10 Most Tragic Deaths In The History Of Comic Book Movies
5. Jonathan Kent (Superman: The Movie)
Jonathan Kent, like Spider-Man's Uncle Ben, has to die for the superhero to work. The death of Superman's adopted father is used to push the Man Of Steel into embodying all the ideals and morals that Kent wanted him to represent; truth, justice and the American way! As a result, in any Superman adaptation, we know that Jonathan's a goner, but that doesn't stop his demise from being any less impactful.
His death in 2013's Man Of Steel was well-executed, but there's one problem with it; Superman could've simply jumped in and swept him away from the tornado. That means that Clark's transformation into the hero we all know and love could've easily been avoided, had Clark acted logically and used his powers to save his father's life.
Superman: The Movie did it much better, and in a much smarter fashion; for all of his strength, power and agility, there's absolutely nothing that Supes can do about a simple heart attack, leaving the God-like being feeling helpless, unable to even attempt to save Jonathan's life. Clark is at the mercy of human frailty, and the saddening feeling of failing to protect someone you love makes this an extremely tragic moment in the life of a superhero who - by virtue of his powers - should be able to prevent said moments from happening. Powerful stuff!