This Might Explain Lex Luthor's Jolly Rancher Scene In Batman V Superman
In 2016, the Zack Snyder film "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" raised eyebrows with its "Martha" scene (per Observer), in which the superheroes stop their blood brawl because of their mothers sharing a first name. Similarly, the decision to portray Lex Luthor with a full head of hair when the character has traditionally been bald also caused some confusion, as Bustle points out. But despite these quirks, one thing that still baffles fans is the scene featuring Jolly Rancher.
You know the one. While demanding resources from the government, Luthor, sporting luscious locks, pops a Jolly Rancher into a senator's mouth and then licks his fingers while staring into the man's eyes.
Food scenes are a big deal in movies and TV, per HuffPost (in fact, some can even be grueling to film). So while Luthor's candy antics might make it seem like a throw-away scene designed to demonstrate just what an odd duck the "Batman v Superman" villain is, it turns out that this moment is actually meaningful to the film's story. Oftentimes, the food you see in movies has as much to do with the plot as the dialogue, and that's the case with the Jolly Rancher scene.
The scene is a reflection of Lex Luthor's power
Similar to how Rue Bennet's inability to unwrap a Jolly Rancher on "Euphoria" was a tangible symbol of her losing battle to drugs (per NBC News), Lex Luthor's Jolly Rancher scene spoke volumes about the character and his place in the world. As noted by Redstone Foods, Luthor popping the Jolly Rancher into the senator's mouth was a visual representation of the villain's influence. In "Batman v Superman," Luthor proves through his actions that those in the government, "are literally eating out of his hands."
In what may seem like an otherwise silly aside, director Zack Snyder was able to cleverly show how menacing Luthor can be. And while the "Batman v Superman" Jolly Rancher conversation likely wasn't as culturually influential as Marvel group The Avengers boosting shawarma sales, the scene is still a contender for iconic food scenes in tv and film.