48 Years Later, The Greatest Quote In Superman History Is Still 2 Words Of Perfection

Published Aug 2, 2026, 7:30 PM EDT Derek is the Training Lead for ScreenRant. Before his current position, he spent 20 years working in games, TV, and film while also writing for several entertainment sites. Derek is also the co-host of three pop culture podcasts: Across the Omniverse, The Bad Batch, and Watch Men. Sign in to your ScreenRant account The first to ever do it, Superman means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To some, he stands as a god-like figure who uses his powers to save people. To others, the Last Son of Krypton is an immigrant story, showing how accepting those who are different can make everyone's lives better. Whatever a person thinks Superman is, the one piece everybody agrees with is simple enough: Superman is a good person. The Man of Steel isn't the only "good" superhero — pretty much all superheroes would fall under the "good" ranking — but unlike Batman or Guy Gardner, goodness is part of what defines Superman. It is what has made him a draw for nearly 100 years and why, somehow, we all know that Superman is good the moment we first set eyes on him, as if he lives within our own DNA, ensuring that everyone loves him to at least some extent. Across comics, movies, TV shows, and even on the radio, poets and great writers have spent millions of pages and billions of words trying to explain what makes Superman so good, and why we instinctively feel drawn to him. But no one has ever put it better than Superman himself, and he did it with two words all the way back in 1978. Superman Explains Himself Perfectly In RIchard Donner's Superman (1978), the titular hero finally reveals himself to the world when Lois Lane's helicopter has some serious issues and she — along the the copter crew — are about to die. Bumbling Clark Kent runs off to find a place to change and comes back out as Superman, which he pulls off just in time, flying up and catching Lois as she falls from the helicopter. From there, the hero grabs the helicopter with his free hand and brings them both back to the roof of the Daily Planet landing pad. The scene is one of the most classic superhero movie moments of all time, and for good reason. Even after all these years, it still feels real and fresh. Seeing Christopher Reeve dressed as Superman carrying both the helicopter and Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) as he slowly floats up to the top of the building is an unbelievable moment to experience at any age. But what makes the scene really pop is the last moment. After making sure everyone is safe, Superman prepares to fly off, and Lois gets his bearings just in time for her reporter instincts to kick in and asks the costumed man, "Wait! Who are you?" At that moment, John Williams' score comes in as Superman smiles and says "A friend" before flying off. Those two simple words, "A friend", perfectly encapsulate everything about Superman. He is the superhero who is our friend. He saves the world and gets cats out of trees. He believes everyone can be redeemed and hopes that even his greatest foes will take that path one day. He loves us unconditionally, and always will. Because Superman is our friend. Even Now, Superman Is Still Our Friend The world has changed a lot since Superman first showed up in 1938. In some ways it is better. In others, it can feel like humanity is further from finding common ground with one another than ever before. With the state of the world, it would be easy to look at a character like Superman and sneer. It's easy to understand why some fans like a more angry Superman, one who isn't as willing to look for the good in everyone. But, maybe more than ever, this is the time when we all really need Superman to be our friend. Thankfully, both in the comics and in live-action, that's what Superman has been for the last five years. Superman & Lois played into the kindness of Superman, showing him as a husband and father who found time to be there for his family and keep the world safe. And, as that came to an end, Metropolis' favorite citizen made his way back to the big screen with James Gunn's Superman (2025). And this time, he came back with something that had been missing for a while: the red trunks. It was Superman actor David Corenswet who fought for the trunks. Gunn was against them, feeling that they made the hero look, for lack of a better term, too silly. But to Corenswet, that is exactly why Superman would wear them, explaining on DC Studios Showcase... "You've seen me catch falling buildings, blow up whatever with my laser vision, and fight these amazing super-powered foes. I don't want you to think you couldn't come up to me and ask for directions. Or ask for help. Or for a kid to, you know, ask for help with his homework or 'My cat's stuck in a tree.' He wants to do all of that, and the trunks are a way of saying 'I'm not too cool. I don't take myself too seriously. I might be powerful but, you know, come say hi.'" Superman wants to be our friend, and that is why the character has survived so many changes in not just the real world, but in comics. Because, at the end of the day, we would all love to have a pal like him. Movie(s) Superman, Superman II, Superman III, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Superman Returns, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman, Man of Tomorrow TV Show(s) Adventures of Superman, Superman, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Smallville, Superman: The Animated Series, My Adventures With Superman Comic Superman (2023) First Film Superman Genres Superhero, Action Cast Christopher Reeve, David Corenswet, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, Tom Welling, Tyler Hoechlin, Margot Kidder, Rachel Brosnahan, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, Gene Hackman, Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Jesse Eisenberg