Review Fix’s Top Five Episodes of the First Season of Justice League Unlimited

It wasn’t long ago when you waited for that 22-minute episode of your favorite animated show. After all, it was the only one of its kind in the early 2000s. Yes, there was Samurai Jack and the mini-episodes of The Clone Wars, but still there was something about seeing Green Lantern, Batman, Supes and the rest of the Justice League battling Lex Luthor and secret government agencies.

Hawkgirl had left the team, broken Green Lantern’s heart and disappeared from the scene. The other leaguers went on with their lives and began to rebuild. They realized that there are threats out there that can’t be handled by the remaining six alone. Justice League Unlimited showcased characters in the DC Universe that had cult followings, or were rarely heard of. It made for some intriguing television moments and added to the DC mythos.

The first season had some great moments, but here are the top five that made this animation iconic.

Based on the Alan Moore story, “For The Man Who Has Everything” features Wonder Woman and Batman traveling to the Fortress of Solitude to wish Superman a happy birthday – only to see him in a zombie-like state with a squid type creature attached to him. It’s an action packed episode where Wonder Woman battles Mongol in order to give Batman time to dislodge the thing that has created the ultimate reality for Superman. Although it’s a place where he’s happy, married to Lois, and where his parents and planet are alive, Ka-El senses throughout, that this world is a woeful fantasy. And when he wakes up, he takes out that realization on Mongol.

“The Once and Future Thing” parts I and II adds to several plotlines that are revealed throughout two seasons of this show. Here a time traveling scientist goes from stealing trinkets to having reality collapse in on itself. In his travels through the past and then to the future with Batman and Wonder Woman, Green Lantern meets his son, Warhawk. What’s more you get to see Jonah Hex, Batlash, Static, and an older Bruce Wayne who teaches his younger self how to handle an interrogation. These episodes also have some of the best lines written for anyone on television. Now known as Chronos, the time traveler gone insane by his manipulation of time breaks down what that term means. “Time” is the non-spacial continuum in which events occur linearly, usually in the direction of increased entropy. But the clowns seem to relate better to the “money” thing.” You just don’t get dialogue like this from anywhere.

“The Doomsday Sanction” reveals a plot to bring down the Justice League. Of course its Batman who finds out about the project sponsored by Cadmus, but what is told to him will literally reverberate throughout the remaining season. Essentially it leads to the question – who watches the watchers?

“Divided We Fall” answers the infernal question that has been haunting the league throughout the unlimited’s first season. With no one but the original seven to stand up against an integrated Braniac/Lex Luthor, comes the culmination of what had been hinted at all season. Though everyone survives Superman decides to disband the league. It is up to Green Arrow who is recruited in the first episode to set him straight on why the world needs the league. Once again solid writing comes into play. One thing about this series is that it never talked down to its audience. So when Batman asks Green Arrow “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? “ Green Arrow responds in kind: “Who guards the guardians? We’ve got that covered.”