Batman V Superman Storyboard Artist Explains The Controversial Martha Moment

DC fans might have had quite a number of issues with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice but one of the most contentious moments in the movie is when Ben Affleck's Dark Knight and Henry Cavill's Man of Steel both put an end to their big fight after they find out that their mothers are both named Martha.

However, while the scene has been subject to so much mockery, the "Martha Moment" shared by Batman and Superman was meant to humanize both heroes.

Speaking in an interview on the ComicBook Debate podcast, Batman V Superman storyboard artist Jay Olivia tries to give some insight about the scene, saying that the scene plays a very important part in the movie.

"I thought, 'Did they not understand what that whole point was?'" Oliva explained during the interview. "The whole reason why the movie starts with the death of Bruce's parents is to set up the fact that that traumatic effect has basically given little Bruce, and now adult Bruce, PTSD. He's had it all his life. I mean, it's something that I even did in Dark Knight Returns Part 1. I played up the fact that he has PTSD. If you notice I do flashes… when the train goes by overhead it's flashing on the ground and that gives him those flashes of when his mom gets killed."

After experiencing so much trauma and developing PTSD, it is Martha's name that brings Batman back to his senses after he goes on seeking vengeance against Superman. Just when fans get to see Batman on the very verge of killing Superman, Bruce hears his mother's name and puts an end to the fight.

"So, at that early stage I was already playing the fact that you had a Batman who had PTSD, you know?" Oliva went on. "So, Zack was just setting that up and if you watch that film, really, without having any kind of preconceived notions or whatnot or just waiting for the ‘Martha scene'… he sets it up. So, that way at the end when Batman's gonna kill Superman, the ‘Martha' is a trigger to get Batman out of this kind of bloodlust vengeance."

It's a pretty solid explanation, however, a lot of viewers found the scene a little bit clunky and heavy-handed. There would have probably been a better way, or at least a subtler way, to bring Bruce out of his bloody rampage.

What do you think of the Martha scene? Could it have been done better? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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