Zack Snyder's Justice League fixes the confusing message left behind by Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) in Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. With his epic 4-hour cut, Snyder's definitive vision of Justice League completes the evolution of Henry Cavill's Superman, who is resurrected by the other superheroes. One of the pivotal moments where Clark Kent reaffirms himself as Superman is when he claims his black suit while the voices of both of his dead fathers, Jonathan Kent and Jor-El (Russell Crowe), urge him to be the hero he was meant to be.
The way Jonathan Kent was portrayed in Man of Steel was one of the film's flashpoints of controversy. As Clark's adoptive parents who raised him in Smallville, Jonathan and Martha Kent are meant to provide the foundation for Superman's love of humanity and belief in "truth, justice, and the American Way". Film fans fondly remember Pa Kent's (Glenn Ford) encouraging words in 1978's Superman: The Movie when he told Clark (Christopher Reeve) that "you are here for a reason" before he tragically died of a heart attack. Smallville's Jonathan Kent (John Schneider) instilled the proper values in Clark (Tom Welling) before his own death in season 5. And in DC Comics, Pa Kent is similarly portrayed as a bastion of honesty and good advice that his adopted son often turns to for guidance.
In Man of Steel, Jonathan Kent took a darker turn in keeping with the film's theme that the human race may not be trusted if Superman showed himself to the world. Jonathan feared both the government and the public's reaction to the truth about Clark and he actively encouraged his young son not to use his powers to help people. When Clark asked if that included letting people die even if he knows he could help, Jonathan replied, "Maybe." Tragically, Pa Kent was true to his own words years later when he refused to let Clark reveal his powers and save him from a tornado, even though it meant Jonathan's death. This somber lesson of not trusting people is why Clark spent several years moving through the world and being an incognito savior before he became Superman. In Batman v Superman, Jonathan reappeared as an apparition to Clark and told him a story about how trying to save his farm from a flood as a boy led to the nearby Lang farm being wiped out. It was another grim lesson in the perils of doing good that marred the memory of the kindly Pa Kent.
However, Zack Snyder's Justice League retconned Jonathan Kent. When the resurrected Superman returned to the Kryptonian ship in Metropolis for his black suit, he heard both of his fathers speaking to him and urging him to become Superman. In Man of Steel, Jor-El was the father who encouraged his son to be an inspiration to Mankind, juxtaposed against Jonathan's dire warnings and lack of faith in people. But in the Snyder Cut, Jonathan joins Jor-El in fully supporting Clark becoming Superman again. Jonathan now lauded Clark, telling him, "I'm so proud of you, son... Your mother and I knew you would change the world... You need to show them who you are... Fly, son! It's time."
The Snyder Cut's change of Superman's human father may feel abrupt but it does actually synch up with Man of Steel. After the young Clark saved a school bus full of his classmates, Jonathan told the boy the truth that he was an alien. Jonathan also said that "One day, you're gonna have to make a choice. A choice to stand proud in front of the human race or not." Clark already did that when he first became Superman, and many of Jonathan's fears about how the world would react to him came true in Batman v Superman. But in Zack Snyder's Justice League, the late Jonathan Kent changed his tune and he joined Jor-El in urging his son to make that choice again and stand proud in front of the human race. This time, there was no confusion or mixed message. Clark heard his human dad loud and clear: He needed to become Superman again, and Jonathan is proud of the hero his son had become.
