Man of Steel or finding something new...

in a beaten to death story.

This is my opinion, no review, no recommendation...

Loads of people dislike what Zak Snyder did with the Superman myth, I'm not one of them, and that is for a simple reason. Realism: huge fan of it. Huge fan.

So how do we get realism into a story about a godlike alien? Well, pretty much the way the movie showed us. If two quasi gods brawl it out in a city like Metropolis, shit's gonna fall, people will die, and even if one wants to prevent casualties as much as possible, he cannot account for every pane of glass, every skyscraper, especially if his opponent doesn't give a fuck. Set up a couple of ant farms and then ask someone over to wrestle with you, chances are you're gonna step on and break some of these farms, and kill a bunch of ants.

But wait, we are people not ants, some might complain. To Zod we are, and that is the crux of the matter... if we want someone in a building, we send in a SWAT team in order to minimize casualties. Bad press such casualties, makes you look like a moron if you don't prepare for stuff. Unless you're a sociopath or an alien sociopath, but to be fair to Zod, he is doing his predestined, genetically bred job to the best of his ability, and humans really are no better to him than ants, so if he needs to tear down a skyscraper just to get to the one person he wants to kill, well, the opponent is hiding behind ants, who cares if they die!

In the end Supes needs to kill Zod because the bastard not only threatens one family, no he basically promises that he will not stop. There is no doubt in him, he has a mission, one mission, and how do you deal with someone like that, a fanatic who will not listen to reason? Well, you kill him... not with glee, and Supes regrets it as he is snapping the asshole's neck, but he still does it, because it is the only way.

But Superman does not kill, some people are shouting. And they are right, it is one of the defining traits of the Comic book Code! Erm... the character (and every other sodding superhero!) So, we have 70 years of Super stories, how many explain the reason for his code against killing. Everything is there for a reason... and with the numerous retcons the character has been through, the reason has to have changed as well... or? Google for the code against killing, and then try to find a reason for that code, I'll wait...

Stupid elevator music... done? No... shit

It's the final countdown... da... da... done? Good.

Found much, have ya? No? Neither did I. So, according to the bit I read before the comic code authority, Supes threatened injury and may have injured a bunch of people. Then, to avoid seducing the innocent, the Kryptonian developed this code which is pretty much in sync with the comic book code of the day.

That was then, this is now. Me, as a storyteller, I want a fucking reason for him not killing anyone. And lo and behold, that reason is his killing of Zod. Unlike other people, Supes never belonged, and then there is this whole gang of people from his home world-- he sends them into exile until only one is left, Zod. And while the movie doesn't show it, we can assume that lil Clarkie has always imagined what stuff would be like on his home world, and that he would love to have a friend who knows what it's like... instead he gets Zod, a single minded leader of killers... err soldiers, who are all pretty much superior to humans. He does not want to kill Zod, he tries to reason with him, he wants Zod to live, and the bastard tells him he won't stop... ever. So he kills the dick, and hates himself for it, thus developing this code against killing.

Voila, suddenly it makes sense... suddenly realism kicks in... I would've done something pretty similar, because, let's face it, Superman not killing his opponents is pretty fucking stupid, from a realistic point of view. We have a god here, and while some of the folks he catches are just morons who wanna steal shit, he also faces some nasty motherfuckers.

From a realistic point of view: why does he not kill Lex Luthor? Seriously, why doesn't he? OK, not the first time around, but after good ole Lex has threatened the Daily Planet nursery for the 10th time, and has killed a bunch of people just to get to Supes, a little kick and the sucker would kiss atmosphere good bye. Why does he not? If you say "because he has a code against killing" you have missed the point. He like Batman and virtually any superhero stands outside the law, vigilantism isn't something any agency really embraces, so his not-killing must have a reason.

Actions and their consequences, in any story those are key. Showing, not telling is part of it as well, and as such showing the reason why Superman does not kill is superior to merely telling it.

I might look at BvS at some point, I don't know, for now, I believe I have made it clear, once again, what a sucker I am for logic and reasons of behavior.