The boat scene at the start of the rescue montage -someone's already pointed out the parallel to the story of Jesus walking on water, but I re-read that story, and there's some details in it that I believe shed light on what's being conveyed through the imagery. Here's the story for reference:
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:25-33
Another scene where Clark's oblivious to the image he's projecting. Notably, no one "goes out" to this man "walking on the water." Throughout the montage, we see him acting without hesitation until we reach the last, where he hesitates, looking down on the flood victims, at last aware of what he's becoming in their eyes. This is followed by a scene of him alone on a couch, listening to people talk about humanity's place in the new paradigm, while silently pondering his own place in it.
Beautiful.
