Project Caliban
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Real Identity: Not Applicable
Appearances (Episodes): Into the New World
Powers/Skills: Not Applicable
Voiced By: Not Applicable
Project Caliban was a secret biotech research program that ran parallel to Project Cadmus and Task Force X until it was decommissioned by the U.S. government. They were tasked with creating clones from Kryptonian DNA recovered from the site of Zero Day. Subject B-1Z was viable and a Kryptonian was successfully cloned as well as an alien creature and flora. Instead of allowing him to become a weapon, the clone was raised in Caliban's underground facility by lead geneticist Dr. George Binder with love, taught how to nurture and grow, and encouraged to choose to be good and kind. His lessons were recorded and often rewatched by the clone. At some point, Binder passed away. The clone made a grave and buried Binder under an Earth tree they grew. He continued to live in the facilty with a pet alien creature that was also cloned for several years.
Lex Luthor conducted a server breach of the Pentagon and stole files detailing Caliban. A drone was sent to retrieve the clone. On the sly, General Lane tipped off Lois Lane. He asked for her "flying friend" to look into it. She thanked him for the tip and rushed off. He clarified only Superman should look into it. A battle between the clone and the drone played out across the base until all but the head of the drone was trapped in a room. Superman, Supergirl, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen investigated the facility. They were initially thrown off by all the fake buildings set up where Caliban was supposed to be. All the buildings were empty. Olsen pointed out there were no roads leading in nor any utilities and some even lacked doors. Supergirl thought she saw a dog. Olsen pointed out it was a deer but the creature had both the head of a deer and wolf. She followed it and found the entrance to Caliban's underground facility. They observed the door was forced open then re-sealed from the inside.
Everyone but Superman was keen to keep going. The stairwell went deep down. Olsen worried the construction upset the "underground Dino people" but Lane dismissed they existed. He retorted he was right about aliens and Bigfoot. Lane discounted Superman and pointed out Bigfoot turned out to be a French gorilla. They entered a room full of tanks continued Caliban's cloning attempts. Lane found B-1Z's empty tank while Olsen came upon files. Supergirl confirmed it was all Kryptonian DNA. The cloned creature found Lane nears its former tank. Supergirl asked everyone if it was a dog. It fired its freeze breath at Lane. Clark Kent shielded her and was frozen instead. Supergirl kicked the creature. Superman broke free and flew off with Lane. The creature kept up on foot. They escaped to a room and were decontaminated with a foam substance. They were surprised to see an area filled with cloned Kryptonian flora. The Kandorian Ivy liked Olsen and grabbed him.
Supergirl freed him and their romantic awkwardness around each other resurfaced. Lane found the edge of the forest where there was a lone Earth tree. Superman used his X-ray vision and stated it was the grave of Dr. Binder. They speculated why he was killed then buried. Just as Superman reached for Binder's glasses, the clone dropped down from the tree and stopped him. The drone's head observed. Supergirl decked the clone and called him an abomination. The sound of the drone pounding the room caused the clone to run off with its pet. They entered another area with rows of Earth trees. They found a kite, a child's drawings, a garden, a black board, a desk, and a TV set. A video recording of Dr. Binder played, talking about choosing who to be and being kind. Superman unwittingly freed the drone and it reconnected its head then it attacked them then the clone. Superman came to the clone's defense and repelled the drone's palm blast, realizing the drone was trying to take him.
Supergirl realized the truth of the clone's upbringing. Superman connected with an uppercut and crushing right but the drone wrapped itself around Superman and activated its self-destruct sequence. Due to the explosion, the base determined operational security was compromised and the base was flooded. The clone grabbed the pet and Superman and made it to the surface. He checked Superman's pulse and called him "friend" but was scared by the sound of Supergirl's voice. He made his way to nearby Metropolis. Superman came to as Supergirl, Lane, and Olsen caught up.