A new era is coming. A pivotal moment. A vital moment for the superhero genre. Over the last decade-plus, Marvel has run the superhero genre. But their competition is starting anew. The DCU is coming! Superman: Legacy will launch a new chapter of DC superhero films and maybe bring a revitalized genre. A few classic DC superheroes are getting a fresh or desired tone in their movie, while some unknown characters are getting their time in the sun, too. Some projects have more clarity than others, but one thing that is still unknown by fans is who will be the Big Bad for the first chapter of the DCU: Gods and Monsters.
The first candidate is The Authority. As of right now, there is no news on whether the Justice League will appear in the DCU’s first chapter, although some founding members are confirmed to appear in the first chapter. It’s more than likely they will. Until they do, though, The Authority is a team the world needs to settle with. The unit itself is very much like the Justice League, from having their superpowered member powered by the sun, a savage vigilante, and a cybernetic fighter. Obviously, The Authority has exclusive traits that make them stand for themselves. The team’s knack for being more aggressive with their approach to claiming peace is a clearly noticeable one. At times, they can be brutal, maybe bloodthirsty, to get the win. Perhaps The Authority is welcomed and embraced by everyone, but they could take out someone or some people that didn’t deserve it, and that puts them on a blacklist. Other heroes’ tolerance for The Authority has run out at that moment. Since The Authority is a proud team, they see no fault in their decision. They stand by it, and that puts them on a collision course with heroes who will eventually form the Justice League.
Another logical candidate, and one that many fans are anticipating, is Brainiac. His reach goes over many stars and cosmos across the DC universe in search of the most prized relic on planets. He is much more of a collector than a conqueror but does not shy away from using brute force to obtain what he wants. Given Earth is the home to many important artifacts and beings, Earth is a prized possession for Brainiac. His seed of being the Big Bad could be planted on day one when Superman: Legacy comes out since many extraterrestrial characters will be in the film, such as Superman himself, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern, which could put Earth on Brainiac’s radar. It could lead him to believe Earth is a hotbed for such relics and super beings. And since there is an ancient mystery of sorts is the main plot for the Green Lantern series, why couldn’t that ancient mystery be linked to Brainiac? Brainiac has the intelligence, resources, knowledge, and power to be a threat to anybody. Overwhelming even to Superman. So, he is more than formidable for the Justice League. Plus, it will be a natural evolution for the character. Despite the troubles he gives the Justice League and Superman in the books, games, and animated films, he has yet to make the big jump to the big screen. Brainiac has been the central antagonist in Injustice 2 and the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League but has yet to be the central villain for a live-action film. For a character that carries as much recognition as Brainiac, it would make sense for him to finally get his due.
The Legion of Doom could get in the conversation as well. The DCU could do something much different than Marvel by having a group of villains being the Big Bads instead of just one individual. DC has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to villains. Instead of one villain getting their plan together behind the scenes, a group of villains could gather and plot their shared goal of eliminating the heroes that constantly defeat them. The villains of each film could get together and form an alliance. Tip the scale of power to them by plummeting the world into chaos. It could be a complex issue the Justice League will have to face because any of their villains could join, replace, and expand the ranks of the Legion of Doom. The Legion could be a never-ending, constantly changing, and ever-evolving threat. So much, in fact, this particular threat could go beyond the first chapter of movies in the DCU. The Legion will make their presence known by thrashing around the Justice League, which will make other villains – currently or down the line – that gods could bleed. That idea could be implanted into the next wave of Legion of Doom members. With a revolving roster, the battle between the League and the Legion could span over different chapters. And each iteration of the Legion could be fighting for slightly different reasons. This type of battle will subtly show that the League is their own worst enemy since they are the ones creating the villains.
But the biggest and most obvious candidate is the ruler of Apokolips: Darkseid. Darkseid is always looming, always threatening. In many books, he is the main threat. He was at the beginning of the New 52 run and the end. He was the final threat in the beloved Justice League animated show. And is giving fits to the heroes of the beloved animated series Young Justice. And was being set up as a massive player within Zack Snyder’s universe. Wherever evil lurks in the DC universe, Darkseid is a step away. Many factors that James Gunn has laid out for the DCU could easily add up to Darkseid’s arrival. What The Joker is to Batman, Darkseid is to the Justice League. He is one of the central core factors in anything involving the League. Yet, much like Brainiac, although Darkseid has had his own time to give the League problems in books and shows, he hasn’t had his proper time in a film. (His appearance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the technical exception). But with all the lore involving the New Gods, New Genisis, the Mother Boxes, Darkseid’s inner circle, and, of course, the Anti-Life equation, he has high potential to be introduced through each film within the Gods and Monsters’ chapter. AND he fits the chapter’s title! He is a God. The answer to who the Big Bad is might be in plain sight. For a villain who is an evil incarnate, Darkseid is long over due to having his time.
However, James Gunn has a record of getting characters who are far from the first row and giving them a shot to shine. So, while the above candidates may seem obvious, Gunn could run a play he has done in the past, pull a character from deep in the roster, and have them be a central part of the story. So don’t be surprised if Mongol, Despero, Vandal Savage, or Eclipso will be the Big Bad. Only time will tell. But with DC’s rich villains and Gunn’s ability to give audiences great character stories, the Big Bad for the DCU will be a hit.
