The Snyderverse is all but dead, but fans are still clamoring for the Snyder cut of Justice League and for more debate on the merits of films like Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. One thing that has always been highly contentious has been whether or not it was wise to end BVS on a down-note like the death of Superman. Well, now Snyder has taken to THR to explain why it had to be. Check out his answer below:

Snyder revealed that Superman’s death scream, which echoes, was the sound that awakened the Mother Boxes and would have alerted Steppenwolf, hence the Justice League line, “no Kryptonions,” which would have also been in Snyder’s cut of the film.

The film begins and ends with a death, that of the Waynes, and that of Superman. The canon shot fired at Superman’s funeral echoes the bullet firing from Joe Chill’s gun at the beginning of the film. Snyder said the cyclical nature of the film was important to him and the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne broke something, while the death of Superman allowed for healing to begin, not only for Bruce Wayne but for humanity. He said that as the film evolved, Superman’s sacrifice became more impactful on where the characters were left, citing an earlier idea to have Batman brand Lex at the end of the film, but instead showing him struggle with his rage and refuse to brand him, an initial effort to take Superman’s sacrifice to heart.