Despite its commercial success, Man of Steel received its share of bad reviews, and the film was not without its flaws. However, it heralded DCEU’s relevance in the millennial era and made way for some necessary changes in the superhero culture. Take Lois Lane, for instance. In Man of Steel, the role of the Pulitzer Prize-winning paramour of Superman is played by the incredible Amy Adams and she finally does justice to a fan-favorite character.
But besides Adams’ stunning performance, her character writing also merits some credit because the writers made some serious efforts to focus on her self-actualization without relying too much on Superman, which made her a very effective standalone character in the DCEU. Here are just some other reasons why Man of Steel’s Lois Lane was the best one.
Really Resourceful
Lois is a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist so it goes without saying that she knows how to get things done, but resourcefulness isn’t just about knowing the right people or reaching out at the right time. At times it’s about greasing your elbows and getting a look at the action yourself.
Man of Steel's Lois exuded a very keen brand of inquisitiveness; she wasn't a deskie, she always wanted to be where the action is and not just for her own research or work-related investigation. She was a truth-seeker and Lois rarely acted without getting the true picture from reliable sources which needed her to be a go-getter who can think outside the box.
Clear-Headed
Hollywood has often depicted women in powerful or important positions to be too emotional or indecisive; this misogynist trope was used in the Superman franchise too where Lois (in almost every other Superman outing) who's otherwise a sharp-shooting, opinionated journalist, seems to behave quite vacuously when she’s around Superman. Granted they have a history together but it was almost like dealing with Superman required her to turn her brain off.
In Man of Steel, this flaw was addressed in Lois’ character design; in the film, Lois is an earthy, gritty person who knows how important her job is, understands the pitfalls of being a journalist, and makes her own decisions without being influenced.
The Age Factor
It’s important to address how Superman films have always depicted Lois as someone in her early or mid-20s, which is really bizarre. In Superman Returns, Lois is played by a waif-like 22-year-old Kate Bosworth, and viewers found it hard to believe that someone this young has a five-year-old son with Superman, not to mention a Pulitzer and a daunting reputation as a journalist.
In Man Of Steel Lois and Superman seem to be the same age - this is a crucial switch in terms of Lois’ character writing because it made it more realistic and plausible (much like Margot Kidder in the Christopher Reeve films).
Not Anti-Superman
In Man of Steel, Lois is a trusted friend and ally to Superman and this is the crucial difference between the character’s depiction in the film and in Superman Returns. In the 2006 film, Lois behaves like a spurned lover - granted, it’s a different storyline, and her essay Why the World Doesn't Need Superman was essentially a sort of passion project, but her rage against Superman was misrepresented and used as a lame plot device.
In Man of Steel, Lois and Superman build a foundation of friendship, and there’s clearly a lot of mutual respect involved. Moreover, Amy Adams’ Lois seems a lot more well-adjusted to eventually become a disgruntled lover.
Critical Thinker
It was really important for modern fans of the franchise to see Lois as someone who does not rush to conclusions without weighing a situation first. She’s a journalist and in Man of Steel, she’s required to make some calls which called for her to be an analytical thinker - someone who can think in terms of logistics and reality.
This is also the reason why Superman begins trusting her, because she’s someone whose understanding is rooted in logic and science and doesn’t always believe what most people around her do.
Repeatability
In the MCU era, the element of repeatability is key to any superhero couple; fans still want to see more of Wanda and Vision even after watching their relationship unfold over four movies, whereas no one really wished to see Batman reunite with The Dark Knight Rise’s Selina Kyle. But repeatability of an on-screen romance is not just about looks or chemistry but more about the arc.
In Man of Steel, Lois and Clark have many reasons to be interested in each other, it’s not just about attraction or obsession, and that adds a lot of texture to their storyline and leaves the fans asking for more.
Not A Follower
Man of Steel was also the first Superman film to sketch Lois Lane as a great standalone character too; it’s important to note that the comics usually depict Lois as a self-reliant character (for the most part), but the films in the ‘70s and ‘80s have often resorted to sloppy character writing which made it hard for millennial fans to connect with Lois.
Man of Steel designs her character like someone who’s relevant and engaging, without seeming unfamiliar. In the film, Lois is not someone who’s there to help Superman out, but she has her own arc, she’s also trying to understand him, just like others and it just so happens that her job needs her to learn more about the Kryptonian scout ship.
Details About Her Professional Arc
In Man of Steel, fans get a much clearer idea of what Lois Lane really does and the kind of journalism she pursues; the film essentially helps the readers connect with her job and her talent as a journalist, and this goes a long way in establishing Lois as a modern woman who’s not just obsessed with Superman but has a professional curiosity about who he is.
While working for Daily Planet, she is asked to investigate the discovery of a Kryptonian scout ship in the Canadian Arctic and while following Clark, Lois mistakenly triggers the ship's security system as he is communicating with the Jor-el AI. Clark saves her and she wants to publish an article on the incident. Though her boss says no, she had enough incentive to actually dig deep into Clark’s background.
The On-Screen Chemistry
All said and done, Lois and Superman obviously need to have good, engaging chemistry while they’re on-screen together. While Kidder and Reeve had sparkling on-screen chemistry, Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth had icy, rather artificial exchanges and nothing about their chemistry seemed organic or natural.
In Man of Steel, Clark and Lois share a hearty, spirited relationship that’s surprisingly breezy and yet communication-driven; it’s not just about sexual tension or desire but is actually anchored in compatibility.
Not A Damsel In Distress
Human girlfriends of superheroes, be it Mary Jane (from Spider-Man) or Carol Ferries (from Green Lantern) have often been introduced in the film’s narrative solely for the benefit of the hero, so he could rescue her multiple times and fulfill the knight in shining armor fantasy.
Luckily, DCEU does away with the ‘damsel in distress’ trope altogether starting with Man of Steel. Though Lois is saved by Superman the first time they meet, this is not used as a shallow plot device to make her fall in love with him, it merely strokes her professional curiosity.