The story begins with a retelling of the destruction of planet Krypton. Jor-El laments the fact that his world accomplished "miracles no one will remember" while he is busy preparing infant Kal-El's voyage. Kal-El's shuttle pod fires into space moments before the planet's destruction. Jor-El and his wife Lara regret that they will never know if Kal-El survives the journey. Time winds forward to present day West Africa, where an ethnic conflict between the fictional Ghuri and Turaaba clans is claiming lives. Clark Kent, a freelance reporter in his early twenties, arrives to interview Ghuri political leader and human rights activist, Kobe Asuru. Their talk is interrupted by an assassination attempt on Asuru.