Plot ideas, themes
Superman
Superman is invincible and that makes people feel inadequate e.g. Lex Luther and wanting to be self sufficient.
Superman needs a world which is morally super. It would be a waste of his potential to fight crime when there are more severe issues, but he doesn’t have any idea what is the right decision
No one likes Superman at the moment because his battle with Captain Zod killed a lot of people.
Lex Luther tries to find ways to remove Superman, a la Batman. So
- He tries to emotionally attack him,
- He starts killing people around Superman either making him feel guilty or making it look like he’s responsible (that’s just Watchmen);
- He tries to find a way to defeat him (eventually settling on Kryptonite – it was unclear how that was found!)
- He tries to create Doomsday to kill him (this seems inconsistent with his character)
Batman becomes an advisor to Superman in terms of superheroes. But eventually Supes or Bats begins to not trust the other for some reason, maybe:
- Lex’s scheming
- Batman just doesn’t trust Superman
- Batman doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Superman with how to fight crime
- Superman decides Batman is too extreme (standard, needs to be developed)
Superman was in the rocket for too long and so doesn’t understands humans. Mildly autistic/sociopathic? Interesting spin, changes his character.
Lois Lane is the genre savvy one who gets him caught up to speed. Batman is the super detective who discovers stuff and reasons it out for Batman.
Supes tries to be an Effective Altruist. Also, ex-risk.
Being branded as corrupt and forever not being trusted.
Tolerance is the lowest version of acceptance.
Tolerance of tolerance of, say, Lex’s xenophobia. Or… idk. Something about opinion change and avoiding the backfire effect.
Should create an underlying structure for the world like in HPMOR. Use Torquasm Roa and Torquasm Vo.
Superman can be split into his two identities of Kal-El and Superman. Superman is the fictional creation he creates for other people because they need him to be like that.
Batman is… Bernie Sanders. Lex Luther is… big business. Daily Planet is… that one guy from The Young Turks.
Lex Luthor decides Kal-El is not hero-ey enough and uses some form of kryptonite to split apart the two figures. He actually maybe kills a third figure, one who has all the weaknesses of Superman, but no strength. Can’t control his senses, etc. Kal-El becomes evil because of rejection. Maybe doesn’t want to do evil but just wants to get revenge on Lex.
Dealing with ISIS. Lex Luther is Russia and wants to back Assad to demonstrate might, and now can’t back down lest is seen as inferior to America. Superman is trying to decide. Evil Kal-El not sure. It’s not actually ISIS, it’s people within Gotham City.
Changing people’s opinions
Discussion with people to avoid the backfire effect. Islam?
Cmpetition between people who are complacent and think it’s not serious vs people who constantly feel left out and want to feel accepted/not harassed. Issue of not having each other’s perspective.
Empathy, Narcissism and ASPD