Grudge Match
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| Justice League Unlimited episode | |
|---|---|
| |
| "Grudge Match" | |
| Airdate: | March 11th, 2006 |
| Production Number: | 35 |
| Airdate Order: | 35 |
| Animation Services by: | D.R. Movie Co., LTD. |
| Teleplay by: | J.M. Dematteis |
| Story by: | Matt Wayne |
| Directed by: | Joaquim dos Santos |
| Episode images (7) | |
"Grudge Match" is the thirty-fifth episode of Justice League Unlimited. It originally aired on March 11, 2006.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Roulette informs Lex Luthor that Metabrawl's receipts have dwindled to almost nothing, due to the poor quality of the fighters on exhibit; together with the hefty cut that Luthor demands of all Legion of Doom members, she is having trouble making ends meet. She asks for the loan of a few Legion members to increase interest. Luthor, as always, is preoccupied with trying to resurrect Brainiac, but realizes that he needs funds to construct a new device. When an over-protective Tala starts threatening her, Roulette comes up with a new idea: an all-female fight card.
During a joint night patrol of the city streets, Huntress notices that Black Canary is so exhausted that she has trouble subduing a pickpocket, who manages to knock her down with a single punch at least three times. Huntress suspects something is up, but The Question is skeptical.
Planting a homing device on Canary's motorcycle, Huntress follows her into Bludhaven. After knocking out a number of guards, Huntress goes secret identity, entering a new, spiffy arena, where she is surprised to see Canary in a brutal fight against Fire, which the former wins. Roulette, acting as emcee, calls Canary the undefeated champion of her new enterprise, "Glamor Slam."
Huntress confronts Canary afterwards, asking what's going on. Canary attacks her. As she is already tired from the fight, Huntress manages to knock her down. In the fight, Canary's League communicator is smashed, and Canary awakens, as if from a trance. Both of them are taken prisoner by Sonar, who is assisting Roulette.
They realize that, on Luthor's suggestion, Roulette has been using Grodd's mind control technology to “recruit” female Leaguers to fight in her ring. Roulette informs them that, now that they are free of her control, she has to get rid of them – and might as well make a show of it.
That night, Roulette announces a double-match: Huntress and Canary vs. Vixen and Hawkgirl. With difficulty, the two manage to smash the others' communicators and free them from the mind control. Then Roulette reveals her final contender: Wonder Woman, who's more than powerful enough to take all of them down.
As Vixen and Hawkgirl fight a losing battle to hold off Wonder Woman, Canary and Huntress break out of the ring's cage and make their way to the control center. Sonar stuns Canary with his ultrasound equipment, while Huntress is surprised to find that Roulette is actually a skilled and deadly martial artist herself. She gains the upper hand, however, and disables both her and Sonar. She orders him to kill the mind-control signal. Below, Wonder Woman has Vixen and Hawkgirl thrashed and helpless – the signal is interrupted a split second before she smashes their skulls together.
Roulette and Sonar are arrested, and the rest of the League members are released. Canary thanks Huntress, and offers to try to get her reinstated in the League. Huntress thanks her, but declines. Before going home, the two women decide to have one last re-match.
[edit] Continuity
- Question alludes to the time Black Canary fought the Huntress in "Double Date".
- Black Canary regrets not having shut down Roulette in "The Cat and the Canary".
[edit] Background Information
[edit] Trivia
- Dick Grayson has a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo as Nightwing, shown watching from a rooftop as Canary and Huntress drive their way into Bludhaven.
- This is the first and only episode to show Huntress without her mask.
- Last appearance of Huntress.
- Last speaking appearances of Black Canary and Question.
- There are several inside references to the unspoken tension between Shayera and Vixen, over John Stewart: Vixen remarks that she and Shayera were just starting to get along, and during the fight with Wonder Woman, there is a moment when Shayera nearly kills Vixen by accident with her mace, and both of them look stunned.
- The episode shares many plot points with the episode "Gladiatrix" of the live-action Birds of Prey series, including female metahumans being recruited against their will for a fight club, right down to the use of Huntress and Black Canary as the main heroines.
[edit] Cast
[edit] Uncredited Appearances
[edit] Quotes
Roulette: Lex, darling. I'm having some serious financial problems, and I'm afraid you're to blame. |
Roulette: You're playing with fire, witch! |
Roulette: The new Meta-Brawl! All girl fights, all the time! We'll call it "The Glamor Slam" or "The Belles of the Brawl"! |
Question: A-ha! As I suspected... thirty-two flavors. |
(On the phone) |
Roulette: Let the pain begin! |
Huntress: They've had you up every night working the arena. No wonder you've been fighting like a girl. (pause) You know what I mean. |
Huntress: You're scum.. |
Roulette: Huntress and Black Canary versus two new contenders! Vixen, the beauty with the beast powers, and the Thanagar thrasher... Hawkgirl! |
Huntress: Looks like we're in this together. |
Shayera: I don't think I wanna know. |
Roulette: Yes, that's really Wonder Woman, ladies and gentlemen! It is on! Can even these four beautiful bruisers stand up to the Amazon powerhouse herself? |
Vixen: Anybody got a plan? |
Sonar: In another thirty seconds your brains will be so scrambled I'll be able to serve 'em up with bacon. |
Huntress: Do I kill the signal or you? |
Black Canary: You know, if you want, I can talk to the League and get you back in. |
Huntress: You know, I was totally whipping your butt back when they caught us. |
| Previously produced episode: "The Great Brain Robbery" | Episodes of Justice League Unlimited | Next produced episode: "Far From Home" |
| Previously aired episode: "The Great Brain Robbery" | Next aired episode: "Far From Home" |
