- "Kneel before Zod!"
- ―General Zod[src]
General Zod was a Kryptonian general who became a megalomaniacal villain thinking himself to be superior to all others.
Biography[]
Superman[]
General Zod was banished to the Phantom Zone along with his followers Non and Ursa by Jor-El for their crimes in attempting to take over the planet Krypton. Although that banished them from Krypton, it also saved them from the forthcoming destruction. The 2-dimensional prison floated through space, eventually heading in the same direction as baby Kal-El's rocket: Earth.
Superman II[]
The explosion of a hydrogen bomb, launched into space by Superman, hits the Phantom Zone holding General Zod and his followers. It is destroyed, releasing himself, Non and Ursa, who went to Earth's moon. There they kill several US astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts. Upon reaching "planet Houston", they discovered that they had the exact same powers as Superman, and naturally used them for evil, terrorizing the cities and even killing a few civilians.
General Zod took over the president's office, but the president told him that Superman would never kneel before him. Lex Luthor joined forces with them, offering to tell them the location of the Fortress of Solitude, but eventually they decided to kill him. Superman came to stop them from terrorizing the city, but in the end, Superman was outnumbered and lost. With Zod threatening to kill innocent people, Superman flew back to the Fortress.
Luthor led Zod and his gang to the Fortress. Superman tricked Zod and his gang with multiple holograms, but when he had him in a headlock, Ursa threatened to tear Lois limb from limb unless Superman released him. Luthor seemingly joined forces with Superman, who then told him to get Zod and his gang into the molecular chamber that would take away the powers of any Kryptonian. Luthor then told Zod about this, and Zod, threatening to kill innocent people otherwise, forced Superman to enter, with Luthor activating the device.
However, Superman, knowing Luthor was going to double cross him, switched the device so that its rays would affect those outside it and not inside; therefore Superman was safe while Zod, Ursa, and Non were stripped of all power. Zod made Superman kneel before him and told him to take his hand and swear eternal loyalty. Superman crushed Zod's hand, picked him up, and threw him into the slanted wall, where he slid to the ground level, powerless. Luthor, Ursa, Non and Zod were later arrested by U.S. Arctic Patrol outside the fortress.
Powers and abilities[]
General Zod's superhuman abilities are powered by the energy of Earth's yellow sun and are identical to Superman's.
Zod using his heat vision.
- Super strength: When General Zod is directly exposed to sunlight his strength levels are greatly increased.
- Flight: He is capable of self-propelled flight.
- Invulnerability: General Zod's invulnerability has also increased with his age. He is immune to human illnesses and bullets bounce off him. General Zod is also highly resistant to energy-based attacks.
- Super healing: When General Zod is wounded, he heals quickly if not instantaneously.
- Super speed: General Zod can run at speeds faster than the speed of sound. He emits an aura when using his superspeed.
- Super stamina: General Zod can run for long periods of time without getting tired.
- Heat vision: General Zod can also project force with his heat vision.
- Super hearing: General Zod can hear indirect whispers and both sides of telephone conversations.
- Super breath: His breath is powerful enough to freeze an entire lake.
- Super vision: General Zod has the ability to see things miles away.
Weakness[]
General Zod is vulnerable to Kryptonite, radioactive remnants of his home planet, Krypton. The known variations of kryptonite affect him in different ways.
- Kryptonite renders General Zod physically weak and painfully ill.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
Enemies[]
- Jor-El - jailer
- U.S. president
- Superman
- Lex Luthor - former ally
Gallery[]
Promotional images[]
