The Trouble with Truth

"**The Trouble with Truth**" is the twenty-second episode of Justice League Action.

## Summary

When the goddess Athena offers to make Wonder Woman a goddess herself, the Amazon goes on a possible final mission for the Justice League with Athena following to view her protegé in action.

## Story

Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Arrow are battling against the terrorists of HIVE in a warehouse. When one of them is ensnared by the Lasso of Truth he begins to reveal that they have planted a cobalt fusion bomb in Metropolis but is knocked out by gas from his radio device before he can mention the location. Speaking over the radio, the HIVE Master tells the superheroes that they will not discover that location before the bomb destroys Metropolis. Later, in the Watchtower, Batman hopes to trace the radioactive signature of the bomb as he and Wonder Woman converse with Superman on New Genesis, telling him that his assistance is not required.

An unrelated thing then happens when a force outside the Watchtower passes through the canopy to reveal itself as Athena the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, accompanied by her owl, Bubo. She addresses Wonder Woman and announces that in recognition of her achievements she is to abandon her current life and become the new Goddess of Truth. Wonder Woman accepts but says that she must deal with HIVE first, and Athena decides to tag along until she is ready. Batman is still trying to locate the bomb on a scanner when Athena and Bubo irritatingly interrupt and show the location. Smoothie Green Arrow offers his services to Athena but is told the job of archer to the gods is already taken by Artemis.

In the Leagues' aircraft, the three superheroes together with Athena and the owl approach the bomb's location. HIVE Master tells them over the radio that they are too late and launches missiles that shoot down the aircraft. They all eject in time, and, while Wonder Woman saves civilians from the crashing plane and a falling crane, Batman and Green Arrow take out the HIVE defences and rescue Athena. They go into a warehouse, but Batman still cannot pinpoint the bomb so Athena and Bubo have to show the way. Also, to support them, Athena transforms into the Goddess of War and Bubo into her bow.

The group burst into the underground centre of HIVE operations and become involved in a firefight with a force of the fanatics, finally eliminating them all. Green Arrow continues to try to impress the goddess with his archery but to no avail. Then the HIVE Master appears in a walking combat machine which shoots a sticky substance like honey at the heroes but, after a lengthy struggle, Wonder Woman breaks open the machine and grabs HIVE Master. But the latter fanatically triggers a 30-second countdown for the bomb which is now finally revealed. Wonder Woman just throws him into the sticky mess and leaves him there while she helps the others gather up the mercenaries that they have just battered and take them into an escape vehicle. Faced with being destroyed by his own bomb, HIVE Master loses his nerve and shouts out the code to stop the countdown.

Athena congratulates Wonder Woman on her success, realizes that it is more important for her to continue her current work and abandons her plan to make her a goddess. Green Arrow now pitches for the job of God of Love but does not like the dress code (like baby Cupid/Eros).

## Notes

* In the DVD release, this is episode 21 and comes between Freezer Burn and Inside Job.
* Athena's robot owl, Bubo, is a character from the 1981 film, Clash of the Titans, now owned by Justice League Action's distributor, Warner Brothers.