Question: This is about the 1980 movie *Superman II* with Reeve and Hackman.

The only information I noticed in the film itself was this line from Superman's mother:

> 
> The one danger we have considered is that the Phantom Zone might - we cannot predict - just might be cracked by a nuclear explosion in space. I cannot say I am glad you asked me that -
> 
> 
> 

This almost makes it sound like a nuke *anywhere* in space would shatter the Phantom Zone, but if that was the case it ought to only take one supernova or warring space-capable civilization anywhere in the universe to shatter it, in which case it wouldn't have lasted very long.

So what's special about the part of outer space around Earth that makes the Phantom Zone gateway nukeable from there? Did the gateway follow Superman's ~~christmas ornament~~ spaceship all the way from Krypton to Earth or something?

Answer: 
It's not explained how, or indeed why, the Phantom Zone was *so close to Earth* in either the film or its official novelisation. That being said, if we look at the earlier (1976) script treatment, it's explained that **the Phantom Zone is intended to remain in orbit around Krypton.**

> 
> **JOR-EL**: (a trifle uneasily) *No one, not even the scientists or Krypton, can predict all eventualities throughout all eternity. The
> one danger we have considered is that the Phantom Zone might, just
> might -- we cannot know -- be cracked by a major nuclear explosion in
> space.*
> 
> 
> EXTREMELY TIGHT CLOSEUP LEX LUTHOR -- He sits bolt upright, his eyes
> shining.
> 
> 
> **JOR-EL**: *But our computers show this possibility as .000000002 in one million. Earthlings cannot travel this far in space, nor would
> they ever have reason to cause such an explosion. So I think we can
> consider the Phantom Zone secure.*
> 
> 
> [Superman II - '76 Treatment](http://www.supermanhomepage.com/movies/supermanii_scriptment_2_76.txt)
> 
> 
> 

It follows that the Phantom Zone was likely pushed out of orbit by the explosion of Krypton, and then followed the same trajectory as Kal-El's pod toward Earth. This is also the standard explanation given as to why so much Kryptonite has landed on Earth.
Well, perhaps when the rocket ship was sent from Krypton if you remember in the new version with the added scenes the ship passed by them in space so maybe, it was caught in the rockets trajectory, even though it left them behind because it was much faster letting them drift the same way the ship was going, and eventually getting to our galaxy? Maybe?