Like the rest of Zack Snyder’s filmography, Man of Steel is a contentious movie. Snyder’s reinterpretation of Superman is dark and border on cynical, sharing more in common with Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy over most Superman comics. All the same, Man of Steel offers a fascinating glimpse into Superman’s psyche and who Clark Kent would realistically be in a modern setting: someone looking for purpose.
Man of Steel is about Clark Kent starting his journey towards becoming Superman, overcoming his personal insecurities to be mankind’s hero. Superman is ultimately a symbol of Hope, a fact Man of Steel challenges and tests through Clark Kent’s character arc. While Zack Snyder’s interpretation of the DC universe isn’t for everyone, there’s more to Man of Steel’s depiction of Superman than meets the eye.
10 The Othering Of Clark Kent
Part of Clark Kent’s somber personality in Man of Steel stems from how intensely he’s othered growing up in Kansas. Clark is found as a baby per usual, but his upbringing isn’t particularly pleasant. While Clark’s childhood in Kansas always has some inherent element of othering on account of his powers, Man of Steel takes this to its extreme.
Clark isn’t well liked by his peers, he feels actively alienated by those around him, and there’s a very modern fear of being experimented on stemming from Ma and Pa Kent. Clark is never allowed to be emotionally or physically vulnerable as a child, which his peers recognize and other him for. It only makes sense Superman grows up so dour.
9 A Superman Who Feels The Weight Of The World (And Can’t Handle It)
Besides Ma and Pa Kent who desperately just want to see their son safe and out of harm’s way, Clark doesn’t have much guidance growing up. His powers are as overwhelming as they are terrifying for him. Even before becoming Superman, Clark feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, but can’t actually do anything about it. Clark is compelled to help those around him when he becomes an adult, but his road to becoming Superman is filled with nothing but struggle.
8 It Took Clark Three Decades To Become Superman
Clark Kent typically doesn’t become Superman right away, occasionally spending some time as Superboy or just hunkering down in Smallville before embracing his identity as the Man of Steel. Man of Steel’s Clark Kent takes a very long time to become Superman compared to his counterparts. It isn’t until Clark is 33 that he dons the suit for the first time.
Not coincidentally, 33 is also the age Jesus of Nazareth is said to have been crucified. There are multiple Christ parallels made towards Clark throughout Man of Steel, painting Clark’s time before becoming Superman as that of a wandering savior leaving behind only a desire to do good unto others.
7 An Inexperienced Superman
One of the most important elements in Man of Steel is that Zack Snyder’s Superman is inexperienced. Clark Kent is learning what it means to be a hero as he lives his life, gaining control of his powers slowly over the course of the movie. This also means Clark isn’t really aware of his surroundings, something seen during his fight against Zod’s forces.
It’s not that Superman isn’t concerned about collateral damage, but he’s not an experienced superhero. He’s saved people individually as Clark Kent, but never fought literal gods among men as Superman. The utter destruction in Metropolis is a harrowing sight that Superman does contribute to, but only to stop Zod. It’s also worth keeping in mind that this inexperience is acknowledged in Man of Steel and becomes a major plot point in Batman V Superman.
6 The Politicalization of Superman
Granted, Superman’s politicization is more prominent in Batman V Superman, but it’s still an important angle in Man of Steel. Zack Snyder’s interpretation of Superman is inherently political in that the United States wants to claim ownership over his actions. America’s distrust towards Superman is a major plot point, and Clark giving himself up in chains as a sign of good faith shows that Superman is willing to play ball politically – something that comes back to haunt him in Dawn of Justice.
5 Superman Is An Act (For Now)
Clark Kent in Man of Steel is a quiet and somber man who doesn’t quite know his place in the world. He doesn’t open up emotionally nor is he especially comforting. It’s only with Lois Lane that Clark starts to open up and show some semblance of vulnerability. Clark’s a bit more jovial as Superman, but it’s all an act as far as Man of Steel is concerned.
Clark puts on a good show as Superman at the end of the movie, but it’s clearly put on and an example of Clark trying to be the Man of Steel. He’s more in his element come Batman V Superman, but even then Clark’s still dealing with Superman related insecurities.
4 Clark’s Complex Relationship With Pa Kent
Zack Snyder’s interpretation of Pa Kent is hard to swallow, to say the least. Compared to the supportive Jonathan Kent in the comics who knew the good his son could do in the world, Pa Kent is terrified that the world will reject Clark in Man of Steel. He very much does not want Clark to become Superman, even giving up his life so Clark can try to live a normal life.
But the tragedy of Clark’s arc is that he could never lead a normal life and his father’s sacrifice was in vain. All the same, Clark holds a deep love for his adoptive father and is able to become Superman on his own terms while still honoring Pa Kent’s legacy. It’s a complex interpretation of the character, but not an invaluable one.
3 The Individuality Of The Superman
Above all else, Man of Steel wants to depict Superman as an individual, not a god. Audiences aren’t given the luxury of being in Clark’s head too intimately, but Henry Cavill’s acting paints the portrait of a nuanced man who wants to do good – he just doesn’t quite know how with his skill set. Man of Steel shows Superman as a man who’s vulnerable, has flaws, and is deeply insecure. It’s an off putting depiction of Superman, but refreshing in retrospect.
2 Challenging Audiences’ Preconceived Notions Of Who Superman Is
Arguably the greatest flaw of Zack Snyder interpretation of the DCEU is that it isn’t interested in establishing context. Man of Steel, Batman V Superman, and Justice League all work on the preconceived notion that audiences understand who these characters are on a pop culture level. Superman isn’t established as his proper heroic self in Man of Steel, because the point of the movie is solely to deconstruct your pop culture understanding of who Superman is – transplanting him into a more modern and cynical setting to see how he would fit in.
1 Clark Kent In Man Of Steel Is A Foil to Bruce Wayne In Batman Begins
Man of Steel and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy aren’t set in the same universe, but the former shares some intimate connections with the latter beyond just a producer. In more ways than one, Man of Steel feels like Batman Begins’ foil – and that extends to Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne’s characters.
Where Batman Begins is an emotionally charged look into Bruce Wayne (giving his character more on-screen depth than ever), Man of Steel is more detached and wants audiences to see Superman as a colder figure. Where Batman is usually quiet and brooding, he’s emotionally charged in Batman Begins. Where Superman is usually jovial and upbeat, he’s extremely silent in Man of Steel.
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