Background of Arias

 scene in which Superman and Nikita stand in the Fortress of Solitude speaking to the living memory of his Kryptonian father Jor'el.

“I don't understand why you're leaving.” Nikita said to Jor-El

Jor-El smiled faintly. “Sasha, you have already risked enough on my behalf. And I...I honestly don't know how to thank you. But I cannot put you in any more danger. Especially from the general. What was his name, Elling?”

“Listen to me. I seriously need you to understand this. The instant I welcomed you under my roof you became a guest in my house and my responsibility. It's a lot like being in custody without being under arrest. And regardless of that, you became...you are my friend. And no one with a brain in their skull insults a friend of mine in my house. But if you really want to leave, I can't stop you.” Nikita took a breath. “I appreciate what you are trying to do for me...”

“You saved me from that fanatic. I wouldn't be a very good guest if I didn't at least Try to return the favor.”

Nikita looked sad. That's when I realized they were no longer quoting the day of their meeting. “It didn't work did it? He came anyway.”

Nikita nodded then looked at Jor-El. “Did you send the message to me? I mean was it intended for me alone?”

Jor-el looked thoroughly caught off guard. “Yes...of course. Did you not believe so?”

“Six years ago when I first met your son.” she motioned toward me. “Superman as he is known on this planet I recognized the symbol on his chest and put him together with that message. It was hard not to. Until about 6 days ago I never put that message together with your visit. And now I'm feeling kind of like an idiot about it.”

“Why is that Nikita?” I asked her. “You said yourself you never knew his true name, or what planet he was actually from.”

“I spent so long wondering who could have known Xavallen physiology enough to send a signal I could pick up. We don't have dog ears for sound and we're not telepaths. The rest of the time I kept searching my mind trying to figure out who would trust me that far. On the very short list of people who knew what I was, who would ask me to take care of their son, I couldn't work it out in my head. It didn't help that when I received the message I wasn't even capable of helping myself. I was...in a prison for dangerous aliens at the time. Once I was freed I couldn't think of that memory without knowing I'd failed the man -the couple given the phrasing- that had put so much trust in me in the first place.”

“You realized this alien you once sheltered would have trusted you that far. You must have already known that. It follows then that something must have helped you recognize me.”

“Not you, no. But I did recognize him because of you. The man who rescued me from that alien prison, his name was Jeremiah Danvers. He reminded me a lot of...Well, you Jor-el.”

Suddenly I felt panicked. “Nikita wait!" Jor-el and Nikita both turned to me. "I am sorry father. There is something I have failed to explain." I felt like hanging my head as I turned to Nikita. "Jor-el...doesn't know who Jeremiah is...to me.”

Nikita put her hand over her mouth, then balled it into a fist as she pushed down. It was the single most horrific thing I have ever seen.

"My son, I require an explanation."

"Jeremiah Danvers...Is the man who found me when I was little. He raised me as his son. The only reason he agreed to work for the organization that captured Nikita– was so the leader of that organization wouldn't come after me, turn me into a solider... Or worse."

"Jeremiah had worked for Hank Henshaw for almost six years when he broke me out of that place. And Hank was not Elling. He was a man of restraint and duty...just misguided. He was willing to do any-thing to protect his people from those he honestly believed were a threat. Some-thing he eventually changed his mind about.”

"As far as what constituted a 'threat' in the first place anyway."

"Quite so. When a man you don't think anything of good or bad shows you boundless courage, true fidelity and dies saving your life, you tend to re-examine your assumptions on such matters. I now serve under Hank Henshaw. I have for several years. A free choice and one we have all accepted. The particularly dangerous alien they had been pursuing gave Henshaw the memories of Jeremiah's death; out of the belief that it as the only way to keep both himself and Jeremiah safe. We've only quite recently learned the truth of that matter. Jeremiah has been, essentially under house arrest and living with a man -a GREEN Martian named J'onn Jo'nzz- in a remote community called Arias.”

“This is...an almost unbelievable amount of truth to learn.”

“That's pretty much how I felt when I realized that the 2 closest friends I have ever met on this planet, the two BEST men I have ever know are in fact the biological and adopted fathers of one of my closest current friends!”