Superman (Legacy)- Summer 2025

[LordGigaIce]

As I recall, Costner Kent didn’t say “Let them drown”. When questioned by Clark if he should have let everyone die instead of exposing himself and his powers, the response was “maybe”. Which makes a degree of sense in the, far more cynical, shade that Snyder preferred to cast his superhero films. Jon Kent loved his kid…but his kid is a, literal, alien with special abilities. Exposing that would have put the entire family in danger, and in THAT context, I think the response is not without merit.

"You should let them down" vs "Should I have let them drown?" "Maybe" seems like six of one, half a dozen of the other to me, to be perfectly frank.

And no, I didn't like it. Johnathan Kent should never be telling Superman not to save people. Aunt May or Alfred would never. And Johnathan Kent should have roughly the same role for Superman as those mentors have for their respective heroes.

 

[Zamuel]

I like but don't love Man of Steel and the "Should I have let them drown?" "Maybe" scene is top of the list to why. I get the reasoning for the scene, I just think that reasoning is bad for the character. Optimism is what makes Superman different from cheap knockoffs that are often evil. But the second issue with it that I've always held is that the scene feels disconnected from the later parts of the movie. Clark needed a scene where he directly reflected on either that scene or his dad going to rescue others from the tornado. The movie doesn't truly sell why this guy who mostly had an X-Men villain backstory would become a selfless protagonist.

 

[Donocropolis]

I like but don't love Man of Steel and the "Should I have let them drown?" "Maybe" scene is top of the list to why. I get the reasoning for the scene, I just think that reasoning is bad for the character. Optimism is what makes Superman different from cheap knockoffs that are often evil. But the second issue with it that I've always held is that the scene feels disconnected from the later parts of the movie. Clark needed a scene where he directly reflected on either that scene or his dad going to rescue others from the tornado. The movie doesn't truly sell why this guy who mostly had an X-Men villain backstory would become a selfless protagonist.

Yeah, almost need the OPPOSITE of that scene. Where Clark, who knows he has to keep his true nature hidden, asks his dad if he made the wrong choice by taking a risk and saving those kids. Pa Kent would then assure him that saving people was always the right choice. That feels more "Superman" to me.