Man of Steel: Exploring The Divine Nature of Superman

        I have recently seen the full-length trailer for Zack Snyder's and Christopher Nolan's Man of Steel, and believe it  warrants some thoughts. First off  I should  note that I have never read a single Superman comic, though I have watched all of the Richard Donner films and Bryan Singer's Superman Returns. Secondly, I would like to thank Nolan and Snyder for going back to the roots of the character, not in the origin sense, but in the being sense of the word. With this trailer both Snyder and Nolan ask the question, who is Superman?

            The answer, a god, more precisely God in the  Christian understanding. Superman is one individual with two distinct sides, mortal Clark Kent, and divine Superman it is this duality that defines who Superman is. Both Snyder and Nolan fully embrace the divine aspects of the character without any reserve or trepidation. As with the Donner original Superman is defined as a God like being who is willing to abide by the constraints of earth in order to safeguard it from evil.

            Both Superman's duality and his willingness to adhere to the boundaries of earth are  illustrated from the trailer's provocative opening seconds to its last touching frame. As the trailer opens the viewer is given their first indication of Superman's divine nature as he is seen face up in the water arms out stretched in a Christ like pose. This imagery continues as we hear young Clark's voice saying, "The world is to big mom." Martha Kent responds. "Focus on my voice, pretend it is an island out in the ocean." As this dialogue is taking place young Clark is seen struggling to deal with his power of sonic hearing. These glimpses of Clark's struggles further illustrate the character's duality, Clark may have superhuman abilities, but he must come to grips with them in a very human way. Clark's difficulties with his supersonic hearing juxtaposed with the crucified Christ imagery at the trailer's opening calls to mind the redemption of humanity, when Christ, who died on a cross took to himself the sins of all the world so that the world could be redeemed. This further ensconces the idea of Superman as a divine nature.

             The trailer continues with Clark saving a bus of school kids which  plummets into a river. The imagery along with a focus on Clark's super strength  allows for the following lines from Jonathan Kent. "You have to keep this side of yourself a secret." And Clark, "What was I supposed to do  let them die?" his earthly father's response to this question is rather disconcerting  he responses "maybe." However, it is at this point that the duality of Superman is brought to the forefront. All Jonathan Kent wants to do is protect his son from the hurtful realities of the unaccepting  world in which they live. Clark, on the other hand realizes that he has this other side, a divine nature that he does not want to deny.           

            Jonathan Kent ultimately accepts that his son has to choose who he wants or needs to be. "You just have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be Clark, whoever that man is he is going to change the world." This realization by Kent is placed over images of Clark becoming Superman, accepting his divine nature. This does not mean however that Clark forgets his humanity, on the contrary because he is both human and divine he is able to appreciate and understand the struggles that face humanity on a daily basis. Though, even as Superman Clark struggles with his decision and the knowledge that humanity is not always understanding. Indeed, as the trailer concludes he voices these concerns to Lois Lane. "My father believed that if the world found out who I really was they would reject me. He was convinced that the world wasn't ready."

            Man of Steel is, one hopes, an exploration of Superman's duality and an understanding that he is not of this world but yet he is able to understand its struggles because he is both human and divine. Interestingly the title of the film is not Superman Man of Steel, but instead, Man of Steel suggesting that Clark is indeed fully human and fully divine. He is a Man of Steel.