Argo was a 2013 storyline for Smallville Season 11, the comic continuation of the TV series.
Synopsis
During a mission in Antarctica, Booster Gold's Legion Ring initializes a program called "Legion Protocol Six" all of sudden and stops working. Blue Beetle saves the time-travelling hero, but Booster Gold is left wondering why the ring turned off. Seeking answers, Booster heads to Metropolis to have some from the Legion Ring's legitimate owner: Clark Kent.
On Metropolis, Clark and Lois enjoy their time together before Lois takes a flight to Africa. Clark heads to the Planet and finds Booster Gold in his office. Clark is definitely not pleased to see him, but his annoyance becomes a secondary matter when Booster's Legion Ring, detecting Superman's presence, activates "Legion Protocol Six". The ring opens up some kind of time rift and sends both heroes to the future, leaving Skeets, Booster Gold robot buddy, behind.
Clark Kent and Booster Gold appear in the 31st century. Metropolis is burning, and a giant Superman statue is ruined.
Back in the present Skeets goes to the Watchtower for assistance, knowing his owner has been flung into the future and he needs to find a way to survive for ten centuries until he is able to meet him again.
Back in the third millennium, Lightning Lad has been captured by the EarthGov, which apparently considers the Legion to be enemies of state. Brainiac 5 frees him, but the ensuing battle causes the space-ship to fall down. Fortunately, Superman manages to catch the ship. Unfortunately, the Science Police turns up and accosts the Legionnaires. When Superman asks what is happening, Brainiac 5 tells him that a war is going on between Earth and New Krypton.
Booster Gold helps the Legionnaires to escape, and the group finds shelter in one of the safe houses of the Legion. Brainiac 5 is surprised to hear about how Superman was brought in the future, since the Legion didn't enact Protocol Six, and explains the current political situation: when Superman defeated Zod ten centuries ago, he flung the Kandorians to 'Argo'. There, those Kryptonian survivors founded New Krypton and rebuilt their civilization. Unfortunately, their world was denied entry into the United Planets, supposedly because they were 'too young'.
When Clark questions why the EarthGov would turn them down, Lightning Lad pipes up and says Earth is just reaping what they sowed. Clark wants to know what Garth is talking about, and Brainiac 5 asks beforehand how short is his fuse right now.
In a EarthGov's holding facility, Minister Kirt Niedrigh is arguing angrily with representatives of the EarthGov, demanding that his "prisoner" is moved before Superman comes along. In the middle of the discussion, a very angry Superman breaks into the facility, wipes out all troops opposing to him, and demands to know where "she" is. Reluctant but frightened, Niedrigh confesses that she has been locked in the Block AA-23.
Superman breaks into the Block and comes face to face with his cousin, Kara Zor-El.
After escaping the EarthGov's holding facility, Clark and Kara hug and catch up with each other. After poking fun at Clark for not noticing her cousin had gone missing, she explains -visibly peeved- why she disappeared: Jor-El's A. I. ordered her to leave Earth so Clark could "assume his destiny". When she landed in the future, she was welcomed into the Legion. Later they found the lost Argo colony, and the super-team launched a diplomatic mission. Though someone from EarthGov sabotaged it, and war broke out.
Then Kara reveals she is a spy for Argo and allowed herself be captured to gather intel. Both cousins streak towards New Krypton, Kara in the lead.
On Argo, Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy are looking for several EarthGov agents sent to plant a bomb. Both Legionnaires find and stop the terrorists and disarm their bomb. Unfortunately they have to deal with hostile Kryptonian authorities.
Before they are taken into custody, Superman and Supergirl arrive at the scene. The Argonians recognize Kal-El and kneel before him right away. Clark cannot help but feeling shocked and uncomfortable.
Clark heads to talk with one of the Argonian chancellors as Kara stays with her Legion teammates. Superman learns he is considered a hero on Argo, the one liberated their forbears from the tyranny of Zod and gave the Kryptonian race a second chance by sending them to a new world.
He also discovers why New Krypton declared war on Earth. They worship Faora, Zod's partner. She was pregnant with Zod's child before he killed her. Argoans think that unborn child is a keystone for their future.
Faora's tomb is on Earth, and the Argoans want the body returned. For some reason, the EarthGov won't tell the Kryptonians where it's located nor will they turn the body over.
Meanwhile, Saturn Girl telepathically tells Brainiac 5 they will need to recall all Legionnaires "from all corners of space and time" to stop the war, so he is to activate Legion Protocol Six. Brainiac nods, realizing that is how Superman was brought from the past.
As Saturn Girl confers with Brainiac, Cosmic Boy and Supergirl banter playfully for a while. Their conversation takes a serious turn when Rokk asks Kara tell them what she learnt as spying for New Krypton in order to stop the war.
Just then Superman rejoins them and fills them in. Supergirl is surprised. The Argoan leaders only told her to locate coordinates, keeping her in the dark as to why. Realizing she has been taken advantage of again, she gets angry.
Regardless, both Superman and Supergirl think Argo's claims on Faora's body are rightful and they head back to Earth. As they approach the site, they have a heart-to-heart talk. Kara is sick of being a soldier and following orders. And Clark understands her. He also became fed up with being told what his "destiny" was.
Their conversation is interrupted when they are shot by two Earth warships. Working in tandem, both Kryptonian heroes make short work of their assailants and explore Faora's tomb.
Upon finding her body they discover someone has taken DNA samples from her unborn child. Clark and Kara realize that is why EarthGov refused to turn the body over, and they wonder why EarthGov wants a genetic sample of Zod and Faora's child.
Meanwhile, in an EarthGov lab, Minister Niedrigh's men have used said DNA sample to successfully recreate Doomsday.
The Legionnaires have come together to prevent a conflict that could tear the whole solar system apart. Cosmic Boy rallies his team, reminding them Legion's sworn duty: preserve life at all costs.
Meanwhile, both parties are preparing for annihilating each other. The terrorists caught by Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy planted on New Krypton a boom-tube generator. And the Argoan Ministry of Conflict is getting ready a gravity bomb for launch.
In the Faora's burial site, Kara is incensed by the defilement of that tomb. Superman and Supergirl have a short fight until Clark manages to calm his cousin down. After the fight is over, as they reassure each other, they learn the inter-planetary crisis has gotten worse. Minister Niedrigh has sent a Doomsday clone to New Krypton. In retaliation, New Krypton has launched a gravity bomb aimed for Metropolis.
Superman and Supergirl quickly meet up with their fellow Legionnaires and the team devises a strategy: Superman and Saturn Girl will fight Doomsday, and Supergirl will lead the remainder Legionnaires to stop the gravity bomb.
Superman engages Doomsday. As they brawl brutally, Saturn Girl links Clark to the people of New Krypton, and he urges them to fight alongside him. The Argoans mass-attack Doomsday, but the monster is too powerful and repels their onslaught. Superman decides that he will pick Doomsday and fly him to the Sun. He's warned that not even he can escape the Sun's gravity. Superman answers he is aware.
Back on Earth, the Legion fails and the bomb levels Metropolis. Supergirl leads the Legion to rescue everybody they can. EarthGov deploys a fleet of ships to help them. The Legionnaires aren't inclined to trust them, but Kara replies "there's been enough destruction for a few lifetimes", and tells her team work with them for the present time.
Kara is called by Chancellor Pa-Vel. She starts to call him out on his actions but he cuts her off to tell her what her cousin is about to do.
Superman manages to throw Doomsday into the Sun. As he falls into the star with Doomsday, he asks Saturn Girl via telepathy to tell Lois and make sure that Kara finds her place. However he is pulled to safety by his cousin and the Legion.
Having saved the day, Superman and Supergirl link hands as they and their teammates fly back to Earth.
Later, Earth and New Krypton have agreed to a truce. Peace talks are ongoing. EarthGov has disavowed Minister Niedrigh and both planets will help each other rebuild.
Clark knows it's time to leave. Brainiac gives him back his Legion Ring and he goes to meet his cousin. Kara isn't ready to leave the future quite yet, though. For first time since she was sent to Earth, she is free to decide what she wants her mission to be. And she couldn't be happier about it.
Issues
Notes
At some point between the events of this story arc and Smallville Season 11: Alien (Volume 1) Supergirl goes back to the present time to stay with her cousin for good, and joins the Watchtower Network.
Recommended Reading
- Legion of Super-Heroes Recommended Reading
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1)
- Adventure Comics (Volume 2)
- The Legion (Volume 1)
- Legion Lost (Volume 2)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 2)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 3)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 4)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 5)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 6)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 7)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 8)
- Legionnaires (Volume 1)
- Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 1)
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 1)
Links and References
  This event or storyline is specifically related to Superman, or to members of the Superman Family. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the Superman Storylines category. |
  This event or storyline is specifically related to the character of Supergirl and/or her supporting cast. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the Supergirl Storylines category. |
 This event or storyline is related to the Legion of Super-Heroes in any of their various incarnations. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the Legion of Super-Heroes Storylines category. |