Let's Talk About That 'BvS' Ending...

After years of anticipation, months of promotion, and two and a half hours of screentime (really, Zack Snyder?), Batman v Superman has finally been released. The DC-made film is a pretty huge deal, not just because it pits two of the most iconic superheroes ever against each other, but because it's the start of a highly-anticipated series of films to come: Justice League, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc. And unsurprisingly, as is the case for the conclusions of so many hero-filled movies, the Batman v Superman ending definitely set the stage for more than a few upcoming installments.

But if you haven't gotten a chance to see the movie in theaters yet, then you might be wondering just how it all went down. Did Batman beat Superman, or did the Man of Steel take down the Caped Crusader? Did Wonder Woman totally steal the show, or was it actually the appearance of The Flash who made the movie's ending all the more worthwhile? I've got your answers below, but beware: as you might expect, the Batman v Superman ending is one epic, crazy, and yes, totally spoiler-filled conclusion. Here's how its finale goes down.

First, Let's Set The Stage

Lex Luthor, having kidnapped Martha Kent, threatens to murder her if Superman doesn't battle and kill Batman. Superman is resistant to this, of course, but he loves his mom too much to risk her dying, so he goes off to find Batman in the hopes of convincing him to team up against Lex to avoid having to kill him. Meanwhile, Lex has also begun the process of creating an alien creature called Doomsday, who is basically incapable of dying. NBD.

Batman And Superman Fight

Like the movie's title implies, the titular heroes battle it out, taking their fight all over the city. For awhile, Superman easily keeps Batman at bay, but when Batman uses kryptonite, the Man of Steel begins to weaken. He's almost defeated when he mutters the name "Martha" (his mom's name, but also that of Batman's mom — yes, really), causing Batman to pause. When Lois Lane rushes in and explains that Superman is worried about her safety, Batman backs off, realizing what's at stake, and goes to rescue his new ally's mom.

Batman Saves Martha Kent

After killing a bunch of Lex's guys, Batman rescues Martha. Woohoo!

Lex Lets Doomsday Loose

When a healed Superman goes to confront Lex, Lex lets Doomsday loose, and the two alien beings begin to fight. It's a tough battle, as Doomsday is pretty unstoppable, even for Superman, and eventually, Superman flies him into space, hoping to avoid damaging the city even more. However, the U.S. government, seeing this, decides to sacrifice Superman in order to kill Doomsday, and sends nukes into space. Superman takes it hard (but eventually heals, of course), while Doomsday simply becomes stronger with the new energy.

Wonder Woman Steps In

Back on Earth, Batman battles Doomsday, and is about to be defeated when Wonder Woman steps in and saves him. It's an awesome scene, and you will cheer when you see it, because Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is the best. As they continue to fight the creature, Superman returns, and tells them that the only way to defeat Doomsday is with a Kryptonian spear. So he goes to get it, and uses the time to also rescue Lois, who's about to drown back in the cave where Batman was originally beating up Superman. Whoops.

Superman Sacrifices Himself

After getting the spear, Superman realizes that he's going to kill himself by using it to defeat Doomsday, and says his goodbyes to Lois. Then he goes back into the battle and takes down the creature, sacrificing himself in the process. It's very sad.

Lex Goes To Jail

In the aftermath of everything, Lex is arrested and imprisoned, with his head shaved to its iconic baldness. Batman gives him a not-so-pleasant visit, promising to get his revenge and never let Lex go free. Yeah, OK, we'll see about that.

Clark Has A Funeral

Everyone mourns Superman after his sacrifice, and Martha Kent makes things 10 times worse by giving Lois the engagement ring Clark was gonna give her except, you know, he died. They all go to Clark's funeral, where Batman tells Wonder Woman that they need to team up and find the other heroes out there, people like The Flash and Aquaman (hello, Justice League!). Meanwhile, in Metropolis, there's a massive memorial for Superman, the hero.

Superman Revives

In what I am only interpreting as an homage to Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 6, the movie ends with an image of Clark's grave, with the dirt on it beginning to rise — implying that he's alive, about to make a pretty triumphant return.

Now, if only the next DC movies could hurry up and get here already...

Images: Warner Bros; Giphy