Man of Steel Writer Reveals Cut Scene That Would Have Explained Controversial Moment

Man of Steel's writer has revealed that a cut scene would have explained the film's most controversial moment. Anytime you bring up Superman killing General Zod online, there is still an argument to be had between fans of the DC Comics hero. David S. Goyer spoke during a Comic-Con 2020 panel called The Art of Adapting Comics to Screen. In his comments, the writer admitted that while the killing is controversial, sometimes risk is necessary in storytelling. "I understand people have problems with it. But when adapting something like this…you have to take enormous swings," Goyer said.

For his part, one of these massive ideas ended up being one of the most hotly debated Superman topics of the last decade. An argument that still rages online at the mere mention of General Zod and Zack Snyder. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice might have been received entirely differently if that scene alone wasn't present in Man of Steel. Despite that fact, the writer and director stand by their decision. Goyer went so far as to explain it out this weekend.

"Ironically, there was a scene that we wrote that didn't get filmed in which [Superman's adopted father] Jonathan [Kent] takes young Clark hunting and they kill a deer, and young Clark is just gutted by the act, and Jonathan says, 'It's a powerful thing to take a life, even if you're forced to take a life.' I always thought that would have been interesting... We never filmed it," the writer explained.

"We were trying to tell a different type of Superman story, a Superman story that had never been told before. It required taking some big swings," he added. "We talked about it, whether or not people would accept it. The editorial staff at DC had accepted it. That doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake. But if you sit there and go, 'I don't want to take any risk...' That's not a healthy way to approach the material."

Earlier this year, Zod actor Michael Shannon told Cinemablend that there was no other way for the movie to end. Shannon trusted Snyder's judgement in that regard and it sounds like his thinking lines up with Goyer.

"No, I didn't think there was any other way to end, it, really," Shannon bluntly observed. "I mean, Zod says it's either me or you. I'm not gonna let you survive. I will kill you, unless you kill me. And that seemed sufficiently Greek to me, you know?"

How did you feel about that controversial decision in Man of Steel? Let us know down in the comments!