Clark Kent or Superman: Which is the Real Identity?

Pointless debates fill the nerdy halls of comic book geekdom, and one such debate revolves around the Big Blue Boy Scout himself: Which is Superman’s real identity—Clark Kent or Superman?

If this were the 1940s, there would be no question. The Max Fleischer cartoons introduced Superman as being "disguised as Clark Kent," and that was that. However, decades of comic books, movies, and other media have brought the very notion into question.

Those who argue that "Superman is the real identity" (famously explored in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill) base their stance on the character’s birthright. Superman, after all, was born Kal-El on the planet Krypton. Upon arriving on Earth, he was wrapped in his home planet’s colors inside his spaceship. Though raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent under the Earthly name of Clark Kent, he spent his entire life hiding his abilities from his friends. In this view, his Earthly guise has always been a cover for his true alien self. Only once he adopted the Superman moniker was he able to fully express who he truly is—using his powers freely and as he sees fit.

However, the "Clark Kent is the real guy" side argues from a nurture-over-nature perspective. Sure, Kal-El was born on Krypton, wrapped in Kryptonian colors, and possesses incredible powers due to his biology. But ultimately, it was the Kents’ Midwestern values that shaped him into the man he became—the man they raised as Clark Kent. In many stories, his biological father, Jor-El, is absent from his life until young adulthood, by which point Clark has already been steeped in Earth’s ways and identifies as an Earthling. Before he ever dons the suit for the first time, he has experienced tragedy, heartbreak, and life lessons that all inform the man who eventually wears the Superman symbol.

To be clear, both sides of the argument have credence. The true identity of Superman ultimately depends on the writer. Yet, the fact that this debate persists today speaks to the complexity of the character. It also ties into the broader nature vs. nurture discussion—do we belong more to the culture we are born into, or to the one in which we are raised? The two are more intertwined than they may initially seem.

So, which interpretation do I prefer? Well, as boring as it may sound, I see it as a mixture of both. I believe Clark Kent is the engine that drives the heroics of Superman—"Superman is what I can do, Clark is who I am," as succinctly put in the ’90s series Lois & Clark. However, I also enjoy stories where Clark embraces and respects his Kryptonian heritage, merging it with his Earthly identity. After all, it’s that alien element that sets Superman apart from other superheroes.

As for when he is mostly "pretending," he always seems to be doing so regardless of the situation. Clark must hide his powers in everyday civilian life, yet even in the Superman suit, he can’t truly relax and enjoy the life he was brought up to love. Instead, he must act as the symbol the world expects him to be. In this sense—much like us—he presents different faces to the world depending on the expectations placed upon him.

And that very complexity is what makes Superman such a fascinating and enduring character.