In the 2013 film Man of Steel, one of the most controversial moments revolved around the death of Superman’s father, Jonathan Kent. Unlike the comics, where the death of Pa Kent had a profound impact on Clark’s life, the film version portrayed a drastically different take. This scene, even after so many years of release, still now is a topic of debate amongst fans.
The Death of Jonathan Kent in Comics vs Film
In the comics, Superman has had to grapple with the loss of a loved one, which is a common theme among many heroes in the DC Universe, including Batman and Green Lantern. The death of Jonathan Kent in the comics serves a greater purpose, teaching Clark that no matter how powerful he is, he cannot save everyone, even those he loves.
A heart attack, a common occurrence that takes the lives of thousands every day, serves as a reminder that Clark is not a god, but a hero with limitations.
While in Man of Steel, Jonathan Kent’s death was portrayed in a very different light. In the film, Jonathan Kent encouraged Clark to keep his powers hidden from the world, leading to a moment where he refused to let Clark save him from a tornado.
This was a departure from the comics where Pa Kent’s death was a result of a heart attack, triggered by the stress of a missile attack from the villain Brainiac.
Pa Kent’s Death in Man of Steel: A Divide Among Fans
Many fans have shared their opinion that this scene did not make any sense. They believe Pa Kent’s death in the comics was profound and taught Clark a lesson whereas in Man of Steel he could have saved his dad’s life very easily. A very similar argument was made by an user recently on twitter.
Whenever Pa Kent dies of a heart attack or something it’s more narratively significant because it’s the one thing Clark can’t stop. It’s the one person he can’t save. Making a tornado eat him while Clark watches is dumb as fuck https://t.co/hKkMsTfMCh
— Marcus the Grey (@CosmonautMarcus) February 5, 2023
The tweet has assembled a lot of people who think the same and some users even showed their agreement in the replies of this tweet.
The whole excuse was oh no don't let people see your powers. It was all random strangers, Clark could have saved him and they just leave the area. It like the whole Snyderverse was badly written.
— Brendan Kidney (@FreedTMG) February 5, 2023
But there is an another side of the debate too. Some users did not agree with the above statement and pointed out that they scene was different than the comics and still was more fitting into the narrative.
Both are made with different purposes
The first one is about the one person Superman can't save
And the other is about his father protecting the most powerful being on earth the only way he can
There is more than just one narrative in the world— Dave_D_Joestar (@Dave_D_Joestar) February 5, 2023
Well it goes back to your first point. He could’ve saved him. Matter of fact he wanted to. But Clark made a decision to trust his father of the world not being ready for someone like him. The sequel literally shows you that Pa Kent was right.
— Dark Lord of the Fifth🥃 (@WhoaNowNick) February 5, 2023
In the comics Pa Kent’s death taught Clark that no matter how much powerful he is, he cannot save everyone. And in this narrative the death by heart attack seems to be fitting. But in Man of Steel, Clark’s lesson was a bit different than the comics. In the 2013 film Pa Kent wanted Clark to not show his powers to people as he knew that the world was not ready for people like him to come to light.
He believed the knowledge of existence of meta humans would scare the world. He was afraid that the world would not accept Clark because of his powers. During his death he made Clark understand how much he feared that.
Clark too respected and trusted his father’s decision, which pushed him into being isolated and not revealing his powers to anyone. Pa Kent’s death taught Clark and made him believe that humans are not ready for him to reveal something so drastic and this is the reason that later on when humans treat him like a threat, he understands it and is not offended or angry about it.
Some supporters of the comic version countered this presenting various scenarios and options:
The whole excuse was oh no don't let people see your powers. It was all random strangers, Clark could have saved him and they just leave the area. It like the whole Snyderverse was badly written.
— Brendan Kidney (@FreedTMG) February 5, 2023
THANK YOU! Clark could have literally saved him without anyone seeing, but he decided dying was a better way to teach Clark than actually being around to teach him.
— Darkness (@lv99ron) February 5, 2023
Among defending and opposing Zack Snyder‘s Man of Steel, there were some fans who even stated that the comic version didn’t make sense either
So when Clark raced his dad into a heart attack in Superman 78 but didn’t run him to the hospital it was good? pic.twitter.com/MpmQWLGm13
— J🪖 (@choppa_chad) February 5, 2023
This makes no sense. Clark’s not a doctor, why would a “natural” cause of death be more impactful? It’s because Clark could have easily saved him, which makes this sad
— Dr. Night-Wolf (@NightWolfMD) February 5, 2023
Among the heated debate, some users even praised and showed their support for Snyder and stated his vision is not something people get
You just don’t GET Snyder’s genius bro. He takes the source material and tosses it in the trash making it so much better.
— Studio Hoofnail (@studiohoofnail) February 5, 2023
The death of Jonathan Kent in Man of Steel is a controversial topic that still sparks debates among fans even after so many years of its release. While some fans believe that the Man of Steel version was a departure from the comics, others argue that it fit the narrative of the film.
Regardless of the varying opinions, it is clear that both versions of the death of Pa Kent serve as important lessons for Clark, teaching him about his limitations and the impact of his actions on those he loves.
Ultimately, the debate surrounding the death of Jonathan Kent is a testament to the depth of the Superman story and the passion of its fans.
Source: Screenrant
