Jonathan Kent is a minor character in the DCEU, played by Kevin Costner, appearing just a few years before he landed his massive role on the television series Yellowstone. As Superman’s adoptive father, the character could have been handled much better.

The beginning of his story is essentially the same as any Jonathan Kent in the Superman/DC multiverse. He and his wife Martha find Kal-El as a baby in Kansas and rename him Clark Kent. They quickly realize the child possesses godlike powers, which makes Jonathan increasingly worried as the boy grows older.

Zack Snyder did not write this role particularly well. It is hard to believe the Kent family would drive directly into the massive Super Tornado of Death 5000 without any idea what was happening, especially with so many other people around. Jonathan tries to save others instead of himself, which is admirable, but it ultimately feels logically flawed in that situation.

During the storm, he signals for Clark not to intervene, even though Clark is destined to become Superman… one day. Realistically, the scene feels off. Clark is a teenager, and teenagers rarely listen to their parents anyway. If you had the powers of a Kryptonian, wouldn’t you just fly in and save your father regardless of the consequences?

He appears later in visions, though those moments are honestly quite forgettable. The entire DC Extended Universe was poorly planned, and it feels like it might have been a better idea to save some of the budget rather than cutting Kevin Costner another check.