With marketing for Man of Steel starting to ramp up, we've been getting outstanding new images and bits of plot that appear to add up to an amazing movie event. Like many of you, I was gobsmacked by Trailer #3. It's iconic imagery and impressive (and Williams-less) music combined to bring me nearly to tears. We may finally get the Superman movie we've wanted all our lives.
But a couple of details jumped out at me, and the more I think on them the more I am concerned we will have to deal with a major change in Superman's story. Is it possible that Zack Snyder and Co. have left Krypton intact? Here are the things that, to me, are danger signs.
First The Official Description:
"Transported to Earth years ago from Krypton, an advanced alien planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question – Why am I here?"
There is no mention of Krypton's destruction. This could be a minor wording choice, or it could be an intentional omission.
Second Genetic Engineering and War
In the Entertainment Weekly article this week we found out that Kryptonians are genetically engineered, and that Kal El is a forbidden exception to this rule.
In Trailer 3 we see some of the war on Krypton and we can assume it is over Kal El's birth. (It's a leap, but not a huge one given what we know.) The scenes where Jor El and Lara are sending him away are beautiful, but again give no indication that Krypton is coming apart (structurally, at least)
Third The Trial of Zod
Brief, but powerful. "You think your son is safe?" And then a manacled Zod shouting "I will find him!" To me, this means the trial takes place after Kal El is sent to Earth. Was he sent to Earth simply to hide him from Zod?
Forth Ships
If Zod and his followers are in the Phantom Zone and Krypton is gone, where/why/how did they get all those ships? Let's say that they need to be on a ship to survive in this version of the Phantom Zone. That makes sense to me. But why give them ships that have weapons?
Fifth Superman Flyby
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_Flyby#Superman:_Flyby
All of these concerns kind of point in the direction of a war-torn Krypton still surviving. But they're minor compared to the dead Superman: Flyby script and Hollywood's tendency to recycle ideas. Krypton is very much still alive in this Ratner/McG/JJ Abrams-spawned abomination. Will this concept find new life in Man of Steel?
I love the character of Superman, and I don't mind change. I think it's necessary to keep the concept fresh and relevant. But any change that alters the core of a character is just too much. Superman is a stranger in a strange land. He's all alone in a world full of people. It forms his character almost as much as the Kents do. With a home planet still in existence (and full of potential super-threats against Earth) why wouldn't he go back? On the selfish side he wouldn't have any reason not to. On the altruistic side, he would have to return to Krypton in order to save Earth from continued attack.
I truly, deeply hope I'm wrong.