstory for the three Kryptonians is revealed in Action Comics Annual #10; Non had once been a brilliant scientist on par with Jor-El. Both were researching the event that would ultimately destroy Krypton. Zod entered their lab with troops (at this point Zod was still working for Krypton's Council), both Jor-El and Non were arrested by Zod and given a warning by the High Council to halt their research, then released. Jor-El set to work creating the rocket that would send his son Kal-El to Earth, while Non began to spread the word of the planet's impending doom. Non's message swayed both Zod and Ursa that Krypton was soon to be destroyed. Non then disappeared from public life, only to return with a mutilated brain; the Council had transformed him into a mindless brute and it was this act that inspired Zod and Ursa to rebel against the Kryptonian government. Without any sense of right and wrong, Non now fought alongside Zod and Ursa. Zod attempted to recruit Jor-El to their cause; however, Jor-El saw their plans fueled by greed, a lust for power and violence. This rebellion was short-lived, and the rebels were again arrested and set to be executed. Not wishing to resort to execution, Jor-El appealed, on their behalf, to exile them instead. The Council accepted this on the condition that Jor-El would be the jailer. Thus Zod, Ursa, and Non were imprisoned and embittered against Jor-El for years to come.

Kneel

"Son of Jor-El! Kneel before Zod!"

The story also features the debut of Christopher Kent, a young Kryptonian boy discovered and briefly raised by Superman and Lois Lane. It is revealed that Christopher (whose birth name is Lor-Zod) is the son of Zod and Ursa, birthed in the Phantom Zone and used as a conduit for their escape. After jumping Superman, Zod managed to trap him in the Phantom Zone. At the same time, about twenty-five other Kryptonian criminals also escape the Phantom Zone, defeat a number of Earth's heroes and begin their quest of conquering the planet, starting with Metropolis. Superman escapes the Phantom Zone with the aid of Mon-El and ultimately defeats Zod with the unlikely aid of Lex Luthor, Metallo, Parasite and Bizarro. Out of the nearly thirty Kryptonians; Metallo, Parasite, and Luthor manage to kill five or six of them using kryptonite and red solar radiation. Zod and his compatriots are sent back into the Phantom Zone, but unfortunately, so is Chris Kent.

1126443-warsupermen32 02

Zod in New Krypton.

In the conclusion of the recent New Krypton arc, the bottle city of Kandor is saved by Superman from Brainiac, and freed from its prison. When the city reforms as an entire planet named "New Krypton," it is revealed that Alura has brought Zod, Ursa and Non back from the Phantom Zone, making Zod the army's new leader. When Superman decides to see what life is like on New Krypton, he is drafted into the Military Guild under Zod. Zod and Superman maintain a mistrustful professional relationship which, despite their past, neither seems preparing to behave openly aggressive towards one another. When Zod orders that Superman and his people kill a Kryptonian criminal, Superman circumvents the order, feeling that killing the criminal would be not only unnecessary but wrong. Although the criminal is arrested without further fatalities, Zod accuses Superman of treason, of which he is found guilty. However, before being executed, Superman gives a heartfelt speech about morality. Much to the surprise of everyone, Zod is seemingly moved by the speech and requests that the Religious Guild give Superman absolution and thus overturn the guilty charge. As a result, Superman is cleared of all charges. When asked why he did not go through with the execution of the son of someone who he hated, Zod explains that, despite everything that had happened before, he realized that his military would be stronger and better for having Superman in it. As a result, it appears that there is a level of mutual respect, if not peace, between Zod and Superman. However during a Kryptonian ceremony, Zod is shot by the Kryptonian Ral-Dar, who is working with Sam Lane. He is later seen to have recovered and returns to his duties in the worst possible moment, as Kal-El, Adam Strange, and Tyr-Van are about to be killed after having their powers removed because they were with Tam-Or, principal suspect for having killed a member of the council, and Superman can't stop it. Zod stops the execution and together with Kal-El, finds out who was the last member of the traitors to Krypton and arrest him after getting him to confess to the crimes. As Kal-El and Zod are talking about how Kal-El has changed New Krypton by helping the Labor Guild get on the Council, Brainiac attacks New Krypton, leading to the Last Stand of New Krypton arc event.

With New Krypton under attack by Brainiac, Zod begins his plan to defeat Brainiac after his greatest defeat by the Coluan, when he first bottled Kandor from Old Krypton. Finally, Brainiac was defeated by the combined forces of the entire Superman Family, Zod and the Kryptonians, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and the betrayal of Lex Luthor (revealed to a robot double of him, while the real Luthor was on Earth in league with Sam Lane). Brainiac was captured again by his descendant Brainiac 5 to be taken to his clone son, Brainiac 2 to their home planet of Colu, to face charges for his crimes against the universe. Meanwhile, Zod was even more popular then ever to his people for his role in Brainiac's defeat, so popular that he even declared to 100,000 Kryptonians to wage war on Earth, when it was revealed to the Kryptonians of Earth's role in Brainiac's attack on New Krypton (thanks to the help of the Luthor robot).

Zod would later declare War on Earth and had his Kryptonian army attack key cities. Many of his soldiers died in the battle, the biggest loss was when Reactron self-detonated his Gold Kyptonite heart with a massive nuclear type bomb, destroying New Krypton. When Zod went to destroy Metropolis, Superman went to "greet" him. They fought above Metropolis but the fight ended when Zod was pushed back into the Phantom Zone by his son. Zod was once again trapped in the Phantom Zone along with Ursa, Non and many other Kryptonians.

297702-185135-general-zod

The Russian Zod.

Zod's clone, Major Zod is most similar to another version of the character the "Russian Zod". The son of Russian Cosmonauts, the unborn boy who would be code named "Zed" was affected when Kal-El's spacecraft and a chunk of Kryptonite irradiated his parents. He was born terminally weak and getting weaker, but exposure to red sun radiation made him super-powerful. Zod created a suit of red armor that filtered the sunlight and declared himself ruler of the fictional former Soviet state of Pokolistan. He plotted to turn the yellow sun red, but was defeated when Lex Luthor unexpectedly allied with Superman. After losing his powers, he attacked Superman with such force that he himself was killed.

3100943-action 23-2-zod dao64tqzd7

General Zod in DCnU.

In the New 52 Dru-Zod was born to scientist parents. When he was a young boy, Zod and his parents traveled to Krypton's wilderness in order to discover new creatures. Their ship was attacked by creatures, leaving the family stranded in the jungle. While his parents were killed by the animals, Zod managed to survive for one year until Jor-El and his older brother Zor-El saved him.

After reaching adulthood, Zod became one of Krypton's best soldiers, attaining the rank of general. As a Colonel Zod faced a monster, called Doomsday which attacked Krypton, wearing an ancient armor of Krypton's warrior founders but their battle caused the death of thousands of Kryptonians. Zod apparently defeated Doomsday sending him to the Phantom Zone. It was later revealed that he created the creature to scare the Kryptonian populace into picking up the sword.

Zod developed a hatred towards an alien species called the Char and secretly ordered the creation of a Char-looking creature, unleashing it on Krypton's population, so he could justify a war against the Char. Jor-El discovered the deception and turned Zod over to the authorities. The council found Zod guilty of treason and banished him and his closest followers, Faora and Non, to the Phantom Zone. Years later on "Rememberance Day", the day that Kryptonians remember as a day of disaster because of Doomsday's attack on Krypton, General Zod, while being in the Phantom Zone, communicated with the child Kara Zor-El telling her how he admired Doomsday because it destroyed everything, an attribute he seeks in order for his people to be strong as years of complacency have made the Kryptonians weak.

Superman-Wonder-Woman-4-Spoilers-Zod-Faora-3

Zod frees Faora from the Phantom Zone.

Many years later, a mysterious event caused the Phantom Zone to weaken, allowing some of its prisoners to escape into normal space. Zod traveled to Earth, landing in the Sahara Desert. There, Zod's Kryptonian powers began to manifest for the first time, brutally slaughtering a group of travelers. Zod was soon attacked by the Justice League of America until Superman and Wonder Woman arrived, the latter restraining him with her magic lasso. Zod recognized Superman as Kal-El, the son of Jor-El. Superman decided to keep Zod in the Fortress of Solitude's alien zoo. While there, Zod was able to get out of his cell and found a way to bring Faora to Earth too. When Superman returned he found Zod with Faora, telling him that his plan was all along to free her from the Phantom Zone. Superman had to fought both Zod and his lover, Faora but when Wonder Woman also showed up, they started having the upper hand over the two Kryptonian criminals. Faora was then injured in the face by Wonder Woman, while fighting with her but when Zod threatened to kill Superman if she does not let him and Faora go, Wonder Woman had to let them retreat in order to save her boyfriend's life.

Zod and Faora set their sights on Warworld and bringing its power to bear on Earth. That leaves Superman and Wonder Woman deposited in a nuclear reactor drained of power. After the two heroes cause a nuclear explosion Zod and Faora are trapped again back to the Phantom Zone.

Trivia[]

  • Sam Witwer’s contract gave him the option to return in Season 9 as Zod in the event the show was renewed. Though he considered his time on the show enjoyable and was flattered by the offer to stay on, he ultimately passed on the role as he felt it would be difficult for both the characters and audience to accept.[28]
  • Terence Stamp, Zod's actor in Superman (1978) & Superman II (1980), voices Jor-El in Smallville.
  • Zod was once the best friend of Jor-El and saw him as a brother.[29] This mirrors Clark and Lex's relationship.
  • Believing himself victorious, Zod ordered Clark to "Kneel before Zod". This is the character's catchphrase, as he frequently said it the first two Superman movies, as well as numerous times in the comics.
  • In the comics, clones of Zod have been used many times. During the Golden Age comics, Zod was imprisoned in the Phantom Zone for creating clones of himself and starting a war.
  • Zod married Faora then they had Doomsday while Zod's clone and Faora's clone had an unborn child (which he accidentally killed when he killed Faora), whose DNA was used to resurrect Doomsday in the 31st century.
  • Callum Blue is a British native, like Terence Stamp (Zod's actor in Superman II and Jor-El's voice on Smallville).
  • Appearing in 18 episodes, Zod is the most-frequently-seen antagonist after Lex Luthor, Lionel Luthor, and Brainiac.

Notes[]

  • Zod's original self was a supporting antagonist of Season Five and Season Six, his younger clone was the main antagonist of Season Nine and their merged entity was a minor antagonist of Season Ten.
  • Zod is one of the few main villains (and characters) to have their ending in Smallville coincide with his character appearing in the comics. As his story ends with Zod (both his wraith and his clone merged) and two of his soldiers both being trapped in the Phantom Zone, it leads right into the comics story where he would one day get free of the Zone to fight Clark once again. After that, the story of them both would continue.
  • The military uniform that Zod wore as a major on Krypton is likely a slight tip of the hat to the Silver Age General Zod's outfit.
  • The show never explored Zod's early life and family background. According to Callum Blue, he played Zod as a working class guy who had worked his way up.[30]

Zod (original)[]

  • Zod tells Lana that "Zod doesn't take orders; he gives them," which is exactly what Ursa pointed out in Superman II.
  • Just like in Superman II when Zod extends his hand to his knelt and 'defeated' enemy and Superman crushes his hand, Zod extends his hand to his knelt and 'defeated' enemy to which Clark hides the Crystal of El in his hand which removes Zod's spirit from Lex's body.
  • Despite using Lex Luthor as a vessel, Lex's eyes were normal, not black.
  • When Zod was a major, he had no facial hair.
  • Zod was an inspiration for two characters:
    • Zy-Kree, a Phantom Zone villain, who appeared in the Super Friends TV animated series (episode The Evil From Krypton, 1981) .
    • Lord Nor, an evil lord on New Krypton, who's determined to gain control of the planetoid by marrying a woman of high status, named Zara-Ra, instead of Kal-El. Lord Nor was killed at the end of the arc, by exposure to a deadly Kryptonite gas. He appeared in the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman TV series (episodes Big Girls Don't Fly and Lord of the Flys) and was played by Simon Templeman.
  • In the Silver Age comics, Zod's full name is Dru-Zod. In the Modern Age comics, Zod and his bodyguard Ursa have a son whom they name Lor-Zod, who was adopted by Clark Kent and Lois Lane, and renamed Chris Kent, then aged to adulthood to become the new superhero Nightwing.[citation needed]

Zod (clone)[]

  • While Zod's clone is an original character, clones of Zod have been used many times in the comics. During the Golden Age comics, Zod was imprisoned in the Phantom Zone for creating clones of himself and starting a war.
  • Although it was uncredited, Sam Witwer played Zod's clone when he first appeared.[31]
  • Zod's clone was responsible for the death of 3 Kandorian soldiers: He beheaded Coats, shot Alia and strangled Faora.
  • Zod's clone made his soldiers wear uniforms similar to Clark's Blur uniform, but Zod's uniform had a House of Zod logo instead of a House of El logo.
  • When Zod's clone tells his soldiers to "kneel before Kal-El," it is interesting to note that he himself does not kneel, most likely because he considers himself to be above Kal-El in stature and rank.
  • Zod's clone is the only main character to have never interacted with Chloe Sullivan.
  • Zod's clone is the only main character to have never set foot inside the Talon.
  • Zod's clone is the fourth main cast member (after Clark Kent, Kara Kent, and Davis Bloome) to be from Krypton.
  • Similar to Superman II when Zod has thinks he has 'defeated' Superman, Zod's clone stabs Clark with a Kryptonite knife only to end up teleported to another world.
  • Zod's clone is the last new main character.
  • Zod's clone did not grow facial hair until he was exiled into the Phantom Zone.
  • Despite technically being possessed by General Zod's phantom Zod's eyes weren't black.

Other faces of Zod[]

Relationships[]

Male Relationships
Female Relationships

See also[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. Salvation
  2. Crossfire
  3. Conspiracy
  4. Kandor
  5. Zod
  6. Vessel, Zod
  7. Doomsday, Escape, Crossfire
  8. Kandor
  9. Crossfire, Kandor
  10. Pandora
  11. Zod's clone in Conspiracy.
  12. Zod's clone used this ability to overhear the citizens of Metropolis praising the Blur for his role in fighting crime in Escape.
  13. Zod's clone was able to catch Tess Mercer's bullet even though it was fired from a gun in Escape.
  14. Zod's original self showed that he is quite capable of outpacing Kal-El at the age of 19 in Zod and Zod's clone also showed that he is quite capable of keeping up a consistent pace with the now 22 years old Kal-El in Upgrade and super-sped behind Waller in Sacrifice.
  15. Zod's original self was unharmed when he and Kal-El hit a tree at high speeds in Zod and Zod's clone displayed this ability when he wasn't hurt when he caught Tess Mercer's bullet in Escape, when he was punched through a building by Kal-El in Sacrifice and when he was punched a vast distance by Kal-El in Salvation.
  16. Zod's clone used his heat vision decimated a full-size truck with John Corben inside in Upgrade, burned his family crest into Oliver Queen's chest in Sacrifice and burned half of Tess's face in Salvation.
  17. Zod's original self in Vessel and Zod and Zod's clone in Conspiracy, Escape, Upgrade, Sacrifice and Salvation.
  18. Zod's clone in Conspiracy and Salvation.
  19. Zod's clone used the ability in freezing John Corben enough to turn him into a solid ice crystal in Upgrade.
  20. Zod's original self (while possessing Lex Luthor) called Brainiac's hard drive to his hand after the Black Ship disappeared in Zod.
  21. Zod's clone was capable of chopping off Coats' head with a single stroke in Rabid and Zod's fusion had one in Dominion.
  22. Zod's original self in Kandor and Zod's clone in Savior, Kandor, Sacrifice and Salvation.
  23. Zod's original self showed this when he effortlessly beat down and rendered Kal-El completely helpless to fight back in Zod and Zod's clone effortlessly took Tess Mercer to the ground in Savior and proved to be able to fight on par with the now trained Kal-El in their hand-to-hand fight in Salvation and even gain the upper hand.
  24. Solitude.
  25. Vessel.
  26. Zod
  27. Since Zod had his DNA taken after Jor-El refused his request, Zod's clone would share this memory as well as his hatred of Jor-El.
  28. https://www.cbr.com/smallvilles-a-tale-of-two-zods/amp/
  29. Kandor, Persuasion
  30. Kandor DVD commentary
  31. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=32210
Zod in Smallville
Family Faora (clone) • ValaDavis Bloome
'Ships Jor-ElClark KentTess MercerLois LaneFaora
Work Kandorian armyR.A.O. Corporation
Other House of Zod (crest) • Kneel before ZodDisciples of ZodNear-death experiencesEpisodes
Kryptonians in Smallville
Main Clark KentKaraZodBrainiacDavis Bloome
House of El Jor-El (AI, clone) • Lara-ElZor-ElConner Kent
Kandorian army Kandorian army: BasqatValaFaoraAliaCoats
Houses House of El (crest) • House of Zod (crest)
Other Disciples of Zod (Nam-Ek, Aethyr) • Dax-UrRayaFaoraKrypton


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