Explained: Superman
Humanity, reflected
The Man of Steel, The Man of Tomorrow, The Last Son of Krypton, going by the alias of Clark Kent/Kal-El, is known to many all around the world as Superman. The superhero is a global icon and more importantly, one of the most popular fictional characters around today. Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 (June 1938) and has since invaded the rest of pop culture from comic books, to video games, movies, and more.
"Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive."
Most of us are familiar with his origin story where he was born on the planet Krypton as Kal-El and was sent by his parents, Jor-El and Lara, to Earth as Krypton was doomed to destruction. On Earth, he grew up in Kansas as Clark Kent after being adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent.
He was traditionally described as, "Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound... It's Superman!" which ultimately reflects his extraordinary powers. These powers range from super-strength, flight, near invulnerability to non-magical attacks, super-speed, vision powers (including x-ray, heat-emitting, telescopic, infra-red, and microscopic vision), and super-hearing. Based on the recent Man of Steel movie, these powers were a result of his cells being drunk in the radiation of our yellow Sun, strengthening his muscles, skin, and senses and also due to Earth's gravity is being weaker than Krypton's was, with our atmosphere more nourishing.
Speaking to others about Superman or even going through the comments section of YouTube videos, I find the adjectives describing him most notably include "boring" and "overpowered". While it is understandable to see where they are coming from, Superman is miles away from being a boring or overpowered character.
The reason for me stating so begins with that huge, iconic, "S" shield on his chest. It initially had only one meaning, the "S" for Superman. In recent times however, the "S" stands for the coat of arms of the House of El and more significantly, the Kryptonian symbol of hope. True enough, Superman is the ultimate embodiment of hope in the comic books.
It's easy to just paint a picture of him as a big guy, throwing massive punches around all the time. But let's not forget about the Flash, who moves faster than Superman or even Batman (who is still awesome), who goes toe to toe with other enemies usually stronger than he is and still comes on top. Despite his many powers, Superman is a totally relatable character. The themes around his story usually involve themes like isolation, loneliness, restraint, and of course, hope.
Let's break Superman's story down and put it into context. We have this superpowered alien, the last of his species, sent to a foreign planet. No one trusts his intentions; he's a potential threat to everyone, it's hard to trust him. At the pinnacle of his powers, he can literally move planets and easily bring humanity to its knees.
However, he fights for everyone because he is, in his unique way, a fictional character that represents us. Deep down, you know he is the embodiment of the good in all of us due to his strong moral code instilled in him by his adopted parents, the Kents. What does he do when he's not saving the world? He tries to live a normal life as Clark Kent by working at the Daily Planet as a journalist in the fictional city of Metropolis. He shares the development of his sense of right and wrong with the rest of us. As he grows up, Clark is faced with scenarios that allow him to examine and build his moral compass.
What does he do when he's not saving the world?
His struggles are real; how does he exert control over himself with the possession of all those amazing powers and what happens when raw emotions like sadness or anger take over? The Injustice: Gods Among Us storyline explores just that and we see Superman behaving like a god after the murder of Lois Lane and his unborn child.
In Man of Steel, we see Superman making difficult decisions. Should he save his father from a ravaging tornado and reveal himself to the world when it's not ready or should he listen to father but watch him die? Should he act as judge, jury, and executioner by killing General Zod to save his adoptive home or should he not kill the last of his own species? This brought him to question whether humanity was worth saving and protecting. By murdering Zod, he knows that he is now truly alone.
If The Last Son of Krypton has anything to teach us about ourselves, it's that it's definitely not easy to be virtuous and honourable. Superman is many things but being a dull character isn't one of them. But rather, he makes one hell of a character for me to continue reading about.
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