"Justice league II" will start off with Superman helping SWAT in taking down several top members of an international crime ring known as Intergang. Lois Lane makes a connection between Intergang and The Glorious Movement. Meanwhile, Batman is looking into the disappearance of one Silas Stone after receiving a distress call from Cyborg, both of whom are absent from their home. Clark also notices the trend of various scientists and Nobel prize winners suddenly disappearing off the Earth and decides to investigate this. In the midst of Clark's investigation, he notices a man who frequently appears in nearly every picture Clark has of the crime scene. As Superman, Clark decides to investigate the most recent scene and sure enough, the man is there.
Superman confronts the man and witnesses the man transform, baffling Superman. The man immediately recognizes Superman as a Kryptonian and reveals himself to J'onn J'onzz, that's right The Martian Manhunter. The next day, Clark and J'onn get coffee and discuss the case. J'onn tells Clark he's been living on Earth for years and was greatly impressed with Clark's boldness to come forward and how he could never do such a thing (in "Man Of Steel"). J'onn was absent for that because he was elsewhere helping families be reunited with their loved some (having lost his family himself, J'onn was sympathetic to their plight, by the time he was done helping, Superman had finished Zod, so he decided to lay low again fearing for how the public would react to him, given their position on aliens)
J'onn also tells Clark that he's been investigating the disappearances and finds that a lot of the kidnapped personnel have building and structural backgrounds, which leads them both to believe that whoever's kidnapping people is building something. Lois's investigation leads her to a rising star in the world of televangelism (a'la Joel Osteen) a man named Godfrey Goode or as he's called on TV, Glorious Godfrey. Godfrey denies any ties to Intergang and encourages Lois to stick around for a service, telling her that the message he's preaching is a matter of life and death. Lois declines.
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| Peter Outerbridge as Glorious Godfrey Goode. |
LOIS
Well, that was weird.
JIMMY
What?
LOIS
Nothing about that seemed odd to you?
JIMMY
The guy is a televangelist, Lois, they're all weird.
LOIS
Okay, but answer me this, Jimmy, what kind of televangelist doesn't have
a Bible? You don't think that's weird? We were in his office, no crucifix,
no crosses, no Bibles, no Quran, not even Dianetics...no religious
material at all.
JIMMY
Okay, that is a little weird.
LOIS
Weird enough to keep digging.
Meanwhile, Batman recognizing the pattern of mostly scientists being kidnapped fears Lucius Fox is on the list thanks to his involvement in a renewable energy project involving Kryptonite. Sure enough, an android arrives and attempts to kidnap Lucius, Batman fights but the Android overpowers him completely. Before the android kills Batman, The Flash arrives and saves Batman but the android manages to kidnap Lucius. Flash asks Batman about the android but Batman doesn't know but has ideas. Michael sends a message to Batman urging him to come to S.T.A.R Labs. Batman arrives and Michael tells Batman and The Flash that Batman's satellite has caught a transmission that Michael recognizes as a countdown, Batman asks to what, and the countdown reaches zero.
On Themyscira Wonder Woman is doing some training when the island begins to shake. Aquaman is putting his son to bed when Atlantis begins to shake. The Amazons exit the building and find the island engulfed in blue light, the Atlanteans find the same and they both come to the realization that their respective homes are being pulled upward. Hippolyta and Mera both manage to isolate their respective heroes and urge them to find out what's going on. Wonder Woman and Aquaman both watch as their homes are pulled into the sky (Atlantis being encapsulated in water as it does so.) Monuments all over the world are being lifted into the sky, The Temple Of Teth Adam in Kahndaq ("Captain Marvel" easter egg) The Washington Monument, Tahjma Hall, the freakin' Great Wall Of China, Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower Of Piaa, EVERYTHING.
The Statue of Liberty is being lifted up and Superman flies up to pull it back down, J'onn flies in to help but androids arrive. As they approach Superman and J'onn, Wonder Woman intercepts, followed by Aquaman, Flash joins the fray followed by Batman in the Batwing blasting androids out of the sky. Superman flies upwards towards the blue light and finds SEVERAL spaceships positioned around the world, he uses his x-ray vision and finds that there are people on the ship, MILLIONS. Superman disables the tractor beam and returns to Earth. On the ground, The Justice League is kicking major ass, the Androids stop their assault and retreat. And everyone gets reacquainted.
FLASH
Some reunion, eh?
BATMAN
This isn't a reunion. We're not a team.
SUPERMAN
Bruce, I understand your apprehension but we need to
work together on this.
J'ONN
He's right. We're stronger together.
FLASH
Who's the green man?
J'ONN
My name is J'onn J'ozz.
BATMAN
You're a Martian.
J'ONN
Yes, how did you know?
BATMAN
You tell me.
Everyone looks at J'onn. J'onn stares at Batman for a moment and then nods.
J'ONN
I see, Maxwell Lord's files.
AQUAMAN
How'd you--
BATMAN
He can read minds.
FLASH
But how'd you--
BATMAN
Not every crackpot conspiracy theorist is wrong, the tin-foil hat
community has gotten more right than wrong.
SUPERMAN
Either way, J'onn's right. I just went up there and we're dealing
with a full-scale invasion, there are hostile forces on those ships,
millions of them and I can't fight them alone.
J'ONN
Those are not hostile forces, Clark.
BATMAN
...and this isn't an invasion.
SUPERMAN
Then what is it?
BATMAN
We need to regroup, now that they know about us they'll
come back, whatever is doing this has one more pass
to make before they're done with this world.
Batman walks back to the Batwing as the others follow, Wonder Woman starts but Batman pauses, sensing her behind him. She pauses as well.
WONDER WOMAN
I just want my people back, Bruce.
Batman enters the Batwing, Wonder Woman joins him.
At this point, Batman arrives at another off-the-grid facility, The Flash asking Batman how many off-the-grid facilities he has, Batman saying this one was built with Michael Holt's help (who made this facility untraceable by all technological means). Michael Holt is there and he says he's been tracking what's been going on. And Michael breaks it down;
MICHAEL
I managed to figure out some of this but the language is
very alien, through reoccurring characters and tracing the
events thus far I've been able to come up with a rough
translation. Whatever is doing this is operating in phases;
The first phase is collection of people, whatever reason this entity
seems to be interested specifically in intelligent people. High IQ
Mensa members, inventors, etc.
FLASH
Then how come the 2 of you are still here.
BATMAN
No one sees Bruce Wayne as a genius, besides, I was never
professionally tested.
MICHAEL
...and I've upgraded my T-Spheres.
AQUAMAN
What's the 2nd phase?
MICHAEL
Right, the second phase is collection of civilization, it appears
to be collecting landmarks, structures, and whatever is doing this
is managing to maintain the structural integrity of what it takes.
WONDER WOMAN
That explains why it took Themyscira and Atlantis, but the real
question is why.
SUPERMAN
We won't know why until we know who.
FLASH
You said they weren't done, what's left to take?
BATMAN
Michael.
MICHAEL
Resources. I've been tracking activity and there is a stronghold installed in
the artic, they're drilling and from what we can tell water is going to
be the next thing collected.
AQUAMAN
They're going to take water?
BATMAN
All of it.
FLASH
How?
WONDER WOMAN
I've seen it move an entire island, draining the Earth of water doesn't
seem too far-fetched.
MICHAEL
Water, oil our nuclear resources, minerals, everything. They're
gonna harvest this planet dry.
SUPERMAN
How sure are you of all of this?
J'ONN
He's 100% sure, Clark.
SUPERMAN
Then I say we take the fight to them, Wonder Woman and I can
take out the ships, Bruce, does your EMP satellite still work--
J'ONN
That won't do, Clark. As I've said before the people on those
ships are not hostiles, they're hostages.
SUPERMAN
What?
J'ONN
I've seen this before, many years ago as a patrolman. A being that would
leave worlds a husk of their former selves, but I couldn't find it before
it moved on to another. The kidnappings, the collecting, it's all
happened before.
Michael pulls out a schematic of the artic base. There are ALIEN symbols on the schematics. Superman looks closely at them.
SUPERMAN
These...these are Kryptonian.
FLASH
Not another Zod, please.
J'ONN
I was thinking the same thing.
FLASH
About Zod?
J'ONN
No.
SUPERMAN
That my ship can get me some answers. I'll go, J'onn
can you cover me?
J'ONN
Of course.
SUPERMAN
You guys disable that base.
FLASH
On it!
Michael, Wonder Woman, Flash and Aquaman head for the Batwing, Superman flies off. Batman and J'onn are alone.
J'ONN
I sense much conflict in you.
BATMAN
I don't trust people easily.
J'ONN
Very wise...but not true.
J'onn leaves.
Meanwhile, Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim meets up with Glorious Godfrey and gives him a briefcase, citing that since the world is going to shit crime is getting much easier since the police have bigger matters to attend to. Before Godfrey can take the briefcase he opens it revealing Kryptonite and citing that Godfrey wants to do something to Superman. Bruno pulls a gun and demands higher pay and to cut him in on whatever Godfrey's got going on. Godfrey scoffs saying that either way Earth is done, saying how much Bruno and humans are beneath him, Bruno threatens to expose Godfrey as a charlatan but Godfrey says he's no charlatan he's just been preaching a different gospel. He reveals his Motherbox and says that whatever is going on has hastened his exit. He opens a portal, Bruno attempts to grab him but gets pulled in, and together they vanish.
Clark arrives at his home in Smallville, J'onn assumes a human form. Martha comes out to greet him and his friend and Clark says "it's okay" to which J'onn assumes his Martian form, Martha unfazed asks him if he'd like some coffee. Clark explains to Martha what's going on and says he needs to see his childhood ship. Clark arrives activates the ship and asks Jor'El about the Kryptonian symbols. Jor'El tells Clark about BRAIN INTERACTIVE CONSTRUCT a.k.a Brainiac. Brainiac was meant to be an artificial intelligence learning device that would travel from world to world teaching other species about civilization, learning from other species, and sharing that knowledge with Krypton in a hope to unify the galaxy, search for intelligent life and create peace, a bridge between worlds. But since the destruction of Krypton, it's had no handlers, and since it's able to think for itself and seeing the fate of its creators decided instead of teaching it'd preserve the best and brightest, the best structures, and the resources and preserve them. Armed with this knowledge Clark and J'onn tell the team that they must destroy Brainiac in order to stop the assault.
In the arctic, Batman and team arrive (Batman and Michael wearing mech armor...because it's the arctic). And then this exchange happens.
AQUAMAN
Aren't you cold?
FLASH
My cells are in motion much faster than usual
cells, it'd have to be pretty damn cold for me to
freeze.
The team storms the facility and IT'S ON. The heroes arrive but The Androids are proving more than a match for them, appearing to have analyzed their skills, physical strength, and so on. Aquaman takes the fight to the water but the androids are beating him, Wonder Woman is fighting but the androids are giving her the business. Batman and Michael are attempting to hack their way into the mainframe to stop the vacuum, but they're too late and WATER gets sucked up through a blue light portal. Michael and Batman do everything they can until Superman and J'onn show up. The Androids analyze J'onn but are at a loss on how to proceed since no data is available on Martians. They decide to capture J'onn, Superman goes after him but Michael tells him that they need to shut the vacuum off manually.
The others fight the androids while Superman and Aquaman dive in the water and dismantle the vacuum. They succeed. With the androids destroyed and the base secure Superman demands to know why Batman allowed J'onn to be captured, Batman reveals he put a homing device on J'onn and that can lead them to Brainiac. Batman says he plans on bringing Brainiac to them.
FLASH
But wait, I thought you said that the homing device
was gonna lead us to Brainiac, what'd be the
point of that if you're planning on bringing him here?
BATMAN
Brainiac isn't a person, Flash. He's data.
WONDER WOMAN
Which means he's everywhere.
BATMAN
Exactly, J'onn can lead us to the central hub but I'm
looking for the main handler. If those androids are
any indication it might exist in a physical body as well...or
need to after this.
FLASH
After this what?
SUPERMAN
What'd you do?
BATMAN
I've had Alfred broadcast a signal about a Kryptonite deposit being
shipped and its final location being in this location
(He shows them a projected screen of an abandoned town)
Kryptonite is a renewable, yet highly volatile source of energy
and because it's from its homeworld it'll be more than interested
in getting it.
SUPERMAN
I can't go near Kryptonite, Bruce, you know that.
BATMAN
Which is why you won't be there. While we deal with
the physical Brainiac you can take out the ships with
J'onn's help. Once you get him free.
MICHAEL
We disabled the vacuum, he's gonna have to repair it
so he'll be back.
BATMAN
the deposit is secure for now, this will work if we work together.
FLASH
Since when did you become, Mr. Teamwork?
They all glare at Flash.
FLASH
What? It's a good thing.
BATMAN
We all have our assignments, let's go.
Superman follows the homing beacon and arrives on Brainiac's ship. Using one of Michael's T-Spheres and a Kryptonian translator Superman manages to break into several rooms before finding J'onn among the Earth specimens and much to surprise Cyborg and Lex Luthor as well cryogenically frozen. Superman frees J'onn and Cyborg. Cyborg interfaces with the ship and makes contact with Brainiac before Brainiac attacks him with a power surge. At the Kryptonite deposit, Batman and the others deal with Androids, Aquaman citing that Batman was wrong about Brainiac himself coming. Superman attempts to return Earth's stolen goods but can't figure out the controls, begrudgingly he frees Lex Luthor and tells him what needs to be done.
LEX
Superman.
SUPERMAN
Listen, I don't like this any more than you do but you're
the smartest man I know and you've been around Kryptonian
tech longer than I have. I need you to figure out how to
return these things back to Earth.
LEX
And what's in it for me?
SUPERMAN
You're joking.
J'ONN
He's not.
SUPERMAN
I'll see to it that you get a full pardon.
LEX
For all crimes, past and future.
SUPERMAN
I'll stop you.
LEX
You'll try.
SUPERMAN
Done. Do it!
LEX
(stretching)
I'll need 5 minutes and a little peace and quiet.
J'ONN
You're aware the future crime he wants to be
pardoned for is your murder, correct?
SUPERMAN
Trust me, I know.
CYBORG
Guys, we got company.
Brainiac, THE REAL, Green skinned Brainiac enters the room. Superman instructs J'onn and Cyborg to return to Earth while he deals with Brainiac, together they make a hasty exit. Superman flies up to him but Brainiac matches him blow for blow speed for speed. On Earth, the heroes are struggling with the androids but Cyborg shows up and even the odds. Luthor manages to restore the landmarks. Brainiac is beating the hell out of Superman, citing how Superman's abilities are nothing more than an allergic reaction and he begins to use red sunlight, citing that prolonged exposure to extremely high doses will eventually make his powers inert. But Superman powers through and manages to fight back, Brainiac pulls out the ace and that's a rock of Kryptonite, citing that he's already collected the remnants of his homeworld and that's actually what he's been using to power his ship (again Kryptonite is a renewable energy source). Superman weakens and before Brainiac can deliver the killing blow, J'onn arrives and stops him. J'onn tells Superman that he'll deal with the ship and Superman can fight Brainiac.
 |
| I loved his Brainiac in "Smallville" and he can do it again, James Marsters as Brainiac, ONE MORE TIME! |
Cyborg finishes writing a virus code, Michael tells Cyborg to interface with the T-Sphere and pass it on to Luthor, Cyborg passes the code to Luthor and Luthor implants in the system, causing the androids to go haywire fly themselves into the sun, Cyborg citing he had code left over from the OMACs. On the ship, Superman manages to defeat Brainiac. As Brainiac watches his empire crumble but dies he laments that he won't be able to save Earth from its inevitable destruction and chastises Superman saying "Foolish Kryptonian, I was the only means of salvation for your world...Earth is doomed.". Superman demands to know what he means but Brainiac goes offline. J'onn manages to secure the hostages on a separate ship and they use that ship to land in Brainiac's designated port in the arctic.
The Justice League arrives and declares victory. Superman cites that he can't find Luthor but J'onn says he made his escape as they were leaving. The League asks if they should go after him but Superman says to let him go as he made a deal with him. Aquaman and Wonder Woman thank Clark for restoring their homes, Batman says he has work to do in Gotham, Flash asking Batman for a ride and to stop for pizza since Flash doesn't have any money at the time.
WONDER WOMAN
I wanna thank you.
BATMAN
For what?
WONDER WOMAN
For--
BATMAN
The world was at stake, Diana. This doesn't change
what you did. Pragmatism aside, we are not a team.
WONDER WOMAN
You say that, but you know I made the right call. I
hope we can get past this.
Wonder Woman walks away. The Flash joins Batman along with Michael.
FLASH
Things still not cool with you two, huh? That's
rough, Bats. Hey listen, could I get a ride? Sure
I could run back to Central City but I'm tired
and was hoping to catch a nap. Can we stop for pizza?
MICHAEL
You ever had Starling City pizza?
FLASH
No, but I heard good things.
MICHAEL
You're in for a treat.
J'onn tells Superman there's something he should see. Superman enters a room finds an entire city in a small glass-like containment field, J'onn telling him that it's the city of Kandor and that all the citizens therein are alive but in some kind of stasis. J'onn cites that even though Lex Luthor managed to unshrink and restore the objects stolen from Earth, whatever process did this to Kandor couldn't be undone by the same process. But he tells Clark that he's no longer the Last Son Of Krypton and that he has a family. Clark tells J'onn that he has a family here if he's willing. Superman tells J'onn about Brainiac's last words and J'onn tells him that Brainiac had some form of consciousness and from what J'onn could piece together, Brainiac wasn't lying and seemed scared.
In the end, Clark is at The Daily Planet, Lois arrives cheerful, Clark expresses his sympathy that Lois's investigation into Godfrey and Intergang didn't pan out but Lois doesn't care as she says she has an exclusive interview with an alien who aided The Justice League against the androids, Lois is thinking of calling him "The Martian Manhunter".
CLARK
Hey, Lois, sorry about your Intergang exclusive, I heard
all your leads dried up.
LOIS
Intergang? Pfft, Intergang is old news, besides I got
something better than a clean-cut televangelist and
a mob boss who's currently M.I.A.
CLARK
Yeah? What's that?
LOIS
I got an exclusive with The Green Man who saved
The Statue of Liberty. My source says he's a Martain. Apparently,
he was some kinda patrolman there, I'm thinking of calling him
The Martian Manhunter,whatya think?
Clark looks out the window and sees J'onn waiting for Lois. Lois sees J'onn and motions to the roof. J'onn nods and flies up.
CLARK
I think you got a story.
In the epilogue, Bruno awakens terrified and sees Godfrey standing over him, Bruno demands to know what happened and Godfrey tells him that he's ascended and is about to meet his new god. Godfrey lifts up an arm and shows him a figure with red eyes seated on a throne, Bruno looks on in terror at Darkseid. The camera pulls back and we see Apokolips in all its fire pit glory.
Now a few things, yeah once again we're dealing with androids, so a bit of a rehash of The OMAC Project but we're dealing with Brainiac and he doesn't use organics. Initially, I wanted Brainiac for a "Man Of Steel III" but Brainiac is too good a villain for just Superman. Now despite this having a lot going on this is still very much abridged as you'll notice Alfred really doesn't show up despite being mentioned and Cyborg doesn't appear until the end of the film, which is intentional because I'll be doing more with Cyborg later on that won't involve The Justice League...trust me.
Now a few things, yeah once again we're dealing with androids, so a bit of a rehash of The OMAC Project but we're dealing with Brainiac and he doesn't use organics. Initially, I wanted Brainiac for a "Man Of Steel III" but Brainiac is too good a villain for just Superman. Now despite this having a lot going on this is still very much abridged as you'll notice Alfred really doesn't show up despite being mentioned and Cyborg doesn't appear until the end of the film, which is intentional because I'll be doing more with Cyborg later on that won't involve The Justice League...trust me.
You'll also notice I set up a few things: Captain Marvel's introduction as well as Black Adam, I mentioned Starling City which can set up for Green Arrow, The City Of Kandor, so we can introduce Supergirl later on, and lastly, I set up the Fortress Of Solitude. You see the facility that Brainiac set up in the Arctic and the ship that Superman landed there, it contains enough Kryptonian tech for Superman to get acquainted with his origins and learn a few things about himself. The subplot of the film, Intergang, Lois, and Glorious Godfrey also ties into the subplots of the previous film, slowly introducing The New Gods and their presence on Earth. Here we have Godfrey obtaining Kryptonite and the first introduction of Darkseid. It gives Lois something to do, in terms of making her a relevant character and showcasing her as an investigator.
The whole point of the film is that when the world is at stake the team will come together and Batman, although firm within his beliefs is willing to work with Wonder Woman, he's able to think beyond himself. But at this point they're not "The Justice League", not yet, because they're still not exactly a team, they're just on better terms now, which will again keep them out of each other's solo movies. Let me know how I did and until next time, I'll catch you all later!
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