Why Clayface's Self Worth Is Broken (And Who's To Blame)

The Fear Of Conditional Friends

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Have you ever wondered if the people that you spend time with like you for who you are or what you give them? If you lost it all, would they still stick around? Well that is Matt Hagen's nightmare in Clayface. After watching this film, I was actually really angry at how quickly everyone turned their backs on Matt, but I also think he's got a problem with how he sees himself, because the harder he tries to win back their approval, the worse his choices seem to become, and that final scene really shows us how far he has fallen.

Who I Am And Spoiler Warning

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I'm Aaron, and I break down characters from our favorite films to see what they can teach us about becoming better people. Full spoilers ahead for DC's Clayface movie, guys.

Oscar Glory And Imposter Syndrome

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Now I want to start all the way back when Matt gets that Oscar nomination. When he finds out that he's been nominated, he actually gets quite emotional. He steps away for a moment, he takes that moment in and he thanks his mum. And you can see just how proud of himself that he is. And I really love that scene. Here's a guy who's grown up in Gotham's Narrows. He's made it out on the other side. He's had a rough childhood and he became a Hollywood star. He's a leading man. He's worked hard to get here and he deserves to be proud of himself. But here's where I think Matt has a problem. He needs other people to tell him that he's good enough. And we see this when he visits the community center in the Narrows, when he's on the footage that Caitlin is watching. Matt talks about growing up being told you're not good enough. And after hearing that for years and years, you tend to start to believe it. He even admits himself, I still feel like an imposter. Now think about that. He's just been nominated for an Oscar, an Academy Award, and he still doesn't feel good enough. I think Matt has spent years trying to prove those people wrong from his past. And maybe he's trying to prove it to himself as well. He's got the fame, the money, and the career. Hollywood loves him, but he still needs someone to tell him that he matters.

Disfigurement And Approval Withdrawal

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So what happens when that approval completely disappears? Well, we find out because Zabo cuts up Matt's face and almost overnight Hollywood turns their back on him. His career falls apart, his agent dumps him, his money disappears, and even his friends betray him in this moment. And I found that absolutely appalling. Because after all, he's still the same actor. He's still the guy who's won the Oscar. He got the nomination, but suddenly nobody wants anything to do with him. I guess voice acting wasn't an option for him because his former agent even said that pretty much only people wanted you for your face. That's all they were interested in. Now imagine hearing that. You've spent years working at your craft, working at acting, only to find out that people cared more about how much money that your face made them. No wonder Matt's an angry guy. But what bothers me is that Matt starts to actually believe them. Without his looks and his career, he doesn't seem to think that he's worth anything at all. And that explains why he's so desperate when Caitlin Korr offers him that experimental treatment. Now, look, I I get it. What happened to Matt was awful, and of course he'd want his face back. That seems natural. But he actually tells Caitlin he'd rather be dead or he'd be better off dead than living that the way he is. Now that's a pretty sad thing to hear from someone who's just achieved so much. He's lost other people's approval, and now he doesn't seem to value his own life either. And when the treatment starts working, look at what he does. He walks straight back out there despite warning, and he hits the red carpet again. The cameras are flashing, the fans are cheering, and even his old agent suddenly wants everything to do with him again, shock horror. And then Matt smiles. Great cinematography in that scene too. The million dollar grin, quite literally. And then Matt Hagen is back. But notice what makes him happy here. It's everyone looking at him the way that they used to. And as soon as his face starts drooping, that confidence disappears with it. Now, Caitlin did warn him the treatment wasn't ready, but Matt ignores her, injects himself with even more of it when she isn't looking, like the toddler that you turn around and see guzzling the snack pack from the fridge that you specifically told them not to have. Now, he'd rather risk his own life than go back to being the man that everyone rejected, and that's what makes his next move so dangerous, because the treatment gives Matt something he's never actually had since that attack from Zabo.

Power Turns Need Into Violence

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It gives him power. Now he can become almost anyone that he wants. And I'll admit, part of me wanted to see Frank and Zabo pay for what they did, but Matt takes things way too far. He hunts them down and he even kills Corey, his childhood friend, by pulling him into his own body, smothering him. Now that's that's just horrifying. And this is where I started losing sympathy for Matt, to be honest, and I think a lot of audience members did, because even with all this power, he's still letting other people run his life. Before he needed them to praise him, now he needs them to suffer. He's still making his choices based on what they think of him, what they've done to him as well. And that same need starts to take over his relationship with Caitlin because Caitlin is one of the few people who actually cared about Matt after his attack. She listens to him, she helps him, she treats him like a person, even when everyone else has walked away. There's even a moment during the treatment when Matt says he feels calm because she's holding his hand. And I reckon that actually says a lot. Matt's lost all the praise he used to get from Hollywood. Now Caitlin makes him feel wanted again, gives him that praise, but he's still become so used to needing that feeling that he can't stand the thought of losing it. And then we start to see just how far he'll go to keep it. This is why I love breaking down characters like Matt. So if you enjoy looking at what drives the people in our favorite stories and fandoms, then consider subscribing. The button's just down there. I make these videos every week because what Matt does next is almost impossible to defend for me. Because guess what, guys? Caitlin has a fiance. His name's John. He works for the police department in Gotham. And when Matt realizes she doesn't love him the way he wants, he kills John, takes his face and his appearance. That's not some burst of anger. He's thought about this. And I wonder if he's trying to see how Caitlin looks at John. Does she look at him the way Matt wants her to look at him? Either way, creepy. Matt's now willing to become somebody else just to feel love. He actually tells Caitlin this. He says, I'll be anyone for you. And that line bothered me because Matt doesn't believe he's being himself. And he doesn't believe that being himself is enough. He actually thinks if he can become the person Caitlin loves, then she will finally actually love him and show him that affection. But Caitlin gets to choose who she loves. That's how it works in life. Matt's so desperate for approval that he's willing to take that choice away from her. And that's not love. He just needs someone to love him. And when Caitlin tells him she's seen the real Matt underneath his appearance, I don't think he even knows who that person is anymore. He's spent so long trying to be someone other people will admire that he's lost sight of who he actually is. And that brings us to that ending.

Sewer Ending And Hard Truth

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That fateful scene. After Caitlin uses the kill switch on Matt, he falls apart and slips into Gotham's sewers. Like a flushed yep. But of course, as all supervillains do, he survived. And at the end of the film, we follow a homeless man down into the sewers after some time passes, and he changes back into Matt Hagen. Then Caitlin appears with a newspaper. She tells Matt that the reviews are in, and guess what? She starts praising him. And for a moment there, it looks like somebody finally accepts him for who he actually is, and Caitlin loves him. But then we find out Caitlin isn't actually there. Matt made him out of his own body. He's still sitting there, all alone, pretending somebody still loves and admires him. And I found that heartbreaking because even now, when there's nobody left to impress, Matt still needs someone to tell him that he's good enough. And the director, James Watkin, actually added something to Matt's final look that makes this even sadder. Most of his face is completely twisted and changed, but there's still one human eye, and that eye sheds a single tear. And Watkin said he wanted us to feel Matt Hagen is still in there underneath the monster. And I love that detail because even after everything he's done, there is still a man under there who's hurting. And now let's think back to where we started in this film. And it was Matt celebrating that Oscar nomination. He was proud because people were praising something he'd worked his whole life to achieve. Now, he's hiding in the sewers, making up someone who'd tell him exactly what he wants to hear in an echo chamber. And for me, that says everything I need to know about Matt Hagen. He can become almost anyone in the world, but he doesn't believe being himself is enough. And I reckon we can all learn something from that, to be honest. We all like being praised, it's nice getting awards, and having someone tell us we've done a great job is an amazing feeling, but we also need to be proud of ourselves too. We need to see the good in what we've done, even when nobody else notices, because if we always need someone else to tell us that we're doing something worthwhile, what happens when they stop? I don't think Matt ever works that out in this film because he spends the whole time chasing the praise and love and everything that he once had, and he loses his friends, his humanity, and almost everything that made him Matt Hagen in the first place. He worked his whole life to become somebody, but he never learned that he was already somebody worth valuing. If you enjoyed this breakdown, guys, then watch my Clayface Origin video next. You'll see it right over here. And I want you to tell me in the comments was Matt Hagen chasing fame or love? Or did you just want to feel good enough? Comment below and subscribe for more character breakdowns from the fandoms that we love. I'm Aaron. Keep learning, keep growing, and keep loving fandoms, and I will see you guys through the next portal.