Batman’s Human Privilege (a.k.a. Why Superman Should Be More Relatable to Minorities)

[theclexfactor]

Here’s the thing: I do actually like both Superman and Batman. I’m not one of those fans that plot ways in which one would be able to beat another (because I’m that fan that questions why these two heroes, let alone friends are fighting in the first place). But often this argument is initiated by the claim that Batman is more relatable to fans than

Comments

[theclexfactor]

No I understand if I only halfway agree. I think going so far as to say that Jonathan was xenophobic is meta-textually accurate but I don't think that's what the writers were going for. I think what they were really trying to convey that any negative feelings toward Kryptonians or of Clark learning his heritage was just the Smallville-universe equivalent of any adoptive parent begin apprehensive of their child looking for their birth parents. But after some of the shit Jor-El pulled, that fear wasn't completely unfounded, whether you agree with the direction Al and Miles took with the portrayal of the Jor-El AI or not (thank GOD the writers this season FINALLY explained what I'd been saying for years about AI Jor-EL being a friggin computer and computers can't express emotions).

It was made apparent that, at least up until Clark met Raya, his view of Kryptonians and Kryptonian society was tainted by the way Jor-El treated him and then his actual meeting of real living Kryptonians in Arrival. While it is unreasonable to judge an entire race based on the few you meet, the fact that what was apparently the "spirit" of his own dead father seemed to be just like them (i.e. wanting him to rule Earth and literally physically abusing him) makes those feelings just a little bit more understandable. But Clark did meet Raya, and then he met Kara and Lara, and Dax-Ur and he finally saw that the people he came from were just as complex and different and sympathetic as humans. And I think since this happened in Season 7, it helped to inform his actions in Seasons 8 and 9 as far as slowly embracing who he is. in Season 9 even after meeting Zod and the Kandorians, Clark didn't resort to his previous season view of Kryptonians as a whole and instead acted as Ambassador to help them integrate. He took them as the individuals they were and his diplomacy wound up saving humanity. And finally we have him at the point where he is equally as proud of his Kryptonian heritage as his human one.

All of this is to say that thanks to the pay off we've been getting for the past three seasons, the journey to get there (even if sometimes painful and I often still want to punch Al and Miles in the throat for putting Clark through all of it) makes me not only appreciate Clark all the more, but makes him even MORE relatable as a character.