Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for James Gunn’s Superman
Fans debate whether David Corenswet’s DCU Man of Steel actually kills other characters in James Gunn’s Superman. By the time the events of Superman begin, David Corenswet’s Kal El has been an active superhero in the DCU for three years, meaning that he has already fought several enemies off-screen. At the end of Superman‘s final battle, Corenswet’s Superman defeats Ultraman by throwing him into a black hole, which has sparked discussion about the hero’s apparent use of ᴅᴇᴀᴅly force.
On X, fans discuss whether Superman kills Ultraman, and if he did, whether he knows Ultraman probably dies inside the black hole. Ultraman’s fate is not confirmed, meaning Superman’s clone could return stronger than before. However, Superman’s intention to kill may still count.
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X user @Tyroneisback highlights that Ultraman is likely to survive the ordeal, as the black hole is located inside Lex Luthor’s dimension. Mister Terrific explains that Luthor’s pocket dimension exists between two universes, which suggests that the black hole may actually be a wormhole that leads to a different dimension or universe. If true, then Superman doesn’t kill Ultraman, and Ultraman instead gets a second chance to fight the Man of Steel in a future movie.
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X user @SupesBatsy offers a counterpoint. Superman knows that the black hole is likely to be lethal. Earlier in the movie, Superman does everything he can to avoid falling into the black hole and to save Krypto and Joey. Not even Superman’s super-strength and flight abilities are powerful enough to lift him from the river that leads to it, so the black hole itself is probably inescapable.
What The Superman Killing Debate Means
Superman’s Decision To Kill Has Been Controversial Since Man Of Steel
James Gunn’s Superman and the DCU as a whole aim to correct the flaws that brought the DCEU to a premature conclusion. One of the DCEU’s earliest controversies took place in Man of Steel, where Henry Cavill’s Superman snapped General Zod’s neck. Man of Steel establishes that Superman has no choice but to use ᴅᴇᴀᴅly force to avoid further damage. However, Superman’s murder of Zod divided audiences, as many fans argued Superman had many alternatives to finish the battle.
Whereas Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel makes the ultimate decision in order to prevent Zod from killing a family, David Corenswet’s Superman doesn’t hesitate to send Ultraman into a black hole when he finds himself overpowered. On the other hand, Ultraman could have turned the fight in Luthor’s favor and continued to destroy Metropolis had Superman not killed him. Like Man of Steel, Superman also doesn’t dwell on Ultraman’s death, depicting it as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good.
Our Take On The Superman Killing Debate
Ultraman’s Death Presents The Same Moral Dilemma As Man Of Steel
Superman’s murder of his enemies is inherently controversial, both in the DCEU and the DCU. Regardless of whether Ultraman dies inside the black hole or not, Superman may have intended to kill his opponent, which isn’t a decision Kal El usually makes lightly. That said, Superman’s no-kill rule isn’t as strict as Batman’s. Whereas the negative consequences of Batman’s no-kill rules are Arkham breakouts, the negative effects of Superman not killing could be the end of the world.
