Recap / Justice League S 2 E 1 And 2 Twilight

The Justice League has to come to the defense of Apokolips, Darkseid's homeworld, against the threat of Brainiac. The team solicits the aid of the denizens of New Genesis. In the end, the resulting destruction of Brainiac's base leads to the apparent end of Darkseid.

This episode contains examples of the following tropes:

• Actually a Doombot: The STAS Brainiac is revealed (or alternately retconned) to have been this all along. It was actually one of countless drones the 'real' Brainiac had manufactured and dispatched throughout the cosmos to gather knowledge for its collection. Geoff Johns and Gary Frank would later take inspiration from this concept for their own overhaul of Brainiac several years later.
• Agony of the Feet: As his face is being ground under Darkseid's boot, Superman uses his heat vision to blast clear through.
• Arc Welding: The Brainaic and Darkseid storylines from Superman: The Animated Series are brought into the ongoing Justice League narrative and merged.
• Archnemesis Dad: Darkseid the God of Evil is opposed by Orion of the New Gods, who's been gunning for him even before he heard of Darkseid's latest scheme. Darkseid still likes him more than Kalibak.
  Orion: (punches Darkseid in the face) Hello, Father. Don't I get a hug?
• Art Evolution:
  • Superman and Wonder Woman's character models were slightly redesigned beginning with this episode. Both characters lost their cheekbones (and Superman also lost his eye lines).
  • While the Fourth World characters had appeared previously on STAS, the character models for Orion, Highfather, and Lightray have all been tweaked (ex. Orion's color palette). Darkseid's character model likewise is now much more Kirby-esque than his STAS design (though as Bruce Timm acknowledges on the DVD commentary, the redesign can be justified in-universe due to the injuries Darkseid sustained from his fight with Superman in "Legacy").
• Badass Boast: "This is where you belong, Superman. Under my heel!"
• Baddie Flattery: Darkseid has this to say to his wayward son:
  Darkseid: I'm glad growing up with Highfather hasn't made you soft or weak. You make an old man proud. But I won't let you or anyone else stand in my way.
  • Then he breaks his son's spine with a crushing bearhug and leaves him to die on the exploding asteroid with a pithy "spare the rod".
• Batman Gambit: Superman pulls one on Batman, sending him and Wonder Woman to inform New Genesis of what's going on. He almost certainly knew that Orion would go raring after Darkseid regardless of Highfather's decision.
  Batman: Next time I let Superman take charge, just hit me real hard!
• Become a Real Boy: Brainiac, after a fashion. He tells Darkseid that he's reached the limits of his programmed functions; to evolve to the next level, he must become a true life-form (by extracting living DNA from the last Kryptonian). Of course, it doesn't go anywhere thanks to Darkseid betraying him.
• Berserk Button: Darkseid's very presence for Superman - he immediately heads towards him to beat him up after he appears in the Watchtower, and has to be restrained by Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter before he ends up knocking the Watchtower out of orbit in his rage. Quite understandable, because Darkseid brainwashed him years prior.
• Be Careful What You Wish For: Orion sarcastically asks Darkseid for a hug. He gets one.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Darkseid REALLY learns the hard way not to mess with Highfather and the treaty.
• Both Sides Have a Point: Superman and Batman throughout the episode. Batman is correct that Superman's letting his personal history and grudge against Darkseid influence his judgement (especially given that Brainiac gaining access to Fourth World technology would be bad for everyone). Superman likewise is correct that Darkseid cannot be trusted and there's another agenda or scheme at play here.
• The Bus Came Back: Darkseid (and the forces of Apokolips), the New Gods, and Brainiac all return to the DCAU for the first time since the conclusion of STAS.
• Call-Forward: To Bruce's dislike of Boom Tubes in Batman Beyond.
• The Cameo: Mister Miracle and the Forever People appear in the final scene.
• Can't Take Criticism: Subverted with Darkseid. He seemed okay with Desaad telling him how he underestimated Highfather, leaving Apokolips vulnerable as a result. Only when Desaad deemed it a "fool's errand", thereby implying Darkseid was a fool, did he decide to vaporize him.
  Darkseid: No one questions me, Desaad.
  (Vaporizes Desaad)
  Darkseid: No one.
• Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Darkseid betrays both the Justice League and Brainiac. When Brainiac points it out, Darkseid rather nonchalantly responds, “It’s what I do.”
• Conservation of Ninjutsu: One Brainiac body proves a challenge for Superman, J'onn, and Hawkgirl. Dozens of them are little more than mooks.
• Continuity Nod:
  • Darkseid's face is still scarred from his fight with Superman back in "Legacy".
  • Superman initially refuses to believe Apokolips is being attacked by Brainiac, citing that he destroyed him — which had occurred in the climax of "Knight Time".
  • Brainiac reminds Superman of the offer to join him in preserving Krypton's legacy, which he extended during their first meeting back in "Stolen Memories".
• Crucified Hero Shot: Superman looks very like this when he's strung up to Brainiac's machine, though this might be unintentional seeing as Superman is in one of his least Christ-like moods in this episode.
• Curse Cut Short: Superman's reply to Brainiac's offer to join him.
  Superman: "Read my lips: go to-"
• Demoted to Dragon: At the climax, Darkseid corrupts Brainiac with malware that forces the latter to be completely under Darkseid's control.
• Didn't Think This Through: This is how Desaad gets himself killed in Part I in the aftermath of Highfather's attack. He's not wrong that Darkseid underestimated Highfarther (something his Master of all people accepts and agrees with). But when Desaad's criticism then calls it a fool's errand, he finally realizes too late that he just called Darkseid a fool...and his Master is glaring at him, Omega Beams sparking and ready to be disintegrate him.
• The Dissenter Is Always Right: Darkseid comes to the Justice League for help. Superman initially refuses, having been brainwashed by him in the past, an event his reputation never fully recovered from. Everyone, even Batman, chalks Superman's distrust up to holding a rather understandable grudge, then goes to help anyway. Darkseid ends up stabbing everyone in the back.
• The Dreaded: Given the extent of Brainiac's cosmic killing spree in the decades since Krypton's destruction, it's unsurprising that even the New Gods are aware of the rogue Kryptonian AI's reputation. So when Brainiac's infamous ship appears in the skies of Apokolips, Darkseid instantly recognizes it — and realizes just who's come a calling and how much trouble he's in.
• Dying Smirk: Despite getting pounded on by Superman, Darkseid takes solace in noting that his archnemesis was stopped and taken to safety by Batman just before the killing blow could be delivered. He chuckles at this just before the explosion.
  Darkseid: Loser.
• Enemy Mine: Darkseid's forced to do one with Suprman and the Justice League in order to stop Brainiac's invasion of Apokolips. Of course, it then gets subverted with the reveal that Darkseid had cut a deal with Brainiac and the Enemy Mine was a ruse to get Superman to Apokolips.
• Evil Versus Evil: What is initially depicted between Darkseid and Brainiac until it was revealed that the two are in cahoots in an elaborate plot to capture Superman, until Darkseid actually betrayed Brainiac. However, it was about to start out as such, but Darkseid attempted to first avoid it by making said arrangement in order for Braniac to spare his planet.
• Face Death with Dignity: Darkseid doesn't scream or cower in the face of impending death; he just smirks, calls Superman a "loser", and dies with smug satisfaction.
• Fighting a Shadow: Hawkgirl smashes Brainiac to pieces, apparently killing him- only for the team to be immediately surrounded by dozens of identical Brainiacs, all of which are identical extensions of the central consciousness. Yikes.
• Flirtatious Smack on the Ass: Lightray slaps Wonder Woman's rear after first meeting her. Wonder Woman does not appreciate it.
  Wonder Woman: He's worse than the Flash!
• Foreshadowing:
  • In the DVD commentary for the episode, Bruce Timm points out that Hawkgirl’s dismissiveness when J’onn suggests Brainiac’s archives might have information on Thanagar initially seems like overriding concern for Superman, but “Starcrossed” also reveals she was trying to deflect should any of that information lead to her cover as a spy getting blown.
  • Batman and Superman are rather antagonistic towards each other in this episode with Batman even calling Superman an idiot when he realizes Superman plans to fight Darkseid while the asteroid explodes around them. This foreshadows the internal conflict the League has been suppressing that will come to a head in “Secret Society.”
  • Brainiac's goal to Become a Real Boy. He'll finally get his wish (after a fashion) two Seasons later.
• Foregone Conclusion: Even with the destruction of his central hub and drones, at least one fragment/drone of Brainiac is still out there and will survive into the 30th Century.
• From Bad to Worse: Darkseid at the beginning of Part I. His latest skirmish with New Genesis has not only failed to acquire the solution to the Anti-Life Equation, but severely devastated Apokolips and his military. He's also lost key servants thanks to this failed operation (Steppenwolf perishing aboard his flagship and Desaad being executed for shooting his mouth off). And then who should come a calling at Apokolips, but the most infamous and dangerous planet looter in the cosmos — one whose threat Darkseid recognizes and which forces him to seek the aid of one of his most hated enemies.
• Gosh Dang It to Heck!: Not in the episode itself, but on the commentary for Part 2, director Butch Lukic does this to himself as the crew was discussing Orion's voice actor, Ron Perlman, and he makes a reference to Perlman's role as the title character of Hellboy. Lukic then backtracks and says "Heckboy".
• Humble Hero: Forager saves the other New Gods, but still considers himself lesser than them due to being a Bug. Highfather is far more impressed with Forager's efforts and offers him a place among the New Gods.
  Highfather: You did this?
  Forager: Forgive my presumption, Highfather.
• I Am the Noun: Brainiac declares himself to be Krypton. Superman is disgusted.
  Brainiac: I am Krypton.
  Superman: You're a perversion, disrespecting the memory of my father and all my people.
• Irony: Orion does battle with Darkseid sarcastically asking him "Don't I get a hug?" to his father. Darkseid finishes the fight by breaking his spine with a bear hug.
• It's What I Do: Darkseid betraying the Justice League and Brainiac in a fake Enemy Mine plan. When Brainiac says, "You deceived me, Darkseid. Used me." Darkseid replies coolly, "It's what I do."
• It's Personal: Superman stayed behind because he wanted to finally get revenge on Darkseid for all the things he did to him, including brainwash him.
• Jerkass:
  • The New God on New Genesis who is extremely condescending and rude to Wonder Woman & Batman, and heavily implied to slap Wonder Woman's ass before flying off taunting them.
  • Darkseid is the master of this. He casually sacrifices minions, executes Desaad for questioning him and when he asks for the Justice League's help, he's extremely condescending and an all-around asshole to Superman. And that's before it turns out he was playing both sides for fools.
• Jerkass Has a Point:
  • While Batman's tact leaves much to be desired, he's right in pointing out there's a slight chance that Darkseid legitimately needs help in dealing with Brainiac. The threat to the universe is too great for the League to ignore.
  • Orion believes there can be no true peace as long as Darkseid is in power. Highfather concedes the point, but still decides to err on the side of "consult the Source before committing the planet to war with Darkseid and Brainiac."
• Karma Houdini Warranty: After ending Superman: The Animated Series bloodied, but unbroken, this episode has Darkseid thoroughly thrashed by Superman and left to die aboard Brainiac's exploding base.
• Karmic Jackpot: When New Genesis is under attack by Darkseid, Forager helps the New Gods to find shelter. This earns him eternal gratitude from Highfather and a place among the gods he worshipped.
• Killed Off for Real: Steppenwolf (killed by Orion) and Desaad (executed by Darkseid).
• Kneel Before Frodo: The New Gods of New Genesis are forced to evacuate Supertown as a consequence of Darkseid's scheme, and are saved by Forager - a lowly "bug". Highfather concedes that they owe him their lives, and thanks Forager more for reminding him that every living being has a purpose as well as a place.
• Leitmotif: Shirley Walker's iconic Superman theme, which had not been used during Season One, finally makes its grand return to the DCAU. Episode composers Kristopher Carter, Lolita Ritmanis, Michael McCuistion, also bring back the STAS themes for Darkseid, Apokolips, New Genesis, and Brainiac.
• Let's Get Dangerous!: In an exchange between Superman and Darkseid:
  Darkseid: You really are a glutton for punishment. Time and again, I have beaten you, humbled you. What makes you think today's outcome will be any different?
  Superman: Because this time, I won't stop until you're just a greasy smear on my fist. Let's go!
• Manipulative Bastard:
  • Darkseid cons Brainiac and the Justice League in order to not only get Brainiac to spare Apokolips, but hijack Brainiac to solve the Anti-Life Equation and screw over Superman as a bonus.
  • Brainiac tries to convince Superman to join him, offering him a chance to preserve Krypton's culture through Brainiac, closing the temptation with an image of Jor-El and Lara to tug at Superman's heartstrings. Superman promptly tells him to go to hell.
• Murder by Inaction: Darkseid shows up in the Watchtower and asks for the League's help since Brainiac is attacking Apokolips. Superman's response?
  Superman: Good.
• No One Could Survive That!: Lampshaded by Superman. The explosion does kill Darkseid, but (thanks to Luthor) it doesn't last.
  Batman: Nothing could have survived that. Not even Darkseid.
  Superman: You know something, Bruce? You're not always right.
• No Sympathy: This is Batman's reaction to Superman's initial refusal to help Darkseid due to what he did to him in Superman: The Animated Series. He sees this more of a personal grudge. (That, and Bruce went through a similar experience at the hands of Brainiac to what Kent went through with Darkseid.) He orders him to put that aside, especially if Darkseid legitimately asks for their help.
• Not Hyperbole: When Forager says that Orion and the New Gods are "far above us", Wonder Woman assumes he's being unduly modest. Forager points up to Supertown and makes it clear that he meant "above us" literally.
• Oh, Crap!: An understated example from Darkseid, who clearly doesn't underestimate the threat posed by Brainiac.
  Kalibak: What is it?
  Darkseid: It's death.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
  • Superman is OK with having Apokolips under attack by Brainiac, which shocks everyone, as most of the inhabitants are slaves under Darkseid's heel.
  • He also actually wants to kill Darkseid. Not because he needs to, but because he is just that evil and Superman despises him that much.
• Playing Both Sides: Darkseid turns what could've been the end of Apokolips by Brainiac into a massive opportunity to achieve his goals by bargaining Superman to the Kryptonian AI. Intrigued, Brainiac agrees and stages the assault on Apokolips so that Darkseid can enlist the Justice League's help. Brainiac being Superman's other Arch-Enemy, the Justice League decide to put him down. When the League make it to Brainiac's base, Darkseid attacks them, and Superman is captured. While Brainiac needed him to become a living machine, Darkseid figured that Brainiac himself is the best chance of discovering the Anti-Life Equation, and takes control of his systems immediately. Darkseid had to be put down himself to ensure that he didn't win.
• Properly Paranoid:
  • When Darkseid requests that the League stop Brainiac from attacking Apokolips, Superman immediately argues that Darkseid is planning something, and that something's not right. He was right, but he still ended up as an Unwitting Pawn this time.
• Resolved Noodle Incident: Back in Batman Beyond's "The Call", Bruce had remarked to Terry that he'd never liked Boom Tubes. The events of this episode reveal where and how he acquired that dislike.
• Ret-Canon: Again, Brainiac being Actually a Doombot and Clark having never encountered the "real" Brainiac originated with this episode. Several years later, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank canonized it in the mainstream comics for Superman: Brainiac.
• The Reveal: The Brainiac Superman fought all throughout STAS was not the 'real' Brainiac. It was one of many drones he'd dispatched throughout the cosmos to gather more knowledge for his collection.
• Revenge Before Reason: Justified for Superman, considering everything that Darkseid did to him and the Earth. Unfortunately, he was willing to let Apokolips be destroyed because of it, but was convinced otherwise. After being backstabbed by Darkseid and Brainiac, he had no problem staying on board an exploding ship for a chance to finish the former off, only for Batman to literally drag him out.
• Running Gag: A very black comedy variation when Darkseid seizes control of Brainiac. This is now the second time (following on from "Legacy") Darkseid's used Apokoliptic technology to turn a survivor of Krypton into an instrument of his will.
• Screw This, I'm Out of Here!: Darkseid initially tries to Boom Tube away instead of fighting Superman, presumably out of pragmatism rather than cowardice (Darkseid is fully confident that he can defeat Superman, but is likely unwilling to fight while Brainiac's base is literally blowing up all around them). Superman refuses to let him flee, forcing their fight.
• Sequel Episode: To "Legacy" and "Knight Time", continuing Superman's conflicts with Darkseid and Brainiac from STAS.
• Signature Style: Brainiac, just as in STAS, is still assimilating the technology and memory banks of alien worlds before nuking them to hoard the knowledge for himself. This ends up being a minor plot point in Part 1, as Darkseid (who knows of Brainiac's cosmic killing spree) reminds Superman that he's familiar with the Kryptonian AI's pattern and thus knows what's coming next once he's done with Apokolips.
• Sinister Surveillance: It's never explicitly stated, but it's subtly implied in Part 1 that Darkseid's been keeping tabs on Earth since the end of STAS. He knows of the Justice League and he knows the Watchtower's coordinates when he arrives by Boom Tube. It makes sense that Darkseid would be keeping an eye on Earth both for another chance to circumvent the peace treaty with New Genesis and to watch Superman's despair from afar at the uphill battle to restore his reputation after "Legacy". This is also in line with "Tools of the Trade", where it was clear Apokolips had been surveilling Earth long enough to evaluate and select Bruno Manheim and InterGang as their Unwitting Pawn (or for Kanto to recognize who Turpin was).
• So Proud of You: Darkseid to Orion, while Orion is trying to kill him. Darkseid then breaks his back.
  Darkseid: You make an old man proud.
• Teleportation Sickness: Boom Tubes are apparently rough if you don't have powers.
  Batman: Ugh...that was fun.
• Too Dumb to Live: Of all people, Desaad should have known better than to call Darkseid—the tyrant who casually disintegrates people at will—a fool.
• Thou Shalt Not Kill: Superman makes an exception for Darkseid. After Darkseid's latest gambit to conquer the universe, Superman has had it with the tyrant and stays behind on the exploding asteroid so he can kill Darkseid with his bare hands. The only reason he doesn't manage it is because Batman pulls him and Orion into a Boom Tube to save them. As it stands, Superman does manage to kill Darkseid by trapping him on the self destructing asteroid. It even sticks for four whole seasons. Notably, he spared Darkseid the first time he beat him, and this is when Darkseid had nearly (indirectly) killed Supergirl, though that time, it was Kara herself who dissuaded him from killing Darkseid.
• Tranquil Fury: Superman when facing off against Darkseid in a fight to the death. He's still in it after Batman pulls him out of it, clearly pissed that Batman didn't let him finish Darkseid like he swore he would and just walks away from him after telling him he's not always right.
• Trash the Set: Darkseid's Palace and Throne Room (which have been rebuilt in the interim since his fight with Superman in "Legacy") get trashed again in the prologue.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Orion sending Steppnwolf's flagship back to Apokolips by Boom Tube, causing it to crash into one of the fire pits and devestate Darkseid's capital and military. While it was warranted by their violation of the Pact, this leaves Apokolips vulnerable to Brainiac's incursion and sets off the plot.
• Vengeance Denied: Superman intends to kill Darkseid for all that he’s done, and won’t even listen to Batman when he tries to stop him. Batman has to teleport himself, Superman, and Orion out with a Boom Tube to get them out of Brainiac’s self-destructing base, leaving Darkseid to die. Darkseid takes satisfaction in Superman being denied the chance to kill him, while Superman is quite obviously furious with Batman for interfering.
• Villain Decay: Darkseid's as powerful as ever, but his forces suffer a severe setback at the start of the story and need to rebuild. This makes it easy for Brainiac to swoop in and get to work.
• Villain Team-Up: In the second half, it's revealed that Brainiac and Darkseid were working together all along. Though Darkseid later betrays Brainiac.
• Vocal Evolution: René Auberjonois returns as Desaad from Super Friends, but now speaks with a lower pitch.
• We Meet Again: Darkseid to Superman.
• What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Forager is considered a lowly bug by New God standards. After Forager saves the other New Gods, Highfather apologizes to him for forgetting that everything has a purpose and a place.
• What the Hell, Hero?:
  • While everyone understood why Superman's reaction at seeing Darkseid was a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown, cheering when Darkseid told them that Apokolips was about to be destroyed.
    Darkseid: You know his pattern, Kal-El. Once he's finished siphoning the memory banks and technology of my planet...
    Superman: He'll annihilate it. Good.
    Hawkgirl: What!?
    Wonder Woman: Superman!
    Martian Manhunter: You can't mean-
    Darkseid: You may not care what happens to me or my world, but know this: If Brainiac isn't stopped, countless millions more will perish. Think about it. *Leaves*
    Hawkgirl: So what are you saying? You'd sacrifice millions of lives just because you don't like this guy!?
    Superman: You don't know Darkseid like I do.
  • And then, Batman delivers a second one:
    Batman: We know he used you. Humiliated you. Brainwashed you. Wound you up like a tin soldier and turned you loose against Earth. Cry me a river. On the outside chance that this isn't another one of his schemes, we have to take action. So, I suggest you get over it.
  • At the end of the episode, Superman gives one to Batman for pulling him out of his fight with Darkseid before he could finish him off himself, even after he swore he'd make sure he was finished this time.
    Batman: Nothing could have survived that. Not even Darkseid.
    Superman: You know something, Bruce? You're not always right. (walks away without another word)
• Worf Had the Flu: Darkseid and Apokolips (which, incidentally, is amusing considering Worf himself, i.e. Michael Dorn, returns as Kalibak). Under normal circumstances, Darkseid's forces might have been able to stop Brainiac's incursion on their own. However, thanks to getting their asses kicked by New Genesis in the prologue, Darkseid's military's at considerably less than full strength and can barely slow him down (thus necessitating the Enemy Mine with Superman and the Justice League).
• Xanatos Gambit: All Darkseid needs is for Superman to help him liberate Apokolips. Anything else that happens after will be to his advantage and allow him to win over the Man of Steel. Even before his death, he declares Superman the "loser" because the hero never killed him as promised. Double-crossing Brainiac was an added bonus.
• X-Ray Sparks: Superman lights up and his skeleton becomes visible when he's strapped to Brainiac's machine.
• You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: After calling him "Superman" throughout the episode, Batman switches to using Superman's real name as he tries to convince him to escape from Brainiac's exploding base.
  Batman: Kent, don't be a fool.
• "You!" Exclamation: Superman upon seeing Darkseid.

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