Many have been lucky enough to don the cape and wear the iconic symbol of hope. From the likes of Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, and of course, Henry Cavill. Cavill has been hailed by some as being the best portrayal of Superman of all time, and while we don’t intend to argue who is the best, it is simply undeniable that Henry Cavill has had many memorable moments as the iconic superhero.

It’s fair to say that Cavill has been somewhat mistreated in his turn as Superman. From being fired and then being brought back to play the role again, only for a month later to be sadly fired once again. Cavill first appeared as Superman in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel in 2013, winning fans over as he portrayed a much darker take on DC’s most powerful superhero. From there, he would go on to appear in Batman v Superman and both Justice League movies. While fans are rightfully saddened that they won’t see Henry Cavill again, we can still count our lucky stripes as he has still delivered many memorable moments. Here are Henry Cavill’s best moments as Superman.

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8 Smallville Fight - Man of Steel (2013)

     Warner Bros.

Cavill’s first ever action scene certainly proved how powerful his version of Superman is, by smashing through buildings and going toe-to-toe against Krypton’s deadliest warriors, in the Man of Steels hometown, Smallville. Not only is this a great, well-shot action scene, presented brilliantly by visionary Zack Snyder, with brutal and demolishing choreography and phenomenal CG, but it certainly raises the stakes and proves how inferior Superman truly is. Fighting against Krypton’s most dangerous warriors shows that Superman may be powerful, but he can barely hold his own against these warriors, and still has a lot to learn in the ways of combat.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

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7 The Man of Steel vs The Dark Knight - Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

     Warner Bros. Pictures

The Batman vs. Superman moment was a huge moment in the film and for fans of the DC Comics, and sure, it may not have all come together to live up to the hype, but there is still plenty to unpack. Although one of the most talked about and perhaps laziest cases of writing of the past decade, (yes, we do mean the “Save Martha” moment), it did set up a stepping stone for the two legends to finally work together. Secondly, the choreography, lighting, and sound design all culminate into a jaw-dropping, exhilarating, and simply awesome action scene between the two icons. With Batman at first taking the upper hand, using his gadgets to disorientate and weaken the Man of Steel with Kryptonite. All this before Superman gains all his power back, which leaves fans screaming, as Superman begins to demolish Batman, turning the tides of battle once more.

6 The Big Three Team-Up - Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Fans had been excited to see the first ever live-action team-up of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice finally gave DC fans the moment they had all dreamed of. After being constantly at war with each other, the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel finally team up to take on the powerful Doomsday. However, Doomsday proves to be a very tough challenge for the two icons, and when we thought all hope was lost and Batman was about to bite the bullet, Wonder Woman, played perfectly by Gal Gadot, swoops up to help the two take on the super-powered villain in Gotham City. The shot of the three superheroes standing together as they’re ready to fight is simply iconic, leading to an exhilarating, and destructive showdown against Superman’s iconic villain.

5 Cavill’s Anticipated Return - Black Adam (2022)

In what may have been the most exciting moment of 2022, at least for Superman fans, was the post-credits scene at the end of Black Adam, revealing that Henry Cavill would return as Superman. Since then, Cavill has revealed that he sadly won’t be returning to the role. Although this news is definitely disappointing, the announcement is understandable, and this post-credits scene was still a blessing. As cool as it would have been to see Cavill well and truly return to the role for good, Black Adam nonetheless delivers a truly exciting final moment for Henry Cavill’s Superman.

4 Kal El Vs Zod - Man of Steel (2013)

The final battle between Kal El and General Zod did come with a lot of criticism from both fans and critics. Mostly due to how destructive the fight is, but also due to the controversial ending and the fact that Superman ends up killing Zod. However, for what this scene is, and Zack Snyder’s vision, it truly shines through for an action-packed and thrilling fight scene. Most can claim that the ending isn’t who Superman is; however, many fail to mention how Superman didn’t want to snap Zod’s neck, and only did it to save a family. The ending is incredibly important in Clark’s story, and is one of his most tragic moments.

3 Superman Helps The Justice League - Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

Snyder’s Justice League is famously a long movie, of which doesn’t necessarily feature that much of Henry Cavill’s Superman, at least not until the latter half. However, the few moments we get of Superman are simply some of his best. One of which is when Superman comes to help the Justice League defeat Steppenwolf and stop Darkseid from coming to Earth. Any time Superman appears on-screen to take down a deadly foe is always exciting; add to that the fact Superman is wearing the awesome looking black and silver Recovery Suit, before defeating Steppenwolf with incredible ease.

2 Superman vs The Justice League - Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

Superman vs the Justice League isn’t only one of the best Henry Cavill moments, but one of the best moments in comic book movie history. Thankfully, fans were already treated to this scene in the ever-so disappointing Justice League in 2017. While that scene was already great and perhaps the only saving grace of the movie, in Snyder’s Justice League, Zack Snyder doubled down and delivered a far better, tight-knit and thrilling action scene that sees Superman single-handedly take on Aquaman, Cyborg, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Batman (once again). Easily the best part of the scene was when Superman fought the Flash in the speed force.

1 First Flight - Man of Steel (2013)

Superman’s first flight in the DCU is one of the most epic and triumphant moments the DCU has ever given us. Backed by the phenomenal and empowering score from Hanz Zimmer, Snyder focused on gorgeous cinematography to elevate this scene to greatness. Cavill’s performance only added to this phenomenal moment, making the Man of Steel feel human, and the moment much more thrilling, and cementing Cavill as one of the best to ever don the cape.