Zack Snyder doubles down defending Man of Steel’s most controversial death

Zack Snyder stands behind the decision to kill Pa Kent, which is seen as one of the most controversial deaths in Man of Steel.

Director Zack Snyder is no stranger to causing controversy within the superhero community due to his lore bending storytelling, but one decision he continues to stand by this day was the death of Pa Kent aka Superman’s dad in Man of Steel.

The movie acted as a more grounded take on the Superman origin story, which included having Jonathan Kent act as a more stern, authoritative figure in Clark’s life opposed to the soft, lovable father figure fans had see him as.

Jonathan’s death in the movie has always been a point of contention with viewers. He sacrificed himself to an incoming tornado in order to teach Clark to hide his powers from the world, but Snyder has always stood by the decision. When asked about it, the director explained why Jonathan’s death needed to happen to further Clark’s character.

“The conversation is exactly what he says to Lois…I let my father die to protect the idea that my father was trying to protect,” Snyder explained to GQ, “The idea that I wasn’t ready to be outed to the world because I wasn’t Superman. I’m just a teenager that could’ve made a mess of it. I have the power to do it, but have I ever used my powers in this way?”

Snyder added that Clark’s point of view stemmed from his trust that his father had a bigger plan for him and the tornado incident “was not the thing that was going to expose [him] to the world.”

The director seems to have a soft spot for his first superhero outing, as this is not the only time he has defended a controversial change within it.

Famously, Snyder had Superman kill General Zodd, the main villain in the film. A lot of Superman fans disagreed with the direction he took the story, but Snyder maintains the act had to be done to make Superman feel more grounded in reality. He’s acknowledged that some fans who are attached to the comic lore will never accept his change.

If you’re looking for something other than superhero movies to binge-watch, check out our guide to the coolest movies to watch this month.