I was sitting in the scout ship as it glided silently through space toward the blue planet below. The vessel was small but sophisticated, designed for reconnaissance rather than combat.
Through the viewport, I could see Earth growing larger with each passing moment, its blue oceans and green continents becoming more distinct against the backdrop of space.
Though I could fly to Earth on my own now with the powers the yellow sun had granted me, I chose not to.
As the vessel began its approach, my mind drifted to the fundamental differences between humans and Kryptonians.
It was a subject I had been contemplating ever since reviewing Jon's intelligence reports about Earth's various inhabitants and their behavioral patterns.
Most human decisions were based on emotions.
Emotions led their lives in ways that would seem irrational to any Kryptonian observer. A human might abandon a perfectly logical course of action because they "felt" it was wrong.
They would make choices based on anger, fear, love, or hatred rather than careful analysis of optimal outcomes.
I thought about the examples from Alex's memories. A human might stay in a relationship that is clearly detrimental to their well-being due to emotional attachment.
They would remain with partners who hurt them, who held them back, who provided nothing of value - all because they "loved" them or feared being alone.
They would choose careers that made them "happy" rather than ones that offered the best compensation or advancement opportunities.
A human might spend years pursuing artistic endeavors that provided no financial security, or work in fields that gave them emotional satisfaction while struggling to meet basic survival needs.
(A.N.: I think I started to talk bout myself. T-T)
They would make purchases based on desire rather than need, often going into debt for items that provided no practical benefit. Humans bought objects to make themselves feel better, to impress others, to fill emotional voids that logic suggested could never be filled by material possessions.
Their entire society was structured around emotional fulfillment.
They even waged wars over ideological and emotional differences rather than purely strategic calculations.
Their history was filled with conflicts that served no rational purpose but satisfied emotional needs for revenge, dominance, or validation.
Kryptonians, by contrast, were taught to be logical and rational from the day they were born. Every decision was supposed to be made through careful analysis of costs and benefits. We calculated optimal outcomes and pursued them with unwavering dedication.
Relationships were often arranged based on genetic compatibility and social advantage. Marriage served the purpose of producing superior offspring and strengthening political alliances, not satisfying emotional needs for companionship or romance.
Careers were assigned based on aptitude testing and societal needs rather than personal preference. A Kryptonian with a scientist template would become a scientist regardless of whether they enjoyed the work, because that served the greater good of our civilization.
Resources were allocated according to efficiency models rather than emotional appeals. We built what was needed, not what made people happy. We invested in technologies that advanced our capabilities.
Yet it was not as if Kryptonians did not understand emotions.
We understood them perfectly well. We simply did not allow them to override our rational decision-making processes. We recognized emotions as biological responses that could be useful when properly directed, but dangerous when allowed to control our actions.
Every single Kryptonian on our ship had felt the loss of Krypton deeply.
Every single person aboard had shed tears for the destruction of our home world. Warriors, scientists, engineers, and medical personnel - regardless of their profession- all of them had grieved.
I had seen Faora weeping silently as our planet exploded. This woman, who had broken enemy soldiers with her bare hands, who was famous for her ruthlessness in combat, had tears streaming down her face as she watched our world die.
Jon-Sno had stood with tears streaming down his face, his military bearing temporarily abandoned in the face of such catastrophic loss.
The grief had been universal and genuine. We felt the pain of losing everything we had ever known. We mourned the billions who had died. We wept for the civilization that had taken millions of years to build and mere moments to destroy.
Yet that loss did not stop them or interfere with their rationality. After those moments of grief, they all returned to their work and fulfilled the roles their positions demanded. The warriors continued their duties, the scientists continued their research, and the engineers continued their preparations.
Their emotions did not paralyze them or drive them to make poor decisions. They felt the pain, acknowledged it, and then moved forward with what needed to be done.
There was no extended mourning period, no inability to function due to depression or trauma. They grieved, and then they worked.
And it was not just the Kryptonians who survived that demonstrated this quality. Even those who died showed the same commitment to duty over emotional preservation.
The entire army of General Zod and the military forces of House Rao that did not come with us - the ones who died defending our escape from Kandor or who perished with Krypton itself - none of them abandoned their duty even with death approaching.
They fulfilled their responsibilities knowing that it would pave a path for the future of our species.
The pilots who crashed their ships into defensive emplacements could have fled. They could have saved themselves, used their ships to escape into space, even if the ships were not made to survive in space, they could have tried to preserve their own lives. But they chose sacrifice instead.
The soldiers who held the line against overwhelming numbers could have retreated. They could have abandoned their posts, sought safety, prioritized their survival over their mission. But they stood firm until they fell.
Zod himself could have boarded our evacuation ship instead of staying behind. He could have lived, could have seen the new civilization we would build among the stars. But he chose to remain, to buy us the time we needed with his own life.
They all chose duty over survival because they understood that their sacrifice served a greater purpose.
They all understood emotions deeply.
They felt fear, they felt the desire to live, they felt attachment to the people and world they were leaving behind. Yet they only acted on the emotions that were useful to them - courage, determination, loyalty - and did not let negative emotions like fear or despair affect their duty.
In a way, Kryptonians were truer to their emotions than humans could ever be.
We were true to our emotions toward duty, toward our people, toward our civilization. We did not let fleeting feelings override our deeper commitments. We understood what truly mattered and remained faithful to those principles even when it cost us everything.
The same principle applied to myself.
If one day my death could lead to the survival of my people, I would embrace it without hesitation. Not because I wanted to die, but because my duty as their leader demanded that I put their survival above my own.
A feeling of resolve rose in my heart. I would build an empire that would ensure Kryptonians never faced extinction again. I would create a civilization so powerful that no force in the universe could threaten us. And if that required sacrifices from me personally, then so be it.
My life was not my own. It belonged to my people, to the legacy of Rao, to the future we would build together.
The ship's pilot, a young soldier named Var-Mo who had been assigned to this mission, spoke up from the cockpit. "Your Majesty, we have entered the planet's atmosphere and are currently in full stealth mode. Our energy signature is completely masked. Which part of this planet shall we head to?"
It was a good question. I had several potential destinations in mind, each offering different advantages for our first reconnaissance of Earth.
New York would be interesting. According to Alex's memories, it was a hub of superhero activity and would eventually become even more significant.
Though due to Sanctum Sanctorum, I decided against it.
I could visit Wakanda and take away Vibranium... Jor was interested in that after all.
Or perhaps investigate one of the other shielded locations Jon's scans had identified. Each represented a potential threat or opportunity that would need to be assessed eventually.
Themyscira might be among those shielded locations.
Studying the Amazons and their connection to the Greek pantheon would provide useful intelligence about Gods on Earth and how they might be incorporated into or countered by our growing empire.
Just then, Var-Mo spoke again with more urgency in his voice. "Your Majesty, there are reports of giant creatures attacking Gateway City. The location is near our current position, and apparently, a female super-powered individual of this planet is already engaging them in combat."
That caught my attention immediately. An active combat situation would provide the perfect opportunity to observe Earth's enhanced individuals in action rather than just reading reports about them.
"Can they detect us?" I asked.
"Negative, Your Majesty. Our stealth systems are operating at full capacity. We are completely invisible to their sensors and visual detection methods."
Good. That would allow for pure observation without interference or premature exposure of our presence.
Though it might not be the case if there's a Sorcerer at the location.
Even so, I wanted to see which one of Earth's heroes I would be that I encounter for the first time.
"Fly us to Gateway City," I commanded.
....
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