Superman: James Gunn Teases Ma And Pa Kent As "The Parents Whose Moral Compass Shapes Our Hero’s Journey"

Following the release of the Superman trailer, director James Gunn shared a sweet tribute to Clark Kent/Superman’s parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent. Played by Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell, the Kents are Clark’s adoptive parents who raise him after the young Kryptonian crash lands on Earth, instilling strong morals in the future hero. Superman will star David Corenswet as the lead character, as well as Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Isabella Merced, Sara Sampaio, and Anthony Carrigan.

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Gunn’s post includes a snapsH๏τ of himself alongside Vince and Howell on what appears to be the set for the Kent farmhouse. The director captioned the pH๏τo: “In the excitement of this week’s announcements, it’s fitting to celebrate the anniversary of Ma [and] Pa Kent. I can’t wait for you to see Pruitt Taylor Vince [and] Neva Howell as the parents whose moral compᴀss shapes our hero’s journey.“

What James Gunn’s Comments About Ma And Pa Kent In Superman Mean

Clark Kent Learned His Morals From His Parents

While Clark learns a lot from his Kryptonian father, Jor-El, due to his artificial intelligence recreation, his core sense of self and morality comes straight from Ma and Pa Kent. Throughout Superman media, a common thread is that much of Clark’s goodness is because he was raised by honest, down-to-earth farmers. As such, Gunn appears to be making them a focal point of his Clark’s story to prop up his kinder take on the hero. Previously, the director described Superman as “a movie about the values of being human, about kindness and love.“

Also of note, Gunn mentioned the anniversary of Jonathan and Martha’s first comic appearance. Their debut story was in Superman #1 all the way back in 1939. Gunn also marked the occasion last year, when he explained a little bit more of their comic history: “Clark’s parents had a few names until they were formally named John and Mary Kent in SUPERMAN #53 in 1948, a retelling of Superman’s origin story. Jonathan [and] Martha as their formal names were established in later issues.“

Our Take On James Gunn’s Comments About Ma And Pa Kent In Superman

Superman Stands For Truth And Justice

David Corenswet's Kal El crosses his arms looking up to the bright blue sky in James Gunn's Superman — Custom image by Nicolas Ayala

Ma and Pa Kent are the strongest influences in making Superman the hero that he is, and Gunn is demonstrating that he understands their importance. In the trailer, both Jonathan and Martha are shown caring for their son, with Pa giving a heart-to-heart and Ma making sure he’s battle-ready. Most versions of Superman lose Jonathan early in life, so it is nice to see the hero and his father have more time together onscreen in Superman. This is especially true when Pa shares his words of wisdom: “Your choices. Your actions. That’s what makes you who you are.”

Gunn’s use of the Kents as a “moral compᴀss” for Clark isn’t novel; however, it is a return to the character’s most basic form, a farm boy who wants to use his powers to make the world safer. As a result, Superman’s more sentimental approach to the character and his morals might just be the adaptation fans have been yearning for.