Fury | Episode 16
Aired: April 7, 2002
Heroes: Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, Batman, Green Lantern and J'onn Jonzz
Supporting: Sroya Bashir, Hippolyta, General Phillipus, Antiope and Amazons
Villains: Solomon Grundy, Aresia, Star Sapphire, Shade, Tsukuri and Copperhead
Objects: Night Stick, Sapphire Gem, Utility Belt (Bola, Rope, Electric Batarang, and Batarang with Rope), Nth Metal, Justice League Communication Link, Batwing, Power Ring, and Javelin
Places: Gotham City, Themyscira, and Justice League Watchtower
Story By: Stan Berkowitz
Teleplay By: Dwayne McDuffie
Directed By: Butch Lukic
Fury | Episode 17
Aired: April 14, 2002
Heroes: Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, Batman, Green Lantern and J'onn Jonzz
Supporting: Hippolyta
Villains: Aresia, Star Sapphire and Tsukuri
Objects: Sapphire Gem, Utility Belt (Grappling Gun), Lasso of Truth, Javelin, Nth Metal, and Power Ring
Places: Gotham City, Justice League Watchtower, and Themyscira
Written By: Stan Berkowitz
Directed By: Butch Lukic
Summary
Summary written by VortexInfiniteThe free members of the Injustice Gang have found a new boss. Aresia, a renegade Amazon, has employed them to steal seemingly random things like chemicals and jewels. While Batman and the Justice League are more than a match for an already scarred Injustice Gang, Aresia's super-strength proves too much for them, especially when she makes her plans clear. She unleashes an allergen which sickens the entire male population of Gotham City and quickly reduces the Justice League to two members: Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman.
After being told of the situation by Hawkgirl, the queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta goes to confront Aresia, feeling responsible because she was the one to give Aresia her powers after finding her orphaned and stranded on Paradise Island. Aresia, accompanied only by Star Sapphire and her trusty ally Tsukuri, takes Hippolyta hostage and departs to infect the entire male population of the world with the allergen.
Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl come to the rescue and manage to stop the allergen from spreading. Hippolyta reveals that Aresia's hate for men is undeserved, considering it was a man who saved her from drowning the day she arrived on Themyscara. Aresia decides to continue with her crazed mission, and Wonder Woman is forced to bring her "sister" and the jet she's flying in down. Using a sample Aresia had left behind, the League and the city's men return to full health.
Review
Review written by VortexInfiniteIt's nice to see some continuity in Justice League. This is the only episode where events from previous arcs have been acknowledged (though the writers manage to completely sidestep Paradise Lost). Though the entire Injustice Gang is barely used, it's good to see how the team ended up.
The first flaw with the episode is Aresia's voice. It alternates from boring to slightly un-boring and back again. Seriously, she doesn't sound any different from the average woman on the street. But that bland voice manages to hypnotize everyone, including Star Sapphire who blindly follows Aresia without thinking of the consequences of killing all men. We learn nothing of Tsukuri. For all we know she might have met Aresia through a dating service. Anything's possible...
Superman was wasted in this episode. In order to prove a point, they made him an absolute wuss. He says a line, is blasted with the allergen and is pummeled by Aresia. Ouch, that's NOT the situation the Man of Steel needed this season. GL and Flash were also pretty much pointless, as their only job was to succumb to the allergen.
As I mentioned before, the events of Paradise Lost aren't even mentioned. While the writers don't contradict themselves by letting Diana set foot on Themyscara, they do cheat us out of an interesting characterization device. It's honorable of Wonder Woman to risk her life for the mother who banished her from her home, but a viewer who missed Hippolyta's last appearance wouldn't know it. And Hippolyta doesn't even repay her daughter for saving her and the planet by granting her access to Paradise Island. But, then again, Hippolyta's punishment didn't make much sense in the first place.
The episode makes excellent use of Hawkgirl. Some of the best in the entire season. She has some excellent lines addressing the Amazons' irrational hatred towards men. The entire episode is filled with ironic dialogue, which makes it clear just how so many different characters interact. Whether it's Hawkgirl shoving her talon into her mouth by forgetting (not knowing?) that Batman is an orphan or Wonder Woman trying to defend her fellow Amazons while ignoring herself as an example as a rule-breaker.
Overall, this episode was action-packed and dealt with some interesting issues. But it didn't deal with nearly enough. In a series with so many possible character interactions, it's a shame to see some escape the writers.