British actor Henry Cavill portrayed Superman in the film "Man of Steel" that arrived back in 2013. The movie was a box office smash with an incredible story, great acting, and the powerful Kryptonian villain, General Zod. The special effects were also tremendously well-made and showcased a lot of destruction to the city. One of the most controversial moments in the film is towards the very end where Superman kills Zod. The actor recently stated why that decision was made.

The controversy

DC fans and many others were surprised by the end result of the hero killing another human being or villain.

Superman is a hero who is taught to never kill anyone by his father and he holds onto this morality as a result. Fans were upset with the outcome because it went against who Superman is. Toward the end of the film, Superman and Zod battle it out, where the hero has him in a chokehold, but as he does this, Zod uses his laser vision to try to kill innocent people against the wall.

In order to save them, Superman snaps the neck of Zod, killing him, and saving the individuals that would have been killed if he did not do it. According to Comic Book, Henry Cavill explained why Superman did what he did. He stated "The killing of Zod would have led to a wonderful reason why Superman never kills...He made the decision himself because of an impossible scenario."

Cavill also noted that the timing for the DC universe was off, as the sequel to the movie was to show a different side of the hero.

A side where he motivates individuals and brings hope to people, but more importantly who gets individuals to believe in themselves.

An origin story

"Man of Steel" served as the origin story for Superman and that is what makes the final outcome more plausible. According to Cinema Blend: "Man of Steel is the origin story of Henry Cavill's Superman.

He isn't some seasoned pro, but someone who is just learning who he is, what he's capable of, and who he is supposed to be. This is the first time he is ever confronted with having to kill someone.[sic]"

The decision makes sense when looking at the movie plot and structure as a whole. If Superman did not kill Zod, innocent lives would have been taken and saving people is his priority.

The film brings morality into play as the hero goes against his own rule and upbringing, but in doing the right thing in the end, even though it's against his own morals as a hero.

Superman tries to get Zod to stop but is unable to, and we see the main character in pain over his decision as he almost erupts into tears after killing the villain. The hero did not have much of a choice in it at all. The title character returned in "Super v Batman" and Henry Cavill may also return for a "Justice League" sequel.
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