When it came to the DCEU, Zack Snyder had quite the idea for his characters. They weren’t going to be just some usual run of the mill superheroes who had a conviction for doing good. For Snyder, it was so much more. He understood very well that life is never fair. The conundrums that categorise the postmodern era can’t be reflected in a hunky-dory world.
Hence the epiphany to explore with characters who would dare to start on the dark side of the spectrum, showing everyone’s favorite superheroes in a light no one could have imagined. And he was made to answer for that, with a section of fans questioning his choices. But he wasn’t the first to do so.
Zack Snyder did something different with his characters
Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom brings down the curtains on the DCEU. 15 movies and 11 years down the lane, fans won’t be wrong to dismiss the project as a colossal failure. But don’t let that figure fool you. Everyone would be wise to remember that it wasn’t how it was supposed to turn out; the series could have been very different had Zack Snyder been in creative control.
The Snyderverse, as fans affectionately call the universe he wanted to create, was a universe of complexities, a universe that reflected the world for what it was – a dark pit where light seldom shines. And it was quite the double-edged sword.
Justice League Universe had already portrayed characters in a dark light
Fans couldn’t wrap their heads around the characters created by Zack Snyder. Not many could have imagined seeing such a layered version of the caped crusader that was on display in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. That isn’t new territory for DC though.
After all, that has already been done in the Justice League Universe. Fans might have been treated to numerous versions of the characters over the years. And probably one of the most decisive moment for the DC Comic character was the release of Justice League Universe.
The DC Animated Universe will always be remembered for its bold choices
The series marked the culmination of the DC Animated Universe (AKA the Timmverse). The brainchild of Bruce Timm and Eric Radomsky, the series will always remain a cult classic for its bold approach to the characters. After all, who could hate a version of Batman who reflected the darkness that characterized Gotham itself.
The series was way ahead of its time, exploring a plethora of themes. One of the most thought-provoking scenes came when Green Arrow raised his doubts over the league itself. No one can forget when he said,
“I’m the only guy in the room who doesn’t have superpowers, and let me tell you, you guys scare me. What if you do decide to go marching down there, taking care of whoever you think is guilty? Who could stop you? Me?” (Looper)
This is just an example of how JLU pushed the boundaries, laying down the foundation of experiments done over the years that followed. No wonder where Zack Snyder got his inspiration from.
