The new Superman film is out on digital, and like with most big superhero movies, the post-credit scene is a major topic of conversation. A lot of people are calling the scene with Superman and Mister Terrific useless, claiming it's a quick joke about Superman being a perfectionist. I think that take is completely wrong. This scene has two important utilities, and anyone who thinks it's meaningless is arguing in bad faith.
What the Scene Tells Us About the Universe
In the movie, Lex Luthor tears the city in half by opening a dangerous gate between worlds. The damage is catastrophic, but Superman and Mister Terrific manage to put it back together. When they survey the reassembled city, the building they look at still has a crooked seam—it's not perfect.
The scene's purpose is to make a statement. It tells us that when things are broken, they don't always come back together perfectly. That lingering crack could be a problem later, allowing other dangerous things to get into Metropolis. The scene is a perfect metaphor for the new DC Universe; it's not a complete reset, but a patched-up continuation where the scars from the past still show. It sets a new tone where heroism has consequences, and the world is always a little bit broken.
What the Scene Tells Us About Superman
More importantly, this scene also gives us a clear look at who this new Superman is. He's not happy getting things "kind of" right. Mister Terrific, the logical and pragmatic genius, is satisfied they did as good a job as they could have, given how enormous the catastrophe was. But Superman, ever the optimist and boy scout, thinks it can always be improved.
He's a hero who saves the day; he's a perfectionist who wants to fix every last detail. The scene shows his unwavering belief that the world can always be made better, even when others would settle for good enough. It's a key piece of character development that gives us insight into the man behind the cape.
What The Bad Faith Fans Tell Us About The Success of The DCU
When fans dismiss this scene as a simple joke or a waste of time, they are revealing their own biases. They are grasping at straws in an attempt to find fault with a film that is, honestly, a good Superman story. It's a cheap way to criticize a movie that they already had their minds made up about. These are the same people who complain that nothing ever matters in comic book films, and then they completely ignore a scene that clearly establishes a new reality with real consequences. They're looking for any excuse to call the film a failure and a sign that the DCU is already doomed.
But the scene stands on its own. It's a piece of honest-to-God filmmaking that tells us about both the hero and his world. To pretend it's meaningless is to either not be paying attention or to be engaging in a bad-faith argument in an attempt to sink a film that deserves to succeed.
What do you think? Have you seen the new Superman film? Share your thoughts on the post-credit scene in the comments below!