Revisiting the Justice League Animated Series script (Patreon)

Intro:

I’ve never been a big superhero or comics person. Sure, I know about the big names of DC and Marvel through cultural osmosis, but I am definitely not a connoisseur of comic books. And honestly, a lot of the convoluted, intense lore of comics tended to push me away, as it came across less enticing, and more intimidating.

That said, there is one piece of superhero media that has always been near and dear to my heart: the DC Animated Universe. Well more specifically, the Justice League animated series, as well as its successor Justice League Unlimited. The DCAU technically started with Batman: The Animated Series back in… holy shit, 1992? Why does that feel like 5 centuries ago?

But Justice League came out in 2001 and ran until 2006, when I was a wee lad ripe with a profound appreciation for colorful shows featuring kickass action scenes, most especially if they were led by badass women. And then later on in 2004, Winx Club basically sealed the deal. What can I say? The women of the DCAU are nothing if not iconic, memorable characters. Shayera stans, we ride at dawn.

As such, this is the property I’m most familiar with. At some point I’d definitely like to visit the Batman and Superman animated series, but today, I wanna delve into Justice League. Generally, we all seem to be having a strong superhero fatigue, both with the oversaturation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and DC’s repeated failures at creating their own equivalent.

But the Justice League animated series has always been a delight to revisit, with me appreciating more and more details about its writing every time, especially the fact I’ve come to care for almost all the characters - even the most obscure superheroes I’d never expected to have given a shit about.

And the show manages to tow the line between compelling, accessible episodic storytelling, and more complex overarching stories. Anyone can jump in, and you don’t need to do any homework to understand or enjoy the story, but you may get a bit more mileage if you’re familiar with other entries of the DCAU.

Complex, mature, adult characters, navigating complicated relationships and issues of identity, and even nuanced political storylines that a lot of live-action media brandishing itself as “far more mature” could only dream of matching. Justice League has it all, and so today, we’re gonna go over what the show is, why it works, why I love it, and why it might be up your alley.

Obviously, spoilers for the Justice League series, along with Unlimited and potentially other aspects of the DCAU I’ve learned about through cultural osmosis, are ahead. But like… if spoilers can ruin a story, was it even good to begin with?

Now without further ado, let the chaos commence.

DCAU Justice League:

The Justice League, as the name suggests, is meant to be a team of the most iconic and revered superheroes in DC Comics’ roster. Originally introduced way back in an issue of 1960’s The Brave and the Bold (and in truth, going even further back to previous teams of hallowed heroes), the team comprised Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Aquaman… fighting a giant starfish? Okay, sure, fight the ocean, I guess.

It only makes sense that if you have whole rosters of beloved heroes and accompanying villains, you’d want to see them team up and clash with each other. With the creative team led by Bruce Timm having already created the Batman and Superman animated series, it only made sense for this to be the next step in the DCAU.

If you’re interested, there are entire docu-series dedicated to the production process for both Justice League and Unlimited, detailing how the cast and crew brought such a difficult premise to life, including their admitted stumblings in the show’s early days when they were going through the growing pains of expanding the scope of their stories and working with an ensemble cast. For instance, the continual nerfing of Superman in the first season when the writers wanted to emphasize or raise the stakes, in the process making Superman into a glorified punching bag.

The original Justice League series comprises two seasons, each clocking in at 26 episodes. However, most of these episodes aren’t standalones. They’re instead longer stories usually stretched into two parts, with the premieres and finales usually expanding into three whole episodes. They’ll still tell their own self-contained stories including either all or a select few members of the League, usually allowing one or two of them to take centerstage.

Through this, all the characters get a chance to enjoy the limelight and become endeared to the audience, especially those who are new to the DCAU. Not to mention that a viewer can sit down and enjoy a longer, 40-minute drama without necessarily having to be familiar with the rest of the show.

The show also decided to remove any members of the supporting cast of each hero, instead dedicating the show entirely to the seven members of the League, with a rotating rogues gallery. This limitation is gradually lifted as the show goes on, but it was vital that Justice League forged its own identity by making these seven the story’s foundation. No sidekicks, no civilian pals. Just these heroes and their dynamics and relationships with each other.

The Original Seven:

So the lineup here is mostly the same as the traditional roster, save for some changes to add a little diversity to the team. First up, we’ve got Superman as the de facto leader… obviously. What’s a Justice League without Superman at the helm?

Now, having not seen the Superman animated series, all my knowledge of this incarnation comes from Justice League, but I feel that only goes to show just how strong the writing here is overall that a newbie can waltz on in and still understand and love the character here. No previous knowledge required.

Here, Superman is still a good noodle who wants to believe in the best in people, and use his incredible powers to help and protect the innocent. Despite this, he’s still quite experienced, and a bit jaded from all that he’s seen in his superhero career. He’s not cynical or pessimistic at all; save that for Batman. But you can tell he’s a lot more self-aware and cautious as to the power he wields.

At the end of the day, Superman is just a guy trying to help people, which sadly isn’t as clear-cut as one would like to think, and Justice League doesn’t shy away from that messiness, even on the political front.

This gets more prominent in Unlimited, but I very much appreciate that while Superman struggles with what the right thing to do even is, he’s still always trying his best. His earnestness is infectious, and his sincerity is incredibly refreshing given the irony-poisoned era we’ve currently found ourselves in.

In terms of power, Superman kinda has it all: super strength, flight, super speed, laser vision, the list can go on for days. His only weaknesses are kryptonite, red-sun radiation, magic, and himbo brain. Because of this, the writers often struggled to introduce threats that could actually pose a real danger to him, as well as the six other heroes fighting by his side.

This is remedied past the first season, though I have to respect the writers acknowledging this as a crutch they’d unintentionally relied upon, then working to correct it. It’s actually very endearing seeing them talk so openly about this and gracefully moving on.

Batman, meanwhile, is a broody boi who counterbalances Superman’s optimism. Bats means well, but he’s been so through much even outside of his superhero persona, it weighs on him mentally. He has a very difficult time admitting how much he cares about his friends. Hell, I’m not even sure he’d refer to the other League members as friends, given he’d probably expect the universe to take them the second he said the word.

He has his moments, though! Like in the episode “Epilogue,” where we see a flashback to him and a character named Ace. Ace is a young girl who has the ability to warp reality with her mind, but because of this, she’s going to die soon, the backlash of which could kill everyone else in range of her power. Batman is tasked with killing her before that happens. But he doesn’t.

Instead, he sits with her on a swing set, not lying about or sugarcoating her fate, but also wanting to keep her company in the face of it. This is an absolute treasure of tragedy for Batman stans, I’d imagine, because I know it is for me. This is a quintessential Batman moment for me, and one of the reasons this incarnation of the character is my go-to.

Beneath all the trauma, all the pessimism and cynicism, Batman’s got a heart of gold. So when it occasionally shines through all the darkness, it stands out so much more. Likewise, his broodiness and lack of needing to be seen as good or nice allows him to call people out for their behavior, be it friend or foe. When Superman and the other Leaguers look like they’re veering towards letting their power go to their heads, Batman’s the first person to call them out for it.

And when a foe, say, makes an excellent case for fearing the Justice League going rogue and taking over the world, Batman doesn’t get defensive. I’ll get into it when we get to Unlimited, but by God, he and Amanda Waller have a rivalry for the history books.

Even without powers, Batman’s able to go toe-to-toe with any opponent, not only thanks to his many gadgets, but his wits. He knows how to outsmart an enemy, using their weaknesses, or even strengths, against them. As the detective of the group, he’s often the one to uncover the truth of a matter. And as the local good billionaire, he helps bankroll the Justice League to create and maintain the Watchtower. Insert obligatory “tax the shit out of billionaires” mantra.

There’s never a moment Batman feels useless or underpowered compared to his allies. In fact, I tend to count on him more often considering his skills.

Now, we move onto the five new characters, starting with Diana, a.k.a. Wonder Woman. She isn’t an established superhero like the others. Instead, she begins the show living as the Princess  of Themyscira, the mystical, hidden home island of the Amazons. Sensing the danger threatening the rest of the world, Diana disobeys her mother’s laws and leaves, stealing sacred armor in order to help stop the approaching darkness.

To my knowledge, Wonder Woman’s backstory changes a bit between versions, both in how she came to be, and how she gets her armor. Here, Diana steals the armor from the Amazons’ temple, and presumably these enhance her warrior abilities and super strength, while also granting her the power of flight. Plus, ya know, silver cuffs to deflect bullets, and boomerang tiara. Very Sailor Moon coded of you, Diana.

The lasso actually doesn’t have its ability to compel someone to tell the truth for most of the series. Because Diana stole her armor, she doesn’t fully know what its capable of, and I guess neither do the writers? Cuz she really only uses the truth power one time in Unlimited, and that’s it. I guess they weren’t sure how to integrate it into the story? The lasso serves plenty of practical functions at least, and spices up her combat compared to the others, but I would’ve liked her having the truth power for the whole show.

Now, I’ve recently realized that when a character is a fish out of water, and struggles to understand the “normal world,” they tend to be one of my favorites. There’s something about a character struggling with implicit social cues and norms that I find deeply relatable, which… check that off on the “Should’ve known I was neurodivergent sooner” list. Penny from RWBY, Milla from Tales of Xillia, and most definitely Diana.

Hailing from Themyscira, Diana struggles to understand how “man’s world” works. She’s quite curious about the people here in the outside world, but her curiosity is also in conflict with her frustration with a patriarchal society, full of not only misogynistic, arrogant men with all the power, but also women who’ve basically been taught to kowtow and please men. What I’m saying is that Pearl, like ultimate pick-me Pearl who has the personality of rancid milk, would drive Diana up the goddamn wall.

Diana carries herself with a certain regality. She’s graceful in and outside of combat, yet there’s also this deep capacity for righteous fury when she perceives wrongdoing and injustice. When she gets angry, she gets scary, and she can very easily let her anger take control of her, especially later on in the series as she becomes more and more jaded by man’s world.

Still, that anger is arguably sourced by a deep compassion for people and living things. She wants a peaceful, happy world where things are fair for all, so perceiving injustice pisses her off, because she sees it as people standing in the way of happiness for all for the sake of their own egos.

Arguably at the core of this struggle is her relationship with her mother, Queen Hippolyta. Hippolyta is a loving, albeit stern mother who struggles between her duties as a mother, and her duties as the Amazon Queen. When Diana defies her mother’s orders and leaves Themyscira, then returns to the island to save her with the Justice League’s help, Diana winds up breaking Themysciran law by exposing the island to men. Her mother thusly banishes her, and though Diana is clearly distraught, she accepts her mother’s decree and leaves.

They do still see each other here and there, but it isn’t until Unlimited when Hippolyta decides to defy the will of the gods to allow Diana to visit Themyscira and spend time with her. We don’t get to see much of it, but it’s enough to make me feel elated for Diana after having spent so much time away from home. The fact she was willing to accept being banished from her home because of her dedication to helping the world at large? I just have to admire that resolve, but also empathize with the heartbreak that comes with that.

Next up is Green Lantern. Usually, the Lantern people think of is Air Force pilot Hal Jordan, but in Justice League, they instead went with former marine John Stewart. As such, John is usually my default Green Lantern, and I ain’t mad about that. Part of the reason was to add some diversity, cuz… ya know, having a team of seven where none of ‘em are black is wild. But in terms of personality, John is probably the most uptight of the bunch, but equally one of the most experienced in terms of combat.

John is the straightman, usually calling the others out for not pulling their weight, or for making light of a situation. In most cases, that’s with Flash, since Flash is such a goddamn clown. But that just makes their friendship so much more wholesome. But he’s also got conflicts with Diana, usually for her inexperience, and with Hawkgirl for… well, the way they clash, since they’re so much alike, though Hawkgirl usually has an easier time bringing levity to a situation.

Though John can be tough on people, it’s because he knows how dangerous the Justice League’s job is. One slip up could be all it takes to lose someone forever. He’s a sort of group dad who’s always trying to keep everyone on task, and is often fed up with their antics, but he can be a total marshmallow when he’s laid back… and quite the flirt when it comes to someone he fancies.

As you’d expect, John has the usual Green Lantern powers: his ring provides him with the ability to create constructs of green energy, albeit with no clear weakness to the color yellow (though that would be hilarious). His constructs are usually limited to generic energy beams and shields in the first season, since the writers figured John would be more practical than the other Lanterns, but they quickly realized this was boring, and let him get more creative with his powers from season 2 onward.

Now the Flash? He is my boi, and I would die for him. In this case, it’s local redhead Wally West, and… yeah, he’s a total fuckboi. Yeah, he’s a massive flirt, but thankfully he never comes off as an invasive creep, at least to me. Flash just has… a lot of love to share. He’s a dumb slut, but he’s my dumb slut.

He’s goofy and lighthearted, full of comic relief, but not to an insufferable degree. Flash is the heart of the team. He’s the one keeping everyone grounded and falling into complete despair and cynicism, and he’s a complete sweetheart. “Flash and Substance” is one of my favorite episodes solely because it showcases just what a wholesome bean this boi is.

I adore his friendships with the other Leaguers, especially with John, Hawkgirl, and Diana. He and Hawkgirl specifically have this brother-sister dynamic that is just… oh my God, it’s the epitome of wholesomeness. Lots of teasing, lots of “Oh my god, Flash, stop giving me fucking heart attacks.”

And yeah, Flash has super speed. Usually it’s a power I tend not to enjoy, but I think the show does a great job making him feel interesting in combat. There are hints to the greater capabilities this power could grant Flash, like phasing through matter, but it’s through a body swap that also shows the danger of such abilities, which is precisely why Flash keeps himself in check.

Our sixth member is the Martian Manhunter, though here he’s primarily referred to as J’onn J’onnz. A bit odd we have a John and a J’onn, but the key for the Martian one is to make it sound French. Because Mars is France, I guess?

Much like Diana, J’onn is a fish out of water. He’s the last Martian, having lost his people to an invading alien species, and this event is basically the central plot of the premiere episodes. His mission is to avenge his people and prevent Earth from befalling the same tragedy as Mars. Once that’s done, he’s welcomed into the League as his new home by the others. Specifically, his interaction with Superman is super cute, cuz even though Supes was raised by loving parents, he knows what it’s like to have lost your world and be the last of your kind.

He’s not very expressive at first, but that’s just cuz it takes him a while to figure out human customs and culture. It reminds me a lot of Tecna in Winx Club, where once J’onn begins picking up and mimicking human mannerisms, it’s the cutest, most adorable thing you’ll ever fucking see. His cold, seemingly apathetic exterior really is just a misunderstanding, as he deeply cares for his new found family, and is hurt whenever they’re in conflict with each other.

That detachment, however, actually comes to a head during Unlimited, where J’onn fully steps away from the field and instead becomes an overseer, organizing the Justice League as a whole into teams for different missions. Diana calls him out for this, clocking J’onn’s distaste for humanity. And we see this a bit earlier on in “Tabula Rasa,” which I will rave about later, where J’onn accidentally opens himself up telepathically to all nearby humans, and is deafened by their shallowness, their pettiness, and their woes.

But likewise, he hears the concern and compassion of humans out late looking for a lost little girl in the woods. He gets to hear that duality of the human heart directly, and get a firsthand understanding of just how strange and complex humanity is. And though this doesn’t make humanity inherently awful, it can be exhausting to deal with, making me get why he’d become more reclusive, especially given my introverted tendencies.

What I’m saying is… J’onn would absolutely be a chronically online individual, making memes about hating human contact and socializing. And I think he’d make a pretty great shitposter.

Power-wise, J’onn can fly and turn intangible, but his main ability is shapeshifting. He’s able to transform himself to look and sound like anyone else, which is incredibly useful for subterfuge. Not to mention it has some combat applications, like turning into a horrifying Martian dragon.

And then we have my favorite member, and my favorite DCAU character overall: Hawkgirl, a.k.a. Shayera Hol. Now you’re probably wondering… whomst the fuck is Hawkgirl? Where’s Aquaman, or even Hawkman? See, the writers didn’t want Wonder Woman to be the only girl on the team, which was the correct move. And they actually had big plans for Hawkgirl, as we’ll discuss later on, and so she was given the seventh slot.

Personality-wise, Shayera’s a lot of fun. Her “alleged” backstory is that she hails from the far-off world of Thanagar, where she was a detective who was inadvertently sent to Earth while apprehending criminals. She’s another fish out of water, but she’s had some time before the series began to acclimate to her new environment.

Shayera is a total hothead. She’s strong-willed and stubborn, blunt and unafraid to speak her mind, but she never comes off as malicious or mean. She calls things as she sees them. She takes situations seriously, but she knows not to take them too seriously, lest she psych herself out. It creates this nice middle ground where she’s able to bridge the approaches of other characters, while still being able to clash with them.

I really wanna go on about why I adore her character, it involves a lot of spoilers for the finale of Justice League and for Unlimited. We will get to them, rest assured, but trust me when I say she is a masterclass in how to do a betrayal and subsequent redemption arc.

Naturally she can fly, given the… ya know, hawk wings, but her main weapon is her mace. Lemme tell you: I was OBSESSED with this thing as a kid. Not only can it crack skulls, but it can also channel electrical currents. And on top of that, it’s made of nth metal, which is basically anti-magic. This makes her super useful when she’s up against a mystical opponent, because her mace sees the magic, and goes, “Um, yeah none of that, thank you.”

Favorite Episodes:

Now, let’s talk about some of my favorite episodes from these two seasons. It’s honestly hard to pick, given I enjoy the vast majority of them, but we’re gonna narrow it down to the absolute best… minus “Starcrossed,” cuz that gold deserves its own section.

“Legends” follows Hawkgirl, John, J’onn, and Flash being sent into what at first appears to be the past, but in truth is another dimension modeled after classic superheroes. While they are original creations for the show (at least, to my knowledge), the Justice Guild of America—Green Guardsman, Streak, Tom Turbine, Catman, and Black Siren—are inspired by the Justice Society of America from the Golden Age of comics.

Trapped here for a time, the Justice League finds themselves aiding these aggressively 1950s-style heroes, all the while wondering how this is possible, given these are actually comic-book characters that John grew up idolizing. They soon discover that this world is, in truth, a post-apocalyptic one. The Justice Guild, and even the city, are illusions created by Ray, the young ward of the guild who was mutated by the effects of the war.

Ray has essentially been creating a dream world where everything’s fine, and even threatening the other survivors into carrying out his fantasy. Think WandaVision, except Wanda’s fully aware of what she’s doing, and also with less iconic musical numbers, and sadly, no Agatha. The Justice League manage to stop Ray, but this sadly requires the Justice Guild sacrificing themselves, given they’re just figments of Ray’s imagination.

This one is something I think a lot of superhero and comics fans would love, recognizing plenty of easter eggs and references to the goofy, campy vibes of eras past. I definitely enjoy that, but I’m also obsessed with the twist of everything being this delusive world created as a way to cope with a harsh reality.

Next up is “Tabula Rasa,” in which Superman’s nemesis Lex Luthor is on the run, coming across a powerful android named Amazo. Amazo’s creator, Dr. Ivo, has passed away, and Luthor takes it upon himself to manipulate Amazo into helping him eliminate the Justice League. We’ll talk about him later, but Lex Luthor… one of the best, most insidious villains in media. I hate this man, but damn if he is not compelling.

The title of the episode comes from a Latin phrase, because obviously if it’s Latin, it must be deep. “Tabula rasa” basically amounts to “clean sleight.” It’s a blank canvas free of preconceived notions and biases, much like Amazo given he’s essentially a newborn left to fend for himself after the death of his creator.

Amazo has the power to not only mimic, but take on the abilities of those he encounters. He copies Hawkgirl’s wings and mace, Diana and Superman’s super strength, Green Lantern’s energy powers, and so on, making him an incredibly dangerous, nigh unbeatable enemy. And even worse, he’s constantly evolving. Batman is initially able to use kryptonite against him, since he inherited Superman’s weaknesses along with his powers, but soon evolves to become immune to said weakness.

It’s not through brute force that Amazo is defeated. Well, he isn’t even really defeated. Instead, J’onn, who has been struggling the whole time with the aforementioned telepathy problem, allows Amazo to copy his abilities, which reveals Luthor’s manipulation. Sparing Luthor, Amazo leaves Earth to expand his power and knowledge of the cosmos.

The fights and stakes of this episode are a joy to watch, but I’m mostly here for J’onn’s struggle with whether he now hates humanity, and Amazo realizing Luthor is a manipulative human trash can. It’s an episode showcasing both the best and worst of humanity, and taking that duality in stride.

Next up, “The Terror Beyond,” a.k.a. Superman and the Gals fight Cthulhu. Oh, I’m sorry, Icthultu. Aquaman, who by the way is an absolute long-haired bad bitch in this show, bails local zombie Solomon Grundy out of trouble, working with the powerful sorcerer Doctor Fate to sacrifice Grundy in order to prevent horrifying eldritch abominations from invading Earth.

Naturally, the League isn’t keen on the idea of sacrifice, even if it’s a zombie criminal like Grundy. And so, we decide to go punch Budget Cthulhu in the face, in the process debating… faith? Yeah, this episode has a lot to do with the struggle of faith in the face of incomprehensible evil and tragedy. See, Hawkgirl reveals that in ancient times, her people, the Thanagarians, worshiped Icthultu in return for helping their civilization flourish, in return for the souls of their people as sacrifices.

But eventually, the Thanagarians turned on Icthultu, driving him out - likely using their nth metal technology - and vowing to never bow to another higher power. Hawkgirl is basically an atheist, even making a comment on how Diana is always asking Hera and the other Greek gods for strength. But it’s more than that. It’s a sincere conversation about the role of faith in providing comfort and hope, and how people cling to it in difficult times.

Personally, I’m an agnostic. I’m open to the idea of something more being out there, but I generally feel each person has to find the answers for themselves. I cannot stand people shoving their own beliefs onto others, which - surprise surprise - makes me not a very big fan of institutional, organized religion. So I very much get Hawkgirl’s vibe. But I do appreciate the vulnerable moment between her and Diana, and how Diana actually levels with Hawkgirl about how difficult it must be to move through life without believing there’s a higher power looking out for her.

Really, the heart of the episode is Grundy and Hawkgirl’s friendship. These two have had no connection whatsoever before this episode, but here, Hawkgirl watches out for Grundy when he’s in trouble, and Grundy reciprocates. Grundy isn’t evil. He’s just… very easily influenced, and quick to anger. He’s basically lost his soul, and has come to believe Icthultu is holding onto it.

While trying to save Hawkgirl from Icthultu, Grundy descends into his goddamn brain thinking he can get his soul, becoming gravely injured in the process. Hawkgirl then finishes off Icthultu on his behalf. Her staying with him in his final moments… oh it gets me. She doesn’t believe in anything like souls or the afterlife, but she plays along because it’s what Grundy believes. It’s a bittersweet moment, because in the end, Hawkgirl just still doesn’t understand any of this. But I think Aquaman puts it best.

I just… OOH, I love this episode so bad. And really, I appreciate that Hawkgirl isn’t made out to be the bad guy, cuz usually in media when the question of faith is brought up, the atheist, or atheist-adjacent characters, are usually portrayed as arrogant and close-minded. But that’s not the case here at all. Really, nobody has the answers, be it the faithful or those without. It’s just imperfect, confused people doing their best in a world where bad shit just happens. No matter what they believe, or don’t believe, they can always lean on each other.

And then… “A Better World.” Hoo gurl, this one’s a doozy. It starts off with… the Justice League storming the White House?! Oh we’re going there, aren’t we? Lex Luthor has become president, presumably ruining everything and starting World War 3 because he sucks. And worse, Flash is dead. We don’t know the details, but everyone is past their breaking point. Luthor lectures Superman about how his morality is just a facade. At least, that’s how Luthor sees it, but in this moment, Supes loses it and crosses the line, finally killing Luthor to permanently remove him as a threat.

Following this, the Justice League become the Justice Lords, ruling over the world with an iron fist and imposing their idea of order on everyone, in the name of preventing crime and tragedy. However, this also means… well, nobody has rights anymore. There’s no more voting, no more elections, no more civil rights. Strict curfews keep people home, they can’t even keep in touch with each other without permission, and protesting for basic liberties… well, it basically goes about as well as you’d expect.

It’s a dismal look at how these heroes, believing they’re doing the right thing, have been pushed into becoming authoritarians. What’s more, the episode waits until halfway through Part 1 to reveal… psych! This isn’t our Justice League! This is an alternate dimension where shit went sideways. But now, the Justice Lords are looking to invade our dimension, get our Justice League outta the way, and impose their dictatorship upon two worlds. The audacity!

Well really, it’s giving that they’re doing this to justify their conquest to themselves. It’s a sobering episode that shows how good intentions can quickly spiral into their own kind of evil. Cuz in our own world, the actual bad guys rarely see themselves that way, and usually do what they do in the name of their idea of order and utopia.

That scene of Batman versus Batman, debating over this new reality? Lord Batman justifying this regime by citing his trauma? Goosebumps. But then later on, League Batman showcasing the absolute insanity of day-to-day living in the world he’s created? CHILLS.

And this episode has ripple effects, too. It informs one of the story arcs in Unlimited, asking questions about power, morality, law. The shadow of the Justice Lords hangs over the rest of the series, as it should. It’s a reminder of the dangers of overreaching. Of just how easy it is to slip into authoritarianism so long as you perceive yourself as, “The Good Guy,” without actually thinking as to the effects of what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it to begin with.

And finally, to lighten the mood, we’ve got our only one-parter: “Comfort and Joy.” It’s a Christmas episode! It’s literally just the characters pairing off, enjoying various holiday-related shenanigans. Superman goes home to see his parents, and J’onn tags along. Flash tries to get a present for some sad orphans, enlisting the help of the villain Ultra-Humanite because, well, even villains better watch out for the holidays. And Hawkgirl takes John on a cute date to a violent alien bar because she loves fighting. Amazing.

What the hell is Diana doing for Christmas? Probably crying about how much she misses home, but it doesn’t seem anybody else cares all that much, so… she’ll be fine. Batman’s gone too, so… who knows? Maybe local billionaire fuckboi Bruce Wayne is off at some fancy-ass Christmas party. If he’s a proper gentleman, he’ll have invited Diana, but that’s just me being Wonderbat trash.

This episode is just… SO CUTE. I appreciate getting to see characters I love existing outside the plot. Snowball fights, shapeshifting to fit cozy oversized sweaters, and crying over aluminum Christmas trees of all things? Sign me the fuck up! Not to mention, given it’s the penultimate episode, we desperately needed something this lighthearted before the show destroyed our spirits.

You’ll notice pretty much all my choices, save for one, are from the second season, and that’s for good reason. Season 1 was still enjoyable, and a great introduction to the show, but the writers really hit their stride in season 2, and a huge part of that is the introduction of the late, great Dwayne McDuffie.

Dwayne’s writing was often praised for focusing on the humanity of comic-book characters, and you can see that with not only the introduction of character arcs through the show’s second season, but just… little moments of humanity from all the characters, not just the seven Leaguers. Above all else, Dwayne understood how to effectively communicate a character’s individual personality, motivation, and role, and that’s what helps elevate season 2. 

Legit, I could listen to this man talk about writing for hours… and I kinda did while researching the show’s production. “Themes reveal themselves?” Dwayne, you muse. If you wanna learn more about him, I’ll have some videos I used in my research linked in the description, but suffice to say this man was a legend, and very much still is posthumously.

Starcrossed:

And now, the series finale of Justice League, and one of the most devastating pieces of media I’ve ever endured. Truly, this is a game changer, uprooting so many elements of our status quo, and leaving us still alive, but completely broken and reeling.

Up until this point, there’s been a bit of a… romance blooming between John and Hawkgirl. As I’ve mentioned before, they clash a lot, but that chemistry also involves a deep affection and love for one another. By this point, they’re even dating, and they’re fucking cute! I live for their banter, because now, they know they can count on each other, to where they allow themselves to relax and let their guards down. And for John specifically, that’s a big deal.

But there’s a bit of a problem. See, an alien warship appears on Earth, which the Justice League finds themselves unable to stop. Thankfully, another ship takes it down, and the pilots reveal themselves to be Thanagarians, just like Hawkgirl… and she knows them!

The hawkmen are the Thanagarian military, led by Commander Hro Talak. They’ve been locked in a bloody conflict with another alien race known as the Gordanians, who’ve supposedly set their sights on Earth, and so they’ve arrived to help use their technology to protect Earth.

And moreover, Hawkgirl lied about her origins. In truth, Shayera is a lieutenant in the Thanagarian military, sent here as a spy to scout Earth’s weaknesses ahead of time in preparation for this occupation. She’s even been documenting the weaknesses of the League and providing them to the Thanagarians, with even more red flags raised for Batman when J’onn mentions he’s never been able to read Hawkgirl’s mind… or the mind of any Thanagarian, for that matter.

And because we need even more drama, Shayera turns out to be engaged to Hro, and was trying to avoid a relationship with John for most of the series because of that. But now, right as she and John are together, Hro’s back in the picture, and uh… John’s not taking it too well, reasonably so.

But uh, surprise surprise, the Thanagarians are lying! The Gordanians are nowhere near Earth, and when exposed, the Thanagarians turn on the military, and subsequently imprison the Justice League by exploiting their weaknesses. It’s also in this moment Shayera makes her loyalties clear.

So now, the Thanagarians have fully occupied the Earth and placed it under martial law, making an alleged barrier to protect the planet. But if the Gordanians aren’t involved, what’s it for? Well, as it turns… upside down, the true goal of the Thanagarians is to create what’s called a hyperspace bypass: a dimensional bridge which will allow them to jump behind the Gordanian fleet and invade their homeworld. The problem is that they need several planets to create this bridge, including Earth, and when the bridge is created, all these worlds will be destroyed.

And Shayera… never knew. She was told the same exact story the Earthlings were, presumably because her superiors knew she’d likely get emotionally attached to Earth, and thus wouldn’t be as willing to cooperate if she knew of its fate the whole time. I mean, really it’s to keep her sympathetic, but I don’t mind this. She turns on Hro, trying to reason with him into sparing the Earth, but Hro is determined to destroy the Gordanians at any cost, and they’ve come too far to stop.

The League, naturally, escapes and makes their way to Bruce’s estate, in the process revealing their secret identities to each other. It’s actually such a cute moment I desperately needed in this episode, and it really shows the level of trust and camaraderie they’ve all built with each other through the entire show.

And so, deciding to betray her people in order to save Earth, Shayera reveals the truth to the Justice League, and returns John’s Green Lantern ring. Hro’s advisor and professional evil vizier, Kragger, catches her in this, and Hro arrests Shayera. Hro’s main focus is on possessing and getting Shayera back from John, determined to destroy the Earth to ensure she has no reason to leave him, because he is trash.

So the League goes into action. Batman rams the Watchtower from space into the earth to destroy the bypass, assuming he’ll die in the process, and Supes has to bail him outta trouble because he ain’t about to let his bat bestie burn up like a chicken nugget. Elsewhere, Diana comes across Shayera and frees her, but in the most iconic, “Fuck you for double crossing us” way imaginable. Yeah, uh… Diana’s not gonna be forgiving this anytime soon.

Together, John and Shayera take down Hro and help lower the barrier around the bypass, allowing Batman to… ya know, do the thing and destroy it. With it gone, Hro orders the Thanagarians to leave, and Earth is free again. But the League is reeling. The world is scarred from this occupation, the Watchtower and Javelin (ya know, the League’s airship) are destroyed, and the League is voting on whether or not Shayera can stay.

As she waits, Shayera has a very sweet moment with Bruce’s butler Alfred, and this is by far one of my favorite scenes in the whole show. It’s so small, but it’s just so sincere and sweet and it’s ruining my life. Afterwards, before the others can reveal their vote, Shayera resigns from the Justice League and heads out. She gets a hug with Flash, and one last conversation with John, then flies off into the sunset to figure shit out on her own. And I? I am left drowning in a puddle of my own fucking tears because WHAT THE FUCK HAS THIS SHOW SUBJECTED ME TO? I love this. It’s ruining my life.

I just… this is everything. In just one three-parter, the show has taken our comfy status quo, ripped it away, stomped on our spirits, poured salt in our wounds, then gave us hope, gave us some nice aftercare, and basically just… left us to pick up in the pieces of our devastation. It’s everything I could ever ask from a piece of media. Yes, hello? I’d like to be emotionally destroyed in every feasible way within 20 to 60 minutes, please. With a side of cries.

Going forward, the show will never be the same. It’s a true shift in the status quo, and something that has changed the Justice League forever. Shayera’s going to have to live with the consequences of her actions, and the others are going to have to recover from not only her betrayal, but the trauma of having nearly lost everything to the Thanagarians. Much like the Justice Lords, it’s a pall that lingers in the air for the rest of the show’s run.

Justice League Unlimited:

So 2 years have passed since the events of “Starcrossed,” and it’s time for a new era. Justice League Unlimited, as a sequel series, features a completely different premise and structure from its original. Following the invasion, the Justice League has expanded to include pretty much every DC hero the writers were given access to, even the most obscure ones literally no one has heard of.

So rather than two-parters, we now get more episodic, self-contained stories featuring a small team of different characters. There’s way more creative freedom now with the kinds of stories we can tell, and the show also becomes a bit more lighthearted as well. It doesn’t feel watered down whatsoever. If anything, I appreciate the added wit and levity, especially because it makes the darker moments stand out even more by contrast.

The original League members are still around, but it’s not all about them anymore. We’ve got plenty of other heroes as well: Green Arrow, Black Canary, Supergirl, and many more. And shockingly, the show does a great job endearing you to them immediately. You don’t need to know anything about these characters beforehand from the comics, or from previous DCAU shows, which I very much appreciate.

I just adore this approach and story structure, and truth be told, I’ve rewatched Unlimited way more than the original series. I just really enjoy being able to pick an episode, sit down, and enjoy a story from beginning to end in just 20 minutes. This show’s a masterclass in tone balancing, pacing, handling an ensemble cast, and balancing episodic and overarching storytelling. Also, THE INTRO SLAPS.

Favorite Unlimited Members:

Real quick, let’s go over some of my favorite new additions to the Justice League. First up, Green Arrow, one of my many fictional husbands because he’s perfect (I’d say don’t tell Wally, but like, I doubt he’d care). He’s one of those superheroes without any superpowers, which makes him vital in the first story arc of Unlimited, which… again, love this phrase, we will get to.

Green Arrow is very focused on helping out the little guy. He’s initially hesitant to join the Justice League, since in his view, their focus is on all the supervillains who threaten the world on a global scale, rather than helping everyday, ordinary people. He helps the League remain down to Earth and connected to regular folks.

Not to mention, he’s just so sweet. I love the big brother vibe he has with Supergirl, and I enjoy his banter with Question. Given his insights and detective skills, Green Arrow kinda gives well-adjusted Batman energy. Like, Batman if he went to therapy and got his shit together.

Supergirl, a.k.a. Kara Kent, is from the Superman animated series, but I only really know her from Unlimited. She’s got all of Superman’s abilities, but she’s a lot more… immature. She’s very stubborn, very prideful, and very gung-ho, but that makes sense, given she feels like she’s got a lot to prove being so young compared to the rest of the Justice League, and especially being the baby cousin of the world’s favorite superhero.

She plays a pretty important role during the Cadmus Arc, which helps to mature Supergirl in facing up to the responsibilities the League must shoulder. She becomes much more mature in the third season, but thankfully doesn’t lose that jovial, fun-loving spirit that makes her so endearing. Specifically, I love not only her dynamic with Green Arrow, but with Green Lantern, since John serves as a harsh but caring mentor figure. Maybe Kara’s favorite color is green, despite the whole kryptonite thing?

Now… the Question. This motherfucker is a fan favorite, and it’s not hard to see why. Hiding his face, Question is a massive conspiracy theorist, but thankfully, far more tolerable than the ones you probably know in your own life… or the internet. Question is a pure skeptic, seeking patterns where others wouldn’t think to look, which winds up being incredibly useful when investigating certain government activities.

Personally, if I knew Question, I wouldn’t be able to fucking stand him, but he’s a delight to watch. Especially given his unbothered demeanor. Like, dude will sing bubble-gum pop songs to himself as he casually breaks into a government building. What a legend.

Huntress is another fun character. She actually gets kicked out of the Justice League for trying to kill a criminal the League is protecting, so for the rest of the show, she’s just this rogue ally who does her own thing. I absolutely love her in “Double Date,” which, you guessed it, we will discuss later, but her attitude and cockiness make her a surprisingly fun, endearing character. Also, I live for her and Question’s relationship. No way in hell should these two work, and yet their chemistry is effortless.

Then we have Vixen, a high-class supermodel who’s able to harness the abilities of animals, with arguably the best visual accompaniment for said power. Like, the animal-shaped wisps around her? I live for this.

Since John and Shayera are done, John has been dating Vixen, and while they’re definitely not endgame, I still love Vixen’s character and dynamic with them both. She’s level-headed, cool and collected, and has the smoothest voice I’ve ever heard? She’s got enough patience to make up for both John and Shayera, but that doesn’t mean she’s weak. Not by a long shot.

Not only do I enjoy the flirtier, calmer side of John she brings out, but I also really enjoy the friendly rivalry between her and Shayera when she rejoins the League. Vixen kinda helps in forcing Shayera to rekindle the flame of her righteous fury, since she’s been burnt out ever since “Starcrossed.”

The Cadmus Arc:

Unlimited is split into three seasons, each consisting of 13 episodes. While the show is more episodic, it also features overarching stories, with the first two seasons being the Cadmus Arc, which honestly is probably my personal favorite story arc from the show as a whole.

Remember the whole “Better World” thing, where the Justice Lords lost Flash, killed President Lex Luthor, and took over the world? Well, to help stop the Justice Lords, Superman had to pardon our Lex Luthor and get him outta prison. And to do that, he had to disclose what exactly was going on that required letting him loose. And uh… suffice to say, the U.S. government didn’t exactly take the idea of being toppled by the Justice League very well.

In response, they began Project Cadmus: a project bringing together powerful politicians, business leaders, and scientists to develop methods to fight back against the Justice League should they ever go rogue. We occasionally encounter them in the first season, with Supergirl discovering that she’s been cloned. This clone, Galatea, has been trained by Cadmus to fight back against Superman and Supergirl, and lowkey wants to get rid of Supergirl to assert her own existence. Which… yeah, the show does acknowledge what a sad, fucked up existence that is.

The guy who created her, Professor Hamilton, was actually a surgeon who saved Supergirl’s life back in the Superman series, but harvested her DNA from that surgery in order to create Galatea. It’s a total violation that he justifies by citing Superman being turned against Earth by Darkseid. Again, another Superman series thing, but the show gives you the necessary context. Love to see it. And when Galatea refers to him as her dad? I just… I feel so sad, but also so furious, and I’m here for this messiness.

Later on, we learn that Project Cadmus is even genetically engineering their own team of superheroes: the Ulti-Men. They’re parodies of infamous Superfriends characters, which again, is very funny for those who get the references. But beyond that, they’re a tragic casualty of Cadmus’ ambitions. They were led to believe they were real people with their own families and pasts, but in truth are just pawns in Cadmus’ schemes. And because of their nature, their forms will soon give out, and they’ll die, only to be replaced by another generation of Ulti-Men.

It’s here we meet Amanda Waller, quite possibly one of the baddest bitches in media, and Batman’s best rival - YEAH, I SAID WHAT I SAID. That moment she clocks Batman’s secret identity? The scream I’ve scrumpt every time I’ve rewatched this scene.

Batman later confronts her directly in her own home, calling her out for her and Cadmus’ actions, only to witness the clapback of the century as Waller points out why Cadmus deems their actions necessary. And… yeah, I can see her point. I’m not shocked the government would need a failsafe if the Justice League ever turned on them. It doesn’t excuse any of Cadmus’ actions, but it helps to explain them, and makes them a far more compelling antagonist.

Cadmus is partially bankrolled by Luthor, who now that he’s out of prison is running… for president. Uh, yeah, you can probably tell that Superman isn’t taking this well. To the point that Luthor is able to pit him against Shazam… oh, sorry, Captain Marvel, and destroy an entire city constructed by Luthor. But it’s all to prop up his own image while also destroying Superman’s reputation. Yes, part of it is to help advance Cadmus’ agenda, but it’s also cuz Luthor just fuckin’ hates Supes and wants him to suffer. What a hoe.

When the Question discovers the truth of the Justice Lords’ rise to power, he confronts Superman for hiding this from the public and all the Justice League outside the original seven. He thoroughly believes this terrible fate will be inevitable so long as Luthor lives. And so, he takes it upon himself to… kill Luthor himself. A bold strategy. Let’s see how it pays off for him. It did not.

So now, Supes teams up with Huntress to say “Fuck the rules, we’re saving our boy.” They break into Cadmus’ headquarters, save Question, fight another Leaguer who’s been turned against them, and roast Professor Hamilton on the way out. Cadmus basically takes this as a declaration of war, while the League argues amongst themselves as to whether they should escalate the conflict.

And ya know what? I get the League’s apprehension, and I’m not really one to believe the state has people’s best interests at heart. But I also get where Green Arrow is coming from in fearing what would happen if the Justice League actually did go rogue.

Unfortunately, Luthor interrupts this debate by hacking into the Watchtower’s systems, and using… basically a nuclear warhead to destroy Cadmus’ headquarters. He assumes Waller and the rest of Cadmus will die in the blast, but they’d already moved out following Superman’s attack. Still, the blast devastates the surrounding area, and suffice to say, the public isn’t very trusting of the Justice League seemingly opening fire on them at random.

The original seven decide to turn themselves into government custody as a show of good faith… well, except Batman. He has notes on this strategy. Meanwhile, Galatea leads an army of Ulti-Men in a siege of the Watchtower, leading to an all-out war with the Unlimited members, and a final showdown with Supergirl.

Batman confronts Waller again, finally getting her to open her eyes to the real enemy: Lex Luthor. All along, he’d been using Cadmus’ resources to construct a nanotech form inspired by Amazo. Ya know, that big scary android guy? He was hoping to move his consciousness into this thing to achieve godhood, but Waller said, “I lived bitch, and I think the fuck not.”

Just as the OG seven rock up to help Waller stop Luthor… Brainiac shows up. And… it is nasty. It’s another “thing that happened in the Superman animated series.” Bit of an asspull, but I’m willing to forgive it for the sake of spectacle. Plus, as others have said before, there’s no real “right answer” to the whole Cadmus story, and if anything, villains like Brainiac show why exactly the Justice League is needed in this terrifying world.

But of course, Luthor and Brainiac are a match made in hell. Brainiac’s basically this robot programmed to destroy worlds to archive their knowledge, and keep going until all of creation is gone. Why? Well, because he’s programmed to. But Luthor has greater ambitions, and that applied to Brainiac’s power? Oh, you should be very, very scared.

Briefly, we get to fight nanotech recreations of the Justice Lords. I wish it was a longer segment, but it’s a nice moment seeing the Justice League overcome their inner demons that they’ve been wrestling with the past two seasons. Luthor nearly kills Flash, but Flash manages to tap into his true power, literally sonic punching Brainiac out of Luthor’s body and destroying him.

Flash nearly disappears, but the League manages to pull him back in one of the most heartfelt moments of the entire series. Like… I cannot describe how much this wrecks me every time I rewatch this.

Addressing the public, the League nearly disbands, but Green Arrow calls them out. Having dragged the League for their behavior beforehand, this means a lot coming from him, as he still sees the world as needing the League to protect and serve them. And from henceforth, we’ll get another status quo change, where the Justice League remains its own entity, but will work much more closely with the people they serve, and even install a Watchtower on Earth.

And I… love this. I adore the political messiness of this season, and the fact the show is dedicated to portraying the nuance of this topic. Cadmus are still clearly the bad guys, but you can understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. There are times watching that I am genuinely scared of Superman going off the deep end.

Favorite Unlimited Episodes:

So outside the main plot, Unlimited has some banger episodes. Let’s talk about them now, because I said so!

First up, “For The Man Who Has Everything.” Good gods, this one ruins me, and I thank it for it. Diana and Batman head to Superman’s base, the Fortress of Solitude, to surprise him for his birthday, only to find him in a trance with this ugly alien plant drilling into his goddamn chest. This plant, the Black Mercy, feeds on your life force while trapping its victim in a happy dream. Essentially, it locks you in delulu land.

And the Black Mercy was provided by Mongol, a returning villain from one of the most hated episodes of the original show. But he is way freakier here. He’s almost as strong as Superman, and is incredibly violent, bloodthirsty, and misogynistic. Wonder Woman is powerful, but she gets utterly wrecked just trying to hold Mongol off. Still, gotta give her credit. She did a damn good job.

Supes, meanwhile, is trapped in a world where his homeworld of Krypton was never destroyed. He’s grown, he’s married to a loving wife, and he even has an adorable kid. It’s a peaceful, happy life and nothing more, which makes it all the more painful as he realizes what’s happening, and has to let his dream world be destroyed in order to escape and help his friends.

Oh, and to break your heart even more, Batman also gets bitten by the Black Mercy, and his dream is watching his dad beat the crap outta the guy who killed him and his wife. And as Diana cries out for Batman to wake up, how does he wake up? By witnessing his father’s death. I just… how am I meant to go on?

In the end, Diana stops Mongol by latching the Black Mercy onto him. He’s dreaming… of murder. Lovely. But it’s at least a bittersweet ending. Diana’s gift was a special flower meant to resemble those of Krypton, but it was killed in the fight. Still, it’s a beautiful gift, and Superman is left with at least the comfort that he can still carry on the culture of his people, and of his parents, even if they’re all gone. This man needs a hug.

Onto a more lighthearted episode: “This Little Piggy.” Diana and Batman encounter Circe… yes, that Circe. She’s looking to wreak a little havoc upon the mortal world, and to spite Hippolyta, she turns Diana… into a pig. So now, Batman is pigsitting, and tries to get the help of his magician friend Zatana to turn her back.

Diana kinda runs off, forcing a bunch of other heroes to go pig hunting, and Diana to nearly wind up dying in a slaughterhouse. Yeah, it’s uh… it’s surprisingly fucked up for such a comedy-focused episode. In the meantime, Batman and Zatana search for Circe, at one point even asking for Medusa’s help. Can I just say I live for the comedy in this show? And Medusa is a mood.

But Circe? She’s only present for this one episode, and she just completely stole the show. One of my favorite villains just from her attitude, her temper, and her musical talents! That’s right. Bitch got outta Tartarus just so she could perform a cute little number to spite the goddamn sirens. What a queen.

In the end, Circe agrees to turn Diana back provided Batman give up something precious… his dignity. Okay but real talk, Kevin Conroy’s singing voice is gorgeous. May that legend, the one, true Batman, rest in peace. But Batman is reluctant to ever admit his feelings, let alone show vulnerability, and what’s more vulnerable than singing in public? Don’t answer that question.

Diana is restored to human form, and uh… I’m pretty sure Zatana recorded that concert and showed her. Ugh, these two are just so cute. There’s no way Batman ever acted on his feelings, cuz he’s convinced if he loves anyone, the universe will punish the shit out of him, but I do enjoy he and Diana’s moments, and I live for how fed up Diana is by Batman’s fear of connection.

Oh yeah, never got to mention it cuz I didn’t mention it, but there’s an episode in the first series where Diana nearly dies stopping a missile, and gets buried under the rubble when it crashes into the ground. Batman loses it trying to dig her out, and when Diana frees herself, Batman tries to hide all the dirt on his gloves, all like, “I wasn’t afraid for you. I totally don’t have feelings for you.” To witch Diana quietly goes, “Sure Jan,” and gives him a kiss on the cheek. SO. FUCKING. CUTE.

Next up is “Wake the Dead.” Remember Solomon Grundy, the zombie who managed to die for real? Well, he’s back now, cuz some loser nerds decided to fuck around and find out. Grundy’s been revived, but is nothing like himself. He’s just this violent brute going around destroying everything in sight, and he’s being powered by ancient chaos magic that basically renders him invincible, even to powerful entities like Doctor Fate and Amazo. Ya know what would really help with that? An anti-magic mace.

Since “Starcrossed,” Shayera has been chilling out in Doctor Fate’s tower, removed from the rest of the world and given a space to reflect. However, she’s kinda just been sulking and beating herself up the whole time. She hates herself for betraying Thanagar, but she also hates herself for deceiving the Justice League and betraying Earth as well. She spent years living a lie, and doesn’t know how to move on now that she’s lost everything.

But in this moment, when Grundy is in need, Shayera steps in, cuz that’s her friend suffering. Ultimately, she’s the one who has to stop him, since only her mace has the power to stop the magic that’s brought him back. And it is… one of the most heart wrenching, tragic moments I’ve ever seen.

In the end, the crowd curses at Shayera, but a mother and daughter she saved thank her. It’s something small, but it’s a start to her living up to becoming a hero again. We also get the revelation fo the Justice League votes here: John abstained, given his biases; Batman and Diana voted for Shayera to leave, given Diana’s fury and Batman’s… Batman-ness; and Flash, J’onn, and Superman voted for her to stay. Superman’s moment of support here? Oh it warms my heart.

It winds up fueling the public outrage towards the Justice League, since the world pretty much still hates Shayera, referring to her as Hawkgirl even though she’s discarded that persona. And Shayera’s still got a lot of work to do. Regaining her confidence, facing the Thanagarians she betrayed again, figuring out her new dynamic with John and Vixen, and mending fences with Diana.

Something I especially love about her story from here on is the visual representation of her change. She doesn’t go by Hawkgirl anymore, nor does she don a mask or superhero outfit. It’s just… her. A lot of folks make fun of her “yoga pants” look, but I don’t personally mind it. In fact, I kinda prefer this to her Hawkgirl look, cuz it’s just her. It’s just Shayera. No more lies, no more masks. Just a woman who fucked up trying to do better.

I’m a huge fan of the episode “The Balance,” since it focuses on the conflict between Diana and Shayera. As the only women on the original team, and given Diana grew up in a culture of only women, it’s easy to presume Diana would look at Shayera like a sister. A sister who understands man’s world and can help her to understand it and find her way. I especially love the episode “Fury” from the original series for this reason.

So in this episode, where Faust - the foe who instigated the conflict which led to Diana being banished from Themyscira - usurps Hades and takes over the Underworld, the subsequent chaos causes all the Justice League’s magic users to lose control of themselves. And so, Diana has to return home and get Hades back on the throne, despite the fact she hates Hades, cuz… ya know, he employed Faust last time to escape and tried to kidnap Hippolyta.

To take down a magical foe, you naturally need some anti-magic. And what’s Diana’s solution? Steal Shayera’s mace. But Shayera ain’t havin’ it, and so we get a reluctant teamup where together, they kick Faust’s ass and save Hades, in the process… kinda restoring their friendship? They’re never gonna be besties, but I love the camaraderie they manage to build between them.

Also, little thing: Diana, like in her pre-New 52 backstory, was sculpted from clay by Hippolyta and brought to life by the gods. Ya know, brought into the world without a man, because insert bad Katy Perry song here. But Hades suggests that she wasn’t alone, if you catch my drift. It’s never confirmed or denied, but Diana I think comes to a pretty solid conclusion - who the fuck cares? I love this for her. But for the record, the idea of Diana being the daughter of Hades, and Princess of the Underworld? I live for it.

Especially cuz admittedly, I am still annoyed Justice League bought into the whole “Hades equals Satan so therefore Hades evil” thing. Yes, I am one of those bitches, get over it. But Diana being Hades’ daughter? THAT’D BE SO COOL. It’s also giving the Percy Jackson effect, where instead of being the child of the Greek god everyone thinks of, you’re the kid of another less recognized god. It’s just refreshing.

I’d go into more episodes I enjoy, but quite frankly, this script is long enough, and I wouldn’t be shocked if this video wound up being… I don’t know? Two hours? I’m a maniac. But I think at this point it’s clear just how compelling and well-written this show as a whole is. Because of Unlimited’s structure, it’s able to tell so many unique stories with different characters, without overwhelming the viewer or requiring them to have pre-existing knowledge to enjoy the story. Top-tier shit.

Conclusion & Outro:

So… yeah, I’m a big Justice League fan, obviously. It’s an excellent series with compelling characters, engaging stories, and mature themes that were absolutely ahead of their time. It’s still beloved by nerds aplenty, but I’m here to yell at you that if you haven’t seen it, you should! And ya know what? If this does well, maybe I’ll make videos of myself getting into the other entries in the DCAU. That sounds fun.