Justice League: What Does The Ending Really Mean?

8. Steppenwolf Is Defeated By His Own Fear

While Steppenwolf and the Justice League battle it out, it quickly becomes apparent that even the combined might of the heroes and the powers of a new-and-improved Superman isn't enough to destroy the Old God.

After all, the movie previously showed that an army of Amazons, Green Lanterns and an assortment of ancient heroes barely had enough firepower to beat Steppenwolf and his followers, so how much more effective could one Amazon, a Cyborg, a Kryptonian, a guy who runs fast, and an almost fifty-year-old vigilante in a Batsuit be?

As it turns out, the answer is quite a bit, and instead of just defeating the super-villain through brute force, the team exploit his one weakness: fear. By getting in the way of his plans to unite the motherboxes and giving him a royal beatdown, Steppenwolf realises he's not quite as powerful as he thought. His Parademons, which are fuelled on fear, sense his worry and turn on their master, forcing him to retreat through a portal and back into hiding.

It's a surprisingly inventive and ambiguous end for the villain, which is not only more exciting than seeing Superman break his neck, but serves to emphasise the power of the fully-formed Justice League and send a message: this is a group that super-villains should fear.