JLU Review

Okay, so this one really wasn't my fault. I had planned on doing a weekly review of Cartoon Network's Justice League Unlimited, but then CN decided to stop airing it for a month, effectively putting the kibosh on my Tuesday reviews. However, the first of the final 4 episodes of JLU aired this past Saturday, and as promised, here's my review. Oh yeah, there be spoilers ahead for those who haven't seen the episode yet.

Title: "Far From Home"
Story: Dwayne McDuffie
Script: Paul Dini
Director: Dan Riba

Supergirl is the focus of this episode, but the story begins in the 31st Century as two members of the Legion of Super-Heroes debate what they must do to save their captured teammates from the Fatal Five. Despite the objections of Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5 (yes, a descendent of the Brainiac) decides to bring three members of the Justice League from the 21st Century to aid them. However, history tells him that only two members return to their own time safely.

As the action shifts to the present, Supergirl is having a training session under the direction of Green Lantern, with Superman and Green Arrow looking on. Somewhere during this, it's revealed that Supergirl has just turned 21. The theme of Supergirl growing up and establishing her own identity is very much the theme of this episode.

GL, Supergirl and Green Arrow are transported to the Legion's time via time bubble, and of course, the requisite time paradox comments are made by GL. After initially not trusting Brainy, Supergirl starts to fall for him, even after he tells her that she most likely won't survive her trip to the 31st Century.

After GL and Bouncing Boy are captured by the Fatal Five, it's up to Supergirl, Brainy and Green Arrow to save not only their teammates but also the United Federation of Planets from the Fatal Five and the mind controlled Legion.

Even with her considerable powers, Supergirl is still no match for the combined forces of the Legion and Green Lantern, but (as always seems to be the case), Green Arrow comes thru and frees everyone from the mind control. All that's left after that is for Kara and the Legion to mop up the Fatal Five.

The big happening comes at the very end when Kara decides to stay in the 31st Century with the Legion, as she has finally found a place where she truly fits in and feels at home. Superman takes the news relatively well, though he does seem to wish he could have said goodbye.

Okay, so with that recap out of the way, I have to say that though I did enjoy this episode, I really didn't love it like I hoped I would. Supergirl fell for Brainiac 5 much too quickly, and it was very unrealistic to me. Yeah, I know it's a cartoon, but a little bit more realism really would have helped.

I was also disappointed there wasn't more of the Legion outside of Brainy and Bouncing Boy. Yes, I know the show is about the Justice League, but this might have been better served by being a two parter, with the first part being focused on the members of the Legion being captured by the Fatal Five while in the present Supergirl is shown struggling more and more with her role in the Justice League. Instead, we're thrown right into the middle of everything, and that made the episode feel very rushed.

It was also very obvious to me that Supergirl was going to end up staying in the 31st Century. You knew the producers weren't going to kill her off, so as soon as Brainy let it slip that one member of the Justice League wouldn't make it back to their own time, I knew Supergirl would end up staying in the future. If the bit about one member not making it back had been removed, it would have made Supergirl staying with the Legion a bit more surprising.

So, what was good? Well, Green Arrow continues to be the best new character in this whole series. I'd love to see a Green Arrow series with Black Canary, Speedy and occasional guest appearances by Hal Jordan, Hawkman and so on. But that's just wishful thinking on my part.

The battle scene between Kara and the Legion/GL was very well done and one of the better animated action scenes you'll see in a non-anime series. It really showed Kara coming into her own as a hero who will fight on despite tremendous odds and the knowledge she might not survive the battle.

Paul Dini once again turned in a very excellent script, featuring some wonderful one liners (the best: SG to Brainiac - "Maybe I was just trying to cop a feel") and lots of introspective dialogue from Superman and even Green Arrow. I sincerely hope that Dini will get a chance to do another DC Superhero series after JLU's goes off the air.

My grade: 2.5 stars out of 4

The next episode (whenever it airs) promises to be a doozy, as it looks like it will (finally!) feature Hawkman. I can't wait.

~Sara