History Recap / JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS2E12DividedWeFall

* ContinuityPorn: [[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS2E14GhostInTheMachine 8 real life years ago]], Brainiac implanted a copy himself inside of Lex Luthor and waited for an opportunity like Project Cadmus.
* A subtle one dating back to [[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS1E8StolenMemories when Superman first met Brainiac]], where Luthor theorized in a then throwaway line that Brainiac could give to Humanity would be a potential cure for Cancer. Here, we find out that Brainiac managed to cure the Kryptonite-Based Cancer that was affecting Luthor ever since ''[[Recap/JusticeLeagueS1E8And9InjusticeForAll Injustice For All]]''; Essentially proving Lex right all along.

-->"We are one, and we comprehend. We can build a machine that will allow us to absorb the information of the entire Earth in a single stroke. And then the galaxy, the entire universe! We'll remake the universe!"

-->-0- '''Brainiac/Luthor''' to '''Flash'''

->''[[TemptingFate Are you going to fight me,]] [[JustAKid boy?]]''
-->- '''Brainiac/Luthor''' to '''Flash'''

Written by Creator/DwayneMcDuffie

-->- '''Brainiac / Luthor''' to '''Flash'''

Inside [=LexCorp=], the Justice League's seven founding members and Amanda Waller have just 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's body years ago, [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries back when he forced Luthor to build him a new body.]] Since then, he has grown steadily, until Luthor was, for all intents and purposes, acting under his control. As a by-product of his occupancy, Brainiac cured Luthor's Kryptonite poisoning and gave him his mysterious super-strength. The last act Luthor was to accomplish was to transfer Brainiac's consciousness into the "more suitable" android body.

In conference with Waller, the League deduces that since Brainiac's body is entirely nano-technological now, thus, he will go to Cadmus to harness the power of the Dark Heart. Cut to Luthor and Brainiac doing just that. It takes Brainiac a matter of seconds to assume control of the nano-assemblers, allowing him to reshape matter with a thought. Luthor's body is completely submerged in the GreyGoo - and emerges as a gleaming titan, a true fusion of Luthor and Brainiac. With their combined intellect, they plan to absorb all Earth's knowledge and wipe it out in a single stroke. "And then... the galaxy! The entire universe! We'll '''[[InTheirOwnImage remake]]''' the universe!"

They may already be too late, however: by the time they arrive, Luthor / Brainiac has reshaped the Cadmus building into a DoomsdayDevice the size of a skyscraper. Superman urges Lex to fight Brainiac's control, only to learn he's now a willing participant. He's about to get everything he's ever wanted - power, knowledge and [[ImmortalitySeeker immortality.]] And if he has to kill billions to get it...well, there are always tradeoffs in business.

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's using the adjective "ambivalent", and she shoots back that her job is to be as tough on Superman as she is on any subject, but only because he himself has set such high standards. After all, she finishes, "he's only human... you know what I mean." Smiling, Clark says he does, looking out the window to the deepening night.

* CrissCrossAttack: Done piecemeal, wherein ComicBook/LexLuthor, ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} and the [[GreyGoo Dark Heart]] all [[FusionDance fuse together into a nigh-omnipotent cyborg]] that promptly [[CurbStompBattle hands the Justice League their asses]]. ComicBook/TheFlash, however, begins running at Luthor at increasing speed, until he's circling the Earth between blows. In less than a minute, Luthor is reduced to a normal human, gasping and naked in a blast crater. Viewable on Website/YouTube [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a0pwb9NvFE here]].

* GenericDoomsdayVillain: ComicBook/LexLuthor figuratively gets under Brainiac's skin after the latter [[BodyHorror literally got under his skin]] by accusing him of being one of these. Luthor points out that Brainiac had no real plans of doing anything with its vast store of knowledge and that it had no real reason for destroying the universe. Brainiac realizes Luthor has a point and agrees to a FusionDance so they can actually do something with all of that power and knowledge.

** As well, The Flash can never attain the speed he uses to beat Brainiac ever again on pain of being absorbed by the Speedforce.

In conference with Waller, the League deduces that since Brainiac's body is entirely nano-technological now, thus, he will go to Cadmus to harness the power of the Dark Heart. Cut to Luthor and Brainiac doing just that. It takes Brainiac a matter of seconds to assume control of the nano-assemblers, allowing him to reshape matter with a thought. Luthor's body is completely submerged in the GreyGoo - and emerges as a gleaming titan, a true fusion of Luthor and Brainiac. With their combined intellect, they plan to absorb all Earth's knowledge and wipe it out in a single stroke. "And then...the galaxy! The entire universe! We'll '''[[InTheirOwnImage remake]]''' the universe!"

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's using the adjective "ambivalent", and she shoots back that her job is to be as tough on Superman as she is on any subject, but only because he himself has set such high standards. After all, she finishes, "he's only human...you know what I mean." Smiling, Clark says he does, looking out the window to the deepening night.

* ChekhovsSkill: Flash’s ability to punch a hole through a person by vibrating his fist. After trying it out on his Justice Lord construct, he tries it again on a Brainiac-empowered Luthor and [[DisneyDeath it almost kills him]].

* CrissCrossAttack: Done piecemeal, wherein ComicBook/LexLuthor, ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} and the [[GreyGoo Dark Heart]] all [[FusionDance fuse together into a nigh-omnipotent cyborg]] that promptly [[CurbStompBattle hands the Justice League their asses]]. ComicBook/TheFlash, however, begins running at Luthor from different directions at increasing speed, until he's circling the Earth between blows. In less than a minute, Luthor is reduced to a normal human, gasping and naked in a blast crater. Viewable on Website/YouTube [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a0pwb9NvFE here]].

* MrExposition: Brainiac goes into detail over how he got into Luthor's body and slowly influenced his actions. Flash interrupts him to say it's time to go to jail.

* TakeMyHand: As she reaches into the Speed Force that the Flash had disappeared into, she tells him to take her hand as she and the other five remaining founding members try to pull him out. As they're pulling him out, you might notice that Shayera is holding him by the wrist and that he didn't actually take her hand.

* VoiceOfTheLegion: When Lexiac speaks, both Luthor and Brainiac's voices are heard simultaneously. Dominance shifts depending on the subject: Luthor does the egotistical boasting, while Brainiac is only interested in the task at hand.

* IAmNotDoingThatAgain: After being pulled out of the Speed Force, Flash says that he'll disappear for good if he ever pushes his SuperSpeed powers that far again.

* CrissCrossAttack: Done piecemeal, wherein ComicBook/LexLuthor, ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} and the [[GreyGoo Dark Heart]] all [[FusionDance fuse together into a nigh-omnipotent cyborg]] that promptly [[CurbStompBattle hands the Justice League their asses]]. ComicBook/TheFlash, however, begins running at Luthor from different directions at increasing speed, until he's circling the Earth between blows. In less than a minute, Luthor is reduced to a normal human, gasping and naked in a blast crater. Viewable on YouTube [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a0pwb9NvFE here]].

-->"I'm not the man who killed President Luthor. Right now, I wish to Heaven that I were, but I'm not."

The League founders head straight for Cadmus headquarters. J'onn calls for backup, but the League teams on the ground are too far away, and the Watchtower cannot send help, as the Javelins were all wrecked in the Ultimen attack and the teleporters are still down. Batman concludes that the seven of them will have to be enough.

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's using the adjective "ambivalent", and she shoots back that her job is to be as tough on Superman as she is on any subject, but only because he himself has set such high standards. After all, she finishes, "he's only human... You know what I mean." Smiling, Clark says he does, looking out the window to the deepening night.

** Brainiac recalls how [[Recap/JusticeLeagueS2E1And2Twilight Darkseid double crossed him]].

* ChekhovsSkill: Flash’s ability to punch a hole through a person by vibrating his fist. After trying it out on his Justice Lord construct, he tries it again on a Brainiac-empowered Luthor and [[DisneyDeath it almost kills him.]]

* NeckLift: A very angry Superman does this Luthor when he thought Flash died.

* DarkReprise: The JLU theme song gets one when the Brainiac copies transform into the Justice Lords.

* DeusExitMachina: Much of the JLU are stranded on the Watchtower, due to the Ultimen wrecking the Javelins and the telporters are offline. Also, Green Arrow reports those who were helping with the relief efforts are scrambling, but they're too far away to be of any immediate help. All of this leaves it up to the seven founders to deal with Lexiac.

* {{Callback}}: The return of the Justice Lords, even if they're just copies.

* ContinuityNod:
** Brainiac recalls how [[Recap/JusticeLeagueS2E1And2Twilight Darkseid double crossed him]].
** Luthor and Brainiac remake themselves into one perfect being by using [[Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS1E10DarkHeart the Dark Heart]].

** As the page quote shows, Lexiac mocking the Flash and thinking the Flash is running away--right before the Flash starts to hand Laxiac his ass.

* TemptingFate: Flash makes quick work of his double by vibrating his hands and running the double through with it. He makes the following remark, yet he has to do it again to defeat Lexiac.

* TookALevelInBadass: Brainiac. In earlier incarnations, he was a huge threat, but his personal combat abilities were somewhat lacking and Superman could defeat his most powerful body one on one without much trouble. Here, he's able to challenge Superman and the rest of the League in combat (with his CombatTentacles being so strong even Superman can't break out of them) ''before'' he absorbs the Dark Heart, fuses with Luthor, and gets his golden form. After that? He curb-stomps the Superman and the League while barely lifting a finger. Only the Flash's DangerousForbiddenTechnique can stop him.

* ChekhovsSkill: Flash’s ability to punch a hole through a person by vibrating his fist. After trying it out on his Justice Lord construct, he tries it again on a Brainiac-empowered Luthor and[[DisneyDeath it almost kills him.]]

->''Are you going to fight me, [[JustAKid boy?]]''

They may already be too late, however: by the time they arrive, Luthor / Brainiac has reshaped the Cadmus building into a DoomsdayDevice the size of a skyscraper. Superman urges Lex to fight Brainiac's control, only to learn he's now a willing participant. He's about to get everything he's ever wanted - power, knowledge and [[ImmortalitySeeker immortality.]] And if he has to kill billions to get it...well, there are always tradeoffs in business, aren't there?