INJUSTICE: YEAR TWO - The Best Moments
Tom Taylor's second volume of INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US has come to an end. Many more heroes have fallen, Superman has aligned himself with Sinestro, and the world finally sees Kal-El for what he truly is: a violent dictator. YEAR THREE will begin September 30 and have a strong focus on magic, but we thought now would be the perfect time to reflect on all of the twists, turns, and craziness that happened in YEAR TWO. We'll present them in chronological order, too.
Oh, and there's obviously spoilers in here.
Black Canary unleashes
Superman reached his breaking point -- several times -- in the first volume, but how he killed Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow, was especially devastating. After a vicious fight Captain Atom -- a brawl which severely injured Wonder Woman -- and thinking his parents are in danger, the Man of Steel broke and tragically, Oliver was on the receiving end of his super-strong temper tantrum. If you played the video game, you already knew the Emerald Archer would eventually die, but few of us imagined it would be so brutal and relentless. Obviously, this is something that hugely impacted Dinah Lance, a.k.a. Black Canary, and is something she could never forgive. Superman late attempts to apologize for what he did -- at Oliver's funeral of all places -- and this gives Canary a chance to get a tiny, tiny bit of revenge. It's also soon revealed that this was no mere moment of anger and there's actually a greater plan being put in motion as Dinah strikes the Kryptonian with a canary cry. All in all, it was just satisfying for us to see Canary get a chance to unleash -- even just a bit -- after what Superman did.
The war approaches
Injustice takes place in a twisted alternate universe, so witnessing a character's demise isn't exactly an uncommon development. The second chapter concluded on a shockingly savage note: Kyle Rayner's death. Many fans of the ring-slinger were upset over how he was killed, but for everyone else, it was a real jaw-dropper and built the hype for the looming conflict. Outnumbered by Sinestro and his allies, Rayner's incapacitated, stripped of his ring (and the finger it's on...), and then, well, you can see what happened next in the picture above. The contrast of the lighting and the horrifying murder left quite impactful. Apologies for your loss, Rayner fans. This just isn't a good universe to be a Green Lantern, is it?
Hal Jordan puts politicians in their place
Many of the biggest moments revolve around action and shock value, but every now and then, Taylor uses dialogue to deliver an even bigger hit. In this case, it was a real joy watching Hal Jordan completely humiliate politicians and order them to do the right thing. He not only pointed out how corrupt they've become, but he also forced them to resolve some issues. Sure, it's funny that Hal's choosing to stand by Superman, a man who's clearly lost sight of what makes him noble, and he's lecturing politicians, but given its topical nature, we couldn't help but appreciate the stern message he gave them and how he made sure they'd actually do their job.
Ganthet's a creeper
INJUSTICE: YEAR TWO's tone is often foreboding and serious, but every now and then a really good laugh is used to lighten the mood just a bit. Yes, the stakes are always high and there's almost always something game changing on the horizon, but smiling is good for you and thankfully that's something this series recognizes. In this case, something as simple as Ganthet observing a conversation is used to make us smile. As Guy Gardner said, "You guys are omniscient, right? You can pretty much see anything you want to? So, you're just peeking through the window to be creepy?" There's just something hysterical about an all-powerful and intellectual being awkwardly gazing through the window. "There's a small, blue man staring at us" was such a perfect compliment to the moment, too.
"How? I'm a detective!"
Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Oracle, plays a big role in Batman's resistance. While he's physically out of commission, she organizes everything she can on the ground level and uses her intelligence to gather as much information as possible. Her father, James Gordon, is a respectable and bright detective. Could he really be oblivious to what his daughter is doing and who Batman really is? In this universe, the answer is a very loud and clear no. Why? Because he's a detective, that's why! How couldn't he know? Having them finally speak openly about the situation was an engaging conversation, but then, in true Injustice fashion, something happens that absolutely breaks our hearts. This series sure loves doing that, doesn't it?
Ch'p!
Kilowog and several other Green Lanterns head to Earth with one very difficult objective: capture Superman. Obviously, the Man of Steel is a titan and he would have no problem humiliating the obstacles that clearly stand in his way, but there's one obstacle that isn't so transparent and it catches him off guard. When all is said and done, it's the beyond lovable Ch'p which turns the tide in the Green Lantern Corps' favor. Having Ch'p incapacitate Superman was a seriously cheerworthy turn of events. However, his moment in the spotlight is short-lived and Sinestro does something we can never forgive him for: he stabs Ch'p in the head. Needless to say, it was a pretty shocking and heartbreaking panel to look at.
Dinah and Harley Quinn become friends
You know you're in for a treat whenever Harley Quinn appears in Injustice. In this volume, Quinn and Canary begin as enemies ("fluffy slipper attack!"), but it's not long before they bond. Honestly, who can say they saw that one coming? They have an amusing "fight" and once it's revealed Canary's pregnant, the two become close and it's heartwarming stuff. Quinn still has plenty of hysterical remarks and it's adorable when she eventually visits Canary in the hospital, but it's also interesting to watch them connect and see Quinn open up just a little more about her personal life. If DC ever considers a "Black Canary & Harley Quinn" book, they really need to get Taylor to write it.
Now witness the firepower of Mogo
The previous battle between Superman and the GLC was just the warmup. The main event takes place in space and the Guardians realize Superman's too far gone. Instead of trying to reason with him or incarcerate him, they simply want to bring him down. Superman now has Shazam and the Sinestro Corps on his side, so the GLC decides to bring a very big gun to the fight: Mogo. The first blast devastates many of Sinestro's allies and it was a thoroughly epic way to kick things off.
Gordon says goodbye
As the fierce war carries on, Barbara disocvers that Cyborg is swiftly discovering her location. To save his daughter and the resistance, Gordon goes to the Watchtower and, thanks to a super-pill, defeats Cyborg and disables his search. While the super-pill granted him powerful physical abilities, it also accelerated his lung cancer and it hits him that he has but minutes left in his life. Look, we all saw Gordon's end coming a mile away, but the handling of it kept a tight grip on our emotions and you couldn't help but feel this loss. Having him gaze at a stunning view of the Earth and say goodbye to his daughter hit us pretty hard. So many heroes and villains meet a graphic end in this series, so it was nice to give Gordon a more peaceful death. The guy has certainly earned it, after all.
Ganthet goes all out
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US is all about Superman being a super-jerk and no longer feeling the need to hold back. He's often dishing out the punishment, so having Ganthet let loose and embarrass the Man of Steel was downright awesome. The Guardian's ownage wasn't limited to just Big Blue, though. The Guardians are powerful beings and that fact was placed front and center as the blue alien effortlessly destroyed several of Sinestro's allies and even crushed Shazam.
Superman ends the war
When Superman lets his rage take control and he's chosen for a Yellow Power Ring, the development is televised across the globe. What that means is a large amount of the population now realizes Kal-El has become a ruthless and cruel dictator. So, that alone is going to bring some major change to YEAR THREE. However, it also means all of those people are petrified of the Man of Steel and, as you know, a Yellow Power Ring is all about the ability to generate fear. This gives Superman a ginormous boost in power and he uses it to bring this bloody war to a close. Using his newfound might, Clark Kent smashes Ganthet against Mogo with an absurd amount of force and then shoves them into the sun. Yeah, go ahead and let that development sink it for a minute. This occurs in the volume's finale and it's most definitely one of the most insane and over-the-top ways the series could have been ended.
A bit of light at the end of the dark and violent tunnel
The war between Superman and the Green Lantern Corps was an ugly and terrifying scene. It paints a bleak picture for the road ahead, but despite that, the volume manages to end on a surprisingly uplifting note. Doctor Fate not only saves Black Canary's life, but he brings her to an alternate Earth where that version of Oliver is alive and he lost his version of Dinah several years ago. Now, like Doctor Fate points out, he can't guarantee they'll find happiness, but at least it gives them a shot at it and ending the volume with a close-up of a smiling Green Arrow is such a welcome touch. The Earth Black Canary comes from is still a bloody mess, but she has absolutely earned a chance at finding some happiness. Fingers crossed we one day chime in on this couple and see they've grown to love one another.
What's your favorite moment from INJUSTICE: YEAR TWO? Go tell us in the comments section, reader!
Related Articles
