Is Zod Resurrected in Smallville: Exploring the Phantom Zone and Host Theory

Marvelous as the world of Smallville has been, the dichotomy between good and evil has always been a central theme. This inherently forms the suspense around its main antagonist General Zod. The pursuit of the complexities surrounding Zod's fate, including his eventual resurrection, has captivated fans worldwide. This article aims to delve into the intricacies of Zod's story, exploring how his body was destroyed and his subsequent imprisonment in the Phantom Zone, and the idea of a host.

The Fate of General Zod in Smallville (2001-2011)

General Zod, a powerful alien counterpart to Superman, was first introduced in the original Superman series. Like Superman, Zod comes from the planet Krypton but plays a darker role. In the Smallville series, which spanned 10 seasons, Zod's journey was multi-faceted, encompassing his attempts to overthrow Earth and his complex relationship with Clark Kent(Kal-El).

Phantom Zone and the Prison Sentence

As part of his criminal sentence, General Zod's body was destroyed, and he was imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, a dimension beyond space and time, where being trapped is essentially a form of eternal punishment. The Phantom Zone is one of the most discussed and intriguing aspects of Kryptonian lore. Despite numerous attempts by himself and other characters to escape, such as when he teamed up withLois Lane andNatalia Nightwing, Zod was ultimately thwarted from successfully escaping.

The Although-Host Theory

Arguably the most significant development in Zod's story in Smallville was his plan to resurrect from the Phantom Zone. Zod aimed to infiltrate the human body of either Clark Kent or his father, Jonathan Kent, both of whom were Kryptonians through their mother. Originally, it was planned that Zod would use Clark as the host for his return. However, Lois Lane's actions, as a result of her romantic relationship with Clark, prevented this from happening. This led Zod to seek an alternative solution: he began working with Brainiac to manipulate his old nemesis, Lex Luthor, to create a serum that could transform Lex into a Kryptonian, thus providing Zod with a vessel to return to Earth. This plan ultimately failed when the serum worked on Lex, resulting in his mutation into a new creature.

The Crystal of Jor-El

Following the failed attempt to resurrect through Lex Luthor, the narrative of Zod's return to Earth reached a climax. The serum incident led to the destruction of the serum, and Zod remained in the Phantom Zone. This was until a new, confidential ally approached Zod with a deal. In exchange for helping them with a significant project, this ally offered to aid Zod in his goal of returning to Earth. The partnership resulted in Zod being entombed in the Crystal of Jor-El, a container used to house Kryptonian artifacts and beings. It is believed by fans and critics alike that this containment device could potentially send Zod back to his prison in the Phantom Zone, focusing the narrative on his confinement rather than his potential resurgence.

Ultimately, the Smallville series concluded with Zod confined within the Crystal of Jor-El, providing fans with a satisfying but uncertain closure to the Zod storyline. Despite the absence of definitive proof, the idea that general Zod's final fate is still undetermined keeps the door open for potential storylines in future adaptations.