History Fridge / ZackSnydersJusticeLeague

!!FridgeLogic
* If Darkseid uses the Anti-Life Equation to corrupt Superman in the Knightmare future, then why doesn't he simply use it on the entire League, or even the entire world? Why are Flash, Cyborg, and Batman (among others) spared or seemingly immune to the Equation's effects?
** It is Darkseid's will that those who resist him must suffer. Yes, it would be easier to use the Anti-Life Equation on the rest of Earth's heroes, but he probably doesn't want a VictoryIsBoring situation where he doesn't have anyone trying to fight him, and simply spared the heroes from the effects of the equation because it amused him. Or, his use of the equation is limited in this reality on how widespread it could be used, and he couldn't simply inflict it on everyone.
** Simplest answer would be that his victims need to lose their will to live to succumb to Anti-Life. Note that Superman only submitted after Darkseid killed Lois.
* At the end of the movie, Darkseid watches the assembled Justice League through a boom tube as they send Steppenwolf's [[OffWithHisHead head (and body)]] through it, and the portal then closes. However, he doesn't think to use his Omega Beams on them while he has the opportunity, which is also just before they lose any chance to retaliate.
** But Darkseid is seething in rage, [[TranquilFury and yet that rage is a deliberative one instead of one looking for immediate retribution]]. More likely than not he's plotting how best to seek the worst kind of revenge against those who set back his conquest. He wanted to go and murder Aquaman and Wonder Woman, likely both by their very own weapons, and to crush Superman's will so that he could brainwash him and stop the one being most likely to thwart any future events related to the successful invasion of Earth. As discussed above, he likely didn't consider Batman, Cyborg and The Flash to be much of a threat to his plans (he may not have perceived the act of Flash turning back time, much like everyone else there; also he does not yet know about the sheer tenacity and "capacity for preparedness" which Batman exhibits, which make him a very formidable foe for Darkseid in the comics) so he wouldn't have felt the need to deal with them yet, either. For the League's part, at least The Flash and Batman were very exhausted and somewhat wounded, and the others would not have wanted to provoke a fight so soon after preventing the Unity and slaying Steppenwolf. Their only actions whilst staring down Darkseid and his underlings were defensive; they would want to prepare for the invasion if it happened and didn't feel the need to preemptively prevent it (and who knows their chances if they had the six of them take on three New Gods; they pretty much cannot see the legions of Parademons there, but it's a safe assumption that there are many, along with who knows how many other subservient New Gods aligned with Darkseid). So it's in both sides' best interests to stare each other down, consider the next move, and not make any rash decisions. Then the portal closes.
* After the boom tube closes, [=DeSaad=] says the Motherboxes are destroyed, which is plainly untrue as the boxes separate and fall to the ground, and have been shown to be extremely difficult if not impossible to destroy.
** Not necessarily so. Just because objects outwardly appear to be intact does not mean that their essential function can't be irreversibly compromised, for example in an internal sense. Just like with any regular computer on Earth, even a ruggedised one. The New Gods may have had reason to reverse a Unity event in the past (e.g. if the Motherbox array turned corrupt and the fulfilment of the Unity would lead to harmful effects towards their own faction), which if done similarly to how Cyborg and Superman separated the array on Earth, would also have led to destruction of that array, so there may be precedent for such an event. Moreover, it's evident that [=DeSaad=] and the other New Gods have a biotechnological sense (or some other external indicator, but the sense is already established in this movie along with the canon of the comic universe) that the Unity they saw being stopped also caused the individual Motherboxes which made up the whole to be left ruined and useless. Recall that Steppenwolf told [=DeSaad=] earlier that one of them awoke and called out to him, from galaxies away, so his kind can sense their burning out with or (perhaps) without the convenience of a boom tube viewing portal to show the manner of their undoing. If there was any doubt in the minds of the Justice League that their utter cessation of function was the case (unlikely, because Cyborg can also vouch for the demise of the machines) then they can start to look at ways to ensure their physical destruction (if indeed this is possible without the use of other Apokoliptian technology), such as Superman throwing them into the sun, using his heat vision or freeze breath, Aquaman finding a pocket of the deep sea to try and crush them, etc.

* Likewise, it's hard to say if the subtext between Superman's outfits in this film is intentional or not - upon returning, he embraces his second chance by [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague donning a darker suit with muted colors]], and flies into space; sure, on the surface he seems DarkerAndEdgier but in the end he's still good, and free to do whatever he wants. In the BadFuture, [[Film/JusticeLeague he wears a brightly colored suit]] but is just a puppet for Darkseid, [[ExecutiveMeddling willing to do whatever his owners wants]].

** But Darkseid is seething in rage, [[TranquilFury and yet that rage is a deliberative one instead of one looking for immediate retribution]]. More likely than not he's plotting how best to seek the worst kind of revenge against those who set back his conquest. He wanted to go and murder Aquaman and Wonder Woman, likely both by their very own weapons, and to crush Superman's will so that he could brainwash him and stop the one being most likely to thwart any future events related to the successful invasion of Earth. As discussed above, he likely didn't consider Batman, Cyborg and The Flash to be much of a threat to his plans (he may not have perceived the act of Flash turning back time, much like everyone else there) so he wouldn't have felt the need to deal with them yet, either. For the League's part, at least The Flash and Batman were very exhausted and somewhat wounded, and the others would not have wanted to provoke a fight so soon after preventing the Unity and slaying Steppenwolf. Their only actions whilst staring down Darkseid and his underlings were defensive; they would want to prepare for the invasion if it happened and didn't feel the need to preemptively prevent it (and who knows their chances if they had the six of them take on three New Gods; they pretty much cannot see the legions of Parademons there, but it's a safe assumption that there are many). So it's in both sides' best interests to stare each other down, consider the next move, and not make any rash decisions. Then the portal closes.

** Not necessarily so. Just because objects outwardly appear to be intact does not mean that their essential function can't be irreversibly compromised, for example in an internal sense. Just like with any regular computer on Earth, even a ruggedised one. The New Gods may have had reason to reverse a Unity event in the past (e.g. if the Motherbox array turned corrupt and the fulfilment of the Unity would lead to harmful effects towards their own faction), which if done similarly to how Cyborg and Superman separated the array on Earth, would also have led to destruction of that array, so there may be precedent for such an event. Moreover, it's evident that [=DeSaad=] and the other New Gods have a biotechnological sense (or some other external indicator, but the sense is already established in this movie along with the canon of the comic universe) that the Unity they saw being stopped also caused the individual Motherboxes which made up the whole to be left ruined and useless. Recall that Steppenwolf told [=DeSaad=] earlier that one of them awoke and called out to him, from galaxies away, so his kind can sense their burning out with or (perhaps) without the convenience of a boom tube viewing portal to show the manner of their undoing. If there was any doubt in the minds of the Justice League that their utter cessation of function was the case (unlikely, because Cyborg can also vouch for the demise of the machines) then they can start to look at ways to ensure their physical destruction, such as Superman throwing them into the sun, using his heat vision or freeze breath, Aquaman finding a pocket of the deep sea to try and crush them, etc.

* Look at the way the six team members are arranged as they stare down Darkseid and his entourage. The three who finally vanquished his uncle and returned the carcass to Apokalips are in front (Aquaman, Superman and Wonder Woman). They happen to be the strongest and most durable of the six, and also are all at least partially non-human in genetic makeup. Making up the rear are Cyborg, (eventually when he speed-rushes back) The Flash and Batman. These three are all flesh-and-blood humans (despite Cyborg's augmentation) and have good reason to be cautious when faced with this embodiment of evil. Victor could fear that Darkseid could find another Motherbox and remove his augmentations just as easily as they were made, Barry already implicitly gave voice to the fear that Steppenwolf and his kind could have taken down other speedsters, and Batman would have no real chance without a gamechanging upgrade along the lines of the Hellbat armour. Therefore it makes sense that the three heroes in front, just established to each be capable of taking down a New God, would be (even subconsciously) positioning themselves protectively in front of three humans who have unknown (but presumably limited) probabilities of success against other New Gods. It also figures in to how Darkseid made sure to proactively take out the Atlantean and Amazonian and corrupted the Kryptonian, but did not rate the other three Justice League members of being necessary to kill prior to his conquest of Earth.

** It is Darkseid's will that those who resist him must suffer. Yes, it would be easier to use the Anti-Life Equation on the rest of Earth's heroes, but he probably doesn't want a VictoryIsBoring situation where he doesn't have anyone trying to fight him, and simply spared the heroes from the effects of the Equation because it amused him. Or, his use of the equation is limited in this reality on how widespread it could be used, and he couldn't simply inflict it on everyone.

* At the end of the movie, Darkseid watches the assembled Justice League through a boom tube as they send Steppenwolf's head through it, which then closes. However, he doesn't think to use his Omega Beams on them while he has the opportunity, which is also just before they lose any chance to retaliate.
* After the boom tube closes, DeSaad says the Motherboxes are destroyed, which is plainly untrue as the boxes separate and fall to the ground, and have been shown to be extremely difficult if not impossible to destroy.

* Likewise, it's hard to say if the subtext between Superman's outfits in this film is intentional or not - upon returning, he embraces his second chance by [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague donning a darker suit with muted colors]], and flies into space; sure, on the surface he seems DarkerAndEdgier but in the end he's still good, [[DoingItForTheArt and free to do whatever he wants]]. In the BadFuture, [[Film/JusticeLeague he wears a brightly colored suit]] but is just a puppet for Darkseid, [[ExecutiveMeddling willing to do whatever his owners wants]].

* The Atlantean Mother-box was kept in a guarded temple on a high pedestal, much like the Amazonian one. The pillar has carved steps leading up to the platform where it was kept. Why? Because when the temple was built, Atlantis hadn't yet fallen, so the chamber wasn't filled with water yet.

** To supplement this, they also both managed to pull Steppenwolf back using the Lasso of Truth from killing Cyborg. Had they not had done this, there would be no way to pull the Motherboxes apart, even if Superman had shown up a few seconds later to beat down on Steppenwolf, and the New Gods' plan of conquest would have succeeded. While the portal from Apokolips only opens up just before the Unity completes for real, Darkseid likely heard about this feat through some other means, such as interrogation. ANd it would have made him even more determined to have revenge as a result.