"No one can predict the unexpected, including the destruction of a planet or events as strange as crossing dimensions."
Kara Zor-El (a soul through time).
Planet Krypton, a civilization that could be considered one of the most advanced in the universe, also possessed great power that was not to be underestimated.
As early as 100,000 years ago, Krypton had begun to colonize the universe, leaving traces of its presence even on Earth and the Moon.
This expansion was driven by the foresight of Kryptonian scientists, who predicted that their parent star was nearing the end of its life. They anticipated that Krypton itself would eventually collapse.
Initially, the Kryptonians prepared to migrate en masse.
However, for reasons that remain unknown, the Kryptonians ultimately abandoned their colonies and instead poured all their efforts into saving their home planet.
To achieve this, they developed the Codex of Life, also known as the Genetic Code. This artifact stored the genetic templates of all Kryptonians, eliminating the need for natural reproduction.
Instead, the Codex allowed the creation of new individuals tailored for specific roles. If Krypton needed soldiers, it could produce the perfect warriors. If scientists were required, it could engineer individuals suited for intellectual pursuits.
Among all Kryptonians, one exception would later emerge: Kal-El, the first naturally born child on Krypton in centuries.
When Krypton's destruction became inevitable, Jor-El embedded the Codex within Kal-El's genetic makeup. If Kal-El so desired, he could one day restore the entire Kryptonian race.
Kara Zor-El, Kal-El's older cousin, was also entrusted with a mission by Zor-El and Alura: to protect Kal-El at all costs.
Only...
"I'm supposed to protect my cousin, but now what the hell is going on?!" Kara screamed in frustration.
At this moment, two spaceships, one trailing the other, hurtled through space toward Earth.
Initially, the ships were meant to travel side by side. However, a meteor collision damaged Kara's spacecraft, causing it to fall behind. The ship's systems were critically impaired, and Kara herself had suffered a severe head injury.
Kara, just ten years old, had barely escaped Krypton with Kal-El. Due to Krypton's red sun, Kryptonians lacked extraordinary abilities under its rays, rendering them physically no different from average humans.
The impact had left Kara mortally wounded, and the original Kara Zor-El perished. Her body now housed the soul of a traveler from another world.
In other words, the current Kara was no longer the same person.
Kara struggled to make sense of the situation. One moment, she had been planning to rewatch all the Marvel movies with her best friend. The next, she found herself hurtling through space in a child's broken body.
"What kind of sick joke is this?!" she muttered, clutching her bloodied head. The pain was overwhelming.
The original Kara's fatal injuries would have been enough to kill her again, but something miraculous began to happen. Memories that did not belong to her started flooding her mind.
These were the memories of the original Kara Zor-El. As her brain reeled from the trauma, the new Kara found herself inheriting these fragments of identity.
At last, she understood who she was: Kara Zor-El, Kryptonian refugee and the daughter of Zor-El and Alura.
"You've got to be kidding me," Kara groaned before losing consciousness from the sheer shock.
Blood continued to seep from her head wound as her life hung in the balance.
Suddenly, both spaceships passed through the Phantom Zone, a shadowy dimension used by Kryptonians as a prison. They emerged moments later in another part of the universe: the solar system.
Here, the brilliant golden light of Earth's sun pierced through Kara's spacecraft, bathing her body in warmth.
Under the sun's yellow rays, Kara's physiology began to transform. Her body emitted a golden glow, and her injuries healed with astonishing speed. Unconsciously, she floated upward, defying the artificial gravity of the ship.
Though the spacecraft's gravity simulation mimicked Krypton's—several times stronger than Earth's—Kara floated effortlessly. On Earth, she might be able to soar through the sky.
For now, though, Kara remained unconscious, her mind overwhelmed by the memories of the body's former owner.
The memories revealed her family. Kara's father, Zor-El, was the younger brother of Jor-El, a scientist and judge of Krypton. Her mother, Alura, was a high-ranking judge as well.
Kara also had an aunt, Astra, a military general whose strength and status rivaled General Zod's. Astra shared a close bond with Kara, often calling her "the future of Krypton."
Tragically, when Krypton neared collapse, Astra and Zod led a rebellion, believing drastic measures were necessary to save their planet. Their coup failed, and both generals were captured. Alura herself presided over Astra's trial, using Kara as bait to lure her into a trap.
Kara learned that the Phantom Zone wasn't just a shortcut through space; it was also a prison. As her spaceship passed through, Astra, confined within her cell, watched helplessly.
Astra slammed her fists against the glass of her prison. "Krypton will not perish, my beloved Kara," she vowed. "You are the most perfect warrior, scientist, and leader. You will become the queen of a new Krypton."