SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Shazam!, in theaters now.
Just four months after Aquaman proved that the DC Extended Universe is far from dead, Warner Bros. delivered yet another crowd-pleasing superhero blockbuster in the form of Shazam!
However, while Shazam! appears to have taken a page out of Aquaman’s playbook in terms of tone, make no mistake: these two films are entirely different animals. Much like its predecessor, though, Shazam! is fully loaded with standout moments that won’t soon be forgotten.
With that in mind, here are the eight best moments from Shazam!:
Sivana’s Origin
Oddly enough, Shazam! doesn’t begin by introducing us to the eponymous hero. Instead, it begins with an origin story for the film’s antagonist, Thaddeus Sivana. This alone is a refreshing change of pace, but it also serves as the perfect vehicle for establishing Sivana’s disdain for his family and his motivation for becoming evil, as he feels he was essentially robbed of the opportunity to possess ultimate power. This sets the stage for his lifelong quest to return to the Rock of Eternity and claim what he believes is rightfully his.
Say the Word
Unlike Dr. Sivana, Billy Batson is deemed worthy by the wizard Shazam to inherit his powers. Of course, before the wizard passes them on, we get a brief tease of Black Adam, but then, Billy says the wizard’s name and is transformed into Earth’s Mightiest Mortal, Shazam! As expected, the Big-esque hijinks immediately ensue.
Bullet Immunity
After letting Freddy in on his new secret, Shazam does what nearly any 15-year-old in the body of an adult would do, which is buy beer. Before he can complete the transaction, though, a pair of would-be robbers hold up the cashier at gunpoint. Thankfully, Shazam intervenes and is stunned to discover his new superhero body is capable of stopping a speeding bullet dead in its tracks. Of course, he then decides to test his limits further by having the criminals empty their clips on him, including a shot to the face to make sure it isn’t just the costume that’s bulletproof. After subduing the gunmen, Shazam and Freddy then celebrate with a couple of brews, which they immediately spit out and exchange for junk food and soda.
Sivana’s Revenge
While Billy is busy using his new abilities for fun and profit, Dr. Sivana wastes little time using his to exact revenge on his brother and father. After barging into the boardroom at Sivana Industries, Sivana proceeds to throw his brother from the window of the skyscraper before unleashing the Seven Deadly Sins on the rest of the horrified board members. Then, just as he’s preparing to leave in search of Shazam, he sics Greed on his father, proving without a doubt just how sadistic he is and what lengths he’s willing to go to in order to achieve his goals.
Shazam v Sivana: Round One
When Dr. Sivana and Shazam finally come face-to-face, things don’t exactly go the way the Big Red Cheese was expecting. In fact, he’s shocked to learn Sivana not only possesses similar abilities but that he’s far more adept with them. He makes quick work of Shazam, sending him running until he’s forced to revert to Billy so he can escape. Unfortunately, the cunning villain is able to piece together the truth about Billy’s alter ego and then use his family as leverage.
The Shazamily
Speaking of family, during the final encounter between Shazam and Dr. Sivana, the Big Red Cheese manages to outsmart his foe and, remembering what the wizard told him earlier, transfers his abilities to his foster siblings, thus creating the Shazam Family. From there, Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel and company take on the Seven Deadly Sins while Shazam deals with Dr. Sivana, and naturally, the heroes emerge victorious.
Superman’s Shazameo
It was long rumored that Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel would have a cameo in Shazam! However, while it isn’t Cavill, we do get a brief appearance from Superman, albeit with the hero’s face carefully cropped out of the shot. When Shazam makes good on his promise to sit with Freddy at lunch, he tells him there’s someone else who’d like to join him. Then, we see the blue suit and iconic “S” emblem, as Superman walks over to the table to dine with the superhero-obsessed Freddy, whose reaction is exactly what you’d expect.
Mister Mind
Early on in Shazam!, we get a brief glimpse of a worm in a jar at the Rock of Eternity. Later on in the film, that same jar is shown shattered, with no worm to be found. However, in the mid-credits scene, the worm returns to confront an imprisoned Dr. Sivana, explaining to him that the pillars of evil will soon come together. That worm, of course, is Mister Mind, the telepathic Venusian space-worm and longtime Shazam villain. Whether this stinger pays off in an inevitable sequel, though, remains to be seen.