Despite the negative reviews from critics, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice soared at the box office, earning $130 million on opening day and grossing $310 million domestically as of April 15th. The superhero flick, directed by Zack Snyder, takes place 18 months after the events of Man of Steel, which triggers Batman to take on Superman, fearing that his actions have been left unchecked. While we watched the film however, we couldn’t help but notice some parallels between Dawn of Justice and another superhero film that Snyder also directed: Watchmen.
The Death of the Waynes/The Comedian’s Murder
Both films begin with the deaths of prominent characters that serve as the catalyst for the events that occur after. The Comedian aka Edward Blake is murdered by fellow Watchman Adrian Veidt aka Ozymandias after discovering his plans to start a nuclear war and the Waynes are gunned down in front of their son, Bruce, after leaving the opera house, beginning his origin story. The scene where Martha’s pearl necklace broke apart as she was shot to death reminded us of the glass shattering after Ozymandias threw The Comedian out his apartment window. Bonus: Both Thomas Wayne and The Comedian were played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Superman/Dr. Manhattan
Besides having godlike powers, Superman and Dr. Manhattan have more in common than you might think. They were both framed for mass murder, exiled themselves because of it, and came back because of the women they loved: Laurie Jupiter and Lois Lane. Both rocked different shades of blue too. They were also incredibly human at their cores. They felt more deeply than they showed on the surface. Behind the public’s perception of Superman and Dr. Manhattan were two of the most powerful men in the world, leading to our next parallel.
Lex Luthor/Ozymandias
The two men responsible for manipulating Superman, Dr. Manhattan, and the world. These two were always a step ahead of the game and were razor sharp. Ozymandias knew the secret identities of his fellow Watchmen which he used to his advantage. By murdering Blake, he eliminated the only person who could expose his plans. Luthor, on the other hand, exploited Wayne’s and Superman’s weaknesses in order to get the two to turn on each other while he created the ultimate Kryptonian weapon: Doomsday. He also had secret files on the other Justice League members, including Wonder Woman.
Mass Destruction
Both films had such an enormous amount of carnage, we don’t know where to begin. How about Dr. Manhattan exploding those men, leaving their skeletal limbs and insides dangling on the ceiling? Or the complete annihilation of New York City? All that can’t compare to the showdown between Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and Doomsday though. With all the energy Doomsday gave off, how did all the citizens of Gotham and Metropolis not die as a result? And how the heck did Batman walk away unscathed for that matter?
Superman’s/The Comedian’s Funerals
Superman and The Comedian could not be more different, yet their funerals were almost identical. The gloominess, both in mood and in the ash grey clouds was apparent. The American flag’s colors when it was draped on top of their caskets were so vibrant. The most significant moment of both scenes however, were the goodbyes from the people closest to them: Lois Lane and Dan Dreiberg. Just as Lois threw dirt on Superman’s coffin, Dreiberg threw the Comedian’s signature smiley face badge on his casket. That same dirt would later rise up off Superman’s coffin and make the earth tremble, just like it trembled when Jon was reborn as Dr. Manhattan.
Did you notice any of these parallels? Are there more that we missed? Let us know @getfandom!