[net.tv] Superman II, the Question???

johnnyr@ihuxa.UUCP (John R. Rosenberg) (02/21/84)

I know that this is probably a silly question, but....
 
Why did the Super-guy blow up his ice castle at the end of the movie (shown
last night, Mon. 2-20). I never saw it in the *real* theatre, and it was 
blatantly obvious that they hacked the film apart at the end, never really
explaining the blow-up.
 
                             Thanks in advance
                             Curiously...
                             John R. Rosenberg
                             {ihnp4!}ihuxa!johnnyr at AT&T Technologies
                                                      Naperville, Il.

gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner) (02/23/84)

<wombat food>

It's likely the Superman blew up the Fortress of Solitude to prevent
anyone else (like Lex Luthor) from learning his secrets.
-- 
By the power of Grayskull!

Greg-bo, Prince of Eternia, Defender of the Secrets of Castle Grayskull
{decvax!genrad, eagle!mit-vax, ihnp4}!mit-eddie!gds (UUCP)
Gds@XX (ARPA)

jpg@sdchema.UUCP (02/26/84)

     The film as shown on television was not hacked up. Seven minutes were
     ADDED.(mostly in bits and pieces throughout the film). As I recall
     the fortress of solitude was not blown up in the theatrical
     version.  Superman II is my favorite special effects film and in
     my opinion surpasses Superman I. I myself have several other questions
     about the plot.
	
	1) Why does he have to lose his powers if he falls in love with a human?
	2) How did he get his powers back?
	3) Why is he hurt when the Kryptonian bad guys throw various objects
	   (particularly the bus) at him. If I recall my comic books correctly
	   these objects could only hurt him if they were made from Kryptonian
	   materials
        4) Why didnt Superman or some earthling think of defeating the bad guys
	   by exposing them to Kryptonite?
        

	Jerry Greenberg (jpg)


	P.S. I heard a line uttered in the background that I didnt catch
	in the theatre. When Superman rescues a boy that has fallen into
	Niagra Falls. A women in the crowd says "What a nice man! Of course
	he's Jewish!"

perelgut@utcsrgv.UUCP (Stephen Perelgut) (02/26/84)

Answers to the Superman II Questions (followed by new questions):
    1) Q: Why does he have to lose his powers if he falls in love with a human?
       A: He doesn't lose them because he falls in love with a human.  He has 
	  to give his powers up in order to consumate that love.  For well
	  documented reason read "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex", a short
	  story written by Larry Niven.  It is very clear his mother doesn't
	  approve.

    2) Q: How did he get his powers back?
       A: This is a big hole in the movie.  It is clearly stated he is giving
	  up his powers FOREVER.  However, there is one "significant" shot in
	  the movie where the all important green crystal is removed from the
	  control panel and dropped by a hot and bothered Lois Lane.  Then, 
	  when the panel explodes, the green crystal is safely tucked into the
	  snow.  This might have been useful in regaining his powers.

    3) Q: Why is he hurt when the Kryptonian bad guys throw various objects
	  (particularly the bus) at him. If I recall my comic books correctly
	  these objects could only hurt him if they were made from Kryptonian
	  materials
       A: The movies make it clear that Superman is not invulnerable, just
	  effectively beyond pain.  However, if you need an excuse, he had
	  just regained his powers and was still adjusting.  

    4) Q: Why didnt Superman or some earthling think of defeating the bad guys
	  by exposing them to Kryptonite?
       A: Because that would have made the movie too short!  Also, Superman had
	  a vested interest in keeping the secret of Kyrptonite from the 
	  Earthlings.  Also, no neat fight scenes if they use K!

And now for some questions of my own
    1) Did anyone else hear a women in the crowd says "What a nice man!
       Of course he's Jewish!"
    2) What did Superman do to L.L. at the end of the movie?  (Cut off her
       oxygen so that she suffered brain damamge and forgot all about him?
       Pretty selfish, eh?)
    3) Since when does Superman fall in for tha vengence motive?  The poor
       animal at the diner sure got his!
-- 
Stephen Perelgut   
	    Computer Systems Research Group    University of Toronto
	    Usenet:	{linus, ihnp4, allegra, decvax, floyd}!utcsrgv!perelgut
	    CSNET:	perelgut@Toronto

gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner) (02/27/84)

<wombat food>

	1) Why does he have to lose his powers if he falls in love with
           a human? 

a) The human might betray him.
b) The human might be tortured to reveal his secret identity.

	2) How did he get his powers back?

Read the article I sent that answers the question.

	3) Why is he hurt when the Kryptonian bad guys throw various objects
	   (particularly the bus) at him. If I recall my comic books correctly
	   these objects could only hurt him if they were made from Kryptonian
	   materials

I don't believe he was hurt, just that he decided that to defeat the
three Kryptonians he needed a plan, so he left for the Fortress of
Solitude.

        4) Why didnt Superman or some earthling think of defeating the
        bad guys by exposing them to Kryptonite?

Well, Superman certainly couldn't because it would defeat him too?


-- 
By the power of Grayskull!

Greg-bo, Prince of Eternia, Defender of the Secrets of Castle Grayskull
{decvax!genrad, eagle!mit-vax, ihnp4}!mit-eddie!gds (UUCP)
Gds@XX (ARPA)