You're not wrong but there is one thing: hitting the ground is an instantaneous impact with a hard surface. Being swooped in some direction is a relatively slower process - the swooper is softer than concrete, and the change in velocity is spread over a longer period of time (even if it's still "instantaneous" to the casual observer, it can be an "instant" 100 times longer than ground impact).

It's like landing on a mattress vs a hard floor - from a high enough height both are deadly, but I'd still pick the mattress.

Transformer movies were awful with this. Human falling hundreds of feet to the pavement. But wait! They'll hit a giant steel hand instead! Much better. Soft.

Isn't this the story of the original Gwen Stacy? Spiderman tries to save her, but does exactly this and the force on her body kills her anyway.

It's been a long, long time since I have read the comics but iirc, it was a defining point in the spiderman canon.

That's exactly what I thought when I was watching that scene with that superfast dude in X Men where he saves a bunch of people by carrying them away from an explosion. They must accelerate from 1 to 1000 km/h in a mere second.

The scene is still awesome, but I don't think anyone would be alive after that.

Edit: https://youtu.be/ZnZqB5Z75zI?si=41ohBuk03Xuy5RGl

It's like one of the opening scenes from The Boys.

splat

Sorry Lois Lane, superman just made you into a bony pink mist.

Isn't it well known that if you're near Superman you"get" some of his powers. So him coming in to save you like this would be ok because you'd have some of his invincibility.

What's the name of this comic and/or the artist. I recognize it from the fortune teller "I see you alone in an apartment with a lot of X... Jesus that's a lot of X" meme.

Crumple Zone is the superhero we really need here. With thick arms and soft bones he can rush to the scene and turn sudden death into mere horrific imjuries.

Check out the absorption barriers on the edges of racetracks. They’re remarkably small for cars that could be hitting them at 100+ mph.

Of course, the cars themselves are also designed to save the driver but it’s the same concept.

If Superman (or whoever) uses the remaining distance between you and the ground to reduce the impulse on your body. But they also have to be careful about their speed coming in to grab you, because they could easily substitute your impact with the ground for an impact with them.

Superman should just fly completely under Lois, grab her and instantly match her speed, and crash through the concrete and the layers below (protecting her with his Super Bod), decelerating slowly enough that Lois is saved without harm.

I recall that scene. Didn't he lower his hand as they fell into it so it slows them? I remember appreciating that detail when I saw it