Hunter's Moon
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| Justice League Unlimited episode | |
|---|---|
| |
| "Hunter's Moon" | |
| Airdate: | June 18, 2005 |
| Production Number: | 21 |
| Airdate Order: | 21 |
| Teleplay by: | Dwayne McDuffie |
| Story by: | Stan Berkowitz |
| Directed by: | Joaquim Dos Santos |
| Episode images (6) | |
"Hunter's Moon" is the twenty-first episode of Justice League Unlimited. It first aired on June 18, 2005.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
J'onn J'onzz is on monitor duty in the Watchtower when a distress signal arrives. A choppy transmission from miners requests assistance in dealing with a mysterious metal. After looking at preliminary analysis, it is determined that the metal is Nth metal unrefined and very dangerous. Shayera volunteers to help out the miners, but is not allowed to go on her own. Vixen and Vigilante are ordered to go with her, over the objections of John Stewart (He has emotional connections to both Shayera and Vixen).
After they arrive the team quickly discovers it is a trap when Shayera cannot see a shadow cast from a floodlight in the mine - which is a holgram. As they try to escape, their Javelin is destroyed. Thanagarians then emerge from the cave, lead by Paran Dul intent on exacting revenge against the traitor, Shayera Hol. Shayera initially offers to go with the Thanagarians but is forbidden by her teammates. In the course of the dialogue, her former Thanagarian comrades relay to her the demise of their empire and the sacrifice of Hro Talak. Shayera is devastated, and quietly admits to Vixen that she still had strong feelings for Talak.
The Justice League members are able to evade the Thanagarians for a while with the help of Shayera's covert-ops training, but in a melee Vixen is captured while her teammates escape. Shayera suggests a "prisoner trade," her for Vixen while an elusive Vigilante is able to commandeer the Thanagarian's spaceship. He flies in to help Vixen while Shayera engages a semi-deranged and robot-like Kragger. Paran Dul and Vixen fight on the Thanagarian craft while Vigilante flies and Shayera is able to defeat Kragger by pulling out his power supply as they fall. He presumably perishes while Paran Dul is thrown from the ship. With a more confident Vixen now flying, they pick up Shayera and escape
Back at the Watchtower, Vigilante is carted off for treatment for wounds received in battle and Shayera and Vixen immediately head off for some type of confrontation concerning their mutual affection for John Stewart. The viewer is led to think it will not be pretty, but they end up laughing about the qualities of Stewart that they both love (and one or two that are worth teasing him on). They reach an uneasy truce: Mari knows that John still has some feelings for Shayera (and vice-versa), but she likes to see things through; Shayera raises her drink and says, "En garde."
[edit] Continuity
- This is the first appearance of any Thanagarian except Shayera since the invasion in Justice League, "Starcrossed". No further reference is made to Thanagar.
- Vigilante mentions being imprisoned during the invasion, explaining his absences during the fighting to reclaim Earth.
- Kragger mentions J'onn's probing his mind in "Starcrossed, Part III", thus leaving him impaired.
- Vixen and Shayera share a laugh about John's favorite movie Old Yeller, as revealed in "Hearts and Minds" and later referenced in "Wake the Dead".
[edit] Background Information
[edit] Production Notes
- The working title for this episode was "Mystery in Space". The title was changed because the producers to avoid confusion with the comic book title Mystery in Space, which might mislead fans into thinking the episode was about its protagonist ― Adam Strange.[1]
- On the commentary to "Starcrossed," Bruce Timm said that one of their primary reasons for producing this episode was to bring back Elizabeth Peña as Paran Dul.
[edit] Production Inconsistencies
- En route to the planet, Shayera has her seatbelt in but then she gets up and stands to speak to Vigilante.
- When Vigilante is about to shoot Paran Dul (serving as the "stalking horse"), his right holster is missing its straps.
- The Thanagarian with the red beard says that Shayera is better trained than the five of them put together, but there were seven Thanagarians in the previous group shot.
[edit] Trivia
- In this episode, Shayera wears a yellow tank top and pants, as opposed to the white outfit she has worn after being reinstated.
- The character credited as "Hawk #2" is voiced by David Barrera, Maria Canals's real-life husband.
- In this episode Vigilante (voiced by Nathan Fillion) and Vixen (voiced by Gina Torres) fly around in a spaceship. This may be an intentional in-joke and nod to the TV show Firefly, in which their voice actors played characters who belonged to a spaceship crew. Moreover, Firefly is a Space Western, and Fillion plays a cowboy-like character on both shows.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Phil LaMarr | John Stewart |
| Maria Canals | Shayera |
| Carl Lumbly | J'onn J'onzz |
| Hector Elizondo | Kragger |
| Gina Torres | Vixen |
| David Barrera | Hawk #2 |
| Elizabeth Peña | Paran Dul |
| Nathan Fillion | Vigilante |
[edit] Uncredited Appearances
[edit] Quotes
(After stealing the Thanagarian spaceship) |
| Previously produced episode: "Clash" | Episodes of Justice League Unlimited | Next produced episode: "Question Authority" |
| Previously aired episode: "Clash" | Next aired episode: "Question Authority" |
