The release of DC Extended Universe has pushed the franchise’s boundaries.
With the Marvel Cinematic Universe also presenting plenty of storylines, many think these quality arcs and themes are brand new. However, the DCAU had pushed the envelope far earlier and people at large are now ready to understand better how the series had pulled this off.
The Moral Dilemma Of Taking Lives And The Toll It Takes
During Batman: The Animated Series, one of the overarching plotlines was of Batman denying the opportunities to kill. This came up again in Batman Beyond, where he was forced to use a gun and swore off being the Dark Knight as a result.
Bruce was also shown avoiding a romance with Wonder Woman in Justice League as she was of a warrior tribe and he was against the idea of taking lives in general. This arc came up with Superman as well, who couldn’t fathom the thought of killing. At the time, superhero media openly showed heroes taking lives without this posing a problem, but the DCAU made this a focal point.
Amanda Waller's Dominating Presence Over The Justice League
Characters other than villains having leverage over superheroes wasn’t the norm when Justice League had Amanda Waller turn up. She wasn’t a villain but was still a thorn by the Justice League’s side, even displaying no fear of Batman despite being intimidated.
This storyline was the Cus arc where Waller launched a campaign against Superman and managed to turn public opinion against the Justice League. It was a fascinating story that showed how superheroes could be brought to their feet by a normal human if they had the means to intimidate them.
The Threat Superman Poses
The DCAU went beyond the flash and style that Superman’s powers bring to focus on the potential he has to destroy the world if he wants to. This was the storyline for the second season of Justice League Unlimited, as numerous characters - superheroes included - doubted if he was genuinely good.
It became a bigger issue when Superman was pushed into wreaking havoc when he thought he was helping, further raising questions if the collateral damage he brings is worth keeping him around. It was a valid argument this arc brought that placed Superman in a different light.
Superman Being Controlled By Darkseid
This one was ahead of the times simply because Zack Snyder’s Justice League has currently made the idea popular when it already played out in the DCAU two decades ago. As it happened, Superman was mind-controlled by Darkseid to believe he was his son.
Darkseid then commanded Superman to conquer Earth in his name, thus hoping to permanently discredit Superman and control him. The DCEU could go this route if Snyder’s vision is taken forward, but if it doesn’t, then the DCAU’s arc can more than satisfy fans.
Joker Hurting The Child Tim Drake
A highly controversial angle for a children-based movie was shown in . Although it was praised, the story saw the Joker turn Robin into his “son” through brainwashing and torture. For a kids' show, this was certainly a step higher than other superhero offerings.
In current times, however, more mature storylines have been seen in the genre, including animated shows. This makes Return of the Joker somewhat revolutionary, as it tackled the topic of harming a child to show just how villainous Joker is capable of being.
Superheroes Struggling With Ageing
People didn’t really care how old the superheroes were supposed to be since stories largely took place in a floating timeline where aging wasn’t an issue. The DCAU went a different route by making this the backdrop for the series at large, with Batman Beyond showing this the best.
It also showed the teenager Static as an old man in one episode while the villain Bane’s ultimate fate as a weak and lifeless person was a harsh truth that no one can beat time. Becoming a more mature person was also an overarching plotline that both The Flash and Supergirl received.
The Totalitarian Regime Of The Justice Lords & Superhero Ethics
As the series went on, got better at providing commentary on superhero ethics. This was shown in the Justice Lords arc, where the team from an alternate universe seemingly eradicated villainy but ended up becoming totalitarians.
The idea that superheroes’ version of peace could be as bad as making them villains wasn’t something shows of the genre commonly engaged in. And yet, Justice League Unlimited had a whole plotline where the heroes’ decision to use methods such as lobotomizing enemies and essentially taking away free will was addressed.
Supergirl & The Flash's Issues With Feeling Left Out
The general feeling that superhero media ignites in people is that they can be accepted once they get their powers. This has been subverted in recent times but was shown way back in Justice League Unlimited as well.
It had to do with Supergirl and The Flash’s arcs, where both of them felt unappreciated despite being superheroes. Eventually, they got separate plotlines where they were able to find their true calling - Flash turned out to be the heart of the league who glued them together, while Supergirl went to the future and realized she was appreciated there and decided to stay.
Two-Face's Struggles With Multiple Identities
Two-Face was shown as a generic villain once his origin story played out, with movies like Batman Forever providing zero depth to the character. While The Dark Knight fleshed him out much better as a tragic figure, The New Batman Adventures had done that a decade prior.
This was through the arc where he developed a third personality of the Judge, an anti-hero who took extreme measures for justice. This gave him a sympathetic layer of characterization, as the issue of mental health was addressed to show how Two-Face wasn’t inherently a villain.
Darkseid's Massive Invasion That Brought All The Superheroes Together
It’s said that Avengers: Endgame was the most ambitious crossover for comic book characters, but one should spare a thought for Justice League Unlimited’s series finale a decade and a half prior that brought just about all the DCAU heroes together.
It may have diverged from the comic books where the exact story is concerned, but it took such a grand scale that it’s still something to marvel at. The story saw Darkseid launch a full-scale invasion of Earth, bringing all the villains seen so far along with the heroes in a battle for Earth.