The Official "Justice League Unlimited" Speculation Thread

[Bird Boy]

Welcome to the new Justice League Unlimited Speculation thread! Discuss what you think will be happening in upcoming episodes, hints and tidbits from interviews, press releases, episode descriptions--anything that's been officially released by the network or creative team is discussible here!

No discussion of unconfirmed rumors, leaked content or otherwise un-official subjects.

 

[Crow]

Check your PM's, please BB.

Since I'm not a US citizen as I've stated in the past, I still haven't seen any of TT past Aftershock and any of JL past Starcrossed but because this board is so damn good it's been impossible to keep spoiler free, the 25 newest talkback threads for both shows for example heheheh.

While I am not protesting this at all (got no reason to, as you've said - episodes aired in Canada etc before the US Premiere are fair game) - I do like the efforts you guys are making to ensure we DCAU fans get the most out of shows we love to talk about. Keep it up.

I'm interested in finding out the production order for the episodes of Justice League Unlimited Series 2 - I was given the episode titles in the last active rumour thread by a couple of members and now I need to work out the order they come in. As I understand upcoming episode titles fall under this thread's topic (for some people at least) I'll ask about this in here. I will be careful though as the posts after my post in the last rumour thread (as you would expect) talked about a huge plot point that I wish I didn't read.

I'll keep an eye on any updates to WF's JLU S2 Guide, I see there's no additions to it other than the three first confirmed titles. If I'm feeling lucky I'll venture back in here.

Maybe for the first few posts people could do a demonstration of what's allowed in these new speculation threads and what isn't?

 

[Devils_Advocate]

Let's get this thread going

The next episode is "The Ties that Bind". I find it interesting the change in the title. The phrase "the ties that bind" generally refers to marriages, co-habitation and parent/child relationships. These are the ties that bind. Since the title was changed, I'm thinking there is a subtle subplot to be played in the episode. First will likely be the obvious Miracle/Barda relationship. Makes me think these 2 are married. But I also think there will be another reference played out here. Though I am not going add on to that but to say I am expecting either a GL or HG cameo (irrespective whether they have lines) to appear at the end of the episode...ala HG's scene at the end of "The Return".

D_A

BTW....though off topic, I have to plug a dvd collection that was loaned to me called Hellsing. I had never heard of but I was awestruck and stayed up to watch all 13 epis.

 

[b.t.]

none of us ever liked "miracles happen" as a title, but we couldn't come up with a better one til very late in the game....we almost called it "escape velocity" at one point, but liked "ties" just a wee bit better...."the ties that bind" as some have noted, is a little on the "typical" side, but it IS appropriate for the ep...we love to use titles that have more than one meaning whenever possible ("the return", "the savage time", "a knight of shadows" etc), and that certainly applies in this case...to see HOW it applies, well, you'll have to wait a few days...

 

[EJill34]

none of us ever liked "miracles happen" as a title, but we couldn't come up with a better one til very late in the game....we almost called it "escape velocity" at one point, but liked "ties" just a wee bit better...."the ties that bind" as some have noted, is a little on the "typical" side, but it IS appropriate for the ep...we love to use titles that have more than one meaning whenever possible ("the return", "the savage time", "a knight of shadows" etc), and that certainly applies in this case...to see HOW it applies, well, you'll have to wait a few days...

I still think it should have been called "Harsh Mistress."

EDIT: To actually do some speculating, I'll say I think "Ties That Bind" will set up a later Darkseid appearance, presumably something closer to the finale or maybe even part of the finale. Since we don't actually know what happened to Darkseid after "Twilight" its fair game to assume that the League thinks he's dead/inactive (Booster's comment in "TGSNT" does seem to contradict this but I wouldn't take what he says as gospel). The end of "Ties That Bind" would be a perfect time to bring Darkseid back since the last time we saw him was around 40 episodes ago.

One thing I'm interested to find out is if Jim Steranko actually scripted "TTTB" or just wrote the story. I seem to remember reading that J.M. Dematteis scripted a Mr. Miracle episode, but I'm not sure.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

To actually do some speculating, I'll say I think "Ties That Bind" will set up a later Darkseid appearance, presumably something closer to the finale or maybe even part of the finale. Since we don't actually know what happened to Darkseid after "Twilight" its fair game to assume that the League thinks he's dead/inactive (Booster's comment in "TGSNT" does seem to contradict this but I wouldn't take what he says as gospel). The end of "Ties That Bind" would be a perfect time to bring Darkseid back since the last time we saw him was around 40 episodes ago.

So you are speculating on an unexpected appearance at the end or a twist not related to the plot of the episode ala "The Return" as well

hmmmmm...

D_A

 

[EJill34]

So you are speculating on an unexpected appearance at the end or a twist not related to the plot of the episode ala "The Return" as well

hmmmmm...

D_A

I can just imagine how it would go...

---
Granny Goodness, Kalibak, etc. are lying on the ground in defeat. A figure walks out of the shadows.

(Voice): Get up.

The figure comes towards the camera and we cut to Kalibak. His eyes widen.

Kalibak: Father!

Darkseid walks out of the shadows.

Darkseid: Don't call me that.
---

So, yeah, I predict something like that. Of course, I could be completely wrong.

 

[Simpler Simon]

Hmm..."Ties That Bind"....

Maybe it's a reference to Barada's future ties with the Justice League. I think in one of the preview clips we saw her, Mr. Miracle, and Flash jump out of a boom tube...and she was wearing her outfit from Batman Beyond.

 

[bobspoland]

am really looking forward too seeing flash again. hope the jokes are still there too

 

[Karkull]

Fun fact: Barda's outfit from Batman Beyond is her normal outfit when she's not wearing her armor.

 

[Mr. Obsession]

Granny Goodness

I don't know. I mean we know she's appearing thanks to the credit clips, and earlier pre-season press information. But I still think she'll only be appearing in flashbacks. What with Superman having melted her brain back in "Legacy" and all.

If she does show up again in the present I do want an explanation for it.

I do agree about Darkseid though. Not knowing the synopsis for the last 5 episodes of the season, "The Ties" does seem the best chance for him to make his return, if he'll be doing so at all this season.


As for the rest of the season, I'm making two guesses.

Part of the first one comes from me having re-watched quite a bit of my season 2 tapes again this past week (for the love of all that is good and sweet in Odin's beard WB, put those episodes on DVD already!). Anyway, one of the lines from "Secret Society" that's always stuck out to me was Superman's "I'm the invulnerable one, every hit I take is one they don't have to." That always seems to be one of the animated Superman's constants. In every group or team-up story he's in he always seems to willingly take on extra physical abuse when he can, to protect the others he's with.

Now fast forward to the current season. We know from the press releases in the upcoming episode "Doomsday Sanction" that Superman will be fighting Doomsday in a freaking volcano D), while Batman investigates the conspiracy on his own.

Here's what I'm thinking, what if the episode isn't just "Superman fights Doomsday" but rather Superman and Batman both start actively investigating the conspiracy, but Superman decides to do it on his own in order to help keep the other League members out of harms way?

Superman takes the front door, Batman takes the backdoor.


The other thing I've been thinking about is the Annihilator Armor that has been seen in the credit clips again. I remember back when "Hawk and Dove" and "Fearful Symmetry" first aired we knew that seeds of the two season long story arc were already being sown and there was speculation as to what direction it would take.

The armor showing up again makes me wonder if the Greek gods will be making another appearance, or if the armor is just being used by someone on the human side of the conspiracy this time.

I know there's not much to back it up, but back when "FS" and "H&D" I was thinking a story line where the League gets stuck in the middle of a war between modern day humans and the ancient gods would be unbelievably cool. I doubt it would happen, but it would be cool non the less.

 

[Simpler Simon]

Fun fact: Barda's outfit from Batman Beyond is her normal outfit when she's not wearing her armor.

Well, so much for that idea. Though if Barda does mention something about joining the league, I'll call that the BB reference. BTW, is Mister Miracle part of the league yet? I know Orion is, but I don't recall seeing Mister Miracle around.

Despite my earlier predictions in the rumour thread, I'm thinking now that all the clips at the end of "Time, Warped" could be from the same episode. Say Deadshot and Captain Boomerang activate the Annihilator; J'onn takes on the armored suit while Vigilante and Shining Knight take care of Deadshot and Boomerang; Batman rushes off to warn Superman, who's fighting in the volcano against Doomsday. That comes together relatively well, though my retelling doesnt make it sound as exciting, does it?

 

[Karkull]

Call it a hunch, but I'm guessing that the "ties that bind" refer to Mr. Miracle and his supporting cast. Barda is involved (his wife), as is Granny Goodness (the woman that raised him).

What do we know so far: It's common knowledge that Granny Goodness (voiced by Ed Asner) and Virman Vundabar (Arte Johnson) will be appearing this season, and we've seen Mr. Miracle (Ioan Gruffudd), Big Barda (Farrah Forke?), Kalibak (Michael Dorn?), and the Flash (Michael Rosenbaum!!!) in the previews. I'm guessing this is the big "New Gods" episode of the season...as well as the Mr. Miracle story that they've been dying to tell since the days of STAS.

 

[Simpler Simon]

What do we know so far: It's common knowledge that Granny Goodness (voiced by Ed Asner) and Virman Vundabar (Arte Johnson) will be appearing this season

Who exactly is Virman Vundabar? I saw his name over at tvtome and the first thing I thought of was that chocolate bar commerical with the vikings (wunderbar!)

So, Ties That Bind:
-reference to Mr. Miracle as an escape artist
-reference to Mr. Miracle's dynamics with his close relations
-reference to some debt/offer that makes Barda join the JLU?
-oblique reference to where Flash has been all this time? (hey, who knows)

 

[Casey Mack]

I don't know. I mean we know she's appearing thanks to the credit clips, and earlier pre-season press information. But I still think she'll only be appearing in flashbacks. What with Superman having melted her brain back in "Legacy" and all.

If she does show up again in the present I do want an explanation for it.

I do agree about Darkseid though. Not knowing the synopsis for the last 5 episodes of the season, "The Ties" does seem the best chance for him to make his return, if he'll be doing so at all this season.


As for the rest of the season, I'm making two guesses.

Part of the first one comes from me having re-watched quite a bit of my season 2 tapes again this past week (for the love of all that is good and sweet in Odin's beard WB, put those episodes on DVD already!). Anyway, one of the lines from "Secret Society" that's always stuck out to me was Superman's "I'm the invulnerable one, every hit I take is one they don't have to." That always seems to be one of the animated Superman's constants. In every group or team-up story he's in he always seems to willingly take on extra physical abuse when he can, to protect the others he's with.

Now fast forward to the current season. We know from the press releases in the upcoming episode "Doomsday Sanction" that Superman will be fighting Doomsday in a freaking volcano D), while Batman investigates the conspiracy on his own.

Here's what I'm thinking, what if the episode isn't just "Superman fights Doomsday" but rather Superman and Batman both start actively investigating the conspiracy, but Superman decides to do it on his own in order to help keep the other League members out of harms way?

Superman takes the front door, Batman takes the backdoor.


The other thing I've been thinking about is the Annihilator Armor that has been seen in the credit clips again. I remember back when "Hawk and Dove" and "Fearful Symmetry" first aired we knew that seeds of the two season long story arc were already being sown and there was speculation as to what direction it would take.

The armor showing up again makes me wonder if the Greek gods will be making another appearance, or if the armor is just being used by someone on the human side of the conspiracy this time.

I know there's not much to back it up, but back when "FS" and "H&D" I was thinking a story line where the League gets stuck in the middle of a war between modern day humans and the ancient gods would be unbelievably cool. I doubt it would happen, but it would be cool non the less.

what on earth are you talking about, Big Barda was never in "Legacy" what are you talking about? Big Barda was already with the new Gods buy then, so what on earth are you talking about?

 

[Mr. Obsession]

what on earth are you talking about, Big Barda was never in "Legacy" what are you talking about? Big Barda was already with the new Gods buy then, so what on earth are you talking about?

If you look at the name I quoted at the beginning of my post, you'd realize that I was talking about Granny Goodness, who was in fact was in "Legacy" and should be a living vegetable these days.

 

[Karkull]

Who exactly is Virman Vundabar?

He's one of Darkseid's agents; he has a passion for the uniform and mannerisms of the Prussian guard (see here).

 

[Yarharhar]

Whats that machine mentioned capable of reaching 'incredible speeds' in that link you posted?

 

[Karkull]

I have no idea, but it is from Vundabar's first appearance in Mister Miracle #5. I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with the episode, as well as why the Flash is involved.

 

[Legionaire]

Karkull and GMahler seem to have collectively nailed it on the title reference(s) (or at least as much as we're likely to get at this stage). I'd add that Barda is also tied to Granny, having led the Furies at one point.

I thought that MM was seeking Flash's help to "free" someone; an adversary if I recall correctly. Could that be Darkseid? Perhaps Granny captures Barda to coerce MM into using his expertise to help him "escape" something.

I seem to recall that there were going to be two MM appearances this season. If so, the second will probably coincide with the big Darkseid conflict, assuming there is one.

And I agree that what we've seen in previews is all part of one ep--Doomsday, Deadshot/Digger, Annihilator, Bats, Supes, Vig, Knight, J'onn. Reasonable to assume Bats uncovers the spies on the Watchtower and they dig the Annihilator out of the trophy room. Not sure if Doomsday/Supes is tied into the conspiracy, though, it could be a "sub" plot (as if that fight could be "sub"ed to anything. )

Isn't Atom rumored to be coming back again also this season? Any word on that? Another Warren Ellis story?