It’s hard to believe that Superman is the start of a franchise. When the movie starts, Superman is already a veteran superhero, having been flying around Metropolis for three years. The exposition dump at the start of Superman also reveals that metahumans have been active in the DC Universe for 300 years, so people are not surprised when a giant kaiju endangers their lives or a girl with wings shows up to save the day. It’s a breath of fresh air not to have to worry about an origin story, with the focus solely on the narrative at hand and not whatever has come before.
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The one major issue that Superman runs into is that there are many dots to connect. Since most of the characters in the movie already have relationships, they don’t spend much time talking about themselves or their motivations. It leaves fans struggling to find answers to major questions. Obviously, you can expect SPOILERS for Superman from here on.
1) How Did Lois Lane Find Out Clark Kent Was Superman?
Lois Lane and Clark Kent are in a secret relationship at the start of Superman. They don’t want anyone to know that they’re seeing each other, but it’s clear they trust each other with secrets because she knows all about her boyfriend’s superhero alter ego. The movie never hints at why Clark gives up his secret to Lois, leaving their love story feeling incomplete.
2) What’s the Deal With Baby Joey?
Superman isn’t worried about being stuck in Lex Luthor’s pocket universe prison until he meets Metamorpho, who can create kryptonite out of thin air. Lex is blackmailing the shape-shifting hero by holding his son, Joey, hostage. While Superman eventually saves the young boy, his dad doesn’t reveal anything about him. The character has an interesting backstory in the comics, so it would be nice to see that come to the big screen.
3) Why Is Maxwell Lord Bankrolling Superheroes?
The other heroes that are part of Superman are members of the Justice Gang. Maxwell Lord puts the team together, but he doesn’t appear until the end of the movie, throwing a jab at Lex Luthor after all of the villains’ secrets come to light. Lord isn’t a good guy in the source material, which means he probably has ulterior motives for getting heroes like Green Lantern and Mister Terrific on his side in the DCU.
4) When Did Supergirl Arrive on Earth?
After Lex is put away and Metropolis is safe once again, Superman heads back to the Fortress of Solitude for a much-needed break. He doesn’t get much time to himself, though, because his cousin, Kara Zor-El, shows up to pick up Krpyto. The two heroes don’t say very much to each other, making Supergirl’s history and place on Earth a mystery.
5) Does Supergirl Know About Jor-El and Lara-El’s Plan?
The biggest twist in Superman centers around the message Jor-El and Lara-El sent their son to Earth with. Initially, he believes they want him to be a hero and help keep the planet safe, but Lex Luthor uncovers Jor-El’s final words that explain that the real mission is to conquer. Supergirl doesn’t mention anything about her family’s dark secret, but there’s a chance her solo movie will pick up the baton and dive into her feelings.
6) Which Version of Peacemaker Is on TV?
Supergirl isn’t the only cameo in Superman, as Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker, makes a brief appearance on a TV program. He isn’t a fan of Superman, which isn’t all that surprising after the events of Peacemaker Season 1. However, the Man of Steel that Chris runs into in his solo show is the one from the DC Extended Universe. Peacemaker Season 2 will need to explain what version of the titular anti-hero is running around in the DCU.
7) Does Jimmy Olsen Know Clark Kent Is Superman?
Despite Lois and Clark trying to keep their relationship secret from their coworkers, Jimmy Olsen knows that she’s hanging out with Superman. He reveals to Perry White that he knows they’ve been together for several months, but it’s unclear if he knows the full extent of the situation. There’s a chance that he knows his friend is a superhero and just doesn’t want to spill the beans to his boss.
Superman is in theaters now.
Did you have questions after watching Superman? How many of the ones on this list do you think the DCU will address? Let us know in the comments below!
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