Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Nuclear Power. In the best hands, it is dangerous. In the hands of Lex Luthor, it is pure evil. This is Superman's greatest battle. And it is for all of us.
- Media
- Rating
Movie Details
Plot
Clark discovers the capsule that brought Superman to Earth. He also removes a glowing green Kryptonian energy unit from it. Lara, his mother’s recording of him saying that the power of the capsule can only be used once states this. He returns to Metropolis and finds that the Daily Planet is being taken over by David Warfield. A tabloid tycoon, Warfield hires Perry White as his editor, while Lacy becomes the new editor. Superman solves the problem after learning that the Soviet Union and the United States may be involved in a nuclear arms race. He collects nuclear warheads from different countries, places them all in a huge net, and throws it into the Sun.
Young Lenny Luthor frees Lex Luthor from prison. Lex and Lenny return to Metropolis and steal Superman’s hair from the museum. They then create a genetic matrix. Lex meets black-market arms dealers who are disgruntled by Superman’s actions and want to re-arm these countries with nuclear warheads. They make a deal to attach the hair to the nuclear missile. Superman intercepts the missile and throws it into space after it has been tested. The missile explodes, releasing a glowing ball of energy that transforms into a superhuman. The “Nuclear Man”, also known as Lex, returns to Earth to seek his father Lex. Lex explains that his creation is powerful but will not activate without sunlight. The battle between Lex’s creation, and Superman ensues. Superman saves the Statue of Liberty by keeping it from falling onto New York’s streets. However, he is then infected by radiation sickness from a scratch caused radioactively by Nuclear Man. Superman is thrown into the distance by Nuclear Man, who kicks him with such force that his cape falls off.
The Daily Planet, a tabloid newspaper that has been reorganized, publishes “Superman Dead” as its headline. Lois Lane takes Superman’s cape and angrily snatches it. Lois wanders into Clark’s apartment and declares her love for Superman. Clark, who is suffering from radiation sickness, staggers to Clark’s terrace where he retrieves the Kryptonian Energy Module and attempts to heal. Nuclear Man has a crush upon Lacy and threatens to cause mayhem if he doesn’t bring her to him. Superman, now restored by Nuclear Man, meets Nuclear Man on the Moon. Superman is then driven to the Moon’s surface.
Nuclear Man forces his way into The Daily Planet, abducting Lacy and taking her into outer space. Superman is able to escape the Moon’s surface and pushes it out from orbit. This causes Earth to experience an eclipse. The effect nullifies Nuclear Man’s power, leaving Lacy helpless in outer space. Superman saves Lacy, returns her to Earth and then retrieves Nuclear Man who is now dead and places him in the core of a nuclear power plant. This destroys him. The entire electrical grid is powered by what was once Nuclear Man. Perry White obtains a loan to purchase a controlling stake in the newspaper. This makes David Warfield a minority shareholder, and protects the paper against any future takeovers. Superman captures the Luthors who fled. Lenny is placed in Boys Town by Superman, who tells the priest that Lenny was under a bad influence. He then returns Lex to jail.
