In Superman III, Kal-Els personality was split by evil entrepreneur Ross Webster. Webster corrupts Supermans identity using a synthetic Kryptonite infused with cigarette tar in place of the single unknown element in the minerals composition. After drunkenly harassing a bar full of people by flicking peanuts and melting a mirror with his heat vision, a belligerent Superman scolds onlookers and flies off in anger. In a junkyard outside of Metropolis, he finds himself locked in a life or death struggle with none other than Clark Kent. The two sides of Kal-El launch into a spectacular battle that kicks off in earnest with Clark pushing Supes into a vat of acid. Superman responds by blowing acid at Clark and knocking him into an industrial car crusher. Clarks busts his way out, finally grows a pair and fights back. For his efforts, he is placed on the conveyor belt of a metal crusher and fed into the grinders of the machine. As all seems lost, Clark bursts through the side and strangles his evil twin to death with his bare hands. This scene works on several levels. Technically, the dueling Reeveses was well done and believable, and the choreography of the sequence was a highpoint of the entire film. The look on Supermans dirty face as Clark chokes the last of the life from him is brutal and shocking, not something many viewers could have expected to see. Story-wise, this was a dark moment in a light-hearted film and certainly places it in the top moments of Supermans film oeuvre.
David Wagner is an author/musician who splits his time between Oakland, CA and Istanbul, Turkey.
David has published two novels, both available on his website, and as a fan of movies, comics, and genre television, he is happy to be working with WhatCulture as a regular contributor.
