There are a few scenes in the Comic Con trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice which raise a few questions. But none is as controversial as the scene in which Batman fights some soldiers (branded with an S) in what seems to be the desert. What is that and what could be the source of inspiration?
Sure enough, some may believe that there is a Red Son Batman influence - not on the costume, but rather on the character itself. Check out below what we make of these shots!
Batman v Superman - a hidden villain
The first rumor we'd talk about is that of a hidden villain (most likely Lex Luthor) who will, in some way, alter the world's perception on Superman. In this case, the soldiers aren't actually Superman guards, but rather impersonators doing evil deeds in order to destroy the Man of Steel's reputation.
Batman somehow finds out and goes to investigate - still, in the desert? Well, he ends up at that location and starts fighting with the soldiers.
Of course, the first teaser for Batman v Superman showed the said soldiers kneeling in front of Superman. What gives? Is this a scene from the beginning of the movie, in which Superman seeks the aid of his fan(atic) followers, before finding out he is being played? Or is it a scene happening later in the movie, when the soldiers simply kneel because they know they cannot face the power of a God?
In any way, this could be a possibility.
On the next page, the source of inspiration for the new Bat Suit!
Gotham Gaslight
The suit, with its goggles and coat and emblem do not resemble the one from the Red Son. Instead, this new Batman v Superman suit resemble the one from Gotham Gaslight. And that is about all that can be said.
This might as well be a dream sequence (and we know that Zack Snyder is into them, and thus an alternate reality), in which Bruce Wayne imagines what would happen if Superman tried to seize power. And this dream shows him that he doesn't stand a chance against the followers, let alone against the Man of Steel (as you saw in the trailer, Batman is all but shown subdued by the soldiers).
So waking up from that dream he gives his speech to Alfred, about the preemptive strike, and dons his new mech suit, basically intending to become a piñata for Superman, waiting for Wonder Woman to come to the rescue.
This is a very thin theory for Batman v Superman, but it could work.
Check out on the last page the third theory!
Gaslight with a twist
And this third theory is about Superman actually becoming a dictator. Thus, Batman v Superman may also take its cues (in a minimal manner) from Red Son, with the soldiers acting as his puppets, as his eyes.
It's quite a stretch, we know - but it could happen (as it has happened in the comics, many times over). What would be the reason for him to become a despot? Well, we do see him kneeled before Lex Luthor, which suggests a form of power of the later over the first.
It cannot be impossible for Lex to use the kryptonite he possesses in order to subdue the Man of Steel. In any case, he is again the hidden mastermind (and it was rumored quite a while ago that he will be the reason for Batman engaging Superman).
All of these three theories are short of something, nonetheless, and that is the information one needs to expand them. However, we can bet that one of them is true, if not all of them altogether.
Lastly…
Sons of Superman…
Trying to do good, ending doing bad.
