Justice League: 8 Theories On How Superman Will Return

8. Raised By Steppenwolf (And A Mother Box)

The Theory

On his mission to bring together the Mother Boxes for his master Darkseid, Steppenwolf realises that Superman's importance to the Justice League (and as a symbol of hope to all of humankind) can be used against them tactically.

Harnessing the power of a Mother Box - whose powers could entail anything the plot requires at this point (and which have already proved to have some effect on regeneration in Cyborg) - Steppenwolf could resurrect Superman to use as a weapon against his former allies. And there'd be little more devastating than seeing the symbol of hope repurposed by an enemy.

Likelihood

We know that Superman will come back wearing black - at least for a while - so it makes sense that he has some sort of villainous affiliation. And using the Mother Boxes to bring him back would not only establish their mythology immediately but would also make them more than just a throw-away McGuffin.