Black Adam’s Biggest Unanswered Questions & Headscratchers

Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Black AdamBlack Adam finally arrived in theaters in October, with Dwayne Johnson, long attached to the project, at the forefront of the DC Extended Universe film. The superhero movie introduces audiences to the title character, who is considered an antihero after emerging from his thousands-year-old tomb in the fictional country of Kahndaq. While Black Adam tells a complete story, the film has several unanswered questions and confusing moments that require expansion.

Black Adam tells the story of Teth-Adam, who was imprisoned by the Council of Wizards after taking revenge on King Ahk-Ton in 2600 BC. Now in the present, the antihero fights and kills members of Intergang, a criminal organization run by Ishmael, who wants to finish what his ancestor started to awaken Sabbac and bring Hell on Earth. However, Black Adam is thwarted on his mission to stop Sabbac by the Justice Society of America, who don’t believe he should use his powers to kill. Black Adam sets up more to come, but there are plenty of plots and moments that require further digging. Here are the film’s biggest unanswered questions and headscratchers that remain unresolved.

Why Are The Justice Society & Superman Working With Amanda Waller?

When Amanda Waller called upon them, the Justice Society of America and Superman were quick to answer. This is odd considering Hawkman doesn’t believe in killing (no matter how villainous some people are), and that is Waller’s entire modus operandi. She has no qualms killing anyone, lying to get what she wants, and using those like the Suicide Squad — equipped with bombs in their necks that would kill them instantly should they step out of line — to get the job done. For all intents and purposes, Hawkman and the JSA should be against working with Waller precisely because of the way she handles things. The same goes for Superman, who, though he’s killed once before, stands for truth and justice overall. Does Amanda Waller have something she’s using against these superheroes to comply? It’s possible the JSA and Superman see Black Adam as a legitimate threat that they’re blurring the lines between their long-standing arguments for good vs. evil. Regardless, it’s a mystery that Black Adam doesn’t answer.

Why Did Black Adam Not Include Hawkman’s Origin Story?

Black Adam introduced the Justice Society of America, but it refrained from revealing Hawkman’s origin story. Rather, it confirmed how Atom Smasher and Cyclone became the superheroes they are today. With Hawkman as the leader of the JSA mission for Amanda Waller, it seems especially odd that his backstory didn’t get any attention — the focus only on his wings being made of Nth metal, a metal native to the planet of Thanagar and with the ability to nullify gravity, among other special abilities. It’s possible Black Adam left out Hawkman’s origin story so that it could be included in a potential spinoff movie centered on Hawkman. It might also be because Hawkman’s origin is somewhat complicated. In the comics, Hawkman has had various origins, but one of the most popular involves Carter Hall as the reincarnated Egyptian prince Khufu who, alongside his significant other Shayera Hall, are cursed to be reborn over and over again.

What’s Next For Adrianna, Amon & Karim?

Adrianna Tomaz, her son Amon, and brother Karim had big roles to play in Black Adam. Not only did they help the titular antihero, but they stood up to the JSA and helped in the fight against Sabbac. With the primary threat to Kahndaq (and the world) vanquished, Adrianna, Amon, and Karim will likely continue in their fight against Intergang, the criminal organization headed by Ishmael, Adrianna’s former colleague. What’s more, Adrianna still has her ancestral necklace, which is made of eternium, powerful shards of matter created from Shazam’s Rock of Eternity. This suggests her DCEU future is bright, with the eternium, once activated, potentially granting her the powers of the goddess Isis, including flight and super strength.

Who Will Become The Next Doctor Fate In The DCEU?

Upon the death of Pierce Brosnan’s Doctor Fate, the Helmet of Fate disintegrated. However, it’s unlikely the Helmet of Fate, which holds the powers and spirit of the cosmic entity Nabu, vanished for good alongside Kent Nelson. In the comics, there are various characters who have donned the helmet to become Doctor Fate, including Khalid Nassour, an Egyptian American studying to be a doctor who is chosen to take up the mantle, and Eric and Linda Strauss, a stepson and stepmother duo who merged together to become Doctor Fate. It’s possible Khalid Nassour will become the next Doctor Fate. Not only is he a well-known character within DC Comics, but he is a descendent of pharaohs and Kent Nelson’s grandnephew, which creates a direct connection to the Black Adam character. To that end, it makes sense that the Helmet of Fate would pass to Khalid next.

Will Black Adam Actually Fight Superman (& Shazam)?

A lot has been made out of a potential battle between Black Adam and Superman. In Black Adam’s post-credits scene, Henry Cavill’s Superman returns, telling the antihero that it’s “been a while since anyone’s made the world this nervous” and that they should talk. The highly-anticipated fight has been heavily teased by Dwayne Johnson, but he’s confirmed that Black Adam v. Superman won’t happen in Black Adam 2. That said, the pair will likely fight each other at some point down the line — it’s been far too hyped and audiences would be disappointed if it didn’t happen.

What’s more, Black Adam would have to be set up as an irrefutable villain for Superman to fight him and make it mean something, and that’s something that requires further character development and worldbuilding. As for Shazam, Black Adam will probably end up fighting Zachary Levi’s character well before he ever battles Superman. In the comics, the two are well-known adversaries and they share similar powers, so it seems like only a matter of time before they face each other. It’s possible Shazam could appear in Black Adam 2 to set up their brawl. Johnson has confirmed that Shazam and Black Adam will cross paths, though in which future DCEU film remains unclear.

Why Does Black Adam Speak English So Well?

When Teth-Adam is first introduced, it’s in the year 2600 BC; he’s speaking his native tongue, which is presumably the ancient language that evolves into Kahndaq’s present language. However, once Black Adam is awakened from his prison tomb, he’s revealed to already know perfect English. Considering that he’s been gone for thousands of years, it makes no sense that he’s able to speak English so well, and without any linguistic assistance from Adrianna or Amon. Black Adam’s American accent also others the characters from Kahndaq, who speak with a different accent entirely; the antihero could have spoken English like they did to indicate he was from the same country at least. All that said, it’s likely Black Adam didn’t want to waste any time on its title character learning a new language or continuously speaking in ancient Kahndaqi while someone translated, à la The Mummy’s Imhotep.

Will Intergang’s Control Weaken After Sabbac’s Defeat?

Ishmael, who was revealed to be a descendant of King Ahk-Ton, was the leader of Intergang. But after dying, coming back as Sabbac, and being subsequently defeated by Black Adam, Ishmael is no longer around to run Intergang. This might weaken the criminal organization’s control over Kahndaq, which they violently occupied. This would give Adrianna and all other freedom fighters the upper hand. If the resistance fights back immediately after Sabbac’s defeat, it might push Intergang to dissolve or move their operations elsewhere. Conversely, they could find a new leader, but that would take a while. Without Ishmael giving the orders and the Kahndaqi people knowing their own strength, Intergang could be driven out at last.

Where Was The JSA In The DCEU Before Black Adam?

The DCEU has been around for several years now, but Black Adam is the first introduction to the Justice Society of America. With the Justice League fighting Steppenwolf and the Parademons and other major events happening throughout the world, it’s odd that this is the first fans are seeing of the JSA. It brings up the question regarding how these superhero teams work and why they decide to get involved in certain battles and not others. The Suicide Squad, as an example, often takes on missions that require a level of secrecy, covert operations that wouldn’t work if Superman comes flying in. This disconnection between superhero teams and their involvement in stopping catastrophes seems to be a live-action problem. Not every DCEU movie can include the Justice League and JSA, but this also means their absences create a hole in the connective tissue of the film franchise. Ideally, and considering the Justice Society of America’s goals are to maintain global stability, their role in Black Adam suggests they should be involved in way more events than simply stopping an antihero.