Warning! This article contains spoilers for Superman.DCU’s Superman movie proves why its version of the hero needed to be the “weakest” version of the movie hero with the film’s ending. Over the years, the general public has been treated to a wide array of live-action Superman actors, with almost every iteration of the hero bringing something unique to the table that makes them someone’s favorite.
David Corenswet’s Man of Steel continues this tradition, with much praise already being given about his performance – though many have also mentioned they consider the DCU’s version to be the weakest movie Superman currently. However, Superman’s ending perfectly explains why the DCU movie delved more into showing its hero as fallible.
DCU’s Superman Being “Weak” Has Been A Complaint Since Some Of The Movie’s Earliest Teases
Our first look at 2025’s Superman was one that many understandably hadn’t been expecting. The first Superman trailer opened with David Corenswet’s Superman lying in the snow, bloody and defeated, before calling Krypto to try and get the dog to drag him to safety.
The release of Superman also revealed this is the first scene of the movie itself, which also explains why it was chosen as the first moment of the trailers.
This immediately raised debates about whether the DCU’s iteration of Superman was weak. While the trailers demonstrated Superman’s considerable powers – showing him fighting colossal rampaging monsters and blasting several foes at once with heat vision – scenes like this and the later look at Superman crashing into a city street suggested to some a less powerful iteration of the hero.
For the most part, Superman explains why these scenes happened by revealing that the Man of Steel was fighting a clone of himself being commanded by a version of Lex who’d spent several years studying how to beat his heroic foe. However, the ending of Superman underlines a far more important reason for these scenes showing Superman as supposedly weak.
Superman’s Movie Ending Underlines Why We Needed To See Him Be “Weak”
In the final act of Superman, the тιтular hero confronts Lex Luthor alongside Krypto and Mr. Terrific as they attempt to seal the black hole Luthor has let wreak havoc on Metropolis in order to try and kill Superman. During this time, a cornered Luthor gives a monologue about how he resents the “alien” and everything he stands for.
In response, Superman calls him out. The Man of Steel volleys against Lex’s words by discussing how he’s human in the sense that being human is about trying and making mistakes along the way – and how it’s human to lose and to have to learn what to do with those losses, stating:
“I’m as human as anyone. I love… I get scared. I wake up every morning and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other and I try to make the best choices I can. I screw up all the time – but that is being human, and that’s my greatest strength.”
Without seeing Superman be defeated in the opening scene of the movie – or the movie’s other moments showing him as capable of making mistakes or being fallible – this poignant part of the ending wouldn’t hit nearly as hard. Instead, we can understand exactly what the hero means, as we’ve seen him be human in the exact way he describes.
This final part of the film cements Superman as a symbol of hope not because of his immense strength alone, but also because of his willpower and his humble nature, even in the face of immense challenges. This is a strong approach for the DCU’s flagship hero, and one that makes the prospect of seeing further appearances from Superman a promising prospect.
Similarly, it underlines the lessons Clark learned from his human parents, as it aligns with Jonathan Kent telling his son that his choices are what define him, not his Kryptonian heritage. This wisdom from Pa Kent appears to be what helps Superman get back into the fray after being grievously injured in Luthor’s pocket dimension, and mirrors Superman’s own speech, as Jonathan says that:
“Parents aren’t here to tell their children who they’re supposed to be. Your choices. Your actions. That’s what makes you who you are.”
The DCU’s Approach To Superman Makes His “Weakness” A Strength In Ways Other Movies Couldn’t
While seeing Superman accomplish unfathomable feats is never not an interesting movie experience, almost every Superman movie has at least toyed with the idea of Superman being “weak” in one sense or another. However, the DCU’s Superman explores this territory in a different way.
Embracing the idea of Superman being human in the sense that he’s not invulnerable – and in the sense that he’s capable of making mistakes – also lets him showcase empathy in a different way. It’s clear Corenswet’s Superman knows what it’s like to try and fail, and uses this to drive him further, and to connect with those around him.
This also makes moments like Superman trying to convince The Engineer and Ultraman to stop fighting him all the more powerful, as one example. We know this isn’t just that Superman being that powerful that he feels he can dedicate time to trying to talk it out with these characters, but rather that he knows what it’s like to make mistakes himself, and hopes to be able to turn things around for them.
Ensuring that Superman‘s hero feels like a take on the character that’s fresh and yet comic-accurate feeling – and that highlights how the heart of the character has helped him remain important for almost 100 years – certainly looks set to pay dividends for the DCU. Hopefully, future installments will continue to show a perfectly imperfect iteration of the iconic DC hero.
