As a lifeling SM fan from Issue #1 (and Amazing Tales before that), I have to agree with this assessment. Spot on. Thank you!

I read every SM story up to Infinity Wars (and as many other Marvel comics as I could get my hands on). I stopped at the end of Infinity Wars, as adulthood started getting in the way. I have done the same with the movies, also stopping at Endgame.

I know it's not fair to the follow-on movies, but it was such a satisfying ending that I couldn't see myself watching any further. Maybe that's for another day...

Much as the deer shooting scene would tie things together, I still agree with the ending. Despite the chokehold, Zod could have flown up through the roof, taking Kal El with him to continue the fight elsewhere. Instead he chose more violence and death, to punish Kal El. His final word, "Never", sealed his fate. Kal El knew he would never stop, so one of them had to die.