History Awesome / ManOfSteel

* Zod may be thoroughly horrid person, but there's no denying that he's a badass as seen:

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/man_of_steel_final_battle.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"There is only one way this ends, Kal. Either you die or I do."'']]

** And he doesn't think twice about going into the zone with them.

** For a different kind of awesome, we're told that sex for anything more than physical pleasure hasn't been practiced on Krypton in millennia, if it's still even [[UsefulNotes/{{Asexuality}} practiced at all]]. So in addition to being a dragon-riding, ScienceHero with a [[MinoredInAsskicking Minor in Asskicking]], Jor-El also decided to go home and be the first guy in thousands of years to create life the old-fashioned way.

** It should be pointed out that not only does Col. Hardy attempt to knife-fight an invulnerable alien, ''he'' is the one to attack.

* On a meta level, during Creator/HenryCavill's audition, he had to wear a classic Superman costume, like what Creator/ChristopherReeve donned. Nobody laughed; he looked muscular and dignified instead of goofy.

** For a different kind of awesome, we're told that sex for anything more than physical pleasure hasn't been practiced on Krypton in millennia, if it's still even [[UsefulNotes/{{Asexuality}} practiced at all]]. So in addition to being a dragon-riding, ScienceHero with a [[MinoredInAsskicking Minor in Asskicking]], Jor-El also decided to go home and be the first guy in thousands of years to create life [[GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex the old-fashioned way]].

** Superman then makes the point that Gen. Swanwick fears him because the General knows he has absolutely no way to control him. To underscore this, he stands up and effortlessly pops off his bonds; the hardened steel cuffs offer [[NoSell no resistance]] ''[[UpToEleven at all]]'' before they break.

* Jonathan Kent playing PapaWolf; Clark's safety and his secret comes first, and if that means [[spoiler: he's gonna be sucked by a freaking tornado, so be it. The calm, serene look on his face as he silently tells Clark not to save him speaks of his courage and is absolutely heartbreaking.]]

* Pretty much Colonel Hardy's entire role. The guy is a normal airman who sees first hand what the kryptonians can do and he ''never'' backs down [[spoiler: and in the end, he's the one that sends most of them into the Phantom Zone.]]
** [[spoiler: And he doesn't think twice about going into the zone with them.]]

* For a minor character with hardly any lines and barely qualifies for ActionSurvivor status, Professor Hamilton gets one moment to himself when he [[spoiler: figures out how to activate the Phantom Drive on Superman's rocket. It's unsure if he survived Faora backhanding him across the bulkhead of crashing into the Kryptonian ship, but he almost certainly is in the Phantom Zone with the rest of the Kryptonians now.]]
* During the battle of Smallville, Superman smashes Nam-Ek into a rail yard, which blows up. Seconds later as Superman is battling Faora, [[spoiler: Nam-Ek slings a locomotive that smashes Superman into Sears.]]

* Superman's decision to [[spoiler: destroy the Colony Ship and the Genesis Chamber onboard, meant to spawn a new generation of [[DesignerBabies engineered]] Kryptonians. Particularly how we see his heat-vision dim for a moment as he considers, before flaring up again]]. In that moment, he fully cements his loyalty to the Human race and his adopted home.
-->'''Zod''': [[spoiler: Stop! If you destroy this ship, you destroy Krypton!]]\\
'''Superman''': [[spoiler:...Krypton had its chance!]]
* When Superman turns himself in to the military, he does so by floating in mid-air at the edge of a military-base, patiently waiting for the soldiers to arrive. As the General notes, he's making the statement that he's more powerful than they are and he's surrendering on ''his'' terms, not theirs. Superman acknowledges this and gives his single condition, that he wants [[spoiler: Lois to be set free]].

** [[spoiler: Clark killing Zod by breaking his neck. That is, if his traumatized and horrified reaction doesn't drench the awesome in tears.]]

** For a different kind of awesome, we're told that sex for anything more than physical pleasure hasn't been practiced on Krypton in millennia, if it's still even [[{{Asexuality}} practiced at all]]. So in addition to being a dragon-riding, ScienceHero with a [[MinoredInAsskicking Minor in Asskicking]], Jor-El also decided to go home and be the first guy in thousands of years to create life [[GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex the old-fashioned way]].

* Superman is [[BewareTheNiceOnes the nicest person you'll ever meet, but when he gets pissed off, boy is he pissed]]. Just ask Zod [[BerserkButton when he threatens Martha Kent]].

* Superman is [[BewareTheNiceOnes the nicest person you'll ever meet, but when he gets pissed off, boy is he pissed]]. Just ask Zod [[BerserkButton after threatening Martha Kent]].

-->'''Superman:''' You think you can threaten my mother!?

[[caption-width-right:350:"There is only one way this ends, Kal. Either you die or I do."]]

* Superman's first flight?. One of the ''best'' flight sequences put to camera. Including those first leaps, which bring back the idea of ''leaping tall buildings in a single bound.'' It's a breathtaking set piece.

--> '''Zod''': You think your son is safe? [[SuddenlyShouting I will]] ''[[SuddenlyShouting find him]]''!

*** When they fly to safety he lets the whole rig collapse onto him. He knows it won't kill him, but as far as the people he rescued are concerned [[HeroicSacrifice he died saving their lives.]] Which in turn doesn't make them question how he was able to keep the rig up.

--> '''Lara Lor-Van:''' "[[FlingALightIntoTheFuture Make a better world than ours, Kal.]]"

--> '''Col. Hardy:''' "This man is not our enemy."

--> '''Jor-El:''' Move your head to the left. (Lois moves, and Car-Vex's fist misses her by inches.)

--> '''Faora:''' Should I tell the General you are unwilling to comply?
--> '''Hardy:''' [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu I don't care what you tell him.]]

--> '''Zod''': [[spoiler: Stop! If you destroy this ship, you destroy Krypton!]]
--> '''Superman''': [[spoiler:...Krypton had its chance!]]

* The [[VisualEffectsOfAwesome World]] [[HellIsThatNoise Engine]].