#(kal literally being another alien who is the last of his kind after all life on his planet was destroyed)

[forevercloudnine]

[thevindicativevordan]

You got any thoughts on Superman Birthright?

Probably my second or third favorite Superman origin, and the one that has my favorite Clark/Lex interactions.

Real pity it didn't get to stick as the "canon" origin because I like it a lot more than the Byrne origin that preceded it and the Johns Secret Origin that succeeded it. Smallville's influence is undeniable, but not a detriment, I like the Kents as flawed younger parents rather than wizened flawless mentors (if they have to be alive still when Clark becomes Superman that is). Pa Kent struggling with feelings of alienation with regards to Clark growing up and taking more of an interest in his heritage is still one of my favorite Pa/Clark moments in Superman's history. Ma Kent being a UFO buff is a great idea, apparently Waid had a story about that he never got to tell. I wonder what it was? Would probably make for a nice Annual or fill in story now that he's back at DC.

Lois is great of course, for all the reasons she usually is, as is Perry who gets way more panel space here than he usually does. Lois and Perry's relationship here is hilarious, love the gag where he writes out two lists of reasons to fire or keep her respectively. "No good place to hide the body" had me cackling. Jimmy though is just kind of there, he's the pal who has Supes back as always, but he's heavily overshadowed by the rest of the cast. Only real disappointment for me in terms of the core cast members.

There's a lot to like here in it's handling of Clark Kent as well. Love that Waid actually shows us Clark has travelled the world to gain some perspective, that he's not naïve or clueless, simply idealistic. He's seen the cruelty of the world up close, and he's also seen the way people react when they realize they're dealing with someone who has "gifts" (whether that's himself or Lex).

Showing us some of Clark's pre-Daily Planet journalist career is also a big pro for me, that's an area of Clark's life I wish got fleshed out more. Waid manages to establish a divide between the Clark and Superman identities that still makes the two feel different without it being a repeat of Pre-Crisis. It's a return to Superman being more "real" while Clark is more of a disguise, but "Clark" isn't bumbling so much as overlooked and ignored (which if you've lived in a big city is pretty much exactly how you get treated as a newcomer). His co-workers barely acknowledge his existence, Lois isn't giving him the time of day, Perry tears him a new one for not having a story to turn in about the ongoing alien invasion on time, Clark has to suffer in the trenches over the course of the story to prove himself.

Like Morrison's Action Comics run, this origin tries to fold a lot of the original Golden Age attitude back into Superman. This incarnation is a man with a temper, him shooting a gun then catching the bullet before it hits the guy who sold guns to a school shooter is literally a recreation of a Golden Age panel. Yet this isn't a "retro" take at all, despite being from Christopher Reeve's biggest fan. Waid writes Clark as someone who makes mistakes, fucks up in ways you don't typically see Superman do, and has a lot of doubts about whether or not he can live up to the task he's set before himself. Doesn't help that Metropolis doesn't welcome him any more easily as Superman than it does as Clark.

Public opinion about him is divided at first, then swings heavily to negative as Lex frames him for a false flag Kryptonian invasion, only to finally recover after he saves the day and exposes Lex. Personally I like Superman to have to work for that glowing reputation he usually enjoys, and if Lex is involved in trying to turn the public against him, so much the better. The anger and contempt towards Lex he demonstrates in particular sets the tone for the relationship between the two in the modern day.

Speaking of Lex, my God, this has got to be one of my favorite takes on him, and on his relationship with Clark, both pre and post Superman.

As adults Waid nails the Post-Crisis status quo of Lex being a selfish piece of shit who hides his nature behind a façade of philanthropy. For all his attempts at projecting an aura of power and intelligence, both of which he has in spades, Lex is so clearly defined by the lack of love and understanding he was shown as a youth. It's Superman "disrespecting" him, by not being happy to pose for photos with Lex after seeing him commit an act of sabotage, that pisses Lex off. For this "crime" Lex does everything he can to smear Superman to the public, and entertains holographic fantasies of dissecting Supes to copy his powers. He quips that killing Kal is "genocide" since he's the last of his people, something he demonstrates no empathy for at all given he laughs in Clark's face when he realizes Superman doesn't know he's the last.

Waid's Lex is probably one of the most monstrous incarnations, yet one of the most sympathetic as well. For my money, Waid is the one who convinced me that Clark and Lex being friends back in Smallville is a good thing.

One reason is that Clark gets to see how people react to "gifted" individuals. By observing the way Lex is treated for being unlike the rest, Clark gets a taste of what's to come if his own abilities were ever exposed. This has the dual benefit of establishing why Clark puts so much effort into making people feel at ease, and also establishing Lex as sympathetic for being unable to hide like Clark can.

The second big reason is that it shows why Clark thinks there's a chance Lex can be redeemed. Birthright Lex wasn't a monster from the start. At first he tried to help, but it always backfired. Doubling the efficiency of the milking machine scared/hurt the cows and upset Pa Kent, his ideas for how to improve the local government got rejected, and of course his experiment with Kryptonite. Sad twist of fate that Lex mistaking Clark's look of pain for the fear/disgust he sees everywhere else is what causes Clark to eventually give him that look of disgust for real when they reunite as adults. But having their first interactions be friendly instead of hostile makes Clark's hope that Lex can become a force for good feel grounded in reality instead of hopelessly naïve.

Can't gush enough about Yu's art either, he can make Superman look bright and inspiring, or scary as hell. His take on Metropolis makes it look and feel like a "City of Tomorrow", someplace exciting and dangerous, a city that needs Superman to protect it. Yu's Krypton is also one of my favorite incarnations, love that he gave Lara the S-curl! That's one idea from the DCAU I wish had become sacrosanct for all future origin retellings. Lara doesn't get to have enough influence on Kal to my tastes, so any little bit counts.

Sadly overlooked as it was coming out due to Azzarello and Lee doing For Tomorrow, it seems like it's risen in status after the fact. The S-shield being a symbol of hope on Krypton in addition to the El family crest has carried forward thanks to the DCEU (which is hilarious given Waid's feelings on that franchise).

Waid has another Superman project coming up next year with Brian Hitch that appears to be a "Year 2" follow up to Birthright. No clue if it will actually take place in strict continuity with Birthright, honestly it feels weird to have anyone but Yu do a direct followup to that, but Waid has said that a Superman run from him would basically be an issue 13 that continues from this story. I'm excited to see Waid take another big swing at Superman, I think he still has it in him to put out a great story, and Birthright being out of continuity may end up being to everyone's benefit. If this ends up being Waid's last Superman story, I hope he gets to do whatever he wants with the Birthrightverse. Kill off the Kents if that's his desire, I know he prefers them dead (as do I). Fingers crossed whatever he comes up with is good.

[talking-head-productions]

Fixing the DCEU (sorry, the “Worlds of DC”) With Time Travel. Part 3.

Part 1: https://talking-head-productions.tumblr.com/post/175546007365/talking-head-productions-so-if-i-ever-get-to-go

Part2 :https://talking-head-productions.tumblr.com/post/175627276065/if-i-go-back-in-time-part-2-i-realized-that-were-i

What more could I possibly have to say? Well... I realized that many of the problems with the current group of films originated with the very first one. I said I would leave that one intact, only going back and changing from BvS onward. But now it seems like it would make more sense to start from the beginning.

So, much like Wonder Woman, I don't want to change everything. The overall plot of Man of Steel was pretty good: Clark Kent, having grown up knowing he was different due to his alien heritage, finds a piece of that alien heritage on Earth and, because of what it reveals to him, decides to become Superman. Before he can reveal himself to the world, however, General Zod and the last of the survivors from Krypton arrive, demanding the humans hand over Kal-El. Whether the humans cooperate or not, Zod plans to terraform the planet and colonize it. Superman decides that he has to surrender himself to the humans' judgment in order to better gain their trust. They hand him over to Zod, but he eventually breaks free, and then makes it his mission to stop Zod, with the help of the humans of course. And he does, sending the Kryptonian ship and its crew back to the Phantom Zone for all eternity, but Zod is left on Earth and is now full of rage. Superman doesn't know how to fight, and Zod has all the same powers as him; the only way he can think of to stop Zod is to kill him. Against his own wishes, Superman snaps Zods neck, saving the day for real... but at a cost.

Again, that is a pretty good plot. It's the specifics that really bog it down.

So I've compiled a list of changes I would make to Man of Steel, in more or less chronological order:

Right away, I'm axing that entire sequence that takes place on Krypton. That's like a half hour just gone, but it's not a problem. All of the plot points from that section get reiterated later in the film anyway. Now, the more 'mystery' type elements will actually work, allowing the audience to learn things as Clark does.

That means that the film will start off with Clark on the boat. However, it's not a crabbing boat, it's a fishing trawler, in the sea west of Greenland. Now, a quick bit of googling/wikipedia hunting reveals that most of Greenland's fishing operations are in the southwest area of the country. But the northwest area is a good place to set up a fictional oil rig, and if a small-time fishing boat looking give the competition a wide berth were to move further north than usual, they'd be in the perfect spot to go to that rig should it suffer an emergency. As for why all this is important, it's because in the original film Clark left the boat to help an oil rig- but it seemed to be on Canada's west coast, putting him extremely far from Ellesmere Island, which is where the Kryptonian scout ship was located. And before you ask “wouldn't it be easier to change the ship's location”- the answer is no. Ellesmere is in the extreme middle-north of  Canada, near Greenland and almost at the North Pole. It is the furthest north you can actually go in Canada, about as remote as you can get, and that makes it the perfect place for the scout ship to be found. So, Clark on a fishing boat off the west coast of  Greenland, they go to help a collapsing oil rig, Clark does his heroic rescue, then washes up on the east coast of Canada not too far south of Ellesmere. Follow so far?

After washing ashore, rather than stealing clothes off some poor sod's clothesline (seriously though, who in Canada would be drying their clothes outside like that? Wouldn't they get frozen stiff?), Clark instead finds a local donation box where people have dropped off clothes for charity. I'm sure you've seen the type, they're usually big and yellow and sitting right next to a church. At least, in the US they are. Canada probably has them, too, and even if they don't, I'm sure only the Canadians will know or care (I don't mean to be rude, Canada is still awesome!). Anyway, Clark pulls some raggedy but passable clothes out of the bin like a good homeless person, and then decides to pan handle a bit because what the hell else is he gonna do? No ID, no wallet. No real choice.

Somebody drops a few bills into Clark's money hat, so he goes to the local dive to get something to eat. There, he flirts with the waitress, but nicely, and mentions to her that he's heading north, because that just feels like the right direction. One of the other customers mentions that he's been contracted to do some infrastructure out on Ellesmere, and offers Clark both a ride north and even a job, if he's actually willing to work. Clark accepts, the man leaves- and then the waitress Clark was talking to gets harassed by another customer. Clark tries to intervene, but the guy's a local, so he gets Clark thrown out. Clark is about to leave- when he notices the guy's fancy new pickup. Cue the smirk, and the scene-cut to later when the asshole comes outside to see his Chevy crumpled into a ball.

After that, the next big difference is that Lois Lane isn't the only press person on Ellesmere, and all of the press are herded into a big tent and only given an 'official' story, which Lois immediately knows is bullshit. That night, she goes outside to secretly take photos of the excavation and have a look around- when she notices Clark sneaking away and decides to follow him. The rest of that scene plays out more or less the same, except for one thing- the scout ship emits a pulse after it takes off, a pulse that travels into space...

After that, we get some similar-to-the-original scenes of Clark speaking to Jor-El's hologram and learning how to fly, while Lois tracks his path from Ellesmere all the way back to Smallville. Oh, and for those who are not aware, most modern versions of DC lore have the Daily Planet not be a simple newspaper. It has television portions and sometimes even a website. That will hold true here, with Perry White just being the old-fashioned guy who runs the print portion of the company and is under constant pressure from his superiors to actually, you know, turn a profit. He's barely making it, which is why he's hard on Lois for not doing her job.

Back to Supes, he returns home to Smallville and tells Martha that he's found out where he came from and all that. Then Lois shows up, and in an effort to get her to drop the story, Clark takes her aside and says that this isn't her story to tell. If he has to be exposed to the world, it should be on his terms. He tells her that his father died from a medical condition, something Clark could do nothing about, and on his deathbed Jonathan Kent told Clark to figure out what kind of man he wanted to be before he revealed himself. Clark hasn't quite done that yet, he's only just discovered where he came from.

Lois listens to all this and still thinks that she should publish an article about him, because she's a hardcore journalist who isn't immediately head-over-heels for a guy just because he's hot and happened to save her life. As a last ditch effort, Clark reminds her that she kind of owes him for saving her life, causing her to reluctantly agree to wait... so long as she gets an exclusive interview with him when he does.

When Zod arrives, he doesn't bother contacting the humans, believing them to be lesser creatures. Instead, he and his crew fly directly down to Kal-El, being capable of tracking him from orbit. Thus the Smallville fight happens a bit earlier. And after Superman fights them off, the human military surrounds him and he surrenders to them as a show of humility and trust. The military then beams a simple message to Zod's ship, letting the Kryptonians know they have Kal-El and are willing to hand him over. Thus, the dropship collecting him. Lois does not go with them.

Before the dropship collects him, Superman asks the military people if he can speak to Lois. They're hesitant, but he says that he could just leave, so they agree and bring her in. She gets her interview, and she does wonder out loud if she should go into space, but Supes says no. Instead, he hands her the Kryptonian key and says to take it with her to Smallville. She'll figure out what she's supposed to do once she's there.

Up on the Kryptonian ship, Zod imprisons Kal-El, uses the mind-meld thing to learn about him, and then mocks him with Earth's impending doom, before leaving with a parting shot that reveals he killed Jor-El, which is a surprise because, hey, we weren't shown it in the first thirty minutes. Zod tells his subordinates to lower the ship into Metropolis, a location of great importance in Kal-El's mind, then takes a dropship and leaves. He tells his soldiers that he's going to pay respects to an old friend.

So, no World Engine in the Indian Ocean, Superman is literally right there but he's weak because of the Kryptonian environment of the ship. Thankfully, it practically landing on Earth interferes with that and Supes is able to muster up heroic willpower and escape, then fights the ship's outer defenses to destroy the terraforming device on its underside.

At the same time, Lois gets to Smallville and shows Martha the Key. Martha shows her the tiny ship Clark arrived in, and Lois puts the key inside the right slot, and Jor-El appears. He then, offscreen, tells Lois how to defeat the Kryptonians. A couple scene cuts later she's all, 'I have to tell Clark', and runs off. Somehow she's traversing from Smallville to Metropolis in a short timespan, but hey, this is a comicbook movie, just accept it.

Zod finds Clark's ship, 'kills' Jor-El again, and takes the ship as his new flying fortress. He heads back to Metropolis to witness his triumph.

Meanwhile, Lois finds Metropolis shut down by the police and military, but Superman hears her nearby and rushes over. She tells him that if his arrival pod comes into contact with the main ship, it'll make a singularity and the Kryptonians will all be sucked inside. He leaves to go get his pod, while the military starts engaging the Kryptonians. They'll actually somewhat successful, in that they down a few fighters within the already-dead zone, which is considerably smaller, and they keep the individual invaders from killing civilians.

After a bit, Superman comes back and is about to hurl the pod at the ship when Zod arrives, and he shoots Superman out of the sky. He also shoots down the human planes and fires randomly into the city. Then Superman knocks the ship down, and doesn't just throw the pod into the mothership, he flies the pod straight into the ship and then comes out the other side in a spray of debris. The whole thing collapses, and Superman drops down and fields a few questions from curious people. It's also the first time he uses the name 'Superman' himself, after Lois brought it up earlier.

But oh no, Zod survived. He gets out of the wreckage and completely dominates the fight against Superman. Think 'Sam Raimi Spiderman 1', how at the end of the movie the Green Goblin was just kicking the shit out of Spidey for about five minutes straight. Superman finally manages to get an upper hand, but Zod is explicitly stronger than him, and has less control over his powers. The situation in the train station happens again, with Zod pinned but using his heat vision to threaten the humans. Superman struggles with him, even covers his eyes, but that just causes the beams to leak out in weird directions like when you put your finger over a running water spout. Zod starts thrashing at the ground and causing pseudo-earthquakes, while freeze breathe pushes out in bursts, and his whole body is vibrating with superspeed. Finally, Superman does the only thing he can think of- and quickly tosses Zod up into the air. However, Zod doesn't come back down, and the reason why is plain: Superman accidentally tossed Zod into a piece of Kryptonian wreckage, which pierced his chest and killed him. He dies hanging there with a smile on his face. Then Clark falls to his knees screaming and crying.

After a montage of the various news agencies applauding Superman while also dropping easter eggs for random DC stuff, there's an explicit time skip of a few months. Superman stops to talk with the General guy, without destroying anything. He asks him to please stop following him with the drones. They already have the Kryptonian scout ship, that should be enough for them. The general admits he's probably right and will talk to the people even higher in the government. He then formally thanks Superman for killing Zod- to which Supes flinches and we can clearly see that he isn't over the trauma of it. But that's for the next movie (see Part 1).

The ending is just the 'Clark now works at the Daily Planet' bit, so more or less the same as the original.

And there we go! There's more here than I thought there'd be, but I had to really do a lot of clean up. Spread out the action for better pacing, give Lois a role in the story that actually makes sense, remove the stupid subplots, address the extreme destruction without removing all collateral damage, make Supes a better character and not just a messianic archetype... you get the picture. I think this version of Man of Steel would flow better into future movies. Let me know if there's anything I need to change in my version, or anything that still doesn't feel right. Thanks for reading!

[dracox-serdriel]

Supergirl: Kara/James Meta

I wanted to reflect a little bit on the Kara/James relationship. A lot of people have said that their relationship ended before it began for no reason--or that the only reason was to “make room” for Mon-El--but I disagree entirely. I believe the romance was interrupted by Kara’s brush with death, which forces her to reconsider everything in her life (outside of being Supergirl).

Warning: Spoilers for all episodes for Supergirl through 02x15 Exodus.

I think the major reason for this “no reason” perception comes from the break between Season 1 and Season 2. In fact, the “sudden breakup” thing reads to me like another TV romance, JD/Eliot in Scrubs, specifically 3x20 My Fault, where JD gives a speech to Eliot about he wanted to be with her, finally wooing her into dumping her fiance to be with him. As she curls against him, his thought is the final thing we hear: “I DON’T WANT HER!”

It’s jarring but not entirely unexpected, given our knowledge of the characters. It does feel weird, though, because unlike Scrubs, the characters on Supergirl are more mature, and most of them are self-aware, too. However, Kara is struggling with herself and her awareness of herself.

So what prompts this epic split between Kara and James after they spent a good chunk of Season 1 in the will-they-or-won’t-they phase? I believe it all comes down to Supergirl facing her own death during the Season 1 finale.

Given the odds she’s facing in the Season 1 Finale, she says her goodbye:

KARA: James, I know in my heart, that we could've been happy together. But we missed our chance. And now, the most important thing to me is that you find happiness. Find someone who appreciates how amazing you are. 

JAMES: Kara, wait. Kara, why are you saying this? What's going on with you?

KARA: Nothing. I just... I care about you a lot, James Olsen. Always remember that.

JAMES: Kara.

KARA: I can't. I have to go.

-- Episode 01x20 Better Angels

She then has this conversation with J’onn J’onzz:

J’ONN: I was exactly where you are, Kara. And when I was, you told me to never give up.

KARA: I'm not giving up. But my mother didn't send me to Earth to fall in love with a human, have children, live in a house with a white picket fence. She sent me here to protect Kal-El. And now, I will use my powers to protect the Earth. And If I die achieving that, I'm at peace with it. I'll join my mother. We'll be together in Rao's light.

-- Episode 01x20 Better Angels

Still, Kara faces off against Non and Indigo and lives, though she nearly dies in the process several times. She has a reunion with everyone after her narrow escape (thanks to Alex being a bad-ass), and then she tries to act as if she hadn’t been essentially arranging for her own funeral for the entire episode.

I wish they had spent more time on this, but the show goes from the end of Season 1 to the beginning of Season 2 with almost all of this struggle to return to normal off-screen. We are literally seeing the tail-end of it in 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl.

In the Season 2 Premiere, we pick up with a few spare comments about the dude in a pod before she starts talking about her date with James, which apparently they arranged, even though she told him that they couldn’t be together. That kiss during her “hey we survived” party magically made everything better, right?

Except it didn’t.

ALEX: So, are you watching the Venture launch tonight?

KARA: No, actually, James and I are going on our first date. It's gonna be great. We are finally both free and clear to just hang out. No aliens trying to destroy the Earth. Just him and me, together like normal people, doing what people do on dates.

ALEX: Okay.

KARA: What?

ALEX: What, what? You're doing that thing where you say "Okay," but you're not actually okay. Because you're doing that thing where you are super overeager, which means that you really aren't, but you're trying to convince yourself that you are.

KARA: I am not doing that thing. That's... I'm excited. This is me excited. Mmm-hmm.

-- Episode 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl

This is the first sign that Kara hasn’t really dealt with her near-death experience in the Season 1 Finale. She’s trying to act like she hasn’t just made a major life discovery, like everything hasn’t changed for her, and part of that is going on a date with James (pursing “the romance”).

But it’s not just Kara that’s getting all wiggy here. James is super-nervous, too.

KARA: Pizza and potstickers is my most favorite meal.

JAMES: Which I know about you. Um, I'm surprised you don't have the Venture launch on. I know how into the space program you are.

KARA: Oh, that's not a big deal.

JAMES: Kara, you can put it on, it's fine.

KARA: Well, maybe I'll just put it on without the sound.

-- Episode 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl

James definitely knows a lot about Kara, and he certainly know how she feels about him. So why is he so nervous? I’m guessing it has to do with how she’s been acting (off-screen) between the Season 1 Finale and the Season 2 Premiere. He knows something is up, and he must’ve realized it’s affecting their relationship. Even though he knows how she feels about him and that he reciprocates, it makes him nervous. This is also why he asks her “What’s changed?” later in the episode.

Then we get this conversation with Superman:

KARA: For so long, I kept my head down and moved forward. And life was simple. And now I have all these options. An amazing guy and any job I want and I'm... I'm stuck.

CLARK: I've been where you are. You know, trying to figure out how to be Clark and Superman.

KARA: Yeah, but you made it look so easy.

CLARK: Well, it wasn't. It's still not. Look, all I know is that being Kara is just as important as being Supergirl... Trust yourself, Kara. Listen to your heart. If things are right with James, you'll know it.

-- Episode 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl

If Kara was really ready for a relationship with anyone, then she wouldn’t be so conflicted over everything. She would understand and accept that any dates James and she have will almost certainly be interrupted by all manner of things, given both their jobs and the fact that she is Supergirl on top of it.

Instead she fixates on “the perfect date,” aka the thing that will make her feel like being with James is exactly right, which is the kind of thing you do when you’re uncertain of a relationship... and you know it, and you don’t want to admit you’re uncertain about it. Kara has been feeling that being with James isn’t right for her, almost certainly since 01x20 Better Angels, but she hasn’t dealt with that. She’s trying to push ahead like those doubts aren’t there because she was so certain she wanted to be with James before.

Thus, Kara is seeking verification. She wants to know she’s on the right path. But there’s no such thing for relationships. You have to jump in and swim, and that relationship might sink to the deep and drag you along with it. 

She eventually comes to the conclusion that Alex seems to have already guessed and James seems to be dreading... that she shouldn’t be with James.

“You know, what's funny is, on Krypton, by my age, I'd be a spinster. I know it seems like I should have everything figured out by now, but I don't. Last year was all about figuring out how to be Supergirl, and now... Now it's time I figure out how to be Kara. You were right, James. Something has changed for me. You and me together, that's all I wanted. But now when I listen to my heart, I just... I know that we are best as friends.”

-- Kara to James in episode 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl

Far from this being out of the blue, both the Season 1 finale and the Season 2 premiere implied this was coming. The primary issue (the reason it was a surprise) is that the kiss at the end of 01x20 Better Angels implies a resolution and moving forward, which 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl doesn’t truly address head-on until the last few scenes.

Kara faces her own mortality and prepares for her own funeral in the Season 1 finale, and unlike many other superhero/scifi shows, Supergirl decides to actually address the fall-out from those decisions at the beginning of Season 2 in a very real way. Kara has tons of things to distract her from inner revelations, (not the least of which is the Dude in a Kryptonian Pod) including deciding on a new career and starting a new romantic relationship.

During 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl, Kara tries to act as if nothing has changed. As if she hasn’t realized that becoming Supergirl is a lot more than just rescuing cats (or snakes named Fluffy) from trees... She’s been injured and in danger before, certainly, but Kara willingly laid down her life for the planet, going so far as to fly into outer space without a safe way to return.

This experience shakes up everything Kara knew about herself and Supergirl, so it makes sense that it would shake up all her relationships. Which it does. She leans on Clark when he arrives, but during the first three episodes, she has conflicts with pretty much everybody she knows, including Alex (02x02 The Last Children of Krypton) and J’onn (02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl and 02x02 The Last Children of Krypton), though both those conflicts appear to be a result of her relationship with Clark. But it’s more than that. A lot more.

Kara doesn’t jump into a relationship with anyone else after she ends things with James. In fact, it’s not until 02x11 The Martian Chronicles, when Alex encourages Kara to explore her feelings about Mon-El, which is months after 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl. 

The reason for Kara and James splitting up isn’t abrupt or random, but it does leave the door open for future development, which the show did not pursue. I wish they spent more time on Kara’s inner struggle here, because they have a great speech from Cat Grant that underscores the theme, but they left out so much of the self-reflection that it’s easy to miss.

“You're standing on the shore, afraid to dive into the new waters, and you're afraid because you don't wanna say goodbye to the mild-mannered, lovelorn Kara Danvers, the sweet and dutiful assistant to Cat Grant. You are standing there looking out at your options, the icy blue water, the fast-flowing river, and the choppy sea. And they all look very appealing to you because you're dying to go for a swim, but you know that water is going to be cold, and the journey is going to be hard, and when you reach the other side, you will have become a new person. And you are scared to meet that new version of yourself. Now, we all get used to our own personas, and we're used to our own comfort zones, but, trust me, in order to live, we must keep daring. Keep diving.”

-- Kat Grant in episode 02x01 The Adventures of Supergirl

Sudden, but not sudden.

[shadows-of-the-night11]

“It’s always like that.” Kalex.

@venus-kareng So I don’t know if you’ve read this before but this is a huge thank you. I wouldn’t have been brave enough to publish this.

This goes to @aprocrastinatingwriter too. So this is the whole thing.

And finally to @dcgcharlie This is for you too. You always talk to me and get my mind off from bad things. So thank you a lot. If you read this I hope you like it. You’re cool little dragon.

Alex wakes up in the middle of the night not for the first time. She can’t hold back the shiver when the chilly air kisses her skin once again. WInter is not extremely harsh in the middle of National City but that doesn’t mean that Alex is not seeking warmth under the covers.

It’s not the first time that Kara steals the blankets and Alex knows for sure that it won’t be the last. They have shared a bed more than enough times to be certain about it.

Alex groans almost silently but it’s enough for Kara to hear and wake up almost completely. She is far too tuned with Alex breathing and the beating of her heart to know when there’s something wrong but it takes a little longer for her sleep fogged brain to catch on what’s exactly going on.

“I’m sorry.”

Kara mumbles the apology but she hurries to untangle herself from the mess of sheets and then she offers a spot beneath them to Alex. Maybe if they're closer to each other they can avoid another incident with the blankets at least for the rest of the night.

Alex gets closer to her sister and hums in contentment once that warmth welcomes her but that doesn’t help the new wave of goosebumps that suddenly covers her skin. There’s nothing she can do to prevent Kara from noticing her reaction when the blonde has super vision even in their dim light room.

“Oh, Alex.” Kara mutters while rubbing the brunette’s bare arm. “Come here.”

Alex let Supergirl pull her even closer until she’s literally lying on top of the alien girl. Kara’s arms wrap around her waist and a gentle kiss is left on her temple with so much delicacy that Alex wonders if her beloved Kara thinks she’s going to break with such a gentle gesture but, she says nothing because she loves those moments.

They fall into an easy silence even if they’re not asleep yet. They’re comfortable in each other’s presence and no matter what they do or who they are out of that bedroom; no one can grant them that sense of peace and quietness that only comes when they’re together and alone.

Sure thing, National City is out there; beginning to stir with the first rays of sunshine making their way through the night. There are thousands of people waiting a new day without knowing what it will bring but they are confident that Supergirl will be there to save the day if the occasion emerges. Cat Grant is out there; waiting for a hot latte and for her day to be arranged perfectly by her assistant. There are a lot of aliens that once went to Fort Rozz waiting their turn to try and kill Supergirl but the DEO’s also there; waiting for Alex to be Supergirl’s hero.

However, there's so much more to them than what other people see.

Yes, the world waits for them and neither of them can really stop doing what they do to make the world a better place. They’re happy saving lives and protecting those who can’t protect themselves. There's no other thing that they would do instead of protecting those they love.

However, from time to time they need to forget about everything and everyone that’s not them. From time to time they need that small eternity hidden behind closed doors when no one knows that Kara Danvers is a superhero or that Alex is an agent of the DEO.

In moments like the one they’re sharing, they don’t need anyone to know or to be there if it's not the other. In those precious moments they don’t owe the world a thing and they can let themselves be who they really are, with no one there to judge or boss them around.

There’s so many sides of Kara that no one knows but Alex. They’re the kind of secret that Alex holds close to her heart without realizing that she’s the only one that knows Kara better than anyone.

She knows Kara when she’s heartbroken because her relationship with Winn is not the same or when James can’t decide if he wants his old life or if he’s simply too afraid to start something new. She knows that there’s no words to offer in a situation like that but at least there’s enough ice cream on the freezer and Alex makes sure there are enough pot stickers for the both of them.

Alex knows when Kara is frustrated or even angry and it’s not because of the way she punches that old car that has to be replaced with a new one after every boxing session. It’s about the way Kara’s blue eyes speak volumes about her emotions. It’s easy to notice when she stops smiling or when the sound of her laugh doesn’t fill the DEO quarters. She’s not going to take her anger out on anyone because Kara’s heart is too big and she’s too good to lash out on innocent people. But Alex knows and she’s there for Kara when no one can even tell that there’s something wrong.

And Alex can tell when those blue eyes loss her brightness even if Kara tries not to look at her. Alex just knows when that superheroine doesn't feel so super or when Kara doesn't feel like a normal person. Of course that she's not normal, she’s better than that, but Alex sits down and pulls her into one of those “not thinking” hugs because Kara needs to feel loved and gods, Alex loves her. There’s no one out there that can love her just as much.

It's so easy to know what’s going on in Kara’s mind even if Alex doesn’t have the ability to read minds but it’s not like she ever needed to.

There’s no other being in the whole universe that can understand Kara and Supergirl in the same way that Alex does because maybe if Kara wasn’t from Krypton then J’onn would be able to read her mind and yet he wouldn’t understand half the things that Alex does with just looking into those big blue eyes. Alex doesn’t need to talk or wait for Kara to speak because Kara is always an open book but only to Alex. It’s always been like that.

There are things that neither of them can change like the fact that Kara is an alien or that Krypton is no longer a planet. No one can avoid the beginning of a new day or hide the truth forever and the truth is that Supergirl belongs to National City and to the world. She’s a symbol of hope that not even Myriad was able to take away from people. But Kara is a different story.

Kara Danvers belongs to an erratic life trying to make Cat Grant’s perfect. Kara belongs partially to a bunch of people and yet she only let them see what she wants them to see. Cat, James, Winn, Lucy; all of them know her and yet they know nothing at all because the whole truth is that Kara belongs to Alex in ways that no one can really comprehend.

Kara Zor-El watched how her planet and home exploded and she arrived to Earth knowing that perhaps it was the wrong place for her since Kal-El was no longer a child. The Danvers were a lovely family but they weren’t hers. Earth was so foreign with millions of people that Kara would never meet and so many faces that Kara couldn’t remember. Then she met Alex and after a harsh start, this new world changed completely.

Alex was her home when her planet returned to be stardust. Alex was the right place to be when Clark Kent didn’t need a savior because he was one. Alex was her family even if they were not blood related and soon Alex was everything Kara could have ever asked for and so much more.

And yes, Kara knows so much about Alex that she could fill in the surprisingly blank holes in her expedient at the DEO. Everybody knows the basics; when she was born, her height and to which college she attended. Everybody  knows how smart she was but they don’t really know.

They do not know that Alex’s favorite color is blue because it reminds her of the deep sea. They don’t know that Alex still had her surfboard even if years have passed since the last time she conquered a wave. No one knows that Alex is afraid of darkness even if she’s no longer a child. No one knows how much Alex despises the bitter taste of coffee even if she drinks a little too much of it because no one dares to really see her.

But Kara knows, oh how much she knows.

Kara knows that Alex could never sleep with her socks on or that she prefers to do so without pants because the cold feeling of the sheets against her skin helps her relax. Kara knows that she would complain about every romantic comedy that Kara picks for movie night but she actually enjoys them if the glint on hazel eyes is anything to go by. Kara knows that Alex prefers long baths rather than hurried showers but she indulges in five more minutes of sleep more often that she should so she doesn’t enjoy baths as much as she would like.

Kara knows that Alex prefers mint chocolate chip ice cream above everything else and her favorite pie is, wait for it, not chocolate pecan pie but cherry. Kara knows that she actually enjoyed Harry Potter and she cries every single time they watch The Lion King. They cry together.

The reality is that Earth wouldn’t be the same without Alex. Kara is the girl that came from the stars and yet Alex seems to have stardust in hazel eyes. She reminds Kara of home even when there’s not a single thing from Krypton on her. Kara might get her energy and powers from Earth’s yellow Sun and still she can’t feel warmer than when she’s with Alex because she’s far brighter than the star that keeps Earth alive.

There are things that will never change and the smile that Alex offers only to Kara is just one of those, along with the fact that they feel comfortable and safe when the other is around. Supergirl is the savior of National City but even that powerful angel of blonde hair and blue suit needs to be saved from time to time and therefore; Alex is always there for her. They save each other in every way a person can be saved.

Perhaps they weren’t meant to know each other. They were from different worlds and different species but they found a way to be together. After so many years spent together they can’t imagine a life if the other is not there. They became the most important person to each other and if one dared to look a little closer, one could never see when one life started and the other ended.

They follow the emblem of the El House to the letter. “Stronger together.” Because like that not even Kryptonite can defeat Supergirl and no bullet can destroy Alex if Kara is her shield.

So Kara pulls Alex closer to her body and wraps her arms around that slender waist. Her hands rub Alex’s back and trace ancient symbols that were long forgotten with the destruction of Krypton. Those symbols mean everything and nothing and Alex can’t decipher them when they’re drawn on her skin but she doesn’t need to because she just knows what they mean.

Kara nuzzles her nose against the short tresses of dark hair that tickle her nose before she presses a soft kiss to Alex’s temple like a silent promise that both of them hold close to their hearts.

Alex can’t help but chuckle because she can feel how Kara tenses with unsaid words and the need to adjust into the bed without wanting to disturb her.

“You can always tell me if you’re not comfortable.”

“It’s not that!” Kara sighs and struggles with words that never come because Alex knows. She always does.

Alex raises her head to peck Kara’s cheek lovingly before lying down on her back and pulling Kara on top. They like it that way the most because Kara’s weight is comforting to Alex. She’s surrounded by Kara’s warmth and that sweet aroma that is solely hers. Meanwhile Kara can rest her head on Alex’s chest and hear her beating heart along with the melody of a steady breathing.

They’re too afraid of losing each other because in the end they’re all they have.

“Sleep well, Supergirl.”

Alex can feel the smile on Kara’s lips against her neck even when she’s not able to see the blinding light coming from it.

Kara tightens her grip around Alex’s waist slightly and closes her eyes even when a new day is about to start. They still have a couple hours to enjoy and they know how to do it in the best way.

“I love you, Alex.”

“I love you too.”

Besides, they can always manage five more minutes.

[rodrigohyde]

Henry Cavill talks 'Justice League,' dating, and how he's achieved zen-like comfort in his hardcore training

Ben Watts

Editor's Note: This feature originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of Men's Fitness.

Though Henry Cavill has found worldly fame through a character who is, very literally, out of this world—of course, he’s best known as the last son of Krypton in director Zack Snyder’s 2013 franchise reboot, Man of Steel, and its follow-up, this year’s megahit Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice—he works pretty damn hard to keep his real-life self firmly grounded here on Earth. In fact, the 33-year-old English superstar has shunned the trappings of a full-time Hollywood lifestyle for a quieter, more friends-and-family-centric life in London. “If I ever become an egomaniac, then I’ve messed it up," he says.

Here, Cavill shares more about keeping his head screwed on straight while supersizing his muscles, how he’d prefer roles more in the vein of Bond than Bale, and why no one should ever dare to push around his pooch. Of course, there’s also one particularly buzzy thing he simply can’t talk about. So we’ll get to that first. [Speaking of: major spoiler alert.]

[RELATED1]

Your character gets killed off at the end of Batman v Superman, but you’re making Justice League now, so clearly Superman comes back to life. How does he do it?

I’m afraid I can’t talk about it. In fact, I’m sure there’s someone [from the studio] waiting just outside my house in case they overhear me say something. Then I’ll be shuffled off involuntarily.

You’re the first British Superman. What’s it like playing this iconic American character?

Well, Superman, in my belief, is for everyone. I mean, he’s American, but he’s not necessarily just for Americans. I think people everywhere know who Superman is, and they can relate to Superman. I think the feeling I have for Superman would be the same as the American version of me would have for Superman. My playing the character, as a Brit, doesn’t make a difference because when it comes to the whole acting thing, ultimately, it’s an alien who flies around and stuff. It’s an acting job.

Did you grow up in a DC universe or a Marvel one?

I didn’t grow up in either in particular. When I was a young lad I was into Superman, I was into Iron Man, I was into the X-Men. I didn’t really know there was a difference. To be honest—I’m really not too sure if there is now. I think they’re all damn cool. Since I got the role of Superman, I’ve been more into the character and delving into the DC universe. I’m loving what DC is doing. I think it’s just fun, and it’s everything it should be in a comic book. It’s inspirational, it’s joyful, it’s got heart. It’s the kind of thing kids read and want to grow up trying to emulate, and that’s what it should be.

[RELATED2]

So what’s Henry Cavill’s personal Kryptonite?

The people I love. I think if someone went after them, then that would change every single core characteristic of mine. I wouldn’t become weak, but I don’t think I’d be very good, if you know what I mean. If I were to be walking my dog, for example, and someone were to kick my dog, I honestly don’t know what I would do. I think I’d probably get myself into a big amount of trouble.

What kind of dog do you have?

I have an Akita named Kal. I picked up Kal for the first time during preproduction for Batman v Superman. I got him in Arkansas, which I was sure was pronounced “Ar-Kansas” before I got there. I said it in front of lots and lots of people, but no one corrected me until I actually got to Arkansas, and they said, “Oh yeah, it’s ‘Arkansaw,’ not ‘Ar-Kansas.’” I thought, “Thanks, everyone else who’s heard me say that.”

Are your regular “off-season” workouts significantly different from the ones you do when you have to bulk up and look like the Man of Steel?

During an off-season period, I’ll be at a level of having gotten fit, so I’ll be going to the gym I train at here in London. It’s just about working, pushing hard, but not to the point where I’m getting up the next day and being really sore.

[RELATED3]

You’re looking pretty big these days. Do you really keep it to such a moderate intensity?

Once you get to the level of being fit, there are days when you go, “You know what? Today I just want to dig a very deep hole and jump into it.” Then sometimes your energy is really high and you think, “I’m going to hurt myself today. Let’s see if I still bleed.” And you will bleed! Then you’ll wake up the next day and go, “Oh, holy moly—but it was fun.” It’s just going there, breathing, getting some endorphins flowing. Maybe you want to work on some muscle groups. Maybe you want to get leaner. And so you can set little tasks for yourself. It’s very, very important as well to have someone who genuinely knows what they’re talking about, who can advise you on diet and what you’re doing with it, as far as training is concerned. These are all important things. These are things that I don’t know. Thankfully, I have my trainer here in London, Michael Blevins. If I say, “You know what? I want to have bigger hamstrings. They’re nice and strong, but I want them to be bigger. What do I do?” He goes, “OK, cool. Well, do this, this, and this. Up your calories...”

You’re pretty forthcoming about your workouts, often posting online clips of yourself training. Is that an important conversation to have with your fans?

A lot of working out today is, “Let’s make it an easy fix.” Do this, and do that, and you’ve got 60-second abs. My own personal approach to training is, I’m learning year after year after year and applying it and finding what fits and suits me best for my lifestyle. It’s been a long process. There’s no quick fix. I was very fit, then I was not very fit, then I was very fit again, then I was not very fit. Now that I’m fit again, I think I’ve found a comfortable balance, which is enjoyable because we all like to go out for drinks and have pizza and have dinners and all the nice things in life, and not being a complete gym psycho. But I stay fit enough to feel comfortable with taking my shirt off at the beach, because someone’s going to take a photo, and then it won’t all of a sudden be, “Hey look, fat Superman!” in the Daily Mail or something like that. It’ll just be, “Hey, look, Henry Cavill at the beach,” and I won’t be ashamed to see that photo. So through my Instagram and my social media, I’m trying to sort of send the message out there that it’s a process. As much as I can, I like to get it out there that you don’t have to endure a psychotic, agonizing workout. You don’t have to leave it all on the floor every time. Hopefully through my social media I can help educate people.

11 intense movie star workouts you can totally steal >>>

Could you see taking roles down the line that require sort of the opposite transformation, like Christian Bale in The Machinist, for which you’d have to drop 60lbs?

Unless the script was very good, I would say no. If it were something I really cared about and I really wanted to have, like, an effect on an audience because it’s subject matter that’s very, very important to me, and I wanted to get it out there, then yeah, I could see myself doing it. Otherwise, no. I’m not going to be like, “Hey, I’m going to do a big fat-man role or a really skinny role because that’s what all the big actors do these days!” I’m not going to choose work to make people go, “Oh, wow, he can really act because he can lose lots of weight.”

[RELATED4]

Is there another career you could’ve envisioned pursuing had things worked out differently?

Thankfully, at this stage I’ve got my foot in the door enough that if someone tried to slam it shut, I could probably squeeze through a little bit and keep the door open. As far as a full backup plan, it was the British Armed Forces. But being 33 years old, I think I’m too old to join now.

Speaking of the armed forces: James Bond is a character you’ve spoken to us about before. Are you still interested in playing him one day?

Absolutely. It’d be awesome to play Bond, a classic Bond, really. I wouldn’t play the same kind of Bond as Daniel Craig because that’s an amazing Bond, and I don’t think I’d be the person to outdo Daniel Craig at doing Daniel Craig’s Bond. I would love to do a different version and just have enormous amounts of fun with it. The great thing about Bond is that every different actor can play him so differently.

I’ve noticed the bookmakers in London keep adjusting the odds on who has the best shot right now to become the new Bond. Tom Hiddleston seems to be among the top choices. Do you think that’s because he’s already cast his own real-life Bond Girl in Taylor Swift?

Oh, I know nothing about that. The greatest thing about this entertainment industry is that whether there’s a movie out or not, people can find some entertainment from it.

[RELATED5]

I think a lot of people see you as sort of a real-life James Bond, a suave, charming lady-killer who always gets the girl. Do you have any dating and love advice that you think young men should keep in mind—things that you try to do in your own life?

That’s a tough one, giving advice to anyone. I’ve always been very careful at giving advice because I think the best advice in the world is “Don’t give advice unless it’s asked for”. But if, say, for example, a hypothetical reader were hypothetically asking for advice, then I would say: Stop looking to get laid, and look more for someone who can make you the better version of you in a good, happy way. That’s going to make you happier, more than just getting laid will.

And where are you on that journey?

Well, I keep those kinds of things to myself for now.

Celebrities

from Men's Fitness https://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/henry-cavill-mens-fitness-feature-justice-league-dating-superman-007

[egooksconnolly]

Henry Cavill talks 'Justice League,' dating, and how he's achieved zen-like comfort in his hardcore training

Ben Watts

Editor's Note: This feature originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of Men's Fitness.

Though Henry Cavill has found worldly fame through a character who is, very literally, out of this world—of course, he’s best known as the last son of Krypton in director Zack Snyder’s 2013 franchise reboot, Man of Steel, and its follow-up, this year’s megahit Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice—he works pretty damn hard to keep his real-life self firmly grounded here on Earth. In fact, the 33-year-old English superstar has shunned the trappings of a full-time Hollywood lifestyle for a quieter, more friends-and-family-centric life in London. “If I ever become an egomaniac, then I’ve messed it up," he says.

Here, Cavill shares more about keeping his head screwed on straight while supersizing his muscles, how he’d prefer roles more in the vein of Bond than Bale, and why no one should ever dare to push around his pooch. Of course, there’s also one particularly buzzy thing he simply can’t talk about. So we’ll get to that first. [Speaking of: major spoiler alert.]

[RELATED1]

Your character gets killed off at the end of Batman v Superman, but you’re making Justice League now, so clearly Superman comes back to life. How does he do it?

I’m afraid I can’t talk about it. In fact, I’m sure there’s someone [from the studio] waiting just outside my house in case they overhear me say something. Then I’ll be shuffled off involuntarily.

You’re the first British Superman. What’s it like playing this iconic American character?

Well, Superman, in my belief, is for everyone. I mean, he’s American, but he’s not necessarily just for Americans. I think people everywhere know who Superman is, and they can relate to Superman. I think the feeling I have for Superman would be the same as the American version of me would have for Superman. My playing the character, as a Brit, doesn’t make a difference because when it comes to the whole acting thing, ultimately, it’s an alien who flies around and stuff. It’s an acting job.

Did you grow up in a DC universe or a Marvel one?

I didn’t grow up in either in particular. When I was a young lad I was into Superman, I was into Iron Man, I was into the X-Men. I didn’t really know there was a difference. To be honest—I’m really not too sure if there is now. I think they’re all damn cool. Since I got the role of Superman, I’ve been more into the character and delving into the DC universe. I’m loving what DC is doing. I think it’s just fun, and it’s everything it should be in a comic book. It’s inspirational, it’s joyful, it’s got heart. It’s the kind of thing kids read and want to grow up trying to emulate, and that’s what it should be.

[RELATED2]

So what’s Henry Cavill’s personal Kryptonite?

The people I love. I think if someone went after them, then that would change every single core characteristic of mine. I wouldn’t become weak, but I don’t think I’d be very good, if you know what I mean. If I were to be walking my dog, for example, and someone were to kick my dog, I honestly don’t know what I would do. I think I’d probably get myself into a big amount of trouble.

What kind of dog do you have?

I have an Akita named Kal. I picked up Kal for the first time during preproduction for Batman v Superman. I got him in Arkansas, which I was sure was pronounced “Ar-Kansas” before I got there. I said it in front of lots and lots of people, but no one corrected me until I actually got to Arkansas, and they said, “Oh yeah, it’s ‘Arkansaw,’ not ‘Ar-Kansas.’” I thought, “Thanks, everyone else who’s heard me say that.”

Are your regular “off-season” workouts significantly different from the ones you do when you have to bulk up and look like the Man of Steel?

During an off-season period, I’ll be at a level of having gotten fit, so I’ll be going to the gym I train at here in London. It’s just about working, pushing hard, but not to the point where I’m getting up the next day and being really sore.

[RELATED3]

You’re looking pretty big these days. Do you really keep it to such a moderate intensity?

Once you get to the level of being fit, there are days when you go, “You know what? Today I just want to dig a very deep hole and jump into it.” Then sometimes your energy is really high and you think, “I’m going to hurt myself today. Let’s see if I still bleed.” And you will bleed! Then you’ll wake up the next day and go, “Oh, holy moly—but it was fun.” It’s just going there, breathing, getting some endorphins flowing. Maybe you want to work on some muscle groups. Maybe you want to get leaner. And so you can set little tasks for yourself. It’s very, very important as well to have someone who genuinely knows what they’re talking about, who can advise you on diet and what you’re doing with it, as far as training is concerned. These are all important things. These are things that I don’t know. Thankfully, I have my trainer here in London, Michael Blevins. If I say, “You know what? I want to have bigger hamstrings. They’re nice and strong, but I want them to be bigger. What do I do?” He goes, “OK, cool. Well, do this, this, and this. Up your calories...”

You’re pretty forthcoming about your workouts, often posting online clips of yourself training. Is that an important conversation to have with your fans?

A lot of working out today is, “Let’s make it an easy fix.” Do this, and do that, and you’ve got 60-second abs. My own personal approach to training is, I’m learning year after year after year and applying it and finding what fits and suits me best for my lifestyle. It’s been a long process. There’s no quick fix. I was very fit, then I was not very fit, then I was very fit again, then I was not very fit. Now that I’m fit again, I think I’ve found a comfortable balance, which is enjoyable because we all like to go out for drinks and have pizza and have dinners and all the nice things in life, and not being a complete gym psycho. But I stay fit enough to feel comfortable with taking my shirt off at the beach, because someone’s going to take a photo, and then it won’t all of a sudden be, “Hey look, fat Superman!” in the Daily Mail or something like that. It’ll just be, “Hey, look, Henry Cavill at the beach,” and I won’t be ashamed to see that photo. So through my Instagram and my social media, I’m trying to sort of send the message out there that it’s a process. As much as I can, I like to get it out there that you don’t have to endure a psychotic, agonizing workout. You don’t have to leave it all on the floor every time. Hopefully through my social media I can help educate people.

11 intense movie star workouts you can totally steal >>>

Could you see taking roles down the line that require sort of the opposite transformation, like Christian Bale in The Machinist, for which you’d have to drop 60lbs?

Unless the script was very good, I would say no. If it were something I really cared about and I really wanted to have, like, an effect on an audience because it’s subject matter that’s very, very important to me, and I wanted to get it out there, then yeah, I could see myself doing it. Otherwise, no. I’m not going to be like, “Hey, I’m going to do a big fat-man role or a really skinny role because that’s what all the big actors do these days!” I’m not going to choose work to make people go, “Oh, wow, he can really act because he can lose lots of weight.”

[RELATED4]

Is there another career you could’ve envisioned pursuing had things worked out differently?

Thankfully, at this stage I’ve got my foot in the door enough that if someone tried to slam it shut, I could probably squeeze through a little bit and keep the door open. As far as a full backup plan, it was the British Armed Forces. But being 33 years old, I think I’m too old to join now.

Speaking of the armed forces: James Bond is a character you’ve spoken to us about before. Are you still interested in playing him one day?

Absolutely. It’d be awesome to play Bond, a classic Bond, really. I wouldn’t play the same kind of Bond as Daniel Craig because that’s an amazing Bond, and I don’t think I’d be the person to outdo Daniel Craig at doing Daniel Craig’s Bond. I would love to do a different version and just have enormous amounts of fun with it. The great thing about Bond is that every different actor can play him so differently.

I’ve noticed the bookmakers in London keep adjusting the odds on who has the best shot right now to become the new Bond. Tom Hiddleston seems to be among the top choices. Do you think that’s because he’s already cast his own real-life Bond Girl in Taylor Swift?

Oh, I know nothing about that. The greatest thing about this entertainment industry is that whether there’s a movie out or not, people can find some entertainment from it.

[RELATED5]

I think a lot of people see you as sort of a real-life James Bond, a suave, charming lady-killer who always gets the girl. Do you have any dating and love advice that you think young men should keep in mind—things that you try to do in your own life?

That’s a tough one, giving advice to anyone. I’ve always been very careful at giving advice because I think the best advice in the world is “Don’t give advice unless it’s asked for”. But if, say, for example, a hypothetical reader were hypothetically asking for advice, then I would say: Stop looking to get laid, and look more for someone who can make you the better version of you in a good, happy way. That’s going to make you happier, more than just getting laid will.

And where are you on that journey?

Well, I keep those kinds of things to myself for now.

Celebrities

Article source here:Men’s Fitness