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"Chaos at the Earth's Core" is the third episode of the third season of Justice League Unlimited, and the 29th of the overall series. It originally aired on September 24, 2005 (back-to-back with "To Another Shore").

Plot[]

In Tokyo, a giant turtle monster is rampaging through the streets. A Justice League team consisting of John Stewart, S.T.R.I.P.E., and Stargirl had already set up a trap, but needed to lead the creature to a ship out of the harbor. John ordered them wait for his signal, but Stargirl went ahead and tried to set the trap herself. Supergirl reached the monster first, causing a large number of barrels to open, emitting gas which shrunk the creature back to a normal size. Back in the city, Stargirl was expecting a large amount of public gratitude, but a bunch of little girls headed for Supergirl, who was in town for a convention. All Stargirl had was John, who was very mad at her attempt of grandstanding.

On the trip back to Metro Tower, the Leaguers flew through the Arctic. As Supergirl and John traded friendly barbs, Stargirl vents to S.T.R.I.P.E. about Supergirl. Suddenly, the ship is dragged through a hole in the ground, where they finally emerge in a self-sustained ecosystem underground with a red sun. A group of lizard creatures attack, riding dinosaurs. Unable to help due to the red sun, Supergirl is forced onto the defensive as Lantern, S.T.R.I.P.E., and Stargirl fight off the attackers. As they manage to drive them off, a young Tyrannosaurus Rex appeared, but was killed by a man wielding a pistol. He introduced himself as Travis Morgan, the Warlord of Shamballah, who said that he'd been expecting them.

Travis takes them to his fortress, saying that he was a former Air Force test pilot who crashed in Skartaris decades ago, and subsequently raised a family while trying to bring peace to the land. However, a wizard named Deimos suddenly began raising an army using advanced technology, and Shamballah was all that is left to oppose him. Warlord's daughter Jennifer summoned the Justice League here to help them. Though they faced a dangerous battle, Supergirl speaks for Leaguers by agreeing to help. Warlord also explains that Deimos is after The Great Stone, an object of great power hidden in a temple deep within the mountain the fortress is built in.

At his camp, Deimos is informed of the Justice League by one of his soldiers, who draws the Superman crest onto the floor. Deimos kills the soldier, then asks his military advisers if they recognize it. From the shadows emerged Silver Banshee and Metallo, who says he knows the symbol very well...

Meanwhile, Warlord takes the Leaguers to the temple, where they meet Machiste, a warrior-king and friend of Warlord's. Machiste explains that the Great Stone healed him of the Black Death, but warns that the Stone is a double-edged sword used only by those most desperate. At his behest, the monks open the doors, showing the Justice League the Great Stone—a giant piece of Kryptonite! As Supergirl collapses in pain, Lantern throws up a shield around her while S.T.R.I.P.E. closes the door. Supergirl says that if she wasn't powerless, the Kryptonite would have already killed her. Just then, a jaguar comes in and transforms into Shakira, injured and on the verge of collapse. Deimos has come to claim the Stone.

At the siege wall, Deimos and his army amass. As Warlord leads his troops into battle, Lantern throws up a shield, protecting the siege wall from being destroyed by artillery fire, while S.T.R.I.P.E. and Stargirl join the defenders. Despite being told to stay behind the walls, Supergirl grabs a sword and joins the battle. Deimos' army is larger, but S.T.R.I.P.E.'s technology and Lantern and Stargirl's power manage to even the odds. However, Silver Banshee arrives, further giving Deimos an edge. Lantern is able to silence Banshee, but she manages to escape.

Breaking through the mountain, Deimos and his men reach the temple, where Warlord and Stargirl try and stop them. Deimos is killed when he falls of a cliff battling Warlord, but Stargirl is knocked out by Metallo. However, Supergirl manages to damage Metallo's arm and bury him under a statue, but his Kryptonite battery is killing her. Fleeing to the fortress, Supergirl is grabbed cornered by Metallo. As he grabs her by the neck, Supergirl manages to cut the Kryptonite out of Metallo, but is too weak to free herself. Fortunately, Stargirl arrives, hurling the Kryptonite away. The battle for Skartaris is over.

In the caves, Stargirl tends to Supergirl's wounds while Lantern interrogates Metallo. John points out his dwindling reserve power, and Metallo agrees to talk. Before he can name his benefactor, his mind shorts out, leaving him catatonic. As Warlord checks in on them, John announces his intention to take the Great Stone with them. Supergirl argues that the Stone can do real good in Skartaris, and Warlord also wants it to stay. John agrees to leave the stone on the condition that the entry to Skartaris is permanently sealed. Warlord is fine with that, saying his family is more than enough reason to stay.

In the Arctic, John finishes sealing up the portal, while Supergirl flies off, soon followed by Stargirl. As S.T.R.I.P.E. tells her to slow down, Stargirl complains about how her stepfather is so overprotective, while Supergirl counters that Superman is equally overprotective. As the two girls argue in a friendly manner, John tells S.T.R.I.P.E. that he wants J'onn J'onzz to probe Metallo's mind, as he wants to know who Metallo was working with. S.T.R.I.P.E. is equally in the dark, but he realizes that whatever it is, something is out for the League...

Continuity[]

  • In "To Another Shore", Giganta is similarly injured when J'onn J'onzz tried to read her mind.
  • Metallo exudes great familiarity with Supergirl's emblem when it's drawn on the ground, given from his past encounters with Superman.

Background information[]

Home video releases[]

Production inconsistencies[]

  • When the Dino Trooper reports to Deimos, several objects on the table—a book, a cup and a scroll—are colored in the same wooden brown tint as the table.
  • Towards the end, when Stargirl begins to fly behind Supergirl, her eyes are colored light blue instead of the usual dark blue.

Trivia[]

  • Final appearance of Metallo in the DCAU.
  • The world of Skartaris and its inhabitants are all taken from Mike Grell's Warlord comics from the 1970's.
  • In the comics, Skartaris is located in the hollow center of the Earth. In the DCAU, the Earth is not hollow. According to Dwayne McDuffie and Bruce Timm, Skartaris is located in a pocket dimension.[1]
  • This is the first appearance of Supergirl's new costume.
  • This is the first time Supergirl and Metallo have encountered one another, the latter being of Superman's longtime foes.
  • The turtle kaiju the League battles in the opening is a homage to Gamera, as well as an issue of Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen in which Jimmy Olsen is transformed into a giant "turtle man", as indicated by the red hair on the turtle's design.
  • S.T.R.I.P.E's look has been redesigned, with his suit now smaller and more streamlined.
  • The episode's title is a reference to the novel At the Earth's Core written by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Cast[]

Actor Role
Nicholle Tom Supergirl
Shakira (uncredited)
Phil LaMarr John Stewart
Machiste (uncredited)
S.T.R.I.P.E. (uncredited)
Giselle Loren Stargirl
Paul Guilfoyle Travis Morgan
Malcolm McDowell Metallo
Douglas Dunning Deimos
Kim Mai Guest Silver Banshee
Fangirl (uncredited)
Jennifer Morgan (uncredited)
Nicholas Guest Dino Trooper

Uncredited appearances[]

Quotes[]

Little girl: Don't you talk about Supergirl! Supergirl can melt you with her eyes!
Stargirl: Big whoop. My stepdad here is a mecha!
(S.T.R.I.P.E. waves hello)
Little girl: Mecha's so last year.

Supergirl: Why can't we just fly straight home?
Green Lantern: Over the North Pole is the straightest route. Rookie.
(Supes sticks her tongue at him.)

Stargirl: She's always "Blah blah blah my cousin blah blah blah blah my cousin." Like we don't know who she means. "Check me out, I'm Supergirl."
S.T.R.I.P.E.: Ask me, the only thing that matters is that we all pulled through.
Stargirl: Shut up, Pat. It wasn't World War III, it was a giant turtle.
S.T.R.I.P.E.: If I was you, I wouldn't talk behind somebody's back when they've got superhearing.

(A powerless Supergirl is under attack by enemies. Stargirl flies down and gloats.)
Supergirl: What are you waiting for? Zap 'em with your star-thingy!
Stargirl: Oh, may I? 'Cause it would be such an honor to help the great Supergirl out of a jam.
Supergirl: Come on!
(Stargirl uses her Cosmic Staff and knocks out the attackers.)
Supergirl: You are so loving this!

Deimos: My magic is strongest, girl!
Stargirl: Your breath is strongest, dude. That's about it.

Deimos: [about Stargirl] Such a pretty child. But then, they're always pretty — when I begin.

Warlord: Deimos! You and me, pal!
Deimos: Morgan. I was hoping to kill you today.

S.T.R.I.P.E.: Courtney! You slow your butt down!
Stargirl: Huh, my dad.
Supergirl: I know. Superman tried to keep me on the farm. Made me hide there for three years.
Stargirl: Big deal. I've still got a curfew. Enough cosmic energy to trash a city and I can't stay out past ten.
Supergirl: Three years. On a farm. In Kansas.

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