Man of Steel (2013)

Michael Shannon: General Zod

Photos 

Quotes 

• General Zod : [transmission]  You are not alone... My name is General Zod. I come from a world far from yours. I have journeyed across an ocean of stars to reach you. For some time, your world has sheltered one of my citizens. I request that you return this individual to my custody. For reasons unknown, he has chosen to keep his existence a secret from you. He will have made efforts to blend in. He will look like you, but he is not one of you. To those of you who may know of his current location: the fate of your planet rests in your hands. To Kal-El, I say this: surrender within 24 hours, or watch this world suffer the consequences.

• Jor-El : Our people can co-exist.

  General Zod : So we can suffer through years of pain, trying to adapt like your son has?

  Jor-El : You're talking about genocide.

  General Zod : Yes! And I'm arguing its merits with a ghost.

• General Zod : [Holding dust in his hand talking to Superman]  Look at this. We could have built a new Krypton in this squalor, but you chose the humans over us. I exist only to protect Krypton. That is the sole purpose for which I was born. And every action I take, no matter how violent or how cruel, is for the greater good of my people. And now... I have no people. My soul, that is what you have taken from me!

• Lor-Em : General Zod, for the crimes of murder and high treason, the council has sentenced you and your fellow insurgents to 300 cycles of somatic reconditioning. Do you have any last words?

  General Zod : You won't kill us yourself! You wouldn't dirty your hands but you'll damn us to a black hole for eternity! Jor-El was right! You're a pack of fools, every last one of you!

  General Zod : [to Lara]  You... you believe your son is safe... I will find him. I will reclaim what you have taken from us! I will find him. I will find him, Lara. I WILL FIND HIM!

• General Zod : I was bred to be a warrior, Kal. Trained my entire life to master my senses. Where did you train? ON A FARM?

• Jor-El : My son is twice the man you were, and he will finish what we started. I can promise you that.

  General Zod : Tell me, you have Jor-El's memories; his conscience. Can you experience his pain? I will harvest the codex from your son's corpse, and I will rebuild Krypton atop his bones.

• General Zod : What have you done?

  Jor-El : We've had a child, Zod. A boy child. Krypton's first natural birth in centuries, and he will be free, free to forge his own destiny.

  General Zod : Heresy! Destroy it!

• General Zod : What have you done to me?

  Superman : My parents taught me to hone my senses, Zod. Focus on just what I wanted to see. Without your helmet, you're getting everything.

  General Zod : Unh!

  Superman : And it hurts, doesn't it?

• General Zod : Your father equipped himself with great honor Kal.

  Superman : You killed my father?

  General Zod : I did. And not a day goes by that it does not haunt me. But if I had to do it again I would. I have a duty to my people, and I will not allow anyone to prevent me from carrying it out!

• General Zod : There's only one way this ends, Kal. Either you die, or I do.

• General Zod : Lara, listen to me! The Codex is Krypton's future! Abort the launch!

  [Lara continues the launch sequence and sends her son into space] 

• [repeated line] 

  General Zod : You are not alone.

• General Zod : This council has been disbanded!

  Ro-Zar : On whose authority?

  General Zod : Mine.

  [Zod shoots and kills Ro-Zar] 

  General Zod : The rest of you will be tried and punished accordingly.

  Jor-El : What are you doing, Zod? This is madness!

  General Zod : What I should have done years ago! These lawmakers with their endless debates have led Krypton to ruin!

  Jor-El : And if your forces prevail? You'll be the leader of nothing!

  General Zod : Then join me. Help me save our race. We'll start anew. We'll sever the degenerative bloodlines that led us to this state.

  Jor-El : And who will decide which bloodlines survive, Zod?... You?

  [pause] 

  General Zod : Don't do this, El. The last thing I want is for us to be enemies.

  Jor-El : You have abandoned the principles that bound us together. You've taken up the sword against your own people. I will honor the man you once were, Zod, not this monster you have become.

• General Zod : If you love these people so much, you can mourn for them!

  Clark Kent : Don't do this! Stop! Don't!

  General Zod : Never!

  Clark Kent : NOOOO!

• General Zod : Your son, Lara, where have you sent him?

  Lara Lor-Van : His name is Kal, son of El. And he is forever beyond your reach.

• Superman : If Krypton lives again, what happens to Earth?

  General Zod : A foundation has to be built on something. Even your father recognized that.

  [Superman sees he is surrounded by human bones] 

  Superman : No! NOOO!

• General Zod : I'm going to make them suffer, Kal. These humans you've adopted, I will take them all from you one by one.

  Superman : You're a monster, Zod, and I'm gonna stop you.

• [from trailer] 

  Superman : I won't betray them.

  General Zod : You already have.

• General Zod : Bring the phantom drive online!

• General Zod : Where is the Codex?

  Martha Kent : Go to hell!