The latest Superman trailer highlights one major challenge that the character will face throughout his time in the DCU. Superman is arguably one of the most powerful superheroes ever created. Beyond having a nearly limitless array of powers that were introduced throughout the Silver Age run of his comics, and beyond the way he is typically shown as a God among men, Superman is exceptionally strong.

In general, there are very few characters that could rival the Man of Steel, which could potentially hinder the entertainment value of his stories, but the fact that Superman puts limits and restrictions on himself in order to fight fairly, and not become a killer, makes his story more interesting. But this balance can also be difficult to portray, with an ultra-powerful hero becoming either an unstoppable monster, or a boring savior, and the DCU will need to figure out how to approach this story without going too far either way.

Superman Killing Is A Consistently Tricky Part Of The Character’s Story To Pull Off

Superman Has A Strict Moral Code

One of the biggest criticisms being put against the DCU already is the fact that Superman appears weak in the trailers. Unlike previous iterations that avoid seeing the hero bleeding, bruised, or even winded, this version of Superman is being pushed to his limits. In both the original trailer and the final trailer before the film’s release, Superman looks rough around the edges, with the hero clearly taking a beating. However, the alternative could be seeing the hero portrayed as too powerful.

In the DCEU’s Man of Steel, Henry Cavill’s Superman can be seen being thrown through buildings, beaten into the Earth, and taking hits with barely any response or physical indication of harm. But at the end of that film, Cavill’s Superman is also forced to kill Zod. The issue is not just the fact that he kills, which is an unusual thing for the character to do considering his usual code of conduct, but the way he is able to do so easily, which somewhat lowers the stakes for his story. The DCU should present a powerful Superman, but doing so without having the character let loose and kill a rival feels like a delicate balancing act.

The DCU’s Superman Trailer Shows Why It’s So Hard To Not Show The Man Of Steel Killing Somebody

The DCU Needs To Be Careful With Superman And How He Handles His Powers

Despite the criticisms depicting David Corenswet’s Superman as weak, he fights against a wide variety of villains in Superman, and he always manages to get back up. Sure, he takes a beating, but even after fighting against a Kaiju, a mad genius, and an army of enhanced attackers, Superman is able to keep pushing forward, keep punching, and save the innocents from certain doom. But even with this display of power, Superman is likely holding back.

Superman is one of only a handful of heroes who needs to pull their punches even when fighting against their worst enemies. Due to having the power of a God, Superman could easily dispatch villains, and use his various powers such as heat vision and superstructure to utterly annihilate the compeтιтion. But if Superman were to fight at full power, the damage he could cause would extend far beyond his intended targets, potentially racking up high numbers of casualties, and making him a terrifying figure to the people of Earth, rather than a symbol of hope.

The DCU’s Superman Villain Roster Appears To Have Been Selected So The Man Of Steel Can Go All Out Without Killing Anyone

Superman Will Face A Variety Of Powerful Enemies In The DCU

With this movie taking place at a later point in Superman’s career, it seems likely that he has been mastering his abilities, and getting to grips with how much he can let himself go. However, considering the range of villains that are due to appear, and their incredible range of powers, it seems like a good way to have the character be able to push his limits, and fight with fewer restraints. While Superman has a strong moral code for not killing, he can destroy robots, and incapacitate powerful aliens and superheroes that can take more of a beating than a mortal.

Even Lex Luthor, Superman’s greatest rival, may be a mortal man, but Lex rarely puts himself in harms way. Instead, Lex recruits others to fight on his behalf, and puts his brilliant mind to work creating robots that could challenge Superman. With all of this in mind, Superman will be able to unleash his powers on several of the antagonists in the upcoming movie. But ultimately, getting the balance between his powers, his morals, and saving the day will prove the biggest challenge for a film like Superman.