What Are the Greatest Resurrections in Pop Culture?
Throughout history, humankind has loved few narrative devices more than a dearly departed character coming back to life. Although not every character makes the journey back to the land of the living, it is far from an uncommon event in stories.
From super heroes to Jedi™ to wizards, fans of movies often mourn the loss of beloved characters as if it were someone whom they had befriended. For this reason, the resurrections of these characters are often considered among the most iconic and memorable moments in their respective stories. Here are our top five movie resurrections.
Superman (Justice League)
In Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, the seemingly indestructible Superman meets his match when he faces off against Doomsday. Despite the Kryptonian hero’s strength and the aid of Batman and Wonder Woman, Superman ultimately succumbs to his injuries due to exposure to his one weakness: Kryptonite.
Though Doomsday and Lex Luthor are neutralized, more threats exist in the universe. The fledgling Justice League, made up of Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash, finds that despite their considerable combined powers, they are not enough to defeat the world-conquering Steppenwolf.
Using the Mother Box, the five living members decide to attempt to bring the Man of Steel back to life. In the version of the movie known to DC fans as the Snyder Cut, Superman makes his triumphant return in his iconic black suit. With the sixth member of the Justice League there to lend a hand, the team combines their individual strengths and defeats Steppenwolf.
Rey (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker)
Over the course of the Star Wars™ sequel trilogy, Rey™ learns to wield the Force. In the final installment, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker™, the true mastermind behind the First Order’s rise to power is revealed to be Darth Sidious™. Rey later learns that the former Emperor and Sith Lord™ is also her grandfather.
Between her natural abilities and training at the hands of two of the finest instructors a Padawan™ could hope to have, Rey’s abilities flourish. Rey finds, however, that she possesses an ability that neither Luke™ nor Leia™ taught her: the ability to use the Force to heal. She first uses this ability on a snake-like vexis™, and later uses this ability to heal Kylo Ren™ following their duel on the water-lodged wreckage of the second Death Star™.
Kylo Ren comes back to the light side as Ben Solo™, and together with Rey as a Force dyad™, they confront Darth Sidious. To cast her grandfather back down, Rey wields the Force with the help of all the Jedi who came before her. She gives her own life in the process. Remembering that Rey had given some of her own life force to save his earlier and having witnessed the tremendous sacrifice she had just made, Ben gives his life force back to Rey, resurrecting her. In honor of the bloodline that trained her, saved her life, and gave her a home, the newly resurrected Rey takes the last name Skywalker.
Harry Potter (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)
After years of preventing Voldemort’s return to his full strength, Harry Potter and his companions Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley learn that Voldemort had staved off death by creating Horcruxes. A truly terrible form of dark magic, Horcruxes could be created by taking the life of another, thus splitting one’s soul in the process and storing it in an object. While creating even one was viewed as wicked enough, Voldemort created seven.
At Dumbledore’s behest, the trio spends the duration of both Deathly Hallows films trying to figure out what the Horcruxes are, finding them, and destroying them. With six of the Horcruxes identified and all but the snake Nagini destroyed, Harry takes the memories a dying Severus Snape gave him to the Pensieve. Viewing the former Potions professor’s memories, Harry learns that he himself is the final Horcrux. To defeat Voldemort, this means that Harry must die.
Harry courageously goes to the Forbidden Forest where Voldemort uses the Killing Curse against him. Harry meets with Dumbledore in a space between life and death, learning that he can return to life if he so chooses. Harry has this unique choice as he was the true owner of all three Deathly Hallows – the invisibility cloak, the resurrection stone, and the elder wand – prior to his death at Voldemort’s hands. Harry comes back to life and within the ruined walls of Hogwarts, he vanquishes Voldemort once and for all.
Gandalf the White (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers)
As one of the five Istari, Gandalf the Grey is one of the most powerful beings in Middle-earth. Despite his unassuming appearance, Gandalf also has an immense responsibility as a protector of Middle-earth. Recognizing the importance of the mission to destroy the One Ring and his fondness of the Hobbit Frodo Baggins, Gandalf joins the Fellowship of the Ring in Rivendell.
The Fellowship’s attempts to reach Mordor and avoid the Mines of Moria are thwarted by Saruman the White. Throughout their journey to and through the mines, the Fellowship faces many dangers, none more fearsome than the Balrog of Morgoth. Gandalf knows that he is the only one capable of fighting such a foe, and gives his life to cast down the creature of flame and shadow.
Gandalf’s mission was not complete in Middle-earth, however, and he is sent back as Gandalf the White. Now, as the most powerful wizard in his order, Gandalf first encounters Merry and Pippin. Then he dramatically reveals his return to Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. As Gandalf the White, he helps turn the tides at the Battle of Helm’s Deep, the Siege of Gondor, and the Battle of the Black Gate.
Half of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Avengers: Endgame)
In Avengers: Infinity War, fans watch the beginning of the end of a story that had been coming together for the better part of a decade. Beloved characters and storylines weave together as the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe unite to face Thanos. As he seeks the Infinity Stones across galaxies, Thanos thinks of himself as a savior. He believes that the only way to save the universe from the fate of his own planet is to reduce the population in every world to half of what it was.
Despite the best efforts of those on Earth and across the galaxy, Thanos is ultimately successful when he wrests the Mind Stone from Vision and Wanda. Then, Thor fails to stop him as Thanos places the stone within the Infinity Gauntlet. With a single snap, Thanos erases half of all living beings in the universe. Half of the heroes from the MCU disappear as well. Black Panther, Spider-Man, Falcon, Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, Bucky Barnes, and the majority of the Guardians of the Galaxy are among the fallen.
Five years later in Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark figures out how to travel through time, regain the Infinity Stones, and undo the Snap. Hulk wields the Nano Gauntlet once all of the stones are within their possession, and successfully brings everyone back. As Captain America faces the hordes of Thanos on his own, Doctor Strange and Wong open portals for all those who returned to make their way to the battlefield. Outside the destroyed Avengers campus, with so many powerful, courageous heroes in play, Thanos is finally defeated.
Many of our favorite fantasy, science fiction, and comic book-based stories feature some sort of resurrection aspect. Reaction videos to resurrections are often filled with tears of joy and triumphant cheers, demonstrating just how invested fans are in moments such as these.
Tell us your favorite pop culture resurrection or rebirth! Join the conversation with other pop culture fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!
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