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“Faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a locomotive, jumps tall
buildings in a single bound.” Superman is known throughout the world for being
the savior of a city called Metropolis. In every comic book, movie, or action
figure ever presented to the public, Superman is a handsome, strong man who can
defeat all odds at all times. The movie Superman was a success, showing how the
superhero saved lives and yet lived a humble life. As one watches the movie,
though, he might notice the many similarities between the plot of the movie and
the story of Christ’s coming. Superman, savior of the city Metropolis, mirrors
the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.
Throughout the movie Superman, the names and the actions of the characters were
similar to those of the Holy Bible. Two of the major name references to the
biblical version deal with Superman (Kah-lel) and his father, Jor-el. In the
Greek language, the name Jor-el means “God,” while the name Kah-lel means
“Little God.” Another instance where the name game is played is in the case of
Superman’s parents, Martha and John. It does not seem as if there is any other
way to make these names be closer to Mary and Joseph, who are the parents of
Christ. Zod and Ursula are two other characters present in the movie whose
names may not be similar to those in the Bible, but represent the devil and all
that is considered evil. These are some of the examples of how the use of names
plays an important role in linking Superman the movie to the coming of Christ.
At many times throughout the movie, actions done by the main characters were
done along the same lines as the story of Christ’s coming, if not identical as
the Bible’s version. At the beginning of the movie, it shows three people
standing on trial and a vote that was to be decided by Jor-el. Zod, who was one
of two men on trial, told Jor-el to let him go and that he would let Jor-el
have reign over the new world, which is also said when the devil is speaking to
God and trying to keep himself out of what was to become Hell. One of the
strongest points in the movie that showed itself to be on the same path as
Christ’s coming was when Jor-el said “the father in the son, and the son in the
father,” before he was to send Kah-lel off into the universe towards Earth.
Another moment was when Kah-lel throws the crystal and his father appears to
tell his son that he is pleased with him and that he should now start his
ministry after roaming the wilderness for the past twelve years. Not only does
this scene in the movie agree with the Bible’s story of Christ’s twelve lost
years, but it also is similar to when Christ was baptized by John. When
Christ’s baptism took place in the river Jordan, a voice from Heaven came down
upon the crowd and said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well
pleased.” From the beginning to end of the movie, there are times in which
Superman looked to be modeled after the story of Christ’s coming.
While the names and the actions matched up for both stories, there were also
cases where an object’s appearance alone made the viewer feel as if he were
watching a film of a biblical story. As most people would probably picture the
planet of Krypton some sort of a green color, the movie depicted it white, much
like Heaven. Also, on this planet Krypton, the people were pictured in long
white robes with literally clouds at their feet throughout the first part of
the movie. The spaceship that Jor-el sent Kah-lel in played a role in more than
one way. When shown flying down from the exploding planet of Krypton, the
spaceship looks as if it is a star, similar to the star of Bethlehem when
Christ was born. Then, when the spaceship lands out in the open fields, it is
open and the child is lying in it as if it were the manger in which Christ was
born. Another part in the movie that seems to be a reference to Christ’s coming
is when Jor-el is talking to Kah-lel and is depicted in a glowing light that
reminds one of a god. The Holy Bible’s story of Christ’s coming looks to have
strongly influenced the movie Superman in every way possible.
The story of how Superman was brought onto the Earth is almost identical to the
story of Christ’s coming to the world. Both were received onto this planet in
strange fashions; both were performers of miracles and saviors in their own
way. Superman was an incredible character in all aspects, much like a modern
day form of Christ. The main difference between Superman and Christ, though, is
the way they are presented. Superman is a strong, hulking hero while Christ is
normally pictured as an average person. In his human form, Christ may not have
been faster than a speeding bullet or stronger than a locomotive, but will
always remain a super man of all time.