- 5/18/2025
From brutal executions to psychological torture, DC's darkest moments have left audiences stunned. Join us as we examine the most shocking and disturbing demises across both animated and live-action DC films. Warning: This countdown contains graphic content that may disturb some viewers.
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00If you love these people so much, you can mourn for them!
00:10Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're paying tribute to those who've met their horrific
00:15and unsettling demises in DC movies, both live action and animated.
00:21There will be spoilers and a content warning.
00:3220.
00:33Joker's Quality Time with Jason – Batman Under the Red Hood
00:36To no one's surprise, the Joker caused many deaths on this list.
00:40One of his most infamous kills was Jason Todd, Batman's second Robin.
00:44The Clown Prince of Crime has the Boy Wonder trapped in a warehouse and tortures him with
00:48a crowbar and he's not pulling any punches.
01:03He leaves Jason to die with a bomb and Batman is sadly too late to save him.
01:07Anyone who's read a Batman comic knows how notoriously shocking this death was, showing
01:13that not even the Dark Knight's young ward is safe when the Joker's on the rampage.
01:20However, Jason doesn't stay dead for long.
01:29Now he's hellbent on giving the clown a taste of his own medicine.
01:35He came all the way back from the dead to make this shindig happen.
01:3919.
01:40Murray's Fatal Interview – Joker
01:42Like the Joker always said, all it takes is one bad day.
01:46In his 2019 solo movie, Arthur Fleck has plenty of bad days leading up to his fateful appearance
01:51on Murray Franklin's talk show.
01:53The air is tense as we see the cracks in Arthur's sanity form the more he speaks.
02:05His hatred of society and Murray himself on full display.
02:09We're squirming in our seats, anxious over what comes next until it finally happens.
02:26Arthur pulls out a gun and shoots Murray dead in front of the horrified audience.
02:30With this, Arthur Fleck is no more.
02:33Only the Joker remains, living proof that anyone can be driven mad when pushed too far.
02:3818.
02:39The Joker's Rampage – Batman The Dark Knight Returns – Part 2
02:52Since Batman retired, the Joker has been in a catatonic state without his favorite dance
02:57partner.
02:58Unfortunately, nothing good lasts forever.
03:00With the Dark Knight back in action, the Joker has a new spring in his step and goes on
03:05a massive killing spree.
03:0618.
03:07Breathe, David.
03:08Breathe.
03:09Bats gives chase and manages to corner him, but he paralyzes the clown.
03:20Cheerfully, the Joker ends his massacre with a grim punchline.
03:24He breaks his own neck.
03:25In the end, the clown got the last laugh.
03:37He forced the Bat into losing control of his temper and churned our stomachs with one last
03:42sickening exit.
03:43It almost makes us wonder if Batman's coming out of retirement was worth it.
03:48Number 17.
03:49Rick Flagg's Broken Heart – The Suicide Squad
03:55Rick Flagg has just uncovered the government's involvement in Project Starfish and aims to
04:00share the truth.
04:01Unfortunately, he has one big strong obstacle in his path – Peacemaker, who's ordered
04:07to stop him no matter what.
04:08To his credit, Peacemaker at least tried to reason with Rick, who managed to hold his own
04:22against the ruthless vigilante.
04:24Unfortunately, Peacemaker comes out on top, stabbing Rick through the heart.
04:31To pour salt on the wound, we see his actual heart being impaled.
04:37Peacemaker is definitely thorough.
04:38This sequence left no shadow of a doubt that Rick couldn't come back from this, and neither
04:43would our lunches.
04:44Peacemaker, what a joke.
04:49Number 16.
04:50Ben Affleck gave a very divisive performance as the Caped Crusader, portraying a Batman
04:58more willing to kill with guns despite his history with him.
05:05And yet, one of his most vicious kills was caused not by a firearm, but with his grapple
05:11gun.
05:12To set the scene, Batman is holding his own against an army of thugs in a warehouse.
05:17In one instance, he grapples onto a crate and chucks it at a target, sending him flying
05:22backward until his head slams into the wall.
05:24The bloodstain on the concrete only confirms his fate.
05:28We know Batman's called the Dark Knight, but seeing him so ruthless and willing to have
05:36blood on his hands is unnerving.
05:38Number 15.
05:39Black Adam vs. Sabacc Black Adam
05:48When you cast The Rock as the champion of Kondok, you better believe things are going
05:53to be vicious.
05:54Nowhere is this more evident than during his final battle against Sabacc.
05:58Both titans are neck and neck, but Sabacc manages to get the upper hand until he's incapacitated
06:03by Hawkman.
06:04You are not a hero.
06:07No, I'm not.
06:12But he is.
06:14Adam then electrocutes Sabacc's horns before pulling him into the sky where he then literally
06:19rips the demon in half.
06:28We should be thankful we don't see his organs until you realize that they've been reduced
06:33to a pile of lava pouring out of his severed halves.
06:36When the man in black decides to kill someone, he doesn't mess around.
06:40I never thought I'd be happy to see you.
06:44Number 14.
06:45Lau goes up in flames.
06:47The Dark Knight.
06:48Some of the most horrifying deaths are the ones you don't see.
06:51For example, arrogant mobster Lau has been captured by the Joker, bound in a stray jacket
06:56and sitting on top of a mountain of money.
06:58Joker, what do you do with all your money?
07:01You see, I'm a guy of simple taste.
07:04I enjoy dynamite and gunpowder.
07:09Casually, the clown pours gasoline on half of the pile and sets it on fire, with Lau trapped
07:14on top.
07:15We don't hear him screaming and his fate is left ambiguous.
07:18But can we really expect him to survive the Joker's barbecue?
07:22All you care about is money.
07:24This town deserves a better class of criminal.
07:27And I'm gonna give it to him.
07:29To the clown, it's just another stepping stone on his quest for anarchy.
07:33But for us, we're not trying to envision the mobster burning alive from the pile.
07:38But it's too hard to ignore the thought.
07:40Why don't we cut you up into little pieces and feed you to your pooches?
07:43Hmm?
07:44And then we'll see how loyal a hungry dog really is.
07:48It's not about money.
07:51It's about sending a message.
07:54Number 13 Wonder Woman vs Captain Thunder Justice League The Flashpoint Paradox
07:59The Flashpoint Paradox brought out the worst in some of our favorite DC heroes.
08:04Just look what it did to Wonder Woman.
08:06Unlike her primary counterpart, this Amazon has no qualms about mass murder.
08:10The Queen of the Amazons is a servant to her people.
08:17Nothing is beneath her.
08:20One of the few heroes brave enough to defy her is Captain Thunder, an alternate version of Shazam formed by a group of children.
08:27Wonder Woman forces Captain Thunder to separate, grabs young Billy Batson and stabs him to death.
08:32Every superhero risks death in the field of battle, but to willingly kill young Billy?
08:42That's just unforgivable and gut-wrenching.
08:45It really makes us appreciate how compassionate our Wonder Woman is.
08:48There will be no glorious victor, Diana. No prize.
08:55What I do now, I do for the good of all.
08:58Number 12 Zod's Brutal Demise Man of Steel
09:01It's the final battle between Superman and General Zod. Kryptonian vs Kryptonian.
09:06And their equal strength nearly reduces Metropolis to rubble.
09:09Zod refuses to back down, aiming to kill an innocent family next.
09:13Don't do this!
09:15With his hand forced, Superman puts an end to Zod's rampage, by snapping his neck.
09:36The Man of Steel shows great anguish over his deed.
09:39Meanwhile, we're still holding our breath from the shock of the moment.
09:43Usually, you'd have to absolutely ruin Superman's life for him to even consider killing anyone.
09:48Seeing him do so out of desperation was not only blood-curdling, but also sparked a massive debate among DC fans.
09:55Number 11 The End of the Penguin Batman Returns
10:10During the final battle at the zoo, the penguin was mortally wounded during a struggle with Batman and supposedly fell to his death.
10:17In the aftermath, he emerges from the waters to confront the bat one last time.
10:22However, he's in terrible shape. Black ooze is pouring out of his mouth and nose.
10:33He's constantly wheezing, unable to catch his breath.
10:35He promises to kill the bat after a cold drink, only to fall dead on his face.
10:40The other penguins give him a proper send-off as he sinks into the waters below.
10:57Batman Returns is infamous for its darker tone, and it's easy to see why after this unsettling death scene.
11:13Number 10 Rorschach Welcomes Death Watchmen
11:16To maintain a newfound peace on Earth, the Watchmen must keep the secret of Dr. Manhattan's innocence.
11:22Rorschach, however, is having none of that, planning to make sure the truth gets out.
11:26Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon.
11:31Manhattan can't allow this and stands in his way.
11:34Rorschach, seeing no way to convince the most powerful being on Earth, takes off his mask and urges his former teammate to just do it.
11:42Of course you must protect fights near Utopia. What's one more body amongst foundations?
11:49In a flash, Manhattan reluctantly disintegrates Rorschach into an ink stain.
11:54The only thing more upsetting than the actual death is knowing that Rorschach welcomed Death with open arms while never giving up on his moral code.
12:03What are you waiting for?
12:05Do it!
12:16Do it!
12:17Number 9 Off With Mirror's Head Justice League The Flashpoint Paradox
12:21If killing Billy Batson wasn't enough, Flashpoint Wonder Woman caused an entire war between the Atlantians and Amazons.
12:28It all started when she and Aquaman formed an alliance which blossomed into a romantic affair.
12:33Mirror, Aquaman's wife, didn't take this lightly and attacked Diana, only for Diana to swiftly slice her head off.
12:48As if the beheading wasn't horrific enough, she then took Mirror's crown for herself as a warning to anyone who crosses her.
13:04Things only escalated from there as an all-out war between both kingdoms threw the Earth into turmoil.
13:09All because of a love triangle gone horribly wrong.
13:12Remember when these guys were supposed to be our heroes?
13:17Submit.
13:18You're beaten.
13:19Number 8 Joker's Message The Dark Knight
13:24The only thing riskier than being the Batman is pretending to be him.
13:28During a meeting with Harvey Dent, the mayor and the audience get the fright of a lifetime.
13:32A corpse dressed as Batman with clown makeup bumps onto the window, strung up by a noose.
13:37Tell them your name.
13:38Brian Douglas.
13:39Are you the real Batman?
13:40No.
13:41A broadcast shows the victim, Brian Douglas, being tortured by the Joker for dressing like the Bat, daring to try and stand up to evil.
13:54So you think Batman's made Gotham a better place?
13:58Yeah.
13:59Look at me.
14:00Look at me!
14:02The Joker delivers a cryptic warning to the real Batman before murdering the imposter off-screen.
14:07Heath Ledger's acting, coupled with the unsettling atmosphere, makes the build-up to murder even more frightening than the actual deed.
14:15People will die.
14:17Starting tonight.
14:19I'm a man of my word.
14:25Number 7 The Wrong Guys The Suicide Squad
14:28Rick Flagg has seemingly been captured and Task Force X sneaks in to rescue him.
14:33Naturally, they're more than ready to kill anyone in their path.
14:43It's nothing short of carnage.
14:45Highlights include King Shark chomping and swallowing someone whole, Polka Dot Man killing several people while envisioning his mother, Peacemaker using exploding compression bullets, and Bloodsport electrocuting one with their electric fan.
14:57The punchline is that Rick Flagg is fine, the people they killed being allies.
15:07We should be laughing, but we're trying not to think about these poor freedom fighters minding their own business, only to be picked off one by one because of some faulty intel.
15:16We didn't see any people.
15:17We didn't see any people.
15:18I didn't see anybody.
15:19I didn't see anybody.
15:20There's no one out there.
15:21I turned them into my mother in my head and killed them.
15:25Number 6 Joker Ruins Superman's Life Injustice
15:29After falling into one of the Joker's traps, Superman finds himself face-to-face with the monstrous Doomsday.
15:35The Man of Steel swiftly flies him into space before he can hurt anyone, but then we make the tragic discovery.
15:41It wasn't Doomsday.
15:43It was his wife, Lois.
15:44Superman, stop.
15:45Whatever you're seeing, it's not real.
15:48A hallucination caused by the Joker forces Superman to accidentally kill his pregnant wife.
16:02Just to add insult to injury, her depth sets off a bomb that destroys Superman's home in Metropolis.
16:08One tragedy after another sets DC's most righteous hero down the path of darkness.
16:26Of all the Joker's tricks, this was arguably the most monstrous.
16:30Unfortunately for the clown, what goes around, comes around.
16:34Number 5 Robin Delivers The Punchline Batman Beyond Return Of The Joker
16:47While investigating the mystery of the Joker's return, Terry McGinnis learns the horrifying truth about the night the clown died.
16:53Years ago, the Joker kidnapped Tim Drake and physically slash psychologically tortured him into becoming Joker Jr.
17:00He then prompts the brainwashed Boy Wonder to finish off the bat, but instead, the Joker meets two grueling ends.
17:07In the uncut version, Tim shoots him with a flag gun, and he gaffes his disapproval over the joke.
17:13That's not funny.
17:15That's not…
17:17In the censored version, Joker accidentally electrocutes himself, his sickening screams echoing throughout the asylum.
17:25Both deaths are horrific, but well-deserved after everything the clown put young Robin through.
17:34The young ward has a heartbreaking breakdown after the deed is done.
17:38It's okay, Tim.
17:39It's okay.
17:40It's okay.
17:41Number 4 Batman Tricks Johnny Quick Justice League Crisis On Two Earths
17:50With the fate of the multiverse on the line, a speedster is needed to open a portal to Owlman.
17:55Flash volunteers for the job, but Batman has Johnny Quick, Flash's crime syndicate counterpart, perform the deed instead.
18:01The plan works, but vibrating so fast causes Johnny to age rapidly.
18:06Are you alright?
18:08Johnny, I'm back! Stop vibrating! Stop!
18:17Before he passes, Johnny deduces that Batman chose him to spare Flash from the same fate.
18:22Surprisingly, Johnny isn't even mad. Instead, he commends the bat before peacefully passing on.
18:28And all that rubbish about me being faster than Flash.
18:33While Johnny took it in stride, we're in shock over Batman knowingly letting this happen, even if it was to protect his friend.
18:39Whether this actually violates his no-killing policy is up for debate.
18:43You knew this was gonna happen.
18:46Good one, mate.
18:513. Pete Savage Loses Face The Batman
18:58Matt Reeves' interpretation of the Riddler may be one of the scariest versions of the character to date.
19:03He constructs terrifying death traps to take out Gotham's corrupt elite, such as an explosive collar if someone refuses to answer a question.
19:10Shut up! You don't serve to be dead after what you did! You hear me!
19:17Okay.
19:18Undeniably, the worst of his traps is the one he made for Commissioner Savage.
19:22He has Savage's head locked in a cage full of live rats. The image alone is nauseating.
19:28While we thankfully don't see what happens next, Riddler's choice of words all but confirms Savage's fate.
19:34On Halloween night, I killed your mayor because he was not who he pretended to be. But I am not done.
19:43Whether you're afraid of rats or not, it's hard to picture a more unnerving way to murder someone in the name of justice.
19:492. Darkseid's Massacre Justice League Dark Apocalypse War
20:05After years of protecting the Earth from Darkseid, the Justice League has had enough and decides to bring the battle to him with an ambush.
20:11Darkseid knew every part of our plan.
20:14Unfortunately, the tyrant of Apocalypse is ready for them with an army of parademons slash doomsday hybrids.
20:21What happens next is nothing short of a bloodbath. Only a small handful survive.
20:30Those who weren't murdered by Darkseid's forces were tortured, brainwashed, or ripped apart and remade into his cybernetic slaves.
20:36Darkseid didn't kill everyone. Some he had plans for.
20:42Even after he's finally slain, the victory is bittersweet after everything our heroes have endured.
20:48Only by resetting the universe can their suffering be reversed.
20:51Unfortunately, we're not so lucky as the image of so many DC icons being ruthlessly decimated may never leave our heads.
20:59Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
21:11You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
21:15If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
21:19Number one. Team One. Doom from the start. The Suicide Squad.
21:25While 2016's Suicide Squad was a lackluster disaster, James Gunn's retcon took full advantage of its R rating with arguably the bloodiest opening sequence in a live action DC movie.
21:36The minute Team One steps onto the beach, all hell breaks loose.
21:47Scalps are sliced, faces are caved in, limbs are detached and gunned down.
21:52Bodies are either burned alive or impelled, and one unfortunate member gets its head blown up for trying to abandon the mission.
21:59Damn it.
22:01Only a handful survive, while the second team sneaks in to carry the rest of the film.
22:08This was the movie Task Force X deserved, but it didn't hesitate to have us wince and nearly lose our lunches right off the bat.
22:15Help us!
22:20Which DC cinematic death freaked you out the most? Let us know in the comments down below.
22:26But in the meantime, how about a kiss, Santa Claus?
Recommended
23:23
|
Up next
13:18
9:45
1:11
1:56:30
12:18
20:09
1:00
1:21