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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cthulhudrew" data-source="post: 2933729" data-attributes="member: 4090">I noticed this, too, and it actually got me to looking at Superman/Clark Kent in a different way than I ever had before. I think the tendency is to look at Clark Kent as the bumbling, hucksterish secret identity of Superman, much as Bruce Wayne is seen as the decadent, playboyish secret identity of Batman. Thus it might seem weird that Superman doesn't come across with a bit more bravado in his superheroic guise, since he is freed of having to perform to keep his secret.The performance Routh gave, however, made me start to look at Superman and Clark Kent as the same person, no "secret identities" involved. IE, Clark Kent was a farm boy who grew up as an outsider due to his abilities and the need to keep them secret. His social skills should be somewhat malformed; it shouldn't be seen as an act that he is bumbling and shy around Lois Lane, who he nurtures a strong affection for- he acts that way because he truly hasn't developed the social skills of emotional interaction at that level. So he comes across that way not because he's performing, but because that's who he is. When he puts on the Superman tights, he isn't changing at all- he's still awkward Clark Kent who doesn't really know how to interact quite so socially with people. He's now in a different role from other people's perceptions, though- he's their savior and hero, and rather than see him as awkward, they become awkward because, really, how do you interact with someone on that level? So Superman ends up coming across as the cool collected one, in a complete role reversal. In such a situation, he has the same reaction to other people's stumbling awkwardness as they do to him as Clark Kent (at least in the best of situations) where he just tries to sympathize with them and not make them feel any more ill at ease. So Superman presents himself as this strong silent type, but he's fundamentally the same all over.Contrast, then, with someone like Batman, who (IMO) really is the underlying personality, and the Bruce Wayne identity is just one that he adopts out of necessity to deal with the rest of the world. Two different characters, essentially.I don't know, maybe that's not the real concept behind Superman, but watching Routh's performance, that's the way I started to view the character.BTW, Mhacdebhandia, I just wanted to say that I found this to be a really well written and insightful review. Thanks for sharing it!</blockquote>

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