@@srstriker6420 He had a point but also ignored the other demons like Darkseid, Lex and even Eiling himself became a demon. Hamilton himself became a demon by valuating Kara, stealing her DNA and then creating a evil clone of her. Then he treats that clone like a daughter which is gross. He wanted to stop monsters but became one himself.
@@ReignSupreme2014 I honestly forgot that was in the film, yeah that movie was crap. Never KILL the hero who started that universe off in the 2ND film.
@@quantumslime7265 you can hear it in his voice when he says "well" that in his eyes he just earned l watched one of his best friends die inside. The crumbling of an ideal
I also think part of it is that Batman trusts Superman to do the right thing, so when Superman kills Luthor, he settles the cognitive dissonance by accepting this is the most right thing that could have been done.
Honestly I love this show and its writing but I never liked that line. Whether or not Luthor's actions were justified, Batman sounding like he so quickly accepted such a massive escalation on Superman's part feels out of character.
The Justice Lords from the Justice League series where the main inspiration for the entire Injustice universe which really goes to show that without the DCAU, DC wouldn't be nearly as popular as it is today.
It’s a double edged sword. On the one hand, a better world is a goated story, but on the other hand, Injustice is a cheep copy made for edge lords. When you have something good, cheap copies always follow.
Injustice isn't just based off of Better World. It also stole some details from a comic known as Kingdom Come, whose entire plot was about the heroes becoming distant from those they protected over retirement, and then returning, only to be hopelessly inefficient due to the years they had left other powered individuals unchecked.
@@theendersmirk5851 I never said it was entirely based on Better World. Obviously there are many other inspirations like Kingdom Come but the developers have mentioned Better World as a direct inspiration which is why they brought back a lot of the voice actors from Justice League for the Injustice games.
Yes, Superman says he's not the same person, but he also says he's felt the same temptations. That's what's so great about the DCAU Superman: He's not some flawless Messiah &, beneath the powers, he's a regular person with vices that he can fall into. I'm a firm believer that an evil version of a character is the opposite side of the coin from the good one. In other words, if Superman were to become evil, he would never even recognize it. He would see himself as protecting the world, but just doing a better job, when he's actually instituting totalitarian control. The primary Superman being confronted with this possibility, & with his own actions becoming ever more extreme, can then make the choice to not give into that temptation.
@@ashuebot-tabi4449 But was there ever a moment in the series where Clark was able to *truly* process what Darkseid did to him? Was there ever a moment where Clark truly got to show his leadership skills and show why he is the true beacon of hope, and not Batman’s whipping boy? And why did the producers make Clark a ticking time bomb, especially during the Cadmus arc? Why didn’t they have him use his journalistic skills to investigate Cadmus? It would have showed Clark still powering on through the right way without making him OP, and showing how shrewd he can be while still dealing with things, yet not letting them get to him. Plus Clark doesn’t grandstand either. In trying to make Clark fallible the only thing the producers did was committ character assassination on Supes just to tell the story they wanted. To coin a Richard Donner phrase, there was little verisimilitude when it came to Supes. Plus in the future Clark would not have lost touch with humanity. His adopted parents may not have been there but he would still honor their memories and keep going, making sure to remember what they taught him, because Clark gets his grounding from them, not Lois.
@@MMZERO9 You're right that there wasn't a real, lasting moment to show Suoerman trying to process what Darkseid did to him, but that's specifically because the Superman Animated Series was canceled before they could begin the season entirely about Clark trying to gain the public's trust again. Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, etc. have repeatedly referenced in episode commentaries from years ago, con appearances, etc. that the series was setting up a season all about Superman working to get the public's favor.
Looking at Superman as a saviour and thinking he can do no wrong or needs no guidance is just about the worst mistake humanity can make. He's just a guy, like any guy, he can be changed by the world around him
That was the message he tries present to Lois when he met her as Superman. He didn’t want to be publicised to begin with. He interacts to assure that he is friendly. Darkseid really ruin Superman’s reputation especially as the commander of Darkseid 2nd invasion. He is the Malachor V that triggered the Cadmus Cold War. I can see why Lois is more forgiving to Superman. Not to mention she personally witnessed a Superman who had fallen but could be redeemed.
The Justice Lord Superman is honestly the best take on the "evil superman". Injustice may be more popular, but that's just not Superman anymore. Justice Lord Superman still follows his flawed mindset, while the Injustice one is just plain old evil.
Injustice superman has completely different personality since he was a child and so do WW and Batman, the trio are the heart of JL in the primary universe, in injustice, they are all broken.
@@sandrothenecromancer6810 in Injustice I would say Batman is a little bit of the same compared to the others although he's far more cold in Injustice barely even consoling Clark.
@@AviRox1154 not wrong about that watched it a few weeks ago was shocked at how good it was at dealing with a super man that landed in the Soviet Union during the Cold War was raised similarly but with radically different circumstances
The DCAU writers and everyone else too were just so good. They made a beautifully aesthetic, wonderfully written and compelling story with heroes big and small getting not just the respect they deserve, but glory and love many never get and might never get again
"Better World" does a better job exploring the theme of "heroes being corrupt" than stories like Injustice, mostly because the episode it actually focus on showing not just the negative side, but also the positives of the Justice Lords taking over the world. It's not just "Justice Lords are better because they just kill villains". The episodes shows how cities like Gotham are now more calm, the streets are clean and places like Arkham Asylum look pretty, with the criminals no longer having their obsession and desire for crime. Yes, this was all achived through questionable actions (like lobotomy), but all had results. This helps to show the Justice Lords perspective and undersand where their ideals come from and why they no longer see problem in taking people freedom. The fact that Lord Batman decide to help the League represents him realizing, much like the JL Batman, neither methods are perfect, nor the world they made using this methods because there's not clear answer into how to make perfect world. Every action and choice will have pros and cons, consequences positive and negative. For every birth of villain there will be the birth of hero and vice versa. If the Justice Lord world or the Justice League world was perfect there wouldn't be point for neither side (good or evil) to exist, not even super heroes, because, as Superman pointed out in Infinity Crisis "If Superman exists, Earth can''t be perfect, because perfect earth doesn't need a Superman"
If you read between the lines In injustice it is also technically a better world then before as well as for starters the criminals are being straight up killed instead of lobotominized although quite a bit more violent it’s overall morally correct cause at least they aren’t slaves to there minds plus the dudes that are being killed aren’t mostly dissenters or journalists but merely the murderers and rapists that plagued the world such as the joker that started it all it seems likely the wider public didn’t have a problem with that considering the only time there was mass discontent was right after Superman killed lex which was probably preventable more on that later there was practically no war sense ares the god of war is dying of war starvation there wasn’t enough suffering and anger to spare if that wasn’t evidence enough hell all the bad shit that Superman did was more or less at fault of Batman if he say failed or didn’t try to save the other diminsions Batman lex whouldnt reveal his true colors the only form of successful resistance being crushed there whouldnt be any room for Superman to go batshit crazy and kill Shazam and move to flatten cities
Honestly the one story of injustice I liked was the dream superman had of Batman stopping the joker before he could kill Lois, where after Joker says he is going for them after there kid is born sense children scream in way and after those words slips his lips Batman snaps his neck, he then immediately turns himself in for murdering the Joker (realistically would have gotten him a holiday named after him then a prison stint) but he serves the full time. I like that little story (I do not like Injustice in general, but there are some good moments)
It's not simply that he figured out neither method is perfect. It's that it was pointed out that his parents, who he dedicated his mission to, *would hate the world he's helped to build.* To Bruce, his parents are the entire reason his crusade started. To make sure no one would go through what he did, yes, but to also honor their legacy. And as League Bruce pointed out, they would never stand for such a world (which, let's be honest, probably has plenty of rot underneath that we never got to see.
@@LordTyph this is really the thing i hate about most evil superman worlds. They depict neonazi supes, but rarely show or treat with sufficient gravitas the things their regimes crimes. Like they keep going "look what they do to the villains" rather than the tragedies of people whos parents were unpersoned because they didn't say enough nice things about supes. Its one of the many things the dcau does right.
I know this may be unrelated, but I think a big sign of the Justice League maybe becoming the Justice Lords is John Stewart going bald. And no I'm not joking
I suppose the only way Superman can really become “evil” or corrupted naturally is if he simply lost his way and misguided from the core beliefs that keeps him himself
Or if he tell himself, its the right thing, and that is the right thing, and that is the right thing all littl in the wrong directions. Which is genuinly realistic . Look how mny popl o terible things out of "love" or "protect the children" but really just want to hurt othery whyever. Or to feel nbetter , or feel bullying out of controln needs "for love"
@@marocat4749 But Superman is an unrealistic character by nature. What makes him so interesting is how so unwavering of a boyscout he is, how unshakeably good he is.
@@FrancisCastiglione Ok by making him human enough that we can see he can waver and how important that is for his character,htat h has flaws he just doent act upon. Despite being very emotional. Ok i just thinkits alo a good example how anyone an become fachit having a weak moment, the wrong incentice, and having your moral slowly twisted and warped. As warning how easy it can be. An that even superman can fall for that i he int careful and aware of his blindspots an that his ideals can lad badly if h isnt careful. In that case, he shows, despite beinguperhuman, he is ust human tooo and as human, can b misled with terri results and twisting him. And iithinkits jut potent notonly that superman constantlychooes to be that, but also, how eay aschism can fester (with the hindsight how much th opowr deate ther is related to politics)
@@FrancisCastiglione I mean of course its to remember how imoportant unwavering idealitic superman and th importance that he is supr-human, even if you explore if he get his worldview twisted.
I love that the same episode of the Justice Lords showed Superman is the exact same man everywhere but its his friends and connections that keeps him sane. “I knew you weren’t going convince him. I’ve felt those same temptations, and they’re pretty strong.” Future Superman isn’t so different. He was callous to the little people, focusing purely on intergalactic threats, he lost a lot of the human side while he was away.
It’s even telling in his later versions that he felt much more stoic, colder. But then this is superman who had seen a lot more. Was manipulated by Darkside into conquering his own people and, well, when superman wants to kill someone’s he’s actually really terrifying. It also shows that, despite his work he still needs warmth in his life. Wally Wests death being a catalyst truly isn’t any mistake in his loss of empathy.
I think that's what made this characterization so subtle and excellent. He has all this genuine concern for humanity, and takes it upon himself to bear all that weight on his shoulders, but doing so gives him a certain sense of entitlement. And he needs the rest of the Justice League to keep him honest, cut him down to size a bit. I've seen this in real people, where they become rich and powerful, and little by little, cut out anyone who calls them on their shit. So this Superman lives with the constant temptation to not listen to anyone else, knowing that he could get his way if he really, really wanted to, and unilaterally assert what he thinks is the right thing on the whole world. The thing is, whenever he gets angry, he's usually in the right about it. But what he wants to do about it is always shortsighted. Going in hot to rescue Question from Cadmus headquarters was relatively easy, but a Justice League team could just as easily have extracted Question without anyone at Cadmus even knowing. And then they could have exposed Cadmus's operations, making them look like the sociopathic assholes they were. As it was, he made himself look like the asshole by just doing whatever he wanted. This is the real challenge of Superman, and the real reason he's a tricky character to write. Because you can't just pit him against a stronger foe, and make the story about how he overcomes a greater power. But why would you want to? That's not the point of Superman. The best stories about Superman challenge him with problems that power alone can't solve. That's the real challenge of Superman, not to be strong, but to be good. Power doesn't always help with that. Sometimes, it's a hindrance.
Captain Marvel's speech will always been one of my favorite "hero calling out other heroes going too far" moments, not just in the DCAU but throughout all of superhero media. EDIT: Also, one interesting note about the alternate villainous Supermen we see: they both go around wearing their costumes all the time-they have become Superman full time. You see this in the Lord Superman dinner with Lois where he was wearing the costume. Contrast this with that episode in STAS where Clark inadvertently had to pretend to be dead, and he bemoaned to his parents about how he doesn't want to be Superman all the time because he'd go insane if he was. Superman is both a responsibility and a legacy, but to properly carry out that responsibility and honor that legacy requires he remain humble, grounded Clark at his core.
@@Revkor And? That changes nothing. The very reason the league got played was because Superman didn't act like a hero and was just overly and unthinkinIy aggressive throughout. The fight started because Superman escalated things by hurling Marvel through a statue. Even Superman realized how badly he handled that afterward. Call Atom or Steel over, like Marvel reasonably suggested, while keeping Luthor there as insurance if it is an actual bomb since Superman knows he's not the type who wants to blow up with his own scheme. Result would have been mild embarrassment of looking overly suspicious, not the bad look of being goaded into a hero on hero fight and mass property damage.
@@ilyamuromets2508but superman did not escalate things... That is the actual truth. A man like Luthor should have had multiple life sentences at this point and yet he was free and building cities. And despite his crimes, in the alternate future he became president... It is wrong and evil to allow that. Period. And as for this particular episode... Superman was right. Luthor was behind Cadmus and he nearly got into Amazo's body... It would have been the end for everyone. Superman was 100% right.
When people say Superman is a "boring character", you know for a fact they are not talking about DCAU Superman. That's the version that felt the most human, both for better and for worse. He had a lot of conflictive emotions for every obstacle in his path, and even though he strived to put on a brave face for the people around him, there were moments where it became too much and he cracked. He genuinely did want to help people, but you could see that he was so tired of watching people get hurt that his anger made him feel like using his overpowered strength might be the only option. But he always came back and realized that would just make things worse in the long run. The best way to portray Superman in any media is to show a genuinely good person who strives to do good, and even if doing so comes with a price, it is still worth doing.
"Where metropolis looks like modern day UK" I'm not british and have never been there, but based on what my british friends and media are saying, that's devastatingly accurate 🤣
I remember there being an old comic where Superman is attacked by like every villain and although he defeated them; he accidentally killed one. Because he believes no man can take the life of another, including Superman, he told Lois and the world he had to go away forever. However what that really meant was he faked his death and depowered himself, eventually Lois ran into him and they had a son.
@@srstriker6420 why? Mr. Myxlplyx exists in the Superman cartoon, could have done a close in story... hell BrainiLex's design is based off what happens in that story, isn't he?
I swear the casting was just perfect for every DCAU character, Superman, Batman, The Flash, John Stewart JL, Wonder Woman, everyone has an iconic voice
Hamilton's words ring hollow when you know what he and his group have done. They grew soldiers from the teeth of dragons, and striped them of anything that could call them human(The Ultimamen). Worse? He stole Kara's genetic material, the woman that had just gotten so hurt defending the Earth from Darseid's forces that her survival was in question. And he kept that material viable for YEARS before Cadmus ever formed, simply waiting for the opportunity to use it. Then he made Galatea. He grew his own 'Kara', and she calls him Daddy. He raised her to kill, changing her into a weapon, and she killed. The Innocent? The Guilty? The inconvenient... And he knows about her crimes. He knows about the crimes of those around him, about the deaths they have tried to cause, of the wars they've nearly started, and the suffering the make regular business. And yet, he still pretends he's the righteous one. He still believes, even to himself, that he walks in the light, when his soul is black as pitch. At least Lex Luthor owns his sins. At least Waller knows she's damned. Hamilton, you made a child soldier and hid its crimes when you couldn't control it, or worse, did control it and decided to 'test' its capacity for murder. You are the worst villain of all. There's a special place in whatever Pit you wind up in, waiting for you, all nice and toasty.
Well it was Superman’s fault because he shouldn’t have grabbed him like that and threaten him because he was pointing out that he would go to jail for helping Supergirl
@@srstriker6420 The line implies it's for helping Superman, not Kara in that moment, as he's currently still not known to be outside of Darkseid's control. That said, doesn't make what he did any better. He grew a person from things he stole from her, and raised her to be a killer, and she killed innocents, guilty, and lots of others, without remorse, and he knows it, and even offers her comfort. And he never goes to jail for it. Say what you will about the JL and their members, they avoid killing at all costs.
@@jamesfranklin4816 I don't think he's worse per say, but again, Lex owns up to his crimes, and even understands he's done bad stuff. Hamilton? He basically refuses to acknowledge that fact.
The evil Superman and Justice Lord ideas were super cool, but I would've loved to see Ultraman as well. It could like the end goal of those two evil Supermen combined. His fear and hubris merged into one person, as well not only thinking that he's still a hero, but knowing that he's evil and not trying to change it.
I definitely love the Crime Syndicate of the comics, but I think that the Justice Lords made for a more compelling challenge to the characters emotionally. There's never a point where Superman struggles with whether Ultraman made the right choices. Heck, they aren't even the same person underneath in their own universe.
They actually _were_ going to do that, but couldn't quite get it to fit with the series, so they did Justice Lords instead. They still finished the movie though _Crisis on Two Earths_ is the name I believe, has Ultraman and all the Crime Syndicate.
@@sirmount2636 I agree, they kept it pretty simple, which, along with a better fashion sense, is why I like the Justice Lords better. More interesting ideology and more to consider in that case then just general power hungry and flat supervillains that mirror the League. _Crisis on Two Earths_ made for a good movie in general though, entertaining and watching Supers clash is almost always a lot of fun. That, and seeing Batman outwit Superwoman with his "It's not smoke...it's anesthetic gas" trick was fantastic.
One of STRONGEST aspects of this entire series is the nuance it offers about "what it means to be a hero" which is something DC in the modern era has YET to capture (especially in the movies). Acknowledging the grays of superhumans being human (regardless of origin). This is the MOST adult DC has ever been on any screen and it makes me sad. Heroes don't "Only always do good things always with no fail or second thought!" it's a struggle and Cadmus and Waller (technically having a LEGIT concern) is amazing in just how well written this show is. Those concerns aren't ridiculous and manufactured (like most DC media now especially the films) they come from REAL concerns. This channel just KEEP coming with the HEAT! Thanks for posting.
I think the coolest if not relatively subtle parts of brave new metropolis superman is his symbol. While his original S stood for hope, his new symbol is the German Sieg rune of victory. Showing that his goal of giving humanity the inspiration to be heroes has been replaced with his goal to win the seemingly endless war on crime. It also shows how far into tyranny he has sunk as the sieg rune was also made famous for it's use in the uniforms of the Nazi SS, who through their schutzpolizei and Gestapo units brought order through brutality, genocide, and subjugation across the Nazi territories.
The episode’s use of Nazi imagery seems to inspire Superman: Dark Side, an Elseworlds limited series about Superman being raised by Darkseid, a year later. Funnily enough, this seems to inspire Superman’s brainwashing in the show’s finale a couple years later.
I think Lord Superman is what Superman would become. In Brand New Metropolis you saw he was basically there, just at a different point in the timeline before the JL was formed. Seeing who he can be is what made him keep himself on his toes
I see a lot of talk about the Justice Lords or Injustice here in the comments when talking about darker Superman stories, but none of Superman: Red Son. I still get chills when I think about the line that brings it all into perspective for him at the end of that story.
And rd son isnt even about evil superman, its about everyone being their most morally gray and worse self. And proably very fitting russian philosophy themed. Even lx that is kinda heropic but also shady not good lex mixed. How it makes a case for everyone of morally greynss but good done.
It's like Lois says at the end of the Cadus Arc. Superman's only human. However due to his great power, his mistakes are a lot bigger than anyone else's.
Shazam is one of my favorite dc superheroes and he got a point for the Justice League is unknowingly not themselves and he reminded them for that. And in my headcanon, Shazam rejoins the Justice League in the end of the Cadmus Story Arc.
Yeah that is probably my favorite/best way to handle the Superman v Shazam fight. For the most part it makes no sense why these two would fight, they are the biggest Boy Scouts in dc and they enjoy that fact, but here their reasonings and where they’re at make perfect for why they might fight
Two major aspects I love about a better world: 1. They don’t the standard dystopia route for the evil/all controlling heroes. The world isn’t a dark skied, totalitarian cyberpunk city, but instead everything is very sunny and almost cheery looking. Even with music score they don’t try to do an obvious overblown music sting to show how bad something is, instead the music is light and almost uplifting whenever the Lords do their actions in the first half. It doesn’t beat you over the head showing just how bad things are but instead it just feels wrong, like a smile that just feels off for whatever reason (instead of cold totalitarianism it’s the cheeriness and brightness that makes things feel wrong). It’s like how some bad horror films refuse to have it be in anything besides dark greys because “how else will the audience know it’s a horror movie”. Like take the scene with poison ivy, it isn’t overly creepy and it’s tone is just a mundane conversation but it’s that we see the lobotomy marks and the fact it’s POISON IVY of all people nonchalantly cutting down roses that makes it so off putting 2. For the first episode we follow the justice lords so by all accounts they act as the protagonists. The audience is sorta forced to see things from their perspective despite how wrong the course they think is just is
I'm surprised that you didn't discuss when Superman was brainwashed by Darkseid. That really had a large affect on the character and the worlds perception of him.
deep but wrong as well. SUperman was brainwashed by an enemy that made him attack earth. Supergirl fought him and lost. despite never siding with him in the attack she was to be murdered because she was Kryptonian as well. and all Superman ask was he save her. she commited no crimes. and frankly those that ordered her murder should have faced trial. then add in the clone he made and what she did. he has no high ground to stand on
@@Revkor im just talking about a quote it’s applicable to daily life. For a kids show to have quotes like that was similar to Steve buschemis line in spy kids “Do you think God stays in heaven because he, too, lives in fear of what he's created?”
Honestly this and smallville is the reason Superman is my favorite hero. Besides growing up with them ofc, but they have shown us that he is more than just a guy with many super powers, he is conflicted, he is troubled, he is the most human out of all the members on the justice league despite not being actually human. Superman always was a hero that in my eyes embodied choice, for he choose to be who he is today, he could have become rich famous or even a villain but he choose to be a hero and do something good in many ways, from saving people from a burning building to stopping someone that wants to jump off a building.
I remember this guy named myopinions333 said that nobody cares about Superman anymore I'm thinking okay watch the DC animated universe or read the comics.
It just dawned on me full circle, that President Luthor/Flash's death weren't the only branch off points. Based on dialogue/past episode comparisons, I have also concluded that.. 1) We never had a fight like "this" with Luthor. Meaning, that "Injustice For All" happened differently/not at all. 2) Luthor probably chose to run for president while NOT holding back his Kryptonite virus, so his increasing instability nearly caused ww3. 3) Lord Superman probably missed out on certain life humbling moments, such as not meeting a "Brave New Metropolis" Supes. 4) Darkseid probably killed not only Dan Turpin, but also probably harmed Lois and Jimmy during "Apokolypse Now" Etc
I love this channel absolutely so much, you have been encapsulating my nostalgia, and forcing me to review some of the finest pieces of media I have consumed. Thank you very much, and maybe I just haven’t seen this video but maybe talk about Christmas in this universe, I feel like they handle it so well
Man, that character design for "Brave New Metropolis" Superman is so unsubtle that I don't think you could get away with it today... At least not in a compelling way that makes sense. Tailor: "Are you sure you want to go with a lightning bolt S Mr. Superman?" Superman: "Yeah, why? Is there a problem with it?" Tailor: "Oh, it's just that particular style of the letter S could be link to a historical atrocity that happened some 50 or so years ago. Just thought I would let you know."
I think injustice is good but mainly because it kinda was the one that made the idea more and more popular and it shows how far it can go. I see it as DCs civil war and i like it more than marvels. that prob just me tho
I think the single best part of the DCAU is how it characterizes Superman not as a flawless Christ-figure, but as a normal emotional, frustrated, struggling person, dealing with the same loss, grief, rage, and philosophy that anyone else would if they went through what he did. And it’s terrifying because while he has the characterization of a normal human, he has the power of a super weapon, and that’s a very, VERY scary combo. Even if we didn’t see him get pushed to the dark side twice, seeing him act like a human with the power of a god is terrifying enough to make us as the audience understand Luther and Cadmus. We can see why everyone is terrified of him, who wouldn’t be if they knew how he acted?
See, this is what bugs me about zach snyder's take on evil superman. He seems to think it was merely lois dying and he's like "Oh, guess I'm going evil now even if it means allying myself with the guy who killed her in the first place!" NO! It was more complicated than that! Losing a loved one may be what put him on this path, but it was him KILLING SOMEONE that set him on it, leading to the conclusion about control.
The problem with "Evil Superman" is that so many story creators are convinced he can have a Joker-like one bad day and he becomes terrible. How many stories go this way: Lois dies, Superman overreacts? That's why the best alternate Superman is from Gods and Monsters, Kal-el but what if Zod overwrote Jor-el's DNA? He's highly competent and not naive, he has a moral code but it's not comically over the top. Ironically, it was Bruce Timm's attempt to write a twist on Superman but ended up making his best ever interpretation of the character.
This is why the DCAU's superman is by far my favorite, they actually made him a fleshed out character by having him cooperating with others who may have a different approach to being a super hero. Thanks for the nostalgia of this excellent series from my youth
keep in mind.... superman and sephiroth both share the same voice actor. yes. THAT sephiroth. honestly imagine a superman who goes completely insane from a revelation about himself.
The JLU comic sequel Justice League Infinity had its own evil Superman called Overman who was raised in a Nazi-infested universe. He's more prone to anger and violence in general and it brings up the question of whether he's still the same Superman, just raised in a different environment. Also, non-DCAU, but Justice League: Gods and Monsters had my favorite "evil" Superman, who was an outlaw and a killer, but not necessarily evil or a despot.
I've never been a huge DC fan. I've always been more into marvel, especially Spiderman. Batman The Animated Series, Superman The Animated Series, and the whole Justice League cartoon though is just chef's kiss. Some of the best animated shows I've ever watched.
I've been watching your DCAU videos for a few days now (thanks to YT algorithms not being trash for once) and i gotta say they're all great and well thought out. Congrats!
I just like how the Justice Lords aren't Evil-Evil like the Regime from Injustice. They went too far and just living with it, because you can see that some of them still has that regret to what happened. Even upon arriving at an alternate timeline, Lord Superman didn't took it by force, they just reestablished themselves and prevent the same events that befell their timeline.
There are versions of Superman who stand for Hope, Justice, and Fairness. A Superman who will comfort a crying child and prevent a depressed patient from committing suicide. A Superman whom we all aspire to be. ....the DCAU Superman is *not* one of those versions.
The only times evil Supermen worked for me is with Ultraman (Superman evil counter part of earth 3) who is supposed to be his opposite, so it fits he is a cartoonishly evil superpowered psychopath that at his core is a coward constantly afraid someone may take his place in the food chain, thus kryptonite on his reality is like a mixture of meth and steroids to him that takes constantly as a drug. And the other time an evil analogue of Superman has worked is with the Plutonian in Irredemeable, in which put an alien being that tries to be human but is in the end something that tries to fit the role of Superman, but end up being broken by the contadictions of humanity and the fact that his humanity is vastly more fragile and less real than what Superman got with the Kents (sorry if i keep it vague but is huge spoilers and a big reason the Plutonian is more than just a deconstruction) , poses a far more interesting character than just the boring "what if Superman became evil, but we justified it poorly" (Injustice Superman being the worst example of this). As a bonus one I don't really consider Omniman an evil Superman, because 1, it was more of a job Nolan pretended for the sake of his mission, and considering the entirety of the comic run of Invincible, Nolan's both Superman facade and his violent reveal are such a small part of his character arc and the rest of the story, that if it wasn't for the cartoon bringing back the backstory to a more modern audience, I wouldn't had counted him at all, but yeah Nolan's character development after he leaves earth is huge and brings him to weird places but if anything it makes his analogy of Superman obsolete, hell if I had to compare Nolan to another fictional character, I feel he becomes more like Vegeta.
I think one of Superman's greatest strengths/Weaknesses is his humanity. It leads him to his "boyscout" like attitude for doing the right thing and wanting to help which is one of his greatest personality traits but at the same time it also makes him just as emotionally and mentally vulnerable as an average joe. Thats why I never hated the "SUPERMAN TURNS EVIL!" Plot because it shows he has limits. For a normal human being, we like to think we are above hurting others and any harm we do was for a good reason. But that's what every bad person thinks, even when the reason was simply anger. Superman has limits. And although some of his biggest fanboys try to paint him as perfect and morally incorruptible, the idea that he can be pushed too far makes him an interesting character. For all his power, he isn't perfect. Just like us.
This makes absolute sense. When Steve Rogers thought the government was wrong, he became a vigilante. Being a soldier, he just wants to serve his country and stay true to his moral code. But when parallel Superman thought his government was wrong, he overtook it. He considers himself humanities savior and believes it is his obligation to stir humanity in the right direction.
The evil versions of Superman in the DCAU were good because they are alternate versions of Superman that challenged who the character is, could have easily happened to the mainstream DCAU Superman, and the evil Superman trope wasn't as overused cliché at that point. I honestly don't like the trope of evil Superman other than to challenge Superman on a personal level, which the DCAU did right. Good Superman is just better.
I always agreed with the Lex of the other world. Part of this is simply trying to reconcile an all powerful Superman with how utterly DUMB the guy is at times. Or having to reconcile moving at hypersonic speeds but catching punches moving ALOT slower so often. The other part is that, yeah, Supes is just a schmuck with cheating photosynthesis. All that power and changes so little of the wrongs of the world. To say nothing of being one step from being a walking apocalytic event. Cadmus may have been the wrong folks to do it, but YES there needs to be a counterbalance to that much power in one person...especially with how often they can be cloned, mind controlled, etc. I do not believe the point was that the mainline Superman was different than Lord Superman at all. They WERE the same person, but without the same trauma and events to shape them. Mainline supes consistently refutes and ignores Bats and Ollie's advice, just like the Justice Lord version. But, again, he doesnt have the trauma to push him further and a support crew that isn't trauma teamed with him. Also, with a FOREWARNING of what he could become, the mainline was able to catch himself before crossing that line. He isn't a godlike figure. He is just a dude.
You know ,this made me think. Everyone always says that Batman or Superman should kill their villains and are wrong not to, but then again, for all the times their enemies have been handed into custody, the law never executed them either. The super heroes of the animated universe typically don't implement justice. Heroes like Batman and Superman don't govern the people, but rather allow people to make their own choices as what to doafter they've stopped the villains.
I rewatched Justice League Unlimited earlier this year for the first time since childhood, so I'm extremely happy to see all this analysis and all these videos
I always hate in stuff like the Injustice games or the Flashpoint movie or the Snyderverse where it seems like Lois dying is all it takes for Superman to become a fascist. Like he's given a test of his commitment to the principles he believes in, and completely fails and that proves what he stands for doesn't hold up and the only reason the main Superman isn't evil is because things haven't gone wrong for him. So I'm glad that in the DCAU it's explicit that the main Superman isn't the same person as Justice Lord Superman and wouldn't make the same choices in the same circumstances. I also really hate how in the aforementioned games and movies it also seems like everyone else's morals get thrown out the window whenever Superman's does. Like Batman, Wonder Woman, and every other hero doesn't have their own unique reasons why they choose not to kill or overthrow democracy so they can run everything their way, independent of whatever Superman believes is right? Like, why would Wonder Woman with all her supposedly enlightened Amazon teachings ever sleep with a married man, murder his wife, and start a war where countless innocents end up collateral damage and why are so many other heroes just as amoral? Another reason why the DCAU version works. Because it wasn't Lois dying, but Flash, who everyone else on the team had a personal connection to. So it makes sense that they'd all be affected, rather than only Superman having trauma that actually explains his actions and everyone else following suit for no reason. It's even a plot point with Lord Batman that he does have actual personal motivations and that's why the main Batman is able to convince him to change his mind. Because the writers actually thought about him as his own unique character and not just an accessory to an Evil Superman story.
:( Yeah, thats misundrstanding him entirely, its that suprman is such a patient and compassionate person tht he holds so much emotional and if in a case that th dam breaks very badly, like loi killed, an he does break. It does show once, he is human, and even he can become faschist , so yeah no one immune, second , what a freaking amazing person h is to not act on any of the othr things so far badly, also something hell is set loose when a good man goes to war. I think its also clear that main suprman could do that choice, but upon being aware, h doe everything that h wont, because he listens to advice.
The power of a person to admit being wrong and want to do a right thing, go in the right direction, and be right. "I made a mistake and I know how to fix it. This is what I'm going to do." Those people are few and far between, and even mocked for 'messing up'.
The virgin edgy childkiller Injustice Superman. VS The chad coldheaded DCAU Superman. Btw that intro was damn amazing, goddamn the song makes it all great❤🗿
The worst part about Justice Lord Superman is that he still has louis batman and the league so he was more likely to overcome flashs death than any other version. It's gut wrenching dcau clark cpuldve also become that. And man that suit he wore be drippin.
Would you ever consider doing a “Superman vs The Elite” video? I almost see that movie as being an extension of the DCAU version of the character, or is at least his spiritual successor.
I'm not too sure about this as it's been years since I watched it, but for me, part of the reason Lord Superman came to be was him loving faith in the system as sure, Lex says he needs him to be a superhero but at the same time, Lux only got that that far because he could play the system. No matter how many crimes he committed, how many times he's locked up, he either broke out or won his criminal case, and despite all the red flags, he only gain more power such as somehow becoming US president. Lord Superman was a man that recognized that, saw that the system wasn't enough to actually handle Lux so he decided to act outside of it, to undermine it. He had seen people make so many mistakes that he decided that if we can't handle the worst, we don't deserve to handle anything.
I imagine the reason its so over used is that originally, it was due to what you said. He's a paragon so people become curious to see what happens when they go bad. Nowadays its cynicism. No one with that power could be a good person, so naturally Superman would be evil 'realistically'. And it sucks because its been done so many times that it has tainted the character. Normies don't seem to understand that these evil Supermen are from alternate universes and are suppose to be different from our Superman so people just assume that Superman could easily become evil at the drop of a hat. Instead of seeing Superman for what he is (or well, should be) as a genuinely good person who wouldn't let tragedy warp him into something monsterous, people see him as someone who has it too easy because he has super powers so the second he's vulnerable, he snaps. Essentially, people think he's either Omni-Man or Homelander...but, he's SUPERMAN.
@@shadowstrider5033 No, without his humanity, he wouldn’t have the motivation and care to save those lives in the first place. His humanity is his greatest power and if you genuinely don’t understand that… you wouldn’t make for a fit hero if you were given powers. If you want to be a villain, that explains how you can’t understand this simple saying…
@@shadowstrider5033 Well without his powers he wouldn't have any powers and would still be tryiing to help people through Journalism, his powers are like his job in exposing criminals in journalism, a tool, an assist.
I think the Justice Lord Superman is a better evil Superman than Injustice Superman because it doesn't follow the dead Lois trope. Lois isn't the only person in his life that has influence over him, his parents and the Justice League for one. Better World proves the fact despite Lois being alive and well she has no influence over his decisions. He's gone far beyond that and that's in part due to the other Justice Lords not rejecting his decisions. They have all arrived to the same belief he has so in his mind he is right. I'm just kind of bored of this trope that Lois is only person in Superman's life who makes him feel human. Superman is not without friends who could help him should the worst happen and I would hope that Superman's parents had raised him well enough to deal with his problems in a healthy way.
"I used to think that you were a guardian angel, come to answer our prayers... But Lucifer was an angel too, wasn't he?" That's such a fantastic line.
Yup he had a point about him
Even becomes hilarious when of course Luthor turned out to be using Cadmus to mess with Superman and then eventually sought to become a God.
@@srstriker6420 He had a point but also ignored the other demons like Darkseid, Lex and even Eiling himself became a demon.
Hamilton himself became a demon by valuating Kara, stealing her DNA and then creating a evil clone of her. Then he treats that clone like a daughter which is gross. He wanted to stop monsters but became one himself.
It is a really good line of dialogue. That's why Zack Synder stole it for that abomination of a movie BvS.
@@ReignSupreme2014 I honestly forgot that was in the film, yeah that movie was crap. Never KILL the hero who started that universe off in the 2ND film.
Heading Batman say "well it had to be done" is so haunting because you hear him go through the stages of grief and justification on one sentence.
It threw me for a ringer. I would never have imagined how quickly he basically just went "Oh gee. That sucks"
@@quantumslime7265 you can hear it in his voice when he says "well" that in his eyes he just earned l watched one of his best friends die inside. The crumbling of an ideal
I also think part of it is that Batman trusts Superman to do the right thing, so when Superman kills Luthor, he settles the cognitive dissonance by accepting this is the most right thing that could have been done.
Meanwhile in Injustice,
*Superman kills Joker*
Batman: NNOOOOOO
Honestly I love this show and its writing but I never liked that line. Whether or not Luthor's actions were justified, Batman sounding like he so quickly accepted such a massive escalation on Superman's part feels out of character.
The Justice Lords from the Justice League series where the main inspiration for the entire Injustice universe which really goes to show that without the DCAU, DC wouldn't be nearly as popular as it is today.
I thought it was a Brave new metropolis episode was the inspiration for Injustice
@@srstriker6420 Definitely that too.
It’s a double edged sword. On the one hand, a better world is a goated story, but on the other hand, Injustice is a cheep copy made for edge lords. When you have something good, cheap copies always follow.
Injustice isn't just based off of Better World. It also stole some details from a comic known as Kingdom Come, whose entire plot was about the heroes becoming distant from those they protected over retirement, and then returning, only to be hopelessly inefficient due to the years they had left other powered individuals unchecked.
@@theendersmirk5851 I never said it was entirely based on Better World. Obviously there are many other inspirations like Kingdom Come but the developers have mentioned Better World as a direct inspiration which is why they brought back a lot of the voice actors from Justice League for the Injustice games.
Yes, Superman says he's not the same person, but he also says he's felt the same temptations. That's what's so great about the DCAU Superman: He's not some flawless Messiah &, beneath the powers, he's a regular person with vices that he can fall into. I'm a firm believer that an evil version of a character is the opposite side of the coin from the good one. In other words, if Superman were to become evil, he would never even recognize it. He would see himself as protecting the world, but just doing a better job, when he's actually instituting totalitarian control. The primary Superman being confronted with this possibility, & with his own actions becoming ever more extreme, can then make the choice to not give into that temptation.
People don't talk nearly enough about how well rounded this version of Clark is.
@@ashuebot-tabi4449 This version of the character is not as well rounded as you think.
@@MMZERO9 How isn't he? He's shown about as many emotions as possible.
@@ashuebot-tabi4449 But was there ever a moment in the series where Clark was able to *truly* process what Darkseid did to him? Was there ever a moment where Clark truly got to show his leadership skills and show why he is the true beacon of hope, and not Batman’s whipping boy? And why did the producers make Clark a ticking time bomb, especially during the Cadmus arc? Why didn’t they have him use his journalistic skills to investigate Cadmus? It would have showed Clark still powering on through the right way without making him OP, and showing how shrewd he can be while still dealing with things, yet not letting them get to him. Plus Clark doesn’t grandstand either.
In trying to make Clark fallible the only thing the producers did was committ character assassination on Supes just to tell the story they wanted. To coin a Richard Donner phrase, there was little verisimilitude when it came to Supes.
Plus in the future Clark would not have lost touch with humanity. His adopted parents may not have been there but he would still honor their memories and keep going, making sure to remember what they taught him, because Clark gets his grounding from them, not Lois.
@@MMZERO9 You're right that there wasn't a real, lasting moment to show Suoerman trying to process what Darkseid did to him, but that's specifically because the Superman Animated Series was canceled before they could begin the season entirely about Clark trying to gain the public's trust again. Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, etc. have repeatedly referenced in episode commentaries from years ago, con appearances, etc. that the series was setting up a season all about Superman working to get the public's favor.
11:00 this is definitely a hilarious reference to how Bruce and Clark look similar in the comics and even disguised as each other on occasion
Especially since they did that in an episode of the animated series.
@@lg6884 Such a great episode too!
The look on Bane's face when Superman (dressed like Batman) over powered him was priceless.
I thought flash was more commenting on the scowl
Looking at Superman as a saviour and thinking he can do no wrong or needs no guidance is just about the worst mistake humanity can make. He's just a guy, like any guy, he can be changed by the world around him
Or be a danger to everyone around him
That was the message he tries present to Lois when he met her as Superman. He didn’t want to be publicised to begin with. He interacts to assure that he is friendly.
Darkseid really ruin Superman’s reputation especially as the commander of Darkseid 2nd invasion. He is the Malachor V that triggered the Cadmus Cold War.
I can see why Lois is more forgiving to Superman. Not to mention she personally witnessed a Superman who had fallen but could be redeemed.
The Justice Lord Superman is honestly the best take on the "evil superman". Injustice may be more popular, but that's just not Superman anymore. Justice Lord Superman still follows his flawed mindset, while the Injustice one is just plain old evil.
Especially by injustice 2
Injustice superman has completely different personality since he was a child and so do WW and Batman, the trio are the heart of JL in the primary universe, in injustice, they are all broken.
@@sandrothenecromancer6810 in Injustice I would say Batman is a little bit of the same compared to the others although he's far more cold in Injustice barely even consoling Clark.
He doesn't become evil until years in and that's more of a lapse of sanity due to piss poor writing.
@@codybaggett5329 He does though like in the first five minutes he establishes a world dictatorship
I usually hate the evil Superman cliche, but a better world is one of the few stories that gets it right.
Red Son is a really good one as well.
@@AviRox1154 not wrong about that watched it a few weeks ago was shocked at how good it was at dealing with a super man that landed in the Soviet Union during the Cold War was raised similarly but with radically different circumstances
Yeah it’s been done to death already
True. Because Superman still views himself as the hero making the hardest choice.
Have you seen *Overly Sarcastic Productions* _Satirizing Superman_ videos? If you haven't, they will likely speak volumes to you on that topic...
The DCAU writers and everyone else too were just so good. They made a beautifully aesthetic, wonderfully written and compelling story with heroes big and small getting not just the respect they deserve, but glory and love many never get and might never get again
"Better World" does a better job exploring the theme of "heroes being corrupt" than stories like Injustice, mostly because the episode it actually focus on showing not just the negative side, but also the positives of the Justice Lords taking over the world. It's not just "Justice Lords are better because they just kill villains". The episodes shows how cities like Gotham are now more calm, the streets are clean and places like Arkham Asylum look pretty, with the criminals no longer having their obsession and desire for crime. Yes, this was all achived through questionable actions (like lobotomy), but all had results. This helps to show the Justice Lords perspective and undersand where their ideals come from and why they no longer see problem in taking people freedom.
The fact that Lord Batman decide to help the League represents him realizing, much like the JL Batman, neither methods are perfect, nor the world they made using this methods because there's not clear answer into how to make perfect world. Every action and choice will have pros and cons, consequences positive and negative. For every birth of villain there will be the birth of hero and vice versa. If the Justice Lord world or the Justice League world was perfect there wouldn't be point for neither side (good or evil) to exist, not even super heroes, because, as Superman pointed out in Infinity Crisis "If Superman exists, Earth can''t be perfect, because perfect earth doesn't need a Superman"
If you read between the lines In injustice it is also technically a better world then before as well as for starters the criminals are being straight up killed instead of lobotominized although quite a bit more violent it’s overall morally correct cause at least they aren’t slaves to there minds plus the dudes that are being killed aren’t mostly dissenters or journalists but merely the murderers and rapists that plagued the world such as the joker that started it all it seems likely the wider public didn’t have a problem with that considering the only time there was mass discontent was right after Superman killed lex which was probably preventable more on that later there was practically no war sense ares the god of war is dying of war starvation there wasn’t enough suffering and anger to spare if that wasn’t evidence enough hell all the bad shit that Superman did was more or less at fault of Batman if he say failed or didn’t try to save the other diminsions Batman lex whouldnt reveal his true colors the only form of successful resistance being crushed there whouldnt be any room for Superman to go batshit crazy and kill Shazam and move to flatten cities
Honestly the one story of injustice I liked was the dream superman had of Batman stopping the joker before he could kill Lois, where after Joker says he is going for them after there kid is born sense children scream in way and after those words slips his lips Batman snaps his neck, he then immediately turns himself in for murdering the Joker (realistically would have gotten him a holiday named after him then a prison stint) but he serves the full time. I like that little story (I do not like Injustice in general, but there are some good moments)
It's not simply that he figured out neither method is perfect.
It's that it was pointed out that his parents, who he dedicated his mission to, *would hate the world he's helped to build.*
To Bruce, his parents are the entire reason his crusade started. To make sure no one would go through what he did, yes, but to also honor their legacy. And as League Bruce pointed out, they would never stand for such a world (which, let's be honest, probably has plenty of rot underneath that we never got to see.
@@LordTyph this is really the thing i hate about most evil superman worlds.
They depict neonazi supes, but rarely show or treat with sufficient gravitas the things their regimes crimes. Like they keep going "look what they do to the villains" rather than the tragedies of people whos parents were unpersoned because they didn't say enough nice things about supes.
Its one of the many things the dcau does right.
I know this may be unrelated, but I think a big sign of the Justice League maybe becoming the Justice Lords is John Stewart going bald.
And no I'm not joking
As I'm growing older, I've sarted to enjoy this kind of essay, philosophical, deeper, content more...
I suppose the only way Superman can really become “evil” or corrupted naturally is if he simply lost his way and misguided from the core beliefs that keeps him himself
Or if he tell himself, its the right thing, and that is the right thing, and that is the right thing all littl in the wrong directions. Which is genuinly realistic . Look how mny popl o terible things out of "love" or "protect the children" but really just want to hurt othery whyever. Or to feel nbetter , or feel bullying out of controln needs "for love"
@@marocat4749 But Superman is an unrealistic character by nature. What makes him so interesting is how so unwavering of a boyscout he is, how unshakeably good he is.
@@FrancisCastiglione Ok by making him human enough that we can see he can waver and how important that is for his character,htat h has flaws he just doent act upon. Despite being very emotional.
Ok i just thinkits alo a good example how anyone an become fachit having a weak moment, the wrong incentice, and having your moral slowly twisted and warped. As warning how easy it can be.
An that even superman can fall for that i he int careful and aware of his blindspots an that his ideals can lad badly if h isnt careful.
In that case, he shows, despite beinguperhuman, he is ust human tooo and as human, can b misled with terri results and twisting him.
And iithinkits jut potent notonly that superman constantlychooes to be that, but also, how eay aschism can fester (with the hindsight how much th opowr deate ther is related to politics)
@@FrancisCastiglione I mean of course its to remember how imoportant unwavering idealitic superman and th importance that he is supr-human, even if you explore if he get his worldview twisted.
Just kill Lois. 50/50 he either becomes a dictator or a depressed hobo.
I love that the same episode of the Justice Lords showed Superman is the exact same man everywhere but its his friends and connections that keeps him sane. “I knew you weren’t going convince him. I’ve felt those same temptations, and they’re pretty strong.” Future Superman isn’t so different. He was callous to the little people, focusing purely on intergalactic threats, he lost a lot of the human side while he was away.
It’s even telling in his later versions that he felt much more stoic, colder. But then this is superman who had seen a lot more. Was manipulated by Darkside into conquering his own people and, well, when superman wants to kill someone’s he’s actually really terrifying.
It also shows that, despite his work he still needs warmth in his life. Wally Wests death being a catalyst truly isn’t any mistake in his loss of empathy.
I think that's what made this characterization so subtle and excellent. He has all this genuine concern for humanity, and takes it upon himself to bear all that weight on his shoulders, but doing so gives him a certain sense of entitlement. And he needs the rest of the Justice League to keep him honest, cut him down to size a bit. I've seen this in real people, where they become rich and powerful, and little by little, cut out anyone who calls them on their shit. So this Superman lives with the constant temptation to not listen to anyone else, knowing that he could get his way if he really, really wanted to, and unilaterally assert what he thinks is the right thing on the whole world. The thing is, whenever he gets angry, he's usually in the right about it. But what he wants to do about it is always shortsighted. Going in hot to rescue Question from Cadmus headquarters was relatively easy, but a Justice League team could just as easily have extracted Question without anyone at Cadmus even knowing. And then they could have exposed Cadmus's operations, making them look like the sociopathic assholes they were. As it was, he made himself look like the asshole by just doing whatever he wanted.
This is the real challenge of Superman, and the real reason he's a tricky character to write. Because you can't just pit him against a stronger foe, and make the story about how he overcomes a greater power. But why would you want to? That's not the point of Superman. The best stories about Superman challenge him with problems that power alone can't solve. That's the real challenge of Superman, not to be strong, but to be good. Power doesn't always help with that. Sometimes, it's a hindrance.
Captain Marvel's speech will always been one of my favorite "hero calling out other heroes going too far" moments, not just in the DCAU but throughout all of superhero media.
EDIT: Also, one interesting note about the alternate villainous Supermen we see: they both go around wearing their costumes all the time-they have become Superman full time. You see this in the Lord Superman dinner with Lois where he was wearing the costume. Contrast this with that episode in STAS where Clark inadvertently had to pretend to be dead, and he bemoaned to his parents about how he doesn't want to be Superman all the time because he'd go insane if he was. Superman is both a responsibility and a legacy, but to properly carry out that responsibility and honor that legacy requires he remain humble, grounded Clark at his core.
but Marvel is also naive. he doesn't understand the politics beign played here. agaisnt the league
@@Revkor And? That changes nothing. The very reason the league got played was because Superman didn't act like a hero and was just overly and unthinkinIy aggressive throughout. The fight started because Superman escalated things by hurling Marvel through a statue. Even Superman realized how badly he handled that afterward.
Call Atom or Steel over, like Marvel reasonably suggested, while keeping Luthor there as insurance if it is an actual bomb since Superman knows he's not the type who wants to blow up with his own scheme. Result would have been mild embarrassment of looking overly suspicious, not the bad look of being goaded into a hero on hero fight and mass property damage.
@@ilyamuromets2508but superman did not escalate things... That is the actual truth. A man like Luthor should have had multiple life sentences at this point and yet he was free and building cities.
And despite his crimes, in the alternate future he became president... It is wrong and evil to allow that. Period.
And as for this particular episode... Superman was right. Luthor was behind Cadmus and he nearly got into Amazo's body... It would have been the end for everyone. Superman was 100% right.
When people say Superman is a "boring character", you know for a fact they are not talking about DCAU Superman.
That's the version that felt the most human, both for better and for worse. He had a lot of conflictive emotions for every obstacle in his path, and even though he strived to put on a brave face for the people around him, there were moments where it became too much and he cracked. He genuinely did want to help people, but you could see that he was so tired of watching people get hurt that his anger made him feel like using his overpowered strength might be the only option. But he always came back and realized that would just make things worse in the long run.
The best way to portray Superman in any media is to show a genuinely good person who strives to do good, and even if doing so comes with a price, it is still worth doing.
"Where metropolis looks like modern day UK" I'm not british and have never been there, but based on what my british friends and media are saying, that's devastatingly accurate 🤣
That is just my neighbourhood but cleaner.
I remember there being an old comic where Superman is attacked by like every villain and although he defeated them; he accidentally killed one. Because he believes no man can take the life of another, including Superman, he told Lois and the world he had to go away forever. However what that really meant was he faked his death and depowered himself, eventually Lois ran into him and they had a son.
The called “whatever happened to the man of Tomorrow” great story
@@legoben98productions yeah I think they could have brought in the DCAU especially use the villain called the Prankster
Sounds stupid.
@@srstriker6420 why? Mr. Myxlplyx exists in the Superman cartoon, could have done a close in story... hell BrainiLex's design is based off what happens in that story, isn't he?
@@legoben98productions Agreed.
I swear the casting was just perfect for every DCAU character, Superman, Batman, The Flash, John Stewart JL, Wonder Woman, everyone has an iconic voice
Hamilton's words ring hollow when you know what he and his group have done. They grew soldiers from the teeth of dragons, and striped them of anything that could call them human(The Ultimamen).
Worse? He stole Kara's genetic material, the woman that had just gotten so hurt defending the Earth from Darseid's forces that her survival was in question. And he kept that material viable for YEARS before Cadmus ever formed, simply waiting for the opportunity to use it.
Then he made Galatea. He grew his own 'Kara', and she calls him Daddy. He raised her to kill, changing her into a weapon, and she killed. The Innocent? The Guilty? The inconvenient...
And he knows about her crimes. He knows about the crimes of those around him, about the deaths they have tried to cause, of the wars they've nearly started, and the suffering the make regular business.
And yet, he still pretends he's the righteous one. He still believes, even to himself, that he walks in the light, when his soul is black as pitch. At least Lex Luthor owns his sins. At least Waller knows she's damned.
Hamilton, you made a child soldier and hid its crimes when you couldn't control it, or worse, did control it and decided to 'test' its capacity for murder. You are the worst villain of all. There's a special place in whatever Pit you wind up in, waiting for you, all nice and toasty.
Well it was Superman’s fault because he shouldn’t have grabbed him like that and threaten him because he was pointing out that he would go to jail for helping Supergirl
@@srstriker6420 The line implies it's for helping Superman, not Kara in that moment, as he's currently still not known to be outside of Darkseid's control. That said, doesn't make what he did any better. He grew a person from things he stole from her, and raised her to be a killer, and she killed innocents, guilty, and lots of others, without remorse, and he knows it, and even offers her comfort. And he never goes to jail for it.
Say what you will about the JL and their members, they avoid killing at all costs.
I hate hamilton more than luthor
@@jamesfranklin4816 I don't think he's worse per say, but again, Lex owns up to his crimes, and even understands he's done bad stuff. Hamilton? He basically refuses to acknowledge that fact.
@@SageofStars and that's because Hamilton thinks of himself as a good person. Luther does not
The evil Superman and Justice Lord ideas were super cool, but I would've loved to see Ultraman as well. It could like the end goal of those two evil Supermen combined. His fear and hubris merged into one person, as well not only thinking that he's still a hero, but knowing that he's evil and not trying to change it.
I definitely love the Crime Syndicate of the comics, but I think that the Justice Lords made for a more compelling challenge to the characters emotionally. There's never a point where Superman struggles with whether Ultraman made the right choices. Heck, they aren't even the same person underneath in their own universe.
@@M4TCH3SM4L0N3 true
They actually _were_ going to do that, but couldn't quite get it to fit with the series, so they did Justice Lords instead. They still finished the movie though _Crisis on Two Earths_ is the name I believe, has Ultraman and all the Crime Syndicate.
@@balanc-joy9187 Ultraman wasn’t really an interesting character in that. He was a mafia guy with no deeper persona.
@@sirmount2636 I agree, they kept it pretty simple, which, along with a better fashion sense, is why I like the Justice Lords better. More interesting ideology and more to consider in that case then just general power hungry and flat supervillains that mirror the League.
_Crisis on Two Earths_ made for a good movie in general though, entertaining and watching Supers clash is almost always a lot of fun. That, and seeing Batman outwit Superwoman with his "It's not smoke...it's anesthetic gas" trick was fantastic.
To this day the most human and relatable Superman, and believable Evil Superman, one who isn't presented as Dark or Edgy, just a villain.
One of STRONGEST aspects of this entire series is the nuance it offers about "what it means to be a hero" which is something DC in the modern era has YET to capture (especially in the movies). Acknowledging the grays of superhumans being human (regardless of origin). This is the MOST adult DC has ever been on any screen and it makes me sad. Heroes don't "Only always do good things always with no fail or second thought!" it's a struggle and Cadmus and Waller (technically having a LEGIT concern) is amazing in just how well written this show is. Those concerns aren't ridiculous and manufactured (like most DC media now especially the films) they come from REAL concerns. This channel just KEEP coming with the HEAT! Thanks for posting.
I think the coolest if not relatively subtle parts of brave new metropolis superman is his symbol. While his original S stood for hope, his new symbol is the German Sieg rune of victory. Showing that his goal of giving humanity the inspiration to be heroes has been replaced with his goal to win the seemingly endless war on crime. It also shows how far into tyranny he has sunk as the sieg rune was also made famous for it's use in the uniforms of the Nazi SS, who through their schutzpolizei and Gestapo units brought order through brutality, genocide, and subjugation across the Nazi territories.
The episode’s use of Nazi imagery seems to inspire Superman: Dark Side, an Elseworlds limited series about Superman being raised by Darkseid, a year later. Funnily enough, this seems to inspire Superman’s brainwashing in the show’s finale a couple years later.
"I wish to heaven I was the man who killed you" is such a human phrase. It's filled with phallacy and weakness, but sends the right message.
This was Injustice before Injustice ever existed. And this along with the game is better than the animated Injustice film.
The Justice Lords were literally the inspiration behind the Injustice series.
I thought of another alternative version of the justice league as monsters as in Universal monsters.
@@srstriker6420 From Earth 2 The syndicate
@@walterpetersen776 No a new idea
No injustice before injustice,is literally Kingdom come.
I think Lord Superman is what Superman would become. In Brand New Metropolis you saw he was basically there, just at a different point in the timeline before the JL was formed.
Seeing who he can be is what made him keep himself on his toes
I see a lot of talk about the Justice Lords or Injustice here in the comments when talking about darker Superman stories, but none of Superman: Red Son. I still get chills when I think about the line that brings it all into perspective for him at the end of that story.
I think about Red Son quite often. Such a well-designed story arc.
And rd son isnt even about evil superman, its about everyone being their most morally gray and worse self. And proably very fitting russian philosophy themed. Even lx that is kinda heropic but also shady not good lex mixed. How it makes a case for everyone of morally greynss but good done.
It's like Lois says at the end of the Cadus Arc. Superman's only human. However due to his great power, his mistakes are a lot bigger than anyone else's.
Without the Justice Lords, we would have no Injustice franchise. I mean they brought back half the OG JL cast for those games
I love the Justice Lords storyline.
The shazam superman fight was intense. It's cool that shazam realized before anyone else they needed to start acting like real heroes again.
Shazam is one of my favorite dc superheroes and he got a point for the Justice League is unknowingly not themselves and he reminded them for that. And in my headcanon, Shazam rejoins the Justice League in the end of the Cadmus Story Arc.
The Wisdom of Solomon has to be good for something.
Yeah that is probably my favorite/best way to handle the Superman v Shazam fight. For the most part it makes no sense why these two would fight, they are the biggest Boy Scouts in dc and they enjoy that fact, but here their reasonings and where they’re at make perfect for why they might fight
@@xana3961yeah I honestly hate how so many writers ignore his wisdom and just have “well he’s a kid in an adults body so he must be a complete idiot”
Two major aspects I love about a better world:
1. They don’t the standard dystopia route for the evil/all controlling heroes. The world isn’t a dark skied, totalitarian cyberpunk city, but instead everything is very sunny and almost cheery looking. Even with music score they don’t try to do an obvious overblown music sting to show how bad something is, instead the music is light and almost uplifting whenever the Lords do their actions in the first half. It doesn’t beat you over the head showing just how bad things are but instead it just feels wrong, like a smile that just feels off for whatever reason (instead of cold totalitarianism it’s the cheeriness and brightness that makes things feel wrong). It’s like how some bad horror films refuse to have it be in anything besides dark greys because “how else will the audience know it’s a horror movie”. Like take the scene with poison ivy, it isn’t overly creepy and it’s tone is just a mundane conversation but it’s that we see the lobotomy marks and the fact it’s POISON IVY of all people nonchalantly cutting down roses that makes it so off putting
2. For the first episode we follow the justice lords so by all accounts they act as the protagonists. The audience is sorta forced to see things from their perspective despite how wrong the course they think is just is
I'm surprised that you didn't discuss when Superman was brainwashed by Darkseid. That really had a large affect on the character and the worlds perception of him.
“I thought you were a guardian Angel come to answer our prayers. But Lucifer was a angel too wasn’t he?” Damn that’s deep as shit.
deep but wrong as well. SUperman was brainwashed by an enemy that made him attack earth. Supergirl fought him and lost. despite never siding with him in the attack she was to be murdered because she was Kryptonian as well. and all Superman ask was he save her. she commited no crimes. and frankly those that ordered her murder should have faced trial. then add in the clone he made and what she did. he has no high ground to stand on
@@Revkor im just talking about a quote it’s applicable to daily life. For a kids show to have quotes like that was similar to Steve buschemis line in spy kids “Do you think God stays in heaven because he, too, lives in fear of what he's created?”
When she says she wants to have a JL: Unlimited marathon and the theme song starts to play 0:19
I want to say that you do such a good job of defining and explaining the meaning behind these stories. Nailing it down to a point, man. Thank you
The DCAU was just way too GREAT. I really wish Paul Dini and Bruce Timm ran the DCEU.
The DCEU would definitely benefit with writing as good as the DCAU.
Pre obsessed Batman and Batgirl shipper Bruce Timm anyway.
@@Xehanort10 wouldn't say he was obsessed considering it was in one movie, and that idea existed back during the original Batman animated series.
Honestly this and smallville is the reason Superman is my favorite hero. Besides growing up with them ofc, but they have shown us that he is more than just a guy with many super powers, he is conflicted, he is troubled, he is the most human out of all the members on the justice league despite not being actually human. Superman always was a hero that in my eyes embodied choice, for he choose to be who he is today, he could have become rich famous or even a villain but he choose to be a hero and do something good in many ways, from saving people from a burning building to stopping someone that wants to jump off a building.
I remember this guy named myopinions333 said that nobody cares about Superman anymore I'm thinking okay watch the DC animated universe or read the comics.
It just dawned on me full circle, that President Luthor/Flash's death weren't the only branch off points.
Based on dialogue/past episode comparisons, I have also concluded that..
1) We never had a fight like "this" with Luthor. Meaning, that "Injustice For All" happened differently/not at all.
2) Luthor probably chose to run for president while NOT holding back his Kryptonite virus, so his increasing instability nearly caused ww3.
3) Lord Superman probably missed out on certain life humbling moments, such as not meeting a "Brave New Metropolis" Supes.
4) Darkseid probably killed not only Dan Turpin, but also probably harmed Lois and Jimmy during "Apokolypse Now"
Etc
There’s usually never one point in multiverse divergence. It’s a combination of things.
Your fourth point isn't really supported by much.
I think this was the best intro you’ve done, that was really well edited!
I love this channel absolutely so much, you have been encapsulating my nostalgia, and forcing me to review some of the finest pieces of media I have consumed. Thank you very much, and maybe I just haven’t seen this video but maybe talk about Christmas in this universe, I feel like they handle it so well
Man, that character design for "Brave New Metropolis" Superman is so unsubtle that I don't think you could get away with it today... At least not in a compelling way that makes sense.
Tailor: "Are you sure you want to go with a lightning bolt S Mr. Superman?"
Superman: "Yeah, why? Is there a problem with it?"
Tailor: "Oh, it's just that particular style of the letter S could be link to a historical atrocity that happened some 50 or so years ago. Just thought I would let you know."
i think this besides injustice is one of best evil superman stories
Honestly Injustice is a poor evil Superman story.
@@medi0cre_pr0ducti0ns6 that it is.
We already have a Evil Superman and his name is Homelander from the boys
I think injustice is good but mainly because it kinda was the one that made the idea more and more popular and it shows how far it can go. I see it as DCs civil war and i like it more than marvels. that prob just me tho
Injustice? Best? Funniest joke I've heard all day
I think the single best part of the DCAU is how it characterizes Superman not as a flawless Christ-figure, but as a normal emotional, frustrated, struggling person, dealing with the same loss, grief, rage, and philosophy that anyone else would if they went through what he did. And it’s terrifying because while he has the characterization of a normal human, he has the power of a super weapon, and that’s a very, VERY scary combo. Even if we didn’t see him get pushed to the dark side twice, seeing him act like a human with the power of a god is terrifying enough to make us as the audience understand Luther and Cadmus. We can see why everyone is terrified of him, who wouldn’t be if they knew how he acted?
this guy pumps out quality videos like a machine. every time i hope on youtube there’s something waiting for me haha
Such a great take on the evil Superman trope done right.
Yeah you said it
@@srstriker6420 indeed
It's always a good day when you upload, man!!
1:05
Danggg The Flash dying even made Batman cynical about protecting all life
I’m so glad you’re talking about DCAU Superman. Whenever people say Superman isn’t interesting this is always the version I turn them to.
These videos really hit home how many great voice talents were involved in this series.
See, this is what bugs me about zach snyder's take on evil superman. He seems to think it was merely lois dying and he's like "Oh, guess I'm going evil now even if it means allying myself with the guy who killed her in the first place!" NO! It was more complicated than that! Losing a loved one may be what put him on this path, but it was him KILLING SOMEONE that set him on it, leading to the conclusion about control.
The anti-life equation was what was going to do it, Lois's death was just the catalyst that was going to weaken him enough to be susceptible.
I like your editing. It's really cool how you can quickly and seamlessly shift between your script and the shoe
The problem with "Evil Superman" is that so many story creators are convinced he can have a Joker-like one bad day and he becomes terrible. How many stories go this way: Lois dies, Superman overreacts? That's why the best alternate Superman is from Gods and Monsters, Kal-el but what if Zod overwrote Jor-el's DNA? He's highly competent and not naive, he has a moral code but it's not comically over the top. Ironically, it was Bruce Timm's attempt to write a twist on Superman but ended up making his best ever interpretation of the character.
This is why the DCAU's superman is by far my favorite, they actually made him a fleshed out character by having him cooperating with others who may have a different approach to being a super hero. Thanks for the nostalgia of this excellent series from my youth
It's ironic that "Evil Superman" is even a trope at all, yet, there are so many.
keep in mind....
superman and sephiroth both share the same voice actor.
yes. THAT sephiroth.
honestly imagine a superman who goes completely insane from a revelation about himself.
The One-Winged Angel himself.
Whatever you do with your intros, I just can't get enough of it.
Notice how Batman didn't join the evil Justice League when Lois and everyone in Metropolis died, but did join when only the Flash died.
The dcau is absolutely magical. The journey, the characters, world building.
You're channel is the most comforting thing on the planet. Keep making this videos, they make me happy
The JLU comic sequel Justice League Infinity had its own evil Superman called Overman who was raised in a Nazi-infested universe. He's more prone to anger and violence in general and it brings up the question of whether he's still the same Superman, just raised in a different environment. Also, non-DCAU, but Justice League: Gods and Monsters had my favorite "evil" Superman, who was an outlaw and a killer, but not necessarily evil or a despot.
I would have another alternative version of the Justice league as monsters as in Universal monsters and I thought the Devil Superman
I've never been a huge DC fan. I've always been more into marvel, especially Spiderman. Batman The Animated Series, Superman The Animated Series, and the whole Justice League cartoon though is just chef's kiss. Some of the best animated shows I've ever watched.
I've been watching your DCAU videos for a few days now (thanks to YT algorithms not being trash for once) and i gotta say they're all great and well thought out. Congrats!
Your pre-essay edits are allways brilliant, though this one is particularly haunting
I just like how the Justice Lords aren't Evil-Evil like the Regime from Injustice. They went too far and just living with it, because you can see that some of them still has that regret to what happened. Even upon arriving at an alternate timeline, Lord Superman didn't took it by force, they just reestablished themselves and prevent the same events that befell their timeline.
There are versions of Superman who stand for Hope, Justice, and Fairness. A Superman who will comfort a crying child and prevent a depressed patient from committing suicide. A Superman whom we all aspire to be.
....the DCAU Superman is *not* one of those versions.
Yooooo thanks for the shoutout at 10:14!!
The only times evil Supermen worked for me is with Ultraman (Superman evil counter part of earth 3) who is supposed to be his opposite, so it fits he is a cartoonishly evil superpowered psychopath that at his core is a coward constantly afraid someone may take his place in the food chain, thus kryptonite on his reality is like a mixture of meth and steroids to him that takes constantly as a drug.
And the other time an evil analogue of Superman has worked is with the Plutonian in Irredemeable, in which put an alien being that tries to be human but is in the end something that tries to fit the role of Superman, but end up being broken by the contadictions of humanity and the fact that his humanity is vastly more fragile and less real than what Superman got with the Kents (sorry if i keep it vague but is huge spoilers and a big reason the Plutonian is more than just a deconstruction) , poses a far more interesting character than just the boring "what if Superman became evil, but we justified it poorly" (Injustice Superman being the worst example of this).
As a bonus one I don't really consider Omniman an evil Superman, because 1, it was more of a job Nolan pretended for the sake of his mission, and considering the entirety of the comic run of Invincible, Nolan's both Superman facade and his violent reveal are such a small part of his character arc and the rest of the story, that if it wasn't for the cartoon bringing back the backstory to a more modern audience, I wouldn't had counted him at all, but yeah Nolan's character development after he leaves earth is huge and brings him to weird places but if anything it makes his analogy of Superman obsolete, hell if I had to compare Nolan to another fictional character, I feel he becomes more like Vegeta.
I think one of Superman's greatest strengths/Weaknesses is his humanity. It leads him to his "boyscout" like attitude for doing the right thing and wanting to help which is one of his greatest personality traits but at the same time it also makes him just as emotionally and mentally vulnerable as an average joe. Thats why I never hated the "SUPERMAN TURNS EVIL!" Plot because it shows he has limits. For a normal human being, we like to think we are above hurting others and any harm we do was for a good reason. But that's what every bad person thinks, even when the reason was simply anger.
Superman has limits. And although some of his biggest fanboys try to paint him as perfect and morally incorruptible, the idea that he can be pushed too far makes him an interesting character. For all his power, he isn't perfect. Just like us.
This is better than injustice, injustice an overrated copy.
I gotta say I love your deep dives, you do a fantastic job and they're really enjoyable!
This makes absolute sense. When Steve Rogers thought the government was wrong, he became a vigilante. Being a soldier, he just wants to serve his country and stay true to his moral code.
But when parallel Superman thought his government was wrong, he overtook it. He considers himself humanities savior and believes it is his obligation to stir humanity in the right direction.
The evil versions of Superman in the DCAU were good because they are alternate versions of Superman that challenged who the character is, could have easily happened to the mainstream DCAU Superman, and the evil Superman trope wasn't as overused cliché at that point. I honestly don't like the trope of evil Superman other than to challenge Superman on a personal level, which the DCAU did right. Good Superman is just better.
Why is the animated DC stuff so much better then the live action? Its like just do this....JUST DO THIS!
Good video, and since no one seems to have commented on it, really good new title card !
I always agreed with the Lex of the other world. Part of this is simply trying to reconcile an all powerful Superman with how utterly DUMB the guy is at times. Or having to reconcile moving at hypersonic speeds but catching punches moving ALOT slower so often.
The other part is that, yeah, Supes is just a schmuck with cheating photosynthesis. All that power and changes so little of the wrongs of the world. To say nothing of being one step from being a walking apocalytic event.
Cadmus may have been the wrong folks to do it, but YES there needs to be a counterbalance to that much power in one person...especially with how often they can be cloned, mind controlled, etc.
I do not believe the point was that the mainline Superman was different than Lord Superman at all. They WERE the same person, but without the same trauma and events to shape them. Mainline supes consistently refutes and ignores Bats and Ollie's advice, just like the Justice Lord version. But, again, he doesnt have the trauma to push him further and a support crew that isn't trauma teamed with him.
Also, with a FOREWARNING of what he could become, the mainline was able to catch himself before crossing that line.
He isn't a godlike figure. He is just a dude.
You know ,this made me think. Everyone always says that Batman or Superman should kill their villains and are wrong not to, but then again, for all the times their enemies have been handed into custody, the law never executed them either. The super heroes of the animated universe typically don't implement justice. Heroes like Batman and Superman don't govern the people, but rather allow people to make their own choices as what to doafter they've stopped the villains.
Everyone should be free to choose.
Killing someone stops that freedom.
I rewatched Justice League Unlimited earlier this year for the first time since childhood, so I'm extremely happy to see all this analysis and all these videos
I always hate in stuff like the Injustice games or the Flashpoint movie or the Snyderverse where it seems like Lois dying is all it takes for Superman to become a fascist. Like he's given a test of his commitment to the principles he believes in, and completely fails and that proves what he stands for doesn't hold up and the only reason the main Superman isn't evil is because things haven't gone wrong for him. So I'm glad that in the DCAU it's explicit that the main Superman isn't the same person as Justice Lord Superman and wouldn't make the same choices in the same circumstances.
I also really hate how in the aforementioned games and movies it also seems like everyone else's morals get thrown out the window whenever Superman's does. Like Batman, Wonder Woman, and every other hero doesn't have their own unique reasons why they choose not to kill or overthrow democracy so they can run everything their way, independent of whatever Superman believes is right? Like, why would Wonder Woman with all her supposedly enlightened Amazon teachings ever sleep with a married man, murder his wife, and start a war where countless innocents end up collateral damage and why are so many other heroes just as amoral?
Another reason why the DCAU version works. Because it wasn't Lois dying, but Flash, who everyone else on the team had a personal connection to. So it makes sense that they'd all be affected, rather than only Superman having trauma that actually explains his actions and everyone else following suit for no reason. It's even a plot point with Lord Batman that he does have actual personal motivations and that's why the main Batman is able to convince him to change his mind. Because the writers actually thought about him as his own unique character and not just an accessory to an Evil Superman story.
:( Yeah, thats misundrstanding him entirely, its that suprman is such a patient and compassionate person tht he holds so much emotional and if in a case that th dam breaks very badly, like loi killed, an he does break.
It does show once, he is human, and even he can become faschist , so yeah no one immune, second , what a freaking amazing person h is to not act on any of the othr things so far badly,
also something hell is set loose when a good man goes to war.
I think its also clear that main suprman could do that choice, but upon being aware, h doe everything that h wont, because he listens to advice.
The power of a person to admit being wrong and want to do a right thing, go in the right direction, and be right. "I made a mistake and I know how to fix it. This is what I'm going to do." Those people are few and far between, and even mocked for 'messing up'.
I love how you edit and put together these videos. 💗
The virgin edgy childkiller Injustice Superman.
VS
The chad coldheaded DCAU Superman.
Btw that intro was damn amazing, goddamn the song makes it all great❤🗿
People have no idea how based that "modern day UK" line was
“I’ll hear it and I’ll come”
Gotta say Justice Lords Superman's suit is really rad
I never thought I would cry because I am proud of superman, but it happened
The worst part about Justice Lord Superman is that he still has louis batman and the league so he was more likely to overcome flashs death than any other version. It's gut wrenching dcau clark cpuldve also become that. And man that suit he wore be drippin.
A much more believable version than injustice, I always thought the injustice supes was a bit over the top
Would you ever consider doing a “Superman vs The Elite” video? I almost see that movie as being an extension of the DCAU version of the character, or is at least his spiritual successor.
It was weird seeing Hamilton going eventually against Superman when I grew up with STAS
Yeah because the Producers really hated Hamilton so much
Thanks for making these videos, they are really helping my mental state when I need it most. Cheers
I always remember the last words Batman said to Owlman.
I think they are applicable here as well.
Yep
The other Supes' blinked
There is no such thing as a human being without flaws, and for all his powers, Superman is still a human being.
I'm not too sure about this as it's been years since I watched it, but for me, part of the reason Lord Superman came to be was him loving faith in the system as sure, Lex says he needs him to be a superhero but at the same time, Lux only got that that far because he could play the system. No matter how many crimes he committed, how many times he's locked up, he either broke out or won his criminal case, and despite all the red flags, he only gain more power such as somehow becoming US president. Lord Superman was a man that recognized that, saw that the system wasn't enough to actually handle Lux so he decided to act outside of it, to undermine it. He had seen people make so many mistakes that he decided that if we can't handle the worst, we don't deserve to handle anything.
exactly and the fact that he executed flash and was STILL in office says it all
It's weird to me that a character meant to be an inspiring, paragon hero is the one most used for the "what if they were evil" trope 🤔
I imagine the reason its so over used is that originally, it was due to what you said. He's a paragon so people become curious to see what happens when they go bad. Nowadays its cynicism. No one with that power could be a good person, so naturally Superman would be evil 'realistically'. And it sucks because its been done so many times that it has tainted the character. Normies don't seem to understand that these evil Supermen are from alternate universes and are suppose to be different from our Superman so people just assume that Superman could easily become evil at the drop of a hat.
Instead of seeing Superman for what he is (or well, should be) as a genuinely good person who wouldn't let tragedy warp him into something monsterous, people see him as someone who has it too easy because he has super powers so the second he's vulnerable, he snaps. Essentially, people think he's either Omni-Man or Homelander...but, he's SUPERMAN.
First (and don’t worry I love your videos very informative and inspirational about one my favorite cartoons)
Superman’s greatest power is his humanity.
Agreed.
No it isn't. Without his kryptonian powers, his humanity would be useless in saving as much people he can with them.
@@shadowstrider5033 No, without his humanity, he wouldn’t have the motivation and care to save those lives in the first place. His humanity is his greatest power and if you genuinely don’t understand that… you wouldn’t make for a fit hero if you were given powers. If you want to be a villain, that explains how you can’t understand this simple saying…
@@shadowstrider5033 Well without his powers he wouldn't have any powers and would still be tryiing to help people through Journalism, his powers are like his job in exposing criminals in journalism, a tool, an assist.
I think the Justice Lord Superman is a better evil Superman than Injustice Superman because it doesn't follow the dead Lois trope. Lois isn't the only person in his life that has influence over him, his parents and the Justice League for one. Better World proves the fact despite Lois being alive and well she has no influence over his decisions. He's gone far beyond that and that's in part due to the other Justice Lords not rejecting his decisions. They have all arrived to the same belief he has so in his mind he is right.
I'm just kind of bored of this trope that Lois is only person in Superman's life who makes him feel human. Superman is not without friends who could help him should the worst happen and I would hope that Superman's parents had raised him well enough to deal with his problems in a healthy way.
Superman doesnt turn evil. Hes the best of all of us.