Most of Williams' theme sets from Superman return in the sequel, with the exception of the full Kent family material relating to the farm, which doesn't factor into this story. In the returning themes, listeners will note a few general differences in the performances. First, tempos were often changed by Thorne so that a specific cue from the prior movie would fit the needs of newly shot scenes. Second, the ensemble size for Superman II is much smaller, Thorne utilizing only around 50 players in England due to a constricted budget. His orchestrations, though, combine with a commendable mix to produce a sound that isn't too flimsy in context even if film music collectors can discern the difference. Those seeking interesting new renditions of the existing themes will be especially pleased with Thorne's loyalty to developing Clark's own theme and his love theme involving Lois. Whereas the fanfare and its underlying rhythm are applied in fairly expected ways, the love theme in particular is required to stretch its wings due to the story of the sequel. For the average movie-goer, though, the main fanfare still reigns, and Thorne's use of it is significant. Rearranged in "Main Title March," brief fanfare bits in "Superman to Paris" and "Gelignite Bangs" preview his heroics in his phone booth routine and flight to Paris, reaching standard hero mode in "Lift Into Space - Releasing the Villains" before turning suspenseful. A humorous hint in "Looks Familiar" leads to a reprise of the prior helicopter scene music for "Superman Saves Boy" heroics. The rhythm alone is teased well in "Suspecting Lois Takes the Plunge," and pieces are sprinkled into the largely original "Clark Fumbles Rescue." Allusions to the fanfare in "Sweet Dreams" are softly suspenseful, returning to full, superhero form in "Aerial Battle," with some dissonant string figures added. The first film's action material is pieced together to make "Superman Saves Spire," "Superman Saves Petrol Tanker," and "Superman Fights Zod," the fullest exuberance saved for "Superman Triumphs Over Villains." Reduced to solo woodwind lines in "Sad Return," the fanfare then closes the film with gusto in "Superman Replaces Stars and Stripes" and segues into the formal march in "End Title March." The Krypton theme, meanwhile, opens "Preface" like the previous film, with an impressive, unused Williams arrangement, and it is reprised later in the cue. It's shifted to somber woodwinds and brass in the impressive "Clark to Fortress," and choral shades become dramatic in a crescendo in "Return of the Green Crystal."

Williams' love theme and identity for Clark himself are well-exercised in Superman II, often mingling in ways Williams explored in the penthouse scenes in the first film. The love theme is inserted into a different place in the march during the opening credits as needed by the montage employed. It is afforded cute renditions in "Orange Juice," nicely tender variations with light humor in "Sleeping Arrangements," and finally emerges fully as the previous penthouse cues are shuffled into "Clark Exposed as Superman." The first movie's flying music is reprised in "Lovers Fly North," and the idea mingles well with Clark's original journey to Earth music in "Flight for Flowers." It's flowery but subtle in "Lovers at Dinner Table" and continues in "To Bed," and a brief snippet closes out "Superman Triumphs Over Villains." The love theme reprises earlier whimsy in "Sad Return," is deconstructed appropriately in "Lois Forgets," and serves its proper role in the closing march. Clark's own theme is also expanded well by Thorne, an airy rendition in "Relaxing at Niagara" for winds and strings followed by a reprise in the middle of "Clark Exposed as Superman." It turns tragic and dramatic in "Superman Flies Off," is stoic in "Sad Return," returns to its chipper mode in "Happy Lois Back to Normal," and is humorously reprised in "Superman Replaces Stars and Stripes." A little less obvious but applied appropriately is Williams' Lex Luthor theme, with new playful arrangements in "Prison Intro" and "My Little Black Box." Previously existing plucky versions are pieced together for "Lex Escapes," and the idea becomes perky and adventurous during the snowmobile scene in "Lex and Miss Teschmacher to Fortress," a tone that is reprised in "Lex Plans Partnership." The theme is outright devious in "Bored Zod," the only Thorne cue partially dialed out in the film. The only other returning motif is Williams' subtle nod to the crystals of Krypton, especially the vital green one in this story. Thorne really expanded its purpose to represent the superpowers of everyone from Krypton, mainly the villains. He returns it against turbulence for the villains in "Villains in Zone" but furthers it briefly in "Sheriff and Duane Meet Villains" and continues its use with sinister intent in "Daddy's Rise and Fall." The crystal theme interjects on flute in the middle of "President Kneels Before Zod," calls to Clark at the outset of "TV President Resigns," mixes with Luthor's theme in "Bored Zod," builds to a terrifying frenzy in "Non Wrecks Office" and "Superman Fights Zod" for the villains' revenge, and completes its dark performances in "Villains Take Lex and Lois to Fortress."

Most of Thorne's impact on the new music in Superman II is necessitated by the outsized presence of the villains. He conjures a villain's motif of several elements inspired by lines of action from Williams' early cues in the first score. A general percussive rhythm flows under two motifs on top, one an ascending figure starting with lengthy repetition of the first note and the other a shorter descending phrase of more direct, evil intent. These ideas are introduced in "Villains in Zone" and are expanded upon in "Ursa Flies Over Moon," exploding in "Spacecraft Wrecked." They are shortened to shrill stingers in "Villains Land by Lake," return in the middle of "Sheriff and Duane Meet Villains," and burst at the end of "East Houston Battle." The initial percussive rhythms return in "Zod Meets General" and "Non Wrecks Office," while the melodic motif opens "President Kneels Before Zod" with brass muscle. It achieves battle formation with its ascending figures in "Zod Throws Slab" and declares victory at the end of "Superman Flies Off," reprised with force in "School Games." General Zod himself is supplied a quasi-motif of ominous low brass tones near the end of "Ursa Flies Over Moon," this idea offering mystery and a little dread to "Moon to Earth" and simmering in "Daddy's Rise and Fall." There are only a few notable cues that do not employ one of the above motifs, including "Mother's Advice," which references the choral Krypton material well, and "Superman Pulls Big Switch," an eerie, harp and wind expression for mystery. These passages supply good depth to a score that already features impressive interpolations of Williams' themes. Listeners have to admire Thorne's adaptation work for Superman II, as it remains about as faithful and enjoyable an extension of that sound as possible. The composer also supplied half a dozen pop-inspired source tracks that were included on later albums as well. Those products began with a Japanese Warner Brothers CD pressing of the original 38-minute LP album, but due treatment of the score waited until 2008, when Film Score Monthly offered the first four Superman scores in complete form on a popular, limited set that included about 80 minutes from Superman II (minus the source tracks on a separate CD in that product). In 2018, La-La Land Records released the same presentation from Superman II and Superman III on its own product, again with the source tracks included. Either of these later offerings provide Thorne's impressive work in better-than-expected sound quality. Nobody knows what Williams would have written for these sequels had he been involved, but Thorne's adaptation of the original score in Superman II exceeds expectations and supplies the best possible alternative.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download