Christ Parallels in Superman and Batman

My Dear Reader,

Okay, I think that the new Batman movie has been out long enough for me to talk about it, right? I've been postponing this post for a long time in order to ensure that the timing would be appropriate, since I talk about some things that would probably spoil the plot for you if you are still waiting to see the movie. I also talk about the last Superman movie, but I'm not going to be nearly as spoiler-y. Essentially, what I'm trying to say is that you should read the rest of this post at your own risk.

Well, I saw The Dark Knight in theaters, which means a lot coming from me. I went with a bunch of friends during the day because evening prices are exorbitant. And let me just say that I was glad that bright daylight greeted me as I left the movie theater, because the movie was just about as much dark as I could handle at the moment. They definitely titled that movie with care! And while there was a lot in the film that I didn't like, the things that Batman said at the very end really made me think. If you recall, Batman is put in a terrible position--his friend, Harvey Dent, the hero of the city, essentially goes insane and does a lot of really, really bad stuff. Like kill people. And it turns out that if people find out that the incorruptible Harvey Dent did it, that it would severely damage the morale of the people who once believed in him. So Batman decides to take the blame. All of it. Even though he is guiltless, he is taking the sins of another upon himself for the good of many. And that made me think a little bit about someone else who took upon Himself the sins of all mankind, at a very great cost.

But I'm sure, Gentle Reader, that if you were looking for a superhero that was very much like the Savior of the world, you would probably think about Superman before you think about Batman. The reason is fairly obvious, especially if you saw Superman Returns. It's almost like they're trying to force-feed the parallel to Christ to you, what with Jor-El saying, "Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you . . . my only son." I mean, come on! And he's coming back for a second time. And he has abilities to do things that regular human can't do. And he's so darn pure, supposedly.* They should have just titled the movie Superman Equals Jesus.

But Superman never did what Batman did. Superman always had a great public image, and he always managed to find a way to do the dirty work and keep his hands clean, which is great, don't get me wrong. If Christ had lived his life the same way, He still would have been as perfect as He was. He still would have used His abilities to perform just as many miracles, and He still would have been a remarkable historic figure and a great example. In fact, I would say that if Christ lived as Superman did, He definitely would have deserved the secular Christmas that many celebrate. Batman, on the other hand, chose to suffer unjustly in order to make things work. He went beyond the mark, sacrificing himself for his friends. We are profoundly blessed that Jesus Christ did the same for us, and more. Not only did He bleed at every pore, and not only did He choose to die to atone for the sins of everyone who lived, is living, or will live, but He conquered death, rose again, and offered the gift of ressurrection to all of God's children. So, I guess saying that Christ exemplified the best of Batman and Superman seems a little trite. There really is no comparison. After all, what Christ did was real, while the other two were only fiction. Christ was the kind of real that makes Him more than worthy of our devotion and worship. It makes the true Christmas, the religious holiday, a wonderful and precious thing.

Most of all, it proves that Christ is, quite literally, the best superhero ever.


Regards, best wishes, and a true Christmas season,

-Cecily Jane


*That's what I hated about the movie--that he had a secret love-child with Lois? Are you kidding me? This is Superman, and first of all, he wouldn't do that, and second of all, are we absolutely sure that an alien and a human can even reproduce? I mean, seriously. I thought this guy was supposed to be a role model.