#martian manhunter 4 the win

[pixiatn]

I like how most dpxdc fics where the league straight up kidnaps Phantom to interrogate him don't include Martian Manhunter bc he could just read Danny's mind and be like "y'all are terrorizing a child🤨" also y'know my boy would not stand for them Anti Ecto laws and would side w/ Danny

[itshype]

Excuse me, do you work here? (DC x DP)

This is sort of based off of the core idea behind The second, secret Justice League, so mayhaps consider reading that if you haven't? It'll take you 2 minutes max. Also, here's my masterpost.

So, Danny frequently works with the JL headquartered in the Infinite Realms. Basically, every League-Adjacent hero who died in costume chose to continue their work and make the Violent Afterlife a little safer. It's lead by Jason Todd as Batman (he never revived after Joker killed him in this AU - ....yet?) and has whomever else you like it in it. It's still just called the Justice League because with the zone inhabitants being long dead, never born or aliens, enough of them are unfamiliar with Justice League Earth.

They're better than ghost cops because they all died within the last decade. They remember what it is to be alive, they remember living people who they love and it changes the way that their minds think about crime and criminals in the zone. Their criminals are still people, not just obstructions to their obsessions.

And in a fun swap, Jason lives in mortal terror of the day anyone dares to kill the Joker. He hopes that asshole lives to the age of 108 and dies peacefully in bed so the chances of the Joker becoming an ecto-entity are as low as possible.

The regular, non-secret Justice League are kidnapped by a cool Alien species who want to make them fight. Not to the death, unless you feel like it, but more as a exhibition match. Martian Manhunter, Superman, Green Lantern and Constantine are not pumped to be kidnapped but the Lantern explains that doing well in this tournament will be super great going forward. If other planets hear about Earth's robust defence, they're all going to be less likely to fuck around and find out in future.

So, Constantine, in his infinite wisdom decides to - while they wait for the whole thing to start - summon the "best equipped" Justice League member to fight on their behalf. This other member (he assumes it will be Wonder Woman or Plastic Man) will probably not love being taken to a new planet. But, it's for the greater good and they'll all be taken home later.

But he didn't specify which Justice League - not knowing there are two. A 14 year old (looking) boy shows up. Superman is furious. Constantine, trembling with horror in what his hasty actions have done, explains everything.

Danny's thrilled, he's on a NEW PLANET?! He's met a MARTIAN? And he gets to do a low-stakes fight that could save millions of lives someday? This is the best day ever!

Danny tells them he's gonna fight, and he's gonna win, and they're going to help him get in touch with Batman on Earth when he's done. As payment.

He wants to tell Earth Batman that Ghost Batman loves him and never blamed him etc etc. Things Jason didn't exactly tell Danny to tell Bruce, but that he's mentioned to the team as wishing he could reach out and tell Batman before. (Why doesn't Jason go to Earth? Maybe he doesn't know which one, maybe the idea of being on the same planet as Joker sends him into a destructive rage, maybe he thinks telling Bruce he's still out there would do more harm than good... idk)

4 adult heroes watch in awe as Danny does a magic girl transformation into Inverted Danny and starts pulling more and more powers out of absolutely nowhere. Danny obliterates his competition and everyone is scared to hell of him. He gives an unwanted speech about what an honour it was to represent his solar system (he's thinking of his new bestie Martian Manhunter's culture's safety too).

It's only on the way home in the spaceship owned by the tournament mangers that it occurs to any of the Normal Justice League members to ask how this kid they've never even heard of is a member of their team and what he wants to discuss with Batman.

[dc-megatournament]

DC Mega Tournament

Round 4

Vote for who you think would win

[abyssal-ali]

Marinette "Valkyrie" Wayne

Masterlist Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 ao3 link (completed) Valkyrie’s suit

Pairing: Marijon

Rating: G

WC: 1k

The next day, since several JL members were there, there was a briefing on Batman's progress in finding Ladybug. He’d spoken with former holders, but no one except Chloe knew LB’s identity, and she wasn’t talking.

Of course, there had to be another alien invasion during the briefing, when only a fraction of the JL was there at the front lines. On the plus side, at least they were at the front lines and could hopefully prevent damage that occurred between their transport to the scene from the Watchtower.

Everyone suited up and called in backup.

The first to arrive were Constantine, GL#3 (Guy Gardner), Dr. Fate, Martian Manhunter, Zatanna, Fire & Ice, and Supergirl.

Flash and Kid Flash ran over and soon almost all the JL and Titans were there.

Most of the battle took place in the air.

Batman couldn’t help but hope Ladybug would come out of retirement to defend her city again.

However, she was currently on top of the Eiffel Tower as Valkyrie, taking out alien ships, and using her knives to cut essential parts. Whatever her knives were made of, they were strong enough to cut the alien materials.

Red Robin wondered how she knew which parts were essential but was too preoccupied to ask.

Then, a bolt of energy fired from one of the ships hit the Tower and knocked Valkyrie off, sending her plunging to the ground. Wonder Woman was on a lower ring of the Tower and tossed her lasso out to snag Valkyrie on her way down.

“NO!” she screeched.

Diana understood– she wouldn’t like to be falling so many feet if she couldn’t fly, either.

But the lasso began to glow more than normal – oh wait, that was Valkyrie.

Diana’s hold on her lasso loosened in her shock, and Valkyrie hovered midair.

She sighed heavily. “Why now,” in a monotone voice.

A white, pulsing light blinded everyone. When they looked up, Valkyrie was glowing with a bright frequency. Her eyes were a burning blue, her hair was defying gravity and her skin appeared burning gold from the inside out, she was in a white catsuit, and she was flying.

Pulsing multi-coloured orbs of light and energy hovered around her hands.

With a burst of speed, she flew up to the leading alien warship and spoke in an eerie, unsettling voice.

“I must defend my land. You will not win against me, for I am Guardian. I’ll give you one chance. Leave peacefully, and I will spare you. Go, now.”

To everyone’s shock, the ships actually turned and left, the few fighters who had been deployed to Earthbegam beaming back up to their ship.

Guardian stayed hovering and ready to fire until the last ship was out of sight. Then she turned and flew down the top of the Tower. Her index finger touched the tip and a bar of light spread down the sides and across Earth, fixing all the damage that had been caused.

The light dimmed, and Valkyrie reappeared. She slid down the side, hopping off into Superboy’s hug. He picked her up in a bridal carry and she rested her head on his shoulder, exhausted from expending so much energy at once. 

Batman cleared his throat behind them. “Valkyrie, what was that?”

“Uh, I got hit by an alien energy bolt and fell off the tower and then sent the aliens off with my super cool new powers?”

“Try again, Ladybug. That damage reversal sure looked a lot like your old “Miraculous Ladybug” cure-all.”

The JL and TT members not involved in the drama were shooed off by the Bats and the ones that remained gathered in the JL’s temporary Parisian HQ. Batman led the conversation.

“So, would you like to explain some things to us, Valkyrie? Or should I say, Ladybug?”

“Not really, no.”

“Let’s start with an easy question. Where is the vessel?”

Valkyrie lifted her shirt to show the tattoo. “I am the vessel.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Mullo, Trixx, Nooroo, Pollen, Plagg, Duusu, Tikki, Kaalki, Sass, Stompp, Roarr, Daizzi, Longg, Orikko, Fluff, Ziggy, Wayzz, Xuppu, Barkk, divide.”

With each name said, the Leaguers’ eyes bugged a little more. The Kwami flew protectively around Valkyrie. 

“As to why I never told you and hid my previous ID, I knew you’d act like this, all suspicious. Because it’s magic and you don’t understand it except that it's immensely powerful and I’m just a teenager. It’s none of your business, and none of you understand the Order’s ways anyhow.”

“...so why did you reveal it now?”

“I didn’t want to but I didn't want to see the world end again more.”

“Um, again ?”

“Different timeline, won’t happen again,” Valkyrie waved off Superman’s concern. 

“Diana’s Lasso unbalances Trixx’s and my illusion magic and upsets my balance, which is why I fainted that time we sparred and was revealed today.”

Batman stood up.

Two long knives formed in Valkyrie’s hands and she slid into a defensive position.

Red Robin and Robin side-eyed each other. They knew they hadn’t hallucinated weapons appearing and disappearing. 

“Calm down, Valkyrie. Just because I dislike and don’t understand magic doesn’t mean I don’t love you or that I want you to give up your…Kwami,” Batman soothed. “I just wish you could have trusted me.”

Valkyrie turned invisible, and when she reappeared, she was hugging Batman.

Dick and Damian in particular were enamored with the Kwami. Tim got too annoyed with trying to figure them out, and Jason was a little cold because Plagg and Tikki created the Lazarus Pits. Cass got along well with Nooroo and Sass, and Steph squealed at the kwami cuteness overload. Babs liked them okay but the more…energetic kwami got on her nerves, reminding her of the Waynes’ antics. 

Jon was just relieved Marinette didn’t have to hide them anymore and that he didn’t have to keep yet another secret.

Nowadays when Valkyrie went out, she used her powers seamlessly, terrifying the criminals who encountered her and frustrating her family, who continually got pranked by her. Sometimes she used multiplication to be Delphi and Valkyrie at the same time, and sometimes Supergirl Jr. joined Superboy in Metropolis on date night.

[justiceleaque]

Hey Leaque! I know you watched the new Justice League movie and I was around when you were doing the very first DC movie reviews back in the day. I would absolutely love a review of this one if you have the time :)

i've been a fan of Snyder's universe from day 1 so i understand this might be considered an off-balance review already, but i want to note that i didn't come in wanting the film to be good or willing to see it as good despite actual impressions. i wanted to watch it as the Justice League movie i was supposed to get back in 2017, the same one i was willing to not watch for years if it meant Zack Snyder got to finish his vision even later down the line

i was actually as neutral as i could possibly get because at this point i don't have any real emotional involvement in whether this version of the DCEU continues or not. WB execs have done some fucked up things with the treatment of the cast/ray fisher, so i take this as Snyder's DC trilogy and nothing more (which makes it bittersweet for me but that's a different topic)

heavy spoilers follow

it's incredibly comic book-like. i remember typing the exact same words back in the Dawn of Justice days: it doesn't read as a superhero film a la Marvel but as a comic book film. each frame could be a realistically painted comic book frame; the dialogues would fit freakishly well if they had to fit speech bubbles. the damn scene overlaps and changes are heavily reminiscent of a comic book. better yet: of a Justice League comic book. if you’re familiar with comic book events where big things happen and it affects everyone, this is how this reads

it’s a heavy film but it’s not hopeless. i’ve been seeing reviews pop-up already: “ZS’s Justice League film is twice as longe and twice as hopeless” is the maybe verbatim title of most articles. the one thing i kept thinking throughout these four hours is how much hope this is filled with. we’re dealing with a post-superman world that was shaken by the loss of a beloved superhero and you see batman, the #1 comic book superhero known for brooding and darkness and all things sad and bad, be the loudest, most hopeful person in the film, trying to get a team together to save the world, and later on being two steps from literally screaming that bringing back superman is what should happen no matter the cost because of his faith and hope in winning. did we watch the same film?

in the same vein, the 4 hours seem like a stretch until you realize each part has an actual purpose that introduces or ties in important aspects related to the film’s one purpose: take down Steppenwolf and Darkseid. i don’t believe any scene was wasted on useless information. it can get tiring in the way watching a shot tv series gets tiring: it does NOT get boring at any point

such wonderful character arcs. seeing each of the team’s personalities and quirks, the way they clash with each other, the way it makes it all work so goddamn beautifully. the way they click because they just keep interacting so much? Whedon’s cut didn’t give me a team, it gave me five different people in costume that were forced to sort of work in the same vicinity as each other. Snyder’s cut gave me a version of the Justice League that worked so flawlessly together by the end of the film it felt like a dance. felt like comic book page spreads

right before the epilogue they all pose together in the rising dawn, clark included, having won. super reminiscent of the JL cartoon intro. i cried a bit

J’ONN J’ONZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO YOU KNOW THE AMOUNT OF SPECULATION ABOUT GENERAL SWANWICK BEING THE MARTIAN MANHUNTER BACK WHEN MAN OF STEEL WAS RELEASED???? VINDICATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

listen to me. i need to make this clear. listen.  j’onn. j’onny boy. the way he’s designed and cgi’d..........the adorable frown............the kind smile......................his obvious need to make others feel better and to simply help......................i love him

his interaction with bruce only comes in the end and it’s super brief but seeing those two still not know how the hell each other works even in film format is hilarious. bruce having accepted aliens and magic and shit is the new norm after like 20 years of only having to deal with the joker attempting to rob neon green hair dyes or some shit is so much bigger of a character development than i ever expected, especially coming from BvS where he’s just a stupid fat-bat-carrying onion

i wasn’t a big fan of Suicide Squad’s joker portrayal but we get to see him at the end of the film while we’re seeing a possible future where lois lane has died and superman is best friends with darkseid playing tic-tac-antilife equation. Snyder somehow managed to turn jared leto into a disgustingly legit comic-faithful joker. dont’ ask me how

in the same scene they mention jason and his death

: - (

we see a few bits of some green lanterns in some scenes, one from the past and one from a possible ultra dark and edgy darkseid future. still convinced bruce simply willingly did not go looking for hal, which, fair

they cut out the fish joke bruce tells arthur when they first meet which immediately turns the whole film into a 1/10 for me

ben affleck’s bruce wayne and batman continue being my favorite on-screen batman iteration to date. we finally move from the usual dark lone soldier version Hollywood is relentlessly giving us into one that belongs with the Justice League. incredibly heartwarming to see

there’s a scene when the JL are first assaulting Steppenwolf’s base and they’re all fighting parademons and shit and there’s a moment where you see batman fighting the Space SWAT From Hell alone and the way he moves? the way he flows from one position to another and another like i’m watching a damn comic book animation????????? sir????????????????????

barry allen saved them

like, literally, barry allen saved them. superman was back and everyone was ready to dance one final time and they were all going ‘steppenwolf fucking SUCKS’ and steppenwolf was crying to darkseid and then the motherboxes did their thing and they all were obliterated into star dust and then barry allen was like ‘bitch i told you i need FRIENDS’ and turned back time and now they’re all okay again :o)

darkseid @ batman through his magic spacetime portal: i’m gonna get your ass one day soon and take you back in time and you’re gonna eventually bring about the end of the world by having every dark twisted batman invade your universe because you inspired them

batman:

batman:

batman: i haven’t read Rebirth bro

i know i’m forgetting stuff but that’s the gist. hands down one of the best comic book film experiences i’ve ever had. with an aside to barry allen being more of a mix of barry and wally, everyone feels incredibly faithful to the source material. also batman definitely killed like, at least 400 parademons in one night, but pest control doesn’t count

(like. he straight up obliterates them)

(pulls out a batbazuka on them)

(amazing)

[mrawkweird]

Some of the best 4 hours I’ve ever spent in my life..

Now I get how 4 hours can seem as if it’s incredibly excessive and some may not have the patience for that but holy shit if it wasn’t completely worthy of that run time. By the end of it all I would have gladly stuck around for more.

It almost doesn’t feel real that I’ve actually finally seen it and yet here I am after having finally seen it. This movie almost felt like a love letter to all of those who never gave up on this universe and always wanted more and damn if this film didn’t give me every single thing I ever wanted for the past 5 years. Not to mention it was a complete triumph for Snyder himself to finally get the opportunity to see his vision to the end after such unfortunate circumstances.

Yes; there will be SPOILERS.

Full disclosure, I’ve always said that I had fun with the other version of Justice League. However, the thing about that is you’d be surprised by how good certain things taste when you’re starving and I was absolutely starving for more DC content from Snyder’s universe. Like, hell; they gave me a live action Batman/Bruce that I actually liked and appreciated. Affleck was the most Batman a live action adaptation has ever been, I ain’t about that Nolan/Bale life, so you damn right I was gonna wholeheartedly support that shit back in 2017. After actually being delivered a quality feast this time around I’ll be damned if it ain’t clear as crystal just how much heart, soul and character was completely sucked out of what Snyder originally intended for this film just to try and compete with Marvel.

This film gave me more of Affleck’s Batman, more of Cavil’s Superman, more of Wonder Woman being an absolute badass, more of Leto’s Joker that I really thought the universe would never allow me to fucking have that I’ll still stand by to this day as well as actually make you care about the new editions of Cyborg, Flash and Aquaman. They made you care about every character and delivered on the many things the first film was so severely lacking.

Also, that damn powerhouse of a soundtrack. It was just so beautiful and Junkie XL took that whole thing to another level. Right when I thought Wonder Woman’s theme couldn’t be any more epic they said “Hold up; look at this shit we got”.

Fun Fact: I cried. Shocker I know but I’m just gonna admit to that. From Cryborg...”Cryborg”? Yep; that’s me. I’m Cryborg. From Cyborg and Flash’s individual stories about coming into their own and finding acceptance within themselves to seeing Batman’s character progression from Batman V Superman to this film going from hopeless to hopeful is the shit that fucking hit me.

I swear, to not return to this universe would be a complete and utter crime by Warner Bros. No offense to The Batman but I don’t necessarily need The Batman, all the offense to Joker but I for damn sure don’t need Joker. I want Affleck’s Batman, I want Leto’s Joker, I want more of Ray Fisher’s Cyborg because he killed that portrayal and they would be out of their entire absolute mind if they don’t think I want more of Cavil’s Superman.

Let that man have his Man Of Steel 2 before he’s off somewhere getting wasted in the MCU as Captain Britain or some shit.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League was truly a whole journey and a half and I’m still not even able to fully encapsulate everything it has made me feel into words. The best way I can think to put it is its made me feel full. They also made me feel validated for being a fan of this universe even when the world wanted to go “See? This is why MCU always wins”. It gave me everything and even then I still want more from Snyder’s vision for the DCEU. They need to let this universe continue, they need to let them tell their story until they have no more left to tell.

They earned the absolute fuck out of this hero shot this time around.

Also, fucking Darkseid..

Absolute beast of a character, a beast of a villain and he’s only just getting started. We need, NEED to see him go all out in the future and I’m not just talking about any Darkseid but THIS Darkseid.

Also, also...

MARTIAN. MANHUNTER. IN. THIS. BITCH.

Like, how can you not go back for them?

[plasticnightmaredoll]

So, the "Justice League" finally got its own movie, eh? Oh, that thing from 2017 was just trash. It's gone. We don't need to look at it anymore.

But in all seriousness, it's great people called out for the Zack Snyder cut of the movie and actually got it! And, yes, it is a vast improvement over the Joss Whedon cut.

Now, my feelings about the DCEU have been pretty divided:

I actually did enjoy "Man of Steel" and found Superman to be relatable and likable for once (I'm not a Superman fan and don't come for me)

"Wonder Woman" was very entertaining and easily the best entry for me in the movie series so far.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" was a hot mess. Lots of good ideas but it was executed poorly. It felt kind of cheesy at times, especially that whole "Save Martha" thing. Jesse Eisenburg is not a convincing Lex Luthor. Ben Affleck is not a good actor and is a terrible Batman/Bruce Wayne. He's not as bad as George Clooney, but he's not much better either.

"Wonder Woman 1984" was a massive glow-down. Poor quality writing, Maxwell Lord was a weak villain, Cheetah was laughable, and the ending was so goddamn corny! Not to mention, it took ages for anything interesting to happen, and what was the deal with Steve Trevor possessing another dude's body? I mean...what?

Haven't seen "Suicide Squad" in its entirety but I do know and have seen enough to decide that it's a huge misstep. Haven't seen "Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)" either but I have some interest in it so perhaps someday.

Haven't watched "Aquaman" but probably will eventually but I'm just not very motivated to see it. I like Jason Mamoa as Aquaman/Arthur Curry, but...I don't know. The trailers didn't really grab my attention.

The 2017 Joss Whedon version of "Justice League" was terrible -- worse than "Batman v Superman," worse than "Wonder Woman 1984." I thought the movie moved too quickly, lacked proper character development, and had some bad CGI (I mean, Mustache Gate, am I right?)

Onto the Synder Cut for "Justice League!" Spoilers ahead, of course:

These are really a collection of thoughts, opinions, and observations I had while watching the movie. I have only seen the 2017 film once and honestly don't want to watch it ever again, not even to "refresh my memory" of some details.

Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf was such a pitiful villain in the Whedon Cut. The CGI for him was terrible, and he looked like some weird dude in armor. His personality and motives were paper thin as well. He was a throw-away, token villain, and the only things memorable about him was his name and voice.

In the Snyder Cut, not only was Steppenwolf's CGI much more refined, his character design was imposing. His armor seemed to be alive, too, always shifting slightly, this way and that, which was an impressive sight. His motives, while nothing too deep or extraordinary, gave him a little more depth: he pissed off Darkseid and had to make up for it, and was clearly afraid of what could happen to him if he failed.

The name and voice obviously were still memorable but combined with the other improvements to his character, they were icing on the cake.

That being said, I don't think Steppenwolf is as intriguing or even remotely sympathetic as Loki and Thanos in the MCU.

Darkseid

Was Darkseid even mentioned in the Whedon cut? I can't remember and I don't want to watch that shitty movie again just to find out. However, I don't recall Darkseid making an appearance or even being spoken of in the 2017 version. Now, I haven't read DC (or Marvel) comics, so I don't know a lot about the guy, but he is supposedly one of the more iconic villains.

His motives are pretty simple, though: command and conquer. There isn't a lot of depth so far in the movies but he does pose a much larger threat than Steppenwolf did. You could tell Steppenwolf was intimidated by Darkseid, who was about as cold and menacing as they come. He's a complete villain in that regard, having no emotions and only seeking power for himself.

He looked great in the Snyder Cut. He was actually really fucking scary-looking. He made the beefcake Steppenwolf look like a puppy.

I'm glad that Darkseid made an appearance, even if he didn't fight the Justice League. It alludes to a much broader story, as well as foreshadows an epic boss fight down the line -- assuming the Snyder Cut is popular enough to convince the studios to make a direct sequel and not just abandon things in favor of some sort of soft reboot.

Superman/Clark Kent/Henry Cavill/Mustache Gate

Let's get this out of the way: Henry Cavill is hot af.

Ok, now that we got that out of the way, hooray for Snyder for getting rid of those nasty reshoot scenes involving Henry's CGI'd mouth! Can't say I missed them, you know? I mean, in the 2017 Whedon Cut, you could always spot reshoot scenes based on whether or not Henry's mouth looked normal and totally strange.

I think the 2017 movie had Superman grab Batman by the neck and ask, "Tell me: Do you bleed?" I'm relieved that was removed from the Synder Cut because it added too much of an evil tone to Superman, and we could clearly tell he was most upset with Batman upon being revived.

One massive problem with the 2017 movie was that it made every member of the Justice League look like bumbling idiots without Superman's help. It was downright embarrassing and unrealistic. I mean, you're telling me that Wonder Woman, a goddess, can't take on Steppenwolf? Or Victor Stone, a cyborg with incredible abilities? Making Superman key to winning isn't the problem, it's how it was done in the 2017 movie. He's already OP but that shouldn't mean his comrades have to be useless in comparison.

Superman was allowed to be OP in the Snyder Cut without making his team look incompetent. Like in the Avengers movies, everyone in the Justice League had a purpose and all of them worked together to defeat Steppenwolf. Superman obviously was key to winning, but, again, it wasn't like he was the only capable one during the battle.

I did like the black suit. It's kind of ominous but also very cool at the same time. But is it also foreshadowing something? I don't know...I haven't read the comics so I really don't have any idea lol.

Batman/Bruce Wayne/Batfleck

One glaring issue I still have is Ben Affleck is a mediocre actor at best and he's a terrible Bruce Wayne/Batman. I mean, they couldn't have found anyone else? Someone with, like, good acting abilities?

Martian Manhunter

This whole time -- THIS WHOLE GOTDAMM TIME -- Martian Manhunter was hiding in plain sight! General Swanwick, who I remember from "Man of Steel," IS Martian Manhunter. I didn't see that coming. I mean, I knew Martian Manhunter would appear in the Snyder Cut but I didn't know he'd have an alternate identity, let alone that of an existing character in the DCEU.

As much as I did like seeing him, I am glad he didn't play a big part because the movie already has plenty of characters as is, and introducing yet another one could have slowed things down and taken away from developing the plot.

The Runtime/Pacing

I mentioned already that the Whedon Cut felt rushed and needed much more time to develop its characters and plot. While I had doubts about whether or not making "Justice League" four hours long would be a good idea, it turns out that it was just what the story needed.

Character development was actually existent, and Cyborg/Victor Stone received a detailed backstory, and Flash/Barry Allen got some extra tidbits added to his character's story/background as well.

I actually thought Victor was a fascinating (if a bit tragic) character in the Whedon cut and was disappointed that he just sort of, like, popped up and fought alongside the other Justice League members with the tiniest amount of depth.

Despite an epic 4-hour runtime, it didn't feel slow, nor did it feel like any scenes were "filler." Every scene had a purpose and kept the story moving at a steady, comprehensible pace. It felt more like a 2.5-3 hour movie, honestly, which is a feat since pacing can often be one of a film's biggest issues ("Avengers: Endgame" also accomplished this feat with its 3-hour runtime feeling more like 2-2.5 hours but with no negative side effects of that). Breaking the movie into chapters, including an epilogue was a tad strange because it's not a very common thing, but I think it helped break up the epic 4 hours into separate, manageable but still cohesive pieces. Also, they helped easily transition from one portion to the next smoothly without any awkward cuts.

The Flash/Barry Allen/Ezra Miller

Barry still amused me in the Whedon Cut. He brought some good-natured humor and charm to the movie, preventing it from being too brooding and intense.

I think Ezra is a talented actor and does well in the Barry Allen role but he is, unfortunately, a problematic person. I mean, if he gets recast, he gets recast but hopefully, they pick someone else who has some acting abilities worth noting (i.e. Not a Ben Affleck type of actor)

The Final Battle

It was a huge improvement over the 2017 cut, as everyone was key to winning the final battle, not just Superman. It is meant to be a team of costumed heroes defeating a villain, not just one OP member of the team outdoing everyone else.

That being said, I felt that the final battle was a little bit anti-climatic. I don't know what it was but I just thought that it would be longer? I expected more to happen? More fighting? Not sure how to describe it, but I do feel like it wasn't as impressive as it could have been.

The Epilogue

A dystopian future involving an evil Superman and Joker somehow working WITH Batman was just...crazy. I mean, evil Superman, I can believe, but Joker and Batman working together (even reluctantly) is quite a sight.

Based on what I've been reading, this nightmare Bruce has could be setting up not one but two sequels for "Justice League." I would like to see how things will play out even if things get kind of dark. I'm getting the impression that Darkseid will kill Lois Lane, thus breaking Superman emotionally and making him compliant. That is unless Bruce intervenes in this timeline and prevents that from happening...but at the expense of his own life. Oh dear...

I definitely enjoyed the Zack Snyder version of "Justice League," and would definitely watch it again and again and again. I already have forgotten the majority of the Whedon Cut, and after seeing Synder's version, I think the 2017 movie will be rendered null and void. I hope it is just expelled from the DCEU canon entirely. That, and we get the "Justice League" sequels, preferably from Zack Snyder (Say what you want but I think he is a pretty good director for the most part and seems to really care about this work).

I honestly want to see a fight between the Justice League and Darkseid because I think that's what we're trying to build up to, and seeing as how Darkseid is one of the legendary villains in the DC comics, I would be extremely disappointed if this doesn't come to pass.

Also, as much as I like Batman/Bruce Wayne, seeing him sacrifice himself to save the team, including Lois and thus Superman's sanity, would be something else. It would bring everyone even closer together, for one, and I think that the negativity shared between Batman and Superman in the past would be completely forgiven. I'm not saying there isn't forgiveness now, but dying to save Superman's wife would change everything....if that makes sense? Does it make sense? I'm terrible at explaining my thoughts sometimes.

[themultiverseheroines]

Fandom Tournament

Okay, so I believe a week ago I mentioned my friend was making a tournament featuring characters from anime, cartoons, etc.? Well, he finished it all, with 256 participants. Yep, not 128 like he told me. Anyways, here are the participants who will be facing off against one another. Also, here’s how this tournament will work.

There will be eight blocks. 32 participants and 16 fights in each block from Block A to Block H. This will go on for five rounds until we get to the quarterfinals, then the semi-finals, and then the finals. The participants fighting one another will be done at random. My friend had to use a number generator to make this easier for him.

Now, who wins will be up to my friend based off how he believes the fights would go. He’ll also take into account the opinions of everyone. The first round will be up tomorrow morning and then the second round on Sunday. Then next Friday to Sunday round 3, 4, and 5. And then the week after that the finals.

My friend understands not everyone will like this due to who they feel should win, but this is based off his knowledge of the characters and what they are capable of. While also believing how they’d fight against one another. Hope you’ll like the fights anyways and take care guys. 

Anime

Dragon Ball

1.     Goku

2.     Vegeta

3.     Gohan

4.     Piccolo

5.     Android 17

6.     Android 18

7.     Krillen

8.     Frieza

Bleach

1.     Ichigo Kurosaki

2.     Byakuya Kuchiki

3.     Kenpachi Zaraki

4.     Renji Abarai

5.     Soifon

6.     Mayuri Kurotsuchi

7.     Tier Harribel

8.     Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez

Shaman King

1.     Yoh Asakura

2.     Tao Ren

3.     Horohoro

4.     Johann Faust VIII

5.     Lyserg Diethel

6.     Ryunosuke Umemiya

7.     Chocolove McDonnell

8.     Hao Asakura

Naruto

1.     Naruto Uzumaki

2.     Sasuke Uchiha

3.     Sakura Haruno

4.     Killer Bee

5.     Rock Lee

6.     Shikimaru Nara

7.     Hinata Hyuga

8.     Gaara

One Piece

1.     Monkey D. Luffy

2.     Roronoa Zoro

3.     Nico Robin

4.     Sanji

5.     Tony Tony Chopper

6.     Franky

7.     Brook

8.     Jimbei

One Punch Man

1.     Saitama

2.     Genos

3.     Tatsumaki

4.     Fubuki

5.     Bang

6.     Blast

7.     Atomic Samurai

8.     King

My Hero Academia

1.     Izuku Midoriya

2.     Katsuki Bakugo

3.     Ochaco Uraraka

4.     Shoto Todoroki

5.     Eijiro Kirishima

6.     Rumi Usagiyama

7.     Yu Takeyama

8.     Ryuko Tatsuma

RWBY

1.     Ruby Rose

2.     Weiss Shnee

3.     Blake Belladonna

4.     Yang Xiao Long

5.     Penny Polendina

6.     Oscar Pine

7.     Qrow Branwen

8.     Raven Branwen

Cartoon

Ben 10/Generator Rex/The Secret Saturdays

1.     Ben Tennyson

2.     Gwen Tennyson

3.     Kevin Levin

4.     Rook Blonko

5.     Rex Salazar

6.     Zak Saturday

7.     Charmcaster

8.     Vilgax

He-Man/She-Ra/Thundercats

1.     Prince Adam/He-Man

2.     Skeletor

3.     Adora/She-Ra

4.     Catra

5.     Glimmer, Princess of Bright Moon

6.     Scorpioa

7.     Lion-O

8.     Mumm-Ra

Steven Universe

1.     Stevonnie

2.     Garnet

3.     Pearl

4.     Amethyst

5.     Bismuth

6.     Lapis

7.     Peridot

8.     Spinel

LOK

1.     Korra

2.     Mako

3.     Bolin

4.     Kuvira

5.     Zaheer

6.     Tenzin

7.     Bumi Jr.

8.     Kya

Danny Phantom

1.     Danny Phantom

2.     Danielle “Dani” Phantom

3.     Vlad Plasmius

4.     Dan Phantom

5.     Wulf

6.     Skulker

7.     Vortex

8.     Ember McLain

Transformers

1.     Optimus Prime

2.     Megatron

3.     Bumblebee

4.     Arcee

5.     Bulkhead

6.     Soundwave

7.     Starscream

8.     Shockwave

Disney

1.     Kim Possible

2.     Jake Long

3.     Goliath

4.     Scrooge McDuck

5.     Darkwing Duck

6.     Luz Noceda

7.     Anne Boonchuy

8.     Star Butterfly

TMNT

1.     Leonardo

2.     Raphael

3.     Donatello

4.     Michelangelo

5.     April O’Neil

6.     Splinter

7.     Karai

8.     Shredder

Comic/Book

Justice League

1.     Superman

2.     Wonder Woman

3.     Batman

4.     The Flash

5.     Green Lantern

6.     Shazam

7.     Martian Manhunter

8.     Doctor Fate

9.     Green Arrow

10.  Black Canary

11.  Black Lightning

12.  Supergirl

13.  Zatanna

14.  Nightwing

15.  Starfire

16.  Cyborg

17.  Raven

18.  Beast Boy

19.  Terra

20.  Static

21.  Bumblebee

22.  Superboy

23.  Red Hood

24.  Blue Beetle

25.  Miss Martian

26.  Deathstroke

27.  Killer Frost

28.  Killer Croc

29.  King Shark

30.  Harley Quinn

31.  Black Adam

32.  Lobo

Marvel

1.     Captain America

2.     Captain Marvel

3.     Hawkeye

4.     Black Widow

5.     Iron Man

6.     Scarlet Witch

7.     Vision

8.     Thor

9.     The Hulk

10.  Spider-Man

11.  Ant-Man

12.  Wasp

13.  Black Panther

14.  She-Hulk

15.  Doctor Strange

16.  Ms. Marvel

17.  Ghost Rider

18.  Ghost Spider

19.  Wolverine

20.  America Chavez

21.  Ironheart

22.  X-23

23.  Emma Frost

24.  Jean Grey

25.  Mister Fantastic

26.  Invisible Woman

27.  Human Torch

28.  The Thing

29.  Doctor Doom

30.  Thanos

31.  Apocalypse

32.  Loki

Video Games

Mortal Kombat

1.     Cassie Cage

2.     Jacqui Briggs

3.     Sheeva

4.     Kitana Khan

5.     Raiden

6.     Liu Kang

7.     Sub-Zero

8.     Scorpion

Street Fighter

1.     Ryu

2.     Ken

3.     Chun-li

4.     Cammy White

5.     Sakura Kasugano

6.     Blanka

7.     M. Bison

8.     Zangief

King of Fighters

1.     Terry Bogard

2.     Geese Howard

3.     Rock Howard

4.     Kyo Kusanagi

5.     Blue Mary

6.     Kula Diamond

7.     Yuri Sakazaki

8.     Mai Shiranui

Tekken

1.     Akuma

2.     Jin Kazama

3.     Ling Xiaoyu

4.     Heihachi Mishima

5.     Kazuya Mishima

6.     Nina Williams

7.     Lei Wulong

8.     King II

Dead or Alive

1.     Ayane

2.     Tina Armstrong

3.     Ryu Hayabusa

4.     Leifang

5.     Kasumi

6.     Jann Lee

7.     Helena Douglas

8.     Ein

BlazBlue

1.     Ragna the Bloodedge

2.     Amane Nishiki

3.     Bang Shishigami

4.     Bullet

5.     Hakumen

6.     Nu-13

7.     Taokaka

8.     Makoto Nanaya

Darkstalkers

1.     Demitri Maximoff

2.     Hsien-Ko

3.     Jedah Dohma

4.     Jon Talbain

5.     Morrigan Aensland

6.     Victor von Gerdenheim

7.     Felicia

8.     Pyron

Soulcalibur

1.     Siegfried

2.     Chai Xianghua

3.     Heishiro Mitsurugi

4.     Ivy Valentine

5.     Strider Hiryu

6.     Astaroth

7.     Cassandra Alexandra

8.     Sophitia Alexandra

[marsapartment]

I’ve never watched justice league but I’m super curious about the Snyder cut, what do you think/know about the differences between the two versions of the movie?

The gist is:

Snyder shot all the footage in the original script

the studio worried audiences wanted something fluffier and hired Joss Whedon to rewrite/reshoot scenes - reshoots are quite noticeable and not seamless with the rest of the movie half the time. The theatrical cut of Whedon’s was two hours long.

Only about 25% of was Snyder shot appears in the actual movie - the snyder cut will be about 3.5-4 hours long.

Confirmed things that were cut out of the film: Martian Manhunter reveal, Darkseid, a lot of Cyborg’s story, Iris West, black suit Superman, different Lois/Superman content, there was a different Deathstroke post-credits scene than what appeared in the theatrical cut, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Basically the plot is completely different.

Junkie XL wrote a whole score which was dumped by Whedon and Elfman, so we’re going to finally hear Junkie’s score too (he co-scored BvS and helped on MoS with Hans Zimmer, so it’ll be based on those themes)

Anyway, the story would be pretty different but as to what the story actually is, who’s to say! Mostly just glad the original crew who worked on it are getting their original vision published finally. Even if you don’t like those interpretations of the characters, you shouldn’t view it as any one interpretation winning or anything. This wasn’t a remake-the-last-jedi type situation about fan entitlement, this was about a creative crew that was basically fired horribly by the studio - during a time when the director’s daughter died no less - and letting their work finally have a catharsis 

[funsink]

Superhero Quotes That Will Save the Day Whether You're a Leader or Not

Most of us admire superheroes for their strength and perseverance and these great quotes curated by the Funsink review team will inspire the superhero in you and your children.

1. "When you decide not to be afraid you can find friends in super unexpected places." -- Ms. Marvel

2. "It's about what you believe. And I believe in love. Only love will truly save the world." -- Wonder Woman

3. "Heroes are made by the path they choose, not the powers they are graced with." -- Iron Man

4. "No man can win every battle, but no man should fall without a struggle." -- Peter Parker

5. "Life doesn't give us purpose. We give life purpose." -- The Flash

6. "But everybody's story begins "once upon a time," and it's up to us to cherish the time we're given to ensure we live happily ever after." -- Scarlet Witch

7. "You're much stronger than you think you are. Trust me." -- Superman

8. "I'm loyal to nothing, General... except the Dream." -- Captain America

9. "I have no idea where I'm going to be tomorrow but I accept the fact that tomorrow will come and I'm going to rise to meet it." -- Donna Troy

10. "Someone must have ripped the 'Q' section out of my dictionary, 'cause I don't know the meaning of the word 'quit.'" -- Mr. Furious

11. "The fate of your planet rests not in the hands of gods. It rests in the hands of mortals." -- Thor

12. "The future is worth it. All the pain. All the tears. The future is worth the fight." -- Martian Manhunter

13. "Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up." -- Alfred Pennyworth

14. "This. This is what I am. This is who I am come hell or high water. If I deny it, I deny everything I've ever done. Everything I've ever fought for." -- Green Arrow

15. "The door is more than it appears. It separates who you are from who you can be. You do not have to walk through it... You can run." -- Franklin Richards

16. "With great power comes great responsibility." -- Uncle Ben

17. "A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple as putting a coat around a little boy's shoulders to let him know the world hadn't ended." -- Batman

For plenty more great family content, check out Funsink and subscribe today!

[thecomicsnexus]

Winning Hand

JUSTICE LEAGUE #4 AUGUST 1987 BY KEITH GIFFEN, J. M. DEMATTEIS, KEVIN MAGUIRE, AL GORDON, GENE D’ANGELO AND BOB LAPPAN

The Justice League has to deal with what they know about Maxwell Lord and Booster Gold. But after Dr. Light quits and Booster leaves the cave, the defenses of the lair fall and Booster is the only one who can deal with the Royal Flush Gang.

SCORE: 10

I mean, it’s a bit obvious that the Royal Flush Gang was sent by Maxwell Lord. But it doesn’t take away the credit from Booster and Blue Beetle for taking them down. Two characters that are so alike (yet so different) that they had to become a “power partnership”.

This is the first time someone quits the League, even though we’ve only seen her in costume in one cover. She will be back after the Giffen run, but on a different “Justice League International” (Europe book).

Captain Marvel is supposed to fill Superman’s role in this group, but having Martian Manhunter there, I imagine that wasn’t the intention. There is very little development for him, other than his child-like attitude. Probably because his origin was still being published.

Now, Booster Gold, to me, becomes a completely different character from here on. His appearances in this title will redefine the character and will make him more famous than his own book (which was about to be cancelled).

Maxwell Lord IV, on the other hand, fits the profile of an entrepreneur of the late eighties. You can never really trust in him and it is hard to guess his motivations. Whatever his motivations are... they are definitely not what Geoff Johns said on DC Countdown to Infinite Crisis. Maxwell Lord is one of my favorite support characters the League ever had, so for me it still feels odd that he became a full-fleshed super-villain.

Spoilers after the break...

If you didn’t know who Booster Gold was at the time, you probably wanted the character in the league after this story. And he teaming-up with Beetle is just the beginning of the friendships that were introduced in this title.

[that-shamrock-vibe]

TV Review: Crisis on Infinite Earths (Spoilers)

Parts 4 & 5: Arrow & Legends of Tomorrow

Spoiler Warning: I am posting this review the day after the episodes air in the U.S, so if you haven’t yet seen the final two parts of the crossover then don’t read on until you have.

Overview:

Wow! I can’t decide if it’s the fanboy in me but I am really impressed with how Warner Bros/DC and The CW were able to finish telling this ultimate crossover story. I will draw a lot of parallels to Avengers: Endgame in this review because you can’t really not but while obviously Infinity War and its conclusion in the comics was a massive event, Crisis is seismic, it is the event...in many respects it is Event One. So the pressure was on to not only payoff the last 8 years of storytelling in essentially 5 hours, but also honour this iconic comic-book event.

And did they do it? Well after a slightly shaky start with Arrow, in my humble opinion yes and, with Legends of Tomorrow no less, I think left audiences and fans especially with one exciting feast of food for thought...potential. There is so much potential and so many doors opened not just to our now core four shows, but for shows to come and even shows affiliated.

But with the doors now burst open for the future of the DC Multiverse, because after this I can’t just call it the Arrowverse anymore, just exactly where does The CW go from here?

Disclaimer: Because this was a two-part finalé of sorts and I am time-constrained with other responsibilities, I will be saying what I loved, what I hated and what I thought was “meh”, because there is still some “meh”.

The Great:

Earth-Prime:

So of course the first great thing for me was this new reality that all our main heroes find themselves now inhabiting, save for Oliver who I will get to. But yes, after the events of Arrow which saw our seven Paragons, and Spectre Oliver, supposedly defeat the Anti-Monitor and reboot the universe, they create Earth-Prime...as well as a new Multiverse but getting to that.

Earth-Prime now hosts not only the original inhabitants of Earth-1 (The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman etc) but also combines them with Earth-38 (Supergirl) and even Black Lightning’s Earth...which we never had an official designation for which is annoying.

So now, it’s widely speculated which state all of these relatively fictional cities are in, but from what I know you have Star City in Washington, Central City in Missouri, National City in California, Gotham City in New Jersey, Metropolis in New York and Freeland in Georgia. All of which are now in the same reality as they should have been from the start but I digress.

This is possibly a novelty that will soon wear off, particularly when our individual heroes face off against a big-bad and cannot call one of their new allies for help, but for the time being it is really awesome to see that not only has this happened, but it is a direct ramification of the events of the crossover that is permanent...this doesn’t get retconned and isn’t temporary...Earth-Prime is now the main setting of the Arrowverse.

Justice League?:

Right at the end of the episode when our main heroes (Genuinely everyone who is the main character of a current series or future series as well as Martian Manhunter are lined up) to mourn their fallen friend Oliver, it turns out that where they have decided to do this is the same S.T.A.R. Labs Hall that the first major team-up first assembled in.

The reasoning for this is because Barry has decided to make this all-star team-up official for “future missions” (meaning future crossovers) and even has brought in a round table with chairs for every member there as well as an empty seat for Oliver.

This is clearly either a nod or an introduction to the Justice League of the Arrowverse. Obviously here the founding members are The Flash, Supergirl, Martian Manhunter, Superman, White Canary, Batwoman, Black Lightning and, posthumously, Green Arrow.

Although on that note, I feel that Green Arrow slot may soon be filled by Mia Smoak given that she is set to become the new Green Arrow. Although how she gets back from the future remains a mystery even if she does.

Regardless, this is something that has been either preluded to or wanted by fans since the all-star team up first came together during the Invasion crossover. I love the logos on each chair representing each character, I love the characters that are involved. I mean it may seem a bit biased to have three characters from Supergirl involved but not only do I feel this is because Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman is getting his own series but also you can’t have a Justice League-style founding team without Martian Manhunter.

Also, it’s unclear as to exactly how large this team is. Yes these 7/8 are the founding members but do the rest of Teams Arrow, Flash, Superfriends and the Legends act as subsidiaries akin to Justice League Unlimited? Only time will tell.

I mean we know that both Black Canaries are heading over to Green Arrow and the Canaries with Mia but I would love to see Elongated Man, Mister Terrific, Vixen, Brainiac 5 and Ragman being part of this team going forward.

Going Meta:

Tying into this Justice League scene, I did love how Meta the last episode got, not so much Part 4 but definitely Part 5. I will admit the constant Meta-References on Legends of Tomorrow is one of the reasons why I’m so annoyed with the show recently but because I guess Legends hasn’t been on until now in this current run I guess I missed it.

Also on a side-note the very term of “Meta” is bemusing to me in regards to this series of shows because of course there’s meta-referencing but also here metahumans that are also called “metas”.

But anyway, there’s been a running gag throughout the crossover about how the Legends don’t want to be a part of the crossover, yet Ray seems to be excited that there was a crossover. Sara seems to want the crossover to finish as soon as possible despite she, and Barry, being the de-facto leaders of the all-star team before Barry formally forms the Justice League team.

I also enjoyed the interaction between Kate and Jefferson, who essentially are the two relative newbies to the Arrowverse with Batwoman joining last year and Black Lightning officially joining this year.

When Jefferson clicks that this whole saving the world situation will be a recurring thing, Kate tries to reassure him by saying she was “the new kid” last year.

It is interesting because, aside from Supergirl, the newcomers in the year of the crossover usually sit it out or are barely in it. Nate and Amaya during Invasion! for example were only in it during their episode.

Here we of course only have Black Lightning representing because as I understand it there is something going on his his show with his team which is why they’re not active here but still.

Also on the subject of Meta references, Rene’s corrolation of Mick’s surname being Rory as a similarity to a Rory that was once on Team Arrow, being Ragman, just makes me miss Ragman on the show. I know Joe Dinicol is returning for the Arrow finalé so I am thrilled for that.

Heat, Frost & Lightning:

This does sound like I’m only loving this last episode rather than the two episodes but I’m getting to that.

Anyway Prime-Earth Heat Wave reunites with Killer Frost after two years and I am thrilled. I love these two together, I think Mick and Frost really bounce off each other well and Dominic Purcell and Danielle Panabaker do have good comedic and antihero chemistry together.

But also, they have added and somewhat unwanted assistance this time as Black Lightning shows up. I knew Cress Williams would be back in the crossover after his minor appearance in Part 3, it was also a sign that all The CW shows now inhabit this one Earth and to have three elemental heroes working together (it pains me that both Heat Wave and Killer Frost have become heroes) was very cool. I hope there’s more of this trio down the line.

Lex Luthor - Paragon of Deception:

I am not Jon Cryer’s biggest fan but I really enjoy him as Lex Luthor. While I thought his mission to kill all the Supermen was fun, him becoming the Paragon of Truth replacing Kingdom Come Superman at the last minute, as I said in my last review, was a stroke of genius that I did not see coming.

I do love the fact that, rather than becoming a good guy through becoming a Paragon, he is still Lex Luthor and still self-serving while also trying to help restart the universe.

The fact he gave himself powers with the Book of Destiny which allowed him to fend off Supergirl, I would say “and Ryan” but really Ryan Choi didn’t really do much until Part 5.

Lex also had possibly my favourite line of the two episodes which was “In the contest of Mind over Muscle, Mind wins every time”. It’s a very Eobard Thawne type of line but I can imagine any version of Lex I’ve seen saying it which makes it so classic.

Also, if they are in fact doing a Justice League-style team, they need some sort of Injustice League with Lex and Eobard. I mean they’ve had the Legion of Doom but that didn’t work out so maybe this would?

Also, I’m sorry, the fact he was the one to figure out how to save the universe and yet ends up not only back being alive but as National City’s good guy as well as the owner of the D.E.O, I am most excited to see what happens in Supergirl next because of this development.

Parallel Earths for Non-Arrowverse Properties:

So in this new Multiverse, Earth-Prime is the Arrowverse Earth. The reality where Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman and Black Lightning all take place.

The other Earths this time around seem to be Earths for other shows that aren’t Arrowverse inclusive. Earth-2 seems to belong to the upcoming Stargirl series, Earth-9 is still Titans, Earth-96 is still Kingdom Come Superman’s Earth which combines the Christopher Reeves Superman with Routh’s Superman Returns, Earth-21 is Doom Patrol which many fans believe is the same universe as Titans but despite both being DC Universe shows, they’re separate universes.

Earth-19 is where it gets interesting as what we see is the planet Oh, meaning this is a universe the Green Lantern Corps exist on and is most likely an allusion to the upcoming Green Lantern series in development on HBOMax produced by Greg Berlanti. However, originally Earth-19 was the home of the Collectors such as Gypsy and the Accelerated Man, so whether or not they cohabit I do not know

I liked this set up because Earths 2, 9, 19 and 21 are all the main settings for either current or upcoming shows. This echos the comics beautifully as now the Arrowverse is one Earth, and the affiliates are different Earths.

Also the fact that Kingdom Come Superman was shown in this line-up is probably an assurance to fans that he either could or will return at a later date. The Superman and Lois series is definitely based on Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch’s versions of the characters but Brandon Routh is stepping down from Legends this season so while he may be pulling back on The Atom he could appear as a guest or recurring guest on that show maybe?

It is also fair to assume, because of these Earth designations being the same as they were Pre-Crisis (love being able to say that), that Earth-666 is still the Earth that Lucifer is based on, Earth-89 is still the Burtonverse Batman reality, Earth-66 is still the 60s Batman reality and Earth-167 is still Smallville’s reality. Just because we don’t see them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

Also it’s unclear about how Earths established on The Flash such as Earth-3, Earth-90 and Earth-X fit in to all of this. Because Pre-Crisis Earth-2 isn’t confirmed to be part of Earth-Prime so Earth-2 Laurel could easily cohabit the same universe as Stargirl, it can be assumed that the 90s Flash is still a separate reality and Jay Garrick still exists on his own Earth.

Wonder Twins:

While not featured directly in this crossover, the very end of the final episode features the sound of a monkey the floor above the main S.T.A.R. Labs Hall, and while the team go to investigate, the camera reveals a cage with a busted open door and the name “Gleek” on the side of it.

Gleek, as far as I am aware, is the pet monkey of Zan and Jayna better known as the Wonder Twins. Also apparently as this commotion was going on the theme music from the Wonder Twins animated series was playing over it.

I only know of Zan and Jayna primarily from Smallville in their one appearance but I do also know of them as a duo that they are.

From what I know, the Wonder Twins are alien members of the Super Friends and Justice League, so for them to be alluded to just as the Arrowverse’s Justice League are forming is quite poetic.

Whether or not they are being saved for the next crossover or if they will be featured in upcoming episodes of Supergirl, The Flash or Legends of Tomorrow remains to be seen, but I do imagine the fact that characters from these main shows, and Black Lightning and Batwoman, will not be mentioned in the next episode of each series.

The Bad:

Spectre:

Alright so I mentioned me being a fanboy at the start of the review, however I am not as familiar with the comics as I am with the movies and shows. Because of this, I still to this day have no idea who Spectre actually is and what his role in the larger DC Universe is.

For instance, when Emmett J. Scanlan was introduced in Constantine as Jim Corrigan, I understood in the comics he was supposed to become Spectre and the fact those premonitions preluded to that was interesting...but then he became Lobo on Krypton and I really wanted to see Lobo here but didn’t.

Now with have this other Jim Corrigan from some random other Earth, because Constantine made it clear that this wasn’t the Corrigan he knows, but this one has become the Spectre of the Multiverse because there can only be one Spectre at a time.

Simultaneously, Oliver dies, is brought back by the Lazarus Pit, but his soul becomes the new Spectre after Corrigan passes on that burden so now Oliver is Spectre. Which is where we find him here...sparingly.

Honestly, in the episode dedicated to him, Arrow, it is criminal how little he is actually used particularly as it’s his second death episode of the crossover.

But in regards to who the Spectre is and what he does, people can tell me to read the comics or watch other shows with Spectre in, but if this current show that I am watching doesn’t explain what this Spectre is or does, that’s bad and, in my opinion, a waste of time.

From what I gather Spectre is a lot like Pariah, he is there to bear witness to events. However, like Pariah, Spectre’s power set is never really explained, he’s just there.

He can travel interdimensionally, okay how? He had the power to ignite the flame for the new universe...okay how? The Spectre can be passed on from person to person...okay how? None of this is ever truly explained and then he dies...so does Spectre die? Will there never be another Spectre?

Speed Force Scavenger Hunt:

So I am sure this was supposed to be poignant for the fact it was the Arrow episode and all but one of the Speed Force scenes are essentially flashbacks to previous scenes from Arrow. However, the way they were filmed was completely distracting.

How do you use previous scenes while incorporating new footage? Cheat and film a new scene and clumsily stitch the two together with “clever” angles. You literally had the one scene that the Paragons were witnessing, then their own scene which were never shown together. You always have the characters talking at the camera as if they’re talking to each other, it’s disconcerting and really uncomfortable to watch.

The aim of this mission was for all the Paragons to come back together after they were scattered through the Speed Force...why? Because.

Also the scene from Invasion! with Oliver and Kara, Kara is clearly present day Kara but surely in the memory of the scene she should be wearing the suit she wore back then and had the hairstyle she had back then?

Speaking of Invasion! because it was mentioned in this scene, the Arrow episode from Invasion! celebrating 100 episodes and being another Batman rip off, was a lot better and tugging the nostalgic heartstrings than this.

The only two new scenes we get both involve Barry, the first is an odd inclusion and involves Arrowverse Barry Allen coming face to face with the DCEU’s Barry Allen, Ezra Miller.

This was the most unexpected and bizarre cameo in the entire crossover. This also calls into question how DCEU Flash is still alive considering the entirety of reality has been wiped out. They could have explained that the Vanishing Point and Speed Force were the only two places Antimatter cannot reach, but they didn’t.

It was still fun to at least see Ezra Miller’s Flash, not just because Ezra Miller agreed to appear on the TV series, but also because after Justice League I feel he needed a second chance before his movie comes.

The second new scene was after Sara is murdered and brought to the Arrowcave, John is there telling Laurel to take Sara’s place and become the new Canary...despite not being too happy that she becomes the new Canary in episodes that follow this scene but I digress.

Barry shows up, and because John and Laurel don’t know of The Flash at this time they don’t know who he is, but he electroshocks Sara back to life and she is revealed to be the modern-day Sara.

This is what I don’t understand, Marc Guggenheim made it quite clear that Earth-1 Laurel would have be a major plot point in this crossover, but all she did was extend her original emotional scene into what is, in my opinion, a plot-hole. 

Giant Beebo:

Can someone please explain this freakin’ toy obsession. I know it’s not real, yet for some reason it is all Legends of Tomorrow usually resort to for a cheap laugh or a cooky villain.

Here, Giant Beebo is back, but it’s not actually Giant Beebo it’s an illusion. However, the very fact this gave the freedom for the show to reference the time the Legends transformed into a giant Megazord-like Beebo to defeat Mallus, there’s so much epic stuff happening in this episode so why go back to what makes Legends of Tomorrow so bad.

The most part of this final episode was where I want Legends to be at, not resorting to cheap gags.

The Meh:

Weather Witch:

Alright so before getting into the biggest “meh” point of this conclusion for me I do need to touch on the fact that the minor threat that started the ball rolling on discovering Earth-Prime was all-inclusive in the final episode was by Weather Witch...why?

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with Weather Witch...but what was the point in Weather Witch being there? You could have had quite literally any other villain still living from Arrow, Flash, Supergirl or Legends...have the New Rogues as a team being the conflict. It just makes no sense.

Rules of Earth-Prime:

Alright so with this new Multiverse now comes potentially new rules. For example, John and Lyla (who by the way never got a comeuppance unlike Nash) now not only have JJ but also Sara is back, as if she never left as she seems to be the same age as JJ...so does this mean they’re now twins?

It’s also stated that Connor is gone, and because we never see Mia or William it’s implied they’ve gone back to the future ready for the next Arrow episode which is also the Green Arrow and the Canaries backdoor pilot.

However, with Sara being back, what does that mean for the rest of reality? Clearly Flashpoint never happens in this reality so with Sara and JJ in the same universe are others back from non-existence? Is Cisco’s brother Dante alive? Reverse-Flash clearly can’t die but where was he during all this?

What about others who were previously dead? Captain Cold, Earth-1 Laurel? I know some of these things will probably be explored over time or at the convenience of the writers but some revelations in this episode other than Sara Diggle would have been nice to see.

Also, for some strange reason, Superman and Lois of Supergirl now have two sons rather than just the one...why? 

Overall I rate the entire crossover a strong 9/10. Part 4 did let the crossover down a bit but Parts 1-3 and especially Part 5 were just so good that I cannot mark it down too far.

This was the crossover every DC fan was going to be watching and critiquing not just because of the comic-book story it is based on but the fact it is the most ambitious TV crossover to ever exist crossing over not just the five main shows, but other shows past and present and even movies.

I loved the nostalgia that played into seeing Smallville, 1989 Batman, 1960s Batman, Kevin Conroy, all of the cameos and additions were just so well done.

So that’s my review of the conclusion to Crisis on Infinite Earths, what did you guys think? Post your comments down below and check out more DC TV Reviews as well as other TV Reviews and posts.

[leap-loves]

🔪should you fight my f/os?🔪

Tagged by: @singingdeepinme​

I tag: @milo-and-their-fos​ , @mochidropss​ , @fishandships​ , @elizawritescrap​ , and anyone else who wants to!

Going under the cut, and I covered my platonic F/Os quickly too because why not

TFP / Knightverse Bumblebee

Bee is a trained warrior, raised in a war... and is also a, like, 20+ foot tall alien robot. So fight at your own risk. 

If you decided to try anyways, he’s a good fighter. While he’d be hesitant to fight you if you’re an organic, he will if he has to. He’s clever and creative, will use whatever he has to to win, taking advantage of his surroundings. However, he isn’t likely to kill unless you don’t give him an option. 

Rating: For training he’s pretty good, but for a genuine fight... 3/10. 

Nightwing / Dick Grayson

Again, trained warrior, extremely skilled acrobat, trained and raised by one of the most feared heroes of all time, and one of few without powers... Fight at your own risk. 

Should you still feel so inclined to fight him, you’re in for a helluva time. Not only is he skilled, plenty powerful, and well versed in most any weapon, but he’s talkative. He will tease and taunt you, it’s as much a battle of wills as it is a physical battle. He’ll add insult to injury by critiquing your outfit or style while beating you to Metropolis and back. 

Rating: Again, good for training, but in a genuine fight, would not recommend. 4/10. 

Android 16

16 doesn’t like to fight, but he’s programmed to. He’ll avoid it where he can, especially post the Cell Games, but he will fight if he has to. But considering that he was able to deal some damage to Cell, and was designed to defeat Goku... do you really want to take him on?

If you manage to coax him into a fight, it’s still not going to be easy. He has rocket arms for crying out loud! Plus he’s tall, over 7 feet tall, and big. He packs a punch in general, plus he’s made of metal. Dealing damage to him is hard, but he deals damage easily. So... have fun with that. 

Rating: I don’t know why you’d want to, but in a serious fight... 4/10 maybe? 5/10? He’d hold back unless you piss him off enough. 

For the fun of it, quick run down of my platonic F/Os:

TFP Predaking: You would quickly become his snack, he has no problems with that

TFA Prowl: He’s another large robot, known for his fighting prowess. The battle would likely be over quickly, and he’d have every move planned before the first twitch

TFA Wreckgar: He’s mostly a threat through his lack of understanding... but why would you want to fight him?

JLU Martian Manhunter / J’onn J’onzz: The only way for you to win is to cripple him mentally, because he can shape shift into literally anything. And he can fly. And has telepathy. He knows what you’re going to do as soon as you do. 

BotW Yunobo: Another one who doesn’t really like to fight, but he’d focus on going on the defensive until someone else steps in, or you get tired. But... why would you fight him in the first place?

DBZ(A) Vegeta: Depends on when in the timeline, on how much he’d restrain himself. But if you piss him off, you’re as good as dead. No doubts about it. He won’t stop until you’re dead, or defeated. Again, depends on when in the series.