It is generally accepted that Superman is a Christ figure. Kal-El was sent by his father, from the heavens, to Earth, where he displays superhuman powers. He uses these powers to save people and fight evil. While this salvation is from physical danger, more recent adaptations, particularly the television Smallville and the film Man of Steel, have Kal-El explicitly told by an AI in the form of his father that he has been sent to be a beacon of hope and a model of goodness to inspire the people of Earth to greatness.
Smallville really leaned into this idea. In the very first episode, Clark Kent is strung up on a cross as “the Smallville scarecrow,” an image that is referenced once again in the premiere of the final season of the series. In the penultimate episode of the seventh season, Clark meets the lone surviving member of a secret society that had been awaiting the arrival of a messianic “Traveler.” Clark meets this character in a Catholic church and the man, who is dressed as a monk, tells Clark, while looking at a crucifix, that “I suppose you know what it feels like to be worshiped.” In Man of Steel, Clark becomes Superman in the 33rd year of his life. In both, Clark is guided by artificial intelligence program to contained the consciousness of his father Jor-El, although in Smallville, their relationship is antagonistic at first.
Of course, if Kal-El/Clark Kent is a Christ figure, than his mother Martha is a Marian one. Interestingly, her name was Mary Kent in the first Superman comics, and remained so until Martha became the accepted canon name for Superman’s adopted mother. In most continuity, either the Kents are both deceased or still alive, but elderly. A brief exception to this is in the Brainiac story arc, at the end of which, Jonathan Kent dies of a heart attack induced by an attack by the eponymous villain. In this case, Jonathan’s death occurs long after Clark has become Superman. In both the original Superman film, and the two aforementioned screen versions, Jonathan dies before Clark ever becomes Superman.
Interestingly, the opening scene of Man of Steel features Jor-El and his wife Lara launching the ship that will send their infant son Kal-El to Earth. This version gives Kal-El a quasi-miraculous conception: he is not a virgin birth but he is the first naturally born Kryptonian in centuries. (In the comics, Kryptonians are born by having their DNA placed in a “birthing matrix” and this is likely a nod to that.) It adds a further twist that Jor-El is not actually killed by the destruction of Krypton but personally killed by General Zod, who is trying to prevent the launch of Kal-El’s ship. Thus, Lara spends her last days as a sorrowful widow and mother as well, simply and resignedly accepting the explosion of her planet as it happens
In Scripture, St. Joseph, the foster-father of Christ, is not present for any of Our Lord’s public ministry. The traditional reason given for this is that at some point between Jesus being 12 and 30, St. Joseph died. In fact, because as an observant Jew, Our Lord would have perfectly respected the authority of His foster-father, it is often theorized that it was St. Joseph’s death that impelled Our Lord to go to the Jordan to be baptized and begin His ministry. Traditional images of the death of St. Joseph have St. Joseph dying between Our Lord and Our Lady, and for this reason, he is seen as the patron of happy death, as we all pray to die in the presence of Our Lord and Our Lady. When Jonathan suffers a heart attack in the 100th episode of Smallville, he dies between his wife and son, being held by them.
Thus, Martha Kent is in mourning for the death of her husband, while also dealing with her only son going off to carry out the mission given to him by his true father. Martha’s role comes into even more play in the follow-up to Man of Steel: Batman v. Superman. Superman is having concerns about his mission, because he is being blamed for the destruction wrought in his conflict with General Zod. He returns to his mother’s farm in Smallville where she tells him, “Be their hero, Clark. Be their angel, be their monument, be anything they need you to be… or be none of it. You don’t owe this world a thing. You never did.” While, Our Lady would have never told Our Lord that He didn’t owe anything to the world, here she is encouraging him and telling him that she is okay with him being a hero, even it means being rejected. Some priests have stated that Our Lord told His Mother that his hour had not yet come at the wedding feast of Cana that Him carrying out the miracle of turning water into wine would be the first in a series of events inevitably leading to His Passion and Death. He gives the honor of picking the moment that this can begin, but she also is aware that now there is no turning back from the Crucifixion.
As a Christ figure, Superman has his crucifixion moment later in the movie. As in the comics, he is killed while fighting Doomsday. I have always thought that the writers of the film missed a great opportunity. Despite being a supporting character, Martha figures prominently in the film, with Lex Luthor kidnapping her and threatening to burn her alive if Superman does not kill Batman. Rather, the tide of the fight turns against Superman, thanks to Kryptonite, and just as about as Batman is about to kill Superman, he asks him to “Save Martha” which also happens to be the name of Bruce Wayne’s mother, who was murdered. Batman now sees the humanity of Superman, goes and rescues Martha, then joins Superman and Wonder Woman in fighting Doomsday, whom Luthor has released as a backup plan.
This would have been the perfect opportunity to have Martha present for Superman’s death and lay his body in her arms, as it is traditionally believed was done with Our Lord’s body. But she is nowhere to be seen until Clark’s funeral.
Still, she has even more minor role in Justice League, when she appears spending time with Lois Lane, to whom Clark was planning to propose marriage. When the Justice League manages to use a Mother-Box to resurrect Superman, Batman brings Lois as a “contingency plan” to calm down Superman, who does not know where or who he is. When he sees Lois, he remembers, and takes away to his childhood home in Smallville. Thus, the first place to which he goes after his resurrection is where his mother is.
Some tradition has theorized that the reason Our Lady was not present at the tomb on Easter morning was that Our Lord had already appeared to her, immediately after His Resurrection. Thus, the first place to which He too went after His resurrection was to His Mother.
In conclusion, modern screen portrayals of Superman/Kal-El have added depth to his image as Christ figure by giving Marian aspects to his mother, Martha, especially in regard to her sorrow at the death of first her husband and then (for a time) her son.
Thomas J. McIntyre
Thomas J. McIntyre is a teacher and amateur historian. He holds an MA in History from Georgia Southern University. In addition to the Voyage blog, he writes for Catholic 365 and on his personal blog "Pope Damasus and the Saints." He resides in Louisiana with his wife Nancy-Leigh and daughters Kateri and Alice.