As you can probably tell, there are going to be some major spoilers detailed in this blog regarding the ending of Man of Steel that undoubtedly are still talking (or raging) about the final fight scene between Superman and General Zod in Man of Steel. And I do mean final. So let's break in down.
Zod is basically left a broken and vengeful man by the last twenty minutes of the movie when the rest of his Kryptonian soldiers are sent back to the Phantom Zone. He now has nothing left, his people are gone and all his plans are lying in ruin around him. If you know Zod, you know this doesn't exactly leave him crying in a corner. He...is...TICKED.
Thus begins the epic showdown between Superman and Zod where their brawl through Metropolis causes at least a good half of the city to be demolished and eventually leads to them landing in a train station where a family is shocked at what is going on around them. Zod believes that he'll make Superman suffer by killing the humans, so he unleashes his heat vision and proceeds to slowly guide his literal line of fire towards the innocent civilians. Superman's panicking, he's got Zod in a headlock but he can't get him to stop. Zod won't listen. Superman reacts on a split-second decision...
CRUNCH!
Superman snaps Zod's neck and the general's body falls dead on the floor, leaving Superman screaming in horror at what he's done. All throughout the theater people were gasping at watching one of the iconic characters of their childhood commit murder. And it was no surprise when I looked to see people's reactions and found the majority of the fans raging at this surprise turn of events.
Except for me. Yes, it was not what I was expecting. No, if I were directing or writing this movie I probably wouldn't have done that. But then again, Zach Snyder had a different take for how to bring Superman to life in this film and it's a tone and story that I think takes guts.
First off, everybody was complaining that Superman is now so dark and gritty in this movie. People, you were hailing the name of Chris Nolan, the man behind the Batman trilogy, when you heard that he was brought on board to make the new Superman reboot and then you're surprised at him delivering what he's known for?
Secondly, this is basically a movie of how Clark Kent becomes the superhero we know him to be. I know that sounds obvious, but it is a journey of him turning into a man who goes out and saves people. Yes, he's done that in his childhood when the situation demanded it but this is a movie setting him up for a life where he's committed to doing that on a regular basis.
So what's my point? My point is that Clark is testing the limits of his powers (as his father Jor-El straight out told him to do) and therefore must learn the boundaries of what are right and wrong uses for them. He shows remorse for killing Zod because he's a flesh and blood character, raised by humans with morals. It's not what he wanted to do, but this is his first time dealing with something this big and fighting someone who is on his level of physical power. It was a split-second decision and the clock was ticking fast. He killed Zod, he's sorry for it and he realizes now exactly why he can't allow himself to cross that line again.
Third, must I remind everybody what happened in Superman II? Oh yes, that other movie where Superman fought Zod and his Kryptonian cronies. Zod was depowered by Superman, who then proceeded to crush the bones in his hands to sawdust and then toss him into the abyss of his Fortress where he fell to his most likely death. And nobody gave a rat's turd about it.
And then there's Doomsday. Yeah, it's not exactly comparing apples to apples in terms of bad guys, but Superman killed Doomsday in their first brawl and hardly a voice was raised solely for the reason that Superman died too in that fight. Well people, Superman didn't really see much of an alternative in that course of events either.
In conclusion, what I think the writers were trying to get across here is that this is an adaptation of Superman and the only way you're ever going to get a carbon copy of the comics is to watch the cartoons. Doesn't mean Superman will be killing people left and right in the next movie, it means that he now has a reason not to kill anybody. Because now he knows the consequences of not thinking something like that out. Even Superman can make mistakes...their, somebody had to say it.
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