The Iron Giant is one of the most beloved non-Disney animated films of all time. Fans have taken the film’s anti-war and anti-violence to heart, which is why it is always controversial when the Iron Giant appears in anything to do with fighting. Though it’s cool to see the Giant again in MultiVersus, not all fans are pleased that the character will be fighting.
It’s the same controversy that the Ready Player One movie faced when it showed the Iron Giant. The message of The Iron Giant is about the Giant learning that he doesn’t want to be a weapon of mass destruction and chooses to be a protector of the innocents, like Superman. So why is he fighting in MultiVersus?
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The concept of MultiVersus is about popular characters owned by Warner Bros. fighting each other. With the Iron Giant owned by the company, it has every right to use the character in any way it feels fit. The Iron Giant film has become such a cult classic that the character has endured in the popular consensus for years. With such a popular character at its disposal, it would have been unwise for Warner Bros. to leave him out in its big fighting game cross-over.
If you’re looking for a more lore-based explanation for why the Iron Giant is fighting, there are a lot of potential theories. For one, the Giant gets to fight alongside his longtime hero Superman. Superman is also a character who is willing to throw a punch when it is necessary. Even though the Giant doesn’t want to be something that causes death and destruction, seeing Superman fighting for the greater good may convince the Giant that it is okay to fight sometimes if it means saving others.
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There’s also the simple explanation that MultiVersus is not canon to The Iron Giant movie. Whatever actions the Giant does in the game are not a reflection of how the character is in the movie, because the game doesn’t take place in the same continuity as the film. MultiVersus’ overall cartoony aesthetic also makes it clear the game is not to be taken seriously. Superman is fighting a mouse and cat, while Batman is teaming up with Shaggy (again). While it may contradict the original message of the film to some, we don’t have much of an issue if the Iron Giant is fighting against Bugs Bunny if it’s all for good fun.
