Recently, the internet has been soaring about the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard case. Now, if you live under a rock, and have not a single clue about what this case revolved around, let me break it down for you real quick in simplistic terms. 

Plaintiff–meaning the person who brings forth the case–Johnny Depp alleged three counts of defamation against defendant Amber Heard, Depp’s ex-wife, claiming $50 million in damages. Heard sued back, claiming $100 million in damages. 

A few years ago, in a statement to the Washington Post, Heard said that she was a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Although Heard had not deliberately pointed fingers toward Depp, this claim implicated numerous devastations upon his life. The most colossal was his loss of many acting gigs, including the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. 

Although the ins and outs of the trial were lengthy and unpleasant, the possible verdict became clearer and clearer on the internet as we saw deeper into this case. 

One of the most comical slip-ups made by Heard was when she implied that Depp had hit and, “broken her nose,” one night. When Depp’s phenomenal lawyer, Camille Vasquez, began the cross-examination, it was quickly pointed out that this claim was false—right after Heard’s “bruise kit,” which she claimed was color corrector, was seen in the corner of a picture.

Not only on Twitter, but also on Tiktok and Instagram, the internet was able to see Vasquez dominating the courtroom, killing every cross-examination and proving Depp had nothing to do with abusing Heard. Quickly, the world had joined Depp’s side, and it was obvious Heard the actress was truly acting this entire trial. 

Starting April 11th, this trial lasted until Wednesday, June 1st, when the verdict of the case was announced and released. In Virginia, where the trial was held, punitive damages are capped at $350,000, and because Depp sought $50 million in damages, and Heard in return sought $100 million, the judge reduced the punitive damages awarded. The final verdict wasn’t guilty or not guilty; Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, while Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages and received no money for punitive damages. 

Although this wasn’t a win-lose occasion in the courtroom, Depp acquired more than money. With the internet binding behind his back, everyone’s favorite Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka gained his image and his pride back. No longer carrying the weight of being an accused “wife-beater,” he now has the public’s knowledge that Heard truly is the villain.

And even though Heard acquired a small sum of money, she lost any credibility she had in the public eye, many future roles, and a current one in Aquaman, having her character almost fully removed from the film. Heard’s excessive lying also showed light on how other women might lie about their domestic abuse, taking all the progress women have made in the past few years concerning domestic abuse back multiple steps, and making it difficult for these women to get justice.  

In the end, this case rested on the common knowledge that Johnny Depp is more than quick rumors and false accusations, and if you tuned into any pieces of the trial, you’d know he is much more than what meets the eye.