The following contains spoilers for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, now playing in theaters.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is largely focused on the mystical battle that erupts across Philadelphia as the Shazam family finds itself facing off with the Daughters of Atlas for the fate of their powers and, eventually, the world itself. This mostly takes the form of superpowered punches, magic lightning, and giant monsters. But throughout the film, there's also a fun parallel that builds between the protagonists and antagonists outside of their own feelings for each other.
Sibling relationships end up being one of the central emotional throughlines of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, with both Shazam and Kalypso pushing their own ideas about the concept onto their loved ones. As a result, the film quietly creates a solid showcase for Billy Batson's character growth by highlighting how dark it could have gone if he'd been more like Kaylpso. It's a clever touch that adds a bit of depth to the arcs of both sets of characters.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods Is About Sibling Relationships, Good & Bad
At the core of Shazam! Fury of the Gods is two families of siblings -- the Shazam family and the Daughters of Atlas. Both families are defined early in the film as being united in their overall purpose (being heroes for the Shazam family and taking back their magic for the Daughters of Atlas) but find themselves conflicted on how to best carry this out. While Billy Batson is convinced the family needs to stick together, Freddy and Mary are increasingly itching to spread their wings and lead their own lives. Meanwhile, Darla, Pedro, and Eugene are still around but focused on their own passions, leaving Billy struggling to keep the family on track.
At the same time, tensions slowly reveal themselves within the Daughters of Atlas. While Anthea is behind their mission, she doesn't see the need to further antagonize the rest of the DC Universe. But Kalypso, driven by rage over their imprisonment and the death of their father at the hands of humans, would rather take revenge by planting a powerful magical artifact on Earth -- leading it to fester into dark beasts that quickly turn on the citizens caught in their wake. Hespera initially tries her best to hold back her sister's rage, attempting to take charge by citing her status as the elder sister. But this blinds her to Kalypso's true willingness to cross moral boundaries, leaving her open to an ultimately fatal blow from her. While Anthea is (briefly) depowered, Kalypso goes on a rampage that only ends when a dying Hespera gives Shazam an edge in his battle with her, trapping them together in a force field so she can't escape a massive blast of energy.
How Shazam Sets Up Kalypso as Billy Batson's Foil
Throughout Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the sibling dynamics of both the Shazam family and the Daughters of Atlas are on full display. Both sets bicker and poke at each other, calling out one another for their failings and mistakes. But the Shazam family ultimately takes a more loving approach to their internal conflicts. When Billy expresses self-doubt, Mary tries to calm him down, and when he has to choose between saving her or catching the golden apple, he chooses her. These moments contrast greatly with Kalypso and Hespera's bickering over their eventually conflicting goals. This reliance on their siblings gives the Shazam family more to fight for, while the Daughters of Atlas turn on each other and leave themselves open for defeat. Even Shazam's ultimate victory comes about because of his willingness to sacrifice himself for his family -- allowing him to lure an enraged Kalypso into a trap sprung by Hespera.
The family dynamics of Shazam! Fury of the Gods are a major element of the film, both on the heroic and villainous sides of the equation. The Shazam family highlights how the differences that grow between families don't have to splinter them, even as it allows them to grow and change and become different. The film ends with Billy, who'd been conflicted most of the movie about the prospect of his adopted family being broken apart, happy and confident that nothing could ever do that. The Daughters of Atlas, too rigid in their individual beliefs and unwilling to work together to change their own perspectives, end up largely wiped out when they could have come together and actually achieved their goals. Kalypso serves as a dark counterpart to Billy Batson, a foil to highlight how a singular view of a family unit and their relationship can end up breaking it down instead of lifting it up. It's a fun contrast that highlights just how important family is to Shazam, even when he has to step into battle on his own.
To see how the two families' story unfolds, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is now playing in theaters.