100 Greatest Superhero Stories Ever
By Steve Lam
Screen Capture from Justice League Unlimited Season 2, Episode 20: “Hereafter: Part II”
#53. Justice League Unlimited Season 2, Episode 19–20: “Hereafter”
Medium
Animated Television Series
Release Date
November 29, 2003
Credits
Director: Butch Lukic
Writer: Dwayne McDuffle
Cast: Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Maria Canals-Barrera as Shayera Hol / Hawkgirl / Livewire / Leslie Willis, Susan Eisenberg as Princess Diana / Wonder Woman, Phil LaMarr as John Stewart / Green Lantern, Carl Lumbly as J’onn J’onzz / Martian Manhunter, Geroge Newbern as Clark Kent / Superman, Michael Rosenbaum as Wally West / The Flash / Floyd Lawton / Deadshot, Corey Burton as John Corben / Metallo / Winslow Schott / Toyman / Mark Mardon / Weather Wizard, Brad Garrett as Lobo, Dana Delaney as Lois Lane, Michael Dorn as Kalibak / Cop, Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Alfred Pennyworth, Jason Marsden as Snapper Carr, Olivia d’Abo as Star Sapphire, Jose Yenque as Copperhead, Phil Morris as Vandal Savage
The Reason It’s Great
One of the most cliched mantras in writing is “story is character.” It’s a known fact. However, it’s rarely used effectively. Not so in a two-part episode of Justice League Unlimited. We see one of Superman greatest enemies become his greatest ally.
A band of supervillains plot to take out Superman. To lure Superman into their trap, they attack Metropolis. When Toyman takes aim at Batman and Wonder Woman, Superman flies in front of the beam and saves them. However, he quickly disappears—presumed dead.
As the Justice League and the world mourn the supposed death of Superman, the audience discovers that the Man of Steel was actually beamed to the future. In this now desolate place, he runs into Vandal Savage, who lives alone. Superman learns that (in what is now the past) Savage developed a weapon that allowed him to control gravity. Without Superman there to stop him, he destroyed the Earth.
Superman and Savage soon form an alliance to rebuild a time machine. At the end of their endeavor, the two become close friends. In a heartfelt goodbye, Superman travels back to his time. We soon see Savage phase out of existence with a utopia slowly appearing. With a deep character arc and plenty of poignant scenes, this story definitely ranks as one of the greatest.