Image via HBO Max
Zack Snyder’s fabled version of Justice League has finally arrived on HBO Max after a year of speculation, theories, and pleas from DC fans worldwide. Zack Snyder’s Justice League—fondly known as the “Snyder Cut” of 2016’s Justice League—comes in at an intimidating four-hour run time and features Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg teaming up to revive Superman and defeat the evil Steppenwolf, while also preventing the evil Darkseid from returning to Earth. Snyder had to step away from directing the original Justice League after a family tragedy, leaving Joss Whedon to take over, which is one reason why the final product felt a bit all over the place for many viewers. Snyder has admitted to never seeing the theatrical version of Justice League, which is both hilarious and telling. Still, his version is every “what if’’ fan theory brought to life. The Snyder Cut acts as all of Snyder’s plans for Justice League actualized on screen.
For what it’s worth, Snyder’s cut is a fun ride. Yeah, the length is a little overkill, but the pacing is so good that it doesn’t always feel four hours long. Snyder uses that extra time to pull out all the stops and bring some DC fans’ wildest predictions to fruition while also filling in some narrative gaps. The Snyder Cut differs from Whedon’s Justice League in several ways. Martian Manhunter pulls up, The Flash gets to show off his broken abilities, Superman rocks the black suit and a plethora of other memorable moments in between. The only thing that would’ve made this film any more completed would be getting to see the Green Lantern Corp highlighted as they should, but I digress.
It sucks that none of this is canon, but it’s apparent that Zack Snyder had a clear vision of where he wanted the DC extended universe to go if he would have stayed on for future projects. Besides heavy fan service, the Snyder Cut foreshadows big DC storylines by introducing the Anti-Life Equation, showcasing Darkseid’s massive army, and having The Flash utilize the Speed Force and time-travel. With four-hours of new footage to dive through, here’s everything new in Zack Snyder’s Justice League and where DC could have taken the franchise if it were canon.
Character Development and Fleshed Out Backstories
One of the most noticeable additions in the Snyder Cut is a better introduction to new characters like the Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman. Remember, this was our first time seeing these characters since Bruce Wayne discovered other super-powered individuals during Batman vs. Superman. In the original, we were only really introduced to Barry Allen through Batman’s eyes, but in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, we get to see him briefly save Iris West, a future love interest, and showcase his super-speed to a fuller extent. The Flash’s speed would play a huge role throughout the movie, but the character felt like more of an afterthought in the theatrical release of Justice League. Since a solo Flash film seems far off in the future, it was nice to see the character expanded upon on the big screen.
The same can be said about Cyborg, whose character development ran parallel to the movie’s main storyline. We grow with Cyborg here and watch him slowly repair the damaged relationship with his father, Silas Stone, and learn to accept himself. Cyborg was initially introduced as a brooding leper who was forced back into society by the Justice League, but here we see him make that choice on his own after growing from his experiences. Cyborg’s powers are also showcased in a much more comic-accurate way, with his ability to control technology illustrated clearly from the beginning. Aquaman’s interactions with the Atlantians would also act as a better segway to his solo film.
We also get Darkseid’s backstory which adds some real motivations behind Steppenwolf’s actions, making him a more understandable villain. Snyder provides audiences with a better look at Darkseid’s homeworld of Apokolips and his army and even gives us a glimpse at his general Granny Goodness in the background. This could have led to a more extensive explanation of Darkseid’s homeworld and how he turns planets into different versions of it, taking the DCEU galactic. With that, characters like the Green Lanterns could have finally gotten some shine as well.
Extended (and More Graphic) Fight Scenes
Zack Snyder’s extended fight scenes went crazy, simple as that. This director’s edition made each battle much more graphic and feel like a dogfight. Steppenwolf’s raid on Themyscira was longer, and the new scenes added another layer of emotion to the battle, with Hippolyta having to sacrifice her sisters to keep the Mother Box away from him and ultimately failing. We get to see an extended fight between the old gods and Darkseid when he initially attacked earth, getting a glimpse of the king of Atlantis using the Trident that we’d later see in Aquaman, and the evil God Darkseid ravaging enemies. This could have foreshadowed the old gods coming back to Earth to fight Darkseid in the villian’s inevitable return in the present day, or get a proper Green Lantern Corp introduction since they’re seen fighting against him in the flashback.
Two of the best extended fights in Zack Snyder’s Justice League were the Justice League versus a newly-revived Superman and when the League faced off against Steppenwolf and the parademons in the final act. Superman clearly outclassed all the heroes in both versions of the film, but in the Snyder Cut, he felt like more of a legitimate threat to defenseless civilians as well. In the final act, each member of the League got a chance to shine in their unique way. Batman was not overshadowed by the surplus of super-powered individuals and felt like he made an impact, whereas, in the theatrical release, Bruce felt more cosmetic in the final fight. Steppenwolf getting beheaded by Wonder Woman in the end was also an addition that felt excessive yet needed.
More Superpower Feats
We finally get to see the Speed Force in all its glory in the Snyder Cut. Whedon reserved most of the Flash’s screentime in Justice League to make him grow from a coward to a hero, but here he’s already a semi-realized Speedster and uses his powers in a much more free-flowing way. His fight against Superman was insane, especially considering the Man of Steel could keep up with him. The Flash’s speed was also showcased beautifully in the scene where he saved Iris West, and we get our first glimpse of what the Speed Force looks like on the big screen when Barry rewinds time in the final act. The Speed Force is the energy that grants The Flash his powers. The implications of this move could have been huge, with a potential Flashpoint Paradox story being explored in the future because of it. An abridged explanation of the Flashpoint Paradox story is this: due to the tampering of time using the Speed Force; Barry Allen ends up in an alternate DC Universe where he has to face-off against a Reverse Flash, Eobard Thawne, and defeat the villain to set things right. The Flash running through time to prevent the Justice League’s demise could have folded nicely into the Flash’s upcoming solo film and this potential story.
Cyborg’s impressive control of technology is also showcased more in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. He taps into and controls the internet, can recreate machinery, use extendable arms from his back, and even get a glimpse at a possible future through the eyes of the Mother Boxes. Also, along with finally getting Darkseid on-screen, the Snyder Cut reveals his iconic Omega Beams in a montage of him killing Aquaman and conquering the Earth. This scene and other Knightmare world versions could have led to an Injustice storyline in the future.
The Introduction of Martian Manhunter and Atom
The Snyder Cut gives Martian Manhunter his official DCEU entrance, revealing that he was General Calvin Swanwick in disguise. We meet General Swanwick in Man of Steel, so Snyder establishes that the Martian, whose name is J’onn J’onzz, had been on Earth the entire time, waiting to reveal his true identity. Martian Manhunter talks to Bruce Wayne in Zack Snyder’s Justice League’s closing moments in a scene that had reportedly been added to the pre-recorded footage for the HBO Max release. In it, J’onzz reveals that Darkseid will be returning, and that he is willing to fight beside him.
Not only does this ending establish another core member of the original Justice League in the DCEU, but it also sets up a future Darkseid War storyline that Snyder would have likely explored in Justice League 2 and beyond. While there have been many iterations of the story, Snyder has said that Darkseid would have returned to Earth seeking the Anti-Life Equation, killed Lois Lane and made Superman succumb to the Anti-Life Equations power, raining hellfire down on the planet. This also follows closely in-line with the Knightmare dreams Batman has throughout the film, where he envisions the Earth ravaged by a Superman-turned-evil.
Another fun addition to the story was Ryan Choi, who would likely have been the superhero Atom. In the comics, Choi is the fourth person to take on the mantle as the hero, and with his access to nanotech in Star Labs can manipulate his size and weight. He’s basically the Ant-Man of the DCEU, and his origin story was quietly being set-up in the background of Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Knightmare World and 'Injustice' Storyline
The other significant addition that is a Snyder Cut-exclusive is Batman’s Knightmare scene fully fleshed out. In the original Justice League, Batman dreams of a world ravaged by Darkseid, and Superman turned evil, preparing to kill him. Zack Snyder goes all-in on with his attempt to recreate his version of a pseudo Injustice scenario. In the OG Injustice storyline, the Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane, who was pregnant with their child, and then Superman kills the Joker and reigns over Earth with an iron fist. The direction Snyder was likely leaning towards was a scenario where Darkseid invades Earth. Lois Lane still dies—which the Flash alludes to in the original when he says “Lois Lane is the key”—and Superman falls to the Anti-Life Equation, which has the power to bend people to its master’s will.
Batman is shown leading a ragtag bunch that consists of a battered Cyborg, Flash, Mera, Deathstroke, and Joker across a desolate wasteland before being intercepted by Superman. The Joker also admits to killing Jason Todd, playing on the Death in the Family storyline, which could have been something Snyder would explore further. All-in-all, despite none of the Snyder Cut being cannon, it does offer a glimpse of where DC could still go in the future. Characters like Cyborg and the Flash still can be explored and Darkseid has yet to be revealed in the main timeline. The biggest takeaway from the Snyder Cut should be that the DCEU still has some cards in their hand, it just depends on how they play them in the future.