Superman and the Mole-Men — Epilogue
by Tom Nichol

Based on the movie of the same name, 1951.

[Author’s Note: Because of the length of time that has passed since the original filming of the movie (and the two-part episode derived from it!), there will be some unavoidable scientific speculation in this epilogue. Also, please bear in mind that the laws of the land have changed significantly since the original filming. Even so, enjoy!]

A week had passed since Lois Lane and Clark Kent had encountered a strange race of beings from six miles beneath the Earth’s surface. With Jimmy Olsen currently on vacation, Clark and Lois were discussing the events of their fateful trip with their employer, Perry White, owner-publisher of the Metropolis Daily Planet, and a respected amateur scientist himself.

As Perry looked over the relatively few pictures that Lois had been able to take, plus copies of the X-rays the doctor who had operated on the wounded “Mole Man,” as he had been called by the local townspeople, had provided, he shook his head in amazement. “If it weren’t for these pictures, and especially these X-rays,” he finally commented, “I wouldn’t believe one word of what the two of you have told me! In fact, I’m really not sure that our readers will believe it!”

Although Clark and Lois understood Perry’s attitude, and indeed had expected it, they still felt that the story deserved to be published, and they firmly told him so. They pointed out that word of the strange events in Silsby had already begun making the rounds, and were becoming rumors that were even worse than the truth. Furthermore, government inquiries were already being made on both the State and Federal levels. Since both Clark and Lois, as well as Superman, were eyewitnesses to the events in question, it was only natural that Lois and Clark would want to tell their their side of the story.

Perry carefully considered the words of his two star reporters, and then slowly nodded his agreement. Then, he asked, “Just to round out the story somewhat, what’s going to happen to that wretch who stirred up that near-riot in Silsby—Luke Benson, I think you said his name was?”

“Plenty, Chief,” Lois shot back sternly, her eyes like flint as she spoke. “The Sheriff told me that he’ll be facing charges of inciting a riot, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder—which could easily add up to a sentence of life imprisonment without parole!”

“Speaking of weapons,” Perry put in, “does Superman have any idea as to the nature of that weapon the Mole Men used on Benson?”

“From what he told me later, Chief,” Clark replied, “it seems to have been a small-scale but high-energy plasma generator of some kind—either that or perhaps some sort of ball lightning generator. Either way, however, it’s lucky for Benson that Superman intervened when he did, or he would have been dead within a matter of seconds!”

Lois shuddered as she recalled seeing the incident Clark described. “Also, from what little we know, they only had the device running at a VERY low power level —when they turned it up all the way after they went back down the well to return where they came from, it was powerful enough to destroy both the well AND its casing, to prevent any further contact between us and them!”

Just then, the phone on Perry’s desk rang. With a scowl of impatience, Perry answered it, then, a moment later, he handed Clark the receiver. In the short conversation that followed, Lois and Perry saw their colleague grimace, his face turning pale. When he hung up, he reported that Luke Benson had just died from internal injuries and peritonitis—unquestionably caused by his exposure to the weapon the Mole Men had understandably turned on him when he had attempted for a second time to use his own rifle to kill them!

The three journalists shook their heads sadly. “Violence does in truth recoil upon the violent – ” Lois began.

“And the schemer falls into the pit which he digs for another!” Clark concluded. Then, after a few technical details had been discussed, Clark and Lois went back to their respective offices and composed their contributions to what became one of the Daily Planet’s most unusual issues—concluding with Lois’s comment, “As I mentioned to Superman while we watched the well and its casing burn, “It’s as if the Mole Men were saying, ‘You live your lives, and we’ll live ours!’”

Posted: June 8, 2020
Jim