Looking for innovative ways to bring computational thinking and computer science skills to your STEM classes? MINECRAFT: EDUCATION EDITIONmight be just the teaching tool for you, whether you’re an experienced player or are just learning about Minecraft.
Below are all the resources you’ll need to kickstart a game-based learning adventure in your classroom—no advanced degree in gaming required.
Alita: Battle Angel released in theaters on February 14 to dubious acclaim. No one can deny that the visuals were stunning. The faces of the cyborgs and the action sequences truly make you appreciate what modern special effects are capable of. However, the narrative of the film suffers from a run-time that can in no way encompass the plot of the manga it was based on.
Audiences are left with endless questions, especially about the titular main character of the movie, Alita. Her motivations are barely comprehensible, and her past is one giant enigma. Read on if you want to go over every question about Alita's past the movie left unanswered.
10 WHO MADE ALITA?
As you can probably guess just from watching the trailer of the film, Alita is a cyborg, a human brain encased within a robot body. Not considering the logistics of how this would work, no hint is given about who is responsible for crafting Alita into the cyborg head we first meet her as in the movie.
In the Battle Angel manga, Alita was revealed to have spent most of her life as a cyborg, reaching such a mechanized lifestyle by the age of three. She was created as part of a plot to overthrow a Martian Princess by a man known as Baron Muster. Perhaps it is for the best that the movie did not delve into the complexities of Alita's creation.
9 WHO WAS ALITA BEFORE SHE BECAME A CYBORG?
Part of Alita's charm in the movie comes from the fact that she has no idea how to handle the new world she finds herself thrust in. She has no memories of her past life. As such, there are quite a few hilarious fish-out-of-water moments for Alita as she figures out how things work.
However, she never truly learns who she used to be before she woke up in Dr. Ido's clinic. In the manga, we find out that Alita used to be a person called Yoko. The movie positively refuses to give us these kinds of clues about Alita's past and keeps things vague for the most part.
8 WHO WAS THE FEMALE CYBORG IN ALITA'S FLASHBACKS?
Alita would receive brief glimpses of her former life in the middle of battles. These flashbacks were actually quite spectacular, depicting epic fights in zero-g. One female cyborg played by Michelle Rodriguez features prominently in these flashbacks.
It appears as if this female cyborg was responsible for Alita's warrior training. Her name is never spoken, her relationship to Alita is never outright stated, and her appearance in the movie feels nonsensical as a result. In the manga, we learn that she is called Gelda, and she took Alita in when she was young, training her in the ways of Panzer Kunst.
7 WHY DID ALITA ATTACK ZALEM?
In one of Alita's flashbacks, we see her and a platoon of fellow cyborgs attempting to climb up to Zalem, the infamous city in the sky. Battle cries are heard. One of those cries calls for the end of Zalem.
Given that Zalem is still standing (i.e. floating) hundreds of years later when Alita is discovered in the scrap heap beneath it, we can all assume that Alita and her compatriots failed in their objective. However, we never find out why they were attacking that particular city in the first place. The Terraforming Wars between Mars and Earth are gone into greater detail in the manga.
6 DID ALITA HARM EARTHLINGS?
It is strongly hinted at in the film that Alita fought for the United Republic of Mars during “the Great War.” We see her fight plenty of cyborg opponents, but we never really see her go up against a straight-up, Earth-born human. If she and her war buddies did participate in the fight against Earth, wouldn't she have gone up against them at some point?
The fact of the matter is we never see if Alita did or didn't eliminate humans as part of her role in the war. We're sure that some of her later human friends would not have been too pleased to know if she did attack humans with her Berserker body in the past.
5 WHAT HAPPENED TO THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF MARS?
An infuriating omission from the movie's plot is any information regarding the fate of the United Republic of Mars. The Terraforming Wars are described with great detail in the manga, but any mention of “the Great War” from the film is vague and obtuse.
We are left with no hint at what the fate of the United Republic of Mars could have been or at what point Alita got separated from their forces. Alita's entire work relationship with the URM is left clouded by her lack of memory. Since this is a point that deviates greatly from the manga, we can only guess what happened to the people of Mars.
4 HOW DOES NOVA KNOW ALITA?
It is heavily implied in the film that the villain, Nova, knows who Alita is. He makes several remarks that hint at this knowledge, and he spends the entire movie planning to end her existence once he is made aware of it. Alita even seems to realize toward the end of the film that she knows him in return. But the movie ends before it is revealed how the two know each other.
The story closes with a final shot of Alita, about to win a match of Motorball, pointing at Zalem. She clearly intends to travel there and confront Nova, but we get no satisfaction from such a confrontation because the end credits start rolling immediately afterward.
3 DID ALITA EVER LIVE ON ZALEM?
Alita's head and upper torso are found in the junkyard of Iron City. Dr. Ido, the kindly cyborg doctor with a clinic nearby, takes her in and gives her a new body. Later on, when speculation about Alita's past is brought up, it is theorized by several characters that she used to live on the remote, floating city of Zalem.
The junkyard where she was found lies directly beneath Zalem. It is logical to assume that she was dumped there from the floating city. However, given what little we know about Zalem, Alita would not have been dumped so casually if anybody had known what she was.
2 HOW DID ALITA END UP IN THE TRASH?
Alita is no bit of spoiled food to be casually thrown in the trash. She is a relic of the United Republic of Mars, a piece of effective war machinery. Even in her damaged, defunct state, she should not have been tossed aside so lightly. And since Alita is a product of war, she would not have knowingly been sent away from Zalem in the first place, tossed down to the Iron City junkyard.
The question of why she was found there remains unanswered in the movie. Both the audience and Alita never find out why she was abandoned. It is a head-scratcher of a situation that will only be solved if a sequel gets released.
1 WHY DID NO ONE BOTHER TO STEAL ALITA'S HEART?
Alita's heart is a special piece of equipment, not just because it is her heart but because it has immense potential as a source of energy. It is because of the power of her heart that Alita is able to accomplish extraordinary feats in battle. Even if her body was sent to be thrown out with junk, how could no one on Zalem recognize the value of keeping her heart?
The United Republic of Mars had a reputation for superb technological advancement. If Alita was brought down while on Zalem, her heart would have been a prize worthy of holding onto. We can only assume why her heart was left in her body.
When Henry Cavill was announced as Geralt in Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher, fans had questions. Namely: why?
Okay, so Cavill isn’t the worst choice in the world. But he wasn’t one of the fancasts that people had poured over, desperate for Netflix to pick one of the top choices, the actors who already somewhat resembled Geralt. Even in the screen test they released to the public, Cavill is more Rhaegar Targaryen than Geralt of Rivia.
And yes—he’s supposed to look more elven in the books. But not quite that much. So here are the actors that were passed over for Geralt, or unavailable, but would have made fans rejoice instead of say, “um, what?”
8 MADS MIKKELSEN
Mads Mikkelsen was one of the top choices for Geralt. Around Geralt’s age, he probably could have been roughed up enough to look like the witcher. He wasn’t quite as bulky as game Geralt, but some make-up could have made him cut an intimidating presence, and he was a famous enough actor that he’d have drawn people to the series.
Some people weren’t convinced, pointing out that although Mikkelsen is a great actor, he’s not quite Geralt.
Fair and true—but he looks more like him than Cavill, so it would have been something. And he was one of the most mentioned before the casting announcement.
7 ANSON MOUNT
Hell On Wheels was a western television series that Anson Mount starred in. With his beard and his hair all greyed up, it’s pretty impossible to look at him in this show and not think he resembles Geralt.
Not being as famous as the likes of Mikkelsen, he was mentioned less in the fancasts, but every time someone pulled up a picture and said, “hey, don’t you think he’d make a great Geralt?” the response was a unified yes. He was filming something else at the same time though, so people were pretty sure it’d be impossible to get him for The Witcher. Seems they were right.
6 NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU
Another super famous name among the list of fancasts was Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Recently starring in everything from romantic comedies to high fantasy, his most notable role is Jaime Lannister on Game Of Thrones—and since the final season is about to air, fans were hoping that might free him up for Geralt.
He’s tall, muscular, and old enough that he could definitely be greyed and scarred up to look like Geralt. Likely, no one would have been unhappy with this casting. He’s also proven himself to be a pretty diverse actor, so no doubt he would have done Geralt justice. Alas, we will never know for sure.
5 CLIVE STANDEN
Standen is most famously known for his role in Vikingsas Rollo, brother of Ragnar, but he’s done a few other things of note: most recently, the action television series version of Taken. Like Mount, he was one of the lesser mentioned names but every time he did pop up, people agreed he could make a good Geralt.
He does have more of the game-Geralt look than a book-Geralt look, which is reportedly not what the television series is going for, so that may certainly be contributing to why he wasn’t mentioned too much. Still, he’d have been a pretty solid choice if the make-up and costume department could have worked their magic on him.
4 TRAVIS FIMMEL
Another Vikings star suggested for the role was the star, Travis Fimmel. He has the same vibe as Standen, even though the brothers are rivals in Vikings—rough, muscular, and charismatic enough that he could have pulled off Geralt. He’s a little young and smooth-skinned though, but that’s what make-up and collodion are for; making someone into the character.
Hopefully, they’re going to put bucket loads of that stuff on Cavill.
Not everyone loved the idea of Fimmel as Geralt though, and the suggestion ended up with pretty mixed reactions, but it’s safe to say he would have at least had the possibility of doing a good job. He wasn’t an instant write-off.
3 TOM HARDY
Like Travis Fimmel, Tom Hardy looks a tiny bit young for Geralt, but he was another one who was suggested over and over. Must be the muscles and the beard. He wouldn’t quite have been an instant solid choice that every fan would have been happy with, but it’s unlikely he would have received the same “wtf” reaction that Cavill managed to.
At the very least, he would have gotten a chance. After all, he did manage to make his way onto multiple Geralt fancast lists before the Netflix show was even announced, like most of these men.
2 VIGGO MORTENSEN
Mortensen is older than most on this list, but as Geralt is grey-haired and battle-scarred, that doesn’t really matter. Mostly, people were picturing a blend of his Lord Of The Ringslook and his usual, everyday self. Mortensen has proven that he can do high fantasy better than almost anyone thanks to Aragorn, and we can only imagine that there would have been very few negative reactions to seeing him taken on Geralt.
He’s the perfect blend of handsome and rough already and although Geralt’s appearance actually isn’t described in much depth in the books, it’s assumed he has this blend too—after all, he’s seen and fought a lot, but he still manages to be popular with the women.
1 GERARD BUTLER
Finally, a questionable one, but one that was suggested many times too, so we can only assume he was another one that fans would have preferred to see as Geralt: Gerard Butler.
The Scottish actor popped up on lists also for his appearance, age, and let’s be real, the beard. He’s tall and broad, and probably could have made a pretty intimidating Geralt even without make-up and scars designed from collodion, so it’s a fair recommendation.
But there’s little point in wishful thinking about all these rough, older actors any more, because Henry Cavill ended up with the role. And who knows? Maybe he’ll be great. But the internet reactions seem pretty dubious.
Whether you’re discouraged about having yet another streaming service to subscribe to, or you’re looking forward to having all your favorite Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney Animated features in one place, there’s one thing for sure; the House of Mouse is not messing around with putting out a ton of content for its new Disney Plus streaming service, and making that content exclusive.
Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, and Disney CEO Bob Iger have been opening up a lot in the past year about the future of Disney Plus, and specifically how it relates to the MCU. Expect to see fan-favorite characters like Loki, Falcon, Bucky Barnes, and even Lady Sif get their own series, while future Marvel Studios pictures go directly to the service. We couldn’t be more excited to see how the “long form” of televised storytelling adds to the richness the MCU has already created. Here’s what we know so far!C
11 CAPTAIN MARVEL WILL BE THE FIRST EXCLUSIVE MARVEL FILM AVAILABLE
Brie Larson has been declared the next “billion dollar” Marvel star, and her new film Captain Marvel is set to smash box office records when it hits theaters on March 8th. It doesn’t even need to make the 400 million dollars domestically that Wonder Woman did to be considered a great success; it has another ace up its sleeve.
Captain Marvel will be the first Marvel Studios film to exclusively premiere on Disney Plus, which means anyone that doesn’t want to subscribe to the service in 2019 will just have to hurry off to the theater to see it.
10 AVENGERS: ENDGAME WILL GO DIRECTLY TO DISNEY PLUS
After Captain Marvel debuts in March, Avengers: Endgame will hit theaters in late April, effectively concluding the incredible conflict between the Avengers and the Mad Titan Thanos that had been building to its climactic final showdown for years.
Avengers: Endgame will see the end of many of the story arcs for favorite Marvel characters while launching opportunities for stories including several new heroes. It will be the next Marvel Studios title to exclusively be distributed through Disney Plus, bypassing the big trio of streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime) completely.
9 LOKI GETS HIS OWN LIMITED SERIES
One of the most anticipated series being talked about in connection to Disney Plus is the as yet untitled Loki spin-off. It will star fan favorite Tom Hiddleston in the role of the prankster god of Asgard and half-brother to the God of Thunder and Avenger, Thor.
Given Loki’s fate at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, it’s unclear exactly when the series will take place, and it may end up being a prequel. What is known, is that it will be a limited series of 6-8 episodes and a chance for fans who thought Loki didn’t have enough screen time to watch him cause even more chaos.
8 SCARLET WITCH AND VISION GET THEIR OWN LIMITED SERIES
Along with the hype surrounding the Loki series, there’s been considerable interest in the Scarlet Witch and Vision series rumored to also be in development. Fans of both characters liked watching their connection grow in the Avengers movies, but felt that they didn’t get nearly enough screen time.
There’s no information on when the series will be set, or if it will feature familiar characters from their past (Magneto), but we do know that both Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany will return to reprise their roles. It will also be a mini-series, of 6-8 episodes.
7 THE WINTER SOLDIER AND FALCON GET THEIR OWN SHOW
Much praise has been heaped on Falcon and Bucky Barnes (the Winter Soldier) for being second-tier Marvel characters that managed to leave a big impression. It also helps that Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan have a fun camaraderie both on and off the silver screen.
We have no release date, but we do know that it will be written by Malcolm Spellman, and consist of 6-8 episodes. Considering both Falcon and Bucky turned to dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, it’s unclear when it will take place, but based on interviews with both Stan and Mackie, they’re interested in it having a “buddy cop” vibe.
6 LADY SIF GETS HER OWN SERIES
Lady Sif, Marvel’s favorite shield-maiden and battle buddy of Thor’s, had been conspicuously absent from Marvel films following Thor: The Dark World. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige cited scheduling conflicts as to why Jaimie Alexander didn’t appear in Thor: Ragnarok, but she’s apparently ready and willing to return as Lady Sif for Disney Plus.
Aside from Kevin Feige producing the series, no writers have been named, and it’s unclear in what time period it will take place. If it takes place during Thor: Ragnarok, perhaps it will create an intriguing in-universe reason why Lady Sif wasn’t present, or what her fate was in Avengers: Infinity War.
5 IT WILL HAVE EVERY PREVIOUS MARVEL STUDIOS RELEASE AVAILABLE
It probably comes as no surprise, but Disney will be pulling its collective Marvel Studios releases from their homes on other streaming services to be offered exclusively on Disney Plus. While some properties like Star Wars live-action films may live on due to licensing agreements for the next few years, Marvel television shows and films will only be found on Disney Plus.
This accounts for why fan-favorite Marvel series like Daredevil, Luke Cage, and to a lesser extent Iron Fist were unceremoniously canceled on Netflix. The contract for their collective licenses ran out with Netflix, and it didn’t want to produce what Disney would solely profit from.
4 THERE PROBABLY WON’T BE A DEADPOOL SERIES
In one of the largest mergers in recent times, Disney acquired Twentieth Century Fox and with it, a lot of hot intellectual properties. Aliens, Predator, and the X-Men characters are now all fair game for Disney Plus to make into series, as well as one very special superhero: Deadpool.
While it’s entirely possible Disney will choose to launch a Deadpool series, they have to be careful with the material they work with. Bob Iger has been firm that there won’t be anything R-Rated on the streaming service, which basically takes all the fun out of anything Deadpool related.
3 THERE WILL BE A POSSIBLE X-MEN SERIES
Until recently, Marvel Studios had to tread lightly with the entire X-Men catalog, especially since it was owned by Twentieth Century Fox. Use of the word “mutant” wasn’t happening, so strategic nomenclature was put in place (Scarlet Witch isn’t a mutant, she’s an “Inhuman”).
Now that Disney has acquired Fox, however, things may change for the better. The X-Men may get to be involved with the main plots of the big Marvel Studio films, instead of appearing isolated from the monumental goings-on in the rest of the MCU like they have been.
2 DAREDEVIL, LUKE CAGE, AND IRON FIST PROBABLY WON’T RETURN
Fans were surprised when popular Marvel shows like Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist were canceled abruptly and without any quantifiable reason. They then came to find out that Disney itself was giving up $300 million in annual licensing fees to house its IP’s on Netflix by moving them over to Disney Plus.
With that being said, don’t expect your favorite Marvel shows to come back right away; Bob Iger, Disney CEO has stated that the content for the streaming service will be very family friendly, and their more mature themes may not make the cut.
1 IT WILL FOCUS ON SECONDARY CHARACTERS
One of the biggest complaints from Marvel fans is that many of the characters they like in the MCU don’t get enough screen time, with their backstories often abbreviated or entirely written out in favor of propping up more important characters. These are characters that would never even be considered for their own stand-alone film, despite having large followings among fans of their comic books.
Disney+ has heard these complaints and plans to devote the majority of its Marvel films and television series produced exclusively for the service to these second-tier characters. It’s time for Iron Man and Captain America to play second fiddle for once.
The CW Network certainly knows their stuff when it comes to entertaining content: dramas, comedies, mysteries, teen favorites, they've got it all! Despite many of the shows going on hiatus during the winter months, we're happy to share that your most loved CW shows are coming back, and pretty soon, too.
Whether you've been able to wait for them to pop up back on your screens or not, the time has come. Here are the top CW shows returning this 2019.
10 ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO
Roswell, New Mexico is CW's newest 2019 addition and has instantly become a fan favorite. The show follows the main character, Liz Ortecho, played by actress Jeanine Mason, and her return back to her hometown of Roswell, New Mexico.
The show first aired last month and tells the tale of Liz discovering her teenage crush is really an alien who has kept his extraterrestrial abilities at bay. However, when there is a violent attack on Earth, things start to get very interesting. If you're into sci-fi and mystery style television shows, then this is the perfect fit for you.
9 BLACK LIGHTNING
Black Lightningis yet another CW show that has become quite the television hot topic. The show first made its way to the CW back in 2018, and luckily for us, it was just renewed for a third season on January 31, 2019. The show follows a high school principal, Jefferson Pierce, and his past as a superhero named Black Lightning.
Although Pierce has since retired from fighting crime, he is forced to throw his suit back on when a local gang known as the 100, starts causing havoc throughout the city of Freeland. It goes without saying that this superhero show is definitely one to keep your eye on.
8 ARROW
CW'sArrow has been around since 2012 and has easily earned its spot on this list. The show has officially been renewed for an eighth season this past month and will continue to air its phenomenal episodes each week starting this spring. The show follows the main character Oliver Queen, who is a billionaire turn vigilante who finds himself in far too many predicaments.
The show not only features Green Arrow, but has seen several DC Comicscharacters throughout its time on television, and it's expected that there are even more to come.
7 DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW
DC's Legends of Tomorrow, or simply Legends of Tomorrow is a spin-off CW show features characters introduced from other shows including Arrow and The Flash. The series itself is based on DC Comics and was officially renewed for a fifth season last month.
The popular show, which is set in the Arrowverse, illustrates the lives of characters Firestorm, Atom, Rip Hunter and so many more. Viewers can expect the show to return this upcoming spring, and considering the action and excitement the show has provided in past season, fans can expect even more to come.
6 RIVERDALE
Riverdale is probably one of the most popular shows amongst teenagers right now. Not only does the show appear on the CW network, but it is also available on Netflix. The show is based on the famous Archie Comics, with a very dramatic and cinematic twist to it.
Viewers can tune in to watch Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead take on the unfortunate events that seem to continuously find their way to the town of Riverdale. Not only does the storyline keep you invested, but the diverse and relatable cast keep audience members engaged, making their renewal for a fourth season coming this spring, totally understandable.
5 IN THE DARK
In The Dark is the CW's newest addition. Despite it not having even made its way to television just yet, it is one of the CW's most highly anticipated shows of 2019. Set to his television screens across North America on April 4, 2019, In The Dark follows the life of a 20-year-old blind woman who finds the corpse of her best friend.
The series follows the main character, Murphy, in her quest to find out just what happened to her friend, Tyson. Although she may be blind, Murphy is not letting that stop her from seeking revenge on her friend's death. Definitely set your PVRs for this one, because it's bound to be a whirlwind drama series.
4 THE 100
The 100 has easily become one of the most watched and loved shows on The CW. If you are into post-apocalyptic fiction, then this is the show for you. The 100 follows a group of people who land on Earth from a space habitat known as “the Ark” after a nuclear apocalypse takes out the entire planet.
The series is based on the novel The 100, with added in twists and turns that keep audience members wanting more. Luckily for fans of the show, the CW smash hit will be returning for its sixth season on April 30, 2018, so you better mark your calendars.
3 IZOMBIE
iZombie will scratch any zombie itch you may have. This CW show follows the life of main character and medical school resident, Olivia Moore, who is turned into a zombie on a boat party one night. The series follows her incessant cravings, that leads her to abandon her career, family, and friends, and take on a position at the morgue where she feeds on the brains of those she autopsies.
Her secret doesn't last long, and it just so happens that those she feeds on become a part of who she is. If that doesn't sound compelling enough, we aren't sure what will. iZombie has become a CW sensation and has just been renewed for their fifth and final season airing May 2, 2019.
2 SUPERNATURAL
Supernatural is probably one of the longest running shows on the CW. If the title doesn't already give it away, the show follows supernatural phenomenons witnessed by demon-hunting brothers Sam and Dean Winchester and the countless adventures they go on.
From demons, ghosts, monsters, to other supernatural beings, there is certainly never a dull moment in the Winchesters' lives, making for quite the roller coaster ride of a show. Supernatural is currently in their fourteenth season, and on January 30, 2019, the CW announced that the show would be renewed for a fifteenth.
1 JANE THE VIRGIN
Jane The Virgin, stars lead actress Gina Rodriguez who plays Jane Villanueva. The premise of the show is quite simple, Jane is a virgin, yet becomes pregnant. Despite the straight forward storyline, Jane The Virgin has become the CW's most loved show with ratings you wouldn't believe.
The series, which is currently in its fourth season, follows the life of Jane and her son and the constant ups and downs the two go through. Viewers can expect to be taken on a trip of emotions when watching the show, which is what makes it such a phenomenal television program. With that being said, fans can expect the fifth and unfortunately final season to air on March 27, 2019.
Another era of Batman has come to an end. With Matt Reeves’ The Batmanbeginning to ramp up its production, it was finally confirmed that Ben Affleck would not continue in the role of the Dark Knight. After appearing as Batman in Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League, he will pass the cape on to a new actor.
The general consensus about Affleck in the role was that he was a pretty good Batman in some pretty bad Batman films. As a result, Affleck leaves us with some memories, both good and bad, of his time as the Caped Crusader. Check out Batfleck’s best and worst moments!
10 BEST: WITNESSING SUPERMAN
For all its faults, Batman V Superman started the movie off in a brilliant way. The film opens with the battle between Superman and Zod at the end of Man of Steel. But this time we see it from Bruce Wayne’s point-of-view on the ground. The destruction is frightening and immediately makes you understand why the world would be afraid of these aliens.
The sequence also helps establish Affleck’s Bruce Wayne as fearless and heroic. As Metropolis falls around him and its citizens flee, he charges directly into the destruction. It’s the kind of moment that gives you goosebumps.
9 WORST: HIS ORIGIN
Some origin stories don’t need to be retold. Everyone knows Bruce Wayne’s tragic past, but we got to see it yet again in Batman V Superman. However, one small change to the well-worn tale changed things for the worse.
We see the mugger approach Bruce and his parents with a gun. Then, we see Thomas Wayne take a swing at the gunman, which gets him and his wife killed. It’s a small moment but helps encapsulate what’s wrong with this take on Batman. It suggests that violence and being a hero are the same thing, which is why Affleck’s Batman was sometimes hard to cheer for.
8 BEST: PEP TALK
Affleck had a tall order to fill when it came to the Justice League. He needed to convincingly show why a man dressed as a bat should be the leader of these god-like beings as they attempt to save the world. One scene between him and Flash achieves this.
As they prepare to do battle with Steppenwolf, Flash voices his concerns about whether he really belongs in this group of heroes. Batman’s response is simple: save one person, then you’ll know if you’re a hero. Short as it is, it’s one of those great inspirational speeches that gets your heart pumping.
7 WORST: MURDER
Snyder seems to have some fascination with pushing his heroes to their deadliest potential. The death of Zod in Man of Steel is still a controversial moment. And he certainly didn’t let up at all when it came to Batman in Batman V Superman.
Quite unlike the strict code that Christian Bale’s Batman lived by, Affleck’s Batman has no problem killing bad guys. We see him shoot, bludgeon and burn baddies without batting an eye. Sure, this is a more cynical Batman, but the cold-blooded nature leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
6 BEST: RELATIONSHIP WITH ALFRED
The one relationship that Batman has always had is with his trustee right-hand man, Alfred. While it is not a huge part of the Affleck films, the interplay between him and Jeremy Irons as Alfred is a highlight of each of the films.
We get the sense that these two men have been doing this together for a long time and both might be getting a little tired. They aren’t afraid to voice differences with each other. And the banter between them offers some much-needed comedic relief. It’s a shame we won’t see more of these two together.
5 WORST: WONDER WOMAN ROMANCE
Wonder Woman and Batman have a long history in the comics. Affleck had good chemistry with Gal Gadot in the role, making them a good team. However, the filmmakers seemed to want to take that chemistry to a very obvious and dull place.
In the midst of trying to save the world, the film unwisely took some time to plant the seeds for a romance between Wonder Woman and Batman. It’s hard to say if this was Snyder or Joss Whedon, but it’s a bad move to saddle the only female on the team with a boring romance. Luckily that won’t be going anywhere now.
4 BEST: SUPERMAN FIGHT
Affleck’s introduction as Batman came along with a lot of expectations as he would face-off with Superman for the first time on the big screen. The film took some strange paths to get to that final battle, and while the motivations behind it made little sense, the fight delivered.
3 WORST: SUICIDE SQUAD POST CREDITS
Seeing Affleck’s Batman show up in Suicide Squad as a figure lurking in the shadows of Gotham was cool. But when Bruce Wayne shows up in the film’s post-credit scene, things quickly went downhill.
The scene finds Bruce meeting with Amanda Waller, the mastermind behind the Suicide Squad. She provides him with information on metahumans in exchange for protection for the chaos she caused. Aside from being a pretty lame set-up for Justice League, it was one more example of how this Batman isn’t a great hero. He’s agreeing to protect a woman responsible for the death of countless people. Not a great look.
2 BEST: WAREHOUSE FIGHT
The cinematic Batmen have varied in quality, but Affleck is undoubtedly this most frightening of them all. Fear is a big part in what makes Batman work and Affleck showed us why criminals would be scared to get caught by this guy. Mainly because he can kick a lot of butt.
The warehouse fight sequence in Batman V Superman is the film’s highlight, even surpassing his fight with Superman. We have never seen Batman fight like this. He expertly and entertainingly takes out a whole room of thugs with little more than his fists. We’d like to see Clooney to that!
1 WORST: MARTHA
Though it isn’t Affleck’s fault, his Batman is part of one of the most embarrassing moments in Batman’s long history. If the set-up to his fight with Superman was clunky, the reason the fight stops is just laughable. As it turns out, their mothers share the same first name, so now they’re best friends.
This is the moment that Batman V Superman will be remembered for and that’s not good. The anticlimax leads to an unintentionally funny moment. You just know that this was a reveal the filmmakers were so excited about and sadly it just falls flat.
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