Steppenwolf never felt like a villain worthy of a Justice League film, and the Snyder cut perfectly explains why. Steppenwolf was always meant to be a minion, not a big bad. With the addition of Darkseid and the cutting of the parademon fear subplot, the Justice League are actually working towards salvation of their world. The stakes seem higher and the evil more sinister.
Outside of the addition of Darkseid, other characters seen in Snyder's cut include the Joker, Vulko, Ryan Choi aka the Atom, Victor Stone's mother Elinore, Iris West, and J'onn J'onz aka Martian Manhunter. At face value, their additions seem like fan service as many of their appearances are little more than cameos. However, by including Elinore, audiences are able to see why Victor resents his father so much and why he faces such inner emotional termoil. Jared Leto's Joker shows what could have been had Snyder been able to continue his foray into the DC Universe. These characters also serve as catalysts for the Justice League's desire to save the world, in addition to giving the audience something to care for.