Sad Goodbyes

Broken

Our hero has left us once again. But this time, nothing in the world can help us bring him back. Christopher Reeve's battle was long and hard but he still pressed on. Like a Man of Steel.

Superman was buried under tons of shattered concrete. He had a finite amount of energy, and it was slowly being depleted. He had never been in a fight like this before. What would happen if his energy ran out?

What seemed like hours but was really only minutes later, Superman shove the rubble aside and staggered to his feet. He looked around dismayed.

Main Street was destroyed. And Doomsday was gone.


Lex reached out a hand to stop her before she could fly off into the air. "Listen to me, Supergirl," he said. "Superman can handle that monster!" Trust me. But if Doomsday does break free again, he may come this way. Superman would want you to stay in Metropolis, to protect the city that he loves."


He tackled Doomsday, tumbling him through the wall and into the parking lot.
News choppers circled overhead. In the lead chopper, bearing the Daily Planet logo, Jimmy Olsen pointed his camera at Doomsday. "Wow, he's a big one!" said Jimmy.

Very big! thought Lois. Please, Clark, be careful, she prayed.


As Superman struggled from the wreckage, he knew that Doomsday had recognized the word Metropolis from the commercial. Doomsday would reach the city in six leaps. And there was no way Superman could stop him in time.


At the Kents' farm, Martha and Jonathan Kent watched the battle between Superman and Doomsday on television.

Martha was angry. "That's our son," she said. "He's being beaten to a pulp and those reporters are treating the fight like it's a sporting event."

But Jonathan reassured her. "Clark is our boy, but to the world he's Superman. The reporters don't mean to be cruel. They just don't think anything bad can happen to him."

As he said those words, he thought to himself, I only hope they're right.


The battle raged through Metropolis. Although Superman was tiring, he continued to fight Doomsday. But again and again, the creature slammed him to the ground.

Henry Johnson, the construction worker Superman had saved, stood on the girder high over Metropolis. Looking down, he saw Superman was in trouble.

With no thought for his own safety, Henry swung to the ground. He owed Superman his life, and he meant to repay him. He snatched up a sledgehammer and raced towards the combatants. But he feared it would take more than a hammer's blow to fell the monster.

The explosion blew the combatants sky high, destroying the construction site and burying Henry Johnson in its rubble.


Doomsday raked Superman with his arm-spikes, ripping a gash in the Man of Steel's powerful chest.
Superman gasped in agony. Until now, his energy aura had protected him, and he had been victorious in the battles he had fought. He had confronted Doomsday, almost certain of his eventual truimph. Now he wasn't sure he could stop the creature.

Doomsday raised his fist and smashed Superman with a shattering blow that hurled him unconcious t
o the ground.
Doomsday roared with victory.


As this second explosion rocked Metropolis, Superman, broken and bloody, staggered to his feet. In the distance he heard gunfire. Gathering his waning strength, the Man of Steel leapt into the air and flew towards the sound.

In front of the Daily Planet building, amid a rain of cannon fire, Superman and Doomsday fought toe-to-toe. Doomsday's fists were like hammers, pounding Superman into the pavement. Superman's arms felt as heavy as lead, but he braced his feet and concentrated on returning blow for blow. Even if it kills me, thought Superman, this is where I hold the line.

As Doomsday grabbed Superman by the throat and slammed him against the pavement, Lois Lane held her breath. Superman is battered and bleeding, she thought. She had never seen him like this. How could he keep fighting when he could hardly stand?

Suddenly, the monster flung Superman into the air, slamming his body into the Daily Planet helicopter. The chopper began to spin out of control.
Alarmed, Superman spun around and grabbed the helicopter. He steadied it as he lowered it to the ground.

Lois leapt from the chopper and ran to Superman. She begged him to retreat, to wait for help. But Superman knew that if he hesitated, more lives would be lost.
Hidden by obscuring smoke, Superman kissed Lois as if for the last time. "Just remember, " he said, "no matter what happens, I will always love you."

Then, with a roar of anger and resolve, Superman leapt from Lois's arms. He tackled Doomsday headfirst, smashing him into an abandoned bus. But again Doomsday slammed him back. With fury and determination, he pounded Superman into the street, burying him in the rubble.

Lois saw Superman driven into the ground. "He's in trouble," she cried. "I have to help him!"

Up through the rubble, Superman launched himself at Doomsday. "Lois, get back!" he warned. Desperately, he slammed Doomsday, first with his weakened fist, then with the blazing force of his heat vision.

Superman had sworn never to take a life. But could he stop Doomsday without killing him? Or could he kill Doomsday, he wondered, even if he wanted to?

Superman knew that he had enough strength left for one final blow. With every ounce of his remaining energy, he slammed Doomsday, even as Doomsday raked him with an uppercut that snapped his head back.

Doomsday staggered and fell. Then Superman swayed and fell beside him.

Lois ran to Superman. She threw herself down beside him and gathered her loved one gently into her arms. "Please be alive," she whispered. "Please, please be alive!"

Half the country away, Lois's prayer was echoed by Clark's parents, who stared at the television with tears rolling down their cheeks. "Please, please let our son be alive!"

One by one, people began to creep from the building, staring awestruck at the defeated monster and their fallen hero - the man they had always thought was invulnerable.

As Jimmy Olsen snapped the final photos, Lois Lane clung to Superman, begging him to hang on until the paramedics arrived.

"Doomsday . . . is he . . . is he . . . ?" Superman whispered hoarsely.

"He's down. You stopped him!" Lois clutched Superman to her. "You saved us all."

Metropolis was saved. The victory, Superman thought, had been worth the sacrifice. With a sigh he closed his eyes. Then the last spark of a life that had burned bright with heroism flickered and died.