Top 20 Most Disturbing DC Movie Deaths

#20: Joker’s ‘Quality Time’ With Jason

“Batman: Under the Red Hood” (2010)
To no one’s surprise, the Joker caused many deaths on this list. One of his most infamous kills was Jason Todd, Batman’s second Robin. The Clown Prince of Crime has the Boy Wonder trapped in a warehouse and tortures him with a crowbar –and he’s not pulling any punches. He leaves Jason to die with a bomb, and Batman is sadly too late to save him. Anyone who’s read a Batman comic knows how notoriously shocking this death was – showing that not even the Dark Knight’s young ward is safe when the Joker’s on the rampage. However, Jason doesn’t stay dead for long. Now he’s hellbent on giving the Clown a taste of his own medicine.

#19: Murray’s Fatal Interview

“Joker” (2019)
Like the Joker always said, “All it takes is one bad day.” In his 2019 solo movie, Arthur Fleck has plenty of bad days leading up to his fateful appearance on Murray Franklin’s talk show. The air is tense as we see the cracks in Arthur’s sanity form the more he speaks – his hatred of society and Murray himself on full display. We’re squirming in our seats, anxious over what comes next until it finally happens: Arthur pulls out a gun and shoots Murray dead in front of the horrified audience. With this, Arthur Fleck is no more. Only the Joker remains, living proof that anyone can be driven mad when pushed too far.

#18: The Joker’s Rampage

“Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Part 2)” (2013)
Since Batman retired, the Joker has been in a catatonic state without his favorite dance partner. Unfortunately, nothing good lasts forever. With the Dark Knight back in action, the Joker has a new spring in his step and goes on a massive killing spree. Bats gives chase and manages to corner him... but he paralyzes the Clown. Cheerfully, the Joker ends his massacre with a grim punchline – he breaks his own neck. In the end, the Clown got the last laugh – he forced the Bat into losing control of his temper and churned our stomachs with one last sickening exit. It almost makes us wonder if Batman's coming out of retirement was worth it.

#17: Rick Flag’s Broken Heart

“The Suicide Squad” (2021)
Rick Flag has just uncovered the government’s involvement in Project Starfish and aims to share the truth. Unfortunately, he has one big, strong obstacle in his path: Peacemaker, who’s ordered to stop him no matter what. To his credit, Peacemaker at least TRIED to reason with Rick, who managed to hold his own against the ruthless vigilante. Unfortunately, Peacemaker comes out on top, stabbing Rick through the heart. To pour salt on the wound, we see his actual heart being impaled. Peacemaker is definitely thorough. This sequence left no shadow of a doubt that Rick couldn’t come back from this – and neither would our lunches.

#16: The Warehouse Attack

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016)
Ben Affleck gave a very divisive performance as the Caped Crusader, portraying a Batman more willing to kill with GUNS despite his history with them. And yet, one of his most vicious kills was caused not by a firearm, but with his[a] grapple gun. To set the scene, Batman is holding his own against an army of thugs in a warehouse. In one instance, he grapples onto a crate and chucks it at a target, sending him flying backward until his head slams into the wall. The bloodstain on the concrete only confirms his fate. We know Batman’s called the “Dark Knight,” but seeing him so ruthless and willing to have blood on his hands is unnerving.

#15: Black Adam vs. Sabbac

“Black Adam” (2022)[b]
When you cast The Rock as the Champion of Kahndaq, you better believe that things are going to be vicious. Nowhere is this more evident than during his final battle against Sabbac[c]. Both titans are neck-and-neck, but Sabbac manages to get the upper hand until he’s incapacitated by Hawkman. Adam then electrocutes Sabbac’s horns before pulling him into the sky, where he then literally rips the demon in half. We should be thankful we don’t see his organs... until you realize that they’ve been reduced to a pile of lava pouring out of his severed halves. When the Man in Black decides to kill someone, he doesn’t mess around.

#14: Lau Goes Up in Flames

“The Dark Knight” (2008)
Some of the most horrifying deaths are the ones you don’t see. For example, arrogant mobster Lau has been captured by the Joker, bound in a straightjacket and sitting on top of a mountain of money. Casually, the Clown pours gasoline on half the pile and sets it on fire, with Lau trapped on top. We don’t hear him screaming, and his fate is left ambiguous... but can we really expect him to survive the Joker’s barbeque? To the Clown, it’s just another stepping stone on his quest for anarchy. But for us, we’re trying not to envision the mobster burning alive from the pile, but it’s too hard to ignore the thought.

#13: Wonder Woman vs. Captain Thunder

“Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox” (2013)
The Flashpoint Paradox brought out the worst in some of our favorite DC heroes. Just look what it did to Wonder Woman. Unlike her primary counterpart, this Amazon has no qualms about mass murder. One of the few heroes brave enough to defy her is Captain Thunder, an alternate version of Shazam formed by a group of children. Wonder Woman forces Captain Thunder to separate, grabs young Billy Batson, and stabs him to death. Every superhero risks death in the field of battle, but to willingly kill young Billy? That’s just unforgivable and gut-wrenching. It really makes us appreciate how compassionate our Wonder Woman is.

#12: Zod’s Brutal Demise

“Man of Steel” (2013)
It’s the final battle between Superman and General Zod. Kryptonian vs. Kryptonian, and their equal strength nearly reduces Metropolis to rubble. Zod refuses to back down, aiming to kill an innocent family next. With his hand forced, Superman puts an end to Zod’s rampage… by snapping his neck. The Man of Steel shows great anguish over his deed[d]. Meanwhile, we’re still holding our breath from the shock of the moment. Usually, you’d have to absolutely ruin Superman’s life for him to even consider killing anyone. Seeing him do so out of desperation was not only blood-curdling but also sparked a massive debate among DC fans.

#11: The End of The Penguin

“Batman Returns” (1992)
During the final battle at the zoo, the Penguin was mortally wounded during a struggle with Batman and supposedly fell to his death. In the aftermath, he emerges from the waters to confront the Bat one last time. However, he’s in terrible shape. Black ooze is pouring out of his mouth and nose. He’s constantly wheezing, unable to catch his breath. He promises to kill the Bat after a cold drink, only to fall dead on his face. The other penguins give him a proper sendoff as he sinks into the waters below. “Batman Returns” is infamous for its darker tone, and it’s easy to see why after this unsettling death scene.

#10: Rorschach Welcomes Death

“Watchmen” (2009)
To maintain a newfound peace on Earth, the Watchmen must keep the secret of Doctor Manhattan’s innocence. Rorschach, however, is having none of that, planning to make sure the truth gets out. Manhattan can't allow this and stands in his way. Rorschach, seeing no way to convince the most powerful being on Earth, takes off his mask and urges his former teammate to “Just do it.” In a flash, Manhattan reluctantly disintegrates Rorschach into an[e] ink stain. The only thing more upsetting than the actual death is knowing that Rorschach welcomed death with open arms while never giving up on his moral code.

#9: Off With Mera’s Head

“Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox” (2013)
If killing Billy Batson wasn’t enough, Flashpoint Wonder Woman caused an entire war between the Atlanteans and Amazons. It all started when she and Aquaman formed an alliance, which blossomed into a romantic affair. Mera, Aquaman’s wife, didn’t take this lightly and attacked Diana[f]... only for Diana to swiftly slice her head off. As if the beheading wasn’t horrific enough, she then took Mera’s crown for herself as a warning to anyone who crosses her. Things only escalated from there as an all-out war between both kingdoms threw the Earth into turmoil, all because of a love triangle gone horribly wrong. Remember when these guys were supposed to be our heroes[g]?

#8: Joker’s Message

“The Dark Knight” (2008)
The only thing riskier than being the Batman is pretending to be him. During a meeting with Harvey Dent, the Mayor and the audience get the fright of a lifetime. A corpse dressed as Batman with clown makeup thumps onto the window, strung up by a noose. A broadcast shows the victim, Brian Douglas, being tortured by the Joker for dressing like the Bat, daring to try and stand up to evil. The Joker delivers a cryptic warning to the real Batman before murdering the imposter off-screen. Heath Ledger’s acting, coupled with the unsettling atmosphere, makes the buildup to the murder even more frightening than the actual deed.

#7: The Wrong Guys

“The Suicide Squad” (2021)
Rick Flag has seemingly been captured, and Task Force X sneaks in to rescue him. Naturally, they’re more than ready to kill anyone in their path. It’s nothing short of carnage. Highlights include King Shark chomping and swallowing someone whole, Polka Dot Man killing several people while envisioning his mother, Peacemaker using exploding compression bullets, and Bloodsport electrocuting one with their electric fan. The punchline is that Rick Flag is fine, the people they killed being allies. We should be laughing, but we’re trying not to think about these poor freedom fighters minding their own business, only to be picked off one by one because of some faulty intel.

#6: Joker Ruins Superman’s Life

“Injustice” (2021)
After falling into one of the Joker’s traps, Superman finds himself face-to-face with the monstrous Doomsday. The Man of Steel swiftly flies him into space before he can hurt anyone, but then we make the tragic discovery – it wasn’t Doomsday... it was his wife, Lois. A hallucination caused by the Joker forces Superman to accidentally kill his pregnant wife. Just to add insult to injury, her death sets off a bomb that destroys Superman’s home in Metropolis. One tragedy after another sets DC’s most righteous hero down the path of darkness. Of all the Joker’s tricks, this was arguably the most monstrous. Unfortunately for the Clown, what goes around comes around.

#5: Robin Delivers the Punchline

“Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker” (2000)
While investigating the mystery of the Joker’s return, Terry McGinnis learns the horrifying truth about the night the Clown died. Years ago, the Joker kidnapped Tim Drake and physically/psychologically tortured him into becoming “Joker Junior.” He then prompts the brainwashed boy wonder to finish off the Bat, but instead, the Joker meets two grueling ends. In the uncut version, Tim shoots him with a flag gun, and he gasps his disapproval over the joke. In the censored version, Joker accidentally electrocutes himself, his sickening screams echoing throughout the asylum. Both deaths are horrific but well-deserved after everything the Clown put young Robin through. The young ward has a heartbreaking breakdown after the deed is done.

#4: Batman Tricks Johnny Quick

“Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” (2010)
With the fate of the multiverse on the line, a speedster is needed to open a portal to Owlman. Flash volunteers for the job, but Batman has Johnny Quick – Flash’s Crime Syndicate counterpart – perform the deed instead. The plan works, but vibrating so fast causes Johnny to age rapidly. Before he passes, Johnny deduces that Batman chose him to spare Flash from the same fate. Surprisingly, Johnny isn’t even mad. Instead, he commends the Bat before peacefully passing on. While Johnny took it in stride, we’re in shock over Batman knowingly letting this happen, even if it was to protect his friend. Whether this actually violates his “no-killing” policy is up for debate.

#3: Pete Savage Loses Face

“The Batman” (2022)
Matt Reeves’ interpretation of the Riddler may be one of the scariest versions of the character to date. He constructs terrifying deathtraps to take out Gotham’s corrupt elite, such as an explosive collar if someone refuses to answer a question. Undeniably, the worst of his traps is the one he made for Commissioner Savage. He has Savage’s head locked in a cage full of live rats – that image alone is nauseating. While we thankfully don’t see what happens next, Riddler's choice of words all but confirms Savage’s fate. Whether you’re afraid of rats or not, it’s hard to picture a more unnerving way to murder someone in the name of “Justice.”

#2: Darkseid’s Massacre

“Justice League Dark: Apokolips War” (2020)
After years of protecting the Earth from Darkseid, the Justice League has had enough and decides to bring the battle to him with an ambush. Unfortunately, the tyrant of Apokolips is ready for them with an army of Parademon/Doomsday hybrids. What happens next is nothing short of a bloodbath. Only a small handful survived. Those who weren’t murdered by Darkseid’s forces were tortured, brainwashed, or ripped apart and remade into his cybernetic slaves. Even after he’s finally slain, the victory is bittersweet after everything our heroes have endured. Only by resetting the universe can their suffering[h] be reversed. Unfortunately, we’re not so lucky as the image of so many DC icons being ruthlessly decimated may never leave our heads.

#1: Team One Doomed From the Start

“The Suicide Squad” (2021)
While 2016’s “Suicide Squad” was a lackluster disaster, James Gunn’s retcon took full advantage of its R rating with arguably the bloodiest opening sequence in a live-action DC movie. The minute Team One steps onto the beach, all hell breaks loose. Scalps are sliced, faces are caved in, limbs are detached and gunned down, bodies are either burnt alive or impaled, and one unfortunate member gets his head blown up for trying to abandon the mission. Only a handful survive, while the second team sneaks in to carry the rest of the film. This was the movie Task Force X deserved, but it didn’t hesitate to have us wince and nearly lose our lunches right off the bat.


Which DC cinematic death freaked you out the most? Let us know in the comments.

[a]4:16

[b]4:41
[c]4:59
[d]7:35
[e]9:16
[f]9:56
[g]10:16
[h]16:10