Should Superman kill?

[stargazer01]

Should Superman ever kill? Yes? No? It depends?

I think he should avoid it at all costs and try to find another way, but sometimes there is no choice. I'm ok with him killing on rare occasions, but we should see how that impacts him emotionally.

I love the Death of Superman animated movie and also Man of Steel live action film, and Supes kills in those. I don't think less of him because he killed. He was still willing to sacrifice his life for the world if necessary. I think that counts.

Some people think he should never kill because he's Superman, but I feel that kind of limits his stories. Life is not always easy. Sometimes we have to makes really hard decisions. Thoughts?

[HeroVladimir93]

Should Superman ever kill? Yes? No? It depends?

I think he should avoid it at all costs and try to find another way, but sometimes there is no choice. I'm ok with him killing on rare occasions, but we should see how that impacts him emotionally.

I love the Death of Superman animated movie and also Man of Steel live action film, and Supes kills in those. I don't think less of him because he killed. He was still willing to sacrifice his life for the world if necessary. I think that counts.

Some people think he should never kill because he's Superman, but I feel that kind of limits his stories. Life is not always easy. Sometimes we have to makes really hard decisions. Thoughts?

Yes, I agree with this. Superman doesn't exist in a void where everything stays the same. He lives in a constantly changing world where people, himself included, are forced to reexamine and challenge their beliefs every day. No, I don't think Superman should go around killing small-time thugs or purse snatchers, that would be an abuse of power. He does, however, should consider lethal options when coming across entities that are a dangers to Earth, the universe and all sapient life, like Darkseid, Doomsday or Brainiac. Superman is not a lesser person if he is forced to kill. In fact, I don't think Superman should be dogmatic about his no-killing rule, enforcing it on his fellow superheroes because they face situations and circumstances different from his own. The act of killing is not inherently good or evil. Context matters. A soldier isn't evil for killing in the battlefield, a policeman isn't evil for killing a criminal, a random person on the street isn't evil for killing someone who wants to steal from him.

[Sacred Knight]

When there's no other option. He's dealt with way too many supremely powerful evil beings in his day to have any No Kill Code that doesn't reek of naiveite. Its more than enough for his personal code of conduct to be stop threats without lethal means whenever humanly possible. Because since he's boss, more often than not he indeed finds another way. But there's bound to be exceptions.

[Jon Clark]

Is it really time for this debate... again?

One of my favorite things about Superman is that he held himself to a higher standard. He wasn't defined by what he could or couldn't do as much as by what he felt he should or shouldn't do. He wasn't Joe Blow with superhuman powers who was no more heroic than the next guy. He set an example for what we should do. He wasn't a guy who put his personal desires ahead of the greater good or set aside his values when they were inconvenient. He was someone who was nicer than me, smarter than me, more moral than me. In short he was someone to aspire to be, not someone who had a real world counterpart.

To me having Supeman kill or worse yet put in a situation where he is forced to make a choice to kill (because every other option is worse) is a disservice to the character. Superman shouldn't be a stand-in for the reader and how the reader would act with similar powers. He shouldn't be shown to be the lowest common denominator of how to act. He isn't a SWAT officer or a battlefield soldier and Superman's actions shouldn't reflect those roles. As he often stated on his "no kill" rule in the Silver-Age- anyone as powerful as himself who could not find a solution to a problem other than killing, was too dangerous to have such powers. His power levels simply require you to be better ethically than the next guy to avoid abusing them.

[Celgress]

Only when there is no other viable option and he should only do so very rarely.

[Vordan]

Well he killed Doomsday, so it’s not like the current iteration has never killed. I wonder if he still killed that elseworld Zod? Just finished Exile and I really like that story. I hope that part is still canon.

[Killerbee911]

There is a problem with Superman and Batman when they are made an ideal and not a character. Superman no kill rule shouldn't ever get in the way of common sense and the character. If a murderous villain who is known to Superman as legit murderous bastard and he is threatening to destroy the world . I don't ever want see Superman go "Killing this guy is the wrong thing to do" when it is the legit no brainer thing to do. I am fine with Superman(Batman) having a no kill rule and knowing they are being wrong somewhat because in a way that sort thinking endangers people. In most case no kill is most heroic action that be taken but it should be point out for being wrong especially when because enough of troupe that Super villains are taunting them with it . It should be point out when that isn't the case and it is stupid as long as someone like Wonder Woman calls it out I am fine with the no kill rule. Wonder Woman "You know that leaving Lex Luthor or Joker alive will one day endanger your family and friends right?".

[Lightning Rider]

Is it really time for this debate... again?

One of my favorite things about Superman is that he held himself to a higher standard. He wasn't defined by what he could or couldn't do as much as by what he felt he should or shouldn't do. He wasn't Joe Blow with superhuman powers who was no more heroic than the next guy. He set an example for what we should do. He wasn't a guy who put his personal desires ahead of the greater good or set aside his values when they were inconvenient. He was someone who was nicer than me, smarter than me, more moral than me. In short he was someone to aspire to be, not someone who had a real world counterpart.

To me having Supeman kill or worse yet put in a situation where he is forced to make a choice to kill (because every other option is worse) is a disservice to the character. Superman shouldn't be a stand-in for the reader and how the reader would act with similar powers. He shouldn't be shown to be the lowest common denominator of how to act. He isn't a SWAT officer or a battlefield soldier and Superman's actions shouldn't reflect those roles. As he often stated on his "no kill" rule in the Silver-Age- anyone as powerful as himself who could not find a solution to a problem other than killing, was too dangerous to have such powers. His power levels simply require you to be better ethically than the next guy to avoid abusing them.

I really like the way you characterize Superman's position as above that of an ordinary person with powers. These abilities raise his moral standard. But in my view it's equally true that the dangers he contends with are far beyond what us mere mortals do, and so it becomes likely that he encounters a living being he must put down. In saying that, I feel the debate changes significantly when talking about killing a human or non-human.