Michael Shannon defends the controversial ending of Man of Steel's shocking ending, which sees Superman (Henry Cavill) kill General Zod (Shannon) in order to save innocent people from being murdered by the rampaging fallen warrior.
The comics have Superman who is only just discovering his power and the responsibility that comes with being a god among men, so it's natural his rigid code wouldn't be set in stone at this point in his career.
One person who really likes the ending of Man of Steel is Shannon, who played the genocidal General Zod in the Zack Snyder-directed superhero origin story. The actor earned critical acclaim for his performance as a Kryptonian bred for war who can't bring himself to escape his genetic destiny. In an interview with CinemaBlend's ReelBlend podcast, Shannon discussed his feelings on Superman's killing of Zod.
In the interview, Shannon states that Superman and Zod were fighting to the death. Of Zod's ultimate demise, Shannon said: "I didn't think there was any other way to end, it, really. I mean, Zod says it's either me or you. I'm not gonna let you survive. I will kill you, unless you kill me." He describes the final battle as "Greek" in nature, referring the ancient plays depicting battles between the old Greek Gods, figures to whom Superman and Zod are frequently compared. One must live, and one must die. Sometimes, things are that simple, no matter how hard you try to find another way.
Man of Steel remains a divisive movie, even seven years after its initial release, which is a testament to the bold choices made by Snyder and his team while crafting the film. Superman made the right choice, but when it comes to the life of a genocidal maniac and a group of innocent, defenseless civilians, most would argue there is no choice to be made.
Source: CinemaBlend
