DC’s Version Of Avengers: Endgame Is Darker Than Anything Marvel’s Ever Done

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While Avengers: Endgame is relatively dark for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, DC movies generally explore even grimmer themes. The MCU isn’t usually known for its darkness, though Endgame does have some somber moments. The film features a large cast of characters, and many of them tragically die fighting Thanos.

As a huge fan of these cinematic universes, I always felt that Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War stood apart from most Marvel movies. They were much more serious and intense than the usual family-friendly, funny adventures. It’s funny because DC followed suit just a year later with Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. Looking back, the two films feel surprisingly similar – both took a much darker turn compared to what fans were used to, and they even share some story beats. It was like both universes felt the need to raise the stakes in a really big way.

Similar to Avengers: Endgame, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War wraps up a long, connected storyline within the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU). The film features a battle between the Justice League and Teen Titans against Darkseid, DC’s equivalent of Thanos. However, unlike the Avengers’ fight, Darkseid is victorious. He defeats most of the heroes, killing many and enslaving the remaining survivors.

Similar to how Avengers: Endgame brought a major storyline to a close, the remaining heroes in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU) devise a desperate, last-ditch effort to save the day. While the plan works, it comes with devastating losses. This leads to a fresh start for the DCAMU, mirroring the way Endgame transitioned the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a new phase. Ultimately, Justice League Dark: Apokolips follows a similar narrative arc, effectively serving as the DCAMU’s version of Avengers: Endgame, though it’s notably grimmer and more intense.

Much of the somber mood in Avengers: Endgame stems from the fallout of Thanos’s devastating snap, which concluded Avengers: Infinity War. While the Snap is a dark event, the deaths in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War are far more graphic and brutal. That film features intensely violent scenes, like a villainous Superman-Trigon hybrid breaking Constantine’s neck and Damian Wayne being burned alive before Batman’s eyes, along with the torture and enslavement of numerous other major DC heroes, creating a relentlessly dark and hopeless atmosphere.

While Avengers: Endgame features intense moments and significant character deaths, even Iron Man’s death is a result of the Infinity Stones’ power, not outright violence, which is more common in films like Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. Even when the heroes succeed in the latter, the victory feels bleak, with Flash ultimately resetting the timeline because any outcome would be preferable to the world that remains. This demonstrates that even the most somber Marvel films, like Avengers: Endgame, are comparatively lighter than some of the darkest stories in DC’s universe.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War Shows The Strength DC Has Over Marvel

While the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU) may have concluded with Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, the broader DC Universe is still expanding, and this film showcases a key difference between it and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Simply put, DC tends to be grittier and more intense than Marvel. Though Marvel Comics has its share of dark stories, the success of the MCU has largely presented a lighter, more family-friendly image of the brand.

Marvel is often seen as the funnier, lighter franchise, and that reputation continues. DC, on the other hand, has the opportunity to tell more serious and impactful stories. It’s still unclear if James Gunn’s new DC Universe will fully embrace this strength of the DC comics, but even a film like the upcoming Clayface suggests it might. The previous DC cinematic universe, and especially its take on an *Avengers: Endgamestyle event, demonstrated the potential of these darker narratives, which DCU can use to stand apart from Marvel.

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2026-06-01 03:13