The Phantom Zone

## Phantom Zone

The **Phantom Zone** is an alternate dimension created by Kryptonian scientists. A square mirror device was created as the primary gateway. It is used as an eternal prison, and is the destination for only the most heinous of criminals sentenced on Krypton. The mirror would float through the void of space allowing inmates to see through the small opening, the zone itself is a black nebulous void that distorts vision. The mirror would be summoned after court hearings to swallow criminals.

## History

Jor-El uses the Phantom Zone to imprison General Zod and his co-conspirators Non and Ursa, who appear to be transferred into the two-dimensional space on the mirror's surface, which is then flung into deep space. Superman's mother Lara refers to the Phantom Zone by name in *Superman II* when she first makes the revelation about the three villains contained inside it.

In *Superman II*, as Superman saves the city of Paris from destruction by hurling a nuclear bomb into space, the resulting nuclear explosion inadvertently shatters the Phantom Zone and releases the three prisoners. Now free, General Zod and his cohorts travel to Earth, wreaking havoc with the powers granted to them by Earth's yellow sun.

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The Phantom Zone is presented as a large, flat rhombus-shaped mirror that moves by spinning. Jor-El (Marlon Brando), who developed the Phantom Zone, summons it with a wand to imprison General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his co-conspirators Ursa (Sarah Douglas), and Non (Jack O'Halloran), who appear to be transferred into the two-dimensional space on the mirror's surface, which is then flung into deep space. The Phantom Zone is only referred to by name in the extended versions of *Superman* when it is mentioned by the Kryptonian First Elder. Superman's mother Lara refers to the Phantom Zone by name in *Superman II*when she first makes the revelation about the three villains contained inside it. In his DVD commentary, director Richard Donner refers to it as "the Zone of Silence".

* In *Superman II*, as Superman saves the city of Paris from destruction by hurling a nuclear bomb into space, the resulting nuclear explosion inadvertently shatters the Phantom Zone and releases the three prisoners. Now free, General Zod and his cohorts travel to Earth, wreaking havoc with the superpowers granted to them by Earth's yellow sun. The Phantom Zone appears in Richard Donner's cut of *Superman II*, released in November 2006. In this version (per the original shooting script prior to being altered by director Richard Lester for the theatrical version), the Phantom Zone is shattered by the rocket Superman threw into space in the first *Superman* film. The Zone is shown splitting into three separate shards, one containing each villain, before it finally shatters, freeing them. Jor-El presents a visual representation of the Phantom Zone and its occupants in a recorded message embedded in the education crystals housed at the Fortress of Solitude, unaware that he is actually talking to Lex Luthor and Miss Teschmacher. After defeating Zod and his followers, Superman uses a time-warp to keep the three criminals imprisoned in the Zone while undoing the damage they had done during their time on Earth.

## Residents

* Donnerverse
	+ Non
	+ Ursa
	+ Zod

## Notes

* The Phantom Zone's gateway is depicted in the form of a rotating pane of glass, while the actual landscape is a desolate wasteland. Entry into the Phantom Zone is usually done by the gateway consuming its victims upon contact.