Summary

TheDC Extended Universeconsists of 15 films ahead of James Gunn ’s impending reboot , with each one containing several shocking reveals that left audience member aghast . WhileAquaman and the Lost Kingdomwill be the sixteenth and concluding movie in the enfranchisement , the preface 15 have been often revisited by audiences . As a means of either being refreshed on the enfranchisement ’s level forupcoming DC moviesor simply rewatching favourite from the past , the DCEU ’s divisive catalog has show to stand up the test of time in its own way .

Therankings of DCEU moviesoften highlight which of the films resonate more with audiences , though even those at the low remnant of the spectrum include their fair share of cashable quality . From standout natural action sequences and brilliant individual moments of role or acting to big plait and reveals , even the worst of the DCEU ’s celluloid are worth revisiting beforeJames Gunn ’s DCU movie and tv set slatetruly begins . Concerning the DCEU ’s large reveals , there has been a great handful since the dealership began in 2013that have adequately shocked rooter in a way other superhero pic have go bad to .

The DCEU ’s timeline may be about to be reboot in the DC Universe , but here ’s how to see the DCEU in spillage order or chronological order .

Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in the DCEU

10Superman Kills General Zod

Man Of Steel - 2013

While Superman killing General Zod in 2013’sMan of Steelwas somewhat foreshadowed throughout the pic , the primary source of the mo ’s shock factor fall from the fact that it was Superman trust the act . This turn up to be one of the more dissentious minute in Zack Snyder ’s first DCEU film as many hold Superman to the ideals of serenity , hope , harmony , and repurchase . As such , Henry Cavill ’s Clark Kent opting to snap Zod ’s neck - no matter the circumstances or hard choice the latter submit - left audience adequately shockedin a manner only a Snyder superhero movie can .

9Ted Kord Is Still Alive

Blue Beetle - 2023

The DCEU ’s most recent movie,2023’sBlue Beetle , focalize on the third iteration of the titular superhero from DC Comics : Jaime Reyes . Before Jaime , two others contain the mantle of Blue Beetle . The first of these was Dan Garrett , while the 2nd was Ted Kord . In the DCEU’sBlue Beetle , Ted Kord ’s iteration was confirmed for the dealership though was put as deceased throughout the motion-picture show as he has been miss for yr . As a consequence , it came as quite a shock whenBlue Beetle ’s post - credit panorama disclose that Ted Kord was mysteriously alive , setting up the fib forBlue Beetle 2should it ever fall out .

8Dark Flash Is The Other Barry Allen

The Flash - 2023

Another 2023 debut on this list isThe Flash , with the scandalous reveal in dubiousness being thatDark Flash was the alternating variant of Barry Allen . Throughout the film , the titulary hero friend with a different interlingual rendition of himself from the past , team up to stop General Zod from destroying the worldly concern in an alternate edition of the DCEU ’s timeline . ab initio , Barry was sent to this timeline after being pushed out of the Speed Force by an obscure attacker : Dark Flash .

InThe Flash ’s third number , it is bring out that Dark Flash is the alternate translation of Barry . In an eternal attempt to save the living of those he bang and vote down Zod , alternate Barry devolved into Dark Flash . Being corrupted by his own desire to save those he can not and the myriad of attempts to travel through the Speed Force,2013 - Barry ’s mind and body were altered to make him the primary scoundrel of the film .

7Peacemaker Kills Rick Flag

The Suicide Squad - 2021

2021’sThe Suicide Squadadequately revamp the story of 2016’sSuicide Squad , also doing the same for the latter ’s misused characters . One of these was Rick Flag , who became a much more well - rounded character as a resultant . Undoubtedlyone of the moving-picture show ’s more disgraceful moments due to Flag ’s improved depiction was Peacemaker kill the Colonel . After a different shocking reveal inThe Suicide Squad , Rick Flag press against Peacemaker before the latter take in the upper hand , stabbing the former with a ceramic shard . The salvation of Flag throughout the movie made this a befittingly big twisting forThe Suicide Squadthat go on to be developed in 2022’sPeacemaker .

6Ares' Identity & Diana’s True Nature Are Revealed

Wonder Woman - 2017

Throughout 2017’sWonder Woman , Diana is testify combat against the vicious force of World War I as a means of opposing Ares , the God of War . At the end of the film , a big reveal is that Ares is not General Ludendorff as Diana believe , but instead is David Thewlis ' Patrick Morgan . This surprisal is elevated by the reveal that Ares simply influenced manhood who chose war themselves due to their crooked nature .

Another big patch point ofWonder Womanis that Diana is carrying the God - Killer throughout the flick , her sword that she believe has the power to block off Ares . Shortly after the reveal that Patrick Morgan is Ares , the God of War reveals that the sword is not the God - Killer , but Diana herself is . This compound the third - enactment twists inWonder Woman , making for several dissimilar staggering minute that were only concisely prefigure throughout the film ’s first two acts .

5Billy Batson’s Mother Abandoned Him

Shazam! - 2019

The main aroused arc of Billy Batson in 2019’sShazam!is his reluctance to abide in any one surrogate place for too long . finally , Billy unravel away from every home he is placed in as he still desires to find his birth female parent , Marilyn , whom he was separated from at a funfair when he was younger . Before the flick ’s final act begin , Billy chance his nascence mother , only to be heartbroken when he find oneself out she willingly abandoned him . Feeling the strain of being a untried , single mother , Marilyn only abandoned him as she deemed the care of the surrogate organization would better provide for Billy .

This shot comes as such a shock due to the lot - up of finding Marilyn that is constantly exhibit through Billy ’s eyes . From his perspective , the view with his mother were always show through rose - tinct glasses . Billy wished to find the cleaning woman who tragically lost him when he was younger ; the do it mother he so often remembers . As such , find out Billy ’s mother was not the form , caring woman he thought she was make the unwrap even more shocking in one ofShazam ! ’s best albeit most heartbreaking second .

4The Real Reason For The Corto Maltese Mission Is Revealed

As alluded to , Peacemaker obliterate Rick Flag stems from another twist inThe Suicide Squad ’s story . The twist in query is the true nature of Task Force X ’s mission to Corto Maltese , originally trust to be the foeman of an anti - American irregular regime . At the beginning of the film ’s final deed , it is revealed that the real nature ofThe Suicide Squad ’s delegacy was presented only to Peacemaker , that being to cover up the U.S. government ’s affair in Project Starfish .

Project Starfish refers to Starro the Conqueror , an foreign life form that utter smaller versions of itself to vote out host and take over their bodies . Starro was bump in space and bring to Earth by the U.S. governance which began funding experiments on the alien using the citizens of Corto Maltese as test matter . The Squad was send to infiltrate Corto Maltese under assumed pretenses so that Peacemaker could get across up America ’s involvement in these experiments . Rick Flag opposed this , lead to Peacemaker ’s murder of the Colonel in two ofThe Suicide Squad ’s most lurid moments .

3The Butterflies' “Cow” Is Revealed

Peacemaker - 2022

2022’sPeacemakerwas an HBO Max original serial that acted as a pseudo - sequel toThe Suicide Squad . The show pore on the titulary reference atone for the murder of Rick Flag by stop the invasion of the Butterflies , an foreign , butterfly stroke - like parasitic subspecies that takes over human bodies from the interior . In orderliness to block the Butterflies , Peacemaker and his team aim to kill what is known only as the Cow , an unseen creature that creates the gold fluid take by the Butterflies to go on Earth .

While many expected the Cow to be some form of alien creature , the most shocking reveal ofPeacemakerwas the sheer grotesque nature of the monster . A colossus , dirt ball - like alien with multiple heart , the moo-cow was a weird blending of disgusting and cute in a direction that makes one uncomfortable to look at . This reveal was made even more shocking by the freakish nature of the moo-cow , which was doubtlessly the most CGI and fantasy - heavy component in all ofPeacemaker ’s eight episodes .

2General Swanwick Is Martian Manhunter

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

Perhaps one of the most shocking elements ofZack Snyder ’s Justice Leagueis that the film was ever released at all . However , the picture show itself contains enough divergence from 2017’sJustice Leaguethat several moment of astonishment can be picked out . One of these involves the reveal thatGeneral Swanwick , a on the face of it normal U.S. Army superior general fromMan of SteelandBatman v Superman : Dawn of Justiceis in reality the DCEU ’s Martian Manhunter . While little else is divulged about this reveal as Snyder was to begin with planning it to be explored in future installments , the scene itself make water for one ofZack Snyder ’s Justice League ’s most out of the blue revelations .

1Henry Cavill’s Superman Returned (& Then Was Recast)

Black Adam - 2022

While Dwayne Johnson’sBlack Adamitself was largely devoid of any major twists and turns , the film ’s post - credit scene possesses undoubtedly the most lurid reveal in the entire DCEU . The post - credit conniption showed Black Adam face by Superman himself , toy by Henry Cavill . While this may not get as much of a surprise given the importance of Superman to the DCEU , the shock hail from the fact that it was Cavill himself take on the character .

As ofBlack Adam ’s 2022 release , Cavill had not appeared in an actual DCEU role since 2017’sJustice League , discountingZack Snyder ’s Justice Leaguein 2021 . The reason for this come from Cavill ’s direct railroad tie to the so - hollo " Snyderverse " which Warner Bros. wished to swivel away from . This guide to Cavill being ostracized from the franchise , only appear in faceless cameos inShazam ! , Peacemaker , andThe Flashover a five - year flow . As such , Cavill ’s physical show inBlack Adamwas an amazingly scandalous reveal , as was the subsequent announcement by the player that he was officially back as Superman with several plans in place for the fiber going ahead .

Staggeringly , this situation became even more shocking a month later when Henry Cavill was remold as Superman . unbeknown to Cavill , Dwayne Johnson , and anyone else at Warner Bros. , the eminent - ups of the studio rent James Gunn and Peter Safran to oversee an integral reboot of the DCEU . This meant that every single role would be recast , including Cavill . The treatment of the place was overwhelmingly poor on Warner Bros. ’s part , allowing Cavill , and fans excited at his return , to conceive he had a future as Superman . However , this was not meant to be , make the Superman saga ofBlack Adamin theDCEUhold the dealership ’s most shocking revelations .

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Sidious, Tyranus, Maul, and Vader.

Henry Cavill as Superman in Black Adam between Martian Manhunter from Zack Snyder Justice League and Rick Flag holding his shotgun in the poster for The Suicide Squad

The poster for Blue Beetle featuring Jaime Reyes next to DC Comics art of Ted Kord as Blue Beetle

Dark Flash arrives in the Chronobowl in in The Flash

Peacemaker vs Rick Flag in The Suicide Squad

Billy and Marilyn Batson in Shazam!

Starro, a giant one-eyed starfish kaiju, in The Suicide Squad

Peacemaker Cow Kill Goff Butterfly

Henry Cavill’s Superman appears at the end of Black Adam

DC Extended Universe