Justice League: Origin

## History

When the **Earth** is invaded by the world-enslaving entity **Starro**, and it's up to the world's greatest heroes to battle the villain!

## **Chapter One - "Close Encounters"**

A meteor lands in the Indian Ocean. ARGUS sends a division known as "The Challengers" to locate and retrieve the object. When they arrive, the meteor cracks open, revealing itself to be an egg holding numerous star creatures. These creatures attack the Challengers, attaching themselves and seizing their minds.

The Guardians of the Universe order Hal Jordan back to Earth to investigate rumors of a large entity passing Mars. Hal goes to investigate, but is attacked by a telepathic entity. He uses his ring to defend himself, but his will is not strong enough compared to the scale of the behemoth. It knocks him through the Earth's atmosphere, while the Guardians lose contact.

Following a raid on Wayne Enterprises, Batman uncovers a group of individuals with the stolen tech, all possessed by star spores (led by one of the Challengers). He defeats them, but they disappear. Bats contacts the Trinity, believing that they might have an invasion on their hands.

## **Chapter Two - "The Day the Earth Stood Still"**

Diana and Steve inspect the remains of the Challengers, finding the wrecked meteor and their transport. She receives Batman's transmission, believing that the Challengers have been compromised.

Hal awakens in the middle of a convenience store and is met by Barry Allen, the Flash! They investigate a break in at Star Labs, battling some possessed scientists (led by another challenger). They are defeated, but Barry finds an egg, and it opens; attaching a Starro spore to his face. Barry attacks Hal and the two fight, with Barry knocking Hal out at super speed.

Clark and Lois interview Lex Luthor at Lexcorp regarding rumors of stolen technology used during Vandal Savage's attack of the UN, but he denies claims. Suddenly, the facility is attacked by possessed mercenaries (led once more by an infected challenger). They attempt to steal Lexcorp tech, but Superman stops them. The Trinity discover numerous break ins at tech facilities across the country, all coinciding with large energy spikes in those areas as well.

While Bruce operates on a spore, he is attacked by a controlled Flash in the Batcave. Diana and Steve's ARGUS transport is shot down by Green Lantern. Beacons across America are projected into the sky as a towering creature is revealed entering the Stratosphere. Superman flies towards it, but is hit with a psychic blast and captured in a beam. Starro has arrived!

## **Chapter Three - "War of the Worlds"**

General Lane meets with the US president to assess the nuclear options for dealing with the invader. Clark awakens to hear calls in an ancient language; "M'yri'ah", "K'hym". He feels powerless, using the last of his strength to break free of his restraints. Drained of solar energy, Clark infers that they have been using him as a battery. He once more hears the same call as before, and searches for another being trapped in the star creature.

The Argus transport crashes into the Atlantic, as a possessed Hal Jordan scans the wreckage. Diana tries to stop an unconscious Steve from sinking into the ocean, but she is blasted by Green Lantern. They fight in the sinking wreckage, but Steve is saved by a man in orange scale armor wielding a trident. He deflects the power rings blasts, then commanding a shark to take down Jordan. Diana lasso's Lantern, and the man introduces himself as Arthur Curry, king of Atlantis.

Batman fights Flash in the Batcave, using every weapon in his arsenal to halt the speedster. He is thrown into his rogues gallery trophy hall, grabbing Victor Fries "freeze ray" and blasting the spore off Barry's face.

Inside the star creature, Clark finds the prisoner, who reveals himself as J'onn J'onnz of Mars. J'onn has been used as a telepathic amplifier by Starro. The two escape from the behemoth, and rendezvous with the heroes.

## **Chapter Four - "Independence Day"**

The heroes convene at the Batcave, with Bruce and Barry revealing that the Star Creature has a weakness to the extreme cold. Diana brings a tied Hal as Batman removes the spore with freeze tech. Batman and Barry have prepared a cold bomb to repel Starro, while also locating the beacons across the world tethering the invader to earth. The heroes go to disarm the beacons, while Batman and Superman invade the UN headquarters and prevent nuclear holocaust.

Beacons to bring Starro to earth are revealed to be Atlantis, Central City, Gotham, Metropolis, and Happy Harbor; the epicenter.

As the heroes disarm the beacons, they venture into the behemoth to deploy the cold bomb. Starro is repelled into the atmosphere, but it pulls them in possessing them with spores. J'onn resists the spores, using his telepathy to overwhelm starro, activating the cold bomb.

The League succeeds, and Starro is destroyed!

## **Chapter Five - "The League"**

Aftermath of Starro invasion.

Bruce and Clark purchase the mountain in Happy Harbor, used as Starro's main beacon. The Mountain is conveniently named "Mount Justice".

Flash does cleanup around the country in cities affected by the invasion, gaining public support.

J'onn talks to Hal, explaining how Abin Sur died fighting at his side against alien warlords. Hal makes contact with the Guardians, detailing his new involvement with the earth heroes.

Diana attends the press conference with Steve Trevor, announcing the creation of the Justice League, a superteam devoted to fighting off existential threats to humanity and earth itself. Aquaman also speaks to the public, revealing the existence of the undersea nation of Atlantis, and hoping to include them in the United Nations.

Luthor and Ra's arrive at Vandal Savage's Mongolian headquarters, deciding to form their own group to oppose this newfound Justice League. Luthor reveals he saved a fragment spore of Starro for further use.

## Timeline

* This event is part of The Silver Age.
* It is preceded by The Trinity.
* It is followed by Justice League Year One.

## Links

* Full Reading Order
* Justice League Reading Order