Man Of Steel Spoilers: 10 Major Plot Points Discussed

7. Zod's Motives

Another superior aspect of Man of Steel to prior Superman entries is its depiction of the villain, General Zod, played ably by a suitably unhinged Michael Shannon. While the 1978 Superman benefited from a similarly excellent Terrence Stamp in the role, there was a clearer black-and-white morality to the character; this isn't to say that bad guys need to be sympathetic, but he was essentially little more than a moustache-twirler, even if that did suit the campier tone of the film.

Here, however, we meet a Zod who is much more personable; though unquestionably a complete monster, his quest to seek out Jor-El and recruit him as a ruler like himself is understandable, as well as his disappointment when Supes refuses to co-operate with him. Zod's plan ultimately is to use Kryptonian technology to terra-form Earth, so that it has an atmosphere similar to Krypton, essentially killing every human being on the planet and allowing his alien race to thrive. As a diversion from Lex Luthor's shady tactics, this is a refreshing stew of sci-fi mumbo jumbo that's great fun to watch.