Categories: Ramblings

As the opening of Superman Returns approached, people began to draw parallels between the Man of Steel and Jesus Christ. I was first introduced to this concept while watching Larry King Live featuring the stars of the movie, Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey and director Bryan Singer. At first I thought it was absurd, almost as much as those accusations that Superman is gay. Just because he flies around in tights and often handles phallic symbols such as planes and trains doesn’t mean he’s gay.

But after the release of the movie, these claims became louder and louder. So I did a little investigation of my own, and now I’m inclined to agree. There are a surprising number of similarities between Superman and Jesus. Apart from the obvious (saving mankind), Superman is not of his earth. He came from above. And he, like Jesus, came from humble origins. Jesus was born in a manger, Superman was found in a field. Same pastoral setting. One could even associate Martha and Johnathan Kent with Mary and Joseph. Their initials are even the same, M and J. Jor’el could be compared to God, the booming voice from above, who sent his only son to save earth and be a beacon of hope for all mankind. Superman is also super virtuous. Nowhere near Jesus’ level, but about as close as man can get.

Ok, maybe these similarities are just coincidence. You can find parallels between just about anything if you analyze them hard enough. But there are far too many parallels in the movie to dismiss them as mere coincidence. What if this religious imagery was provoked? It wouldn’t be much of a surprise, as The Passion and Narnia taught Hollywood that sex and violence aren’t the only things that sell. Religion does too. And with a 300 million dollar budget, you can bet that they will use every and any possible means to recover their investment, even if it means exploiting people’s adoration of a sacred, religious figure. Hey, it’s Hollywood, and the only gods they worship are money and of course themselves. But whether the similarities are coincidental or intentional, God bless you Superman.