Heartwarming / Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

"This is my world... YOU are my world!"

"The fact is, maybe he's not some sort of devil or Jesus character. Maybe he's just a guy trying to do the right thing."

— Vikram Gandhi, clearly understanding Superman's motives

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may put our heroes through utter hell, but these moments can still convince you that things can get better for them.

All spoilers on this page are left unmarked. You Have Been Warned!

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Trailers and Pre-Release

• Bruce runs into the cloud of wreckage cast by Zod's heat vision inside Wayne Financial that collapses, and hugs and comforts a little girl in the middle of the destruction. The look he gives the sky and the still-fighting Superman and Zod makes it seem like his antagonism of Superman is just as much Big Brother Instinct and Papa Wolf as anything else.
• Lois and Martha serve as Clark/Superman's Morality Chains. Both women are not happy that the world still resents Superman for the destruction of Metropolis even when Superman did his sincere hardest to stop Zod and his forces and is trying to earn their trust. Lois and Martha both inspire Clark to be the Hope Bringer he was always meant to be.
  Lois: [hand against Supes's Chest Insignia] This means something. It's all some people have. It's all that gives them hope.
  Martha: People hate what they don't understand. Be their hero, Clark. Be their angel, be their monument...be everything they need you to be. Or be none of it. You don't owe this world a thing. You never did.
• Superman rescuing a family from a flood. They painted his emblem on the roof of their house, showing that despite all the hatred Superman will be facing, he's still appreciated by the people who need him most.
• This line from Alfred regarding Superman:
  Alfred: [to Bruce] He is not our enemy.

Post-Release

• In the opening credits, Bill Finger finally being acknowledged as Batman's co-creator, after decades of Bob Kane being credited as the sole creator.
  BATMAN created by BOB KANE with BILL FINGER
• What finally prompted Batman to fight Superman was the fact that Wallace Keefe, one of Bruce's workers who lost his legs during the Battle of Metropolis, became a suicide bomber who blew up the Senate. It was revealed that Wallace had not been cashing in the disability checks issued by Wayne's company and instead sent them back with statements about resenting Superman. It was his concern over his former employee that finally convinced him that Superman has to go. ^note Subverted a bit when it is revealed in the Extended Cut that Wallace didn't know he was a bomb and that Lex is the one that took his welfare checks and wrote the notes.
• At the Capitol Building, most of the onlookers are staunchly Anti-Superman, yelling at him to go home. But there are few who hold posters saying "Superman SAVES Lives". It's truly sweet to know that Martha was right; there are people who see the good that Clark does and they are grateful for it.
• Even in the Knightmare sequence, which is supposed to show the worst possible future, we get to see some of this with how Batman treats his fellow resistance fighters. They are only Red Shirts, and we never learn any of their names (though it's a safe bet Tim, Dick, Barbara, Cassandra, Stephanie, etc. were among them), but Batman still gives a Big "NO!" when he sees them all being killed, and during the fight, he's shown attempting to drag a random injured one to safety.
• The fight between Batman and Superman ends not with one declaring victory over the other or even with Teeth-Clenched Teamwork, but because Superman cries out "Save Martha!" just as Batman is about to stab him with the Kryptonite spear. In that moment, Batman realizes that he and Superman aren't so different, and that by helping him save his mother, he can do now what he was powerless to do all those years ago.
  Batman: I promise you. Martha won't die tonight.
• Even though Senator Finch disapproves of Superman, she genuinely cares about the people who get caught in the crossfire, unlike Lex, who just wants to be the guy that killed a god.
• Lois and Clark have a normal sex life. Compare that to John Byrne and Frank Miller's stories, which depict Superman as a sexual hurricane that only a woman of equal power can copulate with and survive. DCEU Superman is as gentle as a lamb, which is a big deal considering how much of the movie was influenced by comic book lore.
• Speaking of Lois and Clark, our couple share a lot of heartwarming moments in this film, involving non-verbal exchanges and support.
  • The Nairomi incident. You can see the two of them planning out how to break the general's use of Lois as a human shield, with just locked eyes, hints of smiles, and a nod from Lo. BOOM!
    • Note how she nods, then releases her grip on the general's arm around her throat. She knows exactly what needs to happen to resolve this situation, and is giving Supes the best opening (so she won't be dragged along).
  • In the Ultimate Cut, the aftermath of the Senate bombing. Just before Supes flies off, he sees Lois behind the press barrier. The silent exchange runs roughly: "Clark... it wasn't your fault." "...Wasn't it?"
  • After the Big Fight, as Bats and Supes prepare to go off and foil Lex, Lois takes hold of Clark's face, looking deep into his eyes with a supportive smile. Just before the fight, Clark told her "No one stays good in this world." Here, Lois is saying, "You did."
• The full "This means something" scene. Superman is in the depths of despair over his failure to stop the Senate bombing and begins to doubt his value as Superman. Lois, on the verge of tears, tells him he is "all some people have" and "all that gives them hope". One almost gets the idea she's including herself in that.
• Clark's moment with the ghost of Jonathan Kent, who tells him that even if he can't save everyone, the fact that he tries is enough to prove that he's not the monster everyone says he is. Jonathan even tells Clark how much he misses him, a sentiment he reciprocates.
• General Swanwick shows much more respect towards Lois than he did in Man of Steel, ultimately giving her the information needed to prove that Lex has been framing Superman. He also shows genuine concern for Superman, and is against the idea of nuking Doomsday since the nuke would also hurt Superman who is fighting him; a sentiment shared by another female military staff member. Contrast this to how he behaved in the first movie. When the President mulls over nuking Superman and Doomsday high up in the sky, he notes that there'd be no casualties. Swanwick is quick to correct.
  Swanwick: One casualty, Mister President: Superman.
• When Superman is about to rush Doomsday with the Kryptonite spear, he tells Lois he loves her.
• After spending the entire movie treating Clark like the copy-boy, Perry publishes an article on his death with a heartfelt headline.
  • And he flips to that article (buried halfway through the paper) after only a glance at the front-page story about Superman.
• It's subtle, but the fact is that, when Superman is throwing Batman around during the second half of their fight, Superman could've easily crushed him into paste. The fact that he's willing to hold back against a guy who was just beating him up really speaks volumes about just what a good person he is.
• The first thing Batman says to Martha upon rescuing her:
  Batman: It's okay. I'm a friend of your son.
  • Batman's choice of words is pretty significant here. Not only does he now view Superman in a more sympathetic light, but he's also revealing his human side by referring to himself as a friend, which is a big step for someone who previously didn't seem to care if innocent people were scared of him. Not only that, but by calling Superman her son, he's acknowledging that Superman isn't a lone godlike alien, but a member of a human family.
    • Remember what happened in the beginning of the movie. When he saved the sex slaves, they are so scared of him they refuse to leave their cell. Batman didn't comfort them at all. Now? Now he is telling the adopted mother of a man he was ready to kill that it will be okay.
  • Martha's nonchalant response and relieved smile is quite heartwarming as well. This is a woman, whose husband died years before, that has spent the entire movie worried about her son, but despite all the pain and anxiety, she's still the unfazed woman with Nerves of Steel whose response to finding an alien baby in a field was to adopt him.
  • His promise to Clark that he'll find Martha and that she "won't die tonight" is a Call-Back to the beginning of the movie, when he tells the little girl that they're going to find her mom. This time, he actually can and does.
• Clark comes to Lois's apartment with some flowers and offers to make her dinner after her altercation with the terrorists in Africa.
• Lex throws Lois off his building in order to draw Superman to his trap. As expected, Superman swoops in and saves her, but the way he does it so romantic it wouldn't look out of place in a museum: he catches Lois, gives her a calm, reassuring smile and gently brings her to the ground. He really is her guardian angel.
• When Clark has to choose between tailing Bruce or rescuing some people in Mexico caught in a fire, he rescues the civilians. He's seen enough death.
  • During the Day of the Dead montage, we get this line:
  Vikram Gandhi: We have always created icons in our own image. What we've done is we've projected ourselves onto him. The fact is, maybe he's not some kind of devil or Jesus figure. Maybe he's just a guy trying to do the right thing.
• Superman's/Clark's funerals. While Superman's funeral is military-like, lavish and has thousands of attendants, the coffin is empty. Meanwhile, Clark's body is buried in Smallville with only a few people attending and a modest reception. Given that he's always been portrayed as a simple man, you get the impression that Clark would have wanted it this way.
  • When he is still alive, Superman was resented by a lot of people who blamed him for the deaths and destruction over the years. Now that he is dead, many attend his funeral, apparently their opinion of him had change and regretted doubting him in the first place.
  • What's more is Bruce and Diana, who would easily be VIPs at the big fancy state funeral instead attend the modest one in Smallville. They were probably the ones who brought Clark's body home in the first place. It's a complete reversal of the funeral from the comic version of The Death of Superman, showing that, in the brief time they fought together, they truly did become friends.
  • A little while later, you see the site of the destroyed Superman monument where the citizens of Metropolis gathered to pay their respects, some crying, and all that was left there was the "S" symbol and this writing, "If you seek his monument, look all around you." The Man of Steel was too big for a single monument to represent him, and his legacy will be the city of Metropolis and all its citizens...
  • The final shot of the film shows a pile of dirt on Clark's coffin begin to float and a faint heartbeat can be heard, an indication that the greatest hero on Earth is still alive.
  • A few extra tidbits from the Ultimate Cut worth noting:
    • The first time Clark hears of Batman from a couple, the man tells him that the Bat is angrier than usual and they should fear him; the woman's response is to firmly state that the only ones who fear Batman are those who really have a reason. Despite all the grief and paranoia he's going through, the Dark Knight still has managed to leave a good sign in Gotham's people.
    • The entire city of Metropolis has taken the day off to honor Superman, with the streets and buildings completely empty.
    • Although Perry gave Clark endless amounts of grief for his journalistic integrity, he's seen at the Smallville funeral along with Jenny.
    • And then we're given a not-so-subtle hint that Bruce and possibly Diana as well helped financially cover the entirety of the funeral on Clark's behalf anonymously.
• At Clark's funeral, Bruce delivers his "Men are still good" monologue. Mixed with scenes of people paying their respects at the Superman monument, the monologue highlights how despite the crueler aspect of mankind existing, there is still enough good in all of us that we can become better. One has a feeling that Bruce will take this lesson with him as he forms the Justice League.
• This line from Bruce, said during Clark's funeral:
  Bruce: I failed him in life. I won't fail him in death.
• At the end of the movie, we learn Clark was planning to propose to Lois. She wears his engagement ring in her last scenes.
• A small gesture of Bruce making Alfred a cup of coffee.
• A major one: Superman gave Batman hope again. By the end of the film, Superman had shown Batman that there was still good in the world, and that it was still very much worth fighting for. Superman's greatest accomplishment in this film was to give the Caped Crusader a reason to take up his 'No Kill' rule once more. Thanks to Supes, Batman is well and truly back in action.
• Despite their mutual hatred and all Lex had done, Clark still doesn't have a moment's hesitation in saving Lex from Doomsday.

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