BvS How Senator Finch Was the Mouthpiece of Superman to Come

[BlueLanternKal]

It breaks my heart to read online how Superman is boring and irrelevant. It breaks my heart because our complacency as a people is what's killing him faster than any green xenomineral ever could.

When I think of what Superman represents a few things come to mind. I always go back to Action Comics #1 because despite the 78 years of refinement the character has undergone that was Superman in his purest form. A man of quality fighting for Truth and Justice in a world where Truth and Justice could be easily dismissed as idle fantasy of the downtrodden. More recently the symbolism of Superman has taken one step further. He represents the Hope that these ideals are still achievable in these modern days and times.

Of all professions that Clark Kent could have choosen he pursues a career in the thankless field of journalism.

This is a man like any other with the caveat of being blessed with the powers of a god. A man who can choose to be whatever and whoever he wants. And what does he choose to do when he's not saving the world? To be a defender of democracy. To stand for the ideals of Truth and Justice even when those ideals seem passé.

So the logical conclusion is if truth and justice are passé then so is Superman. But I don't think that was the aim of Batman v Superman. I think it was to ask the questions, "Should Truth and Justice be irrelevant? If it is indeed irrelevant why is that so?"

There's a scene where Superman's alter ego Clark Kent argues with Editor Perry White about what the Daily Planet should be covering. Much to Clark's chagrin Perry answers with a honest yet cynical declaration that "the American conscious died with Robert [F. Kennedy], Martin [Luther King Jr.], and John [F. Kennedy]."

I don't know about you guys and girls, but I instantly took that as a challenge. If the American conscious is truly dead then it's because we killed it with our own complacency.

Turn onto CNN, FOX, or MSNBC. The various news outlets of today has become the reality tv entertainment shows of the politics world. Regurgatting the popular he-said she-said of the day instead of giving us, the people, the facts. Who are the candiates? Why are they running? What are their policies? Have they been consistent? Why should these policies matter to us? Are they lying? Are they telling the truth? In short the media, like good old Clark Kent, should the bulwark between democracy and tyranny.

And this is where Senator Finch comes in. For a democracy to work we have to talk to each other. We have to make our voices heard and politicians should act on the consent and authority of the governed. It's easy to turn on the news and shake your head at it. Either because of the misery going on in the world or the lack of action taken to curb that misery. To scoff at the lies of omission or the sensationalist yellow journalism that has all but corrupted the media.

It's a lot harder to stand for Truth, Justice, and to Hope that these ideals are achieveable in these days and times.

So the next time you open your mouth to say "Superman is boring" or think to yourself that "Superman is dead" then you should also remind yourself that you made him that way by being complacent. You killed him because you stopped caring.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

We didn't kill Superman, Snyder did.

 

[Baneis8feettall]

We didn't kill Superman, Snyder did.

Not yet. One good movie can make him top star again in CBM.

 

[Frodo]

WB's film division's priority is Batman and an extended DCCU, not Superman.

 

[OcStat]

With these movies being Superman's latest and greatest venture into the massive medium and wide audience, is it the public who have had their fill of truth and justice, or the film maker putting across his jaded view of the subjects? People seem to be very cynical these days and a Superman that stands for something maybe is too reflective for them when they'd rather not be challenged that way. But on the other hand, Captain America as a character representing those ideals has been well received.

It'd be nice for a film maker who actually cares enough beyond the superficial to dig deep into the character and give him a movie worthy of his potential, and I don't think that's happening under the current creative leadership at WB. I think audiences would respond enthusiastically, if it was done right.

 

[HauntedKnight]

For a universe where people keep saying "you need to build your characters", people sure do want Superman to be Superman since Man of Steel. He's almost there.

 

[LamboMan]

@OP - Brilliant write up. I do believe the Superman character was viewed through an ideal lens by most people so they believe him to be dead as soon as he is challenged with realistic problems and no-win situations and actual flaws and isn't the perfect win-win character from the past.

We didn't kill Superman, Snyder did.

Oh please. This is the kind of cynicism the OP is talking about. When people are too busy taking things at face value and don't bother to actually look past that to see what the character is actually doing and is actually standing for, then obviously people will think like that.

I loved that BVS was actually about how Superman is the only person to stay good in a lost and cynical world where no one ever stays good. I love that Superman didn't even want to actually fight Batman and was trying to get his help and only did when his hand was forced. I love that Superman brought Batman back from the edge with his concern for everyone else's well being over his own. I love that Superman believed in the good in all humanity even after all he went through and gave up his life for the world which never appreciated him.

I love that this Superman stays on the right path through all his trials and tribulations and the most adverse of situations. He really stands for absolute good, so much more than the other incarnations, since he actually earns the right to through his failures and from learning and rising from those failures. I love that the character was challenged and grew from the Superman who was pushed into the world by Zod to the hero who takes it upon himself to protect and serve the world with his abilities no matter the cost or the backlash. I love how he is humbled and embarrassed by his god status in the Day of the Dead scene and is confident in the face of those who would tear him down in other scenes.

Snyder really gave us an excellent interpretation and it's really sad that so many can't see how faithful it is to the soul of Superman.

This Superman actually inspires me to be the best of myself in the most testing of times, and keeps me on the right path when I feel that giving up would be so much easier. That is why I love this new Superman. He makes me realise what 'doing good' and 'being good' really mean. They aren't just hollow platitudes anymore, but are the more difficult choices to make and the right things to do, which require immense strength and conviction in a world that wants to strip that humanity and goodness away from you. He reminds me to stay good and do good and not just throw my hands up and walk away when things get tough and when my actions don't result in perfect victories.

Never give up and always do the right thing is what I've learned from this Superman. What more can one ask for from the character?

If someone thinks Superman is dead then I think they need to re-evaluate the lens through which they saw the movie and realise that it was their expectation of how the character SHOULD BE depicted that is dead and not the actual character himself.

Superman is very much alive, you just need to look at the movie for what it shows you instead of what you wanted it to show you and realise that.

 

[Mainline]

Senator Finch was an optimist who believed talking it out with Supes would solve the issue, which is why she didn't need Kryptonite and why Lex knew he had to kill her, stop Superman from speaking and swaying back the public, and getting his ship access revoked.

Open lines of communication would resolve most of Finch's issues with Supes, she basically wants him to hear from victims, count the cost, consider the consequences, and be clear about how he'll act going forwards. Taking away that uncertainty takes away Lex's fear narrative.

The issue is parallel to traditional forms of deterrence versus the ambiguity and confusion around cyber security... better lines of communication and clearer rules resolves the angst:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp4fKplfGRc

 

[LamboMan]

Senator Finch was an optimist who believed talking it out with Supes would solve the issue, which is why she didn't need Kryptonite and why Lex knew he had to kill her, stop Superman from speaking and swaying back the public, and getting his ship access revoked.

Open lines of communication would resolve most of Finch's issues with Supes, she basically wants him to hear from victims, count the cost, consider the consequences, and be clear about how he'll act going forwards. Taking away that uncertainty takes away Lex's fear narrative.

The issue is parallel to traditional forms of deterrence versus the ambiguity and confusion around cyber security... better lines of communication and clearer rules resolves the angst:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp4fKplfGRc

Well said! That explains certain character motivations and plot directions perfectly!

 

[shauner111]

Now only if Bruce could have been as mature and level-headed as Senator Finch. The way she acted, was the way Bruce should have been written in this movie. But they probably came up with the movie title before breaking a story, which leads to squeezing and changing characters to serve the plot or concept. It's not organic. It should be the other way around. You wouldn't need a Senator Finch, if Bruce was acting this way. A Man Of Steel Part 2 is what it should have been with Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor having their doubts of Superman at first, leading to a conflict of minds between Bruce and Lex over the position of Superman. Bruce would then defend Supes in the end, after being skeptical and not exactly agreeing with everything he's done.

 

[Legendver2]

Now only if Bruce could have been as mature and level-headed as Senator Finch. The way she acted, was the way Bruce should have been written in this movie. But they probably came up with the movie title before breaking a story, which leads to squeezing and changing characters to serve the plot or concept. It's not organic. It should be the other way around. You wouldn't need a Senator Finch, if Bruce was acting this way. A Man Of Steel Part 2 is what it should have been with Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor having their doubts of Superman at first, leading to a conflict of minds between Bruce and Lex over the position of Superman. Bruce would then defend Supes in the end, after being skeptical and not exactly agreeing with everything he's done.

But Senator Finch didn't have to deal with the lowest of human scum for 20 years. She didn't have to deal with the likes of the Joker, Deadshot, Croc, and possibly even Penguin, Zsasz, or even Pyg. So it makes sense for Bruce to realistically become cynical and paranoid after 20 years of dealing with this crap on a physical and personal level.

 

[shauner111]

And Superman is apparently in the same category as those worthless scum? I don't mind him being a bit cynical after all that time. Doesn't mean he can't be mature and have a conversation before fighting like a child. Look at Miller's version. Cynical, even older, government is much worse in that book. Yet, he can have a conversation, and he can use his mind. Ben's version met Clark Kent, they talked about Batman, Luthor noticed how much stronger Clark was compared to Bruce, yet Bruce doesn't care to look into this guy and look into Superman. He's pig-headed throughout the whole movie.