Hello, my friends. With the ever-escalating terror that looms upon our world and throughout the universe, our familiar TomorrowVerse heroes are about to have their own worsening problems. As such, I welcome you back to my longtime review series known as…
Last time, we mainly followed the Scarlet Speedster as he met & married his wife Iris West, helped several super figures unite in order to become the signature team of World’s Greatest Heroes, gained an unlikely ally in an android called Amazo and even found himself bouncing around to not only these various points in his life, but also on a doomed world where the heroes are actually the dictator-level villains. In addition to all of this, the entire multiverse is under threat of getting eradicated by an otherworldly energy that’s managed to destroy several universes already. Ultimately, he helps the numerous heroes of various worlds come up with a way to protect their respective Earths from absolute annihilation. Although this turns out to be a success, the result of his varied actions has caused him to get claimed by the Speed Force but not before he manages to warn the Caped Crusader with some key information. Not only that, but something has also occurred that’s resulted in the 31st Century getting phased out along with its Legion of Super-Heroes. While you can check out my review of Part 1 for more details, it’s time for this massive trek to continue as I venture on with a tale called…
Released for Digital Download and home video on April 23, 2024, this serves as the middle chapter of a trilogy of animated films that’s based off of Marv Wolfman & George Perez’ iconic 1985 crossover mini-series known as “Crisis On Infinite Earths”. With Jeff Wamester still helming the director’s chair and Jim Krieg writing the screenplay, how will our gallant figures continue to deal with this unknown terror? Let’s venture back into the vast unknown and find out.
Following the opening credits, we begin in Earth-2’s Gotham City where a suspect is fleeing while cackling with a familiar laugh. Just as he’s about to reach the Vibrational Generator, he’s soon subdued by Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman (voiced by Jensen Ackles). However, it’s soon revealed that it’s not the Clown Prince of Crime that’s been caught, but a Jokerized James Gordon. Just as Bruce pulls out an antitoxin from his utility belt, Jim succumbs to the particular poison and passes on.
Afterwards, Batman realizes that this was a diversion before the main gate gets blasted open by a tank as it proceeds to enter the guarded compound. Soon enough, its operator emerges as the Joker (voiced by Troy Baker) proceeds to activate a trigger. Batman then discovers that Gordon had some bombs strapped to him before Wayne uses his grapple gun to evade the explosion.
Afterwards, a pair of armored guards begin to open fire on the Joker, yet he manages to hide back inside the tank before telling a comrade to deal with the opposing figures. Soon enough, Waylon Jones a.k.a. Killer Croc emerges and withstands the gunfire before ultimately smiting the sentries. Bruce then uses his grapple gun to swiftly reach the tank and confront the Joker, but he soon gets met upon by Cyrus Gold a.k.a. Solomon Grundy and gets tossed away as a result.
While the two fierce fiends keep Wayne at bay, Joker begins to target the Vibrational Generator in order to destroy it. Batman warns him that the whole planet will die if he carries out his intention, yet the Joker simply exclaims how despite hearing about it from various people, he wants to find out if it’s true. Just as he finally has the massive tower in his targeting sights, a small bomb lands inside the tank as he’s forced to flee from it before it gets crippled by the resulting explosion.
Afterwards, he’s met upon by Earth-2’s version of Helena Wayne a.k.a. Huntress (voiced by Erika Ishii) and Dick Grayson a.k.a. Robin (voiced by Zach Callison) as the latter takes out Killer Croc with some explosive Batarangs. From there, the rest of the Bat-Family arrives as Damian Wayne a.k.a. Robin (also voiced by Zack Callison), Terry McGinnis a.k.a. Batman Beyond (voiced by Will Friedle) and Barbara Gordon a.k.a. Batgirl (voiced by Gideon Adlon) proceed to engage Solomon Grundy.
Meanwhile, Joker recovers and knocks both Helena & Dick out before he takes aim at Batman. Damian notices this as he throws his sword at the opposing clown, to which Bruce manages to wrap a line around the fiend’s leg in order to prevent his foe from getting stabbed before using some smoke pellets to finally take Cyrus down.
Afterwards, Earth-2’s Huntress & Robin remind Wayne that they’re not killers and that they were properly trained before Dick then brings up that the Justice Society was tasked with searching for the Flash. However, Bruce tells him that he gave the team said assignment and that Barry is actually dead. Batgirl assures him that Allen is merely missing since his body was never found, to which Batman tells the group that he didn’t want any “dilettantes and senior citizens” slowing him down. Damian then reminds him that this world isn’t even his Earth, to which Bruce says that it has an important tower positioned within Gotham and not only does he mention how this makes it his world, but he also wants to work by himself.
We then shift over to a dungeon where Charles Halstead a.k.a. Psycho-Pirate (voiced by Geoffrey Arend) has a certain “doctor” as his prisoner. With his captive being silent, Charles thinks that he’s being given the “silent treatment” in order to end up being the one who gets to talking. Ultimately, Halstead sees this as psychoanalysis before he begins to share his backstory. 25 years ago, he used to live a solitary life in the English countryside with his parents and had a love for pirate-based books. As his parents started arguing with each other, Psycho-Pirate narrates about how he was a budding empath and that he could sense other people’s feelings. It turns out that his headaches stemmed from his power amplifying whatever extreme emotions were near him, yet his ability would also send them back out to said individuals. As a result of this “feedback loop”, his parents would become fiercely physical against each other despite the fact that they actually didn’t have any intense hatred towards one another.
We then shift over to Krypton’s imminent destruction where the Monitor (voiced by Jonathan Adams) observes this from his satellite. Suddenly, a certain space pod crashes into it as he and his station’s sentient computer initially dismiss it as a tiny piece of debris. However, they soon notice a certain young woman inside of it who’s also suffocating as it turns out to be Kara Zor-El (voiced by Meg Donnelly). Monitor says that he finds her impending death “distracting” before his sentient computer system asks him why this sole incident is particularly disturbing despite him having seen “untold galactic extinctions” over his vast existence. He says that he prefers to look over the various incidents and “phenomena from a distance” before requesting for the occupied space pod to be discarded. However, the sentient computer system decides to bring her on board as it explains that this would no longer block his master’s view and that she’ll ultimately keel over from radiation exposure. Monitor then says that she’s not allowed to die while she’s in the satellite before reminding his sentient computer system of “what must be done”.
Back over to Charles’ narration, he mentions that his parents were able to stop short of killing each other within their emotionally enhanced stages. In order to protect themselves, they shipped their son over to a Bavarian-based boarding school. However, he wound get regularly beaten up by several male classmates as it continued to enhance his own empathic power. Despite the fierce abuse, he wouldn’t provide his goonish pupils with the “satisfaction” of his own screams.
We then shift back to the satellite where a traumatized Kara isn’t eating a prepared dish that’s been exactly replicated from her now-extinct home world. Monitor asks it what exactly is wrong, to which it says that she’s just seen the demise of her own people and that she also has a cranial contusion after hitting her head upon the door of her pod. It then suggests for him to eat with her in order to potentially allow “a sense memory” of hers to emerge, to which the Monitor decides to do so despite having “not absorbed energy in this manner” for the past 100 million years. Fortunately, this action allows Kara to properly react as she consumes her meal.
Back over within Halstead’s backstory, he continues to take a pounding from his bullish classmates before mentioning how the constant abuse had finally managed to help his power come to fruition as he focused his ability onto one of the classmates. While he mentions how the majority of human action is actually “dictated by emotion”, the mind-controlled student obtains a pitchfork and fatally stabs the lead goon. During a later moment within his class, Psycho-Pirate narrates about how he slowly used his ability to take control over the entire school. In particular, he discovered that several people’s own conflicted emotions can be tamed by him making them feel “the same emotion”. During this, he uses his power on another pupil as he forces said student to get up and pull his pants down in front of both the class and their teacher.
Back upon the satellite, Monitor shows Kara around his “quasi-sentient craft” and that it’s able to exist outside the regular flow of time in order to help facilitate the “observation and documentation of celestial events”. He then mentions how he’s been assigned to this particular spacecraft before we then discover in a later dinner between them that the contusion has inflicted her with some amnesia. He reminds her that she’s Kara Zor-El and that she came from Krypton before she asks him if she can go home, yet he’s able to sidestep her request by mentioning how he needs her help upon his Satellite. Later, he reveals his actual name as Mar Novu and that he comes from a race of ancient beings that’s able to “observe and record” every event within the universe and all surrounding ones. Even though they look over all of these moments, they’ve also taken up an oath to never interfere before the scene ends on Kara accidentally displaying a moment of her budding super strength.
Back over with Psycho-Pirate, he mentions that he has a grand desire towards “unity & equality” by making everyone feel what he feels at all times. He then brings up the point from his past when the Third Reich had risen to power and that the police were sent to the boarding school due to no one hearing from the facility for a good amount of time. The officials proceed to search around the place before they discovered several students (as well as the headmaster) being hung from the ceiling while Charles had complete mental control over the remaining pupils.
Back within the satellite, Kara reaches the hangar deck while searching for the Monitor. The sentient computer system tries to lure her out of the immediate area, but she soon comes across her space pod and begins to recognize it. With its own onboard system coming to life shortly upon her own presence, she realizes that it brought her here from Krypton. It then shows the last moment that she shared with her mother as it finally helps her remember her parents before telling the pod that she wants to return to her planet. However, it reminds her that Krypton no longer exists.
Back within Halstead’s backstory, he would ultimately join the Nazis and became a part of the Kriegsmarine where he used his ability in order to become the “captain of a merchant raider”. Together with his crewman, they would sail their freighter ship into international waters while flying neutrally colored flags. From there, they would send out calls of “Mayday” towards Allied ships and lure them into a potential rescue operation before unveiling their hidden cannons & torpedoes in order to bomb the unsuspecting vessels. Afterwards, Charles would amuse his crew by mentally controlling the doomed Allied sailors into cheering for them before they sank towards their watery graves.
Despite fulfilling his childhood desire of becoming a pirate, the whole operation ultimately came crashing down while they sailed on the high seas during a raging thunderstorm. The pounding waves ultimately damaged their vessel and caused it to sink before Halstead and a few crewmates were able to escape on a life raft. However, he no longer had any need for his crew as he mentally made them drown themselves.
Long after the storm had passed, he was in the middle of nowhere as he sent out a fateful call from his mind. Soon enough, he gets met upon by several Atlantean soldiers.
He would eventually make his way to Atlantis and meet their ruler, yet he would soon discover that Aquaman wouldn’t be easily overcome by his mental power unlike the aquatic sentries due to him having strong mental defenses. As such, Arthur is forced to fight his mind-controlled comrades. Ultimately, they manage to subdue him before Charles is finally able to mentally sway him onto the Nazi side.
Over on the satellite, Kara confronts the Monitor for not preventing her world’s destruction or even saving its civilians. Mar Novu says that non-interference has been highly important to his own race long before Krypton’s own sun even existed. She then chastises him for keeping her here like a creature in a zoo since she believes that she’s the last surviving Kryptonian, but he assures her that another exists within this reality before revealing that her cousin Kal-El is on Earth. Upon this realization, Kara berates the Monitor for keeping her on board his satellite for an unknown amount of time, especially since Mar Novu brings up how his satellite exists within multiple universes at the same time. He then assures her that she’s not his prisoner before she tells him that she’s done with both “waiting & watching & doing nothing” before she heads for her space pod and flies off towards Earth.
Back over to Halstead, he concludes his backstory by mentioning that he would ultimately create an alliance between the Atlanteans and the Nazis. He then mentions that his own prisoner had invited him in the first place since he has something to share before Psycho-Pirate attempts to use his mental ability on him, yet it doesn’t work as he assumes that the inmate’s mind is completely gone. Just then, the prisoner responds and even prevents Charles from mentally affecting him due to him existing within multiple realities. Halstead then threatens to torture him with a heated poker, yet the inmate began uttering an incantation and causes it to vanish.
He then tells Halstead that he’ll imbue him with the ability to travel into various realities before he mystically binds Psycho-Pirate. As the Helmet of Fate makes its way onto his head, it’s then revealed that he’s Kent Nelson a.k.a. Doctor Fate (voiced by Keith Ferguson) before he tells Charles that he has a major role for the impending Crisis. He then gives said ability to Halstead before Psycho-Pirate finds Kent back in his seemingly comatose state as he demands for a guard to let him out.
We then return to the Monitor’s satellite as he discovers a universe that was eradicated by the ever-strengthening anti-matter wave. Just then, he notices his sentient computer system observing Kara’s 31st Century-based venture where she’s become Supergirl and is fighting back against Brainiac’s plan to remake the whole universe in his image. While Mar Novu sees her attempt as “hopeless”, the sentient computer system finds it “remarkable” that she’s willing to combat this threat despite the towering odds. The Monitor then finds her actions “admirable” before the future threat is finally dealt with as he begins to ponder over this turn of events.
Afterwards, Kara arrives back on the 21st Century-based Earth as she flies to the Kent Family Farm in Smallville in order to find her cousin. Suddenly, the sentient computer pops in and has her teleported to the satellite. Shortly after returning to the otherworldly station, she spots Mar Novu and angrily attempts to blast him with her Heat Vision. However, his own shield is able to easily withstand her attack before she berates him for bringing her back. He then mentions that she came back to this world in order to search for both Superman and Batman before the sentient computer system assures her that he knows their location. From there, the Monitor warns her that she, her friends and everyone else are now within a “mortal peril beyond imagining”. Fortunately, he knows of something that they can do.
As they prepare, he tells her that his own people are unwilling to go against their code of simply observing all things even though the anti-matter wave would wipe them out. Supergirl then asks him if his plan will succeed, to which he mentions how it logically wouldn’t, yet she’s proven to him how taking action has the potential to “transform doom from salvation”. From there, Kara is placed onto a special chair where she will receive a portion of Mar Novu’s own life-force energy before he tells her that their overall meeting has taught him “to be certain of nothing” and that it’s dangerous. Despite the risk, they proceed with the process.
Back over with Charles, he wakes up within the ruins of a major fight on Earth-2. He manages to hide out within the nearby alleyways long before the proper authorities arrive as well as the Flash. As for the Scarlet Speedster, he proceeds to swiftly search while Halstead hurried flees from his speedy approach. He eventually finds himself pinned within a closed-off alley before he attempts to use his newly inherited ability as he manages to escape from this universe just as the Flash finally reaches his location.
We then shift to a different universe where a large group of Spanish citizens are revolting against their dictator as Charles discovers that he’s in this position. Just then, he’s approached by Kara who’s in her new form as Harbinger as she tells him that he’s being summoned alongside “Earth’s greatest champions”. While he tries to deny her, she brings up her awareness of him traveling to various Earths in order to remake them in his image while also failing. He then tries to use his spell to flee once again, but it doesn’t work as Kara informs his that he can’t visit a neighboring universe since it’s been annihilated. She then says that eventually, all realities will cease to exist and that his scheme will permanently fail before mentioning that the Monitor can help him. With a Molotov Cocktail smashing through a window and setting the building on fire, Halstead learns about the Monitor’s desire to save all realities before accepting her offer as they take their leave together.
We then catch up to the present time where our main heroes continue to keep watch over the multiverse. Suddenly, Kal-L a.k.a. the Earth-2 Superman (voiced by Darren Criss) spots the incoming anti-matter wave with some special glasses. Back on the satellite, a core group of heroes hear his transmission as Michael Holt a.k.a. Mister Terrific (voiced by Ato Essandoh) warns the rest of the combined team of the anti-matter wave’s appearance in Earth-18’s universe. From there, the Vibrational Generators are activated for their upcoming “planetary phasing” before Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman (voiced by Stana Katic) tells her fellow Superman to reach Earth-18. Kimiyo Hoshi a.k.a. Doctor Light (also voiced by Erika Ishii) then informs Michael about every tower being entirely operational before Holt informs the rest of the combined heroes that the anti-matter wave will go after the rest of the Earths after reaching Earth-18.
Meanwhile, the Earth-2 Superman manages to get back onto the world before the globe ends up phasing through the harmful energy. Over on a few other Earths, Captain Atom and Amazing-Man are able to self-power the Vibrational Generators on said globes.
Over on Earth-17 however, the power source for its Vibrational Generator has overheated. With the anti-matter wave bearing down, Kal-El a.k.a. the Earth-1 Superman (also voiced by Darren Criss) requests for some back-up as Mar Novu receives his transmission before telling Supergirl that she’s needed. However, she’s initially lost in worried thought before snapping out of it and ultimately teleports down to said world.
Shortly after her arrival, she uses her Freeze Breath to extinguish the resulting flames while Kal-El makes some electrical repair and includes his Heat Vision. From there, Kara gets the Vibrational Generator up and running again as Earth-17 manages to phase through the harmful wave as a result. Afterwards, they’re met upon by the post-apocalyptic planet’s protectors known as the Atomic Knights as they ride in on giant mutated Dalmatians. Their leader thanks them for their help since they sorely lack the necessary infrastructure to handle this by themselves before they ultimately head out to resume their regular duties.
From there, Superman meets up with his cousin and notices her somewhat-sullen mood since she does mention that the anti-matter wave will ultimately make another attempt on this world. Not only that, but she’s still distraught from her 31st Century home and comrades getting erased from existence. Shortly after the Monitor informs them that they’ll be teleported back up to the satellite, Supergirl tells her cousin that he actually stood by and watched Krypton explode right before they both get properly beamed back up.
We then shift over to another post-apocalyptic Earth just as Kamandi (also voiced by Will Friedle) teleports in as he soon realizes that he’s back on his own world and contacts the satellite about it. Although the Earth-2 Superman knows of his hatred towards his home planet, he still informs the young lad that its Vibrational Generator still needs to have some relays replaced and that he’s the only one knowledgeable enough about this “post-Great Disaster Earth”. Kamandi argues that he’s basically the last human on this world, yet Earth-2 Superman assures him that he won’t be this time since he’ll have “a specialist” sent to help him out. Just then, a certain talking gorilla approaches him as gets angrily startled by the sentient figure before firing his gun at it. The being manages to evade his shots before tackling him and says that he’s aware that they haven’t met each other before. As such, he introduces himself as Solovar (voiced by Darin De Paul) and that he hails from Earth-1’s Gorilla City. Not only that, but he also relates to being part of a “minority”, yet Kamandi mentions how sentient gorillas have hunted him throughout his life. Fortunately, Solovar hands his gun back to him as a good-natured sign of trust.
Back on the satellite, Psycho-Pirate is struggling to send out calming and confident emotions towards the surviving Earths via the onboard amplifier for Mar Novu, especially since “warmth, compassion and caring” are “too complex” for him to broadcast even with the technological help. Charles then asks for a fraction of the Monitor’s own power, yet he also mentions to him that he’s aware of his past and would thus make the necessary trust unlikely. However, Mar Novu mentions how “learning to trust” was how he began his own wisdom as he decides to go through the process and transfers part of his life-force energy into Halstead. After receiving this powerful boost, Psycho-Pirate asks him why he chose to do this as the Monitor mentions that he’s finally learned about his vast knowledge being almost useless “without a degree of faith”.
Afterwards, Mar Novu reaches his core team of heroes as Mister Terrific brings up how the anti-matter wave is actually numerous and from a kind of “ongoing storm”. Not only that, but the waves can have different kinds of speed and intensity while also popping up with no warning. Amongst the group, Arthur Curry a.k.a. the Earth-146 Aquaman (voiced by Liam McIntyre), Vic Sage a.k.a. Question (voiced by David Kaye), Shayera Hol a.k.a. Hawkgirl (voiced by Jamie Grey Hyder) and Ted Kord a.k.a. Blue Beetle (voiced by Matt Lanter) ultimately begin to fathom that this “cosmic natural phenomenon” is actually an attack by “some sentient being”.
However, the whole group begins to argue with each other as the Monitor quickly eases their tension by mentioning how all of their questions are vital to their “scientific method” before Wonder Woman reminds them that these strikes are still targeted onto every universe’s Earths and that their Vibrational Generator towers will all eventually give out. Ted then mentions that they don’t know where the attacks are coming from or where they can all retreat to before Michael says that the latter has given him an idea. Specifically, he’s heard of “a theoretical dimension” known as Netherspace and that they could possibly uses the towers to send out a transmatter beam in order to send every Earth there. Unfortunately, Mar Novu says that it would require some “nearly incalculable” power to make it happen.
Later, Psycho-Pirate is making his way through the satellite before he gets stopped by Blue Beetle who remembers him as Doctor Spectro, yet Charles mentions how he’s been known under different identities upon the various universes such as Roy G. Bivolo a.k.a. Rainbow Warrior. Ted then threatens to tell their present comrades about him actually being “a dangerous criminal sociopath”, but Halstead is able to take control of Kord’s mind while assuring him that he has to help protect the universe. Suddenly, his head get racked with intense pain before he vanishes in a flash of light.
Just then, Hawkman (also voiced by Geoffrey Arend) contacts the satellite about the anti-matter wave approaching Earth-19. Wonder Woman then brings up how this is the shortest period of time in between waves before Hawkman mentions how this one is glimmering with a far-brighter light. From there, Mari McCabe a.k.a. Vixen (voiced by Keesha Sharp) chimes in from Earth-1 about her spotting an incoming and far-more intense anti-matter wave. Monitor then gives the order for all towers to get activated before we shift back to Earth-2 where Batman activates its Vibrational Generator, along with various other worlds doing the same. As the anti-matter wave safely passes through Earth-2, Bruce contacts the satellite and mentions how something’s different about this particular one.
Not too long afterwards, a shadow demon emerges as Wayne notices the being and contacts the satellite about it, to which Doctor Light informs him that the other Earths are also facing this new terror as well. Batman proceeds to fight it, but his strikes are unable to cause any lasting impact. Over on Earth-1, a massive hoard of shadow demons emerges as Superman, John Stewart a.k.a. Green Lantern (voiced by Aldis Hodge), Oliver Queen a.k.a. Green Arrow (voiced by Jimmi Simpson) and Vixen find themselves up against these otherworldly creatures.
Meanwhile, Psycho-Pirate finds himself in a darkened space before an ominous voice says that he’s “inside” him. A bright light is then cast before the mysterious being asks Charles why he’s helping the Monitor, yet Halstead asks him for his name. When the being says that he’s nothing like the Monitor, Charles proceeds to call him Anti-Monitor (also voiced by Ato Essandoh) before saying that he doesn’t have any other choice when it comes to actually working alongside the Monitor. The Anti-Monitor then tells him that he’s able to “change the others” by making them feel how he feels. Because there’s too many individuals for him to affect, the Anti-Monitor offers to give Halstead his own universe of people for him to emotionally control like a “God”.
Back on Earth-1, the four aforementioned heroes along with Captain Atom proceed to get attacked by the shadow demons. Unfortunately, all of their physical and projectile strikes are unable to harm the intangible beings. Even though Kal-El was able to vaporize one with his Heat Vision, Mister Terrific informs him that all of those beasts are “a single creature”.
Mar Novu is then stunned by the notion of this form of “intelligence” being able to harm all of reality, to which Question calls him out for having this lack of “infallibility” over his lengthy lifespan. Just then, the satellite gets contacted by Earth-46 as their Amazon Queen Hippolyta (voiced by Jennifer Hale) mentions how their Vibrational Generator is under attack by several shadow demons and that their own attacks are unable to stop the opposing beings. Mister Terrific informs her that the beasts are possibly weak to “light attacks” before Diana offers to help those Amazons out despite not being from said reality. Ultimately, she gets teleported to the Amazon-ruled world.
Back on Earth-2, Batman is doing all that he can to fend off the shadow demons despite his own strikes proving to be ineffective. Suddenly, some mini grenades fly in and cast out a bright light upon their explosion which manages to eradicate the beasts. Soon enough, Bruce is met upon by the Earth-2 Robin (who threw said devices) along with the Bat-Family (which now includes Batwing) as they use several light-based grenades to make some significant progress against the shadow demons.
However, their fight is far from over as even more emerge to engage them. While the rest of the Bat-Family resumes their brawl, Wayne makes a discovery via his own flashlight and informs the Monitor that they’ll need a bright-enough light to effectively harm the creatures.
Over on the post-Great Disaster Earth, Kamandi and Solovar are repairing its Vibrational Generator before they’re suddenly confronted by another group of shadow demons. Kamandi uses his gun to keep the approaching beings at bay before Solovar joins the fray and fires away with his own light-projecting weapon.
Ultimately, a shadow demon manages to tackle and pin Kamandi as this also disarms the young hero before it manages to chomp down on his arm. Solovar tries to fight his way over to save him, yet the fierce tussle ultimately leaves him fatally wounded on his side. With the massive horde bearing down on them, the sentient ape proceeds to overload his gun before it sends out a huge explosion of light that manages to wipe the beings out.
Not only that, but this also provides enough of a distraction for Kamandi to reclaim his gun and execute the remaining beast. Afterwards, he reaches the injured Solovar and assures him that he’ll get back up to the satellite in order to get healed. However, the sentient ape wearily says that it’s too late before warning him to stay sharp for those monsters’ eventual return and that this world needs him to “stay alive”. From there, Solovar succumbs to his injuries as Kamandi tearfully mourns the loss of his comrade.
Back on the satellite, Monitor receives Bruce’s discovery as Mister Terrific shares it with the rest of the various worlds. Not only that, but Doctor Light also decides to join the fight as she teleports into battle.
Over on Earth-46, Wonder Woman is slashing away at the shadow demons with little progress. Fortunately, she also receives the key information from the satellite as she uses her Lasso of Truth like a whip in order for its bright glow to effectively smite enough of the opposing beasts in order for the rest to retreat.
She’s then approached by this world’s Hippolyta and her Amazons as Diana actually hugs the queen before telling her that her own mother had lost her life alongside her own Amazons in a past war. Hippolyta mentions that she didn’t die in battle alongside them, to which Wonder Woman explains that she’s immortal and that she’s had to spend a cursed eternity seeing loads of people pass away. She then brings up how this world is entirely ruled by the Amazons to which Hippolyta says that it’s actually called Themesterra. Diana then informs her that the shadow demons are bested by “intensely bright light” before asking if they have enough electricity to help them out, but Hippolyta informs her that they did away with technology at the same time that they’ve conquered all forms of male oppression. Not only that, but there’s some imprisoned men remaining, yet they’re “controlled” and forced to serve their group. Just then, a fellow Amazon informs them that their Swords of Hemera are capable of shining an intensely bright light before Hippolyta orders for them along with torches, lanterns and other light-projecting objects.
Back within the satellite, Supergirl bumps into Psycho-Pirate as she informs him that she’s being sent to Earth-1 in order to deal with the shadow demons. He then brings up the demise of her fellow Legionnaires along with those creatures being possibly connected to it and that she’ll be delivering some “payback”. However, he also uses his emotion-based power to begin swaying her towards some “revenge” before taking his leave. From there, he oversees the various Earths before he casts out his enhanced emotion-based power onto those worlds.
Over on Earth-1, his manipulation starts to take effect as Doctor Light and Green Lantern begin to quarrel with each other while they’re both fending the shadow demons off. Meanwhile, Superman uses his Heat Vision while Captain Atom blasts away with his brightest strikes just as Kara teleports in. Despite an initial hesitation, she proceeds to blast away at the beings with her own Heat Vision before she suddenly tries to fly towards one of the shadow demons while screaming “Long Live The Legion!” as she gets consumed by it.
At that moment, she suddenly wakes up on Krypton as she’s then met upon by her mother Alura (also voiced by Jennifer Hale) which causes Kara to initially think that her entire Earth-based ventures was just a realistic dream. However, Alura assures her daughter that she’s actually dead along with their entire home world. Suddenly, Brainiac 5 (voiced by Harry Shum, Jr.) and Dawnstar show up as the former tells Kara that they’ve been wiped from existence before the setting turns cataclysmic. Anti-Monitor and Psycho-Pirate then proceed to chime in on how it wasn’t a coincidence that the Monitor just happened to stand by and watched her planet’s destruction. They then mention that Mar Novu was behind “every major galactic tragedy” from before and during her lifetime, to which they convince her to “fight back” in order to “save” all of her loved ones and help save the universe. To do so, she must strike her “enemy” down.
Over on Earth-2, the Bat-Family continues to fend off the shadow demons with their light-based mini grenades. Batman then uses his drone to fire some missiles at the creatures as the resulting explosion is able to smite several of them.
Despite the teamwork, Bruce argues how he didn’t want their help and that unlike his Earth-2 counterpart, he doesn’t “recruit children to fight in a war”. Terry argues how that version of Bruce wasn’t “alone” as Helena also mentions that he was a purposeful man. Just then, Damian tells her to stop arguing with his “dad” before she reminds him that the Earth-1 Bruce isn’t even his actual father.
With Psycho-Pirate’s emotion-based power affecting this world as well, the two of them begin to fight each other. Batman tries to break this scuffle up, yet Dick butts in and angrily mentions to him about the turbulent childhood that “he” put him through. Bruce then admits to leaving his world’s version of Dick at an orphanage which angers Batman Beyond, yet Damian charges into the future Dark Knight. While the Bat-Family proceed to get consumed by this emotional influence, the shadow demons are slowly able to regroup.
Back on Earth-46, the Amazons are able to confront their group of shadow demons especially with the Swords of Hemera providing them with a light-based edge. However, they soon learn that fire isn’t as effective as it only keeps the beasts at bay. Diana then mentions how the male prisoners could help them turn the tide of battle, but Hippolyta refuses to set them free due to a historic lack of trust in them.
Over on Earth-1, Charles’ powers have taken complete hold onto Kimiyo and John as they get into a light-powered scuffle against each other. Fortunately, Stewart managed to get hit hard enough to order to snap out of this state as he then tries to reach her, but Hoshi is still influentially stuck as he creates and sends several constructed balls at her before one of them manages to knock her out.
Shortly after he summons his lantern, he’s then met upon by the familiar raggedy man whom he quickly recognizes as the same person who kept babbling about worlds coming to an end before demanding to know if he’s behind this situation. He even creates a wall in order to prevent the guy from leaving, yet the disheveled being uses his magic to shatter it before they proceed to engage each other.
Up on the satellite, Halstead is then confronted by the Monitor who tells him that his means to spread intensely negative emotions lacks any form of “logical motive”. However, Psycho-Pirate tells him that he didn’t have any choice while working for him, yet he now has one with the Anti-Monitor. After he ceases with his emotion-based assault, it’s then revealed that it was entirely meant to be a major distraction since an anti-matter wave is now approaching the various Earths before he teleports away.
Back on Earth-1, Superman and Captain Atom continue to fight off the shadow demons. As for John, he suddenly sees the anti-matter wave that’s about to reach the planet. Fortunately, the ragged man uses a spell that powers up the Vibrational Generator in time.
Over on Earth-2, the Bat-Family has degenerated into fighting each other. Fortunately, Bruce notices the approaching anti-matter wave and manages to elude his comrades with some smokescreen bombs before throwing a Batarang which strikes the console and turns the tower on.
Over on Earth-46 however, the anti-matter wave has reached the globe and is wiping it out of existence. As Hippolyta sees the approach surge of energy, Diana is then subdued by the shadow demons. From there, the Amazon Queen vanishes into the otherworldly deluge as we then cut to Mar Novu as he helplessly watches the anti-matter wave wipe out several Earths in one fell swoop which includes Earth-17.
As for Wonder Woman, she’s overwhelmed by the shadow demons as it then reaches her before annihilating the planet as well. Afterwards, the Monitor is once again met upon by the Spectre (voiced by Lou Diamond Phillips) as the latter mentions that a higher being called “The Presence” has noticed that Mar Novu was able to “experience empathy”. Monitor then asks why he must suffer for having this newfound feeling, especially since all of the galactic power that he’s “absorbed” ever since the beginning of time means nothing due to all of reality being wiped away. Spectre assures him that his time to pay will ultimately come before he vanishes while Diana’s tiara floats out in the multiversal vacuum of space.
Back on Earth-1, Stewart continues to square off against the magic-based disheveled man. The latter then demands for Green Lantern to hit him with his best shot since no one would ever miss a “pariah” like him, to which the Emerald Knight says that it’s not his name and that it’s actually John. Fortunately, this helps the bearded guy finally realize that it’s also his name as well after not remembering it for an incredibly long time. Stewart then asks him who is really is, to which the man says that he used be one of Earth’s “most powerful sorcerers” before it’s finally revealed that he’s actually John Constantine (voiced by Matt Ryan) as he uses a spell to regain his familiar image.
Green Lantern then asks him why he can’t just use his magic to combat the shadow demons, to which the Hellblazer says that he’s just gotten his identity back and that his “bag of tricks” isn’t able to help them out. As such, Stewart decides to do something about it.
With the Bat-Family continuing with their self-destructive brawl on Earth-2 while Superman & Captain Atom have come under the emotional influence and are now fighting each other, Constantine is forced to keep the approaching shadow demons at bay while Green Lantern begins to charge up his ring.
During the process, he notices that the lantern’s bright glow is harmful to the beings. As such, he gets an idea and keep his ringed hand inside it while approaching the creatures. Even though it’s forcing the monsters to back away, the Hellblazer notices that the Emerald Knight is overcharging his ring and causing his lantern to overload.
Fortunately, Constantine is able to relive Stewart of it and throw it away before it explodes into a massive green burst of light that wipes the shadow demons out. As a result, Stewart reverts back to his civilian clothes since he had left his power ring inside the lantern in order for this plan to work.
Back on Earth-2, the Bat-Family is still caught up within their self-inflicted physical tussle. Fortunately, Bruce was able to toss out a light-based mini grenade at some shadow demons. However, the personal struggle proves to be too distracting as the Earth-2 Robin and Batman Beyond end up kicking him towards the creatures before they get their clutches on him.
Fortunately, this finally snaps the whole Bat-Family out of their emotional delusion as they join forces and smite the beings in order to save him. They then realize that the creatures have retreated as Terry wonders why those monsters backed away from their attack, to which Batman realizes that those beasts are “changing the target”. He then contacts the satellite and asks to get teleported and to also send every available “operative” to Earth-1’s tower before he gets beamed away.
Soon enough, the shadow demons have regrouped upon said world and have headed for its Vibrational Generator. After getting helped up, Doctor Light notices that several of those beasts are arriving to bolster their group size. Just as nearly every available hero teleport in to confront them, the shadow beasts begin to merge together and form a giant entity.
Superman proceeds to fight the being with his Heat Vision, but it’s able to quickly heal from the attack. Green Arrow, Doctor Light, Vixen and Captain Atom try to help him out with their own light-based strikes before we shift back to the satellite where Mar Novu observes this while mentioning that he was “wrong” about those beings.
With him finally realizing that they’re a sentient army that’s become a whole being, he admits to the Spectre that his near-infinite time of “cold observation” coupled with “cold indifference” have ultimately led to this moment where every living lifeform on every reality is about to get vanquished. Monitor then says that he would do anything to save all of the heroes’ lives before the Spectre vanishes where he’s then suddenly met upon by Supergirl as she chastises him for watching billions of Kryptonian lives get wiped out before she blasts him with her Heat Vision.
Back on Earth-1, the light-based shots aren’t able to remotely weaken the being before it then develops some armor upon itself in order to adapt. Over on the satellite, Kara finally snaps out of her emotionally manipulated state as Mar Novu keels over from the incinerating shot while she weeps in regret over her action. From there, Part 2 ends back on Earth-1 as the massive being charges up an energy shot as the Anti-Monitor’s destructive end goal is about to come to fruition.
Now that we’ve made it past this midway point of the story, let’s get into my character analysis. Because we no longer have Barry Allen to serve as our primary eyes-in for this tale, let’s shift things over to the two beings that received the most development for this outing. First up, we have the Maid of Might herself: Supergirl. For this chapter, we finally get to learn how she became Harbinger via her past connection to the Monitor. Even though the small and initial sequence of events presented here doesn’t entirely match up with the opening to “Legion Of Super-Heroes”, she still gets initially traumatized by the loss of her fellow Kryptonians along with suffering from a mild amnesia that she would get from hitting her head upon her pod making what is now a few impacts in addition to nearly suffocating before the Satellite spares her from a tragic fate. From this key moment, she & Mar Novu would both help and hinder each other in different ways. Even though Kara would get educated and physically recovered, her discovery of the Monitor sticking to his people’s code and not provide any rescue of any kind to her doomed world would simultaneously inspire her to no longer stand aside while bad things are going down thus setting her on her path to Earth and thus her main adventures as a superhero, but it also became part of a compounded series of events that would return to haunt the Monitor especially by the end of this stage. In turn, her 31st Century venture would get picked up and received onto the Monitor’s satellite where she ultimately inspires him to break away from his race’s long-standing code of non-interference before the impending catastrophe has him recruiting her back into his ranks in order to empower her into her new title and help gather the various figures of multiple worlds. Because Kara ends up with a dual role for this adaptation, I should mention that in the original source material, Lyla Michaels served as his Harbinger and would ultimately murder him after getting possessed by a Shadow Demon. Due to Kal-El’s cousin having to play multiple parts here, her falling for Charles’ emotional-manipulative power which leads her into incinerating the Monitor does serve as an effective alternative to what originally occurred on the printed page since it does serve as a major stamp towards the end of the movie. Since we haven’t quite met her ultimate fate yet, I won’t delve too much into how she was originally portrayed within the event comic. As for how she’s portrayed here, she gets a good amount of development early on before she drops out for a lengthy period of time following the scene on the Atomic Knights’ Earth where her intense feelings upon Mar Novu’s non-action towards Krypton can get used against her for an evil purpose. Between what we’ve seen of her within focused time in the Legion-based outing & this film, she does get tossed onto an emotional roller coaster after being forced to lose so many loved ones and it ultimately leads to her feelings getting twisted against her will as part of a devastating scheme. In terms of her role, Meg Donnelly delivers a good amount of range and effectively stands out when she’s either tearfully heartfelt or driven to absolute anger. While not as prominent in the movie’s second half as she is in the first, she still left enough of an impact to help Kara shine while also leaving the door open for her character’s conclusion.
Finally, let’s get to our main antagonistic foe (at least for this chapter) with the masked manipulative marauder of emotions himself: Psycho-Pirate. To those who only read the original event series, we’re introduced to him within an asylum on Earth-2 where he’s an inmate and rambling. about his own powers. When the Shadow Demon-possessed Harbinger phases in to recruit him, it turns out that it’s not Charles Halstead but Roger Hayden and he’s reluctant to join the fight since his ability gives him headaches. However, she doesn’t accept his willingness to decline and simply places his Medusa Mask on his face before taking him away with her. He would eventually be sent on a mission to Atlantis alongside Arion and Obsidian but was told by them to stay behind in order to not let his desire to feed on their emotion. However, a fearful Pariah happened to come upon him, and he decides to manipulate the figure into laughing uncontrollably. Arion steps in to interfere as they proceed to fight each other before he gets teleported away by the Anti-Monitor. He would also be promised his own world with people for him to emotionally manipulate before getting his powers enhanced to help the Anti-Monitor conquer the three remaining Earths. In the fateful seventh issue, said action will prevent him from affecting a group of heroes who’re on a mission to stop our main baddie since he needed some time to recharge that wasn’t available. Also, the Anti-Monitor had a warrior group called the Thunderers force a group of slaves build an anti-matter bomb. How Psycho-Pirate got involved in its destruction was that the Flash was initially captured due to him being able to super-speed into multiple universes. In the equally fateful eighth issue, Barry broke free and beat Roger up before forcing him to use his emotion power on the Thunderers in order for Allen to sacrifice his life and stop the bomb from wiping out all of reality. At series’ end, he’s imprisoned at Arkham Asylum while rambling about the multiverse’s former existence. Because this is the first time that we really get to know Charles, this gives him a backstory where his need to be in control is due to the constant bullying and negative emotions that he received. His deceitful practice during his younger days would build into his adult life as the rise of the Nazis gave him the opportunity to helm his own crew for surprise attacks on unsuspecting Allied Ships. After that era came to an end, his life took another turn as his accidental encounter with the Atlanteans and ultimately Aquaman would provide an understandably strong ret-con as to why Arthur had sided with the infamous party in “Justice Society: World War II”. Once his rule over any part of Earth-2 ultimately fell apart, his multiversal teleportation power that he got from Doctor Fate would ultimately get him recruited into the Monitor’s mission and must help the citizens of all of the surviving Earths feel calm thanks to Mar Novu giving him a small bit of his power. Once the Anti-Monitor claims him and taps into his desire to rule again, that’s where Charles firmly establishes himself as the entire tale’s secondary antagonist. Now, he does manage to escape by the end so we’ll see what’s left for him to do in the third chapter. As for what we have of him here, his backstory isn’t as tightly put together as I would’ve liked since his desire to control others seem to stem out of no longer wanting to receive other peoples’ emotional hate as well not wanting to be bullied anymore. Once his time with the Nazis comes into play, then things start to pick up for his characterization. At this point in the story, we’re baffled and unsure as to why Doctor Fate would give Halstead the ability to teleport to different realities so we’ll have to see how that potentially pays off in the final third. Either way, it’s fascinating that two protagonist figures would boost his powers on good faith only for him to take all of that and help bring our heroes to the brink of utter despair. Even though the Shadow Demons were the more physical and direct threats in this outing, Psycho-Pirate’s role was handled pretty well from a writing perspective as well as through Geoffrey Arend’s performance. His sneaky and slithering snake-like tone helped him portray Charles as someone who’ll snivel sometimes, yet can be just as manipulative as his primary ability. While obviously meant to be a right-hand lackey, he still leaves the door open for more progressive terror to come from him.
The story does see things getting darker in tone for its second chapter since our heroes are stuck constantly reacting to anti-matter waves that’re popping up with increasing regularity, power and towards multiple Earths. In addition to all of that, some of the Vibrational Generators are in need of technical upkeeping due to the surging uptick in said devious energy. With that said though, this struggle could’ve made a bigger impact that we gotten to live in this moment much longer. After all, Psycho-Pirate’s backstory and Supergirl’s time with the Monitor does ping-pong back-and-forth between each other to make the first half pacing a bit erratic. If we also include the opening credits and the initial scene within Earth-2’s Gotham City, it’s not until we’re almost 39 minutes in before we finally catch up to the present events. Once we do get there, the movie’s pace is able to stabilize and present its events in a linear fashion. As for one of the film’s bigger revelations, it’s that a disheveled man that was initially seen back in the opening moments of “Green Lantern: Beware My Power” as well as in the last entry was actually the familiar occult magic bloke. Not only that but in a similar fashion to how Supergirl has taken on another character’s role for this adaptation, Constantine was also given the role of Pariah who was originally created for the same event comic since he also winds up upon doomed worlds. If one remembers how the events of the DC Showcase short known as “Constantine: The House Of Mystery” played out, then the role would come to light as his punishment for trying to fix the ravaged Earth following “Justice League Dark: Apokolips War”. As such, it does a neatly executed job of bringing those past elements back in a way that makes plenty of sense. As for the rest of the movie’s elements, there’s a fair number to unpack. With Batman, he has a Bat-Family that’s helping him out on Earth-2. However, an element that seems to just be here for no reason is his signature loner attitude. We do ultimately get a confirmation from last time he didn’t bring his world’s Dick Grayson into his household, thus he never had his own version of Robin since the present version of Damian Wayne also seems to come from another version of reality. Despite that, any semblance of a lone man setup is hardly there or even not-well established. As such, it’s hard to see any kind of massive payoff once all of them overcome Psycho-Pirate’s influence that’s causing them to fight each other. It also has a hiccup in the fact that Batwing wasn’t with them initially, is then there for their next major appearance but then disappears from the film altogether afterwards. If there wasn’t going to be any major use for him, then he could’ve been left out altogether and the movie as a whole wouldn’t have lost anything. As they’re presented, the Bat-Family was a decent thread even if the majority of them aside from Batman doesn’t get too much to do and nothing at all apart from each other. With Kamandi, he’s been hunted within the apocalyptic wastelands of his world for all of his life. When Solovar gets paired up with him in order for them to repair the Vibrational Generator on the boy’s Earth, there’s a minor level of mistrust that Kamandi has due to the opposing sentient primates that he’s dealt with. Because of the event comic nature of this narrative, that thread gets quickly dealt with since Solovar becomes the better man and gives him every reason to have trust in him. Once Solovar gets killed during their encounter with the Shadow Demons, Kamandi is left with a respective appreciation towards him despite their brief time together. It’s short and doesn’t get too much developmental room, but it’s hopeful and nice. Finally, there’s Wonder Woman helping out some Amazons who’re from a different world altogether. Despite working alongside female warriors who’re similar yet ultimately different to her, Diana gets to share her honorable code of a combatant with them despite that Earth’s Hippolyta having an extreme disliking for men due to the oppressive might that she and her Amazons had to overcome. Despite said world getting ravaged by the anti-matter wave, the last look at Diana’s tiara does hint at some kind of return in some capacity yet we’ll have to see what that is in the next chapter. In terms of story, it feels like an event comic the most due to the film having so many characters to keep up with and loads of moving parts within its plot for it to deal with. It does feel hectic just like the nature of our heroes, but it thankfully doesn’t feel too bogged down with any egregious threads that doesn’t enhance the narrative. In terms of action, that mainly comes in the form of the Shadow Demons as they provide a worthy & ever-increasing challenge due to how many of them there are as well as the nature of their make-up that allows them to be resistant to any kind of attack that isn’t a form of bright light. Once they merge together and become a giant entity that’s able to resist said strikes, it raises the stakes for the last entry and makes its audience wonder how they could possibly pull off a miraculous comeback. The fights are plenty, but it doesn’t get too overly-exhausting like in “Justice League: War” and they do the job in a decent manner. Finally, the animation was nicely effective as movements flowed at a nice clip without any noticeable stutter. It ultimately complimented the entire production to help those elements as best as they could, even if the final product wasn’t as tightly-handled as it could’ve been.
Overall, this was a fairly decent outing that could’ve been better yet ultimately handles the continued progression of its narrative. With some good performances, hectic action, smooth animation and an escalating tension in the plot, it does hit some bumps in the road in terms of its entire presentation mainly with its first-half pacing. As for what it does have, it’s still a fairly entertaining ride that makes it all worth the viewing experience and leaves its viewers with some anticipation of things to come. As such, it’s worth a watch no matter how bright or dim your entertainment area is.
Next Time: The end times are looming large over the TomorrowVerse as the Anti-Monitor’s goal of wiping out all of existence is on the precipice of coming to fruition. With our heroes in their darkest hour, how can they possible turn it all around in order for them to reach a seemingly impossible triumph and at what cost? A towering conclusion will unfold as I wrap up this string of films with my thoughts on “Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earth-Part Three”.
Justice League (created by Gardner Fox) and all related characters are owned by DC Comics.
