Justice League Post-Credits Scene Colbert Cut Roasts Deathstroke For Fighting Teens

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is officially a mainstream hit, and the late-night talk shows have certainly taken notice. Stephen Colbert offered his own “cut” of Justice League‘s infamous post-credits scene, in which Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) has a meeting with the assassin Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello). In the “Colbert Cut,” however, things go a lot differently: that’s because Stephen Colbert’s Lex Luthor has a very hard time figuring out who “Deathstroke” even is, or what makes him distinct from Marvel’s Deadpool – or even DC’s other top assassin with a one-eyed mask, Deadshot. However, when it comes to the subject of Deathstroke’s nemesis, things get really savage!

As Stephen Colbert deftly points out, Deathstroke’s most distinguishing characteristic is that he’s the nemesis of the Teen Titans. In other words: Deathstroke is best known for beating up kids. Of course, poor Slade Wilson doesn’t see himself as a knock-off kiddie-beater; when he’s finally had enough of “Luther’s” mouth, he leaves the evil genius with a nice parting gift: a suitcase bomb.

Slade Wilson/Deathstroke does get his fair share of ridicule within the DC Comics fandom – and not without reason. Deathstroke was created by writer Marvel Wolfman and George Pérez in 1980 – as an adversary for the Teen Titans. Slade was as sadistic with his mind games and strategies as he was ruthless as an elite fighter/killer. From there, the mythos of Deathstroke was deepened into a Shakespearean family tragedy (including three kids with superpowers and/or assassin skills), and his presence in the DC Universe became much-more widespread. By now, Deathstroke is a popular anti-hero who has had roles in everything from the League of Assassins, to the Suicide Squad, to the Injustice League that Lex Luthor was forming in Justice League‘s theatrical cut. The “Arrowverse” franchise made Deathstroke a breakout character on a mainstream platform – before the Deadpool and Suicide Squad movies were ever released.

Joe Manganiello was slated to get his own Deathstroke movie after Justice League, with The Raid director Gareth Evans at the helm. That was after the original plan for Manganiello’s Deathstroke to be the primary antagonist in Ben Affleck’s solo Batman movie – a door that the Snyder Cut of Justice League leaves wide open. However, at the current time, Warner Bros. executives are indicating that the DC Snyderverse is now over – and all the plans that went with it. So… once again the future of Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke is just one vague unknown.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is now streaming on HBO Max.