After 44 Years, Superman Redeems The Worst Moment In The Man Of Steel’s Movie History

If there’s one thing I love about the Absolute Universe, it’s that it’s improving on heroes like Superman in ways I’ve never even expected. As a huge pop culture icon, Superman has been featured in thousands of comics, as well as numerous television shows, cartoons, and major motion pictures. As a big Superman fan, I’ve engaged with more than my fair share of content with the Man of Steel. So believe me when I tell you there’s a scene that baffles me, as well as many other Superman stans to this very day.

If you’ve ever seen Superman II (and not the superior Richard Donner cut, mind you), you may recall the scene where Superman is fighting General Zod, Ursa, and Non in the Fortress of Solitude. When Superman is attacked, he grabs a cellophane ‘S’ off of his chest and throws it, which expands in size and contains his enemies briefly before disappearing altogether. It’s a bizarre moment that many fans have ridiculed, even years later. But a recent issue of Absolute Superman executed a similar idea in a much more badass and effective way.

Forget Cellophane, Absolute Superman’s Shield Turns Into a Giant Sword

It’s the final battle in Smallville in Absolute Superman #14 by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval. Kal-El has just been stabbed by Ra’s al Ghul’s kryptonite sword. Ra’s al Ghul demands that Superman bend the knee and become his loyal soldier, but the Man of Steel remains defiant. To break Superman, Ra’s demands that Brainiac kill Superman’s friends. But thankfully, what remains of Sol’s programming is in Brainiac’s algorithm, and it sacrifices itself to free Lois, Jimmy, and Lana. Superman is enraged at the loss of his longtime companion and fights Ra’s with renewed vigor.

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The battlefield grows thick with flame and smoke, but Ra’s is pleased, finally seeing Kal-El embrace his true fighting spirit. Superman is captured by Lazarus Corps’ forces, which only serves to anger Ra’s, who attacks the insubordinate Peacemaker. But Superman protects his captor, confusing and making Ra’s even more furious that Superman won’t break. Tired of Superman’s defiance, Ra’s orders the Peacemakers to kill Smallville’s citizens, which causes Kal-El to relent. Superman agrees to submit to Ra’s if he lets the people of Smallville go.

Ra’s demands that Superman cast aside his old life, and Superman does, stripping his iconic shield off, which causes it to turn into sunstone dust. But Kal-El is smart enough to know that Ra’s is still going to have Smallville killed. Superman tells Ra’s that on his planet, his crest was seen as a sign of shame, but that he and his family always wore it with pride. Superman manipulates the remains of the sword and transforms them into a gigantic sword that rivals the power and size of Ra’s al Ghul’s kryptonite blade.

Superman’s Symbol isn’t a Joke, It’s a Connection to His Past

I think the thing that always bothered me about Superman II’s cellophane ‘S’ was that it came like an afterthought. Maybe it was meant to harken back to the sillier things you’d see in the Silver Age Superman comics, but it never felt like much effort was put into it. And that’s a big mistake because Superman’s shield isn’t just a means to identify him. It’s a symbol that connects him to his people and his society, but most importantly, his family.

While the Absolute Universe has a slightly tweaked meaning of the Superman shield by making it the sign of Krypton’s labor guild, it still carries the same meaning for Clark. It reminds him of the people who made the biggest sacrifices for him. Superman transforming it into a sword isn’t just an incredibly awesome scene; it’s a moment that reminds us that the real power behind Superman isn’t his Kryptonian physiology, but the influences that helped him mold him into someone who would readily give his life to fight a tyrant and protect those in need.

This scene isn’t just a major improvement because a sword is objectively cooler than a cellophane ‘S’ (even though it is). Absolute Superman understands that the shield isn’t a gimmick or design choice. It carries an incredible meaning for Clark, connecting him with a world he no longer has. Instead of using it for a bizarre and frankly, ineffective weapon, Absolute Superman turns his symbol into a powerful weapon that helps him fight for everything his family stood for. And novelty aside, that’s always going to be cooler than any cellphone Superman shield.

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