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Kal-El, legally named Clark Joseph Kent, is a survivor of Krypton who works as a reporter for the Daily Planet and a superhero known as Superman in the city of Metropolis. Three years after his public debut, Superman halted a United States-backed invasion of Jarhanpur by Boravia, drawing scrutiny of billionaire Lex Luthor, who secretly deployed a powerful clone called the Hammer of Boravia. After being nearly killed in battle and rescued by Krypto the Superdog, Superman recovered in the Fortress of Solitude, only for Luthor and the Engineer to invade, abduct Krypto, and manipulated the public into believing Superman arrived to Earth to conquer it. As public trust collapsed, Superman surrendered to the government and was imprisoned by Luthor in a collapsing pocket dimension, where he was reunited with Krypto and Metamorpho. Rescued by Lois Lane and Mister Terrific, Superman escaped as a black hole opened above Metropolis. While Green Lantern and Hawkgirl repelled a second Boravian invasion, Superman battled Ultraman and hurled him into the black hole. With Luthor exposed and arrested, Superman returned to the Fortress to heal.
"The peoplethere are simple and profoundly confused. Weak of mind, spirit and body. Lord over the planet as the Last Son of Krypton. ... Do us proud, our beloved son. Rule without mercy. "
Kal-El was born on Krypton to renowned scientists Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van. As Krypton faced imminent destruction, the couple sent their infant son to Earth aboard a spacecraft, hoping to ensure his survival. Believing Earth’s people to be primitive and inferior to Kryptonians, the couple intended for their son to rule over the planet, leaving behind a message that expressed their love and encouraged domination. However, upon crash-landing in Smallville, Kansas, part of the message was damaged, leaving only the expressions of love intact. The infant was discovered by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, who adopted and named him Clark Kent. Unaware of his parents’ true intentions, Clark was raised with compassion and humility.[4]
Raised in Smallville[]
As he grew older, Kent began to manifest superhuman abilities due to radiation from Earth’s yellow sun and his Kryptonian physiology, making him nearly godlike in power. Guided by the compassion and empathy instilled in him by parents, Kent chose to use his powers to protect others and fight injustice. In high school, he wrote for the Smallville Sentinel, using the role to investigate local disturbances and discreetly step in when danger struck.[4]
Moving to Metropolis[]
Applying at the Daily Planet[]
As he grew into adulthood, Kent decided he could make a greater impact in Metropolis and applied for a position at the Daily Planet. During the interview, editor Perry White dismissed Kent’s application unless he could deliver an exclusive story. Rising to the challenge, Kent reported on himself, detailing the emergence of a new red and blue superhero with a cape and an “S” symbol who had thwarted an attack on a toy factory. Though skeptical at first, White was convinced after another reporter corroborated the event, securing Kent the job.[4]
Fighting Metallo[]
The attack had been orchestrated by LuthorCorp, whose CEO, Lex Luthor, who would be Superman's nemesis, have decided he couldn't stand for Superman's interference. He had his scientists develop a robot, named Metallo, to kill Superman, but concluded it lacked a "killer instinct", so he arranged for the mortal wounding of world-class hitman John Corben and transplanted his brain into Metallo. Clark fought Metallo and defeated him alongside Mister Terrific, Green LanternGuy Gardner, and Hawkgirl, who composed the team of superheroes informally known as the Justice Gang. During this time, Clark was mentored by the Planet's Lois Lane, befriending her and her photographer Jimmy Olsen, and also became suspicious of Lex's shady activities.[4]
Superman headed into Earth's upper atmosphere to stop the ingress of space debris, which was very common, but recognized that larger meteors could sometimes pose a danger, throwing one to Krypto to play fetch. Upon returning to Earth, Superman took Krypto to Centennial Park to play with other dogs, reminding him to play cautiously and responsibly since they weren't in space. Once they landed, Superman was licked by Krypto, who wanted to continue playing with his owner, but Clark introduced him to the other dogs he could play with.
Superman then threw a stick for one of the dogs, but seeing Krypto using his flight powers to reach it, the hero reminded Krypto to let the other dogs have a chance too, before meeting Curt, another dog owner walking his dog, Otto. Superman was pleased to meet them, commenting that Krypto was a good dog, but that he needed to be reminded of his limits. However, they suddenly heard an explosion coming from S.T.A.R. Labs and saw a fire ambulance about to crash into them, so Superman stopped the vehicle and saw Krypto, whom he tried to talk to, but Curt alerted him that the dogs had fled because of the ambulance.
Superman carrying an ambulance
While carrying the ambulance, Superman asked Krypto to help him wrangle the dogs while he tended to the fire at S.T.A.R. Labs and then assist him there, bidding Otto and Curt farewell. Upon arriving at the fire area, Superman asked Chief Farrell how he could help, and she informed him that they had managed to evacuate all but the upper floor, where the fire was contained. Superman used his X-rays to see that there were two scientists trapped on the 14th floor trying to contain the experiment but it had gotten out of control, and since the firemen's ladder could not reach that floor, Superman asked them not to worry, since heights were his specialty.
Superman used his heat vision to melt the glass and rescue the scientists, whom he picked up and carried to the ground, telling them that he would later use his super breath to put out the fire. One of the scientists was worried about his dog Matty who was still trapped upstairs, but Superman reassured him by showing him that his partner Krypto was carrying her. An hour after putting out the fire, Superman and his partner Krypto took the scientist and his dog Matty to the park to hang out after a tiring afternoon.[5]
While working at the Daily Planet, Clark took a call and met with Lois Lane in his office, becoming nervous when she stared at him, before taking a selfie together. Kent helped his friend Jimmy Olsen record a social media video, but they were interrupted by Lois Lane, who bossily berated Jimmy for not doing his job. Olsen talked in his video about Clark stepping out a lot and getting nervous when Lois looked at him. When Olsen finished the video, Clark asked him about the photo in his office of him with two girls, but Olsen nervously said they were just friends before going back to work.[6]
Personality[]
"They've always been wrong about me! I love, I get scared. But that is being human! I'm as human as anyone! And that's my greatest strength."
Kryptonian Physiology: As a Kryptonian at his physical peak, Superman possesses many extraordinary powers exceeding those of humans and even most metahumans when exposed to the nourishing radiant energy of Earth's yellow sun, ranking highly amongst the most powerful beings on Earth, far beyond the abilities of even most metahumans. His body is the pinnacle of alien evolution designed to harness solar energy, granting him his god-like superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, stamina, flight, heat-vision, breath, longevity, invulnerability, and resilience.
Solar Energy Absorption: Superman's cells function as living solar batteries, allowing him to absorb, metabolize, and store the radiation of a yellow sun, which empowers all his powers and abilities, from flight to heat vision, and even his enhanced healing factor.
Superhuman Strength: Superman possesses vast levels of physical strength on a massive, nearly incalculable scale, as he is able to carry, lift, and exert billions of tons of force and is able to easily overpower mortal enemies. He is shown knocking out armored Raptors soldiers with single punches, such as sending one flying hard enough to knock the man’s teeth out, and staggering colossal threats like the Kaiju creature with a fierce uppercut. He was also able to stop one of the Kaiju creature's feet from crushing a dog, though ended up being overwhelmed and forced into the ground. His strength is immense enough that few beings on Earth are able to physically challenge him beyond rare exceptions such as Ultraman, who possesses similar capabilities to Superman.
Nigh-Invulnerability: Superman's body possesses a dense-molecular structure, which, in conjunction with a supercharged electromagnetic field, bestowing levels of durability and endurance that render him able to withstand virtually any conventional forms of harm and survive the conditions of most environments such as the frigid cold of the Arctic. He is also unaffected by flying in the vacuum of space, as well as immune to Earthly diseases and drugs. However, his invulnerability is not without limit, as the radiation emitted from Kryptonite, magic, exposure to the radiation produced by a red sun, and getting struck with extreme force by opponents who possess similar or greater strength to his, such as fellow Kryptonians and immensely powerful metahumans, can overcome his durability and risk injury or death.
Superhuman Stamina: Superman is able to operate at peak physical performance for extended periods without tiring, as long as he remains charged by Earth's yellow sun, allowing him to engage in long battles or fly across vast distances without rest.
Superman swiftly saves a little girl
Superhuman Speed: Superman can run and fly at supersonic speeds, capable of moving faster than the speed of sound, Superman demonstrates both flight and ground speed in combat and travel, he is shown blitzing across battlefields, dodging and countering high-speed attacks, and closing distances in milliseconds. Whether running on foot or flying through the skies, Superman uses his velocity to outmaneuver enemies, evade gunfire, and hit faster than they can react.
Superhuman Agility: Superman's agility and reflexes through his super speed, made him fast enough to keep up with enhanced or powered opponents, allowing him to react mid-fight even while surrounded or ambushed. He demonstrates this when dodging a coordinated ambush by multiple Raptor enemies, retaliating with precise counterattacks.
Accelerated Healing: Superman is capable of healing at superhuman speeds, especially in direct sunlight, in the rare instances he is injured.
Superhuman Hearing: Superman's hearing is enhanced to the point where he can hear things and even people from all over the world. He can also focus in on specific people as well.
Superhuman Vision: Superman's vision is enhanced to the point where he can see objects from distances that humans would need either binoculars or telescopes to see, as well as objects smaller than the naked eye can see.
Heat Vision: Superman, like all Kryptonians, can dispense powerful, concentrated beams of heat from his eyes, capable of cutting through metal or unleashing explosive force. As shown when he’s seen unleashing a spinning 360° heat vision attack, taking out multiple surrounding Raptors in a flash of devastating fury.
X-Ray Vision: Superman is able to see through virtually any object and even into the human body with great ease. The only thing he cannot see through is lead.
Advanced Longevity: Superman, like all Kryptonians under a yellow sun, possesses the ability to live far longer than a human being, and he can potentially live indefinitely with little to no aging once he reaches his physical maturity.
Superhuman Breath: Superman can intake large amounts of air and expel it with hurricane-like force. He can also manipulate the temperature of the wind, allowing him to freeze objects in place.
Freeze Breath: Superman's breath can reach extremely cold temperatures, capable of freezing objects.
Flight: Superman can fly, hover, and levitate at incredible supersonic speeds and maneuvering in any direction with absolute control, through the skies under his own volition by manipulating his own gravitational field, exploiting Earth's weaker gravity and dense atmosphere to propel himself through the skies and even beyond the planet's atmosphere, capable of traveling between distant locations in seconds at tremendous speeds unimpeded. He uses flight both as transportation and as a core element of his combat style, often combining flight attacks with punches, dives, or aerial grapples.
Interstellar Travel: Superman is immune to the conditions of space, is not affected by the absence of gravity, and does not rely on Earth's oxygen to survive. He can travel through regions at supersonic speeds and high-velocities where no human could survive without technology or protection. On one occasion, he flew to Earth's upper atmosphere with Krypto to intercept incoming space debris a routine task for them.[5]
Abilities[]
Gifted Intellect: Superman is exceptionally intelligent, as with other Kryptonians, which he uses constantly in both his crimefighting career and his career as a reporter.
Skilled Reporter: Clark Kent, working as a reporter for the Daily Planet, is an exceptionally skilled investigative reporter, displaying remarkable insight, investigative and writing skills, writing several articles on his own.
Skilled Combatant: Superman is a capable and adaptive combatant, utilizing his varied array of powers and abilities through his his immense power, speed, aerial mobility, and tactical instincts into a fighting style built around overwhelming force, pinpoint precision, and quick adaptability, despite lacking any formal combat experience, combining his diverse powerset with his sharp intelligence and usually proving more than a match for most opponents. Superman is seen taking down Raptor soldiers with fluid strikes and dodges such as using environmental tools, like swinging a pole like a battle club against Lex’s armored troops as his style is direct, power-based, but sharpened with battlefield awareness and superhuman timing. Superman is capable of matching and eventually overpowering Ultraman with only the strongest and most skillful of opponents being able to rival or outclass him, withstanding and countering the Engineer's advanced tech-based attacks, and clashing against Hammer of Boravia.
Weaknesses[]
Superman being weakened by Kryptonite
Kryptonite: Superman is vulnerable to the effects of Kryptonite, a radioactive xenomineral native to Krypton and created by Metamorpho during his time in captivity. It can weaken or even kill him if he is exposed to it for a prolonged period of time, or if he is impaled with a shard of it. Indeed, scars inflicted on Superman's body by kryptonite will only heal under direct sunlight.
Magic: Superman, despite his impressive durability withstanding nearly any form of attack or injury, has no natural immunity to the mystical effects of supernatural forces, as vulnerable to magic as any other being.
Supersuits: Superman wears a blue suit when operating publicly as a superhero, composed of Kryptonian cloth, which is durable enough to withstand various forms of wear and tear. It comes complete with a pair of red boots, as well as a yellow belt, red briefs, the House of El family crest in red and yellow upon his chest, complete with a long red cape with his family crest on the back, but in yellow.
Superman Robots: A series of identical robots created to assist Superman in the Fortress of Solitude, often treating his injuries sustained in battle.
Hypno-Glasses: A pair of glasses worn by Superman when he assumes the alter ego of Clark Kent. They hypnotize the public into perceiving Superman and Clark Kent as two different people.
Daily Planet Building: Clark's place of employment in Metropolis, where he also gets news of recent events that happen. This allows him to intervene as Superman if necessary.
Fortress of Solitude: Superman's main base of operations located somewhere in the Arctic, where he travels to reconnect with his Kryptonian heritage.
In the comics, Superman is the mantle of Kal-El, born to scientists Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, which he uses while fighting crime with his Kryptonian powers after being sent to Earth. He was given the name Clark Kent by two farmers: Jonathan and Martha Kent.
Superman director James Gunn commented on Threads that Clark in the movie is "a thirty-year-old full-on reporter".[9]
Superman producer Peter Safran proclaimed that the film portrays Superman as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way." He further added that "he's kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned."[10]
Before David Corenswet's casting, James Gunn looked for an actor who possessed the character's humanity, kindness, and compassion, and was "somebody who you want to give a hug."[12]
Jacob Elordi turned down the role, saying it was "too dark".[18]
James Gunn intentionally chose not to focus on Superman's origin due to it being commonly known.[19]
To portray Clark Kent, Corenswet drew on the comics and on Christopher Reeve’s performance, particularly the iconic scene where Clark changes his posture after Lois Lane leaves the room. He also took inspiration from his brother-in-law, who is 6'4", weighs 260 pounds, has a deep voice, and is a quiet and wonderful man who always tries not to get in the way. That’s where Corenswet found the spirit of Clark: someone with an imposing presence who always strives to remain as discreet and silent as possible.[20]
