All Things Superman: An Open Discussion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part 55

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[Great Mind(s)]

I dunno, why's he hitch hiking then? He could zoom through the air. Without his suit, people would think he was a bird or a plane ...

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

Probably a way to keep peaceful and low key. He'd probably go out of his way to stand under the radar only to have to save people.

Speaking of which, since Zod

Spoiler

doesn't know that Krypton's been blown up, do you think that he would recruit Superman to reclaim his home planet, only for Supes to tell him the truth? That way, he would set his sights on Earth. I think they find out who he is, and then it gets personal.

 

[AnneFan]

I dunno, why's he hitch hiking then? He could zoom through the air. Without his suit, people would think he was a bird or a plane ...

He could but I don't think that's the point. All about humbling oneself and being human. That's what I take out of it. Soul searching. Especially after I presume what happens when the tornados hit Smallville...

Spoiler

Clark not using his powers when he could've possibly saved Jonathan Kent.

Clark realises he is different at a young age - the bus incident in the trailers. If he can do all that stuff I'm positive flight and x-ray vision are possible too. When he takes off at the Fortress, it seems like he's making a commitment to the role of Earth's protector.

 

[dabilee01]

I dunno, why's he hitch hiking then? He could zoom through the air. Without his suit, people would think he was a bird or a plane ...

think more creatively, more outside of the box. he's hitchhiking because he doesn't want to use his powers. he's on a mission to learn more about himself, about people, about life as we know it.

it's a rite of passage. aka character development.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

Yeah maybe that's true. I just think he's only leaping tall buildings at a single bound at the start. Like when we see him jumping to catch the oil rig thing. I dunno, the flight thing seems to be the final step to me. I don't think it's the suit, but I guess we'll see...

 

[AnneFan]

he's hitchhiking because he doesn't want to use his powers. he's on a mission to learn more about himself, about people, about life as we know it.

it's a rite of passage. aka character development.

Indeed.

 

[TheIrishAvenger]

I love the smell of new thread in the morning.

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

"it's a rite of passage. aka character development."

EXACTLY!!! Too many people want Henry to start and end as "classic Superman." But most origin stories are a journey, from Peter Parker transitioning away from shyness and fear, to Bruce gaining an identity he could call his own, to Tony Stark realizing the world is bigger than him. Why should Clark becoming Superman be any different?

 

[Great Mind(s)]

"it's a rite of passage. aka character development."

EXACTLY!!! Too many people want Henry to start and end as "classic Superman." But most origin stories are a journey, from Peter Parker transitioning away from shyness and fear, to Bruce gaining an identity he could call his own, to Tony Stark realizing the world is bigger than him. Why should Clark becoming Superman be any different?

Isn't having all his powers starting as "classic Superman" ? I want a journey too. Hence, why I think he doesn't fly at the beginning. He doesn't know everything about himself or the extent of his powers yet. I think he'll learn in the Fortress just how powerful he can be, and he finds out for himself when he steps out into the sun. Like he takes his power as far as it can go and goes for it.

 

[Notrip]

I agree, he doesn't want to use his superpowers, he just wants to fit in. He feels normal or less of an outcast. character development indeed. After watching IM3 I am convinced now 100% that Man of Steel will be the best superhero movie of the year. Not that I wasn't convinced before, just more than ever now. After about 10 hours later, I moved my grade for IM3 from 4/5 to 3.5/5. action comedy. There is almost too much comedy.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

But he does use his powers...like when he stops that oil rig from crashing down on people. And we see him leap up to it.

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

^ I don't think Clark wouldn't jump at the idea of saving people if he had to.

 

[Notrip]

yeah, good point. i dunno, maybe he goes through denial? and then starts saving people? I think what you said about not knowing the extent to his powers makes the most sense to me. My wife asked after seeing the hitchhiking scene, why is superman hitchhiking? I said, because he feels like it.

 

[DKDetective]

Probably a way to keep peaceful and low key. He'd probably go out of his way to stand under the radar only to have to save people.

Speaking of which, since Zod

Spoiler

doesn't know that Krypton's been blown up, do you think that he would recruit Superman to reclaim his home planet, only for Supes to tell him the truth? That way, he would set his sights on Earth. I think they find out who he is, and then it gets personal.

Nope, Shannon has made explicit references in interviews to exploring Zod's motivation as a character in regards to how he is reacting to losing his planet. He knows Krypton is gone. Your spoilers are false.

http://www.details.com/celebrities-...212/michael-shannon-boardwalk-empire-superman

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

^ I must have misread somewhere. I'm sorry

 

[elgaz]

I dunno, why's he hitch hiking then? He could zoom through the air. Without his suit, people would think he was a bird or a plane ...

Judging by the trailers, this is a Clark who's got used to having to hide his powers. His Dad warns him that the world may not accept who he is. He could easily fly or superspeed anywhere on Earth, but he's choosing to restrain himself and try to be 'normal', and just fit in like everyone else. He obviously makes exceptions when someone's life is at risk and he has the potential to save them, but for a normal day-to-day scenario he just walks and grabs lifts - like a human would.

This will also heighten the dramatic effect when he finally steps out of the FOS with the suit on and takes off into the air. That defining moment where we first see him in full Superman guise would not have the same impact if he had flown there beforehand. The moment he steps out signals a milestone in his life where he finally embraces his Kryptonian heritage. It doesn't mean he throws away all his human traits; more that he combines his Kryptonian side with his human side.

It's interesting to note that they never really pursued the idea of Superman possibly being rejected by humanity in the 1978 film, yet they still had Clark hitch-hiking to the North Pole. We had already seem him use superspeed by that stage so his reasons for doing so must have been to take his time and patiently find his place in the world.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

I'm all about him hiding his powers and being rejected and having to find himself. But I still think he doesn't know how to fly yet. It's not a big deal really. Not like getting powers FROM the suit or Krypton not exploding.
Because flight or not, he could still RUN fast to the North Pole. But he's not.

 

[Smallville13]

Colbert gave an awesome plug to MOS. (He's tongue in cheek mocking it, but this is his way of giving it some recognition) Here's the link.

 

[Moridin]

Isn't having all his powers starting as "classic Superman" ?

There's more to a character than just their abilities.

Sure he could zip to where he's going, but if he doesn't know where he's going and doesn't have a deadline to get there... y'know? Why not see the world while trying to find yourself, instead of just blowing through it.

 

[Lily Adler]

I love the smell of new thread in the morning.

Nah that's just Superman flying by.

 

[Micromind]

I dunno, why's he hitch hiking then? He could zoom through the air. Without his suit, people would think he was a bird or a plane ...

What if he can fly only when he is wearing the suit ?

 

[Skrilla31]

It could also be a story about finding your inner child. As children we have our lives in front of us. A child's imagination has no boundaries. Look at young Clark in the field playing with his cape.

But the longer you live in this world and progress into adulthood, reality has a way of taming one's imagination. What once seemed possible doesn't seem so possible anymore. It looks like Clark doesn't "take flight" until he awakens that inner child within himself. Maybe that's what the cape will symbolize.

 

[Smallville13]

It could also be a story about finding your inner child. As children we have our lives in front of us. A child's imagination has no boundaries. Look at young Clark in the field playing with his cape.

But the longer you live in this world and progress into adulthood, reality has a way of taming one's imagination. What once seemed possible doesn't seem so possible anymore. It looks like Clark doesn't "take flight" until he awakens that inner child within himself. Maybe that's what the cape will symbolize.

Hmm. You're sort've onto something but not quite. For us watching the film most definitely that works beautifully and I think the film does aim for that with the scene of the young Clark with the cape. However I don't think Clark's turning point for his journey is finding his inner child. Not at all.