Justice League Animated Series Season 2 Episode 15

"Divided We Fall" is the 12th episode of the second flavour of Justice League Unlimited , and the 25th of the overall series. It originally aired on July 16, 2005. It concludes the four-part finale of the Cadmus story arc.

1 Plot
2 Continuity
3 Background information
4 Cast
- 4.one Uncredited appearances
5 Quotes
6 References

Plot

Inside LexCorp, the Justice League's vii founding members and Amanda Waller have merely been treated to the bizarre sight of Brainiac inside Lex Luthor's body. But no one is more surprised than Luthor himself. Brainiac explains that he inserted a microscopic copy of himself into Luthor'south body when he forced Luthor to build him a new body within LexCorp years before.^[ane] Since and then, he has grown steadily, until Luthor was, for all intents and purposes, acting under his control. Equally a past-product of his occupancy, Brainiac cured Luthor's Kryptonite poisoning and gave him his mysterious super-strength. The terminal act Luthor was to accomplish was to transfer Brainiac's consciousness into the "more suitable" android body.

Having had plenty exposition, the League attacks, only the Luthor/Brainiac hybrid knocks the League and Waller out of the building. Superman fights the hybrid, but it is able to catechumen the building into mechanical constructs, with which he eventually overpowers the League, planning to digitize any private knowledge they take, then delete their physical forms. But J'onn J'onzz phases costless of the restraints and smashes Brainiac's trunk, freeing the League. As his terminal move, Brainiac converts the entire top of the LexCorp belfry into an enormous skull-like robot transport, and attacks again. The Justice Leaguers swarm an attack on the send at all sides earlier the combined power of Superman and Dark-green Lantern destroy the transport.

It seems the threat is over, simply Batman immediately claims the fight was too like shooting fish in a barrel, and the League realizes the assault was just a diversion and Luthor/Brainiac is nowhere to be constitute. Nether Brainiac's command, Luthor is walking forth a sewer several miles abroad, looking to discover a place where he can stop and repair himself. Brainiac makes it clear that he regards Luthor every bit only a temporary vessel, and will then be destroyed. Luthor points out that Brainiac's programming is devoid of purpose: its ultimate end is simply for him to digitize, then destroy the entire universe. With nothing afterwards, Brainiac will take fulfilled his purpose and end to office. Luthor says he can show Brainiac a college purpose by providing him a trait he lacks: imagination.

In briefing with Waller, the League deduces that since Brainiac's trunk is entirely nano-technological now, thus, he volition go to Cadmus to harness the power of the Dark Center. They phone call the Watchtower for backup, just the base of operations, which was viciously ambushed past the Ultimen clones, and the heroes who would have been able to assistance out are stuck as the teleport systems are all the same downward. Batman concludes that the seven founding members are all that are left.

Sure enough, as shortly equally they arrive, Brainiac and Luthor have washed just what they feared and absorbed the Dark Centre's nanotechnology. Newly empowered, a new entity is created: a true fusion of Luthor and Brainiac, which has created a machine that will enable "them" to instantly absorb and destroy all the knowledge stored on Earth and and then the universe, except they volition at present be able to re-make the universe to their liking.

To fight the League, Luthor/Brainiac conjures upward android replicas of the Justice Lords, each of which battles its counterpart and goads him/her with their worst fears and insecurities: Superman's fright in normal humans that his power inspires; Dark-green Lantern's heartbreak; Shayera Hol's status every bit an outcast on both Thanagar and Earth; Wink's immaturity compared with the rest of the League. They are all resistant to the goading, and defeat their doppelgangers. The League and so successfully destroys the machine, but Luthor/Brainiac is withal too powerful for them. All of them are knocked unconscious by energy beams but Flash dodges the attack though it does knock him off-residue. Luthor/Brainiac creates guards out of nano-tech and prepares to kill Flash in a manner similar to President Luthor's dark deed, merely Flash vibrates gratis of his restraints, and is left standing alone against Luthor/Brainiac.

Luthor/Brainiac taunts him, and Flash hesitates, so streaks away. Luthor/Brainiac begins reassembling his car, but Flash hurtles at him from the contrary direction, invoking the Speed Force - running at speed so fast that he'southward circled the globe in merely a few seconds, and hitting Luthor/Brainiac with enough forcefulness to tear away a chunk of "their" android armor. Flash makes his fastest run ever, circumvoluted the globe faster and faster each time, hitting the fused villain harder and harder each time. Then Flash stops, his torso crackling with the speed energy he's tapped into, and applies his vibrating hands to Luthor's Brainiac armor, tearing it completely away, and leaving Luthor naked and helpless at the lesser of a crater.

As the League regains consciousness, Flash stands, unsteady, and so fades completely away, to the horror of his teammates. Luthor weakly gloats that he had indeed killed Flash. Only now is the moment of truth for an enraged, grieving Superman: He seizes Luthor, and his optics glow red. Wonder Woman moves to intervene, but Batman stops her as this is Superman'south conclusion. Superman's eyes return to normal and he releases his grip on Luthor, to the villain's genuine surprise. At the end of the mean solar day, Superman is not a Justice Lord – No matter how much he wishes he could do what that ane did at this moment.

And then J'onn shouts that Flash is still alive, and he tin can sense Flash telepathically. Shayera reaches in the direction J'onn is pointing, and her hand touches a portal to the Speed Forcefulness, into which Flash has been taken. From inside, Wink is enraptured with the realm, which is "calling him domicile" and wants to give in to it. Alarmed, Shayera shouts for him to resist information technology and seizes his hand, and all half dozen Leaguers form a concatenation with Batman as the anchor. Information technology takes all their combined force and volition to pull Flash back into reality. Flash mentions if he ever goes that fast over again, he won't be able to come up back again. A short altitude away, a relieved Waller tells the President to call off the air strike confronting Brainiac.

The next twenty-four hours, Superman addresses a crowd in Metropolis, including the members of the expanded League, the Watchtower support coiffure, the press, and various citizens. He says the League has been guilty of arrogance, and has alienated the people it was trying to protect. That being the example, the founders have decided to disband the League, and decommission the Watchtower.

Green Arrow gives an impassioned spoken communication.

In the silence that follows, the founders begin to dismount the stage – and Green Arrow steps frontward and delivers his own compelling speech to Superman, telling him that no matter what, especially later their victory confronting Luthor and Brainiac, they are still heroes and needed greatly, particularly Superman.

This speech is greeted with applause from the oversupply. Superman turns to Batman, who smiles and gives the Human of Steel an encouraging nod. It is a turning betoken for Superman: After so many years, he feels he has finally regained the trust he lost when he attacked the World while under Darkseid'south command. Happily bowing to the oversupply'south pressure, Superman agrees that the League volition stay in service, but they will have to brand changes to ensure they remain in touch on with the people, and suggests they could first by opening an diplomatic mission on Earth.

Equally Superman goes on, Batman excuses himself and throws a verbal flash to Greenish Arrow, who has justified Batman'due south reasons for recruiting him in the first place.

That evening at the Daily Planet , Clark Kent drops in on Lois Lane as she is finishing her story on the League. He is surprised to hear that she'southward using the adjective "ambivalent", and she shoots back that her job is to be equally tough on Superman every bit she is on any subject, but just because he himself has ready such high standards. After all, she finishes, "he's only human... You know what I mean." Grinning, Clark says he does, looking out the window to the deepening night.

Continuity

The episode picks up directly from the events of "Panic in the Heaven".
This episode finally shows the world of Lex Luthor'due south criminal activeness and acknowledges him every bit a true villain.
Brainiac mentions to Luthor what actually happened during the events of the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Ghost in the Automobile". The version (which has been developing within his homo host) is separate from the versions that appeared in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Knight Fourth dimension" and the Justice League episode "Twilight".
Luthor realizes that Brainiac is responsible for curing his Kryptonite-induced cancer that was outset diagnosed in the Justice League episode "Injustice For All" and gave him super-strength, both of which effects were shown in "Question Authorization".
Brainiac too refers his cursory collaboration with and betrayal by Darkseid in the Justice League episode "Twilight" to Luthor.
When Luthor learns that he'south disposable to Brainiac, Lex launches into a manipulative voice communication about Brainiac's ultimate purpose which causes Brainiac to alter his listen and spare Luthor's life. Lex used the aforementioned tactic he was facing certain death from a powerful, conscienceless adversary in the Justice League episode "The Return". Information technology worked both times.
The Dark Heart's remains reappear after the episode of the same proper name.
John Stewart's and Shayera Hol'south doppelgängers refer to the traumatic events of the Justice League episode "Starcrossed" when their relationship was broken by the Thanagarian invasion and Shayera's actions made her a pariah to both humans and her own people.
Luthor/Brainiac refers to the Question's pet theory in the episode "Question Authority" that the events of the Justice League episode "A Better World" will repeat themselves in their dimension.
Green Pointer comes total circle; when he was showtime recruited in "Initiation", he believed the Justice League was too focused on "big" threats for him to be compatible with it; now he sees that the globe needs the League, and, by keeping everyone honest, shows that the League needs him.
Although the Flash has nearly single-handedly saved the globe at least once before in the Justice League episode "Eclipsed", information technology is his deportment hither that seem to finally earn him his teammates' total respect — witness Batman's grudging agreement to show up at the Flash Museum'south dedication in "Flash and Substance".

Background data

Habitation video releases

Justice League Unlimited - Season One (DVD)
Justice League - The Complete Series (DVD)
Justice League Unlimited - The Complete Serial (Blu-ray)
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Blu-ray only)
DC Comics Super-Villains: Justice League Masterminds of Crime (DVD)

Product notes

Dwayne McDuffie stated that in the commencement typhoon of this episode, Clark Kent was going to reveal his identity to Lois Lane. Still, they were explicitly told not to practise it. Bruce Timm has gone on record to support the final production.^[ii]
When Brainiac's skull-shaped craft opens fire at some buildings, the ensuing explosions characteristic reused footage from the chain of explosions leading up to Darkseid's palace in the teaser of the Justice League episode "Twilight".

Production inconsistencies

The flashback that recreates the scene from the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Ghost in the Automobile" shows Brainiac blasting Lex Luthor with a yellow axle, but the original episode had the axle equally bluish.
When Brainiac'south tentacles attack John Stewart, he walks backward and the street behind him is shown to be articulate. Just on the next shot, he backs up to Amanda Waller despite her being nowhere to be seen before.
When J'onn J'onzz contacts the Watchtower, Superman is to his left at the same level. In the side by side shot, Superman is standing up and kneels down.
When Superman is knocked back into a vat by the Android Superman, he crackles with electricity yet there is discernible reason why every bit he doesn't crackle until after hitting the vat and it is simply dented without exposing the within.
On the DVD gear up, this episode has an unfortunate sound glitch, right afterwards Wonder Woman suggests to Superman they switch partners, the sound shifts to a loop of Stewart striking the Android Hawkgirl with the mallet. This glitch is just verified on the English sound track, however. This episode's Hard disk version on iTunes and Blu-ray no longer has this effect.
After Flash hits Lex Luthor/Brainiac for the 2nd time, Luthor's right arm is bare with straps of Brainiac's armor on the left one. After Flash hits 'them' and he rolls over, the straps of metal switch arms (considering the switching tin can be tracked to have occurred at the verbal moment that Luthor/Brainiac rolled over, this is likely a calculator glitch).
During Superman's spoken language, the position of the heroes in the crowd changes betwixt shots:
- Vibe is firstly seen standing next to Rocket Red and backside Blackness Canary. Yet, when the crowd starts applauding, he switched places and is next to Black Canary.
- Fire is firstly seen behind Elongated Man and far away from Dr. Mid-Nite. But when the oversupply applauds, Fire's standing right next to Doctor Mid-Nite.
- Booster Gold is standing right next to Doctor Light. When the crowd starts applauding, Doctor Lite disappears and he is standing adjacent to Zatanna, Metamorpho, and Crimson Play a joke on, the latter two of whom were nowhere to be seen earlier.
- Md Mid-Nite is initially to Waverider's left and in front of him. After Greenish Arrow'south speech, Doctor Mid-Nite is noticeably behind Waverider. In the next long shot, Doctor Mid-Nite in front of Waverider again.
- Mr. Terrific is initially standing to Fire's right, merely when the oversupply reacts to Superman announcement, Mr. Terrific's now continuing to Fire's left.

Trivia

This episode marks the final time that all 7 founding Justice League members fight together as a team. Although they all fight in the finale "Destroyer", they are spread out in several locations across the world.
This episode title is taken from the phrase "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" first coined by John Dickinson.
Brainiac'south face on Luthor's tum and the 'Head' transport are based on the graphic symbol'due south 1980s pre-Crisis incarnation.
Though a unlike shade, Lex'southward green caput with Brainiac'due south symbol on his forehead is similar to how Brainiac looks in mainstream comics.
Afterwards Amanda shoots Brainiac'south face on Lex's tum, the bullet holes shut upwardly in a way reminiscent to that performed by the T-m in Terminator ii: Judgment 24-hour interval .
Flash calls Luthor/Brainiac "The Matter with Two Heads", alluding to the movie of the same proper noun.
When Luthor/Brainiac creates seven androids to fight the Justice League, Brainiac has the androids originally resemble his own likeness, only Lex has the constructs morph into the Justice Lords from the Justice League episode "A Meliorate World".
Shayera has actually hit John in the head with her mace before. In one case in the Justice League episode "Starcrossed" and in one case on the Static Shock episode "A League of Their Ain".
Flash says he's going to paint his logo on the JL conference table. This is a nod to the DC Comics where the League members have their respective logos painted on the dorsum of their chairs at the conference table.
The Android Flash looks like the Reverse Flash from the comics.
The Android J'onn J'onzz is the only ane whose destruction is not shown.
Batman quotes the famous Latin phrase, "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes", attributed to the Roman poet Juvenal, and variously translated as "Who guards the guardians?" or "Who watches the watchers?" This is a tribute to the Alan Moore comic Watchmen , which grapples with the darker side and ethical duties of superheroes, and used the catchphrase "Who watches the Watchmen?" in its promotion.
The machine that Brainiac comes "prepared with" is very similar to the automobile he builds in the Static Daze episode "A League of Their Ain". The pattern of the auto on this episode is used for the design of Brainiac 5's ship in the Legion of Super-Heroes Goggle box evidence series finale "Dark Victory".
Flash's apparent death past existence lost to the Speed Force while trying to stop a villain from using a giant cannon to destroy the world is a possible reference to the death of Barry Allen in Mainstream Comics during the Crisis On Infinite Earths.
The Brainiac/Luthor Hybrid is likewise a homage to Whatever Happened to The Man of Tomorrow? where Brainiac also tries to take over Luthor's torso.
Lois asking Clark most the spelling of the word "ambivalent" is a reference to a running gag in the 1978 Superman film, in which Lois (Margot Kidder) would sometimes ask her Daily Planet co-workers nigh the spelling of some words.
The Earth is approximately 40,000 kilometers in circumference; based on that figure, the speed of Flash'southward runs is approximately:

Time	Speed
1st Run: 10 seconds	4,000 km/second
2nd Run: 9 seconds	4,444 km/s
3rd Run: 11 seconds	3,636 km/s
4th Run: 5 seconds	8,000 km/s
5th Run: 1 second	40,000 km/south

This is nonetheless slower than the speed of light (approximately 300,000 km/south, or 186,000 miles per second). Even and so, assuming Wink weighs as a typical weight adult, the kinetic energy of his motility would be over fifty petajoules; the approximate equivalent of a twelve Megaton nuclear explosion.

Bandage

Histrion	Role
Maria Canals	Shayera Hol Android Hawkgirl (uncredited)
Kevin Conroy	Batman
Susan Eisenberg	Wonder Woman Android Diana (uncredited)
Phil LaMarr	Green Lantern Steel Android Dark-green Lantern (uncredited)
Carl Lumbly	J'onn J'onzz
George Newbern	Superman/Clark Kent Android Superman (uncredited)
Michael Rosenbaum	Flash Android Flash (uncredited)
Clancy Chocolate-brown	Lex Luthor Brainiac (in unison with Lex Luthor) (uncredited)
Corey Burton	Brainiac Lex Luthor (in unison with Brainiac) (uncredited)
Dana Delany	Lois Lane
Robert Forster	Mr. President
CCH Pounder	Amanda Waller
Kin Shriner	Greenish Arrow

Uncredited appearances

Quotes

Waller: (later watching Brainiac regenerate the wounds) I'll be dipped.

Flash: (as Brainiac begins to digitize the others) I am so willing to wait my plough.

Lex Luthor: I can evidence you a purpose beyond the fulfillment of your programming.
Brainiac: It is extremely unlikely that your inferior human intellect has anything to offering me.
Luthor: Since we've get so close, I'1000 gonna let that pass. I'm offering you the one affair you've always lacked. A certain something that I happen to take in abundance.
Brainiac: Which is?
Luthor: Imagination. I have a proposition for yous, partner.

Brainiac: I have learned from my encounter with Darkseid that organic beings cannot be trusted.
Luthor: I tin can't argue with that.

Superman: My 10-ray vision tin can't penetrate the walls, simply I'm seeing a apace growing oestrus signature in the infrared range.
Wonder Woman: You don't need supervision for that. Can't you lot feel the estrus?
(the Cadmus building explodes)
Luthor/Brainiac: Welcome, Justice League. You're just in fourth dimension for the terminate of the earth.

Superman: I know you're in there somewhere, Lex. Fight him!
Luthor/Brainiac: You're right. I am in here. And I similar information technology! I'grand about to get everything I ever wanted: power, ultimate knowledge, immortality...
Superman: And you'll destroy the World to go it?
Luthor/Brainiac: It's business organisation, Superman. At that place are always trade-offs.
Shayera Hol: Less talking, more hitting!
Luthor/Brainiac: (more than of Brainiac's voice) You cannot exist allowed to interfere at this frail phase. (blasts Shayera down then creates seven androids with Brainiac'south likeness) (more of Lex's vocalization) No, no, no. Nosotros tin can practise better than that. (turns the android replicas into the Justice Lords)

Superman: (To Android Superman) I'one thousand Non like you! I'one thousand NOTHING like yous!
(Android Superman takes Lex Luthor's form)
Luthor: This is the part where you impale me, right? C'mon, use your rut vision. Y'all know you desire to.

Shayera Hol: (afterward Dark-green Lantern destroys Android Hawkgirl) You enjoyed that a picayune too well.
Green Lantern: I'thou just letting off some steam. She broke my heart, you lot know?
Shayera Hol: (after decapitating Android Green Lantern) Likewise, I'yard certain.

Flash: You lose.
Luthor/Brainiac: (both voices) Hardly, await effectually yous. The Justice League is completely defeated and so are you. For all your efforts, y'all have only inconvenienced me, speck. (more of Lex's voice) Merely I'm still human being enough to relish taking my revenge.

Luthor/Brainiac: Looks similar the Question was right all along: I kill you lot and so Armageddon, right on schedule.
Flash: No!
Luthor/Brainiac: Are y'all going to fight me, boy?

Superman: (to Lex Luthor afterward Flash's apparent death) I'm not the man who killed President Luthor. Correct now, I wish to Heaven that I were, but I'm not!

Wink: I can never go that fast again. If I do... I don't call back I'm coming back.

Superman: This is the hardest thing I've ever had to say: I'm guilty, we're guilty of the sin of hubris. We had the best of intentions to be Globe'south guardians, to keep you safe, but we failed you lot. Nosotros look downward at the world from our belfry in the sky, and let our ability and responsibility separate us from the very people nosotros were supposed to protect. No 1 should ever be afraid of u.s.. For that reason, we're decommissioning the Watchtower. The energy weapon up there is already gone. We're taking down the station as well. There's more. We want to thank the members of the Justice League for your courageous service, but in the future, you'll all have to human action equally independent agents. Nosotros're not going to be an army anymore. As of right now, nosotros're disbanding the Justice League. This is the end.
(The Justice League begins to walk away)
Green Arrow: Says who? You lot remember what we did yesterday? Nosotros saved the world, again. Y'all don't retrieve that has whatsoever value? Well, think again, pal! The Justice League goes on, with or without you. Look, nobody can question your service or delivery to making things better. If you're quitting because you lot recollect you lot've already done your fair share, fine, we'll throw you a parade. Simply if you lot're quitting because information technology's easier than continuing the fight, and then yous're not the heroes nosotros all idea you were. The world needs the Justice League, and the Justice League needs yous, Superman.

Batman: Quis custodiet ipsos custodies?
Light-green Arrow: "Who guards the guardians?" We've got it covered.

Lois Lane: I've been every bit tough on the Justice League as anyone, especially on Superman. That's just because he's e'er set up such a high standard. I'm gonna cut him a intermission. He's but man. You know what I mean.
Clark Kent: Yeah, I do.

References

↑ Dyer, Sarah (author) & Aoyama, Hiroyuki (director) (September 29, 1997). "Ghost in the Machine". Superman: The Animated Serial . Season ii. Episode xiv (airdate). Episode 15 (production). Kids WB!.
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