"The news that Zack Snyder was changing the ending to his version of Watchmen came more than a year ago when leaked drafts of David Hayter’s, and then later Alex Tse’s, screenplays hit the Web. Both scripts had an ending very different from the original comic series where Dr. Manhattan is framed for an energy beam attack on multiple cities around the world killing millions. This event frightens the US and Russia into ceasing the Cold War, and ushers in a new era of global peace — the intended outcome from the party that perpetrated this elaborate hoax.
"From day one, fans (and I’m one of them) voiced their opinion that this new ending completely undermined the actual ending Alan Moore so carefully crafted back in 1985. Moore’s ending consisted of an elaborate hoax that would force the world into an era of peace as well, but did not involve Dr. Manhattan. What it did involve was a genetically engineered giant monster that's teleported into New York, instantly dies from the trip, and in it’s death throes broadcasts a psychic wave that kills millions. Fans endearingly call that monster “the squid.”
"Now, I’ll be the first to admit that on the surface, Moore's ending seems a bit, well, ridiculous. But anyone who has actually read Watchmen and has absorbed all of nuances of character and subtext will tell you - it's freakin’ brilliant. I mean, Watchmen is on the list of Time Magazine's “Top 100 Best English-language novels from 1923 to the present” for crying out loud.
"So, what’s wrong with the “Dr. Manhattan/Energy Beam” ending, then? Glad you asked. Here is the biggest problem most fans have with this “new” ending — framing Dr. Manhattan."
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