Shazam!

Yeah, the Wizard Shazam in the comics knows that only Billy has the pure of heart to wield the power. Because, hey, the last time Shazam gave the power to someone who wasn't entirely pure of heart, they became Black Adam. So the Wizard doesn't have a choice either — there must be a champion and Billy is the best choice. It doesn't mean that Superman has to like it, though.

And Shazam himself can't offer more direct emotional support and guidance even if he remembered how to do it, given that he more or less has to stay in the Rock of Eternity to watch over all of the horribly dangerous and evil shit that is trapped there.

That's something I'll always like more about the original idea of Billy than in the new 52 or in the movie. That the Wizard chose Billy because he's actually the best, not just because "good people don't exist" and Billy was literally the physically closest person there. Because there are better champions for Shazam in Billy's family.

One weakness of the movie I felt was that it didn't really show Billy earning his place as Shazam's champion. I thought it was a fascinating approach to show that so many people were scouted over decades, rather than just an isolated "I saw you do one decent thing, you must be The Chosen One" like similar stories. And then the movie had Shazam select Billy solely because he didn't have enough time to keep being picky, and then dying after the transfer was complete and leaving Billy to figure it all out on his own (he didn't even know how to return to the chamber, considering it houses so many secrets and a few Sealed Evil in a Can that's quite an oversight). All that feels like it is setting up Billy learning something important about himself or pointing out Shazam's flawed reasoning, but the movie instead relies on a "family is important" lesson, not bad but doesn't really say much about Billy personally.

I think I adored this movie. It's the most fun I've had with a superhero movie since like, Infinity War. And even then it wasn't the same as this.

It's just such a... nice movie. It's very sweet and earnest.

I actually like that there isn't a "Billy learns something important about himself" scene. There's no point where it turns out Billy really is the True Ultra Special Pure of Heart Best Person Ever after all.

"Your criteria sucks" winds up being the last word on Shazam's unwinnable purity test. The power finally gets passed along out of desperation rather than Billy passing the test. And then Billy has to figure out what to do with it from there.

He's a penniless, embittered orphan who abruptly inherited great wealth from an old rich guy he never knew existed suddenly dying. And then now he's Richie Rich and he has no idea what to do with it. It's just that instead of money, the wealth is superpowers. It's an interesting dynamic that results in a compelling mishmash of The Chosen One and The Unchosen One.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Apr 30th 2019 at 7:02:26 AM

Like, it's not even just that all those other people "failed" the test. It's that Shazam apparently yelled in their faces that they would NEVER be worthy.

He was basically DARING these little kids to become resentful and to be easy prey for the sins.

He’s kind of a shitty wizard

Well, no, that’s unfair. He’s evidently a skilled wizard

He’s just an incredibly shitty person

Is it irony that the guys whose names spell out Shazam were not at the Wizard's standard? They were not perfect, so it's silly for the wizard to keep looking for someone perfect.

I don't think all the candidates were children. Wasn't the woman who filmed the portal an adult?

It's strange none of them was Genre Savvy enough to see through the test

Edited by nnokwoodeye1 on Apr 30th 2019 at 9:58:59 AM

Or admit that no one is good enough. Was Billy the only one to do that? Shazam's seeker spell doesn't seem to work very well!

She's an adult now, but so is Sivana. We have no idea how old she was when the portal came for her.

It's basically an empty plot point if there is not resolution, either Billy becomes worthy over time or otherwise proves the Wizard wrong. Making a joke "Why would I put an evil orb into my eye?" doesn't quite wrap that up.

She filmed it in her phone, so it had to be in the last 10 years, and the fact she found the clip very quickly after she was asked about it, gave me the impression it happened to her recently.

You would think someone with the wisdom of Solomon would realize that there are no incorruptble human beings.

Well, there is an exception, but he doesn't need the powers of shazam.... Yes, I am a Christian. I don't think Jesus would belong in the DCU though. So, there aren't any perfect humans in the DCU, unless you want to pull a Crystal Dragon Jesus. The actual Jesus from Christianity would be too powerful even for the DCU.

Buddha, Krishna, Maitreya, etc.

Plenty of messianic figures that don't have to be Jesus.

Though Maitreya tends to be made a villain for some reason.

Most people aren’t saints, and to expect a literally perfect saint is self defeating. That’s the entire point of the film. We’re humans. We screw up.

Im using examples of non-Jesus figures who could easily be used if it had to be Jesus.

Ah. Even then I’m sure Shazam would find fault in the literal saints. Peter didn’t stick up for his buddy three times. Buddha was too fat. Etc, etc.

Buddha was not overweight(he was rail thin) so he'd be ignorant and fatshaming at once!

He'd bring his friend the actual Big Fun Laughing Buddha to shame his Old wizard ass.

How did the seeker spell not find any kids that would grow up to be superheroes?

For a moment I thought you were talking about superman... it kind of make me wonder, if superman would get the power of Shazam, would he be immune to kryptonite?

Nope, talking about the person who would be the ultimate storybreaker. Think Supes would be in trouble with magic.

By saying the name of the wizard, he would be instantly transformed from a Flying Brick into... A different Flying Brick...