[9.3/10] I don’t think there’s a more revealing episode for Superman in the whole DCAU. Despite the fact that the character was the star of his own 50+ episode show, I’m not sure we ever got to know him as deeply as we do here, through a fantastical, comic book-y device that lets us see his heart’s deepest desire.
What’s striking about the vision he and we encounter is that it’s not what villain-of-the-week Mongul would think. It’s not about conquering or being fawned over or even world peace and safety. It’s about having a quiet domestic life surrounded by love and family. Deep down, what Clark Kent wants most has nothing to do with his cape or his tights or his heat vision -- it’s about belonging and resolving the two truths he’s had to reconcile since he was a teenager.
That’s the most fascinating and smartest choice made in “For the Man Who Has Everything” -- the dream life the Black Mercy provides Superman is not an idealized version of the life he never had on Krypton or the domestic bliss he yearns for on Earth, but rather an amalgam of the two.
He lives on Krypton, but it’s a version of Krypton with shades of Metropolis, and he lives on a farm not unlike the one in Smallville. His wife looks like Lana but sounds like Lois. His father speaks mostly with Jor-El’s voice, but occasionally, also with Pa Kent’s voice. It speaks to a truth about Clark, a humanity and vulnerability, where he both yearns for the thing he never truly got to experience and the warmth of the upbringing and experiences that he still cherishes, not wanting to lose either.
It’s also a nice excuse to throw in some mythology gags for the die-hards. There’s references to Krypto, Zod, and Kandor, not to mention Brainiac as a little helper rather than a malevolent artificial intelligence. Fantasy or not, it’s neat to revisit quasi-Kryptonian art direction, mixed with just enough tidbits from Superman’s real life to keep it interesting.
But the most affecting part of this sojourn is Superman’s son, Van-El. Even in just these few, conjured moments, it’s plain how much Superman loves his son. The idea of carrying on his fathers’ legacy, both of them, by instilling their values in the next generation, within this new family, is one that moves him, both in affection for this precocious child and to tears when he has to leave him behind.
The deftest choice the creatives behind “For the Man Who Has Everything” make (a group which includes famed Watchmen creators Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons), is to explore the difficulty of living by those values. Early in the episode, Superman admonishes Van-El for not cleaning up after his dog, pontificating to his son about the importance of living up to your responsibilities, even when it’s difficult. Then Superman himself has to take that idea to heart, throwing away his most profound fantasy because he has responsibilities in the real world. It’s heartbreaking and noble at the same time.
The goings on outside of the dream world work too. Seeing Wonder Woman and Batman fight Mongul, while The Dark Knight tries to figure out how to de-tangle the Black Mercy from his friend, creates a nice sense of urgency and tension in the real world. The action isn't amazing, but Mongul’s very presence helps add to the stakes of the moment.
We also get a glimpse into Batman’s greatest desire. We have, frankly, seen more of that already, in the various Batman-related DCAU shows. But it’s still interesting to see Batman dreaming of not just his parents surviving their encounter in Crime Alley, but his father wreaking vengeance upon their would-be mugger. I don’t know if it lines up perfectly with what we’ve seen of Batman’s connection to his defining tragedy, but it’s an interesting statement about what drives The Bat nonetheless.
Things stay strong even when Superman wakes up. Mongul’s barely-restrained sexism toward Wonder Woman deepens his odiousness and makes her blows against him seem that much more rousing. And when Supes himself fights his antagonist, we see an unzipped side of the normally calm and collected hero that’s rarely been on display.
He’s furious and heartbroken all at once, doing visible damage to Mongul’s face and coming close to killing him. There’s a fury to their fight that is rare out of Supes, and symbolism as the two crash through the frozen tribute to his original home that Superman’s constructed. Before he relents, Superman asks Mongul if he knows what he just put him through, what he’s lost and, implicitly, was forced to lose again. It’s a vulnerable, open wound version of Superman that seems more human and fallible than usual, which makes the moment scary and compelling.
Siccing the Black Mercy on Mongul himself is a poetic solution, and Wonder Woman gifting Superman a rose for his birthday, one named for Krypton and implicitly a symbol of a living legacy, makes for a similarly poetic button for the episode. So often, Superman seems unflappable, larger than life, and noble in everything he does. That’s why it means so much, and is ultimately so affirming and endearing, to see him come unraveled at a glimpse of the thing he really wants: to give this all up and undo the tragedies he suffered before he was even aware of them. Even for the man who has everything, something is forever lost, balanced by a promise he’ll never forget.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-09-19T23:42:30Z
[9.3/10] I don’t think there’s a more revealing episode for Superman in the whole DCAU. Despite the fact that the character was the star of his own 50+ episode show, I’m not sure we ever got to know him as deeply as we do here, through a fantastical, comic book-y device that lets us see his heart’s deepest desire.
What’s striking about the vision he and we encounter is that it’s not what villain-of-the-week Mongul would think. It’s not about conquering or being fawned over or even world peace and safety. It’s about having a quiet domestic life surrounded by love and family. Deep down, what Clark Kent wants most has nothing to do with his cape or his tights or his heat vision -- it’s about belonging and resolving the two truths he’s had to reconcile since he was a teenager.
That’s the most fascinating and smartest choice made in “For the Man Who Has Everything” -- the dream life the Black Mercy provides Superman is not an idealized version of the life he never had on Krypton or the domestic bliss he yearns for on Earth, but rather an amalgam of the two.
He lives on Krypton, but it’s a version of Krypton with shades of Metropolis, and he lives on a farm not unlike the one in Smallville. His wife looks like Lana but sounds like Lois. His father speaks mostly with Jor-El’s voice, but occasionally, also with Pa Kent’s voice. It speaks to a truth about Clark, a humanity and vulnerability, where he both yearns for the thing he never truly got to experience and the warmth of the upbringing and experiences that he still cherishes, not wanting to lose either.
It’s also a nice excuse to throw in some mythology gags for the die-hards. There’s references to Krypto, Zod, and Kandor, not to mention Brainiac as a little helper rather than a malevolent artificial intelligence. Fantasy or not, it’s neat to revisit quasi-Kryptonian art direction, mixed with just enough tidbits from Superman’s real life to keep it interesting.
But the most affecting part of this sojourn is Superman’s son, Van-El. Even in just these few, conjured moments, it’s plain how much Superman loves his son. The idea of carrying on his fathers’ legacy, both of them, by instilling their values in the next generation, within this new family, is one that moves him, both in affection for this precocious child and to tears when he has to leave him behind.
The deftest choice the creatives behind “For the Man Who Has Everything” make (a group which includes famed Watchmen creators Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons), is to explore the difficulty of living by those values. Early in the episode, Superman admonishes Van-El for not cleaning up after his dog, pontificating to his son about the importance of living up to your responsibilities, even when it’s difficult. Then Superman himself has to take that idea to heart, throwing away his most profound fantasy because he has responsibilities in the real world. It’s heartbreaking and noble at the same time.
The goings on outside of the dream world work too. Seeing Wonder Woman and Batman fight Mongul, while The Dark Knight tries to figure out how to de-tangle the Black Mercy from his friend, creates a nice sense of urgency and tension in the real world. The action isn't amazing, but Mongul’s very presence helps add to the stakes of the moment.
We also get a glimpse into Batman’s greatest desire. We have, frankly, seen more of that already, in the various Batman-related DCAU shows. But it’s still interesting to see Batman dreaming of not just his parents surviving their encounter in Crime Alley, but his father wreaking vengeance upon their would-be mugger. I don’t know if it lines up perfectly with what we’ve seen of Batman’s connection to his defining tragedy, but it’s an interesting statement about what drives The Bat nonetheless.
Things stay strong even when Superman wakes up. Mongul’s barely-restrained sexism toward Wonder Woman deepens his odiousness and makes her blows against him seem that much more rousing. And when Supes himself fights his antagonist, we see an unzipped side of the normally calm and collected hero that’s rarely been on display.
He’s furious and heartbroken all at once, doing visible damage to Mongul’s face and coming close to killing him. There’s a fury to their fight that is rare out of Supes, and symbolism as the two crash through the frozen tribute to his original home that Superman’s constructed. Before he relents, Superman asks Mongul if he knows what he just put him through, what he’s lost and, implicitly, was forced to lose again. It’s a vulnerable, open wound version of Superman that seems more human and fallible than usual, which makes the moment scary and compelling.
Siccing the Black Mercy on Mongul himself is a poetic solution, and Wonder Woman gifting Superman a rose for his birthday, one named for Krypton and implicitly a symbol of a living legacy, makes for a similarly poetic button for the episode. So often, Superman seems unflappable, larger than life, and noble in everything he does. That’s why it means so much, and is ultimately so affirming and endearing, to see him come unraveled at a glimpse of the thing he really wants: to give this all up and undo the tragedies he suffered before he was even aware of them. Even for the man who has everything, something is forever lost, balanced by a promise he’ll never forget.