DC Universe - Why I Love 'Man of Steel' (Part 1) - A Story of Clark

It has been half a decade since Man of Steel came out to, a mix reaction at best, and with the current state of the DC cinematic universe, coupled with the fact that Aquaman seems to be the shining light at the end of the tunnel for DC fans, it ultimately felt like the right time for me to talk about why I love Man of Steel.

What I love about Man of Steel is the fact that it is a Clark Kent story first, and a Superman story second, as we see how he changes from the simple farm boy at the start to the very embodiment of hope in Superman.

Immediately we are introduced to a Clark who does not know who he is, what he is, and why he is here. He is lost and is simply looking for these answers. Looking to find the place where he belongs.

Through the first half we see him wondering, wanting to help, but his skepticism in people is holding him back till he is forced to help. We see people treating him with both kindness and hostility side by side. As we progress through the film we see him becoming more and more hopeful.

In the time that he has spent travelling and the various jobs that he has had, Clark has experienced people at their best, and people at their worst. His interactions with, Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent, Lois Lane, the waitress at the bar, the boy that he saved as a teen, and the vicar at the church, are what ultimately leads to his decision to trust in the best of humanity rather than the unknown that was his own people.

Even though he was ultimately forced to make a choice by the arrival of Zod, this is ultimately a journey of Clark finally accepting Humans as his people, and the people in turn accepting him through his actions.

In a lot of ways this is a coming of age film, as through most of the film he is trying to come to terms with who he is. His interactions between Jonathan and Martha Kent, coupled with Jor-El, I found were incredibly compelling.

Each of his parents represented a different viewpoint. Jonathan, was the skeptic who wanted to protect his son from the worst that people can be by telling him to hide till he is ready. Martha was the voice that allowed him to accept himself, despite being so different, and that being different is ultimately nothing wrong. Jor-El was the voice of confident optimism speaking to a mature Clark, encouraging him to be the best that he could be, to be the symbol representing hope.

Lois it the one that ultimately allows as outlet for him to express himself through without any reserve. She represents the world at large that he had been an outsider to, and he is reinforced in his choice by the fact that she accepts him for who is is.

The film makes it clear that these are the people he loves and cares about, and as a result of the years of wondering caring about humanity and the world as a whole.

With almost every confrontation that Clark has in the film, he is making a moral choice to move forward in the right way, showing us the building blocks behind the character of Superman. Some of them are impossible choices, whether it be choosing between his adopted race, or his own people, and whether he should kill Zod or not. The latter of which I find to be a crucial part of the formation of his code moving forward.

We all know that Superman will do his best not to kill, but we have never been show the reason as to why he holds the rule up in situations that could actively require him to do so. Therefore, the fact that we see him being forced to make the choice to kill Zod, and his emotional reaction towards the action that was so horrifying for him to experience, shows why he has a code that prevents him from killing again.

These are some of the reasons why I personally love the film, and find it to be quite inspiring. It inspires to do your best to be better, accepting who you are, facing though situations head on, looking for the best in people, and always having hope.