Brandon Routh’s character in Crisis on Infinite Earths gave the Arrowverse its best Superman line yet. Though Routh isn’t the Arrowverse’s main version of the Man of Steel, he’s already become one of the most talked-about characters in the crossover.
Crisis on Infinite Earths features three different versions of the flagship DC hero: Tom Welling’s Clark Kent from Smallville, Brandon Routh’s Kingdom Come Superman, and of course, the Arrowverse’s own Superman (Tyler Hoechlin). Routh’s character comes from a timeline where key Superman characters such as Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White were murdered. Superman is identified as a “hopeless Kryptonian” and one of the seven paragons capable of stopping the Anti-Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) from destroying the multiverse. Superman is one of the sole survivors of Earth-1’s destruction, but a last-second twist sees him die at the hands of Earth-38’s Lex Luthor (Jon Cryer).
During the third installment of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Earth-38’s Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) asks Superman why he wears a black House of El emblem, as opposed to the traditional yellow. Superman responds, “Even in the darkest times, hope cuts through. Hope is the light that lifts us out of darkness”. It’s a very Superman-esque line, and it perfectly represents an ideal that all interpretations of the Big Blue Boy Scout should uphold. After all, Superman is a character whose goal is to bring hope to the universe, so this is exactly the sort of quote one should expect from such a symbolic hero.
Every show and movie with the Man of Steel needs an inspirational Superman line, and it seems fitting that it would be Routh’s Clark - not Hoechlin’s - who delivers it, especially when considering the background of his character. The Kingdom Come Superman has a much more tragic backstory than other portrayals of the character, so the idea that Superman is still able to hold on to hope despite everything that he’s lost makes the moment even more moving.
Also, it’s revealed in the second chapter of Crisis on Infinite Earths that the Kingdom Come Superman is in fact the same Clark Kent played by Routh in Superman Returns, which means that he’s also the same character played by Christopher Reeve in the original Superman movies. Reeve’s portrayal of Superman is easily the most iconic and most beloved live-action version of Superman, so it certainly seemed necessary for Crisis on Infinite Earths to do him justice. Routh’s Superman has been so well-received that fans are wondering if The CW made a mistake in not giving him his own show.
More: Crisis On Infinite Earths’ Smallville Twist Has a Big Problem
