It’s unfortunate that the failure of the Justice League film caused plans for Darkseid’s entry in the DC Extended Universe to be delayed. This supervillain happens to be the archenemy of the Justice League, and he is considered the equivalent of what Thanos is for the Marvel Universe.
Plans can always change, though, and fans could see the Ruler of Apokolips arrive in the DCEU at some point in time. The exact moment of his arrival needs to be pulled off masterfully, though, and keeping that in mind here are 10 scenes and scenarios where Darkseid can be introduced in the DCEU to be set up as the ultimate villain.
10 In A New Universe Through Flashpoint
The Flash is due to be out sometime in the future, and there’s talk that it might portray the events of the Flashpoint, where Barry ended up changing the timeline and the universe itself. If the film does end up taking this course, the new DCEU can have Darkseid already settled in.
The revamped timeline can show Darkseid as the one who governs the universe, with him controlling Earth among other planets. This way, Darkseid will instantly start off as an established Big Bad, setting him up as the Justice League’s villain.
9 By Brainwashing Superman
This angle took place in the DC Animated Universe, where Superman was abducted by Darkseid and then conditioned in such a way that he believed he was the son of Darkseid. With Superman being on a long hiatus at present in the DCEU, he can be shown as having disappeared.
The explanation can arrive by showing the brainwashed Superman claiming to be a servant of Darkseid. At this point, the villain can make his appearance by ordering Superman to lay siege on his behalf. This way, Darkseid will be established as a supervillain capable of making the Man of Steel fall at his feet.
8 Killing Steppenwolf For His Failures
Of course, Darkseid was confirmed to be Steppenwolf’s leader in Justice League itself, but fans never got the chance to see him in the flesh. Steppenwolf’s final shot was when he was dragged into a boom tube, and Darkseid can have his first appearance on the other side.
The events can pick up straight from there, as Steppenwold would arrive back to his master and beg for forgiveness. Here, Darkseid’s lack of mercy can be shown by having him blast his minion with the Omega Beam, confirming how Steppenwolf was nothing compared to Darkseid in power.
7 Through The History Of The New Gods
Rather than feature Darkseid in a particular superhero’s movie, the DCEU could simply have him be the star in his own film. The New Gods can be an awesome film that goes deep in the history of these beings, and Darkseid can be shown right from his birth.
It can start off from when he was Uxas, over to how he became the tyrannical leader of Apokolips and every other conflict that eventually gave him the name of Darkseid. Having a film dedicated to him and the history he comes from will leave no stone unturned for fans over who this guy is.
6 Encountered In Space While Searching For The Anti-Life Equation
As the Justice League had been established by the end of the titular team’s movie, the DCEU can cut to a time where they have expanded enough for the league to have activities in outer space. Here, they can be set up to encounter Darkseid.
He’s known to relentlessly search for the Anti-Life Equation, and this clash can be a total coincidence where Darkseid seeks to use the league in acquiring what he wants. It would make clear what his overall agenda is, along with freeing the need to set up any conflict on Earth.
5 Conducting A Preemptive Invasion Of Earth
Sure, Steppenwolf did just this in Justice League to mixed results, but that was because he lacked any kind of characterization. With Darkseid having his agenda of acquiring the Anti-Life Equation, his connections with the gods on Earth, and him being more powerful than Superman, his version of the invasion won’t fall flat.
For this reason, Darkseid’s preemptive attack on Earth will instead make him out to be the immense threat that he is. Watching the Justice League fail and be resorted to hiding from Darkseid will push the villain as the next big thing for the fans.
4 Through The Knightmare Scenario
Calls for the “Snyder Cut” of Justice League only get louder as the years go by. If this route is taken again, then we might see Darkseid arrive as Zack Snyder had wanted it. This is known as the “Knightmare scenario,” where Darkseid turned Earth into a wasteland.
His entry here would be by causing the death of Lois Lane, an event that would push Superman into insanity. This would be a cool way to bring Darkseid in, with his first appearance being where he won’t fight, but use his gift of deception to corrupt Superman and convert Earth into a version of Apokolips.
3 In A Flashback During The Original Invasion
In case you didn’t know, the invasion of Steppenwolf shown at the beginning of Justice League was actually under the supervision of Darkseid, or Prince Uxas as he was then supposed to be. If the DCEU doesn’t want to dive into bringing the villain fully, it can opt for flashback sequences.
Here, Darkseid’s impact on the world can be shown through his actions in the past, where the worst he doled out can be illustrated without having to bring in the villain against the current heroes. This way, Darkseid’s legacy can be established and hype up his appearance in the present-day chronology.
2 Arriving After His Underlings Fight The Justice League
Never underestimate the value of an effective cliffhanger, as this can carve out the whole plot line of the following film. Steppenwolf wasn’t the only Darkseid minion, and there are still a host of characters left, such as Kalibak or the Female Furies.
In this scenario, the Justice League can be shown fighting a drawn-out battle against these enemies and winning, only to be met with a surprise. By the end of this fight, Darkseid can make his appearance by appearing via boom tube. To establish how vastly superior Darkseid is, he can be shown beating the heroes handily within seconds, with a cliffhanger over what his intentions are to play out in the next film.
1 In A War With New Genesis
Alternatively, the DCEU can ignore showing the New Gods from the beginning in favor of throwing the viewer in the middle of the war between Apokolips and New Genesis. With Highfather being the good counterpart to Darkseid’s evil one, this would be a sequence to behold.
To make things interesting, the Justice League can be shown as being present for this war, thereby making this an intergalactic conflict where the heroes have to penetrate Apokolips’ defenses. Here, Darkseid would be lying in wait to use the Justice League against Highfather’s forces.
NEXT: 5 Reasons Why The DC Animated Universe Is Better Than The DCEU (& Vice Versa)