Original artwork, not a still
They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you.
— Superman
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
This is the moral blueprint for Superman: a father's last gift is not power but a purpose. Humanity is not to be ruled or rescued from afar but shown a better way by someone living among it. The idea echoes through every later Superman story, and the line reappears whenever fans argue about what the character is for.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for SupermanShow the scene
On a dying Krypton, with the council deaf to his warnings, Jor-El says goodbye to his infant son before sending him to Earth in a small spacecraft. He promises that his life and learning will live on in the boy, then gives his last instruction: live among humans and find where his strength is needed. Humanity, he says, can be a great people and only lacks the light to show the way, and for that reason he has sent them his only son. Marlon Brando plays Jor-El in Superman (1978).
Sources (3)
- Wikiquote: Superman: The MovieJor-El sectionReference checked
- Springfield! Springfield! transcript: Superman (1978)opening Krypton sequenceReference checked
- Wikipedia: Superman (1978 film)Plot; castReference checked
Context reviewed
