Can't catch Rockets and Save Lois?
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Marvel/DC
ronaldt49 — 10 years ago(March 01, 2016 10:36 AM)
If he's fast enough to go backwards/forwards in time, surely that's plenty fast enough to catch both rocket-bombs and save Lois?
Zip! Zip! Zip! All's right with the world. -
hal-9010 — 10 years ago(March 02, 2016 01:48 AM)
It was the death of Lois that fueled superman with love and rage and pushed him to a level that even he did not know he could get to. So the short answer is that at the time Superman did not actually know the limit of his powers was that great. But still, he should have been strong enough as his normal self to give the two nukes a run for their money. so another way to rationalize this is to remember that he lost much valuable time in the pool and also that he was yet weakened by the Kryptonite and so was not at his a-game.
** I am normally not a praying man, but if you are up there, please save me Superman **
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ronaldt49 — 10 years ago(March 04, 2016 09:17 AM)
In Superman 3 it's established that the Christopher Reeve version of Superman graduated in 1965. Remember he went to a class reunion for that year. So here in 1978 it's 13 years later and he should be about 28 or so. By now he should be aware of his limitations. During his teen years he probably discovered he could fly/run a lot faster than he thought he could, maybe even circling the Earth before he could stop! he probably didn't do this on a regular basis but it would have happened.
Did anyone here ever drive somewhat faster than was legal sometimes? You don't do it all the time, but you had the urge to see what 100 mph felt like.
My personal experience was that many years ago I owned a 1967 Firebird with 4 spd. On my way to pick up my date there is a straight section of country road several miles long. I decided to see what my car would do. I pushed my foot down until Speedometer read 115. I thought I was at the floor with accelerator. I pushed down some more and my foot went down another inch or so. I backed off to legal speed and never did find out what that car would do.
If that happened to me, then Superman might have felt the same way with his flying abilities -
hal-9010 — 10 years ago(March 09, 2016 08:39 AM)
By now he should be aware of his limitations.
You can of course assume this but there is nothing in the movie that tells us this. In fact, the movies tells us the opposite. And even the comics too continue to give us new and better insights into his powers. I see Superman as so powerful that he never truly knows his own limitations. A bit like us, really.
You are using the car as an example: When I push the pedal to the medal I do so within a margin of safety. there is point I dare not cross and so I do not really know if or how my car will act there. My car is very fast and has a lot of power. I think I know its speed limit, but I am actually not precisely sure because it is just too fast for me (and btw it is way way way above 100mph). However, lets imagine I am in dire need of toilet or need to get home for some other noble occasion, in this case I might very well push the car beyond what I would normally dare. Out of need, or desperation. I would be scared as hell, but I would do it. Not unlike our man of steel. For this is what the death of Lois etc. was to him a catalyst to push the pedal to the medal further that he ever dared before
** I am normally not a praying man, but if you are up there, please save me Superman **