Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice wasn’t received all that well upon release, but it’s fair to say it’s proven to have a much better shelf-life than most superhero movies. Here we are two years later and DC fans are still analyzing it over and over and uncovering deeper meanings and visual symbolism that hasn’t been spotted before.
This one has probably been noticed already by a few viewers, but it’s such a good find that it’s worth bringing up again. Reddit user @Not_like_this1 shared a comparison that makes clear the parallels between two key scenes from the movie. In the first, taken from a dream sequence when Clark Kent meets his late father, Jonathan Kent says of his wife “she was my world.” Later on, during the climax, Kal-El says to Lois “you’re my world” before going to fight Doomsday, which is a battle that would ultimately end his life.
Many fans were initially confused by the Jonathan scene in BvS, but this comparison makes it clear that it has a strong thematic resonance for Superman’s character arc over the movie. In the full scene (which you can watch below), Pa Kent talks of a farming accident from his youth which killed some horses. It haunted him until he met Martha, who taught him to believe in the good in the world again. It’s obvious how this relates to a Superman, who’s largely mistrusted at this stage, but by the end of BVS Clark’s had the same realization as his father and knows he’s doing the right thing. Essentially, he’s finally become Superman.
Of course, the “she’s my world” line also recurs again in BvS during Bruce’s Knightmare sequence, which appears to peer into a dystopian timeline in which Lois has died, turning Superman into a vengeful tyrant who blames Batman for her death. Evidence has confirmed this was meant to be explored some more in Justice League, though the well-documented production troubles of that movie put paid to that plan.
Maybe we’ll get that elusive Snyder Cut one day to give Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice the sequel it deserves? Until then, we’re happy to keep on discovering cool connections and parallels like this one.