Top 10 Best DCEU Moments of 2021
#10: Cyborg Tests Out His Powers
“Zack Snyder's Justice League” (2021) Fans spent a lot of time getting to know Cyborg in “Zack Snyder's Justice League”. His best scene came when he was pushing the limits of his abilities. After a car accident nearly took his life, alien technology saved him and turned him into a cybernetic human hybrid. Although Victor initially retreated from the world, his father’s words push him to see what his body can do. We’re then treated to a unique and creative sequence where Cyborg experiments with his powers. It all builds up to a moment where he truly enjoys flying. While parts of his backstory are unquestionably grim, this scene marked a rare time where we saw him full of joy.
#9: Sebastian Bonds With Bloodsport
“The Suicide Squad” (2021) Bloodsport's fear of rats is initially played for laughs. However, we later learned the sad truth that his cruel father was responsible for the squad leader's rodent phobia. This meant that he couldn’t hang with the adorable rat Sebastian no matter what the little guy did. It looked like he would always be at odds until the movie’s final moments. After completing an exhausting mission, Sebastian decides to rest on Bloodsport's lap. Just when it looks like the mercenary is about to do something drastic, he decides to pet the rodent instead. This sweet moment showed Bloodsport had become more vulnerable and was no longer purely defined by his past trauma.
#8: King Shark Makes New Friends
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“The Suicide Squad” (2021) Since King Shark is a massive talking fish, he had trouble relating to everyone around him. However, that didn’t stop him from making earnest attempts to fit in. King Shark finally seemed to find beings he could bond with when he met a school of weird aquatic creatures. Although he didn't speak to them with words, the big fish appeared to have a deep connection to them. Seeing King Shark run and play with beings as weird as he was was extremely heartwarming. And while his good times with them certainly didn't last, he still found people who understood him in the end.
#7: Batman Meets Joker In a Society
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“Zack Snyder's Justice League” (2021) After the heroes stopped Steppenwolf’s plot, Batman got a glimpse at an extremely bad future. While several DC figures appear in this apocalyptic hellscape, we really got excited when a certain clown came into view. Jared Leto returned to play a Joker who looked like he was having the time of his life opposite Affleck’s very serious Batman. Their conversation is full of interesting nods to their DCEU history and unforgettable dialogue. As their scene goes on, it feels like Batman is getting closer to ending the Joker right there. Even though they didn’t trade blows, this great conversation feels like an epic duel between comic icons.
#6: Amanda Waller Gets a Dose of Karma
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“The Suicide Squad” (2021) The ruthless Amanda Waller got away with a lot of despicable things throughout the course of “The Suicide Squad”. She threatened Bloodsport’s family, made people risk their lives to hide government secrets and knowingly sent an entire team of villains into a deadly war zone. But Waller eventually learns there are some lines that she shouldn't cross. After Starro the Conqueror starts attacking innocent people, she tells the squad not to help in any way. When the task force ignores her, she tries to assassinate them and gets knocked out by an employee. It was incredibly satisfying to see Waller get a taste of her own medicine for once. But did this experience inspire her to be more kind? Somehow, we doubt it.
#5: Harley Quinn’s Hallway Scene
“The Suicide Squad” (2021) A crooked Corto Maltese president thought it would be a good idea to keep Harley Quinn locked up in cuffs. But he had no idea who he was dealing with. After one of her captors lets his guard down, Harley gets free and goes to take out every enemy standing in between her and the door. Watching her slay dozens of foes without breaking a sweat made her feel like a force of nature. The creative choreography and visuals kept the action scene varied and fun to watch. And even though the scene goes to dark places, there’s humor sprinkled throughout to keep us laughing. If anyone wondered why Harley’s on the squad, this scene would definitely answer their question.
#4: Darkseid Drops In
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“Zack Snyder's Justice League” (2021) In the original cut of “Justice League”, we never saw Darkseid on screen. Fortunately, the legendary villain had a few epic moments in the spotlight in the Snyder cut. Darkseid’s most memorable scene takes place during a flashback sequence where he leads an attack on Earth. This incredibly powerful villain is able to take multiple opponents out and defeat a Green Lantern with ease. It takes the combined efforts of a powerful Atlantean, Ares and Zeus just to injure Darkseid. Although he’s forced to retreat, it doesn’t make him seem any less tough. Any villain that can take hits from multiple greek gods and walk away is not someone to mess with.
#3: Cleo Leads the Charge Against Starro
“The Suicide Squad” (2021) Cleo Cazo, AKA Ratcatcher 2, showed us how scary her ability to control rats could be in several ways. We saw the full extent of her powers when the squad fought Starro. In a triumphant moment, Cleo summoned what appeared to be every rat on Corto Maltese. Her trusty ally Sebastian and an army of rodents scurried to bring down Starro for good. What makes this skin-crawling scene stand out is that it contains a flashback to Cleo’s childhood. It was emotional to see her bond with the father who taught her everything she knows before his tragic passing. While Cleo’s effective abilities may make you want to take a shower, the emotional story behind her talents will also make you root for her.
#2: Superman Confronts Steppenwolf
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“Zack Snyder's Justice League” (2021) While the scene where Superman gets his black suit is ridiculously cool, it was soon overshadowed by his confrontation with Steppenwolf. As the villain prepared to strike Cyborg down, the Kryptonian made an epic appearance. Superman proceeds to embarrass his foe by destroying Steppenwolf’s weapon and easily avoiding blows. The villain simply can’t do anything to stop the Kryptonian. Although the other justice league members get great hits in, no one can wreck Steppenwolf like Superman can. The way the Kryptonian absolutely dominated this battle makes us want to see this version of the character star in more epic fight scenes.
#1: Flash Saves the World
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“Zack Snyder's Justice League” (2021) Flash’s plans to help Cyborg save the world were harshly interrupted when a parademon gave him a severe injury. Although the speedster tries to recover quickly, he can’t heal fast enough to stop Steppenwolf’s apocalyptic plan. As the Earth begins to get destroyed, Barry decides to use his considerable powers to travel back in time and prevent this calamity. His race to the past involves fantastic slow motion effects, awe-inspiring visuals and a perfect musical score. We truly felt Flash’s desperation and determination to triumph. Not only was this scene emotional, but it gave us visuals unlike anything we’d seen in the superhero medium before. Flash’s gorgeous run deserves to be considered as the best DCEU scene of 2021.
