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in: Episodes written by Dwayne McDuffie, Episodes directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, A to Z, Justice League Unlimited episodes

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{{Episode
  
{{Episode
−
| series = jlu
 +
| series = jlu
−
| image =
+
| image = Panic in the Sky.png
−
| episode = Panic in the Sky
 +
| episode = Panic in the Sky
−
| airdate = July 9, 2005 (USA)
 +
| airdate = July 9, 2005
 
| production = 24
  
| production = 24
 
| airedorder = 24
  
| airedorder = 24
−
| animation = [[D.R. Movie Co., LTD.]]
 +
| animation = [[DR Movie Co., LTD.]]
−
| writer = [[Dwayne McDuffie]]
 +
| writer = [[Dwayne McDuffie]]
−
| director = [[Joaquim Dos Santos]]
 +
| director = [[Joaquim Dos Santos]]
  ⚫
| prevprod = "[[Flashpoint]]"
⚫
|}}
  
  ⚫
| nextprod = "[[Divided We Fall]]"
  ⚫
}}
  ⚫
"'''Panic in the Sky'''" is the 11th episode of the second season of {{jlu}}, and the 24th of the overall series. It originally aired on July 9, 2005. It is the third episode of the four-part finale of the [[Project Cadmus|Cadmus story arc]].
   
  ⚫
== Plot ==
⚫
"'''Panic in the Sky'''" is the eleventh episode of the second season of {{jlu}}. It originally aired on July 9, 2005. It is the third episode of the four-part finale of the [[Project Cadmus|Cadmus story arc]].
  
  +
[[Emil Hamilton|Professor Hamilton]] installs a transmitter on [[Galatea]]'s forehead putting her in telepathic contact with the [[Ultimen]]. He explains that, unlike the previous versions, these Ultimen clones are just "blank slates", entirely dependent on Galatea's commands. [[Amanda Waller|Waller]] appears, telling Galatea it is time. As she prepares to leave on her mission, Galatea stops, turns back, and gives Hamilton a goodbye hug, calling him "Daddy". With that comment, Hamilton's face falls.
   
  ⚫
Aboard the [[Watchtower II|Watchtower]], the crew are still working flat-out to restore main power as quickly as possible. The first thing they get back is communications, which allows them to speak with [[Flash]] reporting from the surface that, mercifully, there are no fatalities. However, Flash also conveys that the public no longer trusts the League, blaming them for what happened.
⚫
==Plot==
  
−
[[Emil Hamilton|Professor Hamilton]] installs a transmitter on Galatea's forehead putting her in telepathic contact with the [[Ultimen]].
  
   
  ⚫
Seeing a news report of the devastation, Superman calls a meeting of the founders, sans Flash and Batman since they're both planetside. Superman says they've lost the trust of the people, and [[Wonder Woman]] proposes making a gesture of cooperation. The founders announce to the rest of the League that they are temporarily giving themselves up for arrest until their innocence is proved.
⚫
Aboard the [[Watchtower II|Watchtower]], the crew are still working flat-out to restore main power as quickly as possible. The first thing they get back is communications, which allows them to speak with [[Flash]], who reports from the surface that, mercifully, there are no fatalities.
 
   
  +
When called, Flash agrees to come too, but [[Batman]] vehemently refuses, despite Wonder Woman's pleas, preferring instead to track down those responsible for framing them: besides, he reminds the others that he never actually officially joined. Six of the seven founders surrender themselves to the authorities.
⚫
Seeing a news report of the devastation, Superman calls a meeting of the founders, sans Flash and [[Batman]]. He says they've lost the trust of the people, and [[Wonder Woman]] proposes making a gesture of cooperation. The founders announce to the rest of the League that they are temporarily giving themselves up for arrest, until their innocence is proved. Before leaving, Superman tells [[Supergirl|Kara]] to "hold the fort."
  
   
  ⚫
Aboard the Watchtower, the systems detect a volley of incoming Damocles-class missiles, which deploy driller heads instead of explosive payloads. The missiles strike, boring into the hull and disgorging the Ultimen. Galatea follows, issuing two simple orders: Clear her a path to the station's reactor room, and then kill everyone in the Watchtower.
−
When called, Flash agrees to come too, but Batman refuses absolutely. Six of the seven founders surrender themselves to the authorities.
  
   
  ⚫
Inside Cadmus, [[Amanda Waller]] and [[Wade Eiling|General Eiling]] are watching the progress of the attack, when Batman appears, knocks out Eiling easily, and confronts Waller. He tells her that, moral considerations outside, the League wouldn't have fired the cannon: They've been keeping tabs on Cadmus for months, and would have known that the facility was empty when it was hit. The cannon was fired remotely, and out of the people capable of doing so, the only one not already on the Watchtower was [[Lex Luthor]]. Batman suggests that Waller "start looking at him, hard", then leaves.
⚫
Aboard the Watchtower, the systems detect a volley of incoming missiles, which deploy driller heads instead of explosive payloads. The missiles strike, boring into the hull and disgorging the Ultimen. Galatea follows, issuing two simple orders: keep her way clear to the station's reactor, and then kill everyone in the Watchtower.
  
   
  +
[[File:Captain Atom makes a choice.png|thumb|left|[[Captain Atom]] chooses his side.]]
⚫
Inside Cadmus, [[Amanda Waller]] and [[Wade Eiling|General Eiling]] are watching the progress of the attack, when Batman appears, knocks out Eiling, and confronts Waller. He tells her that, moral considerations outside, the League wouldn't have fired the cannon. They've been keeping tabs on Cadmus for months – as witness Superman's break-in to rescue [[Question]] – and would have known that the facility was empty when it was hit. The cannon was fired remotely, and there is only one person on earth smart enough to do that: [[Lex Luthor]]. Batman suggests that Waller "start looking at him, hard," then leaves (it is uncertain whether he notices the attack going on).
  
  ⚫
A full-scale battle rages inside the Watchtower. Even the human support staff, though told to stay sheltered, join in the fighting. As a group of Ultimen reach the infirmary, [[Huntress]] and [[Question]] join the fray, as does [[Captain Atom]], still injured, from his sick bed, having decided whose side he is on.
   
  ⚫
[[Steel]] notices a danger signal from the reactor room and flies down to join [[Atom]]. As the League takes the upper hand, [[Supergirl]] breaks off and runs down to check. She finds Atom knocked unconscious, and sees Galatea wiping the floor with Steel. Galatea informs Supergirl that she is about to sabotage the reactor and blow up the Watchtower. They fight, but Supergirl is outmatched. Galatea is stronger and more aggressive than she is. As they fight, Supergirl goads her with the fact that she is not a real person, and Galatea becomes even more violent.
⚫
[[Image:Captatom5.jpg|thumb|Captain Atom chooses his side.]] A full-scale battle rages inside the Watchtower. Even the human support staff, though told to stay sheltered, join in the fighting. As a group of Ultimen reach the infirmary, [[Huntress]] and [[Question]] join the fray, as does [[Captain Atom]], who rises, still injured, from his sick bed, having decided whose side he is on.
  
   
  ⚫
Back at Cadmus, Waller has started "looking" at Luthor, and it has taken her an embarrassingly short time to discover that Batman was right: Luthor has been poaching copies of advanced Cadmus technology and shipping it to his laboratory at [[LexCorp]]. Hamilton makes a quick examination of the technology and confirms that it could have been used to remotely fire the Watchtower's cannon, but there's something else. In horror, Hamilton realizes what Luthor's true plan is. They all have been deceived by Lex Luthor.
⚫
[[Steel]] notices a danger signal from the reactor room and flies down to join [[Atom]]. As the League takes the upper hand, Supergirl breaks off and flies down, and sees Galatea wiping the floor with Steel. She is about to sabotage the reactor and blow the Watchtower up and tells Supergirl– "but what I'm hoping, is that you'll be dumb enough to try and stop me." They fight, but Supergirl is outmatched – Galatea is stronger and more aggressive than she is. But as they fight, Supergirl goads her with the fact that she is not a real person, and Galatea becomes even more violent.
  
   
  +
[[File:Galatea shocked.png|thumb|right|[[Galatea]] defeated.]]
⚫
Back at Cadmus, Waller has started "looking" at Luthor, and it has taken her an embarrassingly short time to discover that Batman is right: Luthor has been poaching advanced technology from Cadmus and shipping it to his laboratory at [[LexCorp]]. Hamilton confirms that the technology could have been used to remotely fire the Watchtower's cannon, "but that's the least of it..."
  
  ⚫
Waller calls Galatea and orders her to cease the attack. Galatea, blind with rage and her desire to kill Supergirl, ignores the order. As she burns Supergirl with her heat vision, Steel awakens in time to fire a blast that drives her back. Reaching the end of the restart process, the power is restored. As Galatea charges, Supergirl rips out one of the reactor's huge power couplings and rams it into her stomach, pinning her with the power cable and feeding her a massive surge of electricity. She holds her there as Galatea's screams reach a higher pitch with the increasing pain...
   
  +
Up on the bridge, the last of the Ultimen are defeated and the League cheers for the power coming back on, but are quickly disaapointed as the power goes off again. Calling Supergirl, [[STRIPE]] asks if a fuse was blown; she grimly agrees as she helps Steel out of the reactor room, while Galatea is left on the floor, her hair burned off to half its length and her skin tanned, twitching and catatonic.
⚫
Waller calls Galatea and orders her to cease the attack. Galatea, who is about to kill Kara, ignores the order. Steel awakens in time to fire a blast that drives her back. Reaching the end of the re-start process, the power is restored. As Galatea charges, Supergirl rips out a huge power coupling and rams it into her stomach, feeding her a massive surge of electricity.
  
   
  +
[[File:Luthor and his new android.png|thumb|left|[[Lex Luthor|Luthor]]'s grand plan nears fruition.]]
−
Up on the bridge, the League cheers as the last of the Ultimen are defeated, but the power goes off as soon as it came back on. Supergirl helps Steel to his feet, while Galatea is left on the floor, twitching and catatonic.
  
  +
In his laboratory, Luthor has finished his great project: An android body based on the design of [[Amazo]] albeit with his own likeness. He intends to transfer his consciousness into the android, but Batman confronts him before he can begin. He has finally solved the puzzle: When Luthor worked with the Atom to [[The Return|stop]] Amazo, he saw the android's blueprints and memorized them with his photographic memory. Batman realizes that the Cadmus crisis is all a cover for Luthor's true goal: Giving himself superpowers. Luthor confirms this, but adds that he'll also gain his revenge on Superman. The world has turned against the Justice League, so him killing the Man of Steel will be seen as a heroic act.
   
  +
Batman attempts to destroy the android, but Luthor intercepts and crushes his explosive [[Batarang]]. They briefly fight, but Luthor quickly subdues Batman and throws him out of the window with his mysterious super-strength. Before he can hit the ground, however, Batman is rescued.
−
In his laboratory, Luthor has finished his great project: an android body bearing his likeness, after the design of [[AMAZO]], into which he will transfer his consciousness, thus making himself immortal and superpowerful: not only will his scheme succeed in making him a living god, but he has made the Justice League outlaws, so that killing Superman, as he has always dreamed, will now be an act of heroism. Before starting the transfer, he is confronted by Batman, but easily throws him out of the Lexcorp window with his mysterious super-strength.
  
   
−
Just before Luthor throws the transfer switch, Waller appears with a [[nano disassembler beam]] gun and disintegrates the android, telling him he's under arrest. And to back her up, the six founders have been released from prison and, with Batman, are standing before them now. Outnumbered and out of options, Superman tells Luthor that it's over, but Luthor still refuses to give in.
 +
Meanwhile, Luthor has hooked up his equipment and is ready to begin the consciousness transfer. Just before he throws the transfer switch, Waller appears with a nano-disassembler beam cannon (Luthor's own design) and with one shot, disintegrates the android. Luthor rages that Waller has ruined weeks of hard work, but she declares him to be under arrest for framing the League and attempting to kill everyone at Cadmus. Backing Waller up, the seven founders of the Justice League enter the room.
   
  +
[[File:Brainiac emerges.png|right|thumb|The [[Brainiac|true mastermind]] of the [[Cadmus]] crisis revealed.]]
−
Suddenly, Luthor begins to writhe and scream in pain, and mechanical tendrils erupt from the flesh of his back and arms. A familiar three-dot triangle appears on his chest, and a skeletal face emerges from his stomach, accompanied by a familiar voice: [[Brainiac]].
  
  +
Superman tells Luthor that it's over. Outnumbered and out of options, Luthor still refuses to give up... but suddenly interrupts himself with a scream of pain. He falls to the floor, his body mutating into a tentacled, top-heavy monstrosity with a familiar three-dot triangle on his chest. As a skeletal metal face emerges from his abdomen, Luthor's voice becomes mingled with, then rapidly subsumed by, a robotic monotone... [[Brainiac]].
   
−
==Continuity==
 +
== Continuity ==
−
* The episode picks up directly from the events of "[[Flashpoint]]."
 +
* The episode picks up directly from "[[Flashpoint]]".
  +
* [[Flash]]'s response to Government soldiers of "Batmobile lost a wheel, Joker got away" comes from an altered version of Jingle Bells which was sung by [[Joker]] in the {{btas}} episode "[[Christmas With the Joker]]".
⚫
* Batman refers to his last conversation with Waller in "[[The Doomsday Sanction]]."
  
  +
* [[Steel]] immediately identifies the missiles as [[LexCorp]] technology upon registering the missile attack as he previously worked for [[LexCorp]] in the {{stas}} episode "[[Prototype]]".
−
* Luthor makes reference to the creation of [[Amazo]] by [[Professor Ivo]] in {{jl}}, "[[Tabula Rasa]]." Batman likewise refers to when Luthor and [[The Atom]] fought Amazo in {{jlu}}, "[[The Return]]," and Waller uses an anti-nanotechnology beam of the same kind Luthor designed in that episode.
  
  +
* [[Supergirl]]'s and [[Galatea]]'s rivalry continues from "[[Fearful Symmetry]]".
−
* Galatea's final fate is unknown.
  
  ⚫
* [[Batman]] mentions to [[Amanda Waller]] their conversation in "[[The Doomsday Sanction]]".
  +
* [[Lex Luthor]] makes reference to [[Professor Ivo]]'s [[Amazo|creation]] which was seen in the {{jl}} episode "[[Tabula Rasa]]".
  +
* A couple of references to "[[The Return]]" are made:
  +
** Batman refers to when Luthor and [[Atom]] worked together.
  +
** Waller uses an anti-nanotechnology beam based on Luthor's design.
   
−
==Background Information==
 +
== Background information ==
−
=== Production Inconsistencies ===
 +
=== Home video releases ===
  +
* {{jludvd1}}
⚫
* In "[[Flashpoint]]," [[Booster Gold]] joins the rescue team that Flash leads down to the surface, but here he is shown fighting aboard the Watchtower.
  
  +
* [[Justice League - The Complete Series (DVD)]]
−
* It's not clear who rescues Batman after Luthor defenestrates him. The flying rescuer's hand and forearm is bare which precludes Superman and John Stewart who have a sleeve up to the wrist, and Wonder Woman who has a bracelet. Also, the hand is that of a Caucasian, which excludes J'onn. Moreover, Superman could move faster than the rescuer did, Wonder Woman would more likely hurl her lasso, and John would use his [[Power Ring|ring]]. This leaves Hawkgirl as the only possible contender. However, the hand doesn't look female.
  
  +
* [[Justice League Unlimited - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)]]
  +
* Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Blu-ray only)
   
−
===Trivia===
 +
=== Production notes ===
  +
* Due to Broadcast Standards and Practices, the production team had to specifically state that no innocents were killed from the blast. According to [[Dwayne McDuffie]], they tried leaving it vague at first, by having Waller simply mention that no [[Cadmus]] personnel were harmed when the [[Watchtower II|Watchtower]] cannon fired on the abandoned facility. However, the network wanted it to be crystal clear.<ref>[[Dwayne McDuffie]], [https://animesuperhero.com/forums/threads/justice-league-unlimited-panic-in-the-sky-talkback-spoilers.3922071/page-12#post-59006941 Justice League Unlimited "Panic in the Sky" Talkback (Spoilers)], ''animesuperhero.com''</ref>
−
* When defending the League, Batman tells Waller that there are maybe three people on Earth smart enough to take remote control of the fusion cannon, and two of them were already on the Watchtower. He does not seem to be including himself (though he is later shown to be one of the few members of the League entrusted with doing monitor duty); likely candidates for the two slots would include [[Mr. Terrific]] and J'onn.
  
−
* Last appearances: Professor Hamilton, Galatea, and the Ultimen.
  
⚫
* Revealed this episode: Cadmus's headquarters was located in New Mexico.
  
⚫
* Steel classifies the missiles fired at the Watchtower as Lexcorp-manufactured "[[Wikipedia:Damocles|Damocles]]-class" missiles. The name Damocles refers to a classic myth about a courtier who was punished by his king by being seated at a dinner table with a sword hanging over his head by a thin thread; the myth has frequently been used as a metaphor for the threat of nuclear war.
 
⚫
* The episode's title is a hint towards the reveal at the conclusion: [[Brainiac]] was the antagonist in a multi-part Superman comic story which shared the title.
  
   
  +
=== Production inconsistencies ===
⚫
==Cast==
  
  +
* After the core Justice Leaguers announce to the others that they're surrendering to the authorities, [[Wonder Woman]]'s eyes are black as she flies away.
  ⚫
* [[Booster Gold]] joins the rescue team that Flash leads down to the surface in "[[Flashpoint]]", but he's shown fighting aboard the [[Watchtower II|Watchtower]].
  +
* [[Fire]] can only fly when she is in her flame-form. But after she fends off an attack from a [[Downpour]] clone, she's seen levitating in her normal human form.
  +
* When [[Amanda Waller]] looks to see [[Wade Eiling]] getting up from [[Batman]]'s punch, he is behind her. In all other shots, he is to her right.
  +
* When [[Galatea]] is lying on the floor twitching, her eyes are black.
  +
  +
=== Trivia ===
  +
* This episode marks the last appearances of [[Galatea]] and the [[Ultimen]]. It also marks the last appearance of [[Emil Hamilton|Professor Hamilton]] in the [[DCAU]].
  ⚫
* This episode reveals that [[Project Cadmus|Cadmus]]' headquarters was located in [[Covenant|New Mexico]].
  +
* The idea of an amalgamate [[Lex Luthor]] and [[Brainiac]] resembles to one of the planned plot points that would have occurred in the [[Wikipedia:Tim Burton|Tim Burton's]] cancelled film ''[[Wikipedia:Superman in film#Superman Lives|Superman Lives]]'', in which Burton planned to amalgamate Brainiac and Luthor into a creature named Lexiac.
  +
* When Batman knocks aside General Eiling, a cigarette ashtray can be seen flying off the table. This marks one of the few instances where tobacco consumption was alluded to, albeit not shown.
  ⚫
* Steel classifies the missiles fired at the Watchtower as Lexcorp-manufactured "Damocles-class" missiles. The name [[Wikipedia:Damocles|Damocles]] refers to a classic myth about a courtier who was punished by his king by being seated at a dinner table with a sword hanging over his head by a thin thread; the myth has frequently been used as a metaphor for the threat of nuclear war. In the DC Original Animated Movie ''[[Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths]]'', which was originally meant to be part of the DCAU, the Crime Syndicate decides to solve the problem of the President threatening them with nukes with "Project Damocles", a bomb that would destroy the planet.
  +
* When Batman confronts Waller, he tells her that the fusion cannon was taken over by remote control and that "There are maybe three people on Earth smart enough to pull that off". Waller quickly guesses that he means Luthor but they do not mention the other two who were "already on the Watchtower". Batman probably means the [[Atom]] and [[Steel]], both top physicists who try to repair the Watchtower's reactor before being assaulted by Galatea. [[Captain Marvel]] even suggests calling on either of them in order to check out Luthor's suspect energy generator in the episode "[[Clash]]".
  ⚫
* This episode's title is a hint towards the reveal at the conclusion: [[Brainiac]] was the antagonist in a multi-part Superman comic story which shared the title.
  +
* Waller's description of Luthor as a snake alludes to Aesop's Fable of [[Wikipedia:The Farmer and the Viper|The Farmer and the Viper]], in which a farmer nurses a dying snake back to health, and is "rewarded" when the snake fatally bites him, stating that it is simply doing what is in its nature (another variation on the same theme was Aesop's Fable of [[Wikipedia:The Scorpion and the Frog|The Scorpion and the Frog]]). Songwriter Oscar Brown, Jr. later wrote a song based on the fable, giving rise to several versions of the fable which end with the snake saying "you knew I was a snake when you picked me up."
  +
* [[Bruce Timm]] called [[Nicholle Tom]]'s performance as [[Supergirl]] and [[Galatea]] in this episode two of the greatest performances in the entire series.
  +
  ⚫
== Cast ==
 
{| class="wikitable"
  
{| class="wikitable"
 
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
  
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
Line 66: Line 94:
 
|-
  
|-
 
|[[Kevin Conroy]] || [[Batman]]
  
|[[Kevin Conroy]] || [[Batman]]
−
|-
+
|-
−
|[[Susan Eisenberg]] || [[Wonder Woman]] <br>Female Reporter
 +
|[[Susan Eisenberg]] || [[Wonder Woman]] <br />Female Reporter
−
|-
+
|-
−
|[[Phil LaMarr]] || [[Steel]] <br>[[John Stewart]]<br>[[STRIPE]] ''(uncredited)''
 +
|[[Phil LaMarr]] || [[John Stewart]]<br />[[Steel]]<br />[[STRIPE]] ''(uncredited)''
−
|-
+
|-
 
|[[Carl Lumbly]] || [[J'onn J'onzz]]
  
|[[Carl Lumbly]] || [[J'onn J'onzz]]
−
|-
+
|-
 
|[[George Newbern]] || [[Superman]]
  
|[[George Newbern]] || [[Superman]]
−
|-
+
|-
 
|[[Michael Rosenbaum]] || [[Flash]]
  
|[[Michael Rosenbaum]] || [[Flash]]
−
|-
+
|-
 
|[[Clancy Brown]] || [[Lex Luthor]]
  
|[[Clancy Brown]] || [[Lex Luthor]]
−
|-
+
|-
−
|[[Corey Burton]] || [[Brainiac]]
 +
|[[Corey Burton]] || [[Brainiac]]<br />Government official ''(uncredited)''<br />Soldier ''(uncredited)''
−
|-
+
|-
 
|[[Robert Foxworth]] || [[Emil Hamilton]]
  
|[[Robert Foxworth]] || [[Emil Hamilton]]
−
|-
+
|-
 
|[[CCH Pounder]] || [[Amanda Waller]]
  
|[[CCH Pounder]] || [[Amanda Waller]]
−
|-
+
|-
−
|[[Nicholle Tom]] || [[Supergirl]] <br>[[Galatea]]
 +
|[[Nicholle Tom]] || [[Supergirl]] <br />[[Galatea]]
 
|}
  
|}
−
=== Uncredited Appearances ===
 +
=== Uncredited appearances ===
 
{{Appearancetop}}
  
{{Appearancetop}}
−
*[[Stargirl]]
 +
* [[Atom]]
−
*[[STRIPE]]
 +
* [[Atom-Smasher]]
−
*[[Green Arrow]]
 +
* [[Aztek]]
−
*[[Hawkgirl]]
 +
* [[B'wana Beast]]
−
*[[Ice]]
 +
* [[Black Canary]]
−
*[[Fire]]
 +
* [[Blue Devil]]
−
*[[Metamorpho]]
 +
* [[Booster Gold]]
−
*[[Black Canary]]
 +
* [[Captain Atom]]
  +
* [[Commander Steel]]
  +
* [[Creeper]]
  +
* [[Crimson Fox]]
 
{{Appearancecolumn}}
  
{{Appearancecolumn}}
−
*[[Huntress]]
 +
* [[Doctor Light]]
−
*[[Question]]
 +
* [[Doctor Mid-Nite]]
−
*[[Red Tornado]]
 +
* [[Fire]]
−
*[[The Ray]]
 +
* [[Green Arrow]]
−
*[[Atom Smasher]]
 +
* [[Hawk]]
−
*[[Shining Knight]]
 +
* [[Hawkgirl]]
−
*[[Vigilante]]
 +
* [[Hourman]]
−
*[[Aztek]]
 +
* [[Ice]]
  +
* [[Metamorpho]]
  +
* [[Huntress]]
  +
* [[Obsidian]]
 
{{Appearancecolumn}}
  
{{Appearancecolumn}}
−
*[[Crimson Fox]]
 +
* [[Question]]
−
*[[Hourman]]
 +
* [[Red Tornado]]
−
*[[B'wana Beast]]
 +
* [[The Ray]]
−
*[[Starman]]
 +
* [[Sand]]
−
*[[Dr. Light]]
 +
* [[Shining Knight]]
−
*[[Hawk]]
 +
* [[Stargirl]]
−
*[[Wildcat]]
 +
* [[Starman]]
−
*[[Sand]]
 +
* [[S.T.R.I.P.E.]]
  +
* [[Vigilante]]
  +
* [[Wildcat]]
 
{{Appearancecolumn}}
  
{{Appearancecolumn}}
−
*[[Blue Devil]]
 +
* [[Downpour]]
−
*[[Creeper]]
 +
* [[Juice]]
−
*[[Obsidian]]
 +
* [[Long Shadow]]
−
*[[Captain Atom]]
 +
* [[Shifter]]
−
*[[The Atom]]
 +
* [[Wind Dragon]]
−
*[[Booster Gold]]
  
−
*[[Dr. Mid-Nite]]
  
−
{{Appearancecolumn}}
  
−
*[[Wind Dragon]]
  
−
*[[Shifter]]
  
−
*[[Downpour]]
  
−
*[[Juice]]
  
−
*[[Long Shadow]]
  
 
{{Appearancebottom}}
  
{{Appearancebottom}}
   
−
==Quotes==
 +
== Quotes ==
 
{{Quotes
  
{{Quotes
 
|
  
|
−
'''[[Emil Hamilton]]:''' Hold still, Galatea. You're invulnerable, this can't possibly be hurting you.<br>
 +
'''[[Emil Hamilton]]:''' Hold still, Galatea. You're invulnerable, this can't possibly be hurting you.<br />
 
'''[[Galatea]]:''' Boredom is my [[Kryptonite]]... okay, actually Kryptonite is my Kryptonite, but you know what I mean.
  
'''[[Galatea]]:''' Boredom is my [[Kryptonite]]... okay, actually Kryptonite is my Kryptonite, but you know what I mean.
 
|
  
|
−
''(Galatea starts to leave the lab to lead the attack, but stops)''<br>
 +
'''[[Wonder Woman]]:''' You have to come with us, Bruce.<br />
  +
'''[[Batman]]:''' I don't have to do anything. I'm a part-timer, remember?
−
'''Emil Hamilton:''' What?<br>
  
−
'''Galatea:''' Nothing.<br>
  
−
''(comes back and hugs him)''<br>
  
−
'''Galatea:''' Goodbye, Daddy.
  
 
|
  
|
−
'''[[Superman]]:''' As promised, we're surrendering ourselves to your authority. <br>
 +
'''[[Superman]]:''' As promised, we're surrendering ourselves to your authority. <br />
−
'''Soldier:''' Where's [[Batman]]?<br>
 +
'''Soldier:''' Where's Batman?<br />
−
'''[[Flash]]:''' Running late. The [[Batmobile]], it lost a wheel. The [[Joker]] got away. ''(pause)''That's what I heard.
 +
'''[[Flash]]:''' Running late. The [[Batmobile]], it lost a wheel. The [[Joker]] got away. ''(pause)'' That's what I heard.
 
|
  
|
−
'''[[Supergirl]]:''' I'm worried about them, Steel. I'm worried about my [[Superman|cousin]].<br>
 +
'''[[Supergirl]]:''' I'm worried about them, Steel. I'm worried about my [[Superman|cousin]].<br />
−
'''[[Steel]]:''' Don't be. Everybody in the League is good at their job. But those seven, they're the best ever. Not because they're the most powerful, they aren't. Not all of them. And it's not just because they were the first. It's because they're special. They've proven it time and again. They make the hard choices, they set the example, they do what's right, not what's easiest, and they always come out on top. They're gonna be okay, Kara. We all are.<br>
 +
'''[[Steel]]:''' Don't be. Everybody in the [[Justice League|League]] is good at their job. But those seven, they're the best ever. Not because they're the most powerful, they aren't. Not all of them. And it's not just because they were the first. It's because they're special. They've proven it time and again. They make the hard choices, they set the example, they do what's right, not what's easiest, and they always come out on top. They're gonna be okay, Kara. We all are.
 
|
  
|
  ⚫
'''Supergirl:''' You know what? No matter how bad you beat me, I'm real, not a clone.<br />
−
'''[[Amanda Waller]]:''' [[Lex Luthor|Luthor]]. That's where you're trying to lead me, right?<br>
  
−
'''[[Batman]]:''' You're too smart to trust him. <br>
 +
'''Galatea:''' Shut up.<br />
  ⚫
'''Supergirl:''' Deep down you know the truth... you're not a person. You're just a weapon! Grown out of one of Hamilton's petri dishes!<br />
−
'''Amanda Waller:''' Who says I do? He provides off-the-books funding for [[Project Cadmus|Cadmus]]. As far as I'm concerned, that's all he's good for.<br>
  
−
'''Batman:''' Then you must know he's got his own agenda.<br>
  
−
'''Amanda Waller:''' He wants to be President. That's agenda enough for anybody.<br>
  
−
'''Batman:''' <u>Almost</u> anybody.<br>
  
−
|
  
⚫
'''Supergirl:''' You know what? No matter how bad you beat me, I'm real, not a clone.<br>
  
−
'''Galatea:''' Shut up.<br>
  
⚫
'''Supergirl:''' Deep down you know the truth... you're not a person. You're just a weapon! Grown out of one of Hamilton's petri dishes!<br>
  
 
'''Galatea:''' SHUT UP!
  
'''Galatea:''' SHUT UP!
 
|
  
|
  +
'''Amanda Waller:''' [[Lex Luthor|He]] played me. I knew he was a snake and I ''still'' let him bite me.
⚫
'''Galatea:''' ''(her last words)'' When I get rid of [[Supergirl|you]], I'll be the only--!
  
 
|
  
|
  ⚫
'''Galatea:''' When I get rid of [[Supergirl|you]], I'll be the only...! ''(Supergirl shocks Galatea with a huge power plug)''
⚫
'''Batman:''' When you and [[Atom]] worked together to stop the first [[AMAZO]], he showed you the blueprints, and I suspect you have a photographic memory.<br>
  
⚫
'''Lex Luthor:''' I'm too modest to boast.
  
 
|
  
|
  ⚫
'''Batman:''' When you and [[Atom]] [[The Return|worked together]] to stop the first [[Amazo]], he showed you the blueprints, and I suspect you have a photographic memory.<br />
−
'''Lex Luthor:''' Arrogant cow! It'll take weeks to build myself another android body.<br>
  
  ⚫
'''[[Lex Luthor]]:''' I'm too modest to boast.
⚫
'''Amanda Waller:''' You ain't got weeks, baldy. You're under arrest for trying to use the Justice League's [[Watchtower II|space gun]] to murder everyone at Cadmus.
  
 
|
  
|
  +
'''Waller:''' Hey, Lex! That android is [[Project Cadmus|Cadmus]] property. You're going to have to find somewhere else to keep your brain!
−
'''Lex Luthor:''' ''(laughing)'' Did you really think you could take me down all by yourself?<br>
  
−
'''Amanda Waller:''' Actually, yeah. But on the off chance I might have been wrong...<br>
  
−
''(Luthor turns and sees the Leaguers standing there)''<br>
  
−
'''[[Flash]]:''' Ta-da.
  
 
|
  
|
−
'''Superman''': It's over, Lex.<br>
 +
'''Waller:''' A nano-disassembler beam. Your design, I believe.<br />
−
'''Lex Luthor''': Not until I--<br>
 +
'''Luthor:''' Arrogant cow! It'll take weeks to build myself another android body.<br />
  ⚫
'''Waller:''' You ain't got weeks, baldy. You're under arrest for trying to use the [[Justice League]]'s [[Watchtower II|space gun]] to murder everyone at Cadmus.
−
''(Luthor suddenly screams in pain, as pistons extend from his back and his hands turn into tentacles''<br>
  
  ⚫
}}
−
'''Lex Luthor''': I had hoped to remain hidden until I could install myself into the android...<br>
  
−
''(A face appears within Luthor's stomach)''<br>
  
−
'''Brainiac''': ...But you forced my hand.<br>
  
−
'''Superman''': Brainiac!
  
−
|}}
  
   
  +
== References ==
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{{Cadmusarc
  
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{{Reflist}}
−
| prev = [[Flashpoint]]
  
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| next = [[Divided We Fall]]
  
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}}
  
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{{Epbrowser
  
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| series = jlu
  
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| prevprod = [[Flashpoint]]
  
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| prevaired = [[Flashpoint]]
  
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| nextprod = [[Divided We Fall]]
  
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| nextaired = [[Divided We Fall]]
  
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}}
  
   
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[[Category:JLU episodes]]
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[[Category:A to Z]]
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[[Category:Justice League Unlimited episodes]]

Latest revision as of 22:15, 15 March 2024

"Panic in the Sky" is the 11th episode of the second season of Justice League Unlimited, and the 24th of the overall series. It originally aired on July 9, 2005. It is the third episode of the four-part finale of the Cadmus story arc.

Plot

Professor Hamilton installs a transmitter on Galatea's forehead putting her in telepathic contact with the Ultimen. He explains that, unlike the previous versions, these Ultimen clones are just "blank slates", entirely dependent on Galatea's commands. Waller appears, telling Galatea it is time. As she prepares to leave on her mission, Galatea stops, turns back, and gives Hamilton a goodbye hug, calling him "Daddy". With that comment, Hamilton's face falls.

Aboard the Watchtower, the crew are still working flat-out to restore main power as quickly as possible. The first thing they get back is communications, which allows them to speak with Flash reporting from the surface that, mercifully, there are no fatalities. However, Flash also conveys that the public no longer trusts the League, blaming them for what happened.

Seeing a news report of the devastation, Superman calls a meeting of the founders, sans Flash and Batman since they're both planetside. Superman says they've lost the trust of the people, and Wonder Woman proposes making a gesture of cooperation. The founders announce to the rest of the League that they are temporarily giving themselves up for arrest until their innocence is proved.

When called, Flash agrees to come too, but Batman vehemently refuses, despite Wonder Woman's pleas, preferring instead to track down those responsible for framing them: besides, he reminds the others that he never actually officially joined. Six of the seven founders surrender themselves to the authorities.

Aboard the Watchtower, the systems detect a volley of incoming Damocles-class missiles, which deploy driller heads instead of explosive payloads. The missiles strike, boring into the hull and disgorging the Ultimen. Galatea follows, issuing two simple orders: Clear her a path to the station's reactor room, and then kill everyone in the Watchtower.

Inside Cadmus, Amanda Waller and General Eiling are watching the progress of the attack, when Batman appears, knocks out Eiling easily, and confronts Waller. He tells her that, moral considerations outside, the League wouldn't have fired the cannon: They've been keeping tabs on Cadmus for months, and would have known that the facility was empty when it was hit. The cannon was fired remotely, and out of the people capable of doing so, the only one not already on the Watchtower was Lex Luthor. Batman suggests that Waller "start looking at him, hard", then leaves.

Captain Atom makes a choice

Captain Atom chooses his side.

A full-scale battle rages inside the Watchtower. Even the human support staff, though told to stay sheltered, join in the fighting. As a group of Ultimen reach the infirmary, Huntress and Question join the fray, as does Captain Atom, still injured, from his sick bed, having decided whose side he is on.

Steel notices a danger signal from the reactor room and flies down to join Atom. As the League takes the upper hand, Supergirl breaks off and runs down to check. She finds Atom knocked unconscious, and sees Galatea wiping the floor with Steel. Galatea informs Supergirl that she is about to sabotage the reactor and blow up the Watchtower. They fight, but Supergirl is outmatched. Galatea is stronger and more aggressive than she is. As they fight, Supergirl goads her with the fact that she is not a real person, and Galatea becomes even more violent.

Back at Cadmus, Waller has started "looking" at Luthor, and it has taken her an embarrassingly short time to discover that Batman was right: Luthor has been poaching copies of advanced Cadmus technology and shipping it to his laboratory at LexCorp. Hamilton makes a quick examination of the technology and confirms that it could have been used to remotely fire the Watchtower's cannon, but there's something else. In horror, Hamilton realizes what Luthor's true plan is. They all have been deceived by Lex Luthor.

Galatea shocked

Galatea defeated.

Waller calls Galatea and orders her to cease the attack. Galatea, blind with rage and her desire to kill Supergirl, ignores the order. As she burns Supergirl with her heat vision, Steel awakens in time to fire a blast that drives her back. Reaching the end of the restart process, the power is restored. As Galatea charges, Supergirl rips out one of the reactor's huge power couplings and rams it into her stomach, pinning her with the power cable and feeding her a massive surge of electricity. She holds her there as Galatea's screams reach a higher pitch with the increasing pain...

Up on the bridge, the last of the Ultimen are defeated and the League cheers for the power coming back on, but are quickly disaapointed as the power goes off again. Calling Supergirl, STRIPE asks if a fuse was blown; she grimly agrees as she helps Steel out of the reactor room, while Galatea is left on the floor, her hair burned off to half its length and her skin tanned, twitching and catatonic.

Luthor and his new android

Luthor's grand plan nears fruition.

In his laboratory, Luthor has finished his great project: An android body based on the design of Amazo albeit with his own likeness. He intends to transfer his consciousness into the android, but Batman confronts him before he can begin. He has finally solved the puzzle: When Luthor worked with the Atom to stop Amazo, he saw the android's blueprints and memorized them with his photographic memory. Batman realizes that the Cadmus crisis is all a cover for Luthor's true goal: Giving himself superpowers. Luthor confirms this, but adds that he'll also gain his revenge on Superman. The world has turned against the Justice League, so him killing the Man of Steel will be seen as a heroic act.

Batman attempts to destroy the android, but Luthor intercepts and crushes his explosive Batarang. They briefly fight, but Luthor quickly subdues Batman and throws him out of the window with his mysterious super-strength. Before he can hit the ground, however, Batman is rescued.

Meanwhile, Luthor has hooked up his equipment and is ready to begin the consciousness transfer. Just before he throws the transfer switch, Waller appears with a nano-disassembler beam cannon (Luthor's own design) and with one shot, disintegrates the android. Luthor rages that Waller has ruined weeks of hard work, but she declares him to be under arrest for framing the League and attempting to kill everyone at Cadmus. Backing Waller up, the seven founders of the Justice League enter the room.

Brainiac emerges

The true mastermind of the Cadmus crisis revealed.

Superman tells Luthor that it's over. Outnumbered and out of options, Luthor still refuses to give up... but suddenly interrupts himself with a scream of pain. He falls to the floor, his body mutating into a tentacled, top-heavy monstrosity with a familiar three-dot triangle on his chest. As a skeletal metal face emerges from his abdomen, Luthor's voice becomes mingled with, then rapidly subsumed by, a robotic monotone... Brainiac.

Continuity

Background information

Home video releases

Production notes

  • Due to Broadcast Standards and Practices, the production team had to specifically state that no innocents were killed from the blast. According to Dwayne McDuffie, they tried leaving it vague at first, by having Waller simply mention that no Cadmus personnel were harmed when the Watchtower cannon fired on the abandoned facility. However, the network wanted it to be crystal clear.[1]

Production inconsistencies

  • After the core Justice Leaguers announce to the others that they're surrendering to the authorities, Wonder Woman's eyes are black as she flies away.
  • Booster Gold joins the rescue team that Flash leads down to the surface in "Flashpoint", but he's shown fighting aboard the Watchtower.
  • Fire can only fly when she is in her flame-form. But after she fends off an attack from a Downpour clone, she's seen levitating in her normal human form.
  • When Amanda Waller looks to see Wade Eiling getting up from Batman's punch, he is behind her. In all other shots, he is to her right.
  • When Galatea is lying on the floor twitching, her eyes are black.

Trivia

  • This episode marks the last appearances of Galatea and the Ultimen. It also marks the last appearance of Professor Hamilton in the DCAU.
  • This episode reveals that Cadmus' headquarters was located in New Mexico.
  • The idea of an amalgamate Lex Luthor and Brainiac resembles to one of the planned plot points that would have occurred in the Tim Burton's cancelled film Superman Lives, in which Burton planned to amalgamate Brainiac and Luthor into a creature named Lexiac.
  • When Batman knocks aside General Eiling, a cigarette ashtray can be seen flying off the table. This marks one of the few instances where tobacco consumption was alluded to, albeit not shown.
  • Steel classifies the missiles fired at the Watchtower as Lexcorp-manufactured "Damocles-class" missiles. The name Damocles refers to a classic myth about a courtier who was punished by his king by being seated at a dinner table with a sword hanging over his head by a thin thread; the myth has frequently been used as a metaphor for the threat of nuclear war. In the DC Original Animated Movie Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths, which was originally meant to be part of the DCAU, the Crime Syndicate decides to solve the problem of the President threatening them with nukes with "Project Damocles", a bomb that would destroy the planet.
  • When Batman confronts Waller, he tells her that the fusion cannon was taken over by remote control and that "There are maybe three people on Earth smart enough to pull that off". Waller quickly guesses that he means Luthor but they do not mention the other two who were "already on the Watchtower". Batman probably means the Atom and Steel, both top physicists who try to repair the Watchtower's reactor before being assaulted by Galatea. Captain Marvel even suggests calling on either of them in order to check out Luthor's suspect energy generator in the episode "Clash".
  • This episode's title is a hint towards the reveal at the conclusion: Brainiac was the antagonist in a multi-part Superman comic story which shared the title.
  • Waller's description of Luthor as a snake alludes to Aesop's Fable of The Farmer and the Viper, in which a farmer nurses a dying snake back to health, and is "rewarded" when the snake fatally bites him, stating that it is simply doing what is in its nature (another variation on the same theme was Aesop's Fable of The Scorpion and the Frog). Songwriter Oscar Brown, Jr. later wrote a song based on the fable, giving rise to several versions of the fable which end with the snake saying "you knew I was a snake when you picked me up."
  • Bruce Timm called Nicholle Tom's performance as Supergirl and Galatea in this episode two of the greatest performances in the entire series.

Cast

Actor Role
Kevin Conroy Batman
Susan Eisenberg Wonder Woman
Female Reporter
Phil LaMarr John Stewart
Steel
STRIPE (uncredited)
Carl Lumbly J'onn J'onzz
George Newbern Superman
Michael Rosenbaum Flash
Clancy Brown Lex Luthor
Corey Burton Brainiac
Government official (uncredited)
Soldier (uncredited)
Robert Foxworth Emil Hamilton
CCH Pounder Amanda Waller
Nicholle Tom Supergirl
Galatea

Uncredited appearances

Quotes

Emil Hamilton: Hold still, Galatea. You're invulnerable, this can't possibly be hurting you.
Galatea: Boredom is my Kryptonite... okay, actually Kryptonite is my Kryptonite, but you know what I mean.

Wonder Woman: You have to come with us, Bruce.
Batman: I don't have to do anything. I'm a part-timer, remember?

Superman: As promised, we're surrendering ourselves to your authority.
Soldier: Where's Batman?
Flash: Running late. The Batmobile, it lost a wheel. The Joker got away. (pause) That's what I heard.

Supergirl: I'm worried about them, Steel. I'm worried about my cousin.
Steel: Don't be. Everybody in the League is good at their job. But those seven, they're the best ever. Not because they're the most powerful, they aren't. Not all of them. And it's not just because they were the first. It's because they're special. They've proven it time and again. They make the hard choices, they set the example, they do what's right, not what's easiest, and they always come out on top. They're gonna be okay, Kara. We all are.

Supergirl: You know what? No matter how bad you beat me, I'm real, not a clone.
Galatea: Shut up.
Supergirl: Deep down you know the truth... you're not a person. You're just a weapon! Grown out of one of Hamilton's petri dishes!
Galatea: SHUT UP!

Amanda Waller: He played me. I knew he was a snake and I still let him bite me.

Galatea: When I get rid of you, I'll be the only...! (Supergirl shocks Galatea with a huge power plug)

Batman: When you and Atom worked together to stop the first Amazo, he showed you the blueprints, and I suspect you have a photographic memory.
Lex Luthor: I'm too modest to boast.

Waller: Hey, Lex! That android is Cadmus property. You're going to have to find somewhere else to keep your brain!

Waller: A nano-disassembler beam. Your design, I believe.
Luthor: Arrogant cow! It'll take weeks to build myself another android body.
Waller: You ain't got weeks, baldy. You're under arrest for trying to use the Justice League's space gun to murder everyone at Cadmus.

References

  1. ↑ Dwayne McDuffie, Justice League Unlimited "Panic in the Sky" Talkback (Spoilers), animesuperhero.com
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