Jor-El
Encyclopedia
Jor-El is a fictional character
, an extraterrestrial in the . He was created by the writer Jerry Siegel
and the artist Joe Shuster
, and he first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 as Superman
's biological father.
Jor-El is a Kryptonian
, and the husband of Lara. He was a scientist
on the planet Krypton
before its destruction. Jor-El foresaw the planet's fate, but he was unable to convince his colleagues in time to save the inhabitants. He was able to save his infant son, Kal-El (Superman), sending him in a homemade spaceship to the Earth just moments before the explosion of Krypton. After constructing his Fortress of Solitude
, Superman honored his deceased biological parents with a statue of Jor-El and Lara holding up a globe
of Krypton.
Jor-El is usually portrayed as closely resembling the later appearance of Kal-El as the adult Superman.
#1 in 1938, which only mentioned a scientist who sends his son to Earth. He made his first full-fledged appearance in the Superman newspaper
comic strip
in 1939, where his name was spelled as "Jor-L." His name first appeared as being spelled "Jor-el" in the Superman novel The Adventures of Superman (1942) written by George Lowther
. Later comic books capitalized the "E" in "El". Jor-El's first appearance in an actual comic book was in More Fun Comics
#101. After the introduction of DC Comics
' multiverse
system in the 1960s, it was established that the version of Superman
's father druing the Golden Age of Comic Books
was named "Jor-L", and he lived on the Krypton of the Earth-Two
universe, while "Jor-El" was the father of the Silver Age
version of Superman, and he lived on the Krypton of the Earth-One universe
.
A retelling of Superman's origin story
in 1948 first delved into detail about Jor-El, though his formal and more familiar Silver Age aspects were firmly established starting in the late 1950s, and over the course of the next several decades, with a definitive summarization in the miniseries The World of Krypton in 1979
, (not to be confused with the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths
late-1980s
comic miniseries of the same name).
stories), Jor-El was Krypton's leading scientist, having invented, among other devices, the "Jor-El," a hovercar
, and having discovered a parallel plane of existence which he called the Phantom Zone
, and having invented a device by which it could be entered, which he called the Phantom Zone Projector. This device got him a seat on the Science Council. He lived in Krypton's major city of Kryptonopolis
.
Even before Jor-El's birth, the El family was renowned across Krypton for its various contributions to Kryptonian society. Ancestors of Jor-El included: Val-El, a famous explorer
; Sul-El, the inventor of Krypton's first telescope
; Tala-El, the author of Krypton's first planetary constitution
; Hatu-El, the inventor of Krypton's first electromagnet
and first electric motor; and Gam-El, the father of modern Kryptonian architecture
.
and eventually became the father of Kara Zor-El, alias Supergirl
, and an identical twin
brother named Nim-El, who lived in Kandor
. In several stories, Jor-El's father was established as Jor-El I, and his mother as Nimda (nee
An-Dor). Jor-El eventually met and married Lara, daughter of Lor-Van, a young astronaut
in Krypton's fledgling space program (which was soon permanently grounded after Jax-Ur
blew up one of Krypton's inhabited moons leading to eternal banishment to the Phantom Zone), and the two had an infant son, Kal-El. In Kevin J. Anderson
's novel The Last Days Of Krypton, Jor-El has only one brother, Zor-El, who is two years his junior, and their parents are Yar-El (a revolutionary scientist slowly dying of what is known as the Forgetting Disease) and Charys (a renowned psychologist who continues to study and attempt to reach her beloved husband). His wife Lara Lor-Van is an historian and, like her parents Ora and Lor-Van, an accomplished artist.
began experiencing a series of earthquake
s, Jor-El investigated. He soon discovered, to his horror, that Krypton's core was extremely unstable and indeed radioactive, and worse, that it would eventually reach critical mass
and explode, taking the entire planet and its populace with it. Jor-El tried to convince the members of Krypton's ruling body, the Science Council, of this impending disaster, and urged reestablishing Krypton's space program so giant spacecrafts could be built to carry the populace to another habitable world. However, the Council was dismissive of Jor-El's findings and refused to comply with his plan. Some even accused him of treachery, trying to cause chaos so he could take over. He met his own son Kal-El without realising it around the time he discovered the impending doom, who had accidentally travelled back in time. There were supporters of Jor-El's theory, but when a ship was constructed to evacuate them the city of Kandor
was shrunken and stolen by the alien Brainiac
, removing the people who believed in Jor-El's work.
Frustrated, Jor-El continued his work on space travel on his own, hoping to build a spacecraft to save his own family. This work included launching several smaller test rockets; one of these rockets included the family dog
, who responded to the name of Krypto. However, as time ran short, Jor-El soon found that he would only have enough time to build a spacecraft to save his son Kal-El
. He decided to send Kal-El to Earth, realizing he would gain superhuman powers under Earth's more intense yellow sun
and lower gravity
. As Krypton finally went through its final destructive stages, Jor-El and Lara placed their son in the rocket and launched him toward Earth, before they themselves were killed along with almost all the rest of the planet's population. Lara could have fit inside the rocket as well, but she chose to stay behind to increase Kal-El's chances of reaching Earth.
Crisis on Infinite Earths
and John Byrne's 1986 miniseries The Man of Steel rewrote Superman
's origins, details about Jor-El's background and character were changed. In Byrne's version, Jor-El inhabited a cold, emotionally sterile Krypton where even bodily contact was forbidden. Indeed, Jor-El himself was considered a "throwback" for actually expressing emotion
s toward his mate Lara, and for his favoring the less sterilized days of past Kryptonian eras. Another change in this version was Jor-El genetically altering his son's fetus
(gestating in a "birthing matrix") to allow him to leave Krypton (in this version of the mythos, Kryptonians were genetically "bonded" to the planet itself, not allowing them to leave), and merely attaching a warp engine to the matrix instead of constructing a ship wholesale. The result was that when the birthing matrix opened on Earth, Kal-El
was "born" on that planet.
In the 1990s
series Starman
, it was revealed that, in his youth, Jor-El met a time-traveling Jack Knight and Mikaal Tomas, two individuals who both bore at various points the "Starman" mantle. Knight and Tomas had been accidentally sent 70 years back in time and hurled across space. It was in this way that Jor-El first learned of Earth's existence; in return, Jor-El helped Knight and Tomas escape from his overbearing father, Seyg-El.
In the 2004
miniseries Superman: Birthright
, Jor-El, along with Krypton and Lara, was, more or less, reinstated to his Silver Age
versions, though with such updated touches as Lara contributing equally to the effort of sending Kal-El, once again an infant while on Krypton, to Earth. In this version, Jor-El discovers Earth moments before launching his son's spacecraft. Also, the conclusion of the miniseries has the adult Superman, on Earth, seeing his parents through Lex Luthor
's time-space communicator, and on Krypton, seconds before its destruction, Jor-El and Lara see their son alive and well on Earth and know that their efforts were successful. As with Byrne's conflicting view of Krypton, the Birthright origins of Jor-El, Krypton, and Lex Luthor have recently been retconned, and, following Infinite Crisis
, they are no longer valid in comics canon
.
However, a more recent storyline co-written by Geoff Johns
and Superman director Richard Donner
presented yet another version of Jor-El and Krypton which reintroduced General Zod
and the Phantom Zone
criminals into mainstream continuity. With art by Adam Kubert
, Jor-El is depicted for the first time with a beard
and the design of Kryptonian society is distinct yet again from Birthright and Man of Steel, incorporating elements of Donner's work on the first two Christopher Reeve
films, in particular the notion of Krypton's Council threatening Jor-El with harsh penalty of exile to the very Phantom Zone he himself had discovered if he were to make public his predictions of their planet's imminent doom or otherwise attempt to "create a climate of panic."
Jor-El is shown here to have been mentored by friend and noted scientist Non, who corroborated Jor-El's findings regarding Krypton's impending destruction, when the two were arrested and brought to trial before the Council by Zod and Ursa. When Non defies the Council's dire prohibitions and elects to spread the word of the coming apocalypse, he is abducted by Council agents and apparently lobotomized
, thus explaining the character's mute simple-mindedness, brutality, and destructiveness in line with Jack O'Halloran
's performance as Non in the first two films. Appalled, Zod and Ursa propose to Jor-El that they band together and overthrow the Council, but Jor-El will have none of it. When their murderous insurrection fails, the Council forces Jor-El to exile them to the Phantom Zone and never speak of his findings again, lest he face the same fate. For this perceived betrayal, Zod declares that he will escape and conquer Krypton (confident that Jor-El will actually discover some way to save the planet) and force the scientist and his son to kneel before him one day (this echoes the statement Terence Stamp
made in both Superman movies Donner directed: "You will bow down before me, Jor-El! I swear it! No matter that it takes an eternity, you WILL bow down before me! Both you, and then one day, YOUR HEIRS!!!")
Having been rebuilt via a Kryptonian crystal during the One Year Later
story arc, the current version of the Fortress of Solitude
, which was also designed to essentially be visually identical to the Donner and Bryan Singer
films, now contains an advanced interactive "recording" of Jor-El which, although visually dissimilar to Marlon Brando
, is otherwise identical in function to that featured in Superman Returns
.
In Superman/Batman
#50, it is revealed that, years ago, Jor-El sent a probe to Earth that made contact with Thomas Wayne
while he was on a drive with a pregnant Martha
, the probe holographically
transmitting Thomas' consciousness to Krypton so that Jor-El could better learn what kind of world Earth was to help him decide which of many possible candidates he should send his son to. Thomas tells Jor-El that the people of Earth aren't perfect, but are essentially a good and kind race, who would raise the child right, convincing Jor-El to send Kal-El there. Thomas recorded his encounter in a diary, which was discovered by Bruce in the present day.
story. Media portrayals of Jor-El tend to vary greatly in how he's presented, often diverging from the original source material.
in "Superman Comes to Earth", the first chapter of the 1948 Superman
movie serial. Portions of this depiction appear in flashback as Lex Luthor
recounts the story of Krypton's destruction in "At the Mercy of Atom Man!", the seventh chapter of the 1950 serial Atom Man vs. Superman
.
Marlon Brando
played Jor-El in the 1978 Superman film, which Alexander Salkind
, his son Ilya Salkind
, and their business partner Pierre Spengler
produced and which Richard Donner
directed. In the movie, Jor-El is shown wearing the Superman
"S"-shield symbol as the family crest of the House of El, resembling an Earth "S" by coincidence. The name "Superman" is later coined by Lois Lane
due to the resemblance. In tandem, other Kryptonians are seen wearing their own individualized family crests. Originally thought up by Brando himself and suggested on-set, this origin of the famous Superman symbol has been used in many stories since. In the current comics, however, the shield is the Kryptonian symbol for "hope," and not only is it worn by Jor-El in a similar manner to Brando of the first feature film, but it adorns all manner of Kryptonian flags, clothing, spaceships, and equipment.
When the teenage Clark Kent
finds the green crystal his birth father placed in his ship, it leads him to the North Pole
, where the green crystal creates the Fortress of Solitude
, and brings Clark into contact with an interactive hologram of Jor-El, who instructs his son on how to use his powers and informs him that the people of Earth "can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all...their capacity for good...I have sent them you, my only son." Later, Jor-El is shown advising Superman on why he must maintain his secret identity to protect himself and his loved ones.
Marlon Brando
filmed additional footage for the sequel, Superman II
, before differences behind the scenes caused his footage to end up on the cutting room floor. It has been restored for the 2006 revised version, Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
. In the Richard Donner Cut, Jor-El appears again as in the first as a person to guide and inform Kal-El
. Jor-El's historical crystals reveal to Lex Luthor
the existence of the three Phantom Zone
criminals General Zod
, Ursa, and Non, which makes Luthor realize just who and what they are (and that it was Superman who caused their release).
Jor-El is asked by Clark if he can live a life as a human with Lois Lane
. Jor-El tries to persuade Clark not to wish so, but Clark is firm with his will. Jor-El then reveals the crystal chamber with the rays of Krypton's red sun which will make Clark human forever. Later, Clark returns to find all the crystals and information regarding Krypton destroyed, but finds the original crystal and is able to bring back Jor-El. Jor-El sacrifices his remaining life-force to restore his son's powers so that Superman can save Earth from Zod. Superman later destroys the Fortress after it has been breached by Luthor and the Phantom Zone criminals, but then goes back in time, where it remains normal.
In 2006, two years after Brando died, he "reprised" the role of Jor-El in Superman Returns
through the harvesting of archived video footage and sound clip outtakes. In the film, Lex Luthor
, having retained vague memories of the place, returns to the Fortress of Solitude
during Superman
's absence to learn the power of the crystals. After stealing them, he uses one in a kryptonite
tube, to create a new continent that threatens to destroy North America
. Superman manages to throw the "New Krypton" island out of the atmosphere and into space.
Russell Crowe
will portray Jor-El in Zack Snyder
's upcoming reboot Man of Steel.
(who went uncredited on-screen) in "Superman on Earth," the first episode of the 1952 television series
Adventures of Superman
.
, who was actually playing the role of an alien disguised as Jor-El, in the late 1980s television series
Superboy
, which Alexander Salkind
and his son Ilya Salkind
produced for first-run syndication.
played Jor-El in the episode "Foundling." From a small Kryptonian globe in the spacecraft that carried him to Earth, Clark Kent
begins to see holographic messages from his biological father. Jor-El details Krypton
's destruction and how he saved his son by sending him to Earth in a small experimental spaceship. Jor-El says that there is an old Kryptonian saying: "On a long road, take small steps."
François Giroday played Jor-El in the episode "Big Girls Don't Fly," where Clark learns that he was married, at birth, to Zara, which was apparently a common ritual on Krypton prior to its destruction.
has voiced the disembodied spirit of Jor-El, Clark’s biological father, in 23 episodes from season two to season ten. Jor-El first appears to Clark as a voice emanating from the spaceship that brought Clark to Earth, informing him that it is time to leave Smallville and fulfill his destiny – a destiny that Clark believes is to conquer the world. Clark does not want to leave Smallville, so he destroys his spaceship, but this triggers a shockwave that causes Martha Kent to suffer a miscarriage, prompting Clark to flee Smallville in shame. Three months after Clark fled Smallville, Jor-El and Jonathan make a deal. Jor-El will give Jonathan the power to bring Clark home, but only if Jonathan agrees to give Clark to him when the time comes. In season three’s "Relic", it is revealed that Jor-El (portrayed by Tom Welling
in flashbacks) came to Smallville as a "rite of passage
" by his own father. It is deduced by Clark that Jor-El chose the Kent family to be Clark’s adoptive family after having a positive experience with Jonathan’s father. In the season three finale, Jor-El makes good on his deal, and takes Clark from Smallville. Jor-El returns Clark three months later, reprogrammed as "Kal-El" to seek out the three stones of knowledge so that he can fulfill his destiny; Clark fails to retrieve all three stones immediately, which results in a "great evil" arriving on Earth.
With the three stones united, Clark uses them to form the Fortress of Solitude, where Jor-El informs him that he needs to begin his training in order to fulfill his destiny. That training is interrupted by two Kryptonian disciples of Zod—a criminal from Krypton imprisoned in the Phantom Zone—who proceed to destroy Smallville looking for Clark. As a consequence, when Clark does not return, Jor-El strips him of his powers. When Clark is killed in his mortal body, Jor-El resurrects Clark, with his powers, but informs his son that someone he loves will have to take his place in death; that person turns out to be Jonathan. In season seven, Jor-El warns Clark about the existence of his cousin Kara, the daughter of Jor-El’s brother Zor-El. It is revealed that Zor-El attempted to assassinate Jor-El. Clark’s consistent disobedience forces Jor-El to imprison his son in a block of ice. After learning that a clone of Clark has returned to Smallville, Jor-El frees his son so that he can take care of the bizarre creature. In Season eight episode "Abyss", Clark talks to Jor-El about his actions and convinces him to start trusting him. Jor-El helps Clark save Chloe from Brainiac and warns Clark about Doomsday
. As Clark leaves, Brainiac emerges from hiding, kills Jor-El and takes over the Fortress, stating that Doomsday is coming. In Season 9's episode "Savior", Clark managed to fix the connection with Jor-El and began his training. He had trained for 3 weeks when, while on duty in Metropolis, he found Lois on a monorail train that he had rescued. When he returned to his training, Lois kept clouding his judgment and when Clark asked why he couldn't fly yet, Jor-El told him that something or somebody is holding him back and to fully embrace his Kryptonian side, he must leave his human life behind fully. In "Echo", Jor-El gives Clark temporary telepathy as part of his trials. In "Metallo", during an investigation of Kryptonian sightings on Earth following the defeat of Metallo
at the hands of Clark, Tess finds Jor-El in the center of a burnt crest of the House of El. In "Roulette", Jor-El tells Clark about Alia's origins and informs him that more Kryptonians may have come to earth.
Terence Stamp's name was deliberately kept out of the opening credits in order to keep the secret that he was voicing Jor-El. Stamp originally portrayed General Zod
in the first two Superman films, starring Christopher Reeve.
Apart from Welling's portrayal of the character, Jor-El himself, with the exception of one glimpse during a flashback in the episode "Memoria", was not seen until season 9's episode "Kandor". Jor-El (Julian Sands
) is released from the Orb as a clone of his younger self from 20 years before the destruction of Krypton and the birth of his son Kal-El. Jor-El is captured and tortured by his former friend, now foe, Zod, to learn the secret of super-powers. Jor-El escapes and dies in the arms of his son, his last request being for Kal-El to save Zod.
In the Smallville season 9 finale, "Salvation", Zod destroys the crystal console by which Kal-El communicates with the essence of Jor-El, apparently cutting off Kal-El's contact with his father forever. However, in the season 10 premiere "Lazarus" it is revealed that Jor-El's essence has survived, and he warns of the coming of Darkseid
, simultaneously taking away a suit that Martha Kent had recently made for her son until Clark is ready to be a hero, feeling that Clark's recent willingness to kill a clone of Lex Luthor shows that he is not worthy to be the hero Jor-El thought he would become.
Julian Sands reprised the role of Jor-El in the tenth season episode "Abandoned", appearing in the form of a holographic message that Jor-El and Lara had recorded for Kal-El shortly before his ship was launched, after Lois travels to the Fortress to confront Jor-El about his failures as a father, the message featuring Jor-El and Lara assuring their son that they have faith in him, also explaining that Jor-El's cold attitude at times stems from the fact that the original Jor-El only gave the Fortress his knowledge, holding back his emotions because he worried that he might be guided to be too easy on his son when the time came for him to face his challenges. When Darkseid launches his final assault on Earth and Apokolips appears in Earth's system, Jor-El and Jonathan's spirit inform Clark that, to be a true hero, he must accept not only his Kryptonian powers, but the human spirit he learned from the Kents, Clark subsequently donning the Superman suit for the first time to stop Apokolips.
as one of Krypton's "leading scientists sensing the approach of doom." He then placed Kal-El
into a rocket and blasted it off toward Earth just as Krypton exploded.
. He appears in the episode "The Planet Splitter," and in the Challenge of the Super Friends
episode "Secret Origins of The Superfriends," as well as the short episode called "The Krypton Syndrome."
, which holds General Zod
and his two Kryptonian
companions. One of Zod's minions creates a pool of energy that allows them to create a monster called "The Hunter" (voiced by Peter Cullen
) that leaves the Phantom Zone to kill Superman, then find the Phantom Zone Projector and free them. Jor-El is only mentioned, but he is not shown.
In the 1990s-era Superman: The Animated Series
, Jor-El is the main protagonist of Part 1 of the series' triple-length premiere episode, "The Last Son of Krypton". The character is voiced by Christopher McDonald
.
In this episode, Jor-El is a scientist examining the reasons for various earthquake
s across the planet. His findings indicate Krypton's imminent destruction. Here, the animated Jor-El diverges somewhat from the comic version. While both versions feature the ruling council of Krypton dismissing Jor-El's findings, Jor-El is portrayed as a far less respected member of the scientific community, and the episode also gives a specific reason to the council's dismissal: Brainiac
, the operating system that runs the planet and chronicles its history and information. Brainiac insists that Jor-El's calculations are incorrect, and the council members trust Brainiac much more than Jor-El (also, Jor-El's radical plan to put Krypton's entire population in the Phantom Zone
while Krypton is destroyed for later transference to another planet is greeted by the council with nothing less than hatred). This is the same Brainiac who later becomes a nemesis of Superman
.
When Jor-El investigates the difference between Brainiac's findings and his own, he discovers that Brainiac has lied to the council to save himself. Brainiac counters by sending the authorities after him, leading to a protracted action sequence of Jor-El evading the police; this is one of several scenes which portray Jor-El as a skilled fighter and pilot, his primary vehicle resembling a flying scooter
. With mere minutes before Krypton is to be destroyed, Jor-El loads Kal-El into the rocketship which had been intended for a single Kryptonian who would restore Krypton's population from the Phantom Zone, and dies with his wife Lara as the planet explodes. Jor-El's legacy on the show is carried on by the constant battles between Superman and Brainiac (he is as much Jor-El's enemy as he is Superman's) and the Phantom Zone criminals Jax-Ur
and Mala
, who were foiled by Jor-El.
To honor his parents' memory, Superman keeps ice sculptures of Jor-El and Lara in the Fortress of Solitude.
In the two-part episode "Twilight", Jor-El and Lara make a cameo in a picture shown to Superman
by Brainiac
when he attempts to renew his offer of exploring the universe and collecting knowledge.
Jor-El also appears in the Justice League Unlimited
episode "For The Man Who Has Everything," an adaptation from the print story of the same name
written by Alan Moore
, which originally appeared in 1985's Superman Annual. In the story, Superman
has an induced fantasy where he sees what his life would be like if Krypton had not exploded. Here, Jor-El is portrayed as an old man whose "sky-is-falling" theories disgraced him, but has done well enough for himself since then to have a sense of humor about it. As a bit of an in-joke
, his facial design matches Superman's from the first season of Justice League
,. Jor-El's voice is again provided by Christopher McDonald
. His last line of dialogue in the episode, however, is done by Mike Farrell
(voice of Jonathan Kent) as a sign of Superman realizing the truth about the fantasy.
As a possible tie to the resemblance between father and son, Christopher McDonald
also voices an older Superman in the Batman Beyond
two-parter "The Call."
, Jor-El and his wife Lara appear briefly in a flashback during the moment they sent their infant son Kal-El to Earth to survive Krypton's destruction. Also, a large statue of Jor-El and one of Lara are kept by Superman in his Fortress of Solitude. Jor-El is also mentioned by Superman when he reveals his origins to fellow Kryptonians Bar-El and Lilo.
animated series. He appears in the episode called "Message in a Bottle." In that episode, he was shown in a flashback, which was a story told by Brainiac 5
, referring to the time when the original Brainiac (known as Brainiac 1.0 by the 31st century)
shrank Kandor
and destroyed the entire planet Krypton.
.
Dilbert
In the episode "The Delivery", Dilbert
gives birth to a "half-alien, half-hill-billy, and half-robot" baby that Dogbert
sends into outer space at the end of the climax. The baby's destination is revealed, to be Krypton, where a depressed Jor-El and Lara are embarrassed by their proven false claims of their planet's destruction and the loss of their son over a false alarm. However, they eventually get over it when Dilbert's baby arrives, as foretold to them by Dogbert.
1978 novel Superman: Last Son of Krypton, Jor-El is shown as having sent a navigation probe ahead of Kal-El
's spaceship, in order to find a suitable foster parent on his new planet.
In Kryptonian
society, scientific achievement was a preeminent virtue, so Jor-El's probe was programmed to seek out the leading scientific mind on Earth, presumably to adopt Kal-El. The probe landed (in the early 1950s, although the date is non-specific) in Princeton, New Jersey
, where it soon appeared outside the window of Albert Einstein
and communicated its mission to him through telepathy
, along with precise details of where Kal-El's rocket would land (near Smallville, Kansas
), several days later.
Through the probe, Einstein learned that, due to the yellow-sun environment and lower gravity, the child would acquire superhuman powers on Earth, but concluded that he himself was too old to raise a super-child and that he would probably not live to see him become an adult. He reasoned the child should have both a father and mother, and also that on Earth, the qualities of kindness and honesty would be more important than sheer scientific knowledge to instill into a super-powerful being. (The real-life fact that Einstein had fled from despotic Nazi Germany
in the 1930s was noted as a possible factor in this decision.)
Einstein then traveled incognito to Smallville to seek out a suitable family; this required his sneaking away from fawning government handlers assigned to protect/baby-sit Einstein as a vital national resource. In the course of several days in Smallville, he encountered Jonathan and Martha Kent, and decided that they would be ideal foster parents for the Kryptonian child, due to their honest and generous natures. Einstein arranged for the Kents to be in the immediate area when Kal-El's spaceship landed, thus ensuring he would be found and later adopted by them.
The last sequence shown in the novel has Kal-El, now grown up to become Clark Kent
/Superman, reading a letter that Einstein had written to him, using the written Kryptonese language, in which he explains all of this.
, Jor-El is shown as a science hero who is respected and admired by all of the people of Krypton
and has a standing offer of a place on the Council for many years. At the start of the novel, Jor-El's research discovers the Phantom Zone
and he meets his future wife when he becomes trapped in it until she rescues him.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, an extraterrestrial in the . He was created by the writer Jerry Siegel
Jerry Siegel
Jerome "Jerry" Siegel , who also used pseudonyms including Joe Carter, Jerry Ess, and Herbert S...
and the artist Joe Shuster
Joe Shuster
Joseph "Joe" Shuster was a Canadian-born American comic book artist. He was best known for co-creating the DC Comics character Superman, with writer Jerry Siegel, first published in Action Comics #1...
, and he first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 as Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
's biological father.
Jor-El is a Kryptonian
Kryptonian
Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...
, and the husband of Lara. He was a scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
on the planet Krypton
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
before its destruction. Jor-El foresaw the planet's fate, but he was unable to convince his colleagues in time to save the inhabitants. He was able to save his infant son, Kal-El (Superman), sending him in a homemade spaceship to the Earth just moments before the explosion of Krypton. After constructing his Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
, Superman honored his deceased biological parents with a statue of Jor-El and Lara holding up a globe
Globe
A globe is a three-dimensional scale model of Earth or other spheroid celestial body such as a planet, star, or moon...
of Krypton.
Jor-El is usually portrayed as closely resembling the later appearance of Kal-El as the adult Superman.
Golden and Silver Age versions
Jor-El was first referred to indirectly in Action ComicsAction Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#1 in 1938, which only mentioned a scientist who sends his son to Earth. He made his first full-fledged appearance in the Superman newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
in 1939, where his name was spelled as "Jor-L." His name first appeared as being spelled "Jor-el" in the Superman novel The Adventures of Superman (1942) written by George Lowther
George Lowther (writer)
George F. Lowther was a writer, producer, director in the earliest days of radio and television. During the 1940s, he was a scriptwriter for the Superman radio programs on the Mutual Radio Network and the author of The Adventures of Superman .Born in New York City, Lowther broke into radio at 13...
. Later comic books capitalized the "E" in "El". Jor-El's first appearance in an actual comic book was in More Fun Comics
More Fun Comics
More Fun Comics, originally titled New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine a.k.a. New Fun Comics, was a 1935-1947 American comic book anthology that introduced several major superhero characters and was the first American comic-book series to feature solely original material rather than reprints of...
#101. After the introduction of DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' multiverse
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
system in the 1960s, it was established that the version of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
's father druing the Golden Age of Comic Books
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
was named "Jor-L", and he lived on the Krypton of the Earth-Two
Earth-Two
Earth-Two is a fictional universe appearing in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. First appearing in The Flash #123 , Earth-Two was created to explain how Silver-Age versions of characters such as the Flash could appear in stories with their Golden Age counterparts...
universe, while "Jor-El" was the father of the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
version of Superman, and he lived on the Krypton of the Earth-One universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
.
A retelling of Superman's origin story
Origin story
In comic book terminology, an origin story is an account or back-story revealing how a character or team gained their superpowers and/or the circumstances under which they became superheroes or supervillains....
in 1948 first delved into detail about Jor-El, though his formal and more familiar Silver Age aspects were firmly established starting in the late 1950s, and over the course of the next several decades, with a definitive summarization in the miniseries The World of Krypton in 1979
1979 in comics
-Year overall:* The "Demon in a Bottle" storyline, by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and John Romita, Jr., runs through Iron Man ....
, (not to be confused with the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
late-1980s
1980s in comics
This article lists major events in the field of comics during the 1980s.Publications: 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989-1982:*Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo debuts in Young Magazine.- March :...
comic miniseries of the same name).
His accomplishments
As it was summarized in this miniseries (and in various other Silver AgeSilver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
stories), Jor-El was Krypton's leading scientist, having invented, among other devices, the "Jor-El," a hovercar
Hovercar
A hovercar is a transport vehicle appearing in works of fiction. It is used for personal transportation in the same way a modern automobile is employed. You must steer it, like you would a normal vehicle...
, and having discovered a parallel plane of existence which he called the Phantom Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
, and having invented a device by which it could be entered, which he called the Phantom Zone Projector. This device got him a seat on the Science Council. He lived in Krypton's major city of Kryptonopolis
Kryptonopolis
Kryptonopolis is a fictional city in the DC Comics universe. Located on the planet Krypton, it is the birthplace of Superman.-Fictional history:...
.
Even before Jor-El's birth, the El family was renowned across Krypton for its various contributions to Kryptonian society. Ancestors of Jor-El included: Val-El, a famous explorer
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
; Sul-El, the inventor of Krypton's first telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
; Tala-El, the author of Krypton's first planetary constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
; Hatu-El, the inventor of Krypton's first electromagnet
Electromagnet
An electromagnet is a type of magnet in which the magnetic field is produced by the flow of electric current. The magnetic field disappears when the current is turned off...
and first electric motor; and Gam-El, the father of modern Kryptonian architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
.
Family life
Jor-El had two brothers: Zor-El, who lived in Argo CityArgo City
Argo City is a fictional Kryptonian city in the DC Comics Universe, and the birthplace of Supergirl. Argo City was first seen in Action Comics #252 .-Earth-One:...
and eventually became the father of Kara Zor-El, alias Supergirl
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
, and an identical twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
brother named Nim-El, who lived in Kandor
Kandor
Kandor is the name of the former capital city of the fictional planet Krypton in the DC Universe. It is best known for being stolen and miniaturized by the supervillain Brainiac...
. In several stories, Jor-El's father was established as Jor-El I, and his mother as Nimda (nee
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
An-Dor). Jor-El eventually met and married Lara, daughter of Lor-Van, a young astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
in Krypton's fledgling space program (which was soon permanently grounded after Jax-Ur
Jax-Ur
Jax-Ur is a fictional character, a Kryptonian supervillain in the . He first appears in Adventure Comics #289 and was created by Otto Binder and George Papp.-Pre-Crisis:Jax-Ur was an amoral and criminally deviant scientist on the planet Krypton...
blew up one of Krypton's inhabited moons leading to eternal banishment to the Phantom Zone), and the two had an infant son, Kal-El. In Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson is an American science fiction author with over forty bestsellers. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and with Brian Herbert is the co-author of the Dune prequels...
's novel The Last Days Of Krypton, Jor-El has only one brother, Zor-El, who is two years his junior, and their parents are Yar-El (a revolutionary scientist slowly dying of what is known as the Forgetting Disease) and Charys (a renowned psychologist who continues to study and attempt to reach her beloved husband). His wife Lara Lor-Van is an historian and, like her parents Ora and Lor-Van, an accomplished artist.
Jor-El as a male Cassandra
When KryptonKrypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
began experiencing a series of earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s, Jor-El investigated. He soon discovered, to his horror, that Krypton's core was extremely unstable and indeed radioactive, and worse, that it would eventually reach critical mass
Critical mass
A critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. The critical mass of a fissionable material depends upon its nuclear properties A critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. The...
and explode, taking the entire planet and its populace with it. Jor-El tried to convince the members of Krypton's ruling body, the Science Council, of this impending disaster, and urged reestablishing Krypton's space program so giant spacecrafts could be built to carry the populace to another habitable world. However, the Council was dismissive of Jor-El's findings and refused to comply with his plan. Some even accused him of treachery, trying to cause chaos so he could take over. He met his own son Kal-El without realising it around the time he discovered the impending doom, who had accidentally travelled back in time. There were supporters of Jor-El's theory, but when a ship was constructed to evacuate them the city of Kandor
Kandor
Kandor is the name of the former capital city of the fictional planet Krypton in the DC Universe. It is best known for being stolen and miniaturized by the supervillain Brainiac...
was shrunken and stolen by the alien Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
, removing the people who believed in Jor-El's work.
Frustrated, Jor-El continued his work on space travel on his own, hoping to build a spacecraft to save his own family. This work included launching several smaller test rockets; one of these rockets included the family dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, who responded to the name of Krypto. However, as time ran short, Jor-El soon found that he would only have enough time to build a spacecraft to save his son Kal-El
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. He decided to send Kal-El to Earth, realizing he would gain superhuman powers under Earth's more intense yellow sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
and lower gravity
Gravitation
Gravitation, or gravity, is a natural phenomenon by which physical bodies attract with a force proportional to their mass. Gravitation is most familiar as the agent that gives weight to objects with mass and causes them to fall to the ground when dropped...
. As Krypton finally went through its final destructive stages, Jor-El and Lara placed their son in the rocket and launched him toward Earth, before they themselves were killed along with almost all the rest of the planet's population. Lara could have fit inside the rocket as well, but she chose to stay behind to increase Kal-El's chances of reaching Earth.
Modern versions
After the 1985-1986 miniseriesLimited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
and John Byrne's 1986 miniseries The Man of Steel rewrote Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
's origins, details about Jor-El's background and character were changed. In Byrne's version, Jor-El inhabited a cold, emotionally sterile Krypton where even bodily contact was forbidden. Indeed, Jor-El himself was considered a "throwback" for actually expressing emotion
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
s toward his mate Lara, and for his favoring the less sterilized days of past Kryptonian eras. Another change in this version was Jor-El genetically altering his son's fetus
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
(gestating in a "birthing matrix") to allow him to leave Krypton (in this version of the mythos, Kryptonians were genetically "bonded" to the planet itself, not allowing them to leave), and merely attaching a warp engine to the matrix instead of constructing a ship wholesale. The result was that when the birthing matrix opened on Earth, Kal-El
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
was "born" on that planet.
In the 1990s
1990s in comics
See also:1980s in comics,other events of the 1990s,2000s in comics and thelist of years in comicsPublications: 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999-1992:See also: 1992 in comics...
series Starman
Starman (comics)
Starman is a name used by several different fictional DC Comics superheroes, most prominently Ted Knight and his sons David and Jack.Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley, the original Starman, Ted Knight, first appeared in Adventure Comics #61...
, it was revealed that, in his youth, Jor-El met a time-traveling Jack Knight and Mikaal Tomas, two individuals who both bore at various points the "Starman" mantle. Knight and Tomas had been accidentally sent 70 years back in time and hurled across space. It was in this way that Jor-El first learned of Earth's existence; in return, Jor-El helped Knight and Tomas escape from his overbearing father, Seyg-El.
In the 2004
2004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
miniseries Superman: Birthright
Superman: Birthright
Superman: Birthright is a twelve-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2003 and 2004, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Leinil Francis Yu....
, Jor-El, along with Krypton and Lara, was, more or less, reinstated to his Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
versions, though with such updated touches as Lara contributing equally to the effort of sending Kal-El, once again an infant while on Krypton, to Earth. In this version, Jor-El discovers Earth moments before launching his son's spacecraft. Also, the conclusion of the miniseries has the adult Superman, on Earth, seeing his parents through Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
's time-space communicator, and on Krypton, seconds before its destruction, Jor-El and Lara see their son alive and well on Earth and know that their efforts were successful. As with Byrne's conflicting view of Krypton, the Birthright origins of Jor-El, Krypton, and Lex Luthor have recently been retconned, and, following Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, they are no longer valid in comics canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
.
However, a more recent storyline co-written by Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and Superman director Richard Donner
Richard Donner
Richard Donner is an American film director, film producer, and comic book writer.The production company The Donners' Company is owned by Donner and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler Donner. After directing the horror film The Omen, Donner became famous for the hailed creation of the first modern...
presented yet another version of Jor-El and Krypton which reintroduced General Zod
General Zod
General Zod is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, a supervillain who is one of Superman's more-prominent enemies. The character first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
and the Phantom Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
criminals into mainstream continuity. With art by Adam Kubert
Adam Kubert
Adam Kubert is an American comic book artist known for his work for publishers such as Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and DC Comics, including work on Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Superman and Ghost Rider.Kubert has established himself as one...
, Jor-El is depicted for the first time with a beard
Beard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
and the design of Kryptonian society is distinct yet again from Birthright and Man of Steel, incorporating elements of Donner's work on the first two Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve was an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author and activist...
films, in particular the notion of Krypton's Council threatening Jor-El with harsh penalty of exile to the very Phantom Zone he himself had discovered if he were to make public his predictions of their planet's imminent doom or otherwise attempt to "create a climate of panic."
Jor-El is shown here to have been mentored by friend and noted scientist Non, who corroborated Jor-El's findings regarding Krypton's impending destruction, when the two were arrested and brought to trial before the Council by Zod and Ursa. When Non defies the Council's dire prohibitions and elects to spread the word of the coming apocalypse, he is abducted by Council agents and apparently lobotomized
Lobotomy
Lobotomy "; τομή – tomē: "cut/slice") is a neurosurgical procedure, a form of psychosurgery, also known as a leukotomy or leucotomy . It consists of cutting the connections to and from the prefrontal cortex, the anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain...
, thus explaining the character's mute simple-mindedness, brutality, and destructiveness in line with Jack O'Halloran
Jack O'Halloran
Jack O'Halloran is an American ex-boxer and actor.-Boxing:O'Halloran was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fighting as "Irish" Jack O'Halloran out of Boston, Massachusetts, he was a heavyweight boxing contender active from 1966 to 1974...
's performance as Non in the first two films. Appalled, Zod and Ursa propose to Jor-El that they band together and overthrow the Council, but Jor-El will have none of it. When their murderous insurrection fails, the Council forces Jor-El to exile them to the Phantom Zone and never speak of his findings again, lest he face the same fate. For this perceived betrayal, Zod declares that he will escape and conquer Krypton (confident that Jor-El will actually discover some way to save the planet) and force the scientist and his son to kneel before him one day (this echoes the statement Terence Stamp
Terence Stamp
Terence Henry Stamp is an English actor. Since starting his career in 1962 he has appeared in over 60 films. His title role as Billy Budd in his film debut earned Stamp an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer.His other major roles include...
made in both Superman movies Donner directed: "You will bow down before me, Jor-El! I swear it! No matter that it takes an eternity, you WILL bow down before me! Both you, and then one day, YOUR HEIRS!!!")
Having been rebuilt via a Kryptonian crystal during the One Year Later
One Year Later
"One Year Later" was a 2006 storyline event running through the DC Universe. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Comics Universe following the events of the Infinite Crisis event, to explore major changes within the continuities of the many...
story arc, the current version of the Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
, which was also designed to essentially be visually identical to the Donner and Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer is an American film director and film producer. Singer won critical acclaim for his work on The Usual Suspects, and is especially well-known among fans of the science fiction and superhero genres for his work on the X-Men films and Superman Returns.-Early life:Singer was born in New...
films, now contains an advanced interactive "recording" of Jor-El which, although visually dissimilar to Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
, is otherwise identical in function to that featured in Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
.
In Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
#50, it is revealed that, years ago, Jor-El sent a probe to Earth that made contact with Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne is a fictional character in the Batman series of comic books. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the father of Bruce Wayne, and husband of Martha Wayne, as well as a gifted surgeon and philanthropist...
while he was on a drive with a pregnant Martha
Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne is a fictional character of the Batman series of comic books, published by DC Comics. She is Dr. Thomas Wayne's wife and mother of Bruce Wayne. When she and her husband are murdered during a holdup, young Bruce swears to avenge their deaths by fighting crime...
, the probe holographically
Holography
Holography is a technique that allows the light scattered from an object to be recorded and later reconstructed so that when an imaging system is placed in the reconstructed beam, an image of the object will be seen even when the object is no longer present...
transmitting Thomas' consciousness to Krypton so that Jor-El could better learn what kind of world Earth was to help him decide which of many possible candidates he should send his son to. Thomas tells Jor-El that the people of Earth aren't perfect, but are essentially a good and kind race, who would raise the child right, convincing Jor-El to send Kal-El there. Thomas recorded his encounter in a diary, which was discovered by Bruce in the present day.
In other media
Jor-El has appeared (usually briefly) in various media adaptations of the SupermanSuperman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
story. Media portrayals of Jor-El tend to vary greatly in how he's presented, often diverging from the original source material.
Superman movie serials
Jor-El is portrayed by Nelson LeighNelson Leigh
Nelson Leigh was a prolific motion picture actor of the 1940s and 1950s.-Career:...
in "Superman Comes to Earth", the first chapter of the 1948 Superman
Superman (serial)
Superman is a 15-part black-and-white Columbia film serial based on the comic book character Superman. It stars an uncredited Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. It is notable as the first live-action appearance of Superman on film and for the longevity of its distribution...
movie serial. Portions of this depiction appear in flashback as Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
recounts the story of Krypton's destruction in "At the Mercy of Atom Man!", the seventh chapter of the 1950 serial Atom Man vs. Superman
Atom Man vs. Superman
Atom Man vs. Superman , Columbia's 43rd serial, finds Lex Luthor , secretly the Atom Man, blackmailing the city of Metropolis by threatening to destroy the entire community...
.
Superman
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
played Jor-El in the 1978 Superman film, which Alexander Salkind
Alexander Salkind
Alexander Salkind was the second of three generations of successful international film producers.-Life and career:...
, his son Ilya Salkind
Ilya Salkind
Ilya Juan Salkind Dominguez , usually known as Ilya Salkind, is a film and television producer, well known for his contributions to the live-action Superman films of the 1970s and '80s alongside his father, Alexander Salkind....
, and their business partner Pierre Spengler
Pierre Spengler
Pierre Spengler is a French film producer. Among many international hits, he is best known for initiating the first three Superman movies, and producing them with Ilya Salkind.-Overview:...
produced and which Richard Donner
Richard Donner
Richard Donner is an American film director, film producer, and comic book writer.The production company The Donners' Company is owned by Donner and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler Donner. After directing the horror film The Omen, Donner became famous for the hailed creation of the first modern...
directed. In the movie, Jor-El is shown wearing the Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
"S"-shield symbol as the family crest of the House of El, resembling an Earth "S" by coincidence. The name "Superman" is later coined by Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
due to the resemblance. In tandem, other Kryptonians are seen wearing their own individualized family crests. Originally thought up by Brando himself and suggested on-set, this origin of the famous Superman symbol has been used in many stories since. In the current comics, however, the shield is the Kryptonian symbol for "hope," and not only is it worn by Jor-El in a similar manner to Brando of the first feature film, but it adorns all manner of Kryptonian flags, clothing, spaceships, and equipment.
When the teenage Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
finds the green crystal his birth father placed in his ship, it leads him to the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
, where the green crystal creates the Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
, and brings Clark into contact with an interactive hologram of Jor-El, who instructs his son on how to use his powers and informs him that the people of Earth "can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all...their capacity for good...I have sent them you, my only son." Later, Jor-El is shown advising Superman on why he must maintain his secret identity to protect himself and his loved ones.
Superman II
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
filmed additional footage for the sequel, Superman II
Superman II
Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the 1978 superhero film Superman and stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Sarah Douglas, Margot Kidder, and Jack O'Halloran. It was the only Superman film to be filmed by two directors...
, before differences behind the scenes caused his footage to end up on the cutting room floor. It has been restored for the 2006 revised version, Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut is a 2006 re-edit of the 1980 superhero film, Superman II, by Richard Donner, who shot a large part of the original movie before being replaced as director by Richard Lester. It stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Margot Kidder and Marlon Brando...
. In the Richard Donner Cut, Jor-El appears again as in the first as a person to guide and inform Kal-El
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. Jor-El's historical crystals reveal to Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
the existence of the three Phantom Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
criminals General Zod
General Zod
General Zod is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, a supervillain who is one of Superman's more-prominent enemies. The character first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
, Ursa, and Non, which makes Luthor realize just who and what they are (and that it was Superman who caused their release).
Jor-El is asked by Clark if he can live a life as a human with Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
. Jor-El tries to persuade Clark not to wish so, but Clark is firm with his will. Jor-El then reveals the crystal chamber with the rays of Krypton's red sun which will make Clark human forever. Later, Clark returns to find all the crystals and information regarding Krypton destroyed, but finds the original crystal and is able to bring back Jor-El. Jor-El sacrifices his remaining life-force to restore his son's powers so that Superman can save Earth from Zod. Superman later destroys the Fortress after it has been breached by Luthor and the Phantom Zone criminals, but then goes back in time, where it remains normal.
Superman Returns
In 2006, two years after Brando died, he "reprised" the role of Jor-El in Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
through the harvesting of archived video footage and sound clip outtakes. In the film, Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
, having retained vague memories of the place, returns to the Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
during Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
's absence to learn the power of the crystals. After stealing them, he uses one in a kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
tube, to create a new continent that threatens to destroy North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Superman manages to throw the "New Krypton" island out of the atmosphere and into space.
Man of Steel
Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
will portray Jor-El in Zack Snyder
Zack Snyder
Zachary Edward "Zack" Snyder is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, and producer. After making his feature film debut with the 2004 remake Dawn of the Dead, he gained wide recognition with the 2007 box office hit 300, adapted from writer-artist Frank Miller's Dark Horse Comics...
's upcoming reboot Man of Steel.
Adventures of Superman
Jor-El was played by Robert RockwellRobert Rockwell
Robert Rockwell was an American actor best known for playing the handsome, but awkward biology teacher Philip Boynton in the radio and television situation comedy Our Miss Brooks opposite Eve Arden....
(who went uncredited on-screen) in "Superman on Earth," the first episode of the 1952 television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman (TV series)
Adventures of Superman is an American television series based on comic book characters and concepts created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The show is the first television series to feature Superman and began filming in 1951 in California...
.
Superboy
Jor-El was "played" by George LazenbyGeorge Lazenby
George Robert Lazenby is an Australian actor and former model, best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.-Early life:...
, who was actually playing the role of an alien disguised as Jor-El, in the late 1980s television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Superboy
Superboy (TV series)
Superboy is a half-hour live-action television series based on the fictional DC Comics comic book character Kal-El's early years as Superboy. The show ran from 1988–1992 in syndication...
, which Alexander Salkind
Alexander Salkind
Alexander Salkind was the second of three generations of successful international film producers.-Life and career:...
and his son Ilya Salkind
Ilya Salkind
Ilya Juan Salkind Dominguez , usually known as Ilya Salkind, is a film and television producer, well known for his contributions to the live-action Superman films of the 1970s and '80s alongside his father, Alexander Salkind....
produced for first-run syndication.
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
David WarnerDavid Warner (actor)
David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation...
played Jor-El in the episode "Foundling." From a small Kryptonian globe in the spacecraft that carried him to Earth, Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
begins to see holographic messages from his biological father. Jor-El details Krypton
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
's destruction and how he saved his son by sending him to Earth in a small experimental spaceship. Jor-El says that there is an old Kryptonian saying: "On a long road, take small steps."
François Giroday played Jor-El in the episode "Big Girls Don't Fly," where Clark learns that he was married, at birth, to Zara, which was apparently a common ritual on Krypton prior to its destruction.
Smallville
Terence StampTerence Stamp
Terence Henry Stamp is an English actor. Since starting his career in 1962 he has appeared in over 60 films. His title role as Billy Budd in his film debut earned Stamp an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer.His other major roles include...
has voiced the disembodied spirit of Jor-El, Clark’s biological father, in 23 episodes from season two to season ten. Jor-El first appears to Clark as a voice emanating from the spaceship that brought Clark to Earth, informing him that it is time to leave Smallville and fulfill his destiny – a destiny that Clark believes is to conquer the world. Clark does not want to leave Smallville, so he destroys his spaceship, but this triggers a shockwave that causes Martha Kent to suffer a miscarriage, prompting Clark to flee Smallville in shame. Three months after Clark fled Smallville, Jor-El and Jonathan make a deal. Jor-El will give Jonathan the power to bring Clark home, but only if Jonathan agrees to give Clark to him when the time comes. In season three’s "Relic", it is revealed that Jor-El (portrayed by Tom Welling
Tom Welling
Thomas John Patrick "Tom" Welling is an American actor, director, producer, and former model, best known for his portrayal of Clark Kent in the WB/CW series Smallville....
in flashbacks) came to Smallville as a "rite of passage
Rite of passage
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. It is a universal phenomenon which can show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures....
" by his own father. It is deduced by Clark that Jor-El chose the Kent family to be Clark’s adoptive family after having a positive experience with Jonathan’s father. In the season three finale, Jor-El makes good on his deal, and takes Clark from Smallville. Jor-El returns Clark three months later, reprogrammed as "Kal-El" to seek out the three stones of knowledge so that he can fulfill his destiny; Clark fails to retrieve all three stones immediately, which results in a "great evil" arriving on Earth.
With the three stones united, Clark uses them to form the Fortress of Solitude, where Jor-El informs him that he needs to begin his training in order to fulfill his destiny. That training is interrupted by two Kryptonian disciples of Zod—a criminal from Krypton imprisoned in the Phantom Zone—who proceed to destroy Smallville looking for Clark. As a consequence, when Clark does not return, Jor-El strips him of his powers. When Clark is killed in his mortal body, Jor-El resurrects Clark, with his powers, but informs his son that someone he loves will have to take his place in death; that person turns out to be Jonathan. In season seven, Jor-El warns Clark about the existence of his cousin Kara, the daughter of Jor-El’s brother Zor-El. It is revealed that Zor-El attempted to assassinate Jor-El. Clark’s consistent disobedience forces Jor-El to imprison his son in a block of ice. After learning that a clone of Clark has returned to Smallville, Jor-El frees his son so that he can take care of the bizarre creature. In Season eight episode "Abyss", Clark talks to Jor-El about his actions and convinces him to start trusting him. Jor-El helps Clark save Chloe from Brainiac and warns Clark about Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
. As Clark leaves, Brainiac emerges from hiding, kills Jor-El and takes over the Fortress, stating that Doomsday is coming. In Season 9's episode "Savior", Clark managed to fix the connection with Jor-El and began his training. He had trained for 3 weeks when, while on duty in Metropolis, he found Lois on a monorail train that he had rescued. When he returned to his training, Lois kept clouding his judgment and when Clark asked why he couldn't fly yet, Jor-El told him that something or somebody is holding him back and to fully embrace his Kryptonian side, he must leave his human life behind fully. In "Echo", Jor-El gives Clark temporary telepathy as part of his trials. In "Metallo", during an investigation of Kryptonian sightings on Earth following the defeat of Metallo
Metallo
Metallo is a comic book supervillain and cyborg who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. Metallo's trademark is his kryptonite power source, which he often uses as a weapon against Superman. His traditional identity is John Corben...
at the hands of Clark, Tess finds Jor-El in the center of a burnt crest of the House of El. In "Roulette", Jor-El tells Clark about Alia's origins and informs him that more Kryptonians may have come to earth.
Terence Stamp's name was deliberately kept out of the opening credits in order to keep the secret that he was voicing Jor-El. Stamp originally portrayed General Zod
General Zod
General Zod is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, a supervillain who is one of Superman's more-prominent enemies. The character first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
in the first two Superman films, starring Christopher Reeve.
Apart from Welling's portrayal of the character, Jor-El himself, with the exception of one glimpse during a flashback in the episode "Memoria", was not seen until season 9's episode "Kandor". Jor-El (Julian Sands
Julian Sands
Julian M. Sands is an English actor, known for his roles in the Best Picture nominee The Killing Fields, the cult film Warlock, A Room with a View, Arachnophobia, Vatel, the television series 24 and as Jor-El in the television series Smallville.-Career:Sands began his film career appearing in...
) is released from the Orb as a clone of his younger self from 20 years before the destruction of Krypton and the birth of his son Kal-El. Jor-El is captured and tortured by his former friend, now foe, Zod, to learn the secret of super-powers. Jor-El escapes and dies in the arms of his son, his last request being for Kal-El to save Zod.
In the Smallville season 9 finale, "Salvation", Zod destroys the crystal console by which Kal-El communicates with the essence of Jor-El, apparently cutting off Kal-El's contact with his father forever. However, in the season 10 premiere "Lazarus" it is revealed that Jor-El's essence has survived, and he warns of the coming of Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, simultaneously taking away a suit that Martha Kent had recently made for her son until Clark is ready to be a hero, feeling that Clark's recent willingness to kill a clone of Lex Luthor shows that he is not worthy to be the hero Jor-El thought he would become.
Julian Sands reprised the role of Jor-El in the tenth season episode "Abandoned", appearing in the form of a holographic message that Jor-El and Lara had recorded for Kal-El shortly before his ship was launched, after Lois travels to the Fortress to confront Jor-El about his failures as a father, the message featuring Jor-El and Lara assuring their son that they have faith in him, also explaining that Jor-El's cold attitude at times stems from the fact that the original Jor-El only gave the Fortress his knowledge, holding back his emotions because he worried that he might be guided to be too easy on his son when the time came for him to face his challenges. When Darkseid launches his final assault on Earth and Apokolips appears in Earth's system, Jor-El and Jonathan's spirit inform Clark that, to be a true hero, he must accept not only his Kryptonian powers, but the human spirit he learned from the Kents, Clark subsequently donning the Superman suit for the first time to stop Apokolips.
Superman theatrical cartoons
Jor-El is referenced in the first episode of the Superman theatrical cartoonsSuperman (1940s cartoons)
The Fleischer & Famous Superman cartoons are a series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films released by Paramount Pictures and based upon the comic book character Superman....
as one of Krypton's "leading scientists sensing the approach of doom." He then placed Kal-El
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
into a rocket and blasted it off toward Earth just as Krypton exploded.
Super Friends
Jor-El is also seen in at least three episodes of the Super FriendsSuper Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
. He appears in the episode "The Planet Splitter," and in the Challenge of the Super Friends
Challenge of the Super Friends
Challenge of the Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from September 9, 1978, to December 23, 1978, on ABC. The complete series was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for Warner Bros. Television and is based on the Justice League and...
episode "Secret Origins of The Superfriends," as well as the short episode called "The Krypton Syndrome."
Superman (1988)
In the 1988 animated series Superman, the Man of Steel mentions that his father Jor-El was the creator of the Phantom ZonePhantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
, which holds General Zod
General Zod
General Zod is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, a supervillain who is one of Superman's more-prominent enemies. The character first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
and his two Kryptonian
Kryptonian
Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...
companions. One of Zod's minions creates a pool of energy that allows them to create a monster called "The Hunter" (voiced by Peter Cullen
Peter Cullen
Peter Claver Cullen is a Canadian voice actor, known as the voice of Eeyore in the Winnie-the-Pooh franchise, Optimus Prime and Ironhide in the original Transformers series, and the narrator in both of the original American Voltron series...
) that leaves the Phantom Zone to kill Superman, then find the Phantom Zone Projector and free them. Jor-El is only mentioned, but he is not shown.
Superman: The Animated Series (1996)
In the 1990s-era Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
, Jor-El is the main protagonist of Part 1 of the series' triple-length premiere episode, "The Last Son of Krypton". The character is voiced by Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...
.
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s across the planet. His findings indicate Krypton's imminent destruction. Here, the animated Jor-El diverges somewhat from the comic version. While both versions feature the ruling council of Krypton dismissing Jor-El's findings, Jor-El is portrayed as a far less respected member of the scientific community, and the episode also gives a specific reason to the council's dismissal: Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
, the operating system that runs the planet and chronicles its history and information. Brainiac insists that Jor-El's calculations are incorrect, and the council members trust Brainiac much more than Jor-El (also, Jor-El's radical plan to put Krypton's entire population in the Phantom Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
while Krypton is destroyed for later transference to another planet is greeted by the council with nothing less than hatred). This is the same Brainiac who later becomes a nemesis of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.
When Jor-El investigates the difference between Brainiac's findings and his own, he discovers that Brainiac has lied to the council to save himself. Brainiac counters by sending the authorities after him, leading to a protracted action sequence of Jor-El evading the police; this is one of several scenes which portray Jor-El as a skilled fighter and pilot, his primary vehicle resembling a flying scooter
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
. With mere minutes before Krypton is to be destroyed, Jor-El loads Kal-El into the rocketship which had been intended for a single Kryptonian who would restore Krypton's population from the Phantom Zone, and dies with his wife Lara as the planet explodes. Jor-El's legacy on the show is carried on by the constant battles between Superman and Brainiac (he is as much Jor-El's enemy as he is Superman's) and the Phantom Zone criminals Jax-Ur
Jax-Ur
Jax-Ur is a fictional character, a Kryptonian supervillain in the . He first appears in Adventure Comics #289 and was created by Otto Binder and George Papp.-Pre-Crisis:Jax-Ur was an amoral and criminally deviant scientist on the planet Krypton...
and Mala
Mala (Kryptonian)
Mala is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Superman #65 in the story "The Three Supermen from Space!"-Fictional character biography:...
, who were foiled by Jor-El.
To honor his parents' memory, Superman keeps ice sculptures of Jor-El and Lara in the Fortress of Solitude.
Justice League
In the two-part episode "Twilight", Jor-El and Lara make a cameo in a picture shown to Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
by Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
when he attempts to renew his offer of exploring the universe and collecting knowledge.
Justice League Unlimited
Jor-El also appears in the Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "For The Man Who Has Everything," an adaptation from the print story of the same name
For the Man Who Has Everything
"For the Man Who Has Everything" is a comic book story by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, first published in Superman Annual #11 and later adapted into a Justice League Unlimited episode in 2004.-Plot:...
written by Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
, which originally appeared in 1985's Superman Annual. In the story, Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
has an induced fantasy where he sees what his life would be like if Krypton had not exploded. Here, Jor-El is portrayed as an old man whose "sky-is-falling" theories disgraced him, but has done well enough for himself since then to have a sense of humor about it. As a bit of an in-joke
In-joke
An in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
, his facial design matches Superman's from the first season of Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
,. Jor-El's voice is again provided by Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...
. His last line of dialogue in the episode, however, is done by Mike Farrell
Mike Farrell
Michael Joseph "Mike" Farrell is an American actor, best known for his role as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the television series M*A*S*H . He is an activist for politically liberal causes....
(voice of Jonathan Kent) as a sign of Superman realizing the truth about the fantasy.
Batman Beyond
As a possible tie to the resemblance between father and son, Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...
also voices an older Superman in the Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
two-parter "The Call."
DC Animated Original Movies
In 2011's direct-to-video animated film All-Star SupermanAll-Star Superman (film)
All-Star Superman is a direct-to-video animated film based on the acclaimed comic book series All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The film is the tenth in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation and the first in the...
, Jor-El and his wife Lara appear briefly in a flashback during the moment they sent their infant son Kal-El to Earth to survive Krypton's destruction. Also, a large statue of Jor-El and one of Lara are kept by Superman in his Fortress of Solitude. Jor-El is also mentioned by Superman when he reveals his origins to fellow Kryptonians Bar-El and Lilo.
Pinky and the Brain (1997)
The Silver Age versions of Jor-El and Lara appear in the episode "Two Mice and a Baby" as they place an infant Kal-El in his ship as Krypton crumbles. He is voiced by Jeff Bennett.Legion of Super Heroes
Jor-El also appears in the Legion of Super HeroesLegion of Super Heroes (TV series)
Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
animated series. He appears in the episode called "Message in a Bottle." In that episode, he was shown in a flashback, which was a story told by Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
, referring to the time when the original Brainiac (known as Brainiac 1.0 by the 31st century)
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
shrank Kandor
Kandor
Kandor is the name of the former capital city of the fictional planet Krypton in the DC Universe. It is best known for being stolen and miniaturized by the supervillain Brainiac...
and destroyed the entire planet Krypton.
Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton
Jor-El is also featured in the animated web series Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton, a spin-off of the television series SmallvilleSmallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
.
DilbertDilbert (TV series)Dilbert is an animated television series spin-off of the comic strip of the same name, produced by Adelaide Productions, Idbox, and United Media and distributed by Columbia TriStar Television...
In the episode "The Delivery", DilbertDilbert (character)
Dilbert is a fictional character and the main character and protagonist of the Dilbert comic strip. He is a white collar office worker who has a rare medical condition characterized by an extreme intuition about all things mechanical and electrical , an idea that was explored in the animated...
gives birth to a "half-alien, half-hill-billy, and half-robot" baby that Dogbert
Dogbert
Dogbert is Dilbert's anthropomorphic pet talking dog from the Dilbert comic strip. According to creator Scott Adams, the character is being based on, if not a member of, the beagle breed.-Characterization:...
sends into outer space at the end of the climax. The baby's destination is revealed, to be Krypton, where a depressed Jor-El and Lara are embarrassed by their proven false claims of their planet's destruction and the loss of their son over a false alarm. However, they eventually get over it when Dilbert's baby arrives, as foretold to them by Dogbert.
Video Games
- In the Superman ReturnsSuperman Returns (video game)Superman Returns is a video game loosely based on the movie of the same name, developed by Electronic Arts-Tiburon in Orlando, Fla., in conjunction with Warner Bros...
video game, Jor-El appears in the cutscene when Lex LuthorLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
breaks into the Fortress of SolitudeFortress of SolitudeThe Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
and takes the Kryptonian crystals of the Fortress. Jor-El also teaches the player how to use the controls in the beginning of the game. - Jor-El appears in the DC Universe OnlineDC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
video game, voiced by William Price. - A large statue of Jor-El and Lara can be seen in the Fortress of Solitude stage in Mortal Kombat vs. DC UniverseMortal Kombat vs. DC UniverseMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a crossover fighting game from Midway Games and Warner Bros. Games. The eighth game in the Mortal Kombat series, MK vs. DC was released on November 16, . MK vs. DC contains characters from both the Mortal Kombat franchise and the DC Universe...
.
Superman: Last Son of Krypton
In the Elliot S! MagginElliot S! Maggin
Elliot S. Maggin, also spelled Elliot S! Maggin , is an American writer of comic books, film, television and novels. He was a main writer for DC Comics during the Bronze and early Modern ages of comics in the 1970s and 1980s...
1978 novel Superman: Last Son of Krypton, Jor-El is shown as having sent a navigation probe ahead of Kal-El
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
's spaceship, in order to find a suitable foster parent on his new planet.
In Kryptonian
Kryptonian
Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...
society, scientific achievement was a preeminent virtue, so Jor-El's probe was programmed to seek out the leading scientific mind on Earth, presumably to adopt Kal-El. The probe landed (in the early 1950s, although the date is non-specific) in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, where it soon appeared outside the window of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
and communicated its mission to him through telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
, along with precise details of where Kal-El's rocket would land (near Smallville, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
), several days later.
Through the probe, Einstein learned that, due to the yellow-sun environment and lower gravity, the child would acquire superhuman powers on Earth, but concluded that he himself was too old to raise a super-child and that he would probably not live to see him become an adult. He reasoned the child should have both a father and mother, and also that on Earth, the qualities of kindness and honesty would be more important than sheer scientific knowledge to instill into a super-powerful being. (The real-life fact that Einstein had fled from despotic Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in the 1930s was noted as a possible factor in this decision.)
Einstein then traveled incognito to Smallville to seek out a suitable family; this required his sneaking away from fawning government handlers assigned to protect/baby-sit Einstein as a vital national resource. In the course of several days in Smallville, he encountered Jonathan and Martha Kent, and decided that they would be ideal foster parents for the Kryptonian child, due to their honest and generous natures. Einstein arranged for the Kents to be in the immediate area when Kal-El's spaceship landed, thus ensuring he would be found and later adopted by them.
The last sequence shown in the novel has Kal-El, now grown up to become Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
/Superman, reading a letter that Einstein had written to him, using the written Kryptonese language, in which he explains all of this.
The Last Days of Krypton
In the 2007 novel The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. AndersonKevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson is an American science fiction author with over forty bestsellers. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and with Brian Herbert is the co-author of the Dune prequels...
, Jor-El is shown as a science hero who is respected and admired by all of the people of Krypton
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
and has a standing offer of a place on the Council for many years. At the start of the novel, Jor-El's research discovers the Phantom Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
and he meets his future wife when he becomes trapped in it until she rescues him.