It had been a whirlwind getting to know King Phantom, or Phantom or Danny as he prefers, and helping him into a position within the Justice League.
Clark doesn't know how, but the conversation somehow dove into media and how it changed between dimensions-though concepts were similar enough or combined versions. Phantom was always animated as he talked, grinning as he went into some cartoon?
"Oh yeah, it's a REAL tearjerker. Funny as hell, but it knows when to treat itself serious. My sister thought it was really well done and helped kids learn about life without handling them with kiddie gloves, ya know? In that universe, me and you guys are 'characters' people created, especially you guys. You would not BELIEVE the amount of merch for all of you, especially Superman and Batman and Wonder Woman. But in the movie, one of the characters has a comic on Superman and it was a big deal in the movie." He stops, pondering it for a moment as he looks over in the direction of the media room. "Ya know, if Batman doesn't mind, I could connect us to that universe and show you guys the movie? It's really good, promise."
And, they did manage to get it playing, people off duty joining them in the media room to watch a movie from a dimension Phantom had visited.
Clark lost himself a bit to the movie, watching this bigger than life alien-robot, a war machine, came from space and the main character befriends him. Watches as the Iron Giant learns about life, about the world, about right or wrong, about what's junk and art.
About Superman.
He-
He doesn't know how he felt, watching as his image- plastered on the comic- was used to motivate the Iron Giant into being heroic. He felt his heart twist when he saw the Giant getting hurt, forced into his 'role' as a giant, walking, 'unfeeling', weapon.
But Hogarth didn't see him as a weapon.
He told Giant he could choose to not be a weapon; he could choose to be good.
The rest of the occupants in the room were lost to him, too absorbed into the movie to care to be polite.
Tears rolled down his cheeks as Giant flew into the sky to stop the nuclear weapon, closing its eyes and just saying a soft, "Superman", before he was eviscerated.
Bruce's hand on his knee was the only thing keeping him from full on bawling, admittedly.
But-But then the movie continued on, skipping ahead to show time had passed, and-
And the Giant was alive.
Danny had seemed surprised at Clark's reddened eyes, his own demeanor softening as he regards the older super. "You're really admired in that universe. People...people recognize you're not perfect, but you do good. You choose to do good and be the good the world needs. That universe doesn't have superheroes; they have everyday heroes-yeah-but no one with powers that they know. So, they turn to media sometimes, comics, movies, video games, books, and they try to emulate those characters. Superman is just one of the better ones to emulate."
Now, Danny was just TRYING to make him cry now.
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