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https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-script/id602272713
Filmmakers: Directed by Zack Snyder, Screenplay by David S. Goyer, Story by Christopher Nolan & David S.
Goyer
The Script - Beat Sheet Edition: "MAN OF STEEL"
Blake Snyder Beat Sheet David Negrin's BEATs Chris Durham's BEATs
Opening Image Birth of a child
The birth of Kal-El.

We don't know everything that this means in the opening
move (I mean, we do because it's Superman, but...), but
this scene is referenced later. We come to find that this is
Krypton's first natural birth in centuries and is wrapped up
in Jor-El's sense of hope -- the hope he has for his son
and for the future of Krypton and Earth through his son.
So while a birth scene is a bit cliche to open on, this is a
very special event.
Theme Stated
"You just have to decide what kind of man you want to
grow up to be, Clark. Whoever that man is, he's going
to change the world." -Jonathan Kent
Jor-El: What if the child aspired to something greater?...

This is all about destiny -- the enbrace of the individual
over fatalism. This is like the happiest manifestation if
Nietzche's Ubermensch. Kal-El, a natural birth, will be
greater than the rest of his race. He will defeat the pre-
fab Zod because he chooses his own destiny, and in
doing so will choose the right path, the stronger path. In
becoming this paragon of benevolent individualism he will
not only redeem his race but improve ours. "He will be as
a god to them"
Set-up
-Setup Jor-el and Zod as old allies against a wasteful
government, Head Scientist vs. Head General
-Kryptonian apocolypse, no longer from a crashing
sun but "overmining" -- weak, uncinematic.
-Jor-el flies around on his "How to train a Dinosaur"
This is broad, because the setup has more to do with the
legend of Superman, his background, and the history of
the Kryptonian race. It's a dying race and in many ways a
failed race. Kal-El is the only future that race can have.
This setup seems to ignore Earth and the human race;
but it's pretty clear that the future of Superman is also the
future of humanity as well. This is exactly what's being
faced in the debate.
Catalyst Kal-El is sent to Earth Kal-El's ship arrives on Earth.
Debate
-Great cut to Clark 33 years later still searching to
make a choice to do something with his gifts. To save
people, to help the people of earth, he's hesistant.

I believe that everything that happens on Clark's journey
as Clark is part of the debate. It's the whole question of
who am I? What does my being here mean? Will I be
accepted? There's even a refusal of the call when Clark
asks his father, "Can't I just keep in pretending I'm your
son?"
Break into Two
Clark chooses to find out where he came from and
who he is.

The B2 is muddled here with the clever use of the
flashbacks in the F&G, but the B2 has to be his choice
is to find out where he came from and who he was.
The cleanest B2 is when he goes to investigate the
Kryptonion ship but that's too late.
Clark sneaks aboard the Kryptopnian scout ship. This is
a long first act (as seems to be the trend in big movies
these days), and it might feel like the second act begins
after Kal's arrival when we suddenly cut forward 33
years, but I believe the Krypton stuff is just the first half of
the first act. This is Kal/Clark's decision. It's the thing that
really turns the world upside down for him. It is what
signals Zod and is therefore the engine of the second act.
B Story Lois Lane investigating the elusive hero. Lois Lane
Fun and Games
Very cleverly the flashbacks and big setpieces before
Clark dons the suit are the F&G, the promise of the
premise in this Origin Story.

-Flashbacks to his childhood saving the bus
-Flashback to his 20s hiding his powers,
shishkebobing the truck
-Present Day setpiece saving the men on the oil
platform
-Evading Lois Lane's investigation
-Sneaking into the Kryptonian scout ship... when did it
land there again?
-Kal-el puts on the Superman Suit
-Learns to fly

Everything that is Clark Kent becoming Superman. Jor-El
gives him his back story (again). He learns to Fly. He is
hunted down and bonds with Lois Lane, revealing to us
how his father died. He tells his mother he's found out
who he is. I must note that this isn't FUN fun and games
but it suits the more contemplative first half of the movie.
Midpoint
The Arrival of Zod.

Superman cannot keep himself secret any longer.
The Arrival of Zod. At first I thought it was Clark and Lois
being taken prisoner; but on second thought I think it was
the arrival. It still qualifies as a false defeat because we
now know Zod has not been defeated. It also preceeds
Bad Guys. It also is a cross-point in Lois's story because
it proves her story right and now we start to see the
consequences of that.
Bad Guys Close In
Zod vs. Earthlings
Zod vs. Superman

Zod's strategy, is a kind of LOTR: Two Towers attack,
The World Engine is Mordor and his ship is Isengard?
Gives our good guys 3 goals for the 3rd Act -- seige
tower 1, siege tower 2, stop Zod himself.
Escalating battles with Zod and the Zodkateers.
Superman hands himself over to the military and finds his
faith rewarded with extratiction. The end of Jor-El's ghost,
Superman Saves Lois. The Terraforming begins
All is Lost
Superman is cast into the World Engine. But there's
no real Kryptonite to provide overwhelming
antagonism. And so the stakes are never that high for
Superman-- worst thing that can happen is some
humans or Lois get hurt. Maybe he gets imprisoned.
Superman is still essentially immortal. (until we learn
later that you can break Kryptonian necks).
Superman is cast down into the World Engine.
Simultaneously, Perry white struggles to save the
reporter trapped in the rubble. Metropolis is destroyed.
The thing is here, a lot of this story is reflected in other
people. Superman is Superman. He doesn't get so hurt.
What hurts him is seeing people hurt (we see this in the
bully flashback too) - so we have to see other people
struggle as a reflection of what's going on with him
Dark Night of the Soul
Closest thing to a Whiff of Death is Perry White
staying with trapped reporter.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY: The Re-Death of Jor-el --
the pseudocommunciation that Kal-el has with
holographic Jor-el should have been severed. The
ship being destroyed or damaged would setup a a low
point for Kal-el who spent his whole life thinking about
where he is from. He can now think about where he
wants to go.
On that note, it's best seen as Perry White knowing that
they're going to die and choosing to stay with the trapped
reporter. This is a human moment. A self-sacrificing
moment. This is the opposite of what's going on with Zod.
So we see Superman now rise up through the world
engine, digging down deep to find the will to do it.


Break into Three
Fly the plane into the ship... yeah yeah yeah... black
hole... go read "Interstellar" by Jonathan Nolan
They fly the plane into the ship and create a black hole,
sucking the aliens in. Now it's just Superman vs. Zod
Finale
Superman vs. Zod.

Anyone else have a problem with Superman besting
Zod with brute strength instead of ingenuity a la
Superman 2 : Richard Donner -- reversal of the crystal
chamber? The son of the Scientist should outsmart
the General, not out fight him.
Superman vs. Zod in a final showdown
Final Image The birth of a Superhero "Welcome to the Planet"