General Swanwick Quotes in Man of Steel (2013)

General Swanwick: What have they hit us with?

Dr. Emil Hamilton: Looks like some kind of gravity weapon. It's working in tandem with their ship. Somehow they're increasing the Earth's mass clouding the atmosphere with particulates. Oh, my God. They're terraforming.

Captain Carrie Farris: What's that?

Dr. Emil Hamilton: Planetary engineering modifying the Earth's atmosphere and topography.

General Swanwick: Turning Earth into Krypton.

Captain Carrie Farris: But what happens to us?

Dr. Emil Hamilton: Based on these readings, there won't be an "us."

Northcom Threat Analyst: General Swanwick, sir. I'm on with the control tower. Colonel Hardy's on his way in and he's got Superman in tow.

General Swanwick: Superman?

Northcom Threat Analyst: The alien, sir. That's what they're calling him. Superman.

[Superman has brought down a military drone]

General Swanwick: Are you effing stupid?

Superman: It's one of your surveillance drones.

General Swanwick: That's a $12 million piece of hardware!

Superman: It was. I know you're trying to find out where I hang my cape. You won't.

General Swanwick: Then I'll ask the obvious question. How do we know you won't one day act against America's interests?

Superman: I grew up in Kansas, General. I'm about as American as it gets.

[pause]

Superman: Look. I'm here to help... but it has to be on my own terms. And you have to convince Washington of that.

General Swanwick: Even if I were willing to try, what makes you think they'd listen?

Superman: I don't know, General. Guess I'll just have to trust you.

[Superman flies away]

General Swanwick: What are you smiling about, Captain?

Captain Carrie Farris: Nothing, sir. I just think he's kind of hot.

General Swanwick: Get in the car, Captain.

Captain Carrie Farris: [still smiling] Mm-hm. Yes, sir.

Dr. Emil Hamilton: Sir? Hi, my name is Dr. E...

Superman: Emil Hamilton. I know, I can see your ID tag in your breast pocket, along with a half-eaten roll of wintergreen Life Savers. I can also see the squad of soldiers in the next room, preparing that tranquilizing agent of yours. You won't need it.

Dr. Emil Hamilton: Sir, you-you can't expect us to not take precautions. You could be carrying some kind of alien pathogen.

Superman: Been here for 33 years, Doctor. Haven't infected anyone yet.

General Swanwick: That you know of. We have legitimate security concerns. Now, you revealed your identity to Miss Lane over there. Why won't you do the same with us?

Superman: Let's put our cards on the table here, General.

[Superman effortlessly snaps the links between his cuffs and approaches General Swanwick]

Superman: You're scared of me because you can't control me. You don't, and you never will. But that doesn't mean I'm your enemy.

General Swanwick: Then who is? Zod?

Superman: That's what I'm worried about.

General Swanwick: Be that as it may, I've been given orders to hand you over to him.

Superman: Do what you have to do, General.

Faora: Are you the ranking officer here?

General Swanwick: I am.

Faora: [pointing at Lois] General Zod would like this woman to accompany me.

Colonel Nathan Hardy: You asked for the alien. You didn't say anything about one of our own.

Faora: Shall I tell the general you're unwilling to comply?

Colonel Nathan Hardy: I don't care what you tell him.

Lois Lane: It's all right. I'll go.

General Swanwick: All right. You've got our attention. What is it you want?

Superman: I would like to speak to Lois Lane.

General Swanwick: What makes you think she's here?

Superman: Don't play games with me, general. I'll surrender, but only if you guarantee Lois' freedom.

Dr. Emil Hamilton: General Swanwick, sir.

General Swanwick: What am I looking at, Doc? Comet? Asteroid?

Dr. Emil Hamilton: Comets don't make course corrections, General. Wanted you to see this before some amateur with a telescope creates a worldwide panic.

[Hamilton goes to a monitor showing an image of Zod's ship]

Dr. Emil Hamilton: The ship appears to have inserted itself into a lunar synchronous orbit, though I have no idea why.

General Swanwick: Have you tried communicating with it?

Dr. Emil Hamilton: Well, they haven't responded, as of yet.

General Swanwick: I'm just speculating, but I think whoever is at the helm of that thing is looking to make a dramatic entrance.