Batman V Superman: 18 Easter Eggs & Theories On The Soundtrack Titles

14. Must There Be A Superman?

Another simple phrase that has split meaning. For Lex Luthor and those who believe his rhetoric, the question is one of frustration: if all he has brought to Earth is death and destruction, why must he exist? The choice of words is not an accident either: it's also the title of a Superman comic from 1972 in which Superman is told by the Guardians Of The Universe that he is holding back social progress on Earth by his presence. It's a story about accountability, and the phrase also appears as the title on the cover of Newstime, which is sold by a news vendor during Magog's flashback scene in Kingdom Come #2. In both cases, it was used to suggest that the people of Metropolis are questioning whether Superman should continue as a superhero in the light of a growing atmosphere of distrust. That is clearly an extremely important story element for Batman V Superman. And of course, from Superman's stand-point the question fits with the growing suspicion that superheroes are needed to save humanity from itself. They MUST exist, whether the people acknowledge it or not.