Incoherent Musings about the Kents

Well, I missed making a special Mother's Day post, but I did take my mom out to dinner, so I think that balances that out a little. (My poor dad paid his own way, but I'll make up for that on Father's Day, promise!)

The subject of mothers though does get me thinking about, of all things, Superman. I have this strange mixed reaction toward Superman in general. I love him in the comics and in "Lois and Clark", where I'm fond of, but not nearly as attached toward the Superman of the George Reeves television show or the movies. Mostly, I'm a bigger fan of "Clark Kent" than I ever will be for Superman. (I don't watch Smallville, so I can't really judge there. I'm far more interested in Clark as Superman, rather than as proto-Superman)

There is really, as far as I'm concerned, one major difference between the portrayals. One that ultimately bleeds through to influence every aspect of the character: the Death of Jonathan Kent.

The George Reeves and the movie Supermen are really defined, I think, by their fathers. Jonathan's death occurs just before they move off to Metropolis, cutting off their ties to Smallville, making for a sharp delineation between boy and man. The Clark who ends up in Metropolis drifts, gets a job at the paper, but really starts to define himself by his alienness.

Clark Kent is more the mask Superman functions under.

The only 'current' parental relationship that seems to matter is Jor-El, in the movies. Martha's role always seems very limited.

The Clark I enjoy is much more tied with the human race. He thinks of himself as Clark, fighting crime in a silly costume so as not to be recognized, but still primarily Clark. He respects Jor-El's legacy, but he's very much more Martha Kent's boy.

It's funny, really, that when Jonathan Kent is alive, it's MARTHA who is the more overt and prominent influence on her son. She's the one who inspires his morals and values, she's the one who lectures him when he transgresses. She's not just the woman who gave birth to Superman, through the creation of the costume, she's Clark Kent's mother.

This Clark keeps his ties to Smallville, considers himself a part of the Earth, rather than a guardian watching above. He's not a Christ figure, but a living breathing, flawed and interesting human being. Who just happens to have the power of a Kryptonian.

It's interesting to think about the relationship in terms of names. Kal-El recieves the name "Clark", from Martha Clark Kent, and she really is the person who created him as Clark. Jonathan is the source of the name "Kent", the family name, the connection between Clark and his parents and by extension, Clark and the human race. Jonathan's death ultimately disconnects Kal-El from his mother, being "Clark" and humanity.

Or something like that.

A twisted part of me wonders what would happen if Martha were the one to die first though. And who Clark would be, if that were to happen. The rest of me is more than happy not finding out.

All I really know is that when it comes down to it, I like Clark better than I do Superman, and I like Martha and Jonathan far more than I do Jor-El. So no one be killing the Kents any time soon, okay? Thanks!