History Music / JesusChristSuperstar

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: AnachronismStew aside, Pilate wearing purple makes absolutely no sense as that was reserved for the imperial family while the historical Pilate was most likely just a member of the nobility.

*** Taken to the next step in the [=NBC=] live concert production, where some of the crowd in "The Arrest" (as well as one of Peter's accusers in "Peter's Denial") are recording the incident with smartphone cameras.

* {{Angrish}}: "Don’t believe -- our good -- save Him -- if I could!"

* AntiVillain

-->'''Jesus''': You have nothing in your hands. Any power you have comes to you from far beyond. Everything is fixed, ''and you can't change it.''

-->Jesus!
-->You started to believe the things they say of you.
-->You really do ''believe'' this talk of God is true!
-->And all the good you've done will soon get swept away.
-->YOU begun to matter more than the things you say!

-->'''Jesus''': MY TEMPLE SHOULD BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER...BUT YOU HAVE MADE IT A DEN OF THIEVES!

--->'''Pilate''': You're Herod's race!
--->'''Mary''': NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
--->'''Pilate''': You're Herod's case!

-->'''Annas''': Cut the protesting, forget the excuses...

-->Hey JC, JC, won't you smile at me?\\

--> '''Jesus:''' Then, I was inspired. Now, I'm sad and tired.

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Simon gets an entire song dedicated to how he and the other hangers-on think Jesus is there to violently overthrow the Romans. This is especially the case in the 2000 film, where Jesus doesn’t bother to hide his dismay at Simon’s actions, which include leading an attack on the Roman guard sent to break up the crowd despite Jesus trying to calm things down, but Simon’s totally oblivious to Jesus’s reaction!

-->''Then I saw thousands of millions crying for this man''
-->''And then I heard them mentioning my name...and leaving me the blame.''

-->'''Caiaphas''': ''(comforting Judas)'' "What you have done will be the saving of Israel! / You'll be remembered forever for this."

-->'''Caiaphas''': One thing I'll say for him, Jesus is cool.

-->'''Priest''': Infantile sermons, the multitude drools!

-->'''Caiaphas''': For the sake of the nation, this Jesus must die!

--> '''Judas:''' You have murdered me!

--> "A rrrebel rrrousing mission which I think we must abort."

--> '''Judas:''' You want me to do it! What if I just stayed here and ruined your ambition? Christ, you deserve it!

--> '''Pilate:''' I see no reason! I find no evil!
--> This man is ''harmless'', so why does he upset you?!
--> He's just misguided! Thinks he's important!
--> [[YouBastard But to keep you]] ''[[YouBastard vultures]]'' [[YouBastard happy I will flog him!]]

** The 2018 NBC production subtly homages ''Theatre/NatashaPierreAndTheGreatCometOf1812'' during “Hosanna”, with Jesus and his followers entering through the audience and interacting with them, as well as the string flourishes being played by female ensemblists (and Great Comet alumni) running with the group.
** The original album musically references Krzstof Penderecki’s avant-garde Passion work “Utrenja: Ewangelia” during “Trial By Pilate/The 39 Lashes” — note the clattering percussion and the robotic, atonal way the crowd shouts “we have no king but Caesar” and “remember Caesar/you have a duty”, etc. Later productions lost some of this effect by giving the chorus more of a melody to shout to.

-->'''Annas:''' He's just another scripture-thumping hack from Galilee.
-->'''Caiaphas:''' The difference is they call him ''"king".'' The difference frightens me!

* YouCantFightFate: One of the main themes. Jesus, Judas, Pilate, and even Peter struggle to escape the roles that have been written for them, or at least to pass/pin the blame for their part on someone else, but to no avail. God ''will'' have His martyr, His betrayer(s), and His bloody, horrible ending.

%% * TheQueensLatin: Pilate.

%% * TheResenter: Judas.

%% * SmugSnake: Annas and King Herod.

** When the play caused controversy, a British clergyman attempted to defend it by urging people to overlook the long hair and beards (which were most likely historically correct) and instead listen to the lyrics (which, apparently unbeknownst to him, are often subversive to Christian beliefs).

** In the 1973 version, Herod alone is this while Jesus is not - although some of his lyrics point in this direction, he is still portrayed as a dignified and compassionate person on the whole.

* RewatchBonus: Jesus seems to be more flawed and lashing out at his followers, pushing Judas to betray him. Some stagings and the 2000 movie up this by having Jesus turn away from Judas and refuse to listen to him singing "Heaven on Their Minds" about how their movement is attracting the wrong sort of attention. Glenn Carter's Jesus keeps walking away from Jerome Pradon's Judas, and not wanting to make eye contact. When you look at Jesus's expressions on a rewatch, such as with Glenn Carter, Ben Forster or John Legend's interpretations, you realize he has known about his death for several days and it is coming. Thus, he can't acknowledge what Judas is saying, though he badly wants to do it. John Legend's Jesus also does listen to him for a few verses and has an apologetic look.

--> '''Judas''': You want me to do it! What if I just stayed here and ruined your ambition? Christ, you deserve it!

--> '''Pilate''': I see no reason! I find no evil!

** The original album musically references Krzstof Penderecki’s avant-garde Passion work “Utrenja: Ewangelia” during “Trial By Pilate/The 39 Lashes”- note the clattering percussion and the robotic, atonal way the crowd shouts “we have no king but Caesar” and “remember Caesar/you have a duty”, etc. Later productions lost some of this effect by giving the chorus more of a melody to shout to.

%% * SmugSnake: Annas and King Herod

** '''Caiaphas''': ''(comforting Judas)'' "What you have done will be the saving of Israel! [[ExactWords You'll be remembered forever for this!]]"
** '''Judas''':''(considering ''not'' betraying Jesus)'' "Christ, you deserve it!"

** The crucifixion sounds this way on the original studio album, with dissonant piano jangling, electronic warp noises, and the sounds of the laughing crowd twisted into something demonic that sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack to Film/TheShining. Downplayed in many later versions, where the actors playing the crowd merely laugh- cruelly, but not in a terrifying manner.
** In the 2000 version, this is ramped up again as not only is the sound of the nails being hammered into the cross amped up over the sound of Jesus and Judas screaming but the laughter of the guards following Jesus' line "God forgive them, they don't know what they're doing" is slowed down, lowered in pitch and mixed with a held high note sung by the chorus that results in a sound that, while not quite as demonic as the studio album, is still pretty damn frightening to listen to.

-->'''Pilate''': I wash my hands of your demolition! ''Die if you want to'', you innocent puppet!

** There's a ''lot'' of this in the 2000 version. Judas starts crying just before he takes the money in 'Damned For All Time/Blood Money' with the realisation of what he's about to do and what it will mean, Jesus is crying just before the lashing and even seems to be entering panic attack mode when he sees the guards handing out the hammer and nails towards the end of 'Superstar', most of the apostles are crying at various points during the 'Arrest' sequence...

* TraumaCongaLine: Basically everything after "Hosanna" is one long version of this for Jesus, and unlike in the Gospels, there's no Resurrection to soften the blow.

-->These results are for entertainment purposes only and do not reflect any real votes. The outcome is predetermined by the character of King Herod, who clearly is going to find Jesus guilty of being a fraud otherwise it would be a very short Act 2.

** Over time the biblical Judas has become an archetype of a traitor who betrays their closest friends for personal gain. Judas in ''JCS'', however, is a much more complex character and an example of this. He nails the point in "Heaven On Their Minds": the whole Jesus thing started nicely, but now it's getting out of hand, as the followers are speaking more and more openly of a violent rebellion against the occupying Romans. Judas sees that Jesus can very easily lose control over people following him, and while Romans can tolerate some religious sect wandering around, any attempt at the revolution will lead to a brutal suppression and nasty reprisal for all of Judea. Judas has basically a MortonsFork thing: betray his friend and have his name blackened forever, or watch the bloody slaughter of his fellow countrymen. Basically he chooses TheNeedsOfTheMany.
** Judas becomes aware that Jesus not only has foreknowledge of his betrayal, but is ''counting'' on it. This contributes greatly to his breakdown after Jesus' death; his cries that he's been ill-used by God, who created a plan that required a traitor and cast Judas in the role against his will, ring unsettlingly true.
** Caiaphas is presented less sympathetically than Judas, but his rationale is basically the same: he's also afraid Jesus will divide the Jewish people and eventually spark a doomed uprising against the Romans. Especially clear in "Then We Are Decided":

** In some productions, the entire musical is basically played as an extended one for Judas with him getting increasingly stressed and broken every single time he appears until his death.
** Pilate gets one during 'The Trial/39 Lashes' as he gradually realises that not only is he going to have to condemn a man who has done nothing to warrant it but that history is going to hate him for it for the rest of time. His last lines, ordering Jesus to his death, are often played not with any malice but as a man who has been pushed to his limits by the pressure from all sides and simply can't deal with any of it anymore.

** "This Jesus Must Die," "King Herod's Song" and "Then We Are Decided" from the movie.

** Arguably, Caiaphas, who thinks that "Jesus is cool" but feels that he has to have him killed to prevent him from stirring up revolution and provoking retaliation from Rome. When Judas is having his BSOD, Caiaphas comforts him, saying that his actions have saved Israel.

* YouCantFightFate: One of the main themes. Jesus, Judas, Pilate and even Peter struggle to escape the roles that have been written for them, or at least to pass/pin the blame for their part on someone else, but to no avail. God ''will'' have His martyr, His betrayer(s), and His bloody, horrible ending.

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Simon gets an entire song dedicated to how he and the other hangers-on think Jesus is there to violently overthrow the Romans.

* CreepyHighVoice: Annas sings entirely in falsetto (except for situations where he's played by a cis woman, obviously).

* TheResenter: Judas.

* RoyalBrat: Herod.

* AdaptationInducedPlothole: The 2012 arena version has Caiphas and Annas convincing Judas to betray Jesus with a kiss so they know who to arrest. Thing is, we see them watching Jesus's social media videos and livestreams. Ergo, they already know what he looks like and where he'll be, no kiss required.

Hey JC, JC, won't you ''die''
for me?

* RefrainFromAssuming:
** The opening song that Judas sings is "Heaven on Their Minds," not "Listen Jesus" or any variation thereupon.
** Jesus' HeroicBSOD Song is simply "Gethsemane," not "I Only Want To Say," though it is sometimes called "Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)."
** The finale is simply "Superstar," not "Jesus Christ Superstar."

** The 1973 version also has a rare occurrence of male AbsoluteCleavage, in the form of Judas' shirt.

* NiceHat: In the 1973 film, Caiaphas and the other priests have some extraordinary headgear, to the point where the Sanhedrin looks more than a little like a BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats.

* AngryBlackMan:
** Simon and Judas in the 1973 version, though Simon is a less traditional version of the trope (an ecstatic fanboy whose anger is tempered by his enthusiasm for Jesus).
** Caiaphas in the 2000 revival and 2018 broadcast. Also a {{Badass Baritone}}.
** Averted with Brandon Victor Dixon’s Judas in the 2018 version, who’s more a Stressed-Out Black Man.

** Peter in particular is this, since he's a fairly major figure in the Gospels, not to mention Catholicism. Here, he comes across as helpless and cowardly, betraying Jesus to save himself. This is one of the aspects of the show that can rub religious viewers the wrong way, as the traditionally "villainous" characters in the Gospels are given much more sympathy and depth.

** "Simon Zealotes" sound joyful and hopeful, but it's actually a rather terrifying screed in which Simon politicizes Jesus' teachings and seems ready to go to war against the Romans. The refrain "Christ you know I love you/Did you see I waved/I believe in you and God/So tell me that I'm saved" suggests that the people celebrating Jesus don't actually care about what he's saying and just want to be "saved." Jesus himself calls Simon out for this in his response song, "Poor Jerusalem."

* GreyAndGrayMorality: Aside from Herod, the "villains" of the show are all given at least some rationale for what they do, making it more this than the traditional PassionPlay, which usually treats the crucifixion as Jesus' HeroicSacrifice. Here, Judas and Caiaphas are [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well Intentioned Extremists]], both trying to avoid violence, while Pilate is a PunchClockVillain at worst who actually tries to save Jesus' life and speaks out against the crowd demanding his death. By contrast, the supposed "good" characters do plenty of less-than-noble things: Jesus spends most of the show as a brooding cypher, the Apostles are selfish followers who don't understand Jesus' teachings, Simon wants to use Jesus to spark a violent uprising, and Peter is a coward who denies knowing Jesus to save himself.

* GreyAndGrayMorality: Aside from Herod, the "villains" of the show are all given at least some rationale for what they do, making it more this than the traditional PassionPlay, which usually treats the crucifixion as Jesus' HeroicSacrifice. Here, Judas and Caiaphas are WellIntentionedExtremists, both trying to avoid violence, while Pilate is a PunchClockVillain at worst who actually tries to save Jesus' life and speaks out against the crowd demanding his death. By contrast, the supposed "good" characters do plenty of less-than-noble things: Jesus spends most of the show as a brooding cypher, the Apostles are selfish followers who don't understand Jesus' teachings, Simon wants to use Jesus to spark a violent uprising, and Peter is a coward who denies knowing Jesus to save himself.

* BerserkButton: Old JC does ''not'' like his temple being used as a market.

* BewareTheSillyOnes: "Herod's Song" is the closest thing the show has to comic relief, and Herod is often depicted clowning around, sometimes as a combination of LaughablyEvil or CampGay. But despite the humorous lyrics and vaudeville-style ton, this is actually a mocking VillainSong directed at Jesus, who usually spends the number stone-faced and silent. And the whole thing ends with him being sent back to Pilate, putting the final sequence of events in motion that will end with Jesus' death.

* BrokenAce: The Jesus we see in this show is, by his own admissions, a shell of his former self, no longer as confident in his work and all to aware of his coming demise.

** Similarly, "Pilate's Dream" has Pilate correctly predicting his role in the Crucifixion and how he will also be blamed, several songs before he even meets Jesus. Later, "Trial Before Pilate" sees him jump between this and VillainSong mode as he goes from putting Jesus on trial to defending him to torturing him to trying to free him before finally having a full-on VillainousBreakdown when all his efforts are for nothing. One verse in particular has Pilate begging Jesus to "be careful" and avert the death sentence.

* [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane Maybe Divine, Maybe Mundane]]: One of the most controversial aspects of the show when it first ran. Jesus' divinity is never confirmed in the lyrics: his miracles are only referenced, not seen, and nothing supernatural is ever depicted for sure. It's entirely possible to interpret him as either the actual son of God or a well-meaning mortal religious leader undone by his own hype. Obviously, different productions can choose to lean further in either direction.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane

* DownerEnding: The story ends after the crucifixion with few hints at the following resurrection, so it can seem a bit depressing if you're unfamiliar with the [[Literature/TheBible supplementary materials]]. What's more, Judas and Pilate have failed to avert the fates they saw for themselves, the disciples seem to have been disbanded, and it's unclear whether Jesus' death will even mean anything or is just a SenselessSacrifice.

* DownerEnding: The story ends after the crucifixion with few hints at the following resurrection, so it can seem a bit depressing if you're unfamiliar with the [[Literature/TheBible supplementary materials]].

** Caiaphas is presented less sympathetically than Judas, but his rationale is basically the same: he's also afraid Jesus will divide the Jewish people and eventually spark a doomed war against the Romans. Especially clear in "Then We Are Decided":

** Caiaphas is presented less sympathetically than Judas, but his rationale is basically the same: he's also afraid Jesus will lead to genocide. Especially clear in "Then We Are Decided":