Justice (Crossover)

**"Justice"** is the first annual DC Shared Universe crossover event, crossing over episodes of the DC Shared Universe television series *Iron Man*, *The Flash*, *Green Lantern*, and *Superman*on CBS. The crossover began on May 13 with *Iron Man*, continued on *The Flash* on May 14 and *Green Lantern* on May 15, then concluded on*Superman* on May 16. Each of the latter four episodes were titled "Justice". "Justice" sees Amanda Waller bring together Bruce Wayne/Batman, Barry Allen/The Flash, Clark Kent/Superman, and Dinah Lance/Black Canary, Hal Jordan/Green Lantern and Oliver Queen/Green Arrow joined later on, to fight off Sinestro and his Appleaxians.

Development for a crossover between the four series began in May 2012 after it was revealed that *The Flash*, *Green Lantern*, and *Superman* would join *Iron Man* on CBS, with one series on each of the weekday prime time nights (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). By the next March, the scripts for each episode had been written, with filming occurring shortly after, in April 2013. The episode titles were also revealed that month, while to keep the exact plot hidden, each premise was only released the morning of the day the episode would air. "Justice" sees the main protagonist and then a few other main cast members from the series appear.

The crossover as a whole received positive reviews, with critics praising the interactions between all of the various actors from each series, and the fact that they were able to make the starring actor in each series shine in their own episode. Conversely, the Appleaxian storyline felt like the weakest part of the crossover, with reviewers feeling the alien race had unclear motivations throughout. Ratings for the episodes were exceptional, with each episode for their series receiving much more ratings than their season average.

## Plot

The Yellow Lantern Sinestro encounters the Wood King, the leader of an extraterrestrial race known as the Appellaxians. In exchange for retrieving the Eccentricity, a powerful energy source of unknown potential, the Wood King promises Sinestro an army with which he can subjugate Earth. Amanda Waller, director of the espionage agency A.R.G.U.S., and her lieutenant Agent Steve Trevor arrive at a remote research facility during an evacuation, where mathematician Carl Ferris is leading a research team experimenting on the Eccentricity. Agent Theo Austen explains that the object has begun radiating an unusual form of energy. The Eccentricity suddenly activates and opens a wormhole, allowing Sinestro to reach Earth. Sinestro takes the Eccentricity and uses his yellow lantern ring to enslave Ferris and a couple of other agents, including Oliver Queen, to aid him in his getaway. In response to the attack, Waller reactivates the "Justice Initiative". Agent Dinah Lance is sent to Chad to recruit Dr. Barry Allen to trace the Eccentricity through its metagene radiation emissions. Austen visits Bruce Wayne to have him review Ferris' research, and Waller approaches Clark Kent with an assignment to retrieve the Eccentricity. In Paris, Queen steals mercury needed to stabilize the Eccentricity's power while Sinestro causes a distraction, leading to a brief confrontation with Kent, Wayne, and Lance that ends with Sinestro's surrender. While Sinestro is being escorted to A.R.G.U.S., Hal, his former ally when Sinestro was a green lantern, arrives and frees him, hoping to convince him to abandon his plan and return to Oa.

After a confrontation with Wayne and Kent, Hal agrees to take Sinestro to A.R.G.U.S.'s flying aircraft carrier, the Eagle. Upon arrival, Sinestro is imprisoned while Allen and Wayne attempt to locate the Eccentricity. The Justice League become divided, both over how to approach Sinestro and the revelation that A.R.G.U.S. plans to harness the Eccentricity to develop weapons as a deterrent against hostile extraterrestrials. As the group argues, Queen and Sinestro's other possessed agents attack the Eagle, disabling one of its engines in flight and causing Allen to use his super speed, which makes him go all out on the army. Wayne and Kent work to restart the damaged engine, and Hal attempts to stop the Flash's rampage. Lance fights Queen, and knocks him unconscious, breaking Sinestro's mind control. Sinestro escapes after killing Austen and ejecting Hal from the airship, while the Flash falls to the ground after attacking an A.R.G.U.S. fighter jet. Waller uses Austen's death to motivate the Justice League into working as a team. Wayne and Kent realize that for Sineatro, simply defeating them will not be enough; he needs to overpower them publicly to validate himself as ruler of Earth. Sinestro uses the Eccentricity, in conjunction with a device Ferris built, to open a wormhole above Wayne Enterprises to the Appellaxian fleet in space, launching his invasion.

Kent, Wayne, Lance, Queen, and Hal rally in defense of Gotham City, the wormhole's location. Allen arrives and uses his Flash powers, and together the Justice League battle the Appellaxians while evacuating civilians. The Flash finds Sinestro and beats him into submission. Lance makes her way to the wormhole generator, where Ferris, freed from Sinestro's mind control, reveals that Sinestro's ring can be used to shut down the generator. Meanwhile, Waller's superiors from the United Nations attempt to end the invasion by launching a nuclear missile at Gotham.

Wayne intercepts the missile and takes it through the wormhole toward the Appellaxian fleet. The missile detonates, destroying the Appellaxian mothership and disabling their forces on Earth. Wayne's space suit runs out of power, and he falls back through the wormhole just as Lance closes it. Wayne goes into freefall, but the Flash saves him from crashing into the ground. In the aftermath, Hal returns Sinestro and the Eccentricity to Oa, while Waller expresses confidence that the Justice League will return if and when they are needed. Meanwhile, the Wood King confers with his master, Darkseid, about the failed attack on Earth.

## Reception

### **Ratings**

 *The Flash* | May 14, 2013
 *Green Lantern* | May 15, 2013
 *Superman* | May 16, 2013

### **Critical response**

#### ***Iron Man***

"Justice" received overwhelmingly positive reviews. The episode achieved 96% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 50 reviews. Metacritic awarded the episode a 70 out of 100 based on 54 reviews. In an IGN review, Jesse Schedeen gave the episode an 8.7 out of 10, while *The A.V. Club* gave the episode an A-.

#### ***The Flash***

"Justice" received generally positive reviews. The episode achieved 74% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews. Metacritic awarded the episode an 83 out of 100 based on 44 reviews. In an IGN review, Schedeen gave the episode a 7.2 out of 10, while *The A.V. Club* gave the episode an A.

#### ***Green Lantern***

"Justice" received critical acclaim. The episode achieved 94% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 34 reviews. Metacritic awarded the episode a 90 out of 100 based on 49 reviews. In an IGN review, Schedeen gave the episode an 8.5 out of 10, while *The A.V. Club* gave the episode an B.

#### ***Superman***

"Justice" received mixed reviews. The episode achieved 68% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 38 reviews. Metacritic awarded the episode a 46 out of 100 based on 47 reviews. In an IGN review, Schedeen gave the episode a 9.2 out of 10, while The A.V. Club gave the episode an C+.