Top 10 Best DC Animated Movie Fights

“Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker” (2000)
Batman and Joker's rivalry can be seen in dozens of shows and movies. But this is one of the most unique among them. Thanks to a DNA microchip implanted years earlier, Joker resumes his criminal career in the far future. But it’s quickly put to an end when he comes across Terry McGinnis. And he’s nothing like the Batman he’s used to. Instead of being stoic and disciplined, Terry fights dirty and makes wisecracks. This makes Joker realize that he’s not only unprepared to deal with this new Batman, but that he’s also vulnerable to heckling. And in the end, the clown gets a poetic final death in which Batman gets the last laugh.

"Wonder Woman: Bloodlines" (2019)
The princess of Themyscira is known for her epic battles with mythological gods and monsters. But her best one has to be her fight with the woman who can turn anyone into stone: Medusa. But this fight goes a little beyond your typical third act finale. With no other way to counteract Medusa's deathly stare, Diana blinds herself so that she can face her head on—a moment that's ripped straight from the comics. The painful strategy pays off in a huge way. When the enhanced Gorgon rampages throughout Themyscira, Diana and the reformed Silver Swan barely manage to gain the upper hand on the villain. Future Wonder Woman battles will have a hard time topping the epic highs of this fight.

“Teen Titans: Trouble In Tokyo” (2006)
In a memorable scene, Robin is forced into a fight with a ninja working for the villain Brushogun. Saico-Tek initially doesn’t seem like too much of a problem for the Boy Wonder. But it quickly escalates as Robin loses his patience. After taking some nasty hits, Robin tries to end the fight by throwing explosive bird-a-rangs and tackling Saico-Tek off a building. Yet he still isn’t satisfied. In a rage, he continues to beat on the assassin until he stops moving. It’s later revealed that Robin’s anger was deliberately exploited so that he’d get arrested. It’s also shown that Saico-Tek isn’t a real person. But neither fact takes away from their clash’s gripping intensity and shocking finish.

“Green Lantern: Emerald Knights” (2011)
Many Lanterns choose to form massive and complex weapons. But Laira Omoto takes a more traditional approach to combat. In this anthology, the Green Lantern returns home to bring justice to her people. She eventually learns her father Kentor has gone mad with power and he'll fight anyone to keep it. You'd expect someone with the ability to construct anything to end the conflict quickly. Instead, Laira gives her dad a fair fight by using the weapons of her people. At one point she loses her ring and still manages to lay him out. While it doesn't focus on the incredible power of a Green Lantern, the duel is a fantastic display of animated fight choreography. And it definitely made us fans of Laira Omoto.

“Superman/Batman: Apocalypse” (2010)
Darkseid usually gets into fights of epic proportion. This one in particular had him going up against both the girl and man of steel. After a turbulent trip to Apokolips, Clark and Kara take a much needed break in Smallville. But the all-powerful villain ambushes them and tries to kill Clark in a brutal beatdown. Even though Superman's blows create devastating shockwaves, the New God still upper cuts him into orbit. That’s when Supergirl decides to unleash her fury. Thanks to some training from the Amazons, Kara manages to put Darkseid of all people on his heels. Superman eventually returns to help finish the fight. This epic scene just proved that picking a fight with two Kryptonians is the worst idea anyone could have.

“Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox” (2013)
This time travel film showed us some horrifying takes on DC’s greatest heroes. Batman is a ruthless killer, and Superman spent his entire life in a prison. Most important of all, is the world threatening feud between a bloodthirsty Aquaman and Wonder Woman. The story’s climax forces nearly everyone into trying to stop them. But the rage of the Atlantean and Amazon is just too much to contain. Their battle is as dire and violent as you'd expect in a film like this. And it ends with Diana driving a sword into Arthur just as he sets off a bomb that destroys everything. While The Flash eventually sets things right, seeing these two go at it is something we won't forget.

“Justice League Dark: Apokolips War” (2020)
"Apokolips War" featured a face off that no one saw coming. When the last of Earth's heroes finally reach Darkseid, John Constantine enacts an insane plan. He frees the demon lord Trigon from his prison. The embodiment of evil proceeds to possess Superman’s body and use it to decimate Darkseid. For a while, it seems like they might come out on top together. But after Superman exorcises Trigon, he takes on Darkseid himself. The dynamics change again when a freed Trigon decides to step up and clash with the Apocalyptic ruler until the bitter end. It's pretty satisfying to see Darkseid get knocked down a peg. To make matters better, this was the final fight of a connected DC universe.

“Batman: Under the Red Hood” (2010)
When a revived Jason Todd returns to Gotham, he executes a plan to clean up Gotham and kill the man who murdered him: The Joker. This unsurprisingly puts him at odds with his former mentor. Their resulting feud culminates in a tense fight that's as intense as it is heartbreaking. Every time one man gets ahead, the other counters with a smarter strategy. Despite coming off as vengeful and unhinged, Bruce still sees him as the kid he raised years ago. But that doesn't stop him from delivering quite a beatdown. In the end, Batman physically bests the Red Hood. However, he can’t bring Jason out of a dark mental state. No Batman fight since has felt quite as potent and emotional as this one.

“The Death of Superman” (2018)
We’ve seen the Man of Steel fight Doomsday across various mediums. And each time, Superman is pushed beyond his limits. But this 2018 film is where fans got to really see him let loose with glorious animation. With everyone in the Justice League down for the count, Superman is the only member left standing. And boy is it something to behold. The force of their attacks are so severe that they break a bridge and entire buildings. Every frame and hit is rendered with absurdly gorgeous animation. By the end, Superman’s love for Lois Lane is ultimately what pushes him to win the day. But just as the film's title suggests, this epic fight concludes at a great cost.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Dark Knight Dukes It Out With A Very Nihilistic Version of Himself

Joker Gives the Accurate Assassin The Fight of His Life

The Magic Superhero Proves She’s More Than Just a Stage Magician

An Iconic, Humorous & Surprisingly Tragic Showdown

“Batman: The Dark Knight Returns part 2” (2013)
This adaptation comes with plenty of great moments from the source material. The fight between Bruce and the Mutant Leader was especially great. (xref). But when it comes to pure spectacle, you just can't beat Batman's confrontation with Superman. This sequence has just about everything you'd want from a clash between two of DC’s greatest heroes. Mechanized Bat-armor? Check. Literal groundbreaking punches? Check. At one point we even get to see Batman use a wrecking ball as a weapon. And just when we think he’s about to lose, Bruce defeats the blue boy scout with help from Oliver Queen. It's a great conclusion to a long-awaited fight. And what really drives it home is the Dark Knight’s epic victory speech.