James Gunn’s Superman features a key plot point that’s reminiscent of one of the best episodes in TV history.
Superman is in cinemas now, and the reviews are good, with the movie scoring a superb 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
We agree, writing in our 4-star Superman review that: “This is a Superman movie unlike any you’ve seen before; for (mostly) better and (barely) worse. It’s epic, emotional, and proof that the Man of Steel isn’t boring; by the end, you’ll believe that James Gunn’s DCU can fly. Look up, and look forward to what’s next.”
But it also features a twist that’s sure to stir up controversy, and it’s a plot point that harks back to a classic Twilight Zone episode. Meaning SPOILERS ahead…
How Superman evokes Twilight Zone episode ‘To Serve Man’
In classic Superman lore, Kal-El was sent to Earth by his parents to save the Kryptonian from his dying planet. Jor-El and Lara also send messages concerned with peace and love, and advise their boy to embrace the best of humanity.
But that’s not how it goes down in James Gunn’s Superman, as midway through proceedings, Lex Luthor finds a message from Jor-El that’s much more sinister, telling their son to “Lord over Earth like the last son of Krypton.”
He’s instructed to take as many wives and father as many children as he can, and to rule the planet without mercy.
When the message is shared globally, mankind turns on Superman, though there’s some doubt concerning the veracity of the message, which might have been damaged in transit, or manipulated by Lex.
The words also might have been lost in translation, which calls to mind classic Twilight Zone episode ‘To Serve Man.’
A Season 3 installment that aired in 1962, the story kicks off with Earth being visited by seemingly benevolent aliens call the Kanmits, who promise peace and prosperity, as well as an end to world hunger.
Along with their message of hope, they bring a book called ‘To Serve Man,’ which a government cryptographer endeavours to translate from their alien language.
The Kanamits deliver on their promise, turning our world into a Utopia, and transporting volunteers to their planet, which is described as paradise.
But just as the protagonist is boarding a Kanamit ship to visit them, the cryptographer approaches him with news – she has translated ‘To Serve Man’ and it’s a cook book, with the aliens planning to eat the people of Earth.
It’s a great twist, and one that mirrors the confusion surrounding the exact meaning of that Kryptonian message. And while it remains ambiguous for the time being, Kal-El seems to reference the episode when addressing the mystery, saying: “I believe my parents sent me here to serve the people of earth.”
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