Something I don't get about the original "Superman: The Movie"

[mjr]

Ok, after the missiles had been launched, one heading for New Jersey, and the other for California, Superman only manages to catch one of them (the New Jersey one, since he promised Eve Tessmacher that he would go after that one first).

But after he finds out that Lois died as a result of the California missile causing an earthquake, he manages to fly around the earth so fast that he can spin it backward (then forward again, after the damage has been "fixed").

Yes, I know it's sci-fi, but logically, if he can fly fast enough to alter the rotation of the earth, couldn't he fly fast enough to catch both missiles?

Even in the 2nd movie, he managed to fly fast enough to push the elevator past the moon in a matter of seconds (we assume).

And, depending on the edition of the movie you're watching, he does the same thing (spinning the earth) in the 2nd movie...

[lordlundar]

Best not to think about it. Much like the comics, The superman movies (and I do mean all of them, from the original to the most recent version) don't even acknowledge the concepts of "logic" and "common sense".

[LillFilly]

I think he had extra motivation to fly fast and turn back time after losing Lois; you know, when heroes discover powers they didn't know they had.

[dendawg]

How about in Superman II, when the Phantom Zone Kryptonians come to Earth and are able to speak perfect English upon first encountering humans?

[mjr]

How about in Superman II, when the Phantom Zone Kryptonians come to Earth and are able to speak perfect English upon first encountering humans?

They spoke English on Krypton...

[Mytical]

Supes power always has been inconsistent. Usually it is depending on who wrote him, but yeah.. his powers change frequently. Chalk it up to he had more sunlight when he flew around the earth fast enough to reverse time. ((The more sun he has./is exposed to, the stronger/faster/etc he becomes)).

Sometimes he can smash through an asteroid the size of the moon with little issue, and sometimes he strains to lift a train.

[Bright_Star]

He didn't fly fast enough to alter the rotation of the earth. What he did was go back in time to prevent Lois from dying.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Ok, after the missiles had been launched, one heading for New Jersey, and the other for California, Superman only manages to catch one of them (the New Jersey one, since he promised Eve Tessmacher that he would go after that one first).

The ending for Superman has been rewritten by How It Should Have Ended.

[BookstoreEscapee]

"It's in the script."

[wolfie]

Yes, I know it's sci-fi, but logically, if he can fly fast enough to alter the rotation of the earth, couldn't he fly fast enough to catch both missiles?

It's the same "logic" employed by those talked about in CoC - there's never enough time to do it right the first time, but there's always enough time to do it over after you f**k it up.

[mjr]

He didn't fly fast enough to alter the rotation of the earth. What he did was go back in time to prevent Lois from dying.

That makes sense.

But then, at that point, if he knows he can do that, couldn't he have just whizzed around the earth the same way when he found out that Zod, Ursa, and Non were on Earth??

I guess if that happened, Superman II would have been about 30 minutes long.

[Mytical]

That makes sense.

But then, at that point, if he knows he can do that, couldn't he have just whizzed around the earth the same way when he found out that Zod, Ursa, and Non were on Earth??

I guess if that happened, Superman II would have been about 30 minutes long.

He could have, but he fell through something even worse to superman then Kryptonite. It is the scourge of heroes everywhere, bigger and badder then any villain, something nobody can escape. It is the dreaded.... plot hole!

[mjr]

He could have, but he fell through something even worse to superman then Kryptonite. It is the scourge of heroes everywhere, bigger and badder then any villain, something nobody can escape. It is the dreaded.... plot hole!

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!

[Sheldonrs]

I think the reason for the plot hole was implied by the image of Jor El telling Kal that "It is forbidden for you to interfere with human history.".

[Kittish]

Pffft, Superman constantly interferes with human history. It's interference any time he saves a life or prevents a crime. Probably minor, yes, but it's like being a little bit pregnant.

Which brings to mind- has anyone ever given though to the fact that any relationship between Superman and a human woman is by necessity going to be a platonic one?