After the disaster that is the DCEU, Superman has once again swooped in to save the day. James Gunn’s latest film ushers in a new era for DC, kicking off his ambitious cinematic project — Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. And just like our favourite comic books, this has a happy ending.
Superman is not only a box office hit, but it has also landed well with critics, boasting an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes .
However, this doesn’t mean that the film is flawless. One of the movie’s biggest weaknesses is its underuse of Clark Kent, which, in my opinion, is borderline criminal. So criminal, in fact, that it might be time for Kal-El to show up and save the day.
Some spoilers for Superman below, proceed at your own risk
The painful perfection of Superman
We all know about the (slightly misogynistic) trope of the Mary Sue. It’s a term used to describe female characters who are vastly overpowered and shrouded with so much plot armour, it’s a surprise that they don’t clink when they walk. A ‘Gary Sue’ is essentially the male version of this, and Superman fits firmly into the trope.
Sure, it’s true that the whole point of Superman is that he’s (mostly) indestructible and overpowered, but the real problem with David Corenswet’s Superman is just how perfect he is. On the outside, he’s perfect because he’s a superior life form, free of the physical burdens inflicted on humans.
As the film demonstrates, Kal-El is also remarkably perfect on the inside. His strong, sometimes rigid sense of justice (as shown when he literally stops a war) is the foundation of everything he does. He took a vow to serve and protect the people of Earth, and his conviction in that has never wavered — even when he discovered the truth about his parents.
© 2025 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC
Enter Clark Kent
This is where Clark Kent comes in. Superman’s alter ego is an important foil to him, as he represents Kal-El’s human side. While Superman is brimming with charisma and general coolness, Clark is, to put it simply, a nerd. He’s a bumbling, socially awkward mess. And that’s what we love about him.
While it’s impossible to dislike Superman (unless you’re Lex Luthor), he isn’t particularly relatable. He’s someone we can aspire to be, as opposed to someone we see ourselves in. By contrast, it’s easy to relate to Clark and his never-ending stream of awkward moments — the minor missteps make him all the more human, and we love it for him.
However, despite this, Clark Kent only made a fleeting appearance in the film. Albeit the portrayal was on point, but the lack of this persona in the film had consequences. While there was compelling character work at the end with his adoptive parents — which, again, involved his Clark Kent persona — Superman as a character ultimately felt a little one-dimensional. His flawlessness came at the cost of his humanity, because, as everyone knows, it’s our flaws that make us human.
© 2025 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC
How Clark Kent could’ve been used
You can’t have Clark Kent without The Daily Planet, and the movie suffered because we didn’t get to see Clark in action much at the paper. The snippets we did see were very promising. The banter was on point, and Clark’s tendency to email himself was nothing short of hilarious.
Journalists also played a significant role in the movie, even if they did commit the cardinal sin of writing their article straight into the CMS. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson’s unrelenting commitment to uncovering the truth and following the story caused the real downfall of Lex Luthor. Arguably, they played a bigger part in his defeat than Superman himself.
The movie truly champions the power of journalism, but my question is, why do Lois and Jimmy get to have all the fun? Given Clark is a journalist himself, it would’ve been interesting to see him apply that skillset to defeating bad guys. It also would help unify Clark and Superman.
© 2025 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC
Why Clark Kent is crucial for a Superman sequel
As a whole, uniting Clark and Superman as one would definitely elevate the movie. To achieve this, Gunn could have borrowed elements from the comic book series Superman for All Seasons .
This comic collection, which takes place throughout the four seasons of a year, devotes a lot of time to Clark’s younger days in Smallville, along with a crisis of confidence that causes Superman to go back to his roots. It’s essentially a coming-of-age story that explores the slow reconciliation of Clark and Kal-El as equal parts of Superman’s identity. It would’ve been the perfect way to set up the franchise, but even now, it’s not too late.
Ultimately, if Gunn wants to get it right, a Superman sequel (albeit not yet confirmed) would benefit from a more grounded approach that encompasses the complexities of Kal-El’s identity. And let’s face it — we all wait to see more of Clark Kent’s slutty glasses.
- Superman is out now, but what’s the deal with Batman in this DCU
- The “Nothing beats a Jet2holiday” ad craze is completely out of control
- My favourite series has better writing than any current viral show, and it’s free to watch
- Nintendo’s live-action Zelda film casting was a shock… but I’m here for it
Author: Charlotte Colombo, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Charlotte Colombo is a freelance journalist with bylines in Metro.co.uk, Radio Times, The Independent, Daily Dot, Glamour, Stylist, and VICE, among others. She previously worked as a Staff Writer for entertainment outlet The Digital Fix and with Business Insider and Dexerto on their digital culture desks. She’s also appeared on BBC Radio 5 and The Guardian podcast to share her expertise on technology, influencers, and niche internet subcultures. She holds an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London.
Recent stories by Charlotte Colombo:
- The Fantastic Four post-credits scene actor has been confirmed
- Why Sue Storm is my favourite MCU character by far
