Justice League: Cyborg Represents Disabilities

Screen Rant

Zack Snyder Wanted Cyborg to Give Representation to People With Disabilities

By Jasmin Mohamed

Published Oct 7, 2017

Representation is a big buzz word for comic book movies these days, and Ray Fisher says Cyborg accomplishes just that for fans with disabilities.

Cyborg actor Ray Fisher has revealed that Cyborg's story is meant to give representation to people living with physical disabilities. Marketing efforts for the DCEU's Justice League are ramping up as we inch closer to its November release date, and ith a new trailer expected to drop at New York Comic Con, fans are anxious to see what the fabled production has in store.

Prior interviews have touched on how important the Justice League film will be in building the long-term relationships between these iconic characters. Ray Fisher has spoken on why he thinks his Cyborg can relate so well to Jason Mamoa's Aquaman, and why Cyborg and Ezra Miller's Flash have such a close bond. While it's interesting to see how these fictional characters grow into the characters comic and cartoon fans know and love, their representation in the real world cannot be overlooked.

After an endearing SDCC for this cast, we saw just how important representation can be for fans of these heroes. Just as Wonder Woman opened the door for so many young girls, Cyborg star, Ray Fisher, revealed to Geek Magazine that his character is meant to represent people with disabilities. Both screenwriter Chris Terrio and former director Zack Snyder made very conscious decisions in their construction of Cyborg. In his own words, Fisher adds:

"I've had lots of fans who come out and say 'Listen, I can relate to Cyborg because I lost a limb,' or 'I have this cochlear implant.' It's one of those things when you actually start seeing it, when you actually start hearing about it, that made Cyborg more relevant to me than I think he ever had been up until that point."

Earlier this summer, photographer Josh Rossi used his platform to transform disabled children into Justice League characters. The project was well received and served to show that what some consider a weakness can be used as a way to find strength. The sentiment is something JL fans can expect to see in Cyborg's on-screen presence in Justice League and likely into the solo Cyborg film.

In the same Geek Magazine interview, Fisher talks about his character, Victor Stone, not being able to remove himself from his alter-ego like the rest of the league so that he can blend in. Fisher seems to have really gotten into the headspace of Cyborg, learning how to do good in spite of the world around him telling him he cannot. It will be interesting to see whether or not the carefully and thoughtfully crafted nuances will translate as well to the big screen as they have to the actors personally.