There are two movies I am SUPER (pun intended) excited for in the next two years: Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. There are also other movies I'm primed for (like Suicide Squad) but these two soar far above the rest for me. In today's internet age there are no shortage of rumors and plot leaks for both blockbuster films, and all it does is get me drooling with excitement. As I read various leaks and supposed details it gets me trying to piece together what the story could be. After a long and agonizing period this is what I have currently devised for the superhero movie based on things I've read and some midrash to fill in the blanks.
The movie will take place following the events of Man of Steel, mainly taking place 2 years later. Within two years several things have happened for our main character: that kiss at the end of the last film was no one time thing as he is still in a relationship with Lois Lane (her and Clark live together now), Superman has become a local hero in Metropolis for not only his defeat of Zod, but his efforts to help rebuild/rescue people from the destruction of the city and his one man war on crime. Coupled with Lois' support both as a reporter and in interviews (in which Morgan Edge keeps trying to challenge if Superman is truly friendly) the city is very supportive of Superman. As for Clark, along with being in a great relationship, we learn he is trying to get the chief to let him do a story on a mysterious vigilante in Gotham City dubbed "The Batman", but to this point Batman is considered more of an urban legend than a real person and Clark is not allowed to pursue the story. Instead he is left doing entertainment news, and covers billionaire playboys Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor who are news as they help fund the rebuilding effort in Metropolis. Clark uses the opportunity of reporting on Wayne to go to Gotham and investigate Batman.
Similar to the flashback style employed in Man of Steel, we get to see Batman in action through flashbacks during Kent's investigations of the capture of a major criminal. What we also begin to see is that some of Kent's most recent investigations begin to reveal Batman acquiring materials that will be used in his confrontation with Superman. Essentially, Batman is preparing for the possibility of having to defeat Superman. Although this may not be entirely clear yet. Batman develops a four-pronged approach to defeating Superman: 1. Allowing Superman's superior power to create a false confidence (creating an element of surprise) 2. Kryptonite he steals from Lexcorp (at which time we learn Lexcorp developed it by studying Zod's remains) 3. A Mechanized, armored batsuit 4. A transporter device that he developed from technology he learned was used for a covert military mission (that the government developed trying to mimic the phantom drive of the Kryptonian ships in MoS, hence the previous connection to Superman and why Batman was interested in it).
During these investigations of Batman acquiring these technologies, Clark becomes concerned that Batman is not a hero but a thug. Likewise, we see modern day shots of Bruce Wayne keeping tabs on Superman, using various techniques to determine his power levels, learning the fact that he draws energy from the sun, dialoguing with Alfred his concerns that Superman is more dangerous that helpful, may not be able to be stopped, and is a ticking time bomb. At this point we see him refining the transporter weapon after the first two models "did not seem reliable" upon further examination.
Then while in Gotham, Clark becomes Superman when he spots a crime in action that Batman also is going to stop. In this interaction (perhaps similar in the distrust and tension found in DC Comics Man of Steel Vol 1, which I will note was used to provide some source material for MoS) Superman at first tries to stop Batman, but somehow is convinced he is trying to do good. Batman then fires a stern warning back at Superman about "leaving his territory" of Metropolis and having no business fighting crime in Gotham. Batman both claims Gotham for himself, and warns Superman that it is dangerous for him to feel he can govern and act anywhere since he is not trusted or welcome everywhere. Superman does not take Batman seriously, and in fact makes a show of power that suggests Batman couldn't stop him if he tried (think his attitude at the end of MoS with regard to the government sending drones to spy on him). Batman warns him that in the future, uneven as it seems, he will stop him.
Then comes the major turn of events. Lois is in peril while covering a story abroad and Superman goes to rescue her. This causes an international incident as Superman is considered an American agent and not welcome in this country to do his heroing. This event leads to threat of World War, which Morgan Edge uses to turn even the public of Metropolis against Superman. In order to prevent war the US Government is forced to denounce Superman and brand him an enemy of the state. In order to enforce this ruling, the government hires Lexcorp who claims to have developed a weapon able to hunt down Superman. Lexcorp introduces Doomsday, a weapon developed from the study of Zod's body. The Doomsday creature/villain/weapon is released and fights Superman to a standstill until Superman retreats to Gotham.
Convinced of Superman being dangerous, seeing the destruction being caused now by his bout with Doomsday, Bruce Wayne prepares to make good on his promise when Superman flees to Gotham. Superman is already weakened from his fight with Doomsday, making his epic showdown now with Batman more believable. This begins with the famed scene teased at the San Diego Comic Con of Batman in his mechanized-armor suit turning on a bat-signal (essentially revealing his location) and Superman appearing above him. The two poised for a fight. The showdown begins and goes pretty evenly as Batman's suit protects him from a weakened Superman and his fists are kryptonite loaded and deal real damage to Superman. Note: by this point Bruce should have expressed somewhere that he feels he can only last so long against Superman, but if he can just weaken him enough to attach the transporter technology he believes he can rid us of Superman without having to kill him, instead sending him away from earth so the people will be safe. In the end, just when Superman seems to start to get the upper hand after an initial beat-down Batman uses his mad ninja skills to secure the device sending Superman away. As this happens and the dust settles, we see news cameras having captured it all: this is the first public reveal of Batman.
At this point Superman appears in Themyscira, Wonder Woman's home. Away from our Sun, Superman is weakened and vulnerable. Some form of threat comes upon him, where he seems in even more peril and beaten until nearly dead until he is rescued by Wonder Woman, who sees him as "another man" and therefore protects him. We soon come to find she has been protecting a man named Colonel Steve Trevor, who was part of a covert team sent to Themyscira by the military when it was testing the phantom drive technology. As Superman seems as vulnerable as a normal human, she sees him as the same as Trevor and protects him. Steve Trevor recognizes him immediately and pushes Wonder Woman the need to revive a close to death Superman (who has now endured beatings from Doomsday, Batman, and some villain/creature on Themyscira).
Meanwhile, back on earth, Lex Luthor throws a "Superman is gone" party at his place, which Bruce Wayne, being a fellow rich playboy gets invited to. While at his place Bruce, being sneaky, comes upon Luthor in some secret room talking with Morgan Edge about how he manipulated the entire events: he had Edge get the public to turn on Superman, he set up the attack on Lois overseas knowing Superman would save her (thus causing the international crisis), he even allowed Batman to steal kryptonite and then had Doomsday weaken and herd Superman to Gotham where Batman "finished him off" thereby eliminating the only person who was more popular and powerful than he in Metropolis, and the only person who could stop Doomsday whom Lex controls (and was paid handsomely to create). At this revelation, Bruce feigns drunkeness so he can stumble in the room and get into a rowdy Brawl with Lex, beat the snot out of him for all the manipulation and destruction, and "accidentally" in the scuffle switch off Doomsday at which point we cut to the creature/weapon shutting down like an organic robot. The fight continues until police show up to break it up. We then cut back to a still Doomsday, here a faint signal sound and watch as he switches on and instantly becomes malevolent.
While cuffed in the back of police cars for this altercation, still bloodied, news comes in that Doomsday has begun destroying Lexcorp's weapons development facility nearby. The police release Wayne and Luthor to head to the scene. Wayne, thinking he must have failed, instructs Luthor to shut down Doomsday. Luthor goes to find he cannot and seems to have lost control of the monster/weapon. At this point Bruce returns quickly to the batcave where Alfred and Robin give him the assessment: they cannot defeat Doomsday themselves. Bruce suits up as Batman and grabs another teleporter, resolving to find Superman. He gives Alfred his only other remaining one, and tells him to go with Robin, and turn on the device at the start of dawn (get it, dawn of justice) hoping that it will always open a portal to the same spot and him and Superman can return if they are there at the precise moment he turns it on (Bruce explains he thinks it only opens the door from this world to theirs not the other way around since neither Superman nor the covert team ever returned). He tells Robin to take Alfred in the Batmobile to Amnesty Bay where she (that's right, Robin is a girl) will find a guy at a lighthouse who Batman has been monitoring as another potentially dangerous person. Robin is to get this person to help stave off Doomsday until he returns.
Batman then goes to Themyscira, where he risks his life, fighting whatever threat (maybe parademons teasing us towards Darkseid in Justice League 2? Maybe Warworlders or warriors of Hades or Apollo if you are teasing Wonder Woman stand alone movie threat) has been there endangering Superman.
Meanwhile, Robin takes Alfred in the Batmobile, which is a state of the art, urban military vehicle to recruit Arthur Curry aka Aquaman. Curry is a loner who doesn't appreciate visitors, and is shocked when he finds Robin knows that he is a metahuman. He doesn't so much agree to go as Doomsday, systematically removing threats (including Curry and Robin), comes to Amnesty Bay. To protect his town Aquaman dons his armor and grabs his Trident and he and Robin begin fighting Doomsday.
Batman finally comes upon Wonder Woman, Steve Trevor, and Superman. He informs them that he needs to get Superman back to earth where he can regain his strength from the sun. Trevor, seeing his opportunity also desires to go home. Wonder Woman, who has been protecting them both insists on going with to make sure Batman is not leading them to a trap. The parademons (or whatever) nearly impede their ability to make it back to the portal at dawn, but Batman has cool powerjets in his batsuit and Wonder Woman flies, and between them they each carry one of Trevor and Superman to make it just before the portal closes.
Meanwhile Aquaman and Robin are proving unable to defeat Doomsday themselves, although they are holding their own against him. But it is at the arrival of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman where the tables turn. First Batman and Wonder Woman take to Doomsday right away, Superman meanwhile is slowly beginning to recover. As he witnesses what is happening, and begins to strengthen, Trevor begins to urge him on. Superman however hesitates, even asking why he should, that's when Batman - in the clutches of Doomsday - chokes out something along the lines of "because only you can" and Superman, seeing his responsibility and necessity, finally enters the fight, pummeling Doomsday until he drops Batman, whose armor is now cracked and dented. From his knees, hurting, Batman gives instructions to Wonder Woman to restrain Doomsday with her lasso and for a weary Aquaman to throw Superman his trident which Superman then uses with Super strength in conjunction with his heat vision to deal the deathblow.
As the story comes towards resolve, we learn several things: Wonder Woman's way home is destroyed as the teleporter was damaged in the fight. Batman promises to work towards building a new one. This teleporter technology is much to the interest of S.T.A.R. Labs scientist Silas Stone (father of Victor Stone, who will become Cyborg), who takes possession of Doomsday's body. All four are welcomed as heroes. Clark gets to publish his Batman story. Lois is shown defending Superman on tv, with approval ratings showing their support given his defense of the nation. Bruce Wayne jests at the fine he has to pay for whooping Luthor, who is visited by Superman in a "I know you were behind this" scene where Luthor calmly replies "prove it". We also see that Curry is getting unwanted attention as Aquaman (maybe even first named Aquaman and teased for it).
The final scenes involve Batman and Superman meeting up in front of S.T.A.R. Labs, where they have a somewhat tense/strained but friendly acknowledgment of each other. Ending with a bit of a comical reveal that they each know the other's secret identity. Superman informing Batman that his x-ray vision can see Bruce under the cowl, Bruce jokingly saying it doesn't take the world's greatest detective to figure out that Clark is Superman with glasses. Finally they go into the Lab together where Silas informs them he figured out what happened with Doomsday: something took control of its system and sent it on a rampage against every major defense system on the East coast. This virus was sending an odd signal with such instructions. As we hear the faint and familiar sound that turned Doomsday back on we then transition by following this same signal as it ends up in a phone, where we hear Lex Luthor's voice saying he should have been warned that it was going to take control of Doomsday, but he was over it, so long as their agreement still stood in place: he would be spared. But not any of these heroes, especially Superman.
Thus teasing Brainiac for the Justice League movie. The End.
What made me come to this plot: along with it incorporating just about every major rumor I have heard and believe in? There are several aspects to this specific plot that I think make it strong enough to be a workable movie (assuming the gaps are filled in well and story presented clearly, since obviously a lot is happening). Here are several reasons that led me to imagine this story:
- A lot of the leaks and teases all indicate that Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel will be a piece of source material. Images of the Batmobile, the concept of a female Robin, older Batman, mechanized bat-suit as teased in the Comic-Con trailer, and of course simply the concept of the fight between Batman and Superman all indicate this story to be utilized. Now the one issue is that of course is a Batman story where Superman fights him, this is a Superman story where Batman fights him, and so I thought it would make some sense to reverse the situation a bit. That is, in the graphic novel Superman is sent by the government because Batman will not heed warnings to stop and the public is calling for him to be stopped. Here it is a reverse situation (although the government did not specifically ask Batman, although Luthor anticipates his involvement), here Superman is an enemy of the public, and the government has sought to stop him with Doomsday, and Superman failed to heed Batman's warnings to not think he can simply be a hero anywhere. Like in Miller's epic graphic novel, Superman is also weakened before their encounter to help level the playing field. In this case, instead of a nuclear explosion doing it, I introduced Doomsday earlier.
- Snyder has said the movie is Batman v. Superman and not Batman vs. Superman for a reason, and of course you can't make Batman simply a villain. In this story, Batman is not necessarily wrong or bad. He is acting out of the good and yet he clearly has a beef with Superman. And as I noted, this distrust, territorialism towards Gotham, and tension that makes up his beef has precedence in the comics in the Man of Steel Vol 1. Although there it is relieved amicably. The deception on the part of Luthor is also helpful, while some may not like Batman having one puled over his eyes a bit, he still shows exceptional detective skills here (more than probably any other Batman movie to date), still ultimately discovers the deception, and it makes Luthor the ultimate instigator, propagating both Batman's and Superman's fatal flaw in the story that leads to their confrontation. More in line with the title, this film is not so much about their being enemies or even fighting, it is about their conflicting views and really divergent forms of being a hero.
- A lot of thought went into character introduction, which obviously will be a huge factor for this film, since it seems poised to introduce Batman, Robin, Alfred, Luthor, Morgan Edge, Aquaman, Doomsday and Wonder Woman (all names come upon by rumors and leaks, Steve Trevor the only one I really added that wasn't already confirmed or strongly rumored, and even his has been rumored to be in this movie in the past). Obviously Batman and his cast as well as the villains all will have the main screen time. Then I followed the rumors that suggested Wonder Woman would have a role and Aquaman a lesser one introduced. But while they are introduced and not central here, I felt they still needed to be important. While some criticize the DC method over the Marvel Avenger method, saying it will rush the characters, what I see is actually quite wise: Wonder Woman and Aquaman are less popular heroes. Give them a good introduction in this highly popular film and you set their stand-alone films up for a stronger box office. But that means they need to come off strong. Aquaman especially I think so because no one takes him seriously. But if you have him and Robin hold off Doomsday, even if in the end he can't do much more being weakened in that bout, you give him real credibility (especially since you showed Superman unable to take him on alone earlier in the film), yet you let his contribution towards the end only be giving Superman his trident so Superman still shines (since it is his movie after all). Wonder Woman likewise gets to defend a helpless Superman. More than that, this film introduces her to earth, but has plenty of room for a stand alone film based on Trevor's group coming to Themyscira and allowing Wonder Woman to be fully introduced in a way that does not make one ask how come she wasn't involved in the battle of Metropolis in Man of Steel since her origin movie would not take place on earth. This film likewise gives a lot of time to Batman and his role against and for Superman is essential while still leaving plenty of space for his own stand alone film too.
- The movie is still by and large Superman-centric. I think the biggest challenge to introducing so many characters and especially a Batman-Superman face-off is to not make it simply Dark Knight Returns or some Batman movie. That's the genius of the Batman story being told in flashbacks from Clark's investigations, the character of Superman has a story arc that is tied to his inability to heed Batman's warning. The outcome alienates him from humanity and Batman, also causing a bit of a dilemma at the end as to whether he should be their hero (albeit I told it in a way that resolves it pretty quickly). Not only does he develop according to that, the world around him arcs as well in him going from being popular in metropolis, to popular nowhere, to widely embraced because more than metropolis could see him as their hero. It answers the main question of the film: does the world (including Batman) need Superman? Is he more helpful or a danger to them? But having a story that centers on Superman every step of the way: the villain is plotting to dethrone Superman from Metropolis, Batman is always reacting and preparing for Superman, Themyscira is introduced by Superman going there, to win they need Superman back, Superman delivers the death blow, it keeps the film as a true sequel for Superman.
- I think there is great strength in the early introduction of Doomsday. I think most assume Doomsday won't appear until the end and then be the cause to unite Batman and Superman. I thought a one-on-one fight where Superman cannot win was appropriate (given Doomsday is the villain who killed Superman in the comics), and by doing that earlier, leading into the Batman fight it also makes the Batman fight bigger (also explaining how it could be an even match), and simply defies that convention the audience is expecting: that a villain all of the sudden appears after they fight. Here the villains of Doomsday and Luthor are already at work. But it does get out of hand after they fight and still does lend to their uniting.
- I wanted to develop a story that had a little more weight to the union of Batman and Superman. That is, the problem with them fighting then uniting is it almost makes too light of the fact that they fought. Which means either the fight has to be not as serious (which no one wants to see) or else you run the risk of the fight being so great you don't believe they could reconcile afterwards. So I felt there needed to be more to it that really brought them together. Here the journey to Themyscira gives some of that. Superman is able to join with Batman going forward in part because Batman risked his life to bring Superman back (a move which saves Superman's life). Likewise, uniting over a threat has greater weight if they both don't share it, but Batman does alone. Since he is a loner, and fought Superman because he felt he was dangerous and did not want him in Gotham, it was more important for him to need Superman to defeat Doomsday than the other way around.
- This begins to tease some dynamics of the Justice League. Batman is a leader, and ingenious in his technology. He develops strategy (both in defeating Superman and then in defeating Doomsday), and imparts wisdom to Superman (when he warns him in the first place about meddling in affairs outside Metropolis), all of these are representative of his character in the Justice League. Likewise Wonder Woman as a protector and Aquaman as reserved are both aspects of the heroes. Even Superman's unwillingness to listen because of his sense of superiority and right are true to the character dynamics in the comics.
- Lastly, I think this does a good job to one-up its predecessor. It involves several major fight sequences: Superman-Doomsday, Batman-Superman, Aquaman/Wonder Woman/Batman/Superman-Doomsday along with many minor ones: Batman flashbacks, Superman's first encounter with Batman, Superman saving Lois, Wonder Woman saving Superman, Bruce-Lex brawl, Batman in Themyscira, Robin/Aquaman-Doomsday. On top of all that action is a developing story that moves the characters forward as well as a major reveal in the Luthor scheme and a tease for an even greater villain for Justice League. Furthermore, if you think of it as a sequel: it takes the next step in terms of story. MoS was a first encounter story (between Superman and the world, as well as heroes in general). BvS deals with both the ongoing relationship of people with Superman as well as opening us to a wider world of heroes, and establishes an ongoing need for them.
So that's my story. Some rumors indicate a teaser trailer may be revealed this week with the film Jupiter Ascending which may render this obsolete. But at least I tried. There is BvS for you, at least as it currently stands in my head.
