8 Times The Justice League Went Way Too Far
Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman's team haven't always gotten it right.
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00:00 The Justice League, DC's premier team of heroes, has been forced to make tough decisions
00:05 in their attempts to protect the world, and this is to be expected.
00:09 Some of the best stories involving the League seek to analyse where that line separates
00:13 drastic action and outright cruelty is drawn.
00:16 The team is composed of heroes with vastly different worldviews and methodologies, and
00:21 as a result, many members have committed reprehensible acts, all in the name of justice.
00:27 So with this in mind, I'm Dan from WhatCulture, and here are 8 times the Justice League went
00:32 way too far.
00:35 Heroes in Crisis
00:36 2018's Heroes in Crisis focuses on the events following the death of multiple heroes at
00:42 the Sanctuary, a rehabilitation centre for heroes dealing with mental health issues.
00:47 Due to the nature of the crime scene, Booster Gold and Harley Quinn are the primary suspects,
00:52 and they each go about trying to solve the case despite opposition from various heroes.
00:57 The case is ultimately solved, and in the process, highlights how demented the Sanctuary
01:02 really is.
01:03 The League creates instances where the heroes at the centre relive their trauma in the name
01:08 of healing.
01:09 This is a decision that is in poor taste and only serves to further isolate the souls that
01:15 needed a tender approach to their recoveries.
01:19 Justice League Gods and Monsters
01:21 This animated film tells the alternate universe story of a crueler, less accountable Justice
01:27 League, and highlights its heroes' desire to enforce order by any means necessary.
01:33 It is a version of the League that reminds audiences of the innate goodness needed to
01:37 wield the overwhelming power in a responsible manner, but also how that same goodness can
01:42 be rediscovered through adversity.
01:45 The alternate versions of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are a far cry from their
01:49 mainstream counterparts, and this is highlighted in the tie-in miniseries that accompanies
01:54 the movie.
01:55 Viewers are treated to disturbing moments from the trinity, such as Batman drinking
02:00 Harley Quinn's blood after stopping her killing spree, and Superman mercy killing
02:04 a child brainiac whose powers threaten to spiral out of control.
02:09 The League here are presented as beings who want to save the day, but their path to accomplishing
02:14 this has a lot of collateral damage along the way.
02:18 A Better World
02:19 Justice League
02:21 Speaking of animated Justice Leagues taking it too far, the DC Animated Universe's version
02:26 of an out-of-control League is one of the most memorable arcs to come out of the beloved
02:31 franchise.
02:32 Suffering from the loss of The Flash at the hands of President Lex Luthor, a grieving
02:36 Justice League storms the White House, and this leads to the death of Lex Luthor at the
02:41 hands of Superman.
02:42 This more brutal team rebrands itself as the Justice Lords and takes over the world, limiting
02:48 free speech and self-governance.
02:51 Then they discover the main Justice League's reality and seek to take over it the same
02:56 way they did with their own.
02:57 This story is impactful for a number of different reasons, as it highlights how fallible these
03:02 heroes really are, and how that makes them a threat to the planet.
03:06 It also sets the stage for the Cadmus storyline that sees the main League in a few instances
03:12 veering very close to the authoritarian sensibilities embodied by the Justice Lords.
03:19 The Throne of Atlantis
03:21 The first entry where one Justice League member puts their personal objectives above the team's.
03:26 Throne of Atlantis explores Aquaman's character as he struggles to navigate the world as both
03:31 a Liga and Atlantean royalty.
03:34 Following a naval exercise gone wrong, Atlantis, under the rule of Ocean Master, declares a
03:40 war on the surface world in retaliation.
03:43 Arthur is forced to place his personal responsibilities over his obligations to the team, and the
03:48 consequences here are dire, despite the short time frame in which this takes place in.
03:53 It does not help Arthur's case when it is revealed that the plans used by the Atlantean
03:58 army to invade the surface world were developed by both him and his brother.
04:03 Fortunately, Arthur ultimately stands by his team and stops his brother's plans.
04:07 But the League's victory comes at the expense of their public perception, especially that
04:12 of Aquaman's.
04:15 The Crime Syndicate of America
04:17 The Crime Syndicate exists on Earth-3 in the Greater D.C. Multiverse, and is composed of
04:22 villainous counterparts to the main Ligas.
04:25 The Syndicate conquered their world and eventually grew bored with the relative ease of global
04:29 domination.
04:30 As a result, they sought out other worlds in the multiverse, and eventually came into
04:35 conflict with the Justice League of Earth-1, but never fully defeating their heroic counterparts
04:40 and their allies.
04:41 The Syndicate is composed of sadistic and completely reprehensible beings who will stop
04:46 at nothing to conquer and annihilate any world they come across.
04:50 They also lack the relative coordination and mutual trust of the main Justice League, with
04:55 their members constantly undermining each other, and in some cases, killing each other,
05:00 which is a clear sign of their cruelty and selfishness.
05:04 Flashpoint
05:05 One of D.C.'s most personal crisis crossovers, Flashpoint examines Barry Allen's desire
05:10 to save and be reunited with his deceased mother.
05:14 But his choice to go back in time to save her changes the world for the worse, and places
05:19 it on a path to annihilation.
05:21 In an attempt to stop Reverse Flash from killing his mother in the past, Flash unknowingly
05:25 creates a reality where the Justice League does not exist.
05:29 In this reality, Captain Cold is Central City's greatest hero, and Aquaman and Wonder Woman
05:34 have waged a war against each other that has decimated parts of Europe and threatens the
05:39 rest of the world.
05:41 Barry's wish to save his mother is far more honourable than some of the other instances
05:45 on this list, but the consequences are dire and threaten to tear the entire D.C. universe
05:50 apart.
05:51 Fortunately, Barry resets the timeline again, and this time, it takes shape in the New 52
05:56 series of comics.
05:57 But the Flashpoint comic is a reminder of how seemingly small changes can be devastating,
06:02 especially in a universe as turbulent as D.C.'s.
06:05 2.
06:06 Injustice
06:07 One of my personal favourite comics, with its bold approach to worn out tropes winning
06:12 over both new and old fans of the franchise.
06:16 This exploration of Superman's grief rolling over the world is a seminal example of what
06:21 happens when absolute power is both compromised and unchecked.
06:25 After murdering the Joker for having killed Lois Lane, their unborn child and most of
06:30 Metropolis, Superman and a few other leaguers see it fit to take on a more proactive approach
06:35 in global governance and policing.
06:37 Naturally, this totalitarian leap in logic on the Man of Steel's part is met with opposition
06:42 from the world he wishes to protect and some of his old teammates as well, specifically
06:47 Batman.
06:48 Superman's regime betrays the morals and ethos that the league was founded on, and
06:53 during its devastating run, commits atrocities that push the leaguers well beyond the moral
06:58 event horizon in their severely unsound desire to uphold order across the globe.
07:04 1.
07:05 Kingdom Come
07:06 The visually stunning and weighty tale of judgement and change in the DC universe, Kingdom
07:11 Come explores a future where the old god of the DC universe is pitted against a newer,
07:16 more violent breed of anti-hero.
07:18 And as always, the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
07:22 It's a well-constructed commentary on the violent excess that defined the 90s era of
07:27 comics, and in many ways is the definitive comic of the period as well.
07:31 After the Joker is murdered by a new hero, Superman and some other leaguers resign due
07:36 to being disillusioned by the overwhelming public support that the violent newbie is
07:41 receiving.
07:42 This sparks a rise of brutal heroes who dangerously come close to villainy, and after a particularly
07:47 devastating battle, Superman returns and reforms the league.
07:52 Unfortunately, the new league's attempts to rehabilitate the newer heroes is unsuccessful,
07:57 and the league itself is more militant than it had ever once been.
08:01 The intervention of Lex Luthor's own super team and the United Nations only serves to
08:05 worsen the situation, pushing the older generation to their limits and resulting in a massive
08:11 loss of superhuman life.
08:13 Fortunately, Superman and his counterparts see the error of their ways before more lives
08:17 are lost and the world returns to a more idealistic but grounded age.
08:22 And that's our list, you can find more lists like this on screen now.
08:26 For now though, I've been Dan and I'll catch you in the next one.