Superman

Got this article from Alpha


Quentin Tarantino nailed it in a monologue by Bill in Kill Bill, where he says an essential characteristic of superhero mythology is that there must be a superhero, and an alter ego: Bruce Wayne puts on a suit to become Batman and Peter Parker does the same to become Spider-Man. But Superman was born Superman - his alter ego is Clark Kent.

"His outfit with the big red S, that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He's weak, he's unsure of himself … he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race."

Maybe this is what is most Christlike about him - not what it is to be heroic, but what it is to be human.


More Reflections on Superman from Alex and Darren Chow:

Superman Or Perfect Man?
Jesus Christ Superman
What do Superman and Jesus have in common?
Christ Figure of American Pop Culture
Superman, Jesus Christ and Jim Caviezel

Comments

greyhoundbus said…
I saw Kill Bill =). I thought that was an interesting angle, but I disagreed with Bill's assessment of Superman. Superman doesn't see the human race as weak and pathetic, (at least not consciously... if Bill was suggesting something Freud-like he should've said so) but uses Clark as a cover-up... smoke and mirrors to disguise his true self. He's aware of the inherent physical weakness of humans, but in the comics he also consistently believes that there can be great strength and goodness in the human spirit.

There may be some way in which Superman is analogous to Christ, but I 'm not really sold on it. From a purely spiritual perspective, I think the analogy almost entirely misses the point.

Bill's thoughts, however, do remind me about how some men tend to view "Supermen"... they feel threatened and insecure, and they paint a negative portrait of the mind of the Superman to convince themselves they are no worst than those who appear godlike. It's especially true of people who are manipulative and enjoy being in control, and Bill seemed like the sort.

I don't know how Quentin meant it when he had Bill said that... I just know I disagree with Bill =).
8:41 PM
Dave said…
Thanks for the comment, bro! perhaps Bill (before he died) meant it as an analogy to the killer-bride character (see? I dun even remember her name...) tat she was a natural assassin.

Others were by nature mortals but took on an 'assassin' role or alter ego. But Uma Thurman... she's a born fighter and being a mom and bride was a weak and unbecoming 'costume' for her...

Which may explain the overkill at the wedding hehe...
9:14 PM
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