Why are Kara's acts of heroism merely superficial at best? She probably saved a dozen lives. Why are those lives any less valuable than the first dozen lives Clark saved in the early years of Smallville? If the emphasis is on inspiring belief... well, Clark has always ran away, hidden in shadows, or left some graffiti and some deep-background stories to a single reporter - whereas Kara performed a huge public miracle. (Eventually, it's safe to assume Clark/Superman is going to vastly outdo her in both quality and quantity; but I don't think it's safe to assume we're going to see that depicted onscreen)
But more importantly - I think you're fundamentally misreading the nature of the critique that is being made here.
Nobody is saying that they value specific costume details or specific superpowers over the heroic values you champion.
We are disagreeing with the storytelling choices and the apparent lack of craft demonstrated with these choices.
You've advocated in this thread and other threads a hopeful scenario of a conclusion to this series which conveys the priorities you associate with the character of Superman. Nobody wants to diminish these priorities. Believe me, we're onboard. We just worry that this episode has, at best done nothing to forward those goals, at worst, done significant harm to them.
On another thread, someone suggested as an option that Superman's greater and inspirational impact on the citizens of Metropolis could be depicted via a voiceover narration or a montage type sequence in the closing minutes of this series. It was suggested that - So long as it's quality, quantity doesn't matter.
But, in cinematic terms, modes of expression, screen time, and other discrete forms of emphasis do translate into the quality of experience.
Voiceover narrations are passive, cheap, and un-cinematic. Sure, there are exceptions to every rule, but pick up any introductory screenwriting book and within its opening chapters you'll see denunciation after denunciation of that sort of choice.
Quantity doesn't equal quality - but, the cinematic and storytelling choices are a finite set, and when a filmmaker relegates something to a montage or a voiceover, they're giving a signal to the audience, a value judgement over that material's importance, and relegating it to a secondary status. That's why all those romantic comedies do the "date montage," it's because they're not interested in it in relation to the other material.
Supergirl's debut was classic, active, immersive and cinematic. It showed heroic acts. Revealing a heroic character. Which, as you so eloquently championed the importance of, should be reasonably expected to inspire people. She literally put herself out there for the sake of others. The image of a hero in a nutshell.
By leading by example, Supergirl has done more to help people believe they can be heroes too in nine seconds of screen time than Clark has done in nine years.
(*except for the select few he's shared his secret with)
If Superman's debut is similarly depicted - but then is followed by a montage of citizens saying "I'm so inspired now!" - some will experience joy, but I'll experience something like this.
Gosh, I really can't be brief. I apologize to those of you who made it all the way through that. I'll leave the last word to others, I've said way too much already. Sorry. Maybe this was a therapeutic expulsion of the episode. Now I'm cleansed for Episode #200.
But more importantly - I think you're fundamentally misreading the nature of the critique that is being made here.
Nobody is saying that they value specific costume details or specific superpowers over the heroic values you champion.
We are disagreeing with the storytelling choices and the apparent lack of craft demonstrated with these choices.
You've advocated in this thread and other threads a hopeful scenario of a conclusion to this series which conveys the priorities you associate with the character of Superman. Nobody wants to diminish these priorities. Believe me, we're onboard. We just worry that this episode has, at best done nothing to forward those goals, at worst, done significant harm to them.
On another thread, someone suggested as an option that Superman's greater and inspirational impact on the citizens of Metropolis could be depicted via a voiceover narration or a montage type sequence in the closing minutes of this series. It was suggested that - So long as it's quality, quantity doesn't matter.
But, in cinematic terms, modes of expression, screen time, and other discrete forms of emphasis do translate into the quality of experience.
Voiceover narrations are passive, cheap, and un-cinematic. Sure, there are exceptions to every rule, but pick up any introductory screenwriting book and within its opening chapters you'll see denunciation after denunciation of that sort of choice.
Quantity doesn't equal quality - but, the cinematic and storytelling choices are a finite set, and when a filmmaker relegates something to a montage or a voiceover, they're giving a signal to the audience, a value judgement over that material's importance, and relegating it to a secondary status. That's why all those romantic comedies do the "date montage," it's because they're not interested in it in relation to the other material.
Supergirl's debut was classic, active, immersive and cinematic. It showed heroic acts. Revealing a heroic character. Which, as you so eloquently championed the importance of, should be reasonably expected to inspire people. She literally put herself out there for the sake of others. The image of a hero in a nutshell.
By leading by example, Supergirl has done more to help people believe they can be heroes too in nine seconds of screen time than Clark has done in nine years.
(*except for the select few he's shared his secret with)
If Superman's debut is similarly depicted - but then is followed by a montage of citizens saying "I'm so inspired now!" - some will experience joy, but I'll experience something like this.
Gosh, I really can't be brief. I apologize to those of you who made it all the way through that. I'll leave the last word to others, I've said way too much already. Sorry. Maybe this was a therapeutic expulsion of the episode. Now I'm cleansed for Episode #200.
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