# Neo or Superman? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884 "2003-06-19T07:31:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BornOfStardust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@BornOfStardust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornOfStardust)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/1 "2003-06-19T07:31:07Z")
In the interest of complete silliness, I thought I would pose a question to this board that somehow came up in coversation over dinner with my family tonight (I guess after somebody watched an episode of Smallville). In an Ultimate Battle of über-beings, who would win–Superman or Neo–and why? ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/2 "2003-06-19T08:13:38Z")
Probably superman, since there’s only one way he can die and I don’t think Neo has access to kyptonite. Neo can be killed, albiet it is very hard to do so. But then again, does Superman know Kung-fu? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/3 "2003-06-19T09:44:08Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t think Neo has access to kyptonite. Within the Matrix neo has access to anything that the people outside have the code for. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/4 "2003-06-19T09:54:26Z")
Well, Neo will just see Superman as code, reach into him and stop his heart - the reverse of what he did to Trinity. On the other hand, if that requires physical contact (and I’m not sure it does; witness what he does to the sentinels at the end of _Reloaded_), it may be impossible since Superman appears to be faster than Neo is. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/5 "2003-06-19T10:03:21Z")
Will this fight be held inside or outside the Matrix? ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/6 "2003-06-19T10:16:02Z")
My moneys on Radioactive Man. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/7 "2003-06-19T10:43:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FisherQueen \* > \*\*Will this fight be held inside or outside the Matrix? \*\* Whoa. This is like, really heavy, dude. Outside the Matrix, does Superman still have his powers? I mean, they’re given to him by the yellow sun _inside_ the Matrix, and outside the Matrix, is the sun even yellow? Is Superman even from Krypton? If so, what’s he doing plugged into the Matrix? And if he isn’t plugged into the Matrix, then what Earth is he living on? How does he get to meet Neo? Whoa. Metaphysical deals, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Alcibiades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@Alcibiades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alcibiades)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/8 "2003-06-19T11:30:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Priceguy \* > \*\*Whoa. This is like, really heavy, dude. Outside the Matrix, does Superman still have his powers? I mean, they’re given to him by the yellow sun _inside_ the Matrix, and outside the Matrix, is the sun even yellow? Is Superman even from Krypton? If so, what’s he doing plugged into the Matrix? And if he isn’t plugged into the Matrix, then what Earth is he living on? How does he get to meet Neo? > > Whoa. Metaphysical deals, dude. \*\* Superman could not be inside the Matrix. All the gear that humans have stuck into them requires piercing of the skin, including the portal in the back of the skull. Unless the machines had a kryptonite drill, that’s not possible for Supes. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/9 "2003-06-19T11:39:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alcibiades \* > \*\*Superman could not be inside the Matrix. All the gear that humans have stuck into them requires piercing of the skin, including the portal in the back of the skull. Unless the machines had a kryptonite drill, that’s not possible for Supes. \*\* _If_ he really is from Krypton… ---
**Author:** ![Alcibiades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@Alcibiades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alcibiades)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/10 "2003-06-19T11:48:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Priceguy \* > \*\*_If_ he really is from Krypton… \*\* Ah, well, good point. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/11 "2003-06-19T13:34:12Z")
For purposes of advancing the argument, say some nigh-omnipotent being, like the Beyonder, transported either Superman into the Matrix full strength somehow, or gave Neo all his Matrix powers out here in the meat-world to enable him to take on Superman. Shit, let’s throw the Silver Surfer in there, too, while we’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/12 "2003-06-19T14:08:35Z")
Well on one key point Superman’s already winning - his wardrobe has much better longevity than neo’s. ---
**Author:** ![hebesphenomegacorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@hebesphenomegacorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hebesphenomegacorona)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/13 "2003-06-19T14:40:39Z")
How about bugs bunny? He’d convince neo and Supes that it’s “Neo and superman season”! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/14 "2003-06-19T16:49:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hebesphenomegacorona \* > \*\*How about bugs bunny? > > He’d convince neo and Supes that it’s “Neo and superman season”! \*\* I thought everyone accepted that in any contest of mythical beings, whether it was Zeus, Thor, Jehovah, Superman, Batman (even with 24 hours notice), David Letterman, the Hulk or whoever that Bugs Bunny would always win. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/15 "2003-06-19T18:05:52Z")
What if they trashed “Matrix Revolutions” and instead put out “SuperMatrix”, where Superman and Neo work _together_ to beat the machines! Of course, where does Ah-nold fit in to all this? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/16 "2003-06-19T20:11:34Z")
Well, Ah-nold would have to be the new Superman, since Christopher Reeve is kind of out of the loop for that role now, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/17 "2003-06-19T20:31:01Z")
Well, Ah-nold would have to be the new Superman, since Christopher Reeve is kind of out of the loop for that role now, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![BlueMit11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@BlueMit11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMit11)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/18 "2003-06-20T02:39:21Z")
Superman’s got all his supplementary powers like laser eyes and freeze breath, so I think would help a lot. Neo’s probably just as quick and powerful as him and Neo has mastered some telekinesis thanks to the orphan with the spoon. Also, as pointed out, Neo knows Kung Fu. I’d like to think Superman would win, but I think Neo’s got the upperhand. None of it would be as interesting as Tyson vs. Secratariat. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/19 "2003-06-20T02:44:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gary Kumquat \* > I thought everyone accepted that in any contest of mythical beings, whether it was Zeus, Thor, Jehovah, Superman, Batman (even with 24 hours notice), David Letterman, the Hulk or whoever that Bugs Bunny would always win. Not if “whoever” includes Cecil (the Turtle, that is). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884/20 "2003-06-20T03:44:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Odinoneeye \* > \*\*My moneys on Radioactive Man. \*\* The new one or the campy 70’s one? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neo-or-superman/182884.md?page=2)