A Little Piece of Home

"**A Little Piece of Home**" is the fifth episode of the first season of *Superman: The Animated Series*, and the fifth of the overall series. It depicts Lex Luthor's discovery of Kryptonite and its effects on Superman. Although Luthor now has the perfect weapon against him, Superman must continue to foil his plans.

## Plot

As Lex Luthor introduces his new ***Museum of Natural History*** to a group of reporters, a couple of small time criminals break in and go for a rather large jewel. Clark Kent, who is amongst the reporters, hears their entry and takes off to become Superman. Inside, Superman's attempts to stop the criminals are progressing nicely until he comes near a display of minerals. He sinks to the ground in pain, allowing the criminals to escape.

Luthor discovers the phenomenon and has the display analyzed to discover what happened to Superman. He learns that one of the rocks is from an foreign solar system and realizes that he now has the perfect weapon against Superman. Determined to make sure that his discovery is indeed genuine, Luthor hires a thug named Joey to pull off a heist, which will attract Superman and lead him into a trap.

Meanwhile, Clark meets Lois at a diner and instantly starts to feel the damaging effects of the alien rock. Lois explains that she obtained a slither of Luthor's rock from a contact at LexLabs, Professor Peterson, the head researcher of the new rock, and is taking it to Professor Hamilton at S.T.A.R. Labs for analysis. Lois gives Clark a peak of the rock but immediately drops it from the pain, causing Lois to think he's getting sick.

Near the diner, Luthor's hired thug and two henchmen steal hundred dollar printing plates from Commissioner Jones and flee with jet packs. Superman goes after them and captures the henchmen, but is unable to stop the leader from reaching his destination, a parking garage. Joey fakes his surrender and lures Superman towards the middle of the complex where the rock hanging from the ceiling. Superman, weakened, is then pummeled by the Joey. Fortunately for Superman, Joey becomes overconfident and takes the fight too far away from the rock. With a small amount of strength back, Superman tosses himself and Joey over the edge and into a stream below where he is able to apprehend him.

After his confrontation with the thug, Superman confronts Luthor, who proposes that if Superman leaves him alone, he'll be allowed to live. Superman refuses and later follows Lois to S.T.A.R. Labs where she is meeting with Hamilton. Hamilton explains that the rock is likely a fragment of Krypton and coins the phrase "Kryptonite". He also explains that the radiation can be shielded with lead. Lois receives a call from Peterson who tells her to meet him in the new museum. However, it is revealed that Peterson was threatened by Luthor into calling Lois. Luthor then orders Mercy to "deal" with Peterson.

Lois and Superman go to the museum only to find that they have walked into a trap. The exits are sealed and a mechanical Tyrannosaurus activates and attacks the duo. Superman tries to confront the robot monster, but finds that the Kryptonite was left in its mouth. The dinosaur pummels Superman until he informs Lois that some cups displayed in the museum are made of lead. Lois manages to get the Kryptonite into the cups and Superman defeats the dinosaur. After their escape, Superman disposes of the Kryptonite by throwing it into outer space. Luthor, in the meantime, has commissioned further expeditions to find more Kryptonite on Earth.

## Background information

### Home video releases

* Superman: A Little Piece of Home (VHS)
* Superman: A Little Piece of Home (Mini-DVD)
* Superman: A Little Piece of Home (DVD)
* Template:Stasdvd1
* Superman: The Complete Animated Series (DVD)
* Superman and Friends (DVD)
* Superman: The Complete Animated Series (Blu-ray)

### Production inconsistencies

* Commissioner Jones tells Joey that, upon hearing the fire alarm, all the exits, entrances, stairs and elevators were shut down. This would trap all people inside the building, and the general protocol when there's a fire is that exits are left open to allow people to escape.
* When Mercy is at the third checkpoint observing Superman pursue Joey, the sign for the LexCorp Waterfront Towers says "LexCord" instead of LexCorp.
* On Template:Stasdvd1, this episode comes with pop-up notes with factoids about the series. It incorrectly refers to Lisa Edelstein as "Linda Edelstein", and mentions *Teen Titans* as part of the DCAU, which it is not.

### Trivia

* Professor Peterson is likely named for Professor John Peterson in the live-action Superboy TV series. In that series, Professor Peterson is a geologist who discovers Kryptonite.

## Quotes

*(Nito and Sam steal a diamond)*
**Sam:** What do you think we'll get for it, Nito?
**Superman:** I'd say five to ten, with time off for good behavior.

**Sam:** You know, he don't look so hot. Maybe we should help him.
**Nito:** Sure, we'll send him a chicken soup. Come on!

**Luthor:** Well, next time you see one of my museums being robbed, call someone who can do something about it, like the police!

**Luthor:** You work for me, Peterson, don't forget that! There shouldn't be an opinion in your head that I haven't put there!

*(Clark stands in front of some rocks he thinks to be Kryptonite)*
**Clark:** Nothing's happening.
**Old Lady:** You were expecting them to dance for you?

**Luthor:** Actually I'm glad you came. I have a deal for you.
**Superman:** I'm listening.
**Luthor:** As long as I have the rock, you can't stop me, but it is bothersome to have you always trying. So, the deal is this: you leave me and my operations alone, and I and my little green rock will leave you alone.
**Superman:** I don't make deals with criminals.
**Luthor:** I control everything in this town, Superman. Your cooperation is not really necessary. The offer was merely a courtesy.
**Superman:** You will never control me, Luthor. Never! *(takes off)*
**Luthor:** Well then, I guess I'll have to kill you.

Lois Lane: My contact at LexLabs thinks it isn't even from this solar system.
**Professor Hamilton:** Incredible. What? That certainly would be in keeping with my theory.
**Superman:** Which is what exactly, professor?
**Professor Hamilton:** The fact that your body chemistry absorbs the radiations so readily, leads me to believe that you share with it a point of origin.
**Superman:** You mean it came from Krypton?
**Professor Hamilton:** More than likely it is Krypton, or rather a small piece of it. 'Kryptonite' if you will. The Green radiation could have been created by (Place the test tube back in its place. Place the Kryptonite in small lead container) the energy released in the cataclysmic explosion which destroyed your planet. There is one bit of potentially helpful data. Its radiation can be shielded by element atomic number 82.
(Hamilton throws the small lead contain to Superman)
**Professor Hamilton:** Lead.

**Luthor:** Ah, Professor, ***Mercy*** will see you safely home now, won't you my dear?
**Professor Peterson:** Please, no! I-I-I mean, I can see myself home, really!
**Luthor:** But I insist. Metropolis can be such a dangerous city, Peterson. I'd hate to wake up tomorrow and find out that something terrible had happened to you...