Anyone see it? Thoughts on the Storyform:
Is the MC Resolve Steadfast with Lois Change?
Really enjoyed the MC Throughline but thought it was completely abandoned once he was imprisoned.
A lot was lost in there, IC, RS…
…in fact I feel the same. Nightmare Before XMas vibes where an RS was setup but then just dropped out.
Anyone have any other thoughts???
(Not going to bother with spoiler tags as folks probably saw yours above; SPOILERS FOLLOW.)
I saw it last week! And actually really enjoyed it, especially the humor. I read your post and have been giving the narrative some thought. I agree that MC Resolve is Steadfast – in fact I think Superman is “taste of change” character (term coined by @MWollaeger I believe) where he adopted his MC Solution after learning about his parents’ message, then switched back by the end.
I think a big part of going back to Steadfast is the moment with his adopted dad on the porch. But yeah, other than that, I think the second half of the movie is pretty light on MC.
RS also has some gaps and is only lightly painted but I think it mostly works? It’s like “romance with doubts” moving toward love. There may also be a completely different team RS going on with the Justice Gang and Lois that helps fill in the gaps? (The “Wow, Justice Gang, cool name!” “You’re in!” moment at the end might be the equivalent of “I love you too” in the romance.)
I feel like Superman might be in Mind (fixed attitudes about his parents and about his role/authority/autonomy in the world). This gets challenged by Universe stuff like the complexity of world situation/politics/legalities (during Lois’s pretend interview) and his changing reputation, which makes him question himself and his role on Earth. (Maybe the reputation thing makes Lex a co-IC?)
I saw it on Friday and really enjoyed it!
This makes sense.
I’m not sure about him in Mind … he seems Universe-y to me but I’ll have to think about this.
I think Lois is definitely the IC (especially in that interview scene), but there’s a handoff in there to Green Lantern. Both Lois and Green Lantern are skeptical of superheroes intervening in international politics. Green Lantern shows the IC change when he does intervene.
If I were to guess, I would say the OS is Physics → Obtaining → Approach vs. Attitude → Problem of Consider.
So a the Issue level, the theme is around what Approach people (especially superheroes) should take when countries invade one another. At the Problem level, Lois is complaining about Superman’s failure to consider the consequences of his actions (beyond just saving people). Or she is asking him to reconsider?
If the MC is in Universe, I think that gives him a Problem of Conscience, which seems to fit – especially with your “taste of change” idea (he is demotivated by the Temptation to dominate humanity).
Oh that’s great! The funny thing is, I was thinking of that exact OS while watching it, but for some reason I switched things around after. I really like Consider because it’s all about what people think of Superman – do they consider him a hero or a threat? And Lex is at the far end of that spectrum (Superman is 100% a threat and must be dealt with), which is what motivates him.
And I think you’re right, Superman in Universe makes a lot more sense. I was originally thinking of Consider for his Steadfast Problem (like he considers every life worth saving) but Conscience works even better for that.
from narravo analyzing the plot
First Step: Find Superman’s Main Character Domain
Before we map everyone else, let’s pin down the kind of personal conflict driving Clark/Superman. In Dramatica every Main Character Throughline lives in one of the four Domains—the “engine-room” of that character’s troubles.
Below are the four possibilities, described neutrally in light of the plot you shared. None is “better” than another; meaning emerges from the relationships among choices, not any single choice.
| Domain | What it means as a source of Clark’s conflict | How it might manifest in the film |
|---|---|---|
| Universe (a fixed external state) | Clark’s problems stem from the situation he’s stuck in: alien heritage, being Earth’s most powerful being, public scrutiny, legal constraints, etc. | The media backlash, government detention, and that incriminating Kryptonian message emphasize “Who/what I am is the issue.” |
| Physics (external activity) | His personal angst comes from what he’s doing or must do: fighting kaiju, rescuing civilians, clashing with Ultraman, physically intervening in wars. | Action set-pieces would double as inner torment—each punch amplifies his doubt about the rightness of intervening. |
| Psychology (internal process) | Clark’s core struggle is how he thinks and manipulates ideas: identity-crafting, wrestling with moral reasoning, public perception, propaganda. | The Engineer’s broadcast, Lois’s interview, and Luthor’s mind-games focus on manipulation, persuasion, image-management. |
| Mind (a fixed internal state) | The conflict lies in an unshakeable attitude/belief inside Clark: e.g., “I must be Earth’s savior,” “I can’t trust myself,” or “I have to live up to Jor-El’s expectations.” | Scenes of self-doubt, shame after hearing his parents’ directive, and needing Jonathan’s pep-talk highlight a stubborn mindset as the real problem. |
Your Turn
Once we lock the Main Character Domain, we can explore how that choice cascades into the other three Throughlines (Lex/Lois/Relationship) and the larger Objective Story.
====
I think “Universe”
and here are its thoughts about OS Domain.
Step 2: Choose the Objective Story Domain
The Objective Story (OS) Throughline is the big, “everybody-in-the-sandbox” plot—heroes, villains, governments, kaiju, pocket universes, public opinion. Your pick here determines what kind of conflict powers the whole ensemble.
Below are the four canonical Domains, each described in the context of your Superman plot. Meaning emerges from how Domains relate to one another, not from any single pick, so feel free to explore or even revise earlier choices.
| OS Domain | What the conflict centers on | How it might show up in this film |
|---|---|---|
| Physics (External Activity) | Battles, invasions, kidnappings, science-projects-gone-wrong—the friction of people doing things. | • Boravia’s military moves, kaiju rampage, pocket-universe jailbreaks, fist-fights with Ultraman.• Victory or failure hinges on whether the protagonists can act quickly and effectively. |
| Psychology (Internal Process) | Manipulation, propaganda, schemes, public perception—the clash of ways of thinking & influencing. | • Luthor’s media psy-ops, the doctored Kryptonian message, the Engineer’s restorations, Lois’s grilling interview.• Success depends on out-maneuvering lies, fear, and ideological spin. |
| Universe (Fixed External State) | An untenable situation the world is stuck in: a fractured Metropolis, an alien savior on trial, a city literally split in half. | • Story tension rises because the geopolitical stand-off, the rift, and Superman’s “alien status” persist until resolved. |
| Mind (Fixed Internal State) | Collective mind-sets: nationalism, xenophobia, hero-worship, envy. The fight is over entrenched attitudes. | • Boravian pride, Metropolis turning on Superman, Luthor’s obsessive jealousy—all as stubborn mental positions that must shift (or not) for the story to end. |
If you keep Clark’s personal conflict in Universe (a static situation), certain pairings create a smoother structural fit:
• OS = Physics or OS = Psychology puts the “everybody” plot in a process Domain, leaving Clark in a state Domain.
• OS = Universe or Mind would push both Clark and the OS into static/state territory—totally viable, but it changes how the four Domains pair up and might lead you to revisit Clark’s choice later.
Once we pick the OS Domain, we can map out the remaining Throughlines and start drilling down to Concerns and Issues.
=====
Psychology.
I love it - group analysis returns! 
I would totally agree with Universe as the MC Domain (he’s here to rule over all of us!). And I love this about the Influence Character handoff:
As far as the Domains for the OS go, and I really have to get this in there (because it does tend to make this mistake often) - if the problem is in Psychology, if they stop being “psycho” would there be any more problems left?? Likewise, if the problem of the OS is in Physics, if they stopped physically attacking one another would be there any problems left??
That’s a great way to put it. I was trying to think how to phrase this so succinctly.
I think it’s clear that if they stopped being “psycho” the OS would still go on – Lex is still doing whatever it takes to kill Superman, and smashing a lot of stuff / hurting a lot of people to do it. His motivations are not shown in this story as entirely insane/psycho, just arrogant.
Meanwhile, if they stopped physically fighting, well, there might still be some problems between Lex and Superman but that would be a different movie.
So OS=Physics, which makes sense for the genre. (It doesn’t feel genre-busting like The Incredibles.)
great point and I agree. physics.
Excellent! I know we were kind of riffing on everything, but as I recall, there was a great deal about the “choices” that Superman had to make (something about how you choose who you are) - am I making that up, or that was in there right?
If so - then that would mean @Lakis idea of MC Problem of Conscience is probably spot-on - which is a great motivating force for him.
Interestingly enough, this would mean for the Pivotal Elements that we would have:
Does that resonate with everyone?
100%! Even the wikipedia summary mentions this: “Jonathan Kent tells the demoralized Superman that his choices and actions determine who he is, not the message from his birth parents.”
Going a step back, I also think Obtaining works great as an OS Concern – all that stuff about taking over the fictional country and dividing it up between Lex and the dictator. Also the conflict around whether humans & nations have control over their destiny when super-beings are in the mix.
This feels right – Superman is all about “rationalizing a means to an end”, and focusing on the connections between his birth parents and himself. Does anyone have any other illustrations? I guess he might even have some irrationality with how he flings himself at Ultraman time and again… Oh, maybe the logic of “I’m a criminal, therefore I have to turn myself in”, and at the end, “I’m X and Y so that means I am human”. (I can’t remember the X and Y exactly)
I’m not sure about Feeling for Lois and Green Lantern, other than Lois’s feelings for Superman of course (which do play a big part in both the OS and IC throughlines). Anyone have more ideas?
My first thought was no … I didn’t see Feeling in Lois/Green Lantern at all.
But if we think about it as less “being motivated by feeling” and more “having a perspective on feeling” I could maybe get there.
Lois’ perspective is that you can’t just go off half-cocked, making big decisions (like intervening in a war) just because you feel bad that someone is going to be killed.
As for Green Lantern, there is a moment when he refuses to get involved with the war because of his Green Lantern vow. Hawkgirl rolls her eyes at this, saying something like “he always uses his vow do whatever he wants to do.” In other words, he has his vow, but really he just does whatever he feels like doing.
Does any of that work, or is it a stretch?
PROMPT “let’s assume an mc problem of conscience.”
Locking in an MC Problem of Conscience
Excellent choice. In Dramatica every Element lives inside a single “branch” of the model. Selecting Conscience for Clark’s personal Problem instantly aligns several higher-level story points:
Element level
• MC Problem = Conscience (weighing long-term good over immediate wants)
• MC Solution = Temptation (the dynamic opposite)
Variation level (Issue)
Conscience belongs to the quad Conscience • Temptation • Consider • Reconsider.
Those four sit under one specific Type…
Type level (Concern)
…which, for the Universe Domain, is Future.
Therefore Clark’s Concern becomes Future—his anxiety over what Earth (and he) might become.
Family rule
Choosing Future puts ALL four Concerns in the Destinations family, giving us:
| Throughline | Concern (Type) | What that means in this film |
|---|---|---|
| Main Character (Universe) | Future | Clark obsesses over Earth’s destiny if he conquers / retreats / inspires. |
| Objective Story (Psychology) | Becoming | Society is transforming: hero âžś threat, Luthor âžś savior, Ultraman a literal clone. |
| Influence Character (Mind) | Subconscious | Lois’s deep desires & fears (love, dread of unchecked power) drive her steadfast stance. |
| Relationship Story (Physics) | Obtaining | Together they fight to gain/retain: Krypto, public trust, hard evidence, each other’s love. |
Everything still meshes with your earlier Domain picks; we’re just drilling down a level.
Clark’s arc
• Conscience as Problem: He over-relies on doing “the right thing” even when it hurts him—detaining himself, refusing to kill Ultraman, agonizing over Boravia.
• Temptation as Solution: Growth means allowing short-term, maybe risky impulses—trusting Lois’s love, acting before over-deliberating, bending strict ideals to stop Luthor.
Ensemble plot (Becoming)
Luthor’s manipulations aim to re-shape Earth’s view of aliens and of power. Metropolis literally becomes a split reality; Ultraman becomes a dark reflection of Superman.
Lois pressure (Subconscious)
Her unwavering gut belief in truth and her deep love for Clark confront his over-active Conscience. She asks, “What do you want, not just what you owe?”
Relationship stakes (Obtaining)
Each joint action is about seizing or saving something concrete: the kaiju, pocket-universe prisoners, Krypto, public trust, proof of Luthor’s crimes, ultimately each other.
If that resonates, we can move deeper—nailing the Story Driver (Action vs Decision), Story Outcome/Judgment, and eventually the remaining Problem/Solution quads in the other three Throughlines.
Once you give the thumbs-up, we’ll identify the Objective Story Problem/Solution and start locking the dynamics (Driver, Outcome, Judgment, MC Resolve).
PROMPT ”now let’s adjust OS to physics”
Updated Four-Domain Framework
You’ve switched the Objective Story to Physics. That gives us one of Dramatica’s eight canonical sets:
| Throughline | Domain (Class) | Concern (Type) – Destinations family |
|---|---|---|
| Main Character – Clark | Universe (Fixed External State) | Future – What will become of Earth/Superman? |
| Objective Story – Ensemble | Physics (External Activity) | Obtaining – Gaining/losing territory, kaiju, Krypto, public trust, pocket-universe prisoners |
| Influence Character – Lois | Mind (Fixed Internal State) | Subconscious – Her deep wants & fears (love, truth, dread of unchecked power) |
| Relationship Story – Clark ↔ Lois | Psychology (Internal Process) | Becoming – Their bond (and public perception of it) transforms from co-workers to openly committed partners |
All four Concerns remain inside the Destinations family, so we keep the structural integrity established by Clark’s MC Problem of Conscience.
Conflict erupts around actions:
• Boravia’s invasions, kaiju rampage, pocket-universe prisons
• Mid-air battles with Ultraman, city-splitting rift, jailbreaks
The ensemble stakes rise and fall on what is won or lost:
Obtaining breaks down into Approach • Self-Interest • Selflessness • Attitude.
Here’s how each could flavor the OS:
| Issue | Why it fits the plot |
|---|---|
| Self-Interest | Luthor’s envy, governments grabbing power, heroes protecting their own image. |
| Selflessness | Clark risking all for strangers, Lois leaking stories that hurt her career, Metamorpho defying Luthor for Joey. |
| Approach | Which tactical style wins—direct punches vs. clever diversions, propaganda vs. transparency. |
| Attitude | Public opinion whiplash, xenophobia vs. open-mindedness toward aliens. |
(Meaning emerges from relationships, not any single pick.)
Under the Destinations family, the OS Problem quad is:
Conscience 
vs Temptation​:red_apple:
Consider 
vs Reconsider 
Because Clark already carries Conscience personally, echoing or counter-pointing that in the OS can sharpen the argument:
• Option A – OS Problem = Temptation
– The conflict escalates when people chase short-term gains: Luthor’s land-grab, Hawkgirl’s lethal strike, global appetite for fear-mongering.
– Resolution arrives when the collective embraces Conscience (long-term good).
• Option B – OS Problem = Conscience
– The ensemble is paralyzed by over-thinking “the right thing,” hampering swift action until Temptation (a bold, risky strike) breaks the stalemate.
Either can work; the choice affects Story Drivers, Climax, and how Clark’s personal growth dovetails with the group victory or failure.
Main Character
• Domain = Universe • Concern = Future • Problem = Conscience • Solution = Temptation
Objective Story
• Domain = Physics • Concern = Obtaining • Need Issue & Problem/Solution
Influence Character
• Domain = Mind • Concern = Subconscious (we’ll drill down later)
Relationship Story
• Domain = Psychology • Concern = Becoming (Issue, etc., come later)
A. Which OS Issue resonates most—Self-Interest, Selflessness, Approach, or Attitude?
B. Which OS Problem/Solution pair do you prefer?
• Problem = Temptation / Solution = Conscience
• Problem = Conscience / Solution = Temptation
• Still unsure—want to explore Consider/Reconsider instead?
C. If you’re ready, we can also pick the dynamic bits:
• Story Driver – Actions drive Decisions or vice-versa?
• Story Outcome (Success/Failure) & Judgment (Good/Bad)
Let me know which aspect you’d like to tackle next, and we’ll keep drilling one step at a time.
there’s more but the forum a) never lets me reply more than twice and b) limits the number of characters I can post.
That’s because I want humans here LOL (surprised?!)
I really appreciate pasting all that in–especially seeing the emojis for Consider and Reconsider. I should incorporate those…but I’d really like to hear what you think about it…until we can’t figure things out!
(although I gotta say, it’s great seeing how well it’s finally responding…)
@Lakis this was a problem spot for me too, in fact i pretty much like everything else except these two elements, but it could just be my bias for Logic and Feeling (kinda being boring to me). But I do think Consider and Reconsider work so that would be my guess on it too.
Does anyone have the script?
of course the emoji for temptation should be an apple with a bite taken out of it …(I added the apple) - HUH apple appeared when I typed it in but just getting the raw command here
Would it be crazy to suggest OS Universe? Like “there is a supremely powerful alien on Earth” with a lot of conflict about whether that is a bad or good thing, and what it means for the Future of the planet?
Keeping the rest the same, you can still keep Consider → Reconsider arcs for OS & IC, and Conscience as the MC steadfast motivation. But you get Pivotal elements of Faith for Superman (almost everything he does is out of loyalty or shaken faith) and Disbelief for Lois/Green Lantern (skepticism, finding things unconvincing, casting aspersions).
That’s an interesting idea. It kind of fits with the exposition setup at the beginning: (three centuries ago, the first metahumans…). The problem of metahumans being a kind of stuck situation that the world hasn’t figured out how to deal with. And the arrival of Superman just making things worse.
So:
If they stop physically attacking one another, doesn’t everyone still have the problem of insanely powerful humans throwing off the balance of power on Earth?
Future might also work better as a goal than Obtaining – it’s not just about stopping Luthor, or Luthor killing Superman. It’s about what kind of future are we going to create here?
Right! And from OS Concern perspective, Lex directly threatens the Earth’s future with his black hole reality tear thing.
Obtaining can work well for Superman as a Concern, because he’s struggling with how much control he should have of his life and powers. Who controls/owns Superman, is it Superman himself, or the government, or his parents’ plan…?
Or even, who is he dominating…
This is totally it - great call @mlucas. The OS in Universe also works great for the whole two-countries thing that is going on, and yeah, if they stop fighting, there’s still this super-human god that is here on the planet (which is a problem for everyone).
I was thinking, too, the narration at the beginning has a very Universe Domain setup feel to it (300 years ago, 30 years ago…)
AND that gets you and IC Symptom of Support and IC Response of Oppose
AND an RS Problem/Condition of Support…
This one makes way more sense.