Batman v Superman's Fortress of Solitude Is In Clark's Head

Superman (Henry Cavill) imagined his version of Fortress of Solitude in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Following 2013's Man of Steel that kicked off the DCEU, director Zack Snyder came up with Warner Bros.' first ensemble superhero flick in 2017 which debuted Ben Affleck's Batman and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. This obviously excited a lot of DC fans who had been waiting for these characters to come to life on the big screen.

Unfortunately, Batman V Superman was met with a divisive reception despite quickly becoming a smash hit at the box office. Most of the criticisms it got were directed at its convoluted plot although the Ultimate Edition admittedly solves some of these narrative issues. However, there's a significant chunk of viewers who genuinely liked it - appreciating Snyder's aesthetic and fresh spin on these iconic DC characters.

While Batman V Superman was the stepping stone for Justice League, it also featured an incredibly difficult time for Superman whose being crucified by the public coming from the events of Man of Steel. Suffering self-doubt and wallowing in despair after he saw a tragedy happen before his eyes without being able to save people, he went on a self-imposed exile, in his hallucination, he met with Pa Kent (Kevin Costner) who gave him some words of wisdom. Snyder said that this version of Fortress of Solitude was made up in Clark's head during his live commentary event for the film. The filmmaker added that the Man of Steel sought his adoptive father for his advice because he was desperately trying to hold onto his humanity.

At this point in Batman V Superman, Clark was still reeling from the Congressional hearing that killed everyone but him. This was all in part of Lex Luthor's (Jesse Eisenberg) plan to paint Superman in a bad light, as well as demoralize Clark further. As the hero struggled with guilt, Pa Kent's story about a similar experience when he stopped flooding but unintentionally affected a neighboring farm resulting in their horses drowning offered some assurance. Jonathan was haunted by the unintended ramifications of his actions for a long time, but the nightmares eventually stopped when he met Martha (Diane Lane). In hindsight, this is an allegory to Superman's life, with Pa Kent's story giving his son a glimmer of hope relating his relationship with his mother to Clark's with Lois (Amy Adams).

There's a lot of criticisms towards Snyder's take on Superman in the DCEU - most of it was rooted on his oftentimes depressing outlook, which was especially highlighted in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. While not everyone is a fan of this approach, seeing Superman having these kinds of conversation are a treat. It grounds him, making it much easier to relate and eventually root for him. No word yet on whether or not Cavill will be back to play the role, but a lot of people are still hoping that the actor and his version of the Man of Steel is still part of the DCEU moving forward.

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Source: Zack Snyder