Stolen Memories

Brainiac, the living computer that once ruled Krypton because of its vast knowledge but escaped before the planet blew up, comes to Earth and meets his "contact," Lex Luthor. That's not a good pair to have working together and Luthor informs Superman that Brainiac (now in a robot-like human form) wants to see him aboard his spaceship. When Superman enters the ship, he isn't welcomed warmly.

After things settle down, Brainiac explains to our hero, "We are orphans of the same planet. While you have been on earth, I have been roamed the universe." He further explains how he has gained the knowledge that exists on all the planets. They are in the form of "memory modules" in one of the ship's rooms. One belongs to Krypton and Superman gets a quick peek and sees his father. Brianiac quickly stops that and then offers a partnership with Superman in exchange for all the memories of his former planet and parents.

Of course, Superman is not going to abandon Earth, "my home now," but he thinks about it. Eventually, he sees Brainiac for whom he is - an evil "being." Oddly, Luthor and Superman wind up on the same side against this alien.

This is another action-packed adventure with a lot of violence, so I would caution showing this to little kids if that is an issue with any parent reading this.

Did the rousing denouement include Superman literally punching his way through a laser beam? Why yes, yea it did.

Superheroic goofiness aside this episode was a solid introduction of the malevolent robotic intelligence Brainiac with its penchant for destroying worlds and preserving their collected knowledge. And, as will happen every now and then, Superman and Lex Luthor's interests momentarily align in overcoming this existential threat although the seeds are clearly being sown for an even bigger conflict involving the two, and whatever remains of Brainiac's extraterrestrial tech, in the future.