he Cartoon Network's Justice League comes to a close with the 90-minute feature-length episode "Starcrossed." In the final episode, the League is out in force to protect an international peace summit. Without warning, a Gordanian ship threatens the summit and gets the better of the Justice League. Just before the ship is about to attack, it's destroyed.
At first, it appears that things have gotten even worse, when an even bigger ship approaches, but the ship is from Thanagar, Hawkgirl's (Canals) home planet. The ship's commander, Hro Talak, greets Hawkgirl and appears to know her well. The Green Lantern (Lumbly) is shocked to find out that the two are betrothed. In fact, Hawkgirl is actually a spy sent by her people to live among the Earth people until the Thanagarians arrived.
The Commander insists on talking to Earth's leaders immediately. He tells them that the Earth is in grave danger from the Gordanians and that Earth will survive only if they accept the Thanagarians' help. Some of the members of the League are suspicious, but agree that there is little choice but to accept the Thanagarian's terms. The Commander wants to build an enormous force field that will protect the Earth from the Gordanian's attack.
While Batman (Conroy) investigates the Gordanian ship, the other members of the League assist the Thanagarians. The Green Lantern is devastated that Hawkgirl lied to him and believes their romance meant nothing to her. Hawkgirl tries to talk to him, but her duties in the Thanagarian service and her relationship with Commander Talak get in the way.
When Batman discovers that the Thanagarians have deceived them, the Justice League fights back. The Thanagarian and their superior technology end up being a force to be reckoned with as the League find themselves fighting one of their own in a showdown that will determine the fate of the Earth.
JLA goes MIA
Justice League, as we've come to know it, will indeed come to an end with "Starcrossed." While a new series will take its place, things will never be the same. The episode is a terrific sendoff that is well written and filled with surprises. It is also a fitting finale that plants the seeds of what is to come in the future for the League.
The final episode of this excellent animated series, superbly voiced by the solid cast, sets up its mystery well right from the beginning. Fans, along with the characters of the Justice League, will be suspicious immediately of the Thanagarians' true motives. However, after the initial revelations, "Starcrossed" will take the series in a direction fans might not expect.
The episode gives all the characters a few good moments. However, "Starcrossed" is primarily Hawkgirl and the Green Lantern's story. The twists and turns in the tale add depth to both characters, and we feel their pain. There are no easy answers for these characters or for this situation. There's love, deceit and action, and in the end things will change forever. It's all the stuff that makes for great entertainment.
"Starcrossed" also sets up the big changes to come for the new series, Justice League Unlimited, which promises to incorporate "a bold new look and a much larger scope." Four of the original characters will continue on and be joined by a rotating collection of superheroes that will include Supergirl, Green Arrow and the Atom. The series is set to premiere Aug. 7.
