The foundation of Superman’s heroic identity has always rested on the inspiring message from his Kryptonian parents, Jor-El and Lara. However, James Gunn’s 2025 Superman film delivers a shocking revelation that fundamentally reframes the Last Son of Krypton’s origin story. The complete Kryptonian message reveals a dark truth that challenges everything Superman believed about his purpose on Earth, sparking intense debate among Superman fans worldwide.
The Message That Shaped a Hero
Throughout his life as Superman, Kal-El has found comfort in watching the recorded message from his birth parents. This Kryptonian transmission, sent with baby Kal-El when Jor-El and Lara launched him from the dying planet Krypton, served as Superman’s moral compass and source of inspiration.
The portion of the message Superman had access to contained the typical benevolent words audiences expect from Jor-El. According to the film’s translation, this first half includes touching sentiments: “We love you more than heaven, our son. We love you more than land. Our beloved home will soon be gone forever. But hope vitalizes our hearts. And that hope is you, Kal. We have searched the universe for a home where you can do the most good and live out Krypton’s truth. And that place is Earth.”
Superman has watched this incomplete message repeatedly, using it to comfort himself during difficult moments. The inspiring words from his Kryptonian parents formed the entire basis for why he became Superman and began helping people around the world. He genuinely believed his parents sent him to Earth to make it a better place and help everyone.
The Corrupted Transmission
The reason Superman only heard this uplifting portion lies in the message’s damaged state. During the long journey from Krypton to Earth, the recording became corrupted, causing it to glitch and cut off before revealing its complete contents. The fortress’s robot Number Four explains that he had been playing this incomplete recording to soothe Superman during his healing sessions.
James Gunn’s approach to the Kryptonian language adds another layer of authenticity to this revelation. Unlike previous Superman stories where Kryptonian sounds like English, Gunn uses new extraterrestrial linguistics for the alien culture. This creative choice serves both as an important plot point for later translation and underscores the film’s theme of Superman as an immigrant story.
Lex Luthor’s Discovery
The complete truth emerges when Lex Luthor, the Engineer, and Ultraman break into the Fortress of Solitude. The Engineer, played by Maria Gabriella De Faria, uses her nanotechnology abilities to hack into the Kryptonian computer systems and steal the message. Her advanced capabilities allow her to recover the broken half of the transmission that Superman had never been able to access.
Lex Luthor capitalizes on this discovery by broadcasting the complete message across social media and news networks worldwide. The revelation devastates not only Superman but also public perception of the alien hero they had come to trust.
The Dark Truth Revealed
The second half of Jor-El and Lara’s message contains shocking instructions that completely recontextualize their intentions for sending Kal-El to Earth. Rather than the noble mission Superman believed in, his parents had far more sinister plans.
Bradley Cooper’s portrayal of Jor-El delivers these disturbing directives with chilling clarity. The complete message reveals that Jor-El viewed Earth’s inhabitants as fundamentally inferior beings—describing them as easily manipulated, controllable, and lacking the intelligence to resist a superior being with unlimited power.
The Supremacist Worldview
Jor-El’s message exposes a deeply supremacist Kryptonian worldview. The recording makes clear that Jor-El believes Earthlings are “dumb, idiots, easy to control, easy to manipulate” and that Clark can “make them do whatever you want as long as you have power.” This perspective frames humanity not as a species worth protecting, but as subjects to be ruled.
The message reveals that Jor-El sees his son as a god-like figure who can “rule them with an iron grip” because humans lack any meaningful way to resist someone with Superman’s unlimited power.
The Conquest Directive
The hidden portion of the message contains clear directives for Kal-El to:
- “Lord over the planet as the last son of Krypton”
- “Dispatch of anyone unable or unwilling to serve you, Kal”
- “Take as many wives as you can so that Krypton’s might and legacy will live on in this new frontier”
- “Rule without mercy”
The message explicitly instructs Clark to “take as many wives as you can” and ensure they “have as many children as possible” to establish a new Kryptonian lineage that will dominate Earth. This breeding program approach treats human women as vessels for Kryptonian genetic expansion rather than as individuals with agency.
Perhaps most disturbing is Jor-El’s casual instruction for Clark to “just rule Earth” and “just be a king,” as if planetary conquest is a natural and expected outcome of his superior abilities.
Fan Controversy and Divided Reactions
The revelation has sparked intense controversy among Superman fans, with reactions ranging from outrage to appreciation for the creative risk. Many fans have drawn comparisons to the comic series Invincible, where the protagonist’s father Omni-Man is revealed to be a conqueror from an alien empire rather than a protector.
Some fans have raised concerns about the messaging implications of having Superman’s biological parents endorse conquest and domination. The change represents a fundamental shift from traditional Superman mythology, where Jor-El and Lara are typically portrayed as noble scientists who send their son to Earth as a force for good.
However, supporters of the change argue that it modernizes Superman’s story for contemporary audiences and creates a more meaningful heroic journey by having Clark actively reject his intended purpose rather than simply fulfill it.
Precedent in Superman Adaptations
This controversial change is not without precedent in Superman adaptations. Several previous versions have explored morally ambiguous or demanding versions of Jor-El:
Smallville’s Jor-El
The Smallville television series presented a version of Jor-El who initially wanted his son to conquer Earth and rule it, believing this was necessary to prevent humanity from falling into the same decadence that destroyed Krypton. The show’s Jor-El declared that humans “are flawed race” and instructed Clark to “rule them with strength.”
Other Adaptations
The Krypton television series made substantial changes to Superman’s origin while working within its narrative context. Similarly, Man of Steel incorporated changes like giving Superman the Codex that worked within that film’s thematic framework.
These examples demonstrate that successful Superman adaptations have previously reimagined core elements of the mythology when those changes serve the story’s larger themes and character development.
Superman’s Crisis of Faith
The revelation of his parents’ true intentions devastates Superman’s sense of identity and purpose. The first half of the message had shaped him as a hero, providing the moral foundation for all his heroic actions. Learning that his “great destiny” was actually conquest and domination shakes Superman to his core.
This crisis represents more than just disappointment in his parents—it calls into question everything Superman believes about himself. If his parents sent him to conquer and rule, does that make his heroic nature an aberration? Are the dark impulses for power and control his true Kryptonian heritage?
The public’s reaction compounds Superman’s internal struggle. Lex Luthor uses the revelation to turn world opinion against Superman, suggesting that all of his previous heroic acts were simply preparation for eventual conquest. The villain argues that Superman has been “grooming” humanity to prepare for his superpowered descendants to rule Earth.
James Gunn’s Modern Commentary
James Gunn’s approach to this change reflects contemporary concerns about power, privilege, and political control. The director has positioned this revelation as commentary on modern issues, particularly regarding how the wealthy and powerful rule the world and what it means to reject that legacy.
The story becomes a parable about defying family expectations and choosing a different path than what previous generations intended. Rather than accepting his role as a destined ruler, Superman actively chooses to be better than what his father envisioned.
This interpretation modernizes Superman’s relevance by addressing current political and social dynamics while maintaining the character’s core heroic identity. The message suggests that true heroism comes not from fulfilling a noble destiny, but from rejecting a corrupt one.
The Power of Choice Over Heritage
The resolution of this crisis comes through Jonathan Kent’s wisdom rather than any Kryptonian revelation. Pa Kent delivers the film’s most important message: even if the Kryptonian directive told Superman to conquer Earth, it doesn’t matter because it’s all about the choices Clark makes and what he decides to do.
This philosophy reinforces one of the film’s central themes—that Superman’s humanity comes not from his alien heritage but from his upbringing by Martha and Jonathan Kent. Whatever the message was supposed to mean doesn’t actually matter because Clark Kent chooses to be a hero based on human values of compassion and service.
A New Foundation for Heroism
By the film’s end, Superman has found a new source of comfort and inspiration. Instead of the Kryptonian message that once soothed him, he now watches home movies of his childhood with the Kents on their Kansas farm. This transition symbolizes Superman’s complete embrace of his human upbringing over his alien heritage.
The cosmic anvil and star hammer visible in the final scene suggest Superman will continue using Kryptonian technology and knowledge, but now filtered through human values rather than alien imperatives. His powers may be Kryptonian, but his moral compass is decidedly human.
Understanding the Context
Critics and supporters alike acknowledge that the full impact of this change can only be understood by watching the film and seeing how the revelation is presented within the complete narrative context. The success of such a dramatic departure from source material depends heavily on execution and thematic integration.
The controversy demonstrates the passionate investment Superman fans have in the character’s mythology. Whether this change ultimately enhances or diminishes Superman’s story will likely depend on how future DCU films build upon this foundation and whether the themes of choice over destiny resonate with audiences.
Implications for the DCU
This revelation sets up interesting dynamics for James Gunn’s broader DC Universe. The knowledge that Krypton was an imperialist civilization adds complexity to Superman’s relationship with other characters who might question whether these conquering instincts could resurface.
The message also provides context for Supergirl’s behavior in the film. Kara Zor-El, having lived through Krypton’s destruction as a teenager, would have been aware of her people’s true nature. Her reluctance to reveal this truth to Clark and her coping mechanisms through alcohol on red sun worlds make more sense in light of the shame she feels about Kryptonian supremacist attitudes.
Redefining Superman’s Origin
James Gunn’s handling of the Kryptonian message represents a bold reinterpretation of Superman’s origin story. Rather than being chosen by benevolent space parents for a noble mission, Superman becomes a hero despite his heritage, not because of it. This change emphasizes that Superman’s greatest strength lies not in his alien powers but in his human heart.
The revelation transforms Superman from someone fulfilling a cosmic destiny into someone actively choosing to reject his intended purpose in favor of a better path. This Superman is heroic not because Jor-El and Lara made him that way, but because Martha and Jonathan Kent raised him to value human life and dignity above power and control. The dark truth of the Kryptonian message ultimately makes Superman’s heroism more meaningful, not less. When faced with the choice between conquest and service, between supremacy and equality, Superman chooses humanity—proving that where you come from matters far less than who you choose to become.
