Superman: Pride Goeth Before The Fall

Once upon a time, in a distant city called Metropolis, there lived a man named Clark Kent. Clark was an ordinary man, or so it seemed, for he possessed incredible powers that made him the most powerful hero the world had ever known. He could fly, he had super-strength, and he was invulnerable to almost any attack. He was known to the world as Superman, the greatest hero of all time. Or at least for a time…

This is the story about how Superman’s own pride and hubris caused his demise. As they say “Pride goeth before the fall.”

But even Superman had his weaknesses, and his greatest weakness was a substance called Kryptonite. Kryptonite was a glowing green rock that was found only on Superman's home planet of Krypton. It was deadly to Superman, for it drained his powers and made him incredibly weak.

One day, a group of evil villains set off a powerful bomb in the heart of Metropolis. The bomb was protected by a shield of Kryptonite, which prevented Superman from getting close enough to disable it. Superman knew that he had to act quickly, for the bomb was set to explode at any moment.

He tried to use his laser vision to destroy the Kryptonite shield, but to his surprise, the laser beams hadn’t had his desired effect on the shield. He was hoping to disrupt the shield and blast it away, but that didn’t happen. However, his laser vision had a strange unattended effect on the shield. The Kryptonite seemed to absorb the energy from the laser beams, and it began to change color, turning from green to a deep, menacing red.

As the Kryptonite shield changed color, Superman began to feel a strange tingling sensation throughout his body. He looked down in shock as he saw his muscles shrink and his powers fade away. He was becoming weaker and weaker by the second, and he knew that he was in great danger. He told Lois to get out of there, as he was afraid this might be his first failure in life, and he hoped she could somehow and in some impossible way get to safety.

Lois Lane, Superman's loyal and brave companion, had been standing nearby, watching the scene unfold. She too felt a strange tingling sensation, and she looked down in amazement as she saw her own muscles grow and harden. She felt a surge of strength and power coursing through her veins, and she realized that she had somehow absorbed Superman's powers.

As Superman kept shrinking his once mighty muscular physique was now no bigger than that of an average man’s, while Lois’ body was swelling with power, bursting with muscles, as her muscles grew and bulged and she became so big and massive she grew right out of her clothes. Even her feet grew and ripped out of her cute little pumps. She did love those shoes, but she had more important things to think about.

Mainly the bomb that was about to go off and level a good portion of the city.

She didn’t know how she could stop it, but she knew she had to try and try she did. Oblivious to the fact that she was naked, she gathered up all her newfound super powered muscular might and barreled into the Kryptonite Force Field. With her newfound strength and ability, Lois was able to break through to the bomb. She grabbed the bomb and flew out into space, where she was able to toss it far away from the Earth, where it detonated safely.

Lois returned to the city a hero, and she was hailed as the savior of Metropolis.  It was then Lois noticed she was completed bare naked. She quickly grabbed Superman by the cape, and accidently spun him around like he was a toy top, as she removed the cape from his outfit, so she could cover herself up.

Superman was weakened and dizzy… But, it seemed he still retained most of his super powers. And in fact Superman was grateful for her help, and he was amazed at her strength and courage. He knew that he had found a true partner in Lois, and he was determined to help her develop her powers and become the hero she was meant to be.

He thought he would let her enjoy the limelight. She did after all save the day this time and so she deserved the attention and recognition. Besides, it  would only be a matter of time before he would return to full strength and once again be the greatest hero in the world. Or so that’s what he thought…

Despite his gratitude for Lois' help in saving Metropolis, Superman couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy and bitterness. He had always been the strongest and most powerful hero in the world, and he wasn't used to being weaker than anyone else.

Lois, on the other hand, was thrilled with her newfound powers and strength. She was eager to put them to the test, and she couldn't wait to see what she was capable of. She spent hours training and practicing, honing her powers and pushing herself to the limit.

And despite Superman believing that it was only truly a matter of time before he would regain his lost powers. He never did. He tried to absorb the suns rays in hopes of being supercharged, and while some of his old size and strength returned… He just didn’t quite feel the same as he did before.

Still he was confident that he was back. Back to being the strongest most powerful being in the world.

One day, Lois and Superman decided to compare their powers and see who was the strongest. They began to spar, using all of their strength and abilities in a friendly competition. At first, Superman was able to hold his own, but as the sparring match went on, he began to realize that Lois was stronger than he was. Her muscles were bigger and more defined than his, and she was able to overpower him with ease.

Superman was shocked and humiliated by his defeat, and he couldn't understand how Lois had become so strong. He was incensed at losing to her. He was Superman, and those powers were his birthright. Who was she to have them, who was she to be stronger than him. A mere woman!

He demanded that she give him back his powers, but Lois shook her head. "I'm sorry, Superman," she said gently. "But I can't give you back your powers. They're mine now, and I'm going to use them to help people."

As noble as Lois’ sentiment was, Superman didn’t care at that moment about helping people. He only cared about power. He wanted to be the strongest most powerful person in the world, he needed to be the strongest. If not then what kind of Superman was he.

Superman was furious, and he launched himself at Lois in a fit of anger. He attacked her with all of his remaining strength, but to his amazement, she was able to effortlessly block and dodge his attacks. She didn't even seem to be trying, and she remained calm and collected throughout the fight.

Finally, realizing that he was no match for Lois, Superman backed down. He was ashamed of his outburst and his jealousy, and he knew that he had acted foolishly. He apologized to Lois, and she forgave him, understanding that he was just upset about losing his powers.

Obviously the greater good of the world was more important than just his want of power… Or so he thought, but he never really truly believed.

From that day on, Superman and Lois worked together as a team, using their combined powers to protect the people of Metropolis and the world. Superman learned to accept his newfound weakness, and he was proud of Lois and her incredible strength and abilities. He knew that they would be unstoppable together, and he was grateful to have such a capable and powerful partner by his side.

And for a time Superman was content being second fiddle to Lois, being her sidekick… And on more than one occasion being rescued by her.

Despite his initial jealousy and bitterness, Superman had come to accept his newfound weakness and the fact that Lois was now stronger than he was. He was grateful to have her by his side, and he was happy to support and assist her as she used her powers to protect the people of Metropolis.

But old habits and jealousies die hard. He did try to shake off his jealous feelings, his feelings of inadequacies and as more and more time mounted those insecurities started to come back to him. And he once again wasn’t so accepting of the change of the old status quo. The people of Metropolis had always looked up to Superman as their greatest hero, and while they were shocked and disappointed to see him so much weaker and at times powerless. They began to shower Lois with praise and adulation, and she quickly became the new face of heroics in the city. Supplanting the praise he once received and now he got pity from them now instead.

Superman was relegated to second-tier status, and he found himself overshadowed and outshined by Lois' incredible strength and abilities. He was bitter and resentful, and he couldn't stand the thought of being weaker than anyone else, let alone Lois. After all how many times did he rescue her. She would be dead if not for him, a fact that the same could be true and almost in the same amount of instances. Still this superhuman strength, it was his birthright and not hers. And how dare she rob him of his birthright.

Determined to regain his former strength and power, Superman began to work on a secret project. He built a device that was designed to drain the powers from Lois and transfer them to himself. He knew that it was a risky and potentially dangerous plan, but he was willing to take the risk if it meant that he could once again be the strongest and most powerful hero in the world.

With this device he could once again reclaim his birthright, and retake his mantle as the greatest hero of the world.

Finally, the day came when the device was ready. Superman waited until Lois was alone and vulnerable, and then he surprised her with the power-draining device. Lois was indeed surprised and shocked by the attack, but she didn't resist or fight back. She simply looked at Superman with a calm and understanding expression, and she said, "If this is what you want, Superman, I won't stop you. But please be careful. The device is untested and it could be dangerous."

But Superman was blinded by his jealousy and his desire for power, and he didn't listen to Lois' warning. He activated the device and began to drain her powers, watching with satisfaction as her muscles shrank and her strength waned.

But suddenly, the device malfunctioned, and there was a blinding flash of light and a loud explosion. Superman was thrown backwards, and he felt a sharp pain in his chest. When he looked down, he was horrified to see that he had been severely injured by the explosion.

As for Lois, the explosion had had a very different effect on her. Instead of weakening her, it had somehow transferred all of Superman's remaining powers to her, and she had grown even stronger and more powerful than before. She was now so massive and muscular that she had ripped through her clothes, and she stood before Superman in all her naked, muscular glory.

Superman was shocked and dismayed by the turn of events. He had lost all of his powers and he was now a tiny, emaciated figure, his suit once tight was now loose and baggy. He was quite literally half the man he used to be… If not perhaps even less so. He was so weak and helpless that he could barely move.

Lois looked down at Superman with a mix of pity and sadness. She was now stronger and more powerful than ever. Many, many, many times exponentially stronger than what Superman had ever been at the absolute peak of his powers.  She picked him up gently, and she held him in her massive, muscular arms. She whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry, Superman. I never meant for this to happen. But I'm going to take care of you. You'll always be my friend and partner, no matter what."

And with that, Lois carried Superman away, determined to protect and care for him as best as she could. She knew that she had become the most powerful hero not just in the world but the entire universe and across all time, and she was determined to use her powers for good. She was sorry that she had hurt Superman, but she knew that the greater good of the world, nay the universe meant that she couldn’t dwell on his fate. She had people to protect and protect them she did.

After the explosion that left him tiny and powerless, Superman was forced to retreat to the Fortress of Solitude, where he could be alone and safe from the world. He was devastated by his loss of size and strength, and he couldn't bear the thought of being seen in his current state.

He spent his days in the Fortress, watching and observing the world from afar. He was saddened and disappointed to see that Lois had become the greatest hero of all time, using her incredible strength and powers to protect the Earth from threats that were far more powerful than any he had ever faced. She was celebrated and adored by the people of the world, and she was the shining star of heroics.

Meanwhile, Superman was all but forgotten. He was a footnote in history, a once-great hero who had been reduced to a powerless and insignificant figure. He watched as Lois saved the world time and time again, and he couldn't help but feel jealous and bitter. He knew that he had been the greatest hero of all, but now he was nothing more than a spectator, forced to watch from the sidelines as Lois surpassed him in every way.