The Blue Beetle Movie Makes A Big Change To The DC Universe By Killing [SPOILER]
Contains spoilers for "Blue Beetle"
With just a little over a month until its release, it seems that "Blue Beetle" may stir up some controversy again among the comic book fanbase. The movie faced backlash from comic book fans after moving Jaime's (Xolo Maridueña) story from El Paso, Texas, to the fictional Palmera City, and it looks like that wasn't the only part of the hero's origin they altered.
Unlike his DC Comics counterpart, "Blue Beetle" will give its star the typical superhero treatment, killing his father. MovieMaker revealed the spoiler during its coverage of the upcoming superhero movie, saying there's a scene where Jaime sees his dad after his death, inspiring him to accept his new responsibilities as a hero. Maridueña called it his favorite scene in the movie, saying, "I remember thinking it felt ethereal for Jaime to see his father, but it was just his soul. It wasn't his body. Jaime didn't have a chance to say goodbye to his father. I want people to understand that if you have your parents, just hug them, because you never know when it's the last time."
While killing off Jaime's father is a diversion from the source material, Alberto Reyes hasn't had much presence in DC Comics, and his death in "Blue Beetle" will inspire the hero moving forward.
These changes will position Blue Beetle as a leader in the DCU
Although "Blue Beetle" is technically a DCEU movie, James Gunn confirmed the character is the first one for the DCU, meaning he'll have a significant role in Gunn's rebooted universe. While changes to a character's origin story are generally better off avoided, "Blue Beetle" director Ángel Manuel Soto believes they're necessary to elevate him to the level of other DC powerhouses.
In defense of moving the character from El Paso to Palmera City, Soto reminded everyone that Batman has Gotham, and Superman has Metropolis. "Why doesn't Blue Beetle have his own city?" he asked during a "Blue Beetle" press event. "In service of positioning Blue Beetle as a potential leader in the DCU, Palmera City came to life." Similarly, the decision to kill Jaime's father gives the hero's origin story an emotional backbone that rivals that of other superheroes. Batman, Superman, and countless Marvel and DC Comics heroes have lost loved ones, inspiring them to become superheroes.
With "Blue Beetle," Soto clearly wants to give this relatively unknown character a story rivaling that of DC's biggest hitters. While some comic book fans will instantly reject any changes to a hero's origin story, "Blue Beetle" wants to position Jaime as a leader in the DCU, giving the character more widespread attention than any of his comics.