Superman, the Movie III

Superman III: Doomsday

The movie opens on the scene of a reconstructed city of Metropolis. Bibbo, a Superman fan walks into the streets and buys a newspaper from a news stand. It reads: The City of Metropolis saved once again, thanks to Superman.

The scene switches and we find Luthor raging at the Man of Steel. Reading through the lines, he proceeds to describe how using Kryptonian technology Superman was able to restore the city of Metropolis to its grandeur, although other worlds remain, bottled inside his fortress of solitude. Luthor, calls his personal bodyguard and walks out of his office.

Lois is sitted in the office, typing her latest exclusive with Superman. Clark is not there however, he has taken a vacation to be with his family, who have been casualties of the Brainiac invasion. We find Clark at the farm, tending to his mother and letting her know how much he cares for her. She is convalescent and is aware of a concern weighing down on her son. Clark reveals how, during Metropolis' final stand, he thought of the only person that really meant the world to him: Lois. Lois and he, or rather, Lois and Superman, had steadily been growing closer to one another. He says, however that, for all his powers, for all his knowledge, he still as yet does not know how to handle his emotions. His mother replies how his father would have been proud of him, and of how she has confidence in him that he will make the right decision.

The scene switches again, we find Luthor at night meeting at a private RnD laboratory facility. During the battle with Brainiac, one of Luthor's henchmen was able to isolate a sample of Superman's blood. Luthor with his own team of scientists, hopes to use that knowledge for his own purposes. Following one of Luthor's experiments, one of the janitors working at the facility is mistakenly charged with transporting radioactive material from one location into another. Accidentally, he stumbles, and ends up being exposed to the strange radiation that makes up the material. Later that night, he returns home, and starts undergoing a strange transformation, ultimately turning into a bald, green or purple-skinned monster. Rudy Jones, his name, stumbles across the city and creates a great scare. People start running away and alert the authorities. Interestingly, everything Jones touches increases his power all the more. He becomes bigger, more gelatinous and more monstruous. He starts babbling out: Help me, help me.

Superman who was attending a charity event at a hospital, hears of the commotion around the city and arrives at the scene. He finds the Metropolis special crimes unit there also and orders them to cease fire on the monster. Superman inquires into who the creature is, and it answers back: Rudy, Rudy Jones. Superman walks further and proceeds to offer some help. Soon, as Superman grabs the monster, a shock of electricity goes through his body, the monster and the Man of Steel stand together, electrified and in pain. Finally, Superman steps back and soon realizes that the monster has taken his physical appearance. Seeing that, Rudy runs away at super speed. Superman attempts to catch up to him, but Rudy soon shapeshifts and inserts himself into the gutters of the city. Soon, he loses sight of him.

The following day, Clark shows up at work and everyone is happy to see him. Lois inquires about his mother, and Clark responds that she is fine. Lois soon catches up on the news and proceeds to write an article on the creature. Perry White seeing a photo of it, dubs it a Parasite and slams into his office. Lois acquiesces to the name, and thinks of naming the creature by that name in the article. Soon, the Parasite is seen and he struggles to find his bearings. He asks himself questions and wonders what he is doing under the sewers. He should be instead working at the Daily Planet, on a new story.

Strangely, the scene switches to Central Europe, and the burrows of the earth are shown. Thuds are being heard as all around, the earth trembles on the surface. People all around seem a little alarmed, but soon resume their daily activities.

Atop of the Daily Planet building, Superman is having an intimate time with Lois. She remarks how Superman always seems to show up whenever she is in trouble. She seems to find it almost strange. The two lovers look each other in the eye, and Lois attempts to kiss him. But Superman seeing this, moves back and recounts how their biology is completely incompatible and his enhanced physiology would be too much for Lois to handle. Lois responds try me and Superman passionately kisses her. At this, Lois faints and momentarily loses consciousness. Then she awakes and seems to have no recollection of what just transpired and happily finishes eating her dinner. Soon, Superman takes her to her apartment and wishes her good night.

We follow Superman to Star Labs where he and a group of scientists are conducting a series of tests on him. Superman soon finds out what has been happening since his latest bout with the creature, and even more so since the Brainiac invasion, his powers have been depleting. Then, Superman is taken to see Brainiac's ship. They have managed to access Brainiac's log and using Superman's alien signature, they find out about the origins of the alien and of how he might be connected to an alien energy being called the Eradicator. It all sounds very familiar to Superman.

Later that night, the Parasite is seen again in Metropolis. Superman hears the news of him, but this time, comes prepared. He tries to offer some help to him, but Parasite tells him that he does not understand. He accuses Superman of impersonating him, he claims to be the real Superman and proceeds to attack him. Superman is protected by a suit specially constructed by him to protect him from the Parasite. Using his freeze breath, he freezes Parasite and flies off with him. Superman arrives at Star LABS and brings with him the Parasite. As he removes his suit, Parasite bursts out of the ice cage and grabs Superman by the neck. He nearly drains him completely. Then, standing victorious, he let's Superman and evades pursuit. Superman sinks into unconsciousness.

The following day, Clark Kent is at work and invites Lois to dinner. Later that day, he asks Lois about how she feels about him. She responds that she likes him as a friend but is already in love with someone else. At that point, Clark decides to reveal his real identity to Lois. He tells her of how, he can no longer deny his feelings for her. Clark Kent, is Superman and Lois stands transfixed at that news. And so, he invites her outside, changes into Superman and takes her for a flight. Lois and Superman stand on top of the Planet. She remarks how everything seems to make sense. At this point, Superman tries to kiss her, but she instinctively says no.

In Central Europe, a city of Lithuania is being gripped by earthquakes. The authorities are finally alarmed and attempt to find out the cause of the calamity. Finally, a monster comes out of the ground. He starts wrecking havoc. Back at Star LABS, Superman finally awakes. He had been in suspended reanimation. He gets his bearings and quickly heads out, to the sun and recharges his powers for an extended period of time. As he flies back, he realizes that his powers are acting out of control. He heads for Metropolis and is surprised to find another Superman operating in Metropolis. Superman quickly recognizes Parasite's molecular signature and proceeds to deal with him at a distance. As both protagonists are engaged in combat, Superman sees on a flat-screen television of the news happening in Lithuania. A monster has just surged out of the ground, and is terrorizing the people. Superman sensing the urgency of the threat leaves Parasite, and directly heads there.

Superman arrives and finds a trail of destruction that defies description. He finds the 7 foot tall monster and proceeds to talk it down, saying he does not want to hurt it. The monster looks at him, sneers and attacks him. He pummels him all across the town and throws him into a lake. There, he follows the Man of Steel, attempts to choke him and stomps on him. Seeing that Superman is momentarily stunned, Doomsday proceeds to punch him to death. The water ripples above the surface. Then, there is quiet, and then, the monster is seen flying out of the water as Superman follows after him. He intercepts the monster before he reaches it and punches it south, in direction of Poland. As he arrives, Doomsday charges at him at super speed and leaps hundreds of miles towards The Man of Steel who is flying in the air. He holds him by the neck, and twists above and onto his back. Then he hits him. Superman hurtles down, and crashes into several buildings of people. He realizes the monster's power and thinks that it might be tougher than he had originally imagined.

Elsewhere, in Metropolis, Lois hears of the news of the earlier battle during the day between the two Supermen. She starts having suspicion and wonders whether she has not been meeting with the one impersonating Superman. Lex Luthor however, learning of the news seems to be made uncomfortable, worried and at the same time content, thinking that maybe, his nemesis will finally meet his doom. At this point, Luthor sighs, looks at his watch and takes some medication.

We find Superman in Poland, Doomsday grabs him by the hair and runs at high speed with him, all across the country, carrying him across the border towards the center of Germany. The army seeing how the Big Blue is having trouble steps in and attempts to help but its artillery is too little to help. At this point, Doomsday punches Superman through multiple buildings and proceeds to throw a tank line at him. The whole area explodes and Superman lies on the floor. Doomsday runs at him and mechanically pounds into him. The Man of Steel's face is starting to show lesions. At this point, the monster sees a child crying. He looks at him, and leaves Superman on the floor, and heads in the child's direction. Seeing as how Doomsday is about to crush the child, Superman shows up, grabs Doomsday at the waist and flies high into the atmosphere. He wants to take the battle into space. There, he grabs Doomsday by the head and starts pounding into him, and pounding and pounding. Below, people can hear the thuds and see crackling lightning surging around them. Then Superman punches him back and Doomsday hurtles to earth like a streaking comet. The monster falls into the North sea, setting up ripples and tsunami waves off the coasts of continental Europe. Superman, completely oblivious to the damage is soaking with power. His whole body is crackling with electricity, as it seems he is tapping into all his powers.

At the Kent farm, Martha Kent interrupts her whereabouts as she watches the news of Superman confronting a creature of unknown origin and of great power in Continental Europe. She only fears the worst and moves up into her room, kneels down and says prayers for her son.

In Europe, Superman's powers are going out of control. Heat beams are crackling out of his eyes, while heat waves are literally radiating from his body. He has become a solar battery causing around him incredible destruction. Doomsday comes out of the water and re-engages him in battle. He apparently seems to have evolved the ability to levitate. He flies into the air throws his retractile darts at Superman, piercing his flesh and reeling him toward himself. Then, as Superman struggles to free himself, Doomsday deals him a mighty punch that sounds like a nuclear blast, and sends ripples all the way to southern Italy. Superman ends up in the Atlantic sea. Doomsday follows him and runs with him on the sea floor, all the way to the city of New York.

At this point, Wayne enterprise hears of the news and decides to send a garrison of its own manufactured robots to the site. The team is quickly dispatched. Various government agencies band together and attempt to take down the monster but nothing works. Back at Star LABS, scientists analyzing Superman's DNA come to the conclusion that his molecular structure following the encounters with Parasite, has become unstable. The team fears the worst, either the prospects of a Superman run amok, or the ultimate demise of the Man of Steel, following a state of complete exhaustion.

At the Daily Planet, Perry sends Lois out to cover the news and provide an angle on the developing story. She is intercepted on her way by the Parasite, who changing into and out of his Superman persona, decides to transport her along with him. He has decided to go confront the monster and show that he is the real Superman. The two arrive in New York, where, Superman is trying to make his last stands. He seems to be pulling new powers out of his arsenal. He extends his force field, around civilians and manages to protect them that way. Then, he levitates Doomsday and manages to erect an impenetrable force field around him. The monster is wading, punching while Superman is literally bleeding in his attempt to contain him. Finally, the force-field breaks and Superman falls to the ground. Then, Doomsday takes Superman into the air, levitating, then flying he holds him up into the air and then falls with him at high speed in the center of Metropolis. A huge crater is formed in the city, sending ripples all across Eastern and Mid-Western America. For the first time, Doomsday actually speaks: and now, I take what you hold most dearly. Your beloved home-world, your city, your life. Doomsday is about to deal Superman the killing blow when he is frozen into near-stillness. The Parasite arrives on the site and starts to revel in his triumphant actions.

Doomsday finally breaks through the ice, and still manages to deal a massive blow to Superman, which the Parasite changing into Superman, actually blocks. At this, the crowd is surprised to see two Supermen standing near each other. Parasite then proceeds to pummel Doomsday at super-speed. He punches and punches till he tires. Then the monster looks at him, and sneers. He punches him, straight through the chest and vibrates his arm through his body, almost molecularly decomposing the symbiote. As Parasite dissolves, he tells a recovering Superman that he is sorry, that he only wanted to be Superman, he only wanted to save.

At this sight, Lois looks in sadness and cries. Superman covers her and calling him Clark, Lois attempts to kiss him on the lips. Superman is surprised at her calling him Clark, but quickly figures out why. He then refuses to kiss her on the lips, then, he kisses her on the forehead and goes to confront Doomsday. She says in a low voice, Clark.

At this, Superman unleashes a full blast of heat vision in a concentrated beam that almost melts through Doomsday and sends him across the city and landing near the Daily Planet building. The Man of Steel arrives on the scene, and at very high speed, seems to be literally punching Doomsday from every direction. The monster roars and methodically punches Superman back, across his body, brutally breaking his arm, then he punches him in the stomach. Superman seriously bleeds. The buildings in the whole city and surrounding neighborhoods seriously quake. Sensing that he might be living his final moments, Superman and Doomsday move towards one another, and hit with all their might in a blow that explodes into the air, and forming a huge crater between them. Both combatants then fall. A camera that was reporting, is filming the place from overhead. We see fumes and smoke emanating from the place. Soon, one combatant gets up, and in one moment, the assistance is frightened. The figure walks out of the fumes, past a piece of Superman's cape and falls to the ground. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen who had been following them rush to the scene.

The monster, is he, is he stopped? Asks Superman.

Lois replies: Yes, yes you stopped him.

Superman soon fades and his head leans back to the ground.

The picture of Lois crying with Superman in her hand, makes first page in all the newspapers all around the world. Superman's funeral is being carried all around the city. Atop the Daily Planet building, a dark figure with pointy ears is seen observing the proceedings noting, and then, disappears. At this point, Luthor turns off the television and heads to bed.

The movie ends with Lois showing up at the Kent's farm. She knows, she knows everything. She consoles Clark's mother. We end up with flashbacks of the last moments, as Metropolis special crisis unit, attempts to revive Superman with special amped shockplates. To no avail.