JUSTICE LEAGUE - 5 Theories About How Superman Will Return To The DC Extended Universe

There are a number of rumours doing the rounds about how Superman will return to the land of the living in Justice League and we've collected five compelling theories we think explain his resurrection...

By JoshWilding - Aug 22, 2017 08:08 AM EST

Filed Under: Justice League

In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Zack Snyder surprised us all when he killed the Man of Steel. Of course, we already knew at that point that Henry Cavill would be reprising the role in Justice League but this shocking turn of events left everyone talking about the many ways the filmmaker could bring the hero back. Superman has, of course, died in the comic books but those aren't too helpful here.

After all, it's hard to imagine that we're going to meet a variety of Superman claiming to be the one, true Clark Kent as was the case in those but there are still some other pretty compelling theories!

What you'll find here is a look at five different explanations for how the iconic DC Comics superhero could return to the land of the living in Justice League when it's finally released this November. Warner Bros. may have shown him in promotional material but there's been no sign of Supes in the trailers, posters, or stills so who knows how he's going to come back. Well, we believe we have the answer...

5. Time Travel

One of Batman v Superman's most confusing moments came when Bruce Wayne was awoken by the Flash travelling back in time to deliver a dire warning from the future. It made little to no sense but it was clear that Zack Snyder was setting something up for another film. While Barry Allen's cryptic message admittedly didn't seem to have much to do with resurrecting the Man of Steel, a way could be found to make that the case.

Things getting so bad that the Flash needs to travel back in time to fix them would open the door to Superman's return even if it's as simple as stopping Steppenwolf's invasion altogether by ensuring Superman didn't fall in battle against Doomsday in the first place.

This is a tough one to figure out as time travel has a tendency to be so convoluted and confusing but with Flashpoint sounding more and more like another Justice League movie, it could be that new director Joss Whedon uses these despots to add more time travel shenanigans setting the stage for that adventure. Either way, this might be one of the easier ways to bring Supes back and eliminates the complications surrounding Clark Kent's return too.

Given the response to the darker DC Extended Universe movies, an evil Superman is probably something that not a lot of people want to see. However, Steppenwolf and Lex Luthor teaming up to use the deceased Kryptonian for their own evil means does make sense and Darkseid has frequently been shown as having a desire to kill or control the Multiverse's many different Men of Steel.

This is a twist which would also facilitate Superman returning in the black costume fans are anxious to see in live-action and the moment he breaks free from the control of Justice League's villains to help his friends would be immensely satisfying.

Based on what little we've seen of Steppenwolf, it's hard to say just how much fun it will be seeing him clash with the team too; Flash or Aquaman battling Supes, on the other hand, would definitely be a sight to behold! It just depends on whether or not Warner Bros. Is going to want to head down the whole hero vs. hero route after the vitriol which was spewed at Batman v Superman's titular fight by many critics last year!

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3. He Never Died

This would be a hard one to explain but it has the potential to work if handled correctly. While we quite clearly saw Clark Kent's body and his friends and family mourning for him, what if he somehow faked his death to protect the world? After all, he was repeatedly told that his presence on Earth was putting people's lives in danger and even witnessed that first hand when that building exploded around him in Batman v Superman.

Taking that into account, maybe Bruce Wayne used his many resources to help Clark and Superman vanish. This would explain that scene in the Comic-Con trailer featuring Alfred telling an unknown figure - presumably, the Man of Steel - that they've been expecting him as the attempt to hide the hero from the world has clearly failed and the world obviously still needs Superman.

Another possibility is that Superman is in some sort of stasis and that the Codex from the Kryptonian ship will bring him back and that too would fit into the theory that he's not technically dead. It's an explanation which better explains why the dirt on his coffin started floating into the air at the end of Batman v Superman too but many moviegoers didn't even notice that so there's nothing to say it will necessary come into play in Justice League.

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2. He Has A Healing Factor

A healing factor isn't the most exciting explanation but it's a straightforward one that would bring Superman back into the fold relatively quickly. In Batman v Superman, he was stabbed through the heart and quite clearly died at the hands of Lex Luthor's monstrous Doomsday but a healing factor which takes some time to get working would explain why he was buried and would lead to a very cool sequence of the hero quite literally flying out of his grave and rocketing into the sky, beard and all.

I'm not saying this is the best way to handle the Man of Steel's return but we saw Superman near death after being struck by a nuclear bomb before the sun restored him to life so what if that open casket means enough sun reached him to get his heart beating again? It's possible that when Steppenwolf attacks Earth, the ground in Smallville will be cracked open and enough sun will shine down into his coffin to bring Clark Kent back to the land of the living. Sure, this isn't massively epic but it has potential.

Does this make Superman a little too much like Wolverine? Perhaps!

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1. Wearing The Black Suit (And Rocking A Mullet)

I've already mentioned the black suit but it is possible that it could be used to explain Superman's return. Perhaps someone or something retrieved his body and put it into stasis in the Fortress of Solitude, decking the hero out in one of the same suits worn by General Zod and his allies in Man of Steel.

Because this process would take some time, that would go some way in explaining why his hair has grown and while this new look would probably be temporary, it's the kind of thing Zack Snyder would no doubt come up with as he's such a fan of picking iconic moments like this from the source material (whether or not Joss Whedon has decided to change that is another matter altogether).

It's something fans have clearly expressed a desire to see too and as the filmmaker seems to be following the "Death of Superman" story arc relatively closely in some ways, it would almost be more surprising not to see this suit! Is it essential? Perhaps not but it would make for a slightly more interesting visual than Superman just showing up mid-fight to take on Steppenwolf with the Justice League by his side.

Do you agree with any of these theories about the Man of Steel's return in Justice League? Do you have some of their own? As always, share your thoughts in the comments section down below.

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97 Comments

1 2 3

GhostDog - 8/22/2017, 8:04 AM

KnifeWasTooSlow - 8/22/2017, 8:09 AM

I really hope the mind control thing doesn't happen.

KWilly - 8/22/2017, 9:18 AM

@SlowKnife - Ikr? The whole mind control plot has been done to death.

incredibleTalk - 8/22/2017, 8:13 AM

...he aint coming back!

CAPTAINPINKEYE - 8/22/2017, 8:19 AM

@incredibleTalk - LOL! That movie was sooooo bad!!

write33 - 8/22/2017, 8:46 AM

@incredibleTalk - LOL, when I was 11 I saw that and loved it...ah, blind devotion............of course then I got older and realized Superman straight up murders Nuclear Man to solve the problem......ha, take that Synder! your Superman never shoved someone into an nuclear reactor to save the day! Wuss.

Shazam - 8/22/2017, 11:03 AM

@incredibleTalk - I know Reeve's was going for a bigger meaning for doing this film but OMG...This film was the worst Superman Movie...period. I have say though, the delete scenes for Superman IV was worth watching..LOL!

TRexx21 - 8/22/2017, 11:05 AM

@write33 - I agree, as a child it was my FAV!! Lol

Shazam - 8/22/2017, 11:15 AM

@incredibleTalk @CAPTAINPINKEYE @write33 - Superman IV destroys the logic that Humans need Oxygen to breathe to stay alive LOL!

Shazam - 8/22/2017, 11:16 AM

CAPTAINPINKEYE - 8/22/2017, 12:26 PM

@Shazam - destroys the logic that humans need a brain to approve a script for a motion picture.

write33 - 8/23/2017, 10:41 AM

@Shazam - LOL right? that movie was like..."Film it! Film anything! just make a Superman movie!!!"....ah, the 80's...

WruceBayne - 8/22/2017, 8:20 AM

No one ever wondered why Zod stayed dead?

SuperCat - 8/22/2017, 8:24 AM

1 2 3

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JUSTICE LEAGUE - 5 Theories About How Superman Will Return To The DC Extended Universe

There are a number of rumours doing the rounds about how Superman will return to the land of the living in Justice League and we've collected five compelling theories we think explain his resurrection...

5. Time Travel

4. Under The Control Of Steppenwolf

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2. He Has A Healing Factor

1. Wearing The Black Suit (And Rocking A Mullet)

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