BvS What do you want from our Superman in this continuity?

[Bren]

So the debate rages on about how Batman should or shouldn't kill, blah blah blah...

But what about Superman?
What is he supposed to be? How is he supposed to react?

I think the premise of 'How the (real) world would react to 'a' Superman' is absolutely fantastic. And it would lead to some properly hectic debates, arguments, fights. Even wars. I think these possibilities are beyond debate. Most of us know the kind of world we live in.

But that's one side of the coin. How would Superman react to that world? How do we expect 'our idea' of Superman would behave? What would he do?

And I think this movie gets a lot right.

1. He won't stop helping.
2. He has humanity in his heart, so will feel hurt and betrayal. He can get depressed and even feel hopeless and helpless (something he and Batman have in common here!).
3. He can get angry.

But he doesn't let any of that keep him down. He rises above it.
He is human because he feels like a human. But he is Super because he doesn't let it stop or crush him.

I think this movie shows this. Even while he's being put through the ringer, he keeps going.

But there's something missing.

I've always thought of Superman, for all his 'godly' powers, as a man of the people, and pure and wholesome enough that, even if governments look at him suspiciously, the people he saves, converses with, know that here is a great, good hearted man with amazing powers.

Maybe they didn't want to focus on the hope and goodness these people saw in him in this film? Maybe they thought it would contradict his desire to give Superman up? Maybe they didn't even think of it?

I want to see Superman joyful and happy he is able to save people. Or just help. Yes, the pressure is on. He's not in the best state of mind because of maybe media-fueled negative human perception.

But the people he DID save? Did he have to hover Angel-like, disconnected from the people in the flood? Did he have to frown and look pensively back at the burning building? Didn't someone should "Thank you Superman" to which he could have smiled, and said how happy he was he could help?

Something as simple as flying, that age old dream of man to rise off the ground and soar - could he not just revel in the joy of soaring through the skies, just for a second, happy with this incredible ability?

I don't think the filmmakers wanted us to see this. We were meant to feel the terrible crushing pressure he was under. A normal person with his powers I think WOULD be crushed. He almost was.

But in my opinion, for me to enjoy a Superman, I must see those glimpses of joy, hope, even humour, even in the darkest time. That's a huge part of what makes him Superman to me.

I didn't get it here, and I think it clouded my judgement of the film as a whole, and I look forward to a 2nd viewing to give it another (better) chance.

You? What do you want from our Superman?

Edit: that's very long, sorry!!!

 

[BlueLanternKal]

To not be Dr. Manhattan. I just want them to give Superman a chance to shine. It feels like he's the sixth man off the bench. WW and Bats have essentially stolen the spotlight in what was supposed to be a Superman sequel. Not even hating though. Good for them. But when Superman is the guy that took a nuke to the face and got killed for humanity you'd think the media would at least be talking about his return. SMH.

 

[NeoRanger]

Do you mean in a solo Superman movie or in regards to Superman's character and behavior?

I'll assume the latter, because the former is long and complicated and very vague, but as far as the latter goes, I only want to see him having some fun with who he is and his powers. That's all really, I think BvS had a near-perfect Superman (in terms of how he acted, considering the stakes), just in a very bad place. It's like how a story-arc in the comic books starts well, but two or three issues later it becomes serious and the heroes are in a bad place, but it all gets better in the end? It's just that in BvS, we mostly got to see that Superman in that middle and very little of him at the start and the end, because we had Batman and JL bait and so on.

So yeah, a bit more of him have fun with his powers, a bit more creative use of his powers, a bit more of Clark Kent being reporter Clark Kent, but otherwise, BvS got pretty close to the Superman I know, even if he was a little sad at the time.

 

[FunkMiller]

I've always thought of Superman, for all his 'godly' powers, as a man of the people, and pure and wholesome enough that, even if governments look at him suspiciously, the people he saves, converses with, know that here is a great, good hearted man with amazing powers.

Jeez. Can you make the next Superman film instead of Zack Snyder please?

 

[HELLilac]

In this continuity? I want to see him alive, to start with.

 

[KalMart]

Him not dying, maybe?

 

[LamboMan]

I just want to see a Superman who is allowed to emote and talk and say things and do things instead of being reactionary and stoic all the time.

My most anticipated scene in the movie was the much hyped courthouse scene where I thought Superman would finally be allowed to talk about what really happened in the MOS Zod fight and actually be able to defend himself while also regretting his inability to control the situation and having to kill Zod.

"No one is allowed to kill, not even Superman"

THAT is the line I was expecting him to say. I have zero issues with what happened in MOS, I loved that it was a real reason for Supes to have his one rule and go against anyone killing anyone else.

But they didn't let that thread wrap itself up since they literally blew the scene up and out of the movie. It could have been so pivotal to see the world seeing Superman speak to them for the first time, telling them what he really stands for and clearing up all the confusion on his stance in the world. It could have been the best scene in the movie.

BUT THEY BLEW IT THE **** UP.

He sure looked super sad and hurt as he stood there in the flames, he almost looked like he was about to cry. But they didn't let him emote even that much. Just a single tear falling from his eye could have made that scene so much better and shown some character development.

He was stoic then, he was stoic in the balcony with Lois, he was stoic on the farm, he was stoic at the hearing, he was stoic everywhere else. Why? Why can't this Superman be allowed to show real emotions and speak for god's sake?? The only time he emotes or talks about something he stands for is at the end of the movie and once again Lois is the only one around to hear him while the rest of the world should have been too.

I'm not mad at the movie though, looking at that courthouse scene from a different perspective it shows how devious and horrible of a person Lex really was and that's great. But I went in there to see Superman develop as a character and I got nothing out of it.

Batman and the world they lived in developed more as characters than Supes did and that's just sad considering all the threads they had opened in MOS that they, for some reason, refused to tie up in this movie.

I am not clamoring for Superman to be the goody two shoes boy scout from the Reeve movies, I'm not asking for him to be a happy, smiling savior. All I'm asking is for our Superman to be allowed to communicate and not keep all his feelings locked away or only revealed to Lois Lane.

I want our Superman to be able to take a stand for himself and communicate with the world directly and tell them what he stands for, that he is a protector of the entire planet and then win the world over with his confidence and his deeds and showing his faith in the good in humanity.

I want our Superman to tackle situations more diplomatically and with more finesse than taking a terrorist and punching him through several walls in anger (even if he didn't actually kill him).