Justice League's much-hyped Snyder Cut is finally out and available on HBO Max. So far, fans have taken the time to compare and contrast the Zack Snyder Cut with the original theatrical Joss Whedon Cut, taking notice of what the Snyder Cut has and has not improved. One of the most noticeable changes and improvements that fans noticed refer to how Steppenwolf was handled in the Snyder Cut.

Related: Justice League: Every Part In The Snyder Cut, Ranked

Although he was already the main antagonist of the theatrical cut, Steppenwolf still manages to have a larger role in the Snyder Cut, with long stretches of exposition offering his backstory and longer scenes that he's featured in.

Spoilers For The Snyder Cut Below.

10 He Has A Better Introduction With A Bigger Fight Scene

steppenwolf vs amazons scene

Steppenwolf's introduction into the movie is more or less the same in the Snyder Cut as it is in the Joss Whedon Cut, albeit with minor yet significant changes. Both see Steppenwolf dropping in with his Parademons for an all-out fight with the Amazons until he retrieves the Mother Box.

The improvements in the Snyder Cut come in the length and the brutality. Whedon Cut is much shorter, while Snyder Cut offers a much longer and bloodier spectacle, establishing him as a bigger threat. Not to mention, the scene is suddenly all the more memorable.

9 There Is Less Cheesy Dialogue

screenshot of the zack snyder version

Much praise of the Snyder Cut has been dedicated to dialogue alterations for the main heroic cast - like the infamous "Brunch" line getting cut - but some of the more subtle dialogue improvements belong to Steppenwolf. Many of his worst lines from the theatrical cut are either altered or cut entirely. And the lines that are cut often force Steppenwolf to go straight into the action.

Related: Justice League: 10 Best Songs On The Snyder Cut Soundtrack, Ranked

Case in point, in the Whedon Cut of Steppenwolf's arrival, his first words are "Mother," followed by some generic movie villain dialogue. The Snyder offers a snappier, but more poetic speech on how he's "come to enlighten [the world] to the great darkness," which is more memorable.

8 He Has A Better Character Design

Steppenwolf

In the original Whedon theatrical version, Steppenwolf armor is pretty normal looking, but in the Snyder Cut, it's much more surreal and alien-like. In the Snyder Cut, Steppenwolf's armor moves as if it has a life of its own, moving as it "reacts to his mood," explained by visual effects supervisor Anders Langlands in an interview with Yahoo Sports.

Beyond the armor being the most noticeable design change, Steppenwolf is also designed to be much bulkier in muscle mass and taller in size than he was in the Whedon Cut.

7 This Cut Introduces The Anti-Life Equation

Darkseid wields the anti-life equation in DC Comics' Final Crisis.

The Anti-Life Equation plays a huge part in not only DC Comics lore but the driving force in Darkseid's quest for power. Zack Snyder's Justice League finally introduced the Equation to the world when Steppenwolf is finally able to find it. It's hard to imagine that it doesn't play a big role in the future of the DCEU moving forward.

Truly, hypothetically speaking, any character in the movie could have found the Anti-Life Equation, but the fact that it was Steppenwolf guarantees that his impact will be felt throughout the movie franchise long after he's been killed off.

6 The Wonder Woman Tunnel Fight Was Improved

steppenwolf vs wonder woman

The alterations to Steppenwolf's fight scenes are memorable enough to warrant inclusion on this list themselves, but one scene, in particular, is one that fans will remember. It's a small tweak to the tunnel fight between Wonder Woman and Steppenwolf. 

Related: 5 Ways The Snyder Cut Is Better Than Man Of Steel (& 5 It Isn't)

The Whedon Cut has the two dive straight into the action, but in the Snyder Cut, Steppenwolf has one line signifying that he recognizes Wonder Woman is stronger than her Amazon sisters. Then, the two exchange intense, suspenseful stares as Steppenwolf considers grabbing his ax before she tackles him. It's a small touch that makes an originally forgettable encounter all the more memorable.

5 His Presence Leads To An Important Character's Death

Silas Stone Joe Morton Justice League

It is unclear at this moment just how much the Snyder Cut will influence the future of DCEU movies that are actually canonical within the universe, especially when there are such drastic changes like the fate of Silas Stone. In the Whedon Cut, he survives and lives through the end, but in the Snyder Cut, he sacrifices his own life.

In either case, Steppenwolf's actions directly resulted in Silas being compelled to sacrifice himself so the League could locate the next Mother Box. His death highlights Steppenwolf's impact on the story, and his death will showcase Steppenwolf's impact long after he himself is dead, making him a more impactful villain.

4 This Version Of The Character Has Stronger Motivation

Zack Snyder Justice League Steppenwolf Without Mask

Frankly, the fact that Steppenwolf has any sort of motivation this time around beyond just doing what Darkseid tells him is an improvement in himself. The Whedon Cut made him feel like nothing more than a bonafide henchman, just a tier below Thanos' henchman Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy.

The Snyder Cut increases his stakes by explaining that Steppenwolf is a disgraced war general who believes conquering Earth would get him back in the good graces of Darkseid. He's still a henchman, but a personal motivation makes him feel like more than that and more dangerous when driven by what he truly wants.

3 He Has Better Credibility As A Threat Now

Mera And Steppenwolf Zack Snyder's Justice League

The brutality of the aforementioned Amazon fight scene goes a long way in establishing Steppenwolf as a bigger threat immediately upon his introduction, but so do scenes littered across the movie highlighting his quest for the Mother Boxes.

Especially now that viewers understand Steppenwolf's motivations, dedicating more time to seeing him scavenge the land for Mother Boxes and killing people along the way manages to highlight him more like someone who actually gets the job done whenever the job presents itself. He is even credible enough to re-discover the Anti-Life Equation by himself, highlighting that he might have just as many brains as he has brawn.

2 His Stronger Presence Justifies Superman's Revival

Henry Cavill As Black Suited Superman In Zack Snyder's Justice League

On that same point, truth be told, because Steppenwolf feels like nothing more than a lackey in the Whedon Cut, it makes the Superman-less Justice League look like even bigger geeks when they struggle to beat him and especially when they come to the conclusion that the only way to beat him is to revive the Man of Steel.

Related: 10 Times Superman Was A Darker Hero Than Batman

But by making Steppenwolf stronger, more effective, and more dangerous in the Snyder Cut, it makes it a little more believable for the audience to buy into Superman being the only one who could match Steppenwolf in strength.

1 Steppenwolf Briefly Wins In The End

steppenwolf

The Whedon Cut ends with the Justice League basically punching out Steppenwolf to death, but because he's portrayed as much stronger in the Snyder Cut, the new version becomes much tougher to beat. In fact, even with Superman on their side, their efforts originally don't feel like they're enough and it ultimately leads to Steppenwolf not only beating them but destroying the planet.

Yes, the damage is reversed once The Flash uses his powers to go back in time and do things right the second time around, but the fact that Steppenwolf is credible enough to actually win offers a more memorable villain and, most importantly, a more memorable ending.

Next: 10 Ways The Snyder Cut Fixed Justice League