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Come to me, Superman! I defy you! Come and kneel before Zod! Zod!

General Zod — “Superman II”

Terence Stamp was the epitomy of what you wanted in a baddie on film…handsome good looks, a portrayal of a well known over-the-top villain from the Superman comic books with surprising layers of subtlety and calculated menace, and one killer catch-phrase.

With his turn as the evil General Zod who was banished to the Phantom Zone by Superman’s father in the first “Superman” starring Christopher Reeve who then returns with henchmen Ursa and Non in “Superman II” to try to exact his revenge upon Kal-El, Terence Stamp punched his ticket as a legendary villain for all times.

So imagine my surprise when about 15 or so years later, I’d see him nominated for a best actor BAFTA for his role as the transgender woman Bernadette Bassinger in “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”!

Surprise that turned to shock when all of a sudden I remembered that this was the same actor who played General Zod!

There have been others who have stepped into the boots of the General determined to destroy the son of his jailer but no one truly defined that character quite like Stamp, so much so that DC Comics altered Zod’s look to be much closer to Stamp’s portrayal of him in the two Reeve Superman movies!

Come to me, son of Jor-El, kneel before Zod!

General Zod — “Superman II”

But that was the thing about Terence’s career from the time he really cemented his reputation as a star for his Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe winning portrayal of the title character in “Billy Budd” as well as his life off screen where he was often seen in the company of beautiful women.

His early years of success were followed by some fallow years in the early 1970s before he landed the iconic role that would ensure he’d have plenty of work come his way in future years.

General Zod: {looking at the Presidential Seal on the floor of the Oval Office} I see you are practiced in worshiping things that fly. Good. Now, rise before Zod.

{the "President" stands up}

General Zod: Kneel before Zod.

{the "President" kneels}

General Zod: You are not the President. No one who leads so many could possibly kneel so quickly.

President: {appears from behind the other men} I'm the man they're protecting. I'm the President. I'll kneel before you, if it will save lives.

General Zod: It will, starting with your own.

Ursa: {walking towards a group of military men} What a backwards planet this must be, where the men wear the ribbons... and the jewelry!

{rips the ribbons off a general's uniform}

President: What I do now, I do for the sake of the people of Earth. But there is one man on this planet who will NEVER kneel before you.

General Zod: Who is this imbecile? Where is he?

President: I wish I knew.

{kneels}

President: Oh God.

General Zod: Zod!

“Superman II”

And so it seems somewhat fitting if not ironic that the man who brought Zod to life on the silver screen now finds himself kneeling before God.

Rest in peace, Terence Stamp.