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Zack Snyderhas his own personal Jesus trope - here ’s every one of his flick messiahs . Whether it ’s J.J. Abrams ' lens flare , Hitchcock ’s suspense , or Christopher Nolan ’s plots that require a point in quantum physics to properly understand , the most renowned manager each have their own earmark and key signature storytelling techniques . AZack Snyder filmis usually recognizable by its cinematic , stylistic approach to violence , but the manager has also developed a habit of vomit certain characters in a biblical lighting .
Whether you interpret his report literally or not , the figure of Jesus Christ has endured over the centuries as the archetypal protagonist - a altruistic Saviour who willingly sacrificed himself for the good of humanity . In the modern epoch , playing the large JC himself has become somewhat of a poison chalice , and it ’s now more common to see unrelated characters take on his qualities , evoking Christian mythology without going full - onPassion of the Christ . Using religious symbolism to make a mother wit of grandeur is a techniqueZack Snyderis particularly fond of . Snyder will robe his paladin ( and sometimes villains ) in Christian imagery and metaphor , but the clothes are n’t always tailored to fit .
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Snyder certainly is n’t the only director to depict their protagonist in a Christ - like hue -The Matrix ’s Neo being a famous illustration . But while Neo ’s journeying fits the Christian parable ( as far as one can in a digital world of triggerman - fu ) , Snyder ’s Jesus number are deliberately less divine , flawed to the point in time where the allusions to Jesus can become more criticism than flattery .
King Xerxes (300)
300 ’s King Xerxes is n’t a Jesus figure in the traditional gumption , but rather a villain posing as a Christ - corresponding savior , and this distinction is made clear from the off . Persia ’s King of Piercings address himself the " God - King " and purports to wield divine force over his enslaved subjects . Xerxes travels around on a ridiculously over - sized sedan chair , and his followers willingly offer their own backs as a staircase . Xerxesvalues his people as little more than instruments of his own king , and while such mercilessness is entirely the opposite of what you ’d bear from Jesus , that ’s the very point300is qualification .
King Xerxes is a false God , and Gerard Butler ’s King Leonidas take it upon himself to prove the Persian ruler ’s mortality , exposing his deception and defend the ripe name of thetrueGods upon Mt. Olympus . In the circumstance of the setting , King Xerxes share more in common with the Greek gods of myth than Christianity ’s Jesus . The character ’s religious line of latitude also come from Frank Miller ’s graphic novel , rather than Snyder straight . Nevertheless , Xerxes is a vital precursor to the Christ figures Snyder would later develop , introducing conversant tropes such as humans hopelessly following a fictitious god , and the effort of mortals to snub down the divine .
Doctor Manhattan (Watchmen)
Being locked inside an Intrinsic Field Generator actually panned out signally well for Dr. Jon Osterman . transform into a being of near - limitless power , Doctor Manhattancomes to lead the vigilante group known as The Watchmen while strutting around in the buffer . worship by some and fear as a potential terror by others , Watchmensees Doctor Manhattan become more and more isolated from humanity , eventually moving to another major planet and run out to prevent Ozymandias ' genocidal plan . When Ozymandias seek judgement , Manhattan respond only that " nothing ever ends . " This whim of judgement and Ascension of the Lord to the heavens ( or outer space , in Manhattan ’s case ) cements the character as a Christ fable . And just as Christ was God reincarnate as humanity , Manhattan harbors a duality between his old deadly ego and his herculean racy glow - up .
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Similar to300 , these seeds were first plant in the root material . Oster mean Easter ( spotlight the Christ’s Resurrection parallel ) , while Manhattan also walk on water and make a cross shape when being blasted by the Field Generator . By posingDoctor Manhattanas a Jesus figure , Alan Moore ( and , by university extension , Zack Snyder ) raises difficult philosophic questions about human race ’s relationship with God . Manhattan has the power to protect mankind , but his apathy prevents him from doing so . It ’s the long time - old atheist enigma of God being all - powerful , but not necessarily all - loving . Watchmenrefuses to definitively objurgate or transfigure Manhattan , allow believer and non - believer alike to make their own rendition of his moral posture .
Ozymandias (Watchmen)
While Doctor Manhattan is the most prominent theatrical performance of Jesus Christ inWatchmen , the character does n’t have a monopoly on biblical allusion . Adrian Veidt is a supremely intelligent superhero who sees himself as a Deliverer , come to keep open humanity with his unparalleled soundness . Ozymandias affords himself the right wing of powerfulness over life and death and , in this gumption , can be see as another false idol in the mildew of300 ’s King Xerxes - the mortal who wrong catch himself as a God among man . Ozymandias ' biggest visual Jesus character comes when Veidt catch up with a bullet , and the bloodstain on his glove mimic Christ ’s stigma . However , Ozymandias ' ruination comes at the hand of a real God . Doctor Manhattan abase the villain in no uncertain terms , liken him to a bare insect .
Superman (Man Of Steel/Batman V Superman)
While the likes of Xerxes and Manhattan get along with religious compare straight from the strip , Man of Steelmarks Zack Snyder going off - piste with his Christian commentary . Traditionally , Superman is an all - powerful superhero and a radio beacon of hope , and while the spiritual comparisons are certainly there , rarely is comical Clark given the full - float Jesus treatment . 2013’sMan of Steeland 2016’sBatman V Superman : Dawn of Justice , however , move Superman much nigher to God . He ’s 33 ( the same years as Jesus when crucified ) , and seas of devout jock gather to touch their Kryptonian savior . Snyder ’s DCEU Supermanalso riff on theme from his previous Christ figures . Batman ’s " do you phlebotomize ? " mirrors King Leonidas exposing Xerxes as a false idol by cutting him with a spear , and Superman ’s senate hearing mimics concern that Doctor Manhattan was giving average people cancer inWatchmen .
Superman ’s spark is Jesus Christ ’s bible story , but condensed and with more punching . His birthing is count a miracle on Krpyton , where reproduction has become scarce , and his forfeiture against Doomsday is the ultimate delivering of mankind from sin onward ofJustice League ’s Christ’s Resurrection . Snyder exit severely than ever in his pursuit of making Henry Cavill ’s Superman a innovative religious deity , with Knightmare soldier bowing in his mien , Clark physically make a cross on several occasions , and a carefully positioned stained glass window sitting behind Cavill in a boding instant of self - discovery .
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The DCEU ’s Christ - comparable characterisation ofSupermanis ( until recently , perhaps ) Snyder ’s most controversial cinematic Jesus metaphor , because as well as notch up the religious symbolism , Cavill ’s Clark is also the darkest , most violent iteration of the character the big screen has ever hosted . With Superman at the same time more divine and more fallible in the DCEU , his Christian qualities take a more critical stance . Is Clark worthy of being idolized by the people of Earth ? Should Superman be seen not as a 2nd coming , but a riotous stranger no less prone to error than man . By expect these questions , Snyder reuse the more philosophical Jesus digit of Doctor Manhattan , rather than the loving , virtuous roleClark Kentusually occupies .
Joker (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)
Zack Snyder ’s most recent Jesus public figure has not yet been revealed in his full splendour . Jared Leto ’s Clown Prince of Crime was confirm for a surprisal restitution in theJustice LeagueSnyder track , and has been afford a sorely - needed makeover from theSuicide Squaddays . But marketing stuff forZack Snyder ’s Justice Leaguehas show Joker wear a summit of spikelet and adopting a Jesus Christ pose in black and blanched , predictably eliciting a minus reaction from the religious community .
While it ’s understandable that some would be less than thrilled at the most ill-famed funny book villain of all time present Christian imaging , Zack Snyder ’s purpose is less akin to Superman and Doctor Manhattan , and more in course with King Xerxes and Ozymandias . InJustice League ’s Knightmare timeline , Joker evidently sees himself as a savior . Darkseid has stolen Joker ’s nefarious crown , and this sad clown can only help Batman rejuvenate things back to how they were . In Joker ’s deluded judgement , this means he ’s lay aside the world by apply his liveliness ( presumably , the Knightmare will cease to be ) . It ’s easy to reckon how Joker buckle mind can put two and two together and add up out with Jesus .
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