Few characters embody the concept of hope quite like Superman. A figure who without hesitation will always put others ahead of himself, one who forever lends a helping hand, and the ultimate hero who inspires us all to become better. 2013's Man of Steel respects this core character trait and places it front and center in the film's most engaging point, but there are some who claim this extremely humanist point of view falls flat due to Clark's melancholy characterization. The film undoubtedly uses a dark tone not seen with previous versions of the character, but ultimately this choice helps solidify the film's most important point: that Superman is a representation of humanity's best traits rolled into one being, a figure we should all aspire to be.

Superman Is a Paragon of Moral Values

The last son of Krypton can fly near the speed of light, listen to the heartbeats of every living creature, and could crack the earth in half from brute force alone; but his biggest strength, or weakness, is often considered his humanity. Many attribute the origin of this great strength to the gentle parenting of his adoptive parents, Jon and Martha Kent, who instilled in him an extremely pacifist belief system. This is largely true, but not for the reasons you think. Clark is undoubtedly different, from the very beginning of his childhood, he was simply not allowed to act like other people due to the almost unlimited power he wields. Especially as children, we strive to be good people, but often fall victim to ourselves.

Whether it be throwing a tantrum to vent our frustration, or letting our jealousy get the best of us and acting out, we have all behaved in ways that largely had no consequence. Clark was never given this option, if a fellow student ever wronged Clark, he could send the other student to another continent within seconds. Clark was held to a significantly higher standard, which forced him to look at human nature from the viewpoint of an outsider. Clark isn't the most human out of all of us because he lived the most "normal" life, but because his isolating struggle from the viewpoint of an outsider forced him to understand human nature and why we do wrong far more than anyone ever could.

Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel
Image via Warner Bros.

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Despite these hardships, Clark never falters on his core beliefs. His innermost desire isn't what you'd expect from someone granted unlimited power, not fame or money, but his ultimate goal is to make a difference in the world. Whether it be saving fellow students from a submerged school bus, or even helping a waitress being harassed by a drunk in a bar, Clark in the DCEU is shown to have what can only be described as a near addiction to helping other people, despite the consequences that often follow. Whenever Clark's abilities were used to help those in need during his childhood, the town of Smallville would view him as a near-religious figure, which just further isolated him from his peers. This behavior from their community made Jon and Martha fearful that the world was not yet ready for Clark to reveal who he truly was. They forbade Clark to use his powers, and to act strictly as an observer whenever trouble arose, but he often went against his parent's wishes and chose to save those in need. They didn't do this out of hatred for the world, but out of a deep love for their child who they wanted to protect. Still, Clark believed them; he believed the world would eventually cast him out if anyone ever found out who he truly was, but even that didn't prevent Clark from using his powers for good. Clark as a young adult eventually becomes a drifter, oftentimes blowing his cover to save someone in need. This became a pattern for Clark, using his abilities to save a fellow soul, only to then change his name and wander off to a more obscure part of the earth.

When Clark is eventually forced to show his true identity to the world by General Zod, and finally dons the shielded "S," the world meets him with extreme scrutiny and vehement fear. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, we see this concept get explored as Superman becomes the center of a massive public debate. How is he allowed to choose which global conflict to insert himself in? How can one individual be trusted with almost unlimited power? How does he decide which lives to save and which ones he lets suffer? The main theme of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is fear; Batman allows fear to consume every part of his being and blaming Superman for many of the world's evils, the public at large fearing city-wide destruction caused by super-powered beings, and those like Lex Luthor who prey on the fearful to achieve their evil goals. This reaches a boiling point after Clark gets falsely accused of murdering dozens of villagers by Luthor. The world then argues whether Superman should even exist, many protest his very existence, members of the government debate how to handle him as a threat, and Batman develops plans to kill him. Jon and Martha Kent were right, the world couldn't be any farther from developing trust with the man of steel.

Superman's Perseverance in the DCEU

Clark is rejected by what feels like the entire world, he is under constant scrutiny, and his motives are nearly always questioned. The character faces extreme personal anguish, yet still chooses to lend a helping hand to anyone in peril. He is Superman, not because he believes himself a god, nor because he wants to use his powers to achieve personal goals, but because he represents the best of what humanity can become. Even if he lost his powers, this intent to forever be the better person would still earn Clark the title of Superman. The constant consequences Clark faces for revealing himself to the world mean nothing to him, he doesn't let those who question his very existence get in the way of using his abilities for good. He will always be there. Superman's role is ultimately sacrificial, carrying the weight of the entire world on his shoulders despite often being rejected by it. It's a struggle not many of us can relate to, but it is remarkably human to face so much personal anguish only to then tread on without your values getting corrupted.

Many find this form of hope despite everything to be melancholic and for lack of a better word, depressing. Funnily enough, some audience members rejected this version of Superman in the same way the world in Man of Steel rejected Clark, they don't yet know how to trust a Superman that doesn't know how to smile, and they're not comfortable with Superman facing his own problems. This is an area for Clark that hasn't been explored to this level of depth in film before. We knew it wasn't easy to don the red cape, but his struggle has never been at the forefront of his journey. Many other creatives would rather focus on the clumsy and whimsical Clark Kent, who bumbles around and endears everyone around him.

This version of Superman is great, but it doesn't make me cherish the character as much. Hope to me means perseverance, believing there will eventually be a brighter day despite how dark circumstances can sometimes become. The only thing that matters is remaining true to yourself, and trying to help bring out the best in other people. Hope isn't merely a synonym for levity or comedy, but a deep human desire to know that everything will be right in the end. It is remarkably inspiring and hopeful to see a character persevere through extreme adversity, to uphold humanity's most intrinsic moral values despite never receiving thanks for it. This version of Superman makes me want to be better.