DCEU director Zack Snyder shared an official still from Zack Snyder's Justice League showing Ben Affleck's Batman being hunted by Darkseid. Snyder's version of Justice League fleshed out the core DC heroes and villains more by showcasing a scary look at the Knightmare timeline. This dystopian future saw Darkseid successfully conquer Earth, and Superman ruled as a tyrant under his control. Batman leads a small resistance group, which includes Mera, Flash, and Joker, fighting a hopeless war against this dangerous regime.
Zack Snyder shared a brand-new image from his version of Justice League, showcasing a ragged look at Ben Affleck's Batman. The visionary filmmaker also included a caption saying that Batman is being hunted by "Parademons and you know who [Darkseid]."
"Bruce Wayne, on the run in a broken future—hunted by Parademons and you know who."
Snyder's caption also has the perfect new description for the Knightmare timeline, calling it a time when "hope is almost extinct."
"A world lost. A last gamble. One chance to send Flash back and reset everything. From 'Zack Snyder’s Justice League'—the nightmare timeline where hope is almost extinct."
The Knightmare timeline is perhaps the DCEU's worst alternate future, mainly due to Darkseid's reign of terror. The fact that someone as skilled and strategic as Batman has his back against the wall against Darkseid's forces makes the villain even more terrifying than ever.
Snyder has been posting a good number of behind-the-scenes photos from his time in the DCEU, fueling SnyderVerse's return hopes. Some of the images include Henry Cavill's Superman, Joe Manganiello's version of Deathstroke, and Jared Leto's Joker.
Zack Snyder's Justice League is the definitive four-hour cut of the DCEU's team-up movie as it represents the titular director's original vision. The film premiered on HBO Max on March 18, 2021.
Did Darkseid Kill Batman In the Knightmare Timeline?
Darkseid's relentless pursuit of Batman in the Knightmare timeline is understandable, considering that the Dark Knight is a pivotal hero who may turn the tide if he becomes fully equipped with the correct resources.
However, it appears that Darkseid wasn't the one who killed Batman based on what was shown from Snyder's Justice League, and the culprit is none other than Henry Cavill's Superman. It's worth pointing out that this Superman is corrupted by Darkseid due to the Anti-Life Equation.
In the original Knightmare sequence from 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman killed Batman after he was captured by the Parademons. Meanwhile, in the epilogue shown in Zack Snyder's Justice League, Batman and his resistance team were found by Superman and seemingly killed all of them.
While Darkseid could've killed Batman on his own, the DC villain knew that it would be more impactful if a former ally like Superman murdered him instead.
