<<Ask/Answer Thread>>Explanations to common Superman "complaint/plot holes" in movie

[kalelkilla]

I would like for every decision to be Clark's in the next film. That is why I don't like the idea of the FOS. I don't want him to be told to "go be a hero." I want him to discover what he was meant to do in life, like the rest of us have to...on his own.

I like the idea in Birthright where he decides that being Superman is what he was meant to do because it was using his gifts to their full potential that made him happy with himself.

 

[That person]

Why do Kryptonians look identical (or at least very, very similar, going by Birthright) to humans?

 

[elgaz]

I think Nano-technology would be a viable plot device to explain a large number of things in the Superman mythos. We as humans are only now beginning to examine the unbelievable capabilities of nano-technology; it stands to reason that the hugely advanced Kryptonians would already have progressed long past this and perfected the technology.

For example....

The suit -
We've long been told that Superman has a mysterious aura or force-field which protects his suit and sometimes those around him. Now I know we're talking about a guy who can shoot fire from his eyes, but I still found this explanation hard to buy - it always felt like they just couldn't come up with a more viable excuse.

Now imagine if the Kryptonians had perfected nano-technology and adopted it aeons ago as an everyday part of their life. Clothes and materials themselves could be made from nano-bytes - similar in texture and function to our normal clothes, but hugely resistant to damage and also able to self-repair.

The Fortress -
Now if the nanobytes are the phsyical manifestation of nano-technology, what is it that actually programs them to build and create? Here is where we could link in crystals - which are huged to store information and could be seen as the 'programs'. Imagine the crystal technology combined with the nano-technology - here is where you can have a single crystal (sent to Earth with Kal-El) with a tremendous amount of information and knowledge on it, including a structure/layout for a home for Kal-El. And thus the nano-bytes are able to access that information and construct the fortress of solitude from the raw materials in the immedate vicinity - in this instance, the Arctic.

I find this more believable than the fact that one single crystal could 'grow' the Fortress, as per normal Superman lore.

The Clark Kent disguise -
This has always been the tricky one. We as viewers know that one actor is playing both roles, so it's very hard to accept that no-one else in the film recognises Clark Kent. Is it so unbelievable though? I know a coupe of people who greatly resemble celebrities but I'd never for a second think it's them. Superman stands tall with his tight-fitting costime showcasing his huge build, deeper voice, his hair is styled differently, and his entire demeanour is different. Clark slouches, wears glasses, baggy clothes, speaks in a softer tone and comes off as clumsy. And there's also the fact that Superman simply doesn't wear a mask - everyone knows him, everyone recognises him - would anyone even suspect that he actually has a disguise? Clark could just be this guy who resembles him.

 

[kalelkilla]

I agree about the Clark disguise explanation, I don't have a hard time believing that Clark Kent can be so overlooked that no one even thinks that Clark could be Superman, but I do have a hard time about Lois not figuring it out since she usually has a close relationship with both Clark and Superman.

If they make the Lois and Clark relationship a little more distant than I can see it working a little more. But if they are like always working together 24/7 on a story for the Planet, it is really hard to believe that she wouldn't figure it out.

 

[Webhead2006]

i agree i definately want to see this time around clark chooses and becomes superman on his own. As for the FOS i guess we can either go with he creates it himself for a place to go to to be alone, and also put things from his adventures and any kryptonian stuff too. Or we could go with that idea that it was an acient kryptonian science post that could be updated with data jorel includes with kalel's ship. But wasnt specially for kalel to use.

 

[Jul-el]

I like the idea that Clarke's glasses are made of Kryptonian crystal and cause a hypnotic effect to the human eye, making him 'seem' unrecognizable as Supes. Aka....write it off with some sci-fi technology!

 

[Daybreak_st]

i agree i definately want to see this time around clark chooses and becomes superman on his own. As for the FOS i guess we can either go with he creates it himself for a place to go to to be alone, and also put things from his adventures and any kryptonian stuff too. Or we could go with that idea that it was an acient kryptonian science post that could be updated with data jorel includes with kalel's ship. But wasnt specially for kalel to use.

That's my favorite take on the Fortress. It makes the most sense. It's something that clark can access, modify and make his own but it wasn't here for him or wrapped up in a crystal. For me it adds to the functionality of the fortress. If you're not really going to use it much why have it you know? LIke if he only really uses that one room with the console, then why is it so big? But the kryptonian outpost idea makes more sense, it's a scienctific facility in which ancient kryptonians did research. When clark takes over and updates it he could could even pick up on some of their research projects, etc. There would actually be a variety of rooms and locations in the facility so it would really become a sort of second home to clark as he fully embraces his kryptonian heritage.

 

[Webhead2006]

yea it could work.

 

[Supermanila]

about the clark disguise:

it really is about projection, as mentioned here several times, superman projects confidence, power, authority, altogether a different persona, while clark projects a different personality. Granted they look a like, but it can and does work.

fact #1: elvis joined an elvis look-a-like contest in a US burger bar during the 70s and guess what, he only won 3rd place.

fact #2: arnold schwarzenegger joined a radio contest on who sounds most like arnold himself, and guess what, he lost.

you see, without us knowing that it's the same person, the same actor, sometimes it can be overlooked. A certain level of suspension of disbelief is still required, but I think the explanation of different personalities and demeanor between clark and superman already works and is fine for me.

 

[elgaz]

Another suggestion for the Fortress of Solitude this time is that it doesn't have to be a huge ice-palace.

I suggested in another thread once that the Kryptonians may have come to Earth thousands of years ago (perhaps during the ice age) and built the Fortress to blend in with the surroundings.

I always felt a disguised Fortress somewhere in the Arctic would be perfect. It can't be seen by humans, it can't be reached (at least, not easily) by humans and the technology in the fortress can render our satellites etc useless so they can't see it either.

And what would be the perfect disguise for the Fortress in the arctic? An iceberg. Small on top but with abundant space beneath it, no human would ever suspect it's anything else.

 

[Daybreak_st]

^^ I remember reading your idea and i love it!

 

[Abraham]

Nooooooo to the first one, here's the thing: NO ONE EVEN CONSIDERS THE FACT THAT SUPERMAN HAS A SECRET IDENTITY. THEY ASSUME HE IS SUPES 24/7.

 

[Webhead2006]

yea that would be a cool way to go with the fos, unless they say it has some cloaking deal or what not.

 

[\S/uperman]

Why do Kryptonians look identical (or at least very, very similar, going by Birthright) to humans?

I don't think the Planet of the Apes ripoff idea is all that bad. Consider Krypton to be the future planet that takes "Earth's" (after Earth was destroyed) place.

Earth was destroyed and after millions of years a planet restructures with a red sun due to atmospheric changes. During the formation of this planet a black hole emerges.

The kryptonite would be fragments that enter throught the black hole as well.

Jor-el learns of this info, and sends his son through the black hole to save him, but also one day save Earth (from Darkseid instead of cliche Brainiac) from a coming catastrophe (which explains HOW Jor-el knows everything before it happens in FOS) which ultimately saves Krypton.

So in the first film you could have him find out he is Kryptonian and hint that there is a connection to Earth (while keeping them different planets)

 

[GreenKToo]

I'd like to see the fortress be inside a snow covered mountain this time. Let supes actually carve it out himself, with chamber after chamber on the inside.
As for the door at the entrance, no need for a lock. It could be an artificial door made to look like the mountain side, but it weighs like a thousand tonns.
It would be as easy for him to open as a regular household door is for us, But impossible for trespassers to open ( if anyone ever discovered its location that is)

 

[afan]

Why do Kryptonians look identical (or at least very, very similar, going by Birthright) to humans?

The answer is a question....Why not?

It appears that, given the only empirical evidence we have, intelligence exists, at the highest level, in a humanoid form. That leads one to conclude that intelligence in the universe would be consistently in humanoid form at least. Is it really that large a leap to imagine that among the multitude of planets inhabitted by intelligent beings there might be a few where the populace could easily pass as humans?

 

[Webhead2006]

i wouldnt want krypton to be a future earth or some silly ideal like that.

 

[\S/uperman]

i wouldnt want krypton to be a future earth or some silly ideal like that.

You must not have read clearly.

I said it would be the next human based planet after earth's destruction. IT would still be a separate planet. At least having the time warp back history would explain why Jor-el knows everything.

There is good reason to connect Kryptonians with earth history. Earth was the first known human race before the advanced planet of Krypton forms.

It could work, just think outside the box a bit.

 

[That person]

The answer is a question....Why not?

Because evolution is largely a random process, based on whichever species have to be lucky enough to have whatever mutations allow them to thrive. Even assuming that conditions on Krypton are very similar to those on earth, the likelihood of all the different mutations allowing a single species to dominate being the same as those on earth are very, very small. In Star Trek, they explained this by having a primitive humanoid species direct evolution on various planets to be similar to their own, but even then minor differences occurred due to varying conditions. \S/uperman's explanation could work. An idea I had would be to make Krypton start out as a sort of intergalactic zoo, with the Kryptonians being descendants of prehistoric hominids who eventually come to be more advanced than their counterparts on earth.

 

[afan]

In Star Trek, they explained this by having a primitive humanoid species direct evolution on various planets to be similar to their own, but even then minor differences occurred due to varying conditions.

Because evolution is largely a random process

Actually Star Trek involved a highly advanced civilization(advanced to the point that they considered themselves gods) seeding suitable planets, but Spock postulated that even that activity given the vastness of space, could not explain the preponderance of the development of similar humanoid live forms. I believe the episode was "Return to Tomorrow".

There is nothing about a random process that excludes duplication. The result of a dice throw is random, but seven will come up more than once.

 

[Bad Superman]

WOW So much to read, but from the little I've read I think this is going to be one of my favorite threads in the Superman forum.

 

[Ring Deacon]

1. how does LOIS not know Clark Kent is Superman: I like how they set it up in The Man Of Steel and Birthright comics. Have Clark stoop over a bit, lower his shoulders, slick his hair back, wear thick glasses and just change the tone of his voice. All of which can make it hard to tell the difference between Clack and Superman. Yeah Clark may look similar to Superman, but it would be no different then your average person looking like a movie actor.

2. How the costume was made: Once again lets stick to the source material here. Martha made him the costume so that he could still be Clark and have a private life.

3. why he chooses the wear the costume: Because after years of using his powers in secret he gets caught in action ( The Man of Steel comic ) and realizes that to protect his family and private life he needs to separate his Clark persona from his activities as Superman

4. why doesn't the costume get damaged: Martha tells Clark the when he was a boy, anything that he worn that was close to his skin didn't tear or get dirty. So it is his chemical make up that keeps clothes from ripping.


5. why does Superman love Lois? Why does anyone fall in love? Maybe Lois is everything Clark has ever wanted in a woman. He sees her for who she really is and not how everyone else sees her.

6. why did Clark Kent become a superhero? Clark felt that he was giving these powers for a reason. Where most would have used these powers to take over the world and rule it. Clark saw the need for someone like himself. It was the solid upbringing by the Kent's that made him want to help those in need.

7. what did Clark Kent do from leaving Smallville to deciding to become a journalist? he could have literally been anything. He traveled the world helping those in need. He was using his powers to help the world. It was not till he had to publicly save someone in Metropolis that the world knew of his existence. Up until then he was just an urban legend.

8. Why can't the FOS get discovered with today's technology? The FOS is so remote, no one will bother looking for it. Combine that with it has been built by alien technology and more then likely is cloaked by anti radar shielding. There is no chance for it being found.

9. Why is everyone so accepting of Superman right away? Wouldn't most people flip out? People want a savior. Everywhere in the world there is injustices happening, and no along comes a guy with the power to save us all. it would be the equivalent of the return of Christ. Superman is the hero the world has been waiting for.


10. Why does Lex hate Superman so much? For the longest time Lex has been Metropolis's golden boy. He was a leader of industry and his company built things that protected people for a cost. Once Superman arived people didn't need the protect he provided anymore. How did Lex make his billions? He built his company up from a small company owned by his father to become a giant in defense contracts and other ventures most of which are less then legal.

 

[afan]

Why did he become a super-hero?
If this question refers to the defining moment, i.e. the death of Bruce Wayne's parents, then it really doesn't apply to Superman. There is no "moment". It is purely the upbringing of the Kent's that instills in him a desire to use his abilities to help others when a Superman is needed.

Why is the costume as indestructable as Superman?
I am a proponent of it's Kryptonian origin. The fabric placed in the starship by Lara is either indestructable by nature or becomes indestructable under the yellow sun of Earth(tho I prefer the latter). It is that fabric that Martha fashions the costume out of; nicely combining the efforts of both Lara and Martha.

Why a reporter/journalist?
Of course, originally the purpose was to keep Clark informed as quickly as possible when a job for Superman arose, but in this day and age where info is immediately exchanged in many outlets a reporter/journalist position seems unnecessary except that being a reporter/journalist also allows Clark to pursue the fight for truth and justice on a human level unattainable by the Man of Steel. The pen is in many instances mightier than the sword.

 

[Bad Superman]

I think Nano-technology would be a viable plot device to explain a large number of things in the Superman mythos. We as humans are only now beginning to examine the unbelievable capabilities of nano-technology; it stands to reason that the hugely advanced Kryptonians would already have progressed long past this and perfected the technology.

For example....

The suit -
We've long been told that Superman has a mysterious aura or force-field which protects his suit and sometimes those around him. Now I know we're talking about a guy who can shoot fire from his eyes, but I still found this explanation hard to buy - it always felt like they just couldn't come up with a more viable excuse.

Now imagine if the Kryptonians had perfected nano-technology and adopted it aeons ago as an everyday part of their life. Clothes and materials themselves could be made from nano-bytes - similar in texture and function to our normal clothes, but hugely resistant to damage and also able to self-repair.

The Fortress -
Now if the nanobytes are the phsyical manifestation of nano-technology, what is it that actually programs them to build and create? Here is where we could link in crystals - which are huged to store information and could be seen as the 'programs'. Imagine the crystal technology combined with the nano-technology - here is where you can have a single crystal (sent to Earth with Kal-El) with a tremendous amount of information and knowledge on it, including a structure/layout for a home for Kal-El. And thus the nano-bytes are able to access that information and construct the fortress of solitude from the raw materials in the immedate vicinity - in this instance, the Arctic.

I find this more believable than the fact that one single crystal could 'grow' the Fortress, as per normal Superman lore.

The Clark Kent disguise -
This has always been the tricky one. We as viewers know that one actor is playing both roles, so it's very hard to accept that no-one else in the film recognises Clark Kent. Is it so unbelievable though? I know a coupe of people who greatly resemble celebrities but I'd never for a second think it's them. Superman stands tall with his tight-fitting costime showcasing his huge build, deeper voice, his hair is styled differently, and his entire demeanour is different. Clark slouches, wears glasses, baggy clothes, speaks in a softer tone and comes off as clumsy. And there's also the fact that Superman simply doesn't wear a mask - everyone knows him, everyone recognises him - would anyone even suspect that he actually has a disguise? Clark could just be this guy who resembles him.

I really like the Clark Kent disguise explanation here.

Another suggestion for the Fortress of Solitude this time is that it doesn't have to be a huge ice-palace.

I suggested in another thread once that the Kryptonians may have come to Earth thousands of years ago (perhaps during the ice age) and built the Fortress to blend in with the surroundings.

I always felt a disguised Fortress somewhere in the Arctic would be perfect. It can't be seen by humans, it can't be reached (at least, not easily) by humans and the technology in the fortress can render our satellites etc useless so they can't see it either.

And what would be the perfect disguise for the Fortress in the arctic? An iceberg. Small on top but with abundant space beneath it, no human would ever suspect it's anything else.

for the FOS explanation.

 

[That person]

Actually Star Trek involved a highly advanced civilization(advanced to the point that they considered themselves gods) seeding suitable planets, but Spock postulated that even that activity given the vastness of space, could not explain the preponderance of the development of similar humanoid live forms. I believe the episode was "Return to Tomorrow".

There is nothing about a random process that excludes duplication. The result of a dice throw is random, but seven will come up more than once.

When I said "primitive," I meant "rudimentary" not "uncivilized." Not that that really matters, since we're here to talk about Superman, not Star Trek, and we must isolate our various nerdy interests. Anyhow, with rolling dice, you have a 1 in 6 chance of getting 7, so duplication is inevitable with time. With evolution, you're basically dealing with odds of 1 out of infinity, so duplication is incredibly unlikely.