Reacting To Super-Beings In BRIGHTBURN & MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

Jerry Siegal and Joe Shuster gave the world Superman on April 18, 1938, and with that debut, a piece of 20th century American mythology. A mythology centered on a baby from outer space, adopted by Earthlings, that uses superhuman capabilities to protect the weak and innocent. This inspires a sense of awe among the public, and Superman fights for, as the comics say: truth, justice, and the American way. What if this is, however, not the case?

A super-powered alien, in the comics and movies, receives the reaction of childlike wonder and admiration when he demonstrates his abilities. Unfortunately, in my view, this would not be the natural reaction from the public. If anything, the actual response would be far more unsettling.

In this decade alone, moviegoers were treated to not one, but two movies that subvert the Superman origin story. The films Midnight Special and Brightburn both involve young boys that follow similar story beats to the origin of Superman, but when they show their powers, spectators are not cheering for them as one would find in those old style entertainments. The movies give us a glimpse of what we would do when faced with a real Superman.

Cults (Midnight Special)

One response to a boy with abilities come in the form of a fringe group led by the late Sam Shepard. This cult wants Alton (the young boy) to remain at their secluded compound because they view him as some sort of Messiah. His presence, according to them, is a sign that they are God’s chosen people.

Superman mythology parallels with the birth of the Christ child. Both are beings with extraordinary abilities sent to Earth, raised by normal human parents, and grow up to have a purpose to protect and save humanity. To this cult, Alton is the second coming, sent to save us.

If a Superman appeared, one possible reaction is that of reverence. Not necessarily restricted to fringe groups, but to some religious organizations. How else could a human being have powers? As mentioned earlier, only one segment would have these kind of expectations for this being, the other reaction is a darker one.

Destroy Humanity (Brightburn)

Brandon Beyer (our other young boy), like Clark Kent, is discovered as a baby in a spaceship by a childless farm couple. As he grows older, they notice Brandon is not like the other children in town. Upon the discovery of his notebook, Brandon is not here to save humanity, but to destroy it.

Viewers see not the birth of a superhero, but that of a super villain. Through messages from the spaceship, and through Brandon’s own observation, he has superior intelligence and power compared to a regular person. With all of this going on for him, he might as well crush them like bugs or rule over them.

Brandon unleashes a reign of terror to this tiny farming community. No one can fight him, and the movie ends on a somber note. People have every reason to fear someone with superpowers, and with that, the government starts to pay attention.

Government Control (Midnight Special)

A bulk of the story for Midnight Special involves Alton and his father on the run. The cult not only wants Alton, but so does Uncle Sam. Will Alton be a treat to national security? The FBI wants an answer immediately.

Though this is clearly paying homage to E.T. with the Feds swarming in to poke and prod at this questionable figure, it also serves as a form of xenophobia. When faced with the unknown or foreign, the response by the ignorant masses is to lash out instead of sitting down and talking with one another to better understand our differences. Going on the offensive will only make matters worse, then again, this is the federal government.

The Feds coming for this individual is yet another plausible scenario to the reaction of Superman. How do we know this guy can be trusted? Also, could we use him as a weapon against our enemies? These officials fear what might happen if this thing goes unchecked.

Superhero Horror (Brightburn)

Online reviews have referred to Brightburn as superhero horror. A giant “what if” the Superman origin story is told as a horror movie. As far as I know, I’m no expert, but this might be the first of its kind. Brandon is similar to Freddy Krueger in certain areas.

Like Freddy, or Candyman, Brandon has special powers in lieu of a knife or chainsaw to kill his victims (I know Candyman has a hook hand, but he has to magically appear first). We fear when he will strike next, and how he will make his prey suffer. How does one go against Superman? What exactly is Brandon’s kryptonite? Unfortunately, it isn’t revealed and he just keeps on killing.

The idea of Superman as a monster, instead of a beacon of hope, is a terrifying one. Who will be able to confront him? The unpredictability of who and when he will strike next would cause a national, if not international, emergency. Living in fear of a monster attack is our final reaction to the appearance of Superman.

Final Thoughts

Cult-like reverence, government involvement, the possible destruction of humanity, and living in a constant state of panic are all what would happen if Superman showed up today. There would be no sense of wonder, the world has been through the ringer over the decades, we’re cynical to that sort of thing. Alternatively, I’d like to make a quick addition by mentioning The Boys into this discussion. In the sense that a corporation would see dollar signs with Superman, and would want to sponsor him. See, there are many ways to react.

With the comic book movie genre showing no signs of slowing down, I’m positive we’ll see more realistic portrayals of super-powered people. There are more approaches out there than the MCU stuff. I, for one, enjoy this alternative take and look forward to other origin stories or anything else comic book related.

Do you think people would respond this way? Please leave a comment below.