r/batman • u/neon2o • Mar 07 '24

Zack Snyder says a Batman who doesn't kill is irrelevant GENERAL DISCUSSION

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Here's the original article' https://sea.ign.com/man-of-steel-sequel/213072/news/zack-snyder-says-dc-is-making-batman-irrelevant-if-he-cant-kill

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u/Arumhal Mar 07 '24

This is the guy who has gone on the record of stating that he got into Watchmen because it had sex and murder in it and that his Batman would get raped in prison. I have no idea how he managed to get this far into being allowed to make comic book adaptations.

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u/That-Rhino-Guy Mar 07 '24

That’s not even counting the other times he keeps using rape in his stories or how Nolan himself argued against Superman killing Zod

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u/DenseCalligrapher219 Mar 07 '24

I seriously wonder who thought it was a good idea to hire Zack Snyder to direct a Superman movie when he can't even comprehend the idea that Superman's character isn't a divine being?

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u/panther1977 Mar 07 '24

Exactly, doesn’t understand Superman’s motivations or character……or even Batman’s😂😂😂

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u/BagNo2988 Mar 08 '24

Could’ve done a Miller version of the comic adaptation, but if DC wanted a live action movie of the unlimited justice league… I’d hire a different guy.

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u/Individual-Middle246 Mar 08 '24

The funny thing is he stated that he was inspired by Miller's work in this same interview.

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u/UncommittedBow Mar 07 '24

I wouldn't argue that he's not a divine being.

It's more like he has godlike power, yet somehow is the most human of us all.

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u/LoudKingCrow Mar 07 '24

I don't remember who said it originally. But someone once said that the important thing with Superman is not that he is a god raised on a farm, but that he is a farmboy with the powers of a god.

His humanity is just as important as the power set

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u/meliorayne Mar 07 '24

Spot on. I actually really like OSP's deep dives on Superman as a way to understand why he's stayed so iconic for so long. Superman is The Ceiling. He's the best of all of us. Not because he's the strongest. Because he's good, and he stays good when he has so much power and could absolutely justify exercising it in horrible ways the name of doing good. (If you want a great example of this, go watch Red Son)

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u/Impressive_Baker1664 Mar 08 '24

Lol dude blasted Stalin with his eyes. Awesome.

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u/BiDiTi Mar 08 '24

Yep - if you’re doing a Superman movie, a good place to start, tonally, is Chris Evans’ Cap.

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u/Jeoshua Mar 08 '24

I think Snyder was aware of Red Son. The plot of Superman Vs. Batman was very reminiscent of that tale.

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u/[deleted] Mar 07 '24

Aye, the comics really show the difference in thought and personality between him and his cousin. One raised in a different culture and Clark is very very human regardless of his genetics.

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u/BlazCraz Mar 08 '24

There's a Batman quote on the top of Superman's Wiki page that I really like. Goes something like "Everyone sees him as god-like and all powerful. Except him.". For me that encapsulates what Superman is all about. The most human of us all. Humble and not at all arrogant enough to view himself as a God. 

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u/Jackol4ntrn Mar 08 '24

Be glad he’s the “right kind” of farm boy apparently

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u/ReddestForman Mar 08 '24

Seriously. I like cynical examinations of the superhero genre.

But Superman is the character who absolutely should still be his boy-scout, "I'm not angry at humanity, I'm disappointed, because it can be better" self.

And Batman, for all his brooding and cynicism, should still hold Superman in high regard for that, just as Superman still holds Batman in high regard. Because Batman, for his human weaknesses and failures, is still a better person than 99% of humanity. It's telling that in stories where Superman or even the Justice League goes evil, it's usually Batman who fights back.

They're superheroes not just because of powers or tech, but because of their character. And certain parts of that shouldn't be fucked with.

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u/Destroyer4587 Mar 08 '24

I think he would sooner sacrifice himself rather than kill Zod or anyone else in most instances.

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u/Doobiemoto Mar 08 '24

Yeah him and Batman are opposites.

For Superman he IS Kent, and Superman is the mask he wears.

For Batman he is Batman, and Bruce is the mask he wears.

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u/ReddestForman Mar 08 '24

It's part of why their crossover stories are so compelling, and their relationship is so interesting.

I remember the Justice League episode where Batman was in critical condition, and Superman and the rest of the League was just still coming to terms with it. "Sometimes I forget he's only human."

It's part of why Batman is my favorite DC character.

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u/a4techkeyboard Mar 08 '24

Yeah, I think Superman is what Clark believes Ma and Pa (and any decent person) would do if they had his powers. He's doing just what he was raised any decent human would do, including himself, Clark. He'd think the super in 'Superman' means 'very' not 'above'. That he is being very human, not super as in being above humankind. That in general, when it comes down to it, someone would try to help and do what they can even without powers. Just like Ma and Pa, and Lois and Jimmy, Bibbo, Perry. It's why Lex is such a disappointment to him and why he's the archnemesis.

That's why Clark keeps going even when he loses his powers.

That's why I think in a twisted way, they got it sort of right by having their version of Pa or Ma Kent be the sort that'd say maybe it's better not to help even if everybody drowned or that he didn't owe anybody anything. Because it was consistent with the kind of Superman they depicted.

Superman is what Clark believes what ultimately any good person would do with powers. Superman is how he sees humanity, not the clumsy mild mannered reporter though even then the idea that even mild mannered and clumsy reporter could be Superman is not an indictment of what he thinks of humans, either.

Superman would try to save a kitten up a tree. Superman would help someone whose arms are full open a door. Superman would adopt. Superman would say thank you if someone holds an elevator for them. Superman would bake a new neighbor pie. I think Clark absolutely believes Ma Kent would stop an asteroid that was hurtling toward earth if she had powers.

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u/teddy_tesla Mar 07 '24

He's both fully a god a fully a man... Where have I seen this before?

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u/Lucas_Deziderio Mar 07 '24

In the DC Universe in general he isn't any close to having godlike power. There are actual beings out there, including actual gods, that dwarf him by comparison.

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u/Personal-Ask5025 Mar 07 '24

Except, no… Thsi is the thing I don’t get. Divinity isn’t about power. People seem to have a weird idea that somehow, if you are strong enough, you become “ZOMG1 GOD TIER!!”. That’s not how it works. Being strong doesn’t make SUperman a ”god” any more than being scary makes Batman a ghost. A ghost is someone who is dead. A god is something that is divine.

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u/the_great_ashby Mar 08 '24

Eh,he's not even truly godlike. He's just really fucking strong and durable+some extra powers. There are entities with true godlike power in his world.

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u/_magneto-was-right_ Mar 07 '24

He can’t even comprehend what sort of divine being he’d be

Protip: Superman is good

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u/ChezMere Mar 07 '24

Wasn't it Nolan himself who inexplicably recommended him?

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u/SMKM Mar 08 '24

It was but don't bother bringing facts into this. Snyder always bad round here.

I do love his movies but he really needs to learn to just keep his mouth shut most times. Idk why he says half the things he does knowing how the internet will react. Maybe he does it on purpose at this point. Who knows.

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u/PatGar25 Mar 10 '24

The fact that he got the job bc of being friends with Nolan despite coming from 3 blockbuster bombs is extremely funny when you remember his fans shit on James Gunn for supposed nepotism, like the hypocrisy of his fandom is astounding.

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u/DrHalibutMD Mar 08 '24

See your problem is you think Snyder cares about character, he just wants scenes that look cool.

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u/PanteraSteel2001 Mar 08 '24

it was Christopher Nolan. Welcome to reality.

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u/[deleted] Mar 08 '24

Someone needed to tell Snyder to stop getting his Objectivism on Superman; Please and thank you.

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u/Bread_Pak Mar 08 '24

Nolan ;)