Shazam’s After-Credits Scenes Explained

WARNING: Spoilers For Shazam! ahead.

There are two Shazam! end-credits scenes that have big implications for the future of the DECU. The final film produced for the original slate of movies meant to start DC Comics’ shared cinematic universe, Shazam! seems poised to produce a paradigm shift away from completely serious superhero stories. This is exemplified by its post-credits sequences, which suggest a more light-hearted tone for future DC Comics’ films.

This spirit of fun and joy lies at the very core of Shazam’s character. While the hero once known as Captain Marvel has fought the very spirit of sin itself and literal Nazi supermen, one of his most frequent foes in the comics was a Venusian space worm with severe myopia who had to wear glasses. While many classic comics had similarly silly ideas in the Golden Age, none have embraced such concepts in the modern era and made them a core part of their lore like Shazam! has.

Related: Shazam Has A Captain Marvel Joke (But You May Have Missed It)

It’s unclear exactly what might be next for the Shazam! movie franchise. While the film will see a follow-up of sorts in the Black Adam solo movie (starring Dwayne Johnson as a former champion of the wizard Shazam reborn in the modern world), a direct sequel Shazam 2 has yet to be confirmed by Warner Bros. Despite this, Shazam‘s mid-credits scene suggests an avenue for a sequel taken from the current comic run.

• This Page: Shazam’s Mid-Credits Scene: Mr. Mind Meets Dr. Sivana
• Page 2: Shazam’s Post-Credit Scene Justice League Connections

What Happens In Shazam’s Mid-Credits Scene

Shazam‘s mid-credits scene opens on Dr. Thaddeus Sivana in jail. The would-be wizard is seen scribbling on the walls of his cell, frantically trying to recall the symbols that allowed him to open a portal to the Rock of Eternity earlier in the film. As Sivana fails once again and howls in frustration, a metallic chuckle comes from behind Sivana. He turns to see what appears to be some manner of caterpillar or worm with a strange speaker secured around its neck. Eagle-eyed viewers will recognize this creature as having been contained in a glass bottle when a young Thaddeus Sivana first visited the Rock of Eternity – and the bottle being shown as shattered when Billy Batson first went there.

The insect laughs at Sivana, making an insulting remark about “talking monkeys with your cave drawings.” The creature goes on to say that Sivana’s understanding of magic is limited and that there is more than one way to acquire magical power. Indeed, the creature notes there are “more ways than a mind can imagine.” A disbelieving Sivana asks, “What in God’s name…?” before being cut off:

“I named the gods, doctor, not the other way around. Oh, what fun we’re going to have together! The Seven Realms are about to be ours!”

It is worth noting that a similar scene concluded the 2013 Shazam! comic book mini-series, which acted as the primary inspiration for the movie. This scene took place in the foyer to the Rock of Eternity, with Dr. Sivana having evaded arrest but still being denied entrance to the wizard Shazam’s inner domain. It is here that he is approached by the same worm-like being, who is still trapped in its bottle prison, about a mutually beneficial alliance.

Related: Everything We Know About Shazam 2

Mister Mind Explained

While not introduced by name in Shazam!, the strange worm that approaches Dr. Sivana promising magical power is instantly recognizable to fans of the classic comics as the villain Mister Mind. First appearing in Captain Marvel Adventures #26 in 1943 (though his voice was heard in Captain Marvel Adventures #22), Mister Mind would go on to become one of Billy Batson’s most dangerous and persistent foes. He did this both as a solo act and as the leader of the Monster Society of Evil – one of the first super-villain teams in comic book history.

Mister Mind’s origins have changed several times over the years. In the Golden Age Captain Marvel comics, he claimed to be a mutant worm from an alien world who possessed a genius’ intelligence and limited telepathy. When he wasn’t plotting world domination with the Monster Society of Evil, Mister Mind’s plans largely centered around taking possession of Captain Marvel’s body so that he could have a physical form as powerful as his intellect. When the Captain Marvel characters were fully integrated into the DC Comics universe in 1986, Mister Mind had his powers increased to include full telepathy and mind-control, and he was said to be the sole survivor of his species, which originally came to Earth from the planet Venus.

Mister Mind’s origins and powers in the current DC Comics’ Rebirth universe are still being explored in the monthly Shazam! comic. As in the movie, he was imprisoned in the Rock of Eternity and freed by Dr. Sivana. This revamped Mister Mind seems to be magical in nature rather than alien, having an entry in the Encyclopedia Of Magical Monsters. His entry says that the wizards on the Council of Eternity were uncertain as to Mister Mind’s origins, but they believe that he’s a native of the Wildlands, a bookworm who acquired arcane powers by eating magic scrolls and books.

Related: Every DCEU Film Ranked Worst To Best

Mister Mind & The Seven Realms In Shazam 2

It seems likely that Shazam 2 will center upon a fight between the Shazam Family and Mister Mind over the fate of The Seven Realms, which Mister Mind mentions in his parting remarks to Dr. Sivana in the mid-credits scene. The opening story arc of the current Shazam! comic has centered upon Billy and his foster siblings exploring these realms – magical kingdoms sealed off from the world of humans by the Council of Eternity. These realms include the Wildlands (which are full of anthropomorphic animals, similar to the society of Zootopia), the Gamelands (which vaguely resemble the world inside the arcade games in Wreck-It Ralph) and the Funlands, which are a children’s utopia featuring a giant amusement park and 22 candy factories.

Page 2 of 2: Shazam’s Post-Credit Scene Justice League Connections

Shazam Joins The Justice League In The Credits (Sort Of)

While not really a scene as such, the first stretch of Shazam‘s closing credits are rendered in an animated style that showcases the Shazam Family interacting with members of the Justice League. These brief snippets include Darla (the fastest of the six young heroes) easily outrunning a clearly exhausted The Flash and Billy stealing the Batmobile to drive Wonder Woman to his prom, with a frantic Batman being dragged behind them as he desperately clings to his Bat-Grappling Gun. Perhaps the funniest of these clips shows Billy setting up a line to take pictures with his fans, only for his line to be eclipsed by the people waiting to get a selfie with Aquaman.

What Happens In Shazam’s Post-Credits Scene

Shazam‘s post-credits scene seems to be a leftover clip from earlier in the movie when Billy and Freddy were trying to figure out what superpowers Shazam has and their limits. The scene shows Billy and Freddy in their room, with Freddy holding a video camera and Billy holding a bowl full of goldfish. Billy talks to the goldfish and asks them a few questions, looking to them expectantly as if waiting for an answer.

A quick glance at Freddy’s log-book confirms that the two boys were testing to see if Billy had Aqua-Telepathy or some other power to command sea life. Clearly frustrated with Freddy’s commitment to testing for every possible superpower he can think of, Billy asks Freddy when talking to fish has ever been useful. Freddy’s wordless response is to gesture to his chest and the T-shirt with the logo for the Aquaman movie that he is wearing.

Aquaman Is Now A Legend In The DCEU

While Shazam‘s post-credits scene is a funny riff on how the general public used to respond to Aquaman before his live-action movie revealed Arthur Curry as the badass he is, it’s also the first indication we have of how the surface world responded to the events of the Aquaman movie in the DCEU. With Atlantis revealed to the world and Aquaman acknowledged as their king after leading the effort to stop his brother’s warmongering, Arthur Curry is apparently a major hero in the eyes of the world at large and popular enough to have his own logo t-shirts like Superman.

It’s a surprisingly subtle method of conveying the point, given how over the top Shazam! is in most regards, but it does help to further expand the DCEU in a new direction.

More: Every SHAZAM! Easter Egg & Secret Reference