Acting as the third cinematic iteration of the iconic red-and-blue-costumed Superman, Man of Steel rebooted the franchise with Henry Cavill starring after 2006’s Superman Returns attempted to semi-revitalize the Christopher Reeve Superman series (1978–1987). With Man of Steel also came the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
Although not as widely praised as the competitor Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DCEU has also given fans notable moments with the embodiment of truth and justice, and Redditors have pointed out elements of the DCEU’s Superman, or his world, that have actually improved upon the comic-book source material.
Zod’s Death
General Zod, Superman’s first foe of the DCEU, is a relic of Superman’s lost native home of Krypton, and his last remaining link to that heritage. In Man of Steel, Superman is forced to choose between his adopted home and the one to which he has ancestral and biological ties.
Zod’s depiction is one of the things Man of Steel does better than Superman (1978), and when comics writer Dan Jurgens praised his death in MoS, Redditor ialvii agreed. “[Zod’s death] makes sense to me,” they said, because “that death would be the reason that Superman never takes life.” MoS, then, acts as a powerful origin story of Superman’s morality.
Superman’s Doubt About His Place In The World
He may look exactly like a human from Earth, but Superman is an alien from a far-off world, so he is well aware of his status as a foreigner, even if he can’t fully understand what this feeling is until his father reveals where he came from.
As Redditor Ozymandiaz1920 points out, in Henry Cavill’s iteration “we have a Superman that doubts his place in the world and is introspecting.” While in the comics and the films that preceded Man of Steel Superman is confident in his purpose to do good in the world, audiences are this time taken on that initial journey, full of stumbles, to get Superman where he will eventually be.
Superman’s Groundedness And Relatability
Having doubts about his purpose is only one of the ways that Cavill’s Superman is brought down from the pedestal of godhood on which he normally sits. When Cavill’s Superman was criticized for this, for being too relatable, Reddit user YZFRIDER came to his defense. “I think that was the point of this version,” they say “I think that allowed for some growth of the character as well.”
While for many comic readers, as well as those who grew up on Christopher Reeve’s version, a more down-to-earth Superman may seem antithetical to the aspirational nature of his usual iterations. However, it definitely also provides room for character growth, and YZFRIDER says it better than most.
Superman’s Discovery Of His Powers
For Redditor WutUtalkingBoutWill, the scene where Clark Kent first tests out his powers is “beautiful.” Between Jor-El’s narration, “the camera work,” and Superman’s taking on the guidance of both his fathers to begin to become the hero, to find his purpose, this Reddit user insists that “Never, will we ever get a better Superman scene than this.”
There are several reasons Man of Steel is better than people remember, and this scene earns its reputation for everything this Redditor laid out, plus Hans Zimmer’s composition, “Flight”, which soars alongside Superman in this scene.
Jon And Martha Kent
While Superman is Kryptonian, he is raised on Earth by parents Jon and Martha Kent, and it’s them who have always helped him become the hero the world knows him to be. Although some flak has been thrown at the DCEU’s iteration of them, and Martha Kent deserved a better ending in the DCEU than what she got, Redditor Axel_Rod defended their parenting as being more in line with reality.
“They told him to do what’s right. Doing what’s right doesn’t mean giving up your self [autonomy] to be a slave to the world.” Superman is defined by his sense of duty to the world, but if he were forced to sacrifice, then it would carry no weight. It is about his choice to do good, and his parents support him but also want the best for him. What’s more parental than that?
The Depiction Of Superman’s Flying Ability
In the comics, Superman’s flying has historically been shown with the flowing cape and his position above the city of Metropolis, or wherever else he happens to be flying.
Although by the tone of their post it seems they’re generally not fans of Snyder’s take on the character, Redditor SkollFenrirson does compliment the films for how they show the flying ability: “One thing I’ll give Snyder is that it’s one of the few depictions that make Superman flying actually feel weighty.” Superman may be mistaken for a bird or plane, but his flight should plausibly be similar, and Snyder’s films do add a sense of gravity-defiance.
The Depiction Of Superman’s Powers As Being Based On Gravity
Speaking of gravity, Redditor Circaninetysix provided an incredibly detailed explanation of how Superman’s powers could plausibly (relatively-speaking) work if he were in the real world, all revolving around gravity. For Circaninetysix, Snyder’s films nail this about the character: “Superman’s powers are gravity based. He uses incredible amount of energy from solar radiation to essentially bend spacetime.”
Whether it’s when he’s flying through the sky, making objects around him levitate, or ”alerting Darkseid of his death” with his last scream, it does seem that Superman is not only able to defy gravity, but manipulate it to his will by sheer power. The plausibility of this is another point in the DCEU’s corner.
Jesse Eisenberg’s Updated Version Of Lex Luthor
Okay, so Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman was divisive, to say the least. In fact, his portrayal has been called one of the things Batman v Superman got wrong. That being acknowledged, this version does have his defenders, and Redditor JakeSpurs is among them.
JakeSpurs says that Lex’s dialogue is ”great and multi-layered” and that “his motivations were clear and rather clever.” However, the best point is that this Lex is very much a ”millennial version”, and considering Eisenberg previously portrayed Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, from that point of view he absolutely nailed the performance.
The Way Lex Luthor Makes Superman Question His Worthiness
The best villains are ones who can genuinely change how characters view the world, or at the very least question their beliefs and outlook in the first place. When Superman fails to notice the bomb in Wallace Keefe’s wheelchair, it leads to an explosion that kills everyone in the room except him, leading him to wonder if he missed it because he wasn’t looking, because he isn’t good enough.
As a former Redditor pointed out, “Lex Luthor poses a such genuine threat to Superman” that he has gotten inside his head and made him question if the idea of Superman itself is nothing more than a sham cooked up by his father. Luthor can pose a physical threat in the comics, but one of this variety is rare.
Perry White’s Character
Perry White, editor of the Daily Planet, is often depicted as the demanding boss in the same vein as J. Jonah Jameson for Spider-Man, and while some of that is retained with the DCEU version as played by Laurence Fishburne, Redditor monsmachine points out that they went a different way from the comics by adding levity to it.
“The lines he has throughout MoS and BvS are hilarious and he buys into the role completely,” the Redditor notes, calling Fishburne’s portrayal “underrated.” Considering the grim and gritty tone of DCEU’s Superman, this change from the comics definitely works in the films’ favor, and it’s a shame there isn’t more of the character.
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