Notice! This article contains spoilers for all films and TV shows discussed.2024 was a tumultuous year for the DC Universewith many shocking twists occurring throughout the franchise's films and TV shows. In fact, 2024 has been a rather light year for DC compared to the previous frequent release schedule for DCEU films, with the DCU yet to truly find its footing. However, the released content came with a number of impossible-to-see future developments that shocked dedicated viewers.
Most of DC Universe's 2024 release schedule has been animated, with series like My Adventures with Superman, Creature Commands, and the final Tomorrowverse trilogy taking up most of the list. Still, the occasional highly anticipated live-action release has made it into the year's releases, with projects centered around Batman villains. Joker: Folie Á Deux and The penguin receiving most of the attention from fans. Whatever the case, most of DC's projects this year came with at least one shocking scene that left a big impact on fans.
10
The penguin kills Victor Aguilar
Oz is truly an irredeemable guy
Perhaps the most shocking moment in DC's 2024 lineup was the cruel murder of Victor Aguilar, the dedicated henchman who aids Oz Cobb in his rise to power as The Penguin in the series of the same name. Victor's death is threatened from the moment he first appears, as his first interaction with Oz is being shot after a failed attempt to steal his car's rims. Oz eventually appears to take Victor under his criminal wing, perhaps even developing a fondness for him as he takes him out for slushies and forces him to commit horrible crimes.
But for once, Oz is a man of his word and follows through on his initial threat to kill Victor in the shocking final episode of The penguin. Not only does Oz ruthlessly murder the man who helped him rise to power so diligently without a second thought, but he also does so in an extremely personal and prolonged way, strangling Victor to death with his bare hands. However The penguin it may be from his perspective, it certainly doesn't paint Oz Cobb as a good guy.
9
The penguin kills Alberto Falcone
The murder of passion that started the series
Not only does The penguin ends with Oz committing a gruesome murder, but the series' very inciting incident is the result of his sudden and shocking penchant for violence. After the death of Carmine Falcone in Batman, The activities of the Falcone crime family are taken over by Carmine's arrogant son, Alberto. Confronting Oz shortly after his father's death, Alberto reveals that the family knew he was stealing much of their earnings, humiliating the Penguin by verbally abusing him and promising him a shorter leash in the near future.
In response, Oz wordlessly shoots his new boss where he sits, punching Alberto and the audience with the sudden crime of passion. This event not only instantly creates a power vacuum in Gotham City's criminal underworld (One Oz aims to fill it immediately), but also begins his bloody conflict with the rest of the Falcone mafia family. It's safe to say that this shocking murder instantly gripped many viewers in the opening moments of The Penguin.
8
Joker: the end of Folie Á Deux reveals the “real” Joker
Arthur Fleck was never the real Clown Prince of Crime
2024's other major DC project focusing on a Batman villain's perspective and the franchise's only live-action film of the year, Joker: Folie Á Deux earned director Todd Phillips a lot of controversy. While the first film quickly became a cult classic (perhaps for the wrong reasons in Todd Phillips' eyes), the second Clown the film spent much of its running time undermining the importance and performance of Arthur Fleck as the titular villain. In fact, the end of Joker: Folie Á Deux shockingly details that he's not even real.
A lot of Joker: Folie Á Deux spends exploring the idea that the public sentiment that Arthur Fleck's actions as the Joker caused has grown much larger than he has, with his ardent followers disagreeing and even attacking him in the third act. This thesis statement is capped off when a random Arkham inmate stabs Fleck to death following his admission of guilt in court. Not only is it a shocking ending to Fleck's tragic story, it's also a clever twist on his own actions. Like Murray, Arthur is killed by a man who developed a parasocial relationship with him on TV.
7
The Joker is sexually assaulted in Joker: Folie Á Deux
The second Joker movie was even darker than the murder
Somehow, the main character being unexpectedly killed was far from the darkest thing to happen in Joker: Folie Á Deux. One particularly horrific scene occurs after Joker tries to represent himself in court in character, trash-talking the Arkham team in the process. Upon returning to confinement, he is brutally beaten by the guards, who then strip him naked and drag him to a dark corner of the showers. It's heavily implied that he is sexually assaulted here, as being beaten by guards is normal at this point, not justifying the sinister fade.
To say this is one of the most shocking things to ever happen in any live-action DC film, let alone within the scope of 2024, would not be an understatement. Clown has always had a rather harsh and realistic tone compared to other comic book films, but some would argue that this particular scene takes things a step too far in the sequel. Questions of taste aside, it's hard to believe the moment when you see the film for the first time.
6
Superman dies permanently at the end of Superman & Lois
A Tragic End for The CW's Superhero Shows
A notable milestone reached by DC in 2024 was the end of an era regarding the franchise's place in the CW drama series. While Superman and Lois isn't technically part of the Arrowverse, it still represented the last gasp of DC's dominance over the channel's serialized TV offerings. At its conclusion, the show offered a stunning final development that shocked many, the first permanent live-action deaths of Lois and Clark.
In the final episode of Superman and Loisboth titular characters are killed in a tragic display of narrative closure. First, Lois passes away after losing her series-long battle with cancer, a death that wasn't exactly unexpected but still incredibly poignant in the context of the finale. What least fans suspected was the (second) death of Superman himself. Although he is technically killed by Doomsday in the season premiere, Superman returns only to actually die after living a long and prosperous life as a normal man, with his heart stopping.
5
GI robot is killed by Calypso
Creature Commandos are more human than they think
It wasn't just the live-action arenas that shocked DC fans in 2024, with plenty of exciting developments taking place across the year's most numerous animated projects. Still in release at the time of writing, James Gunn's last-minute 2024 DC animated series sneaks in with Creature Commands has already dealt some devastating blows to its unsuspecting public. In true James Gunn fashion, the arguably least human of the monstrous special ops squad suffered one of the most sympathetic ends. The third episode centers on the long-lived GI Robot, a World War II automaton who loves his job – killing Nazis.
The episode follows the course of his life through the ages in flashbacks, suffering from a deeply ingrained desire to have companions again, as he did during his original deployment with Easy Company. Just as it appears that G.I. finally manages to get back into his element, his Nazi-killing montage is suddenly and coldly interrupted by the sorceress Calypso, who apparently kills him. This unexpected death becomes even more tragic with GI's last words to his new friend Nina: “Cheers to the Tin Man“.
4
Kevin Conroy's last lines as Batman were spoken
An unexpected farewell to the greatest Batman of all time
Few names are as revered in DC animation as Kevin Conroy, who has provided the iconic voice of Batman across a wide range of media since his initial casting in the '90s cartoon. Batman: The Animated Series. After his tragic death in 2022, many fans assumed that the video game Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League it would mark Conroy's final vocal performance as the Caped Crusader. This would have been a real shame considering the game's disastrous reputation and critical reception, due to reasons including the story's treatment of Batman.
Luckily, J from TomorrowverseUstice League Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three was able to end DC's latest animated film continuity with a final posthumous performance from Kevin Conroy. Thanks to the multiverse story, Kevin Conroy's Batman was able to appear in the film, giving the Joker a few final licks, much to the surprise of everyone who watched. Fittingly, one of his final lines is “And if it has to end, at least I'll leave like this… being Batman”. More than any live-action actor, Conroy truly is the definitive voice of Batman.
3
Gunslinger intimidates Ratchatcher in Suicide Squad Isekai
The target remembers, but the shooter forgets
Not every shocking DC media moment in 2024 necessarily needs to be something this tragic or brutal. Isekai Suicide Squad was a criminally underrated 2024 release, mixing the character-focused antics of Suicide Squad with the popular “Isekai” anime concept, which features stories of everyday modern-day protagonists being sucked into fantastical worlds. The series has some interesting takes on classic DC villains and their relationships, including an outrageously funny joke that revolves around two specific evildoers.
Upon realizing that a recent wave of monster attacks in the fantasy field was the work of the villain Ratcatcher, Deadshot hopes to resolve things easily, remembering Ratchatcher as one of his “some good homies“. It's soon revealed that Ratchatcher doesn't remember things the same way, with a hilarious montage of Deadshot bullying the rodent-themed villain while in prison. It's hilarious to see that, no matter how accurate he is with a firearm, Deadshot is way off the mark when it comes to his standing with other supervillains.
2
Superman gains a new superpower in My Adventures with Superman
The latest animated Superman show takes big liberties with powers
Speaking of DC media crossed with anime, the second season of My Adventures with Superman also released in 2024, continuing to draw heavily from the medium. The series has been praised for its ability to tackle the tired and well-worn Superman mythos, introducing creative new interpretations of characters like Supergirl and Mr. Even Superman's core power set is immune to some robust re-imagining, including a new power displayed in the most recent season.
It is revealed that in addition to the standard suite of flight, super strength, speed, durability, senses, and laser vision, Clark also possesses a unique bioelectric aura. This ability makes him unique even among Kryptonians, capable of generating an electrical force field around his body whenever he uses his other powers. In an impressive display of proficiency, Superman is able to extend this force field and use it to contain a dangerous fusion core, demonstrating a shocking new power never before seen by an animated Superman.
1
Sofia Falcone Murders Her Family in Penguin
Sofia is as dangerous as the titular villain
Although she seems almost reasonable compared to the greedy and selfish Oz, Sofia Falcone, the antagonist of The penguinis no less a monster. Accused of a series of murders committed by her family, Sofia is kept in Arkham Asylum for years, only managing to be released at the time of her brother's murder at the hands of Oz. After realizing that Oz was behind her brother's death and deciding that no one has suspected her since her return, Sofia resolves to kill everyone she cannot trust, including most of her family.
Using a series of pipes, she is able to kill almost everyone in the Falcone family mansion in their sleep with the deadly gas carbon monoxide. After years of being treated like a monster, Sofia becomes exactly what she was told she is and forcibly takes over the family business. This boiling point was slow in coming, but it was nevertheless a shocking move for CC do in The Penguin.
Upcoming DC film releases