Man of Steel writer reveals a cut scene that might have explained why Superman kills

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"I understand people have problems with it"

(Image credit: DCEU)

Still wracking your brain as to why our very own Clark Kent killed Zod in 2013's Man of Steel? Well, the movie's scribe David S. Goyer has an answer for you.

During The Art of Adapting Comics to Screen panel Comic-Con 2020 panel, Goyer said, "I understand people have problems with it. But when adapting something like this... You have to take enormous swings."

The writer went on to reveal a cut scene that might have offered further insight into Superman's mental battle during that controversial moment. "Ironically, there was a scene that we wrote that didn't get filmed in which [Superman's adopted father] Jonathan [Kent] takes young Clark hunting and they kill a deer, and young Clark is just gutted by the act, and Jonathan says, 'It's a powerful thing to take a life, even if you're forced to take a life.' I always thought that would have been interesting... We never filmed it."

He added, "We were trying to tell a different type of Superman story, a Superman story that had never been told before. It required taking some big swings. We talked about it, whether or not people would accept it. The editorial staff at DC had accepted it. That doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake. But if you sit there and go, 'I don't want to take any risk...' That's not a healthy way to approach the material." 

At the end of the day, it's important some heroes are flawed, otherwise how could they be interesting? Luckily, Henry Cavill is damn near perfect, and we have proof: just watch him build a gaming PC to the soothing tones of Barry White.

We'll be sure to keep you up to date with all the best bits from this year's San Diego Comic-Con, so keep checking back to see what you missed.

Millicent Thomas
Millicent Thomas

Millicent Thomas was once a freelance games and film journalist, writing for publications including GamesRadar, Total Film, Space.com, GamesIndustry.biz, Wireframe, Little White Lies, Culturess, SciFiNow, and more. She is now in international PR and marketing for Ubisoft.