Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Black Adam.For several years, the state of DC's connected cinematic universe has been in flux. However, with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking control and Henry Cavill's Superman officially returning, the DCEU seems to finally have a clear direction. But Superman isn't the only long-standing character to appear in Black Adam. Viola Davis' Amanda Waller, first seen in 2016's Suicide Squad, had a cameo with a greater impact on the film's plot. But her part raises several questions not answered within the film.

What Is Amanda Waller's Role in 'Black Adam'?

Davis' part in Black Adam is small, with her only appearing in a few scenes. And in the mid-credits scene, she is overshadowed by Cavill's shocking arrival. In this scene, she is able to get Superman, of all people, to do her a favor and show up to intimidate Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson) into behaving (not that it was strictly needed at that point). The simple scene gives an example of the influence Waller wields. But it isn't her most significant scene in the film. Early on, Waller sets the plot into motion by deploying Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and the Justice Society to capture Teth-Adam. Hawkman's partnership with Waller seems to be longstanding, as they are familiar with each other from the start. It is interesting that Hawkman works with Waller, who has shown no qualms about killing in the past, despite his insistence to Black Adam that heroes don't kill. Perhaps he doesn't know Waller as well as he thinks, but the secret won't stay buried forever.

Waller is most well-known for her involvement with Task Force X (aka the Suicide Squad), but her conversation with Hawkman implies that she holds some amount of authority within the Justice Society of America (JSA) as well. With the Suicide Squad already under her thumb, what does she need the JSA for? And why does she need them if a few favors can get her to Superman? Basically, Amanda Waller seems to get herself involved with every group of super-powered beings that she can. And Black Adam is proof of that. If these groups interact in the future, chances are Amanda Waller is pulling the strings or, at least, providing the connections.

What Is Amanda Waller's Connection to the JSA?

It shouldn't be surprising that the enigmatic character has another team of super-powered beings following her orders, but it is interesting. Her involvement with the JSA is not well documented in DC lore. In fact, the concept is unique. Waller has always been tied to the Suicide Squad, but she has some contact with other superhero groups. In The New 52, Waller worked with Team 7 and was a founding member of the Justice League of America. (In this continuity, it is a separate group from the Justice League and used in an attempt to undermine the regular team.) Most often, Waller works at A.R.G.U.S., though sometimes it is Belle Reve prison. Occasionally, Waller is portrayed to be involved with Project Camdus as well. She often deals with heroes, but tends to have more contentious relationships with them, as she doesn't share their moral codes.

The DCEU's Amanda Waller

Amanda Waller has appeared several times in the DCEU, including Jame Gunn's The Suicide Squad and the spin-off series Peacemaker. In this continuity, she is already established as the director of A.R.G.U.S. and runs Task Force X, but her recruits for that project come from Belle Reve prison, but that is not where the JSA recruits are coming from. In her introduction, Waller starts trying to form a group of metahumans after the death of Superman. After her first attempt goes wrong, she establishes the Suicide Squad by recruiting prisoners from Belle Reve in exchange for reduced sentencing. Though Waller runs a tight ship, her team members are unpredictable, to say the least. The mission is a success, but only in the most technical sense. In Suicide Squad, Amanda Waller is shown having a conversation with Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), proving that she knows his identity as well and, therefore, connecting her to the Justice League (even before its official forming).

In 2021, she appeared again in The Suicide Squad, where she is, once again, leading Task Force X, this time sending them to Corto Maltese to cover up the American government's illegal experiments on the alien known as Starro. When things inevitably go wrong, Waller wants Task Force X to leave, having already accomplished their goal. But Starro is destroying the island, and the Suicide Squad insists on stopping him. Waller threatens to activate the bombs in their heads for insubordination, but her own team turns against her, knocking her out and allowing the Suicide Squad to stop Starro.

In Peacemaker, Waller rescues Christopher Smith (John Cena) from the rubble of Corto Maltese in order to send him on a mission called Project Butterfly. This time, he is paired with Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and John Economos (Steve Agee), agents who disobeyed her during the Suicide Squad's previous mission. Additionally, Waller has recruited her daughter, Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), who she has a tense relationship with. Adebayo is meant to be a spy for her mother, but she grows close to her teammates. Eventually, she chooses to clear Peacemaker's name, even at the expense of her mother. The last we saw of Waller, she was exposed to the public for Task Force X. As Black Adam shows her in a seemingly good legal standing (and Agent Harcourt is still in a high position in A.R.G.U.S.) it likely takes place before she is discredited. So, we have some hints about her future, though there is surely more than that.

What Does the Future Look Like for Waller?

Waller's fall from grace should not be the end of her presence in the DCEU. She may not have the best public standing, but she has connections like no one else in the universe. Of course, her connection to the JSA could be answered in a future JSA-related project, but that is only one question left by Black Adam. She is also shown to have a facility in the Arctic that is equipped to hold Teth-Adam in suspended animation. This prison is filled with containment units that, assumedly, each hold a prisoner, but who? Are they dangerous recruits for the Suicide Squad (or other teams Waller controls)? Or are they the metahumans Waller deems too dangerous for the world? With Peacemaker showing the scrutiny around Waller and her secrets, it is possible that this facility and others like it would be the next thing to be brought to light. Rumors have been floated about a spin-off show around Waller, though nothing official is confirmed. If this does happen, it will hopefully investigate the contents of the facility and her relation to the JSA and other superhero teams.