Zack Snyder's Justice League: 15-Minute Scene For Cyborg's Backstory Explained

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Updated:
Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Zack Snyder's Justice League logo

The marketing for Zack Snyder's Justice League has been ramping up in recent weeks, which means that a full blast of reveals from the film has surfaced online. From a mind-blowing trailer to interesting tidbits from Snyder himself, there was no shortage of information that emerged recently. 

Despite that, it's no secret that the promotion for the famous Snyder Cut has already started even before the official announcement of the film back in May 2020, with the visionary director being at the forefront of the information drive. One of the significant reveals from Snyder then is the expanded role of Ray Fisher's Cyborg

Snyder shared fresh looks at Cyborg's origin story through official stills and trailer footage, seemingly hinting that the character's backstory will be an integral part of the film. At one point, the director also described Cyborg as the “heart” of his Justice League, which essentially adds more fuel to the fire. 

Now, a new piece of information about Cyborg has emerged that should provide more context about the character's role in the film. 

JUNKIE XL TALKS RAY FISHER'S CYBORG

In an interview with TheFilmJunkee, Justice League composer Thomas Holkenborg (otherwise known as Junkie XL) discussed the 15-minute-long backstory sequence of Ray Fisher's Cyborg. 

The award-winning composer shared the directions that were given to him by Zack Snyder about creating the score for Cyborg while also pointing out that the character's music is “probably the most emotional” in the film: 

“Let's go to Cyborg. So Cyborg's past is really troubling as well. His moments to shine, really, is a section in the movie that is called Cyborg's story. It's basically a 15-minute scene where we see what his backstory is, and where he's from, and what happened to him. So basically, Zack said you can write this amazing piece of music [for] 15 minutes with little or no dialogue and no sound effects. I was like 'God, yes!' His music is actually out of the group, probably the most emotional.”

Holkenborg then capped off his remark by further describing Cyborg's musical score as a “very long piece that just evolves and evolves:” 

“It's a very long piece that just evolves and evolves. It becomes smaller and then, majestic then it becomes very dark. It's the same piece of music that keeps going and going. And it's a dream to do something like that.”

CYBORG'S EXTENDED BACKSTORY

Zack Snyder's Justice League is expected to change the character arc of Cyborg in a huge way, and this extended backstory sequence appears to be a major part of that. By including a fifteen-minute backstory scene, it should help viewers understand the heroic journey of Victor Stone even more, and it will let them see the character in a different way from what was presented in the theatrical version. 

Cyborg's music being the “most emotional” in the film is an interesting remark from Holkenborg, but in a way, isn't surprising. The character had a tragic backstory in the comics, and seeing it done in live-action (properly) will be a sight to see for longtime DC fans.

The theatrical version didn't spend much time on establishing Cyborg's heroic transformation, but it's safe to assume that Snyder will provide the character a compelling narrative direction.

Based on what's been revealed so far, it looks like the Snyder Cut will start from showcasing Victor Stone as a famous football player, then the dominoes will ultimately fall to reveal the character's evolution as a Mother Box-infused figure. 

All in all, Cyborg has the potential to steal the show in Zack Snyder's Justice League, and the inclusion of Junkie XL's stunning score will no doubt serve as a major factor in helping the character to achieve this feat. 

- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.