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The following contains spoilers for The Flash, in theaters now.
While the final twists and turns of The Flash focus on Barry Allen and his potential path toward villainy, most of the film is driven by the threat posed by General Zod. In a world without Superman, the Man of Steel villain has a far easier time bringing down humanity -- regardless of what the heroes throw at him. His presence gives The Flash a better sense of closure with its surrounding universe.
The DC Extended Universe is poised to go through serious transformations with James Gunn at the helm -- to the point where it's being separated from what came before by becoming designated as just the DC Universe. That means the Flash's final DCEU adventure gains more power because of its clear connection to the franchise's first film. Zod being the villain of The Flash gives the DCEU an effective means of bookending itself, and reinforces the importance of his character.
Zod's Importance in the DCEU
Zod was the DCEU's first major villain since he was the primary antagonist of Man of Steel. His efforts to revitalize Krypton resulted in the exposure of aliens on Earth and his death at the hands of a reluctant Superman. His body was used in Lex Luthor's experiments in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, resulting in the creation of Doomsday. Doomsday's murder of Superman in that film jump-started Justice League's activation of the Motherbox -- and the Steppenwolf invasion of Earth. In one way or another, Zod has been a factor in many of the DCEU's most critical stories.
The multiversal stakes of The Flash make it a perfect place to bring Zod back for one last go. The character still arrives on Earth in the timeline altered by Barry Allen's time travel, but the domino effect on its development means there's no Superman there to confront him. Instead, it's down to Supergirl to fight him -- but after years of containment, she's less empowered and more inexperienced than her cousin was at the time he faced Zod. As a result, Zod is fated to earn victory over Supergirl, setting up the end of the world.
How the Flash Uses Zod to Bookend the DCEU
The evolving timeline set up by the end of The Flash reveals that Bruce Wayne is once again played by George Clooney. In that sense, the movie is a closing chapter for the DCEU -- so Zod deserves a part in that final act. Despite the fact that he died in Man of Steel, he was a tonal flashpoint for the franchise, serving as a first indicator of the harsh villains that would serve as the films' antagonists. And thus, his shadow loomed large over both superheroes and villains alike. While Zod in The Flash is less a character and more a force of nature, there would be no closure without him.
The threat posed by Zod was came with a massive body count even in his defeat, setting the stage for increased violence and action that would define later DCEU movies. Introducing countless futures where Zod won -- not necessarily through different tactics, but due to the lack of hope and love provided by a Kryptonian visitor upon arriving on Earth -- is the perfect way to give closure to the DCEU. Zod's brief victories highlight the difficult decisions made by the heroes. His appearance also brings Man of Steel back to prominence in The Flash, connecting the beginning and apparent end of this era of DC filmmaking.
To see Zod in action again, check out The Flash, in theaters now.