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Zack Snyder's Justice League is quite a bit different from the 2017 theatrical version, to put it mildly. This version of the DCEU sequel shows us a lot more of Steppenwolf and his fellow New Gods, including the almighty Darkseid himself. Over the course of the movie, we learn exactly what it is the master of Apokolips wants with Earth. He craves the Anti-Life Equation and the power it bestows.
We know what you're thinking. What the heck is an Anti-Life Equation, and why is math suddenly a matter of life and death in the DCEU? We're here to explain why this simple math formula is so important, and what this tease tells us about the Justice League sequel that could have been.
Art by Jack Kirby. (Image Credit: DC)[/caption]
Sometimes it's depicted just as an equation, while other stories have shown Anti-Life to actually take physical form. 2014's Justice League: The Darkseid War revealed the Anti-Monitor, the universe-devouring villain of Crisis on Infinite Earths, was created when a scientist named Mobius discovered the Anti-Life Equation and was forever transformed.
It was in 2005's Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle that DC fans finally learned the full Anti-Life Equation. We'll include it here for posterity, but don't blame us if you wake up tomorrow as an emotionless zombie:
Art by Aaron Kuder. (Image Credit: DC)[/caption]
Just as the Anti-Life Equation drains free will and turns people into unthinking slaves, the Life Equation restores hope and individuality. It draws power from the Source, the powerful cosmic energy field that exists outside the known universe. The same Source that’s blocked off by the Source Wall, a concept Snyder may have been teasing in his IGN FanFest video. And as you'd expect, it's basically the exact inverse of the Anti-Life Equation:
What Is the Anti-Life Equation?
Put simply, the Anti-Life Equation is a mathematical formula that proves the futility of existence and free will. In the wrong hands, that formula is a terrible weapon with the power to brainwash and enslave entire worlds. That's why Darkseid is so obsessed with Anti-Life. He's spent thousands of years slaughtering his enemies and conquering worlds one by one. With the power of Anti-Life, anyone and everyone can be immediately transformed into an unthinking, unfeeling servant of Darkseid. Who needs Omega Beams and an endless army of Parademons when you have the power of weaponized nihilism? [caption id="attachment_2488683" align="aligncenter" width="2359"] Art by Jack Kirby. (Image Credit: DC)[/caption]
Sometimes it's depicted just as an equation, while other stories have shown Anti-Life to actually take physical form. 2014's Justice League: The Darkseid War revealed the Anti-Monitor, the universe-devouring villain of Crisis on Infinite Earths, was created when a scientist named Mobius discovered the Anti-Life Equation and was forever transformed.
It was in 2005's Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle that DC fans finally learned the full Anti-Life Equation. We'll include it here for posterity, but don't blame us if you wake up tomorrow as an emotionless zombie:
loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding × guilt × shame × failure × judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side
Is There a Life Equation?
The DC Universe is full of duality and opposites. Batman embodies law and order while Joker revels in chaos and anarchy. The Green Lanterns protect through willpower while the Sinestro Corps rule through fear. Flash is powered by the Speed Force while Reverse Flash harnesses the Negative Speed Force. So it probably comes as no surprise that the Anti-Life Equation is balanced out by a Life Equation. In fact, you can blame the Life Equation for sparking Darkseid's interest in Anti-Life in the first place. When Darkseid first encountered the Martians centuries ago, he learned that the Life Equation formed the basis of their spiritual system and belief in the power of free will. Darkseid assumed this must mean there's an Anti-Life Equation that eliminates free will, and he was right. [caption id="attachment_2488685" align="aligncenter" width="1489"] Art by Aaron Kuder. (Image Credit: DC)[/caption]
Just as the Anti-Life Equation drains free will and turns people into unthinking slaves, the Life Equation restores hope and individuality. It draws power from the Source, the powerful cosmic energy field that exists outside the known universe. The same Source that’s blocked off by the Source Wall, a concept Snyder may have been teasing in his IGN FanFest video. And as you'd expect, it's basically the exact inverse of the Anti-Life Equation:
companionship + understanding + assurance + joy + altruism ÷ respect ÷ commendation ÷ sympathy x innocence x dignity x success x acceptance y=n where y=despair and n=caution, love=truth, death=rebirth, and self=light side