Man of Steel was the action-packed Superman movie many fans wanted, but the final act proved to be massively controversial. Overpowered by General Zod, Metropolis was left a smouldering mess, with the hero unable - or unwilling - to save thousands of innocents.
However, when the time came to rescue a family about to be obliterated by Zod's heat vision, Supes decided the only way to do so was by snapping the villain's neck, killing him in the process.
Needless to say, DC fans weren't happy.
In the video below filmmaker Zack Snyder doubled down on his belief that not only did Superman have no other choice, but he also did the right thing by enforcing lethal justice on his fellow alien.
"He's not going to stop he wasn't going to negotiate an outcome, so it was either Zod or us," the director explains. "And that was pretty much the game. There was no like middle ground. Zod said he would fight until either you kill me or I kill you, that’s the game there’s no like and they’re like but why would you put Superman in that position?"
"I’m like, 'Well, if Superman can’t handle that position then he’s fake, then he’s not you got to like he’s got to address the scenarios that come to him he can’t pick and choose as you can’t pick and choose when something is outside of your morality.'"
Following the backlash to this scene, Snyder addressed some of those criticisms in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice by having the Dark Knight set out to kill the Kryptonian for his role in Metropolis' destruction.
For what it's worth, Zod actor Michael Shannon agrees with Snyder's take. Last year, The Flash star said, "No, I didn't think there was any other way to end, it, really. I mean, Zod says it's either me or you. I'm not gonna let you survive. I will kill you, unless you kill me. And that seemed sufficiently Greek to me, you know?"
Nothing anyone says is likely to change any minds and this creative decision is likely to forever haunt Snyder. He's moved on from the DCEU now, of course, and is busy attempting to create his own Star Wars franchise with Rebel Moon (you can learn more about his unexpected director's cut plans by clicking here).
You can watch the full interview with Snyder in the player below.