James Gunn has never been afraid to challenge the status quo, and with his DCU debut film ‘Superman’, he’s done something truly daring: he rewrote Superman’s origin story in a way that’s both irreversible and deeply meaningful.
For decades, fans have known Kal-El as the last son of Krypton, sent to Earth by noble parents who wanted to save their child from a dying world. That narrative has shaped countless portrayals, from Christopher Reeve to Henry Cavill. However, Gunn’s Superman dares to ask a difficult question: What if Jor-El and Lara had a darker motivation?
How A Controversial Change In The New ‘Superman’ Makes Kal-El More Human Than Ever Before
The turning point in Superman comes not through battles or world-ending threats, but through a haunting revelation. In a crucial sequence, Superman’s villains (led by Lex Luthor) gain access to the Fortress of Solitude. There, they recover and restore a corrupted Kryptonian message left behind by Jor-El and Lara. Until that moment, Clark Kent believed his parents sent him to Earth because they saw something special in the planet.
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This belief has guided every part of his life, inspiring his moral compass and his commitment to doing good. However, the restored message changes everything. Jor-El and Lara, it turns out, selected Earth not out of admiration, but because of its vulnerability. Knowing their son would develop godlike powers under Earth’s yellow sun, they saw the planet as a perfect place for Kal-El to dominate and rebuild Kryptonian civilization.
It’s a revelation that hits like a punch to the gut, not just for Superman, but for the audience. It reframes the story we thought we knew and paints Krypton in a far more sinister light. Additionally, this new perspective taints the legacy of Superman’s homeworld. Krypton is no longer the noble civilization destroyed by fate; it becomes a society willing to sacrifice others for its own survival. That dark motivation is now a scar on Superman’s identity.
Why The Controversial Change Worked Perfectly
Following the devastating reveal, Clark faces a crisis unlike any other. He questions everything. He questions everything, including his purpose, his powers, and his past. For a time, it seems as if the weight of that betrayal might crush him. However, it’s in returning to the Kent farm, to the simple values of love, honesty, and hard work, that he rediscovers who he is.
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Jonathan and Martha Kent never cared that Clark was from Krypton. They raised him to be kind, fair, and courageous. And in the wake of Jor-El’s cruel legacy, those lessons are more important than ever. Superman doesn’t just affirm Clark’s connection to humanity; it makes it central to his story. By rejecting Krypton’s twisted vision for his future, Clark reclaims his agency. He’s not a tool for genetic legacy, he’s not an alien conqueror, He’s a man who chooses to do good.
In many ways, this is the most human Superman we’ve ever seen. He isn’t defined by tragedy or trauma. He’s defined by hope. It’s a hope he creates for himself, out of pain, confusion, and love. James Gunn’s version shows us that being Superman isn’t about where you come from; it’s about who you decide to be.
Of course, not all fans are happy. Changing Superman’s origin so drastically is bound to stir debate. After all, Jor-El has long been a symbol of wisdom and sacrifice. To reframe him as someone willing to use his own son as a tool for domination is offensive. However, maybe that discomfort is the point. And that’s why this version matters.
