Epilogue
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| Justice League Unlimited episode | |
|---|---|
| |
| "Epilogue" | |
| Airdate: | July 23, 2005 |
| Production Number: | 26 |
| Airdate Order: | 26 |
| Animation Services by: | Dong Woo Animation Co., LTD. |
| Written by: | Bruce Timm & Dwayne McDuffie |
| Teleplay by: | Dwayne McDuffie |
| Directed by: | Dan Riba |
| Episode images (11) | |
"Epilogue" is the second season finale of Justice League Unlimited. In addition, this episode also tied together and continued some plot points from the canceled Batman Beyond. This episode focuses around Batman, revealing a dark secret.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
65 years from now: Terry McGinnis (now in his early 30's) breaks into the high-security home of Amanda Waller, now a very old woman. He confronts her and demands answers. She seems unsurprised to see him, and insists on telling the story at her own pace.
Months earlier, Bruce, now in his 80's, was suffering kidney failure and needed a tissue donor to clone new organs, Terry was tested and found to be perfectly compatible. Surprised, Terry had his DNA checked and was found to be Bruce's genetic son.
Terry is at first angry, believing that Bruce masterminded the whole thing in order to ensure that he had a successor. In his mind Terry imagines himself storming into the Batcave and confronting Bruce, who doesn't deny the accusation and insists that the world will always need a Batman. Terry also imagines himself withdrawing from the Justice League, saying "Batman is dead," and breaking up with Dana, whom he has continued dating since high school and now knows his secret identity.
In the present, Waller tells Terry the truth: she was the mastermind, not Bruce. After the Luthor/Brainiac crisis, Waller went from being the League's chief antagonist to being their ally. In her role as the Government Liaison to the League, she came to know Batman very well, gaining a great deal of respect for him. She also met a lot of interesting people but none of them were comparable to Batman as he saved the day using his wits, body and will.
To make her point, Waller tells Terry a story of a crisis that occurred before he was born: Ace, the last member of the Royal Flush Gang, began causing havoc when her powers developed beyond causing hallucinations to being able to alter the fabric of reality itself. Waller warned the League that Ace was on the verge of dying from a brain aneurysm, and the resulting psychic backlash would cause massive destruction and loss of life.
At some point, Cadmus retrieved a special weapon to kill her and prevent the disaster, which Batman volunteered to use. However, when he reached her, he wouldn't use the weapon. Instead, he asked Ace to reverse the changes she had made, and comforted her over her lost childhood. With him by her side, she died peacefully, and the world returned to normal.
That incident demonstrated to Waller that Batman's greatest attributes were his compassion, and his iron refusal to ever take a life. But as time went on, Waller saw him age, and realized he wouldn't be around forever or might eventually be killed. However, in her mind, the world needed a Batman.
Waller used her old Project Cadmus contacts to launch "Project Batman Beyond". Bruce's DNA was obtained years previously during one of his exploits. She found a young couple, Warren and Mary McGinnis, that was almost an identical psychiatric match for Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne. When Warren went in for what he thought was a flu shot, his reproductive DNA was overwritten by that of Bruce Wayne's by nanobots. A year later, Terry McGinnis was born, genetically the son of Mrs. Mary McGinnis and Bruce Wayne.
Genetics, however, do not alone make a Batman, so Waller hired an assassin to kill Terry's parents when he was eight years old as the three of them were leaving a movie theater showing The Grey Ghost Strikes hoping that the same tragedy would cause the same response. However, the Phantasm couldn't bring herself to kill them, as Batman would never would resort to murder and would destroy everything he stood for. Waller was forced to agree, and the project was effectively scrapped. With the McGinnises spared, Matt McGinnis would be born.
However, nine years later, due to a cruel twist of fate, Terry's father was killed,[1] which set a chain of events that turned Terry into Batman.[2]
Convinced that Bruce wouldn't tell him the whole story, Terry confronts Waller. Waller implies that she believed it was a form of divine intervention which led to the death of his father. Why Terry became Batman was a mystery, but she still says he is free to choose his own path. He is Bruce's son, not his clone. In her assessment, Terry may not be as smart as the old Batman, but he is every bit as devoted to helping others. In parting, she gives him some last advice: "If you want to have a little better life than the old man's, take care of the people who love you. Or don't; it's your choice."
Taking this advice to heart, Terry returns to the Wayne Manor, prepares to propose to Dana, shares a moment of mostly unspoken reconciliation with Bruce, and takes off to speak with Superman on a case.
In the skies of Gotham, something winged flies past a police hovercraft, causing one of the pilots to ask "Did you see that?"
[edit] Continuity
- When questioning Bruce about the Cadmus procedure that could have altered his DNA, Bruce says that those procedures have been illegal for decades. Terry responds, "Didn't stop the Joker from using them on Tim Drake," referencing the Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker movie.
- Dana Tan and Terry have continued dating since high school, and she now knows his secret identity.
- The members of the Justice League Unlimited who appear in Terry's dream sequence - Kai-Ro, Warhawk, and Aquagirl were introduced in the Batman Beyond episode "The Call." Warhawk likewise appeared in the previous Justice League Unlimited episodes, "The Once and Future Thing Part One: Weird Western Tales" and "The Once and Future Thing Part Two: Time, Warped," in the latter of which Kai-Ro was mentioned. The absence of Big Barda and Micron is unexplained; Superman does not appear, but Bruce mentions that he is still active.
- Likewise, the rogues who appear as members of the Iniquity Collective are Parasite, and three rogues from Batman Beyond: Inque, Stalker, and Shriek (introduced in "Black Out," "Bloodsport," and "Shriek," respectively.
- In the subsequent Justice League Unlimited episode, "Alive!," Parasite was killed in the aftermath of the mutiny against Lex Luthor by the Legion of Doom. How he can be present in the future is not explained, though it is possible that, given the difference in their appearances, this version is a different character with similar abilities.
- Ace previously appeared in the Justice League episode "Wild Cards." Her appearance in this episode has a couple of redesigned details: her boots are now gray instead of black, and her club-shaped hairpin is now on the left side of her head (it was placed on the other side in "Wild Cards").
- The movie Terry and his family exit is titled The Grey Ghost Strikes. This is ironic, since The Gray Ghost was Bruce's childhood hero.
- Amanda's assassin is Andrea Beaumont, a.k.a. the Phantasm, last seen in the film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.
- Terry reminds Waller that, despite her scrapping "Project Batman Beyond," Warren McGinnis was still murdered; the tragedy that took place during the Batman Beyond series premiere, "Rebirth."
- Bruce tells Terry to meet Kent in the Metro Tower. Apparently Terry hasn't become an official JLU members since "The Call", but only a part-timer, much like Bruce.
[edit] Background Information
[edit] Production Notes
- This episode used story elements from a Batman Beyond movie that would have had Selina Kyle/Catwoman as the person responsible for the cloning of Bruce Wayne instead of Amanda Waller. Due to the dark tones of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, however, the second movie was rejected. The creative team decided to tie it in with the Cadmus arc. [2]
- There was a cut scene that explained that Waller had conducted more experiments in the past, but only stopped after Phantasm refused to kill Terry.
- When Ace says to Batman, "I'm dying very soon, aren't I?", Batman responds, "Yes. I'm sorry." However his lip movements read the words "You are" in place of "yes".
[edit] Production Inconsistencies
- Bruce tells Terry to meet Superman in the "Metro Tower." However, when the Justice League Unlimited was introduced in Batman Beyond, "The Call, Part I," their headquarters was referred to as "Watchtower."
- When Waller first confronts Terry in her home, Terry is standing by the desk and Waller is standing in the doorway. After the opening credits, they have switched places.
- In the B&W fighting scene, after Shriek falls down and his helmet is shattered, he can be seen not wearing the headphones he used in "Babel" and "Where's Terry?" to overcome his deafness. Either he has completely recovered his hearing, or this is an oversight on behalf of the animators.
[edit] Trivia
- The episode ends with a scene featuring a flying Terry silhouetted against buildings and startling an airborne police craft. This scene is a reference to the opening scene of "On Leather Wings," the very first episode of the original Batman: The Animated Series. Likewise, the very first line of the series, "Did you see that?" is mirrored as the last line of this episode (both lines are spoken by Kevin Conroy, voicing one of the officers on board the police craft). [3]
- This episode marks the first time that the Batman: The Animated Series theme has been officially adapted for Terry instead of Bruce. Before this, it was also played in the Batman Beyond episodes "Disappearing Inque" and "Out of the Past."
- The episode was written and produced before Justice League Unlimited was renewed for an additional season, so the episode was also intended as an epilogue for the entire DC Animated Universe started in Batman: The Animated Series, all the way to Justice League Unlimited. [4]
- Although it is ambiguous on-screen, producer/writer Dwayne McDuffie confirmed that the black-and-white sequences are Terry's imagination of what will happen if he resigns as Batman, not flashbacks. There are several clues that support this:
- In the B&W sequence, Terry smashes the clock down. By the end of the episode, the clock in intact.
- In the B&W sequence, Bruce was uncharacteristically forthcoming in his exchange with Terry. Also, in the final scene, he speaks casually with Terry. If such stern spat had taken place, it would be unlikely of him to dismiss it.
- Terry breaks up with Dana in a B&W scene, but later on, he calls her over the phone and she reacts too casually for someone who had just been dumped.
- According to writer Dwayne McDuffie, Bruce, as the world's greatest detective, was aware that Terry and Matt are his genetic offspring some point after Terry assumed the role of Batman and realized the machination of Amanda Waller and Project Cadmus, but would never bring it up as he wanted Terry to be his own man, and out of respect for Warren McGinnis as well since he was the one who raised him since birth. [5]
- According to Bruce Timm, Wayne is also the biological father of Terry's younger brother Matt. [6]
- Bruce Timm stated that at this point, Bruce has effectively retired from crime-fighting.[3]
- Ace's Fantasy, including the Queen, resembles many of the illustrations and movie adaptations from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
- The new Royal Flush Gang bear specific in-joking in each of their identities:
- Ten has a white swimsuit and blond cornrows just like Bo Derek in the movie 10.
- Jack is a samurai, thus putting a spin on the Cartoon Network character Samurai Jack. When this character is returned to normal, he bears a resemblance to Phil LaMarr, who voices Samurai Jack.
- Queen is revealed to be a man, thus a "drag queen."
- King looks like MODOK, a Marvel Comics character created by Jack "The King" Kirby.
- Waller's quip about the ranking of this Royal Flush Gang alludes to the fact that the existence of its first incarnation from "Wild Cards" contradicts the existence of the group established in the Batman Beyond episode "Dead Man's Hand," reportedly to be century-old.
- In the shots of the suits in the Batcave, the Batsuit from The New Batman Adventures has been replaced by Terry's.
- According to Wikipedia, some viewers believe that Temple Fugate, aka The Clock King makes a cameo in this episode, assisting Waller with Project Batman Beyond. However, no such character can be seen. The closest thing is that a man in a business suit standing on the corner, while the young Warren and Mary McGinnis walk down the street, checks his watch.
- It is somewhat ironic that Terry has always called Bruce, "old man", which is a common term for someone's father
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Kevin Conroy | Batman/Bruce Wayne Sky Patrol Officer (uncredited) |
| Will Friedle | Batman/Terry McGinnis |
| CCH Pounder | Amanda Waller |
| Lauren Tom | Dana Tan Doctor Light (uncredited) Kai-Ro (uncredited) |
| Hynden Walch | Ace |
| Marc Worden | Parasite Warhawk (uncredited) |
[edit] Uncredited Appearances
[edit] Quotes
Terry McGinnis: I've got some questions I need you to answer. |
Amanda Waller: It's been many a year since I had a handsome gentleman caller. Why is it that superheroes are always... so good-looking? |
Terry McGinnis: You know why I can't marry you. If- |
Kai-Ro: Good of you to drop in, considering that three quarters of the Iniquity Collective are from your rogue's gallery. |
Terry McGinnis: You know what, old man. All those years it turns out everyone was right. You are insane. Being Batman is no honor – it's a curse. |
Amanda Waller: Look at all this. A pill for blood pressure, a pill for my diabetes, a pill to replace my pituitary function. I don't even know what this one's for...oh yeah, Alzheimer's. |
Amanda Waller: The Justice League found themselves cleaning up one of my old messes. The second group of villains to call themselves the Royal Flush Gang. Or the third - who can keep it all straight? |
Amanda Waller: He sat with her until her time came. That's the Bruce Wayne I came to know over the years. |
Amanda Waller: As you know, I was in charge of Project Cadmus. Over the years I came to respect Batman, even trust him. |
Amanda Waller: Did you know I was the government liaison with the Justice League for a while? I met some extraordinary people in that job, but none of them were the equal of Batman. |
Amanda Waller: Bruce's DNA was easy enough to obtain. He left it all over town. (Terry raises eyebrow) Not remotely what I meant. |
Amanda Waller: You're not Bruce's clone, you're his son. There are similarities, mind you, but more than a few differences too. You don't quite have his magnificent brain, for instance. You do have his heart, though. |
Bruce Wayne: You're in my chair. |
Bruce Wayne: Where the devil have you been? |
Bruce Wayne: You're a stubborn piece of work - you know that? |
(Batman flies past a police hovercar) |
| Previously produced episode: "Divided We Fall" | Episodes of Justice League Unlimited | Next produced episode: "I Am Legion" |
| Previously aired episode: "Divided We Fall" | Next aired episode: "I Am Legion" |
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ In Batman Beyond, "Rebirth, Part I"
- ↑ Idem, "Rebirth, Part II"
- ↑
“ Especially once you realize the 'flashbacks' never, in fact, happen, it's clear that Bruce has willingly 'retired' completely from Batman, confident that Terry will carry on his tradition, and his beloved Gotham will always be protected. Note that he says Superman called, wanting Terry's opinion on a case, not Bruce's. The idea being that Bruce doesn't actively participate in crime-fighting anymore, not even in an advisory capacity—he probably doesn't even monitor Terry on the com-link anymore [...]. The 'soup' bit implies that he's taken on the 'Alfred' role, and though he nags Terry about the soup going cold, he seems pretty confident with his lot overall. ” — Bruce Timm, [1]
