Justice League Dark Cursed is the 46th Episode in
DC Universe Online that focuses on Justice League Dark, but also Wonder Woman and Circe.
Summary
Hecate, the Goddess of Magic, has started attacking Magic Users. Unleashing a powerful curse that burns through them. Looking to have Batman do the heavy lifting, John Constantine transports his House of Mystery into Gotham Cemetery.
Tropes
- Anti-Villain: As described below, Hecate doesn't want to remove magic from the world. She only felt compelled to do so to protect the world from an unforeseen threat. It still doesn't change the fact that her immediate actions are causing more harm than good, from putting civilians in danger, to destabilizing parts of the world's ecosystem that relies on magic, as Swamp Thing implies before you fight him to remove his curse.
- Apologetic Attacker: Hecate often apologizes as she fights the players during her raid encounter, often describing her actions as something she feels she has to do.
- Back from the Dead: This episode is the first time Isis has been involved in anything since having been brought back to life in Sins of Black Adam. She acts as a taskmaster to have the players help remove the curse from civilians.
- Badass Normal: Batman is always this in general, but he stands out here as he's the only named hero involved with this episode who has no connection to the supernatural.
- Battle in the Center of the Mind: You and the other players spend the first phase of the final battle against Hecate battling in your collective unconscious in order to free yourselves from her curse.
- Beat the Curse Out of Him: You'll have to do this to anyone cursed to free them, including civilians.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Hecate does this to various magic users via "curses." Wonder Girl, Zatanna, Deadman, Swamp Thing, even Wonder Woman and Circe.
- Enemy Mine: Circe is forced to work with JLD because the threat against magic obviously would affect her too. That is, until Wonder Woman is cursed in the beginning of the raid, upon which she turns on everyone, thinking she alone will be able to keep her magic as Hecate's champion. After she learns otherwise mere seconds later, she genuinely remains an ally for the rest of the event.
- Everyone Has Standards: Constantine can't believe that Etrigan is willing working with Hecate to remove magic all just to stick it to Merlin.
- Extreme Omnisexual: One of the episode's investigations is centered on Constantine's interests, which includes everyone from Zatanna, to King Shark, Nightmare Nurse, Doctor Thirteen, and even Superman. Deadman is implied, though their relationship appears to be more of a Willing Channeler situation. And if you complete the investigation, the mail that you receive from him adds you to the list as well.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Gentleman Ghost became an open world boss some weeks after the episode released, angry with people using forgeries of his cape. Since the player had to rob his grave to do so, he's understandably very annoyed.
- Left Hanging: We never find out who or what the threat is that had Hecate so concerned she was willing to get rid of magic to stop it.
- Possession Burnout: The curse seems to operate this way. It amplifies the victim's magic at the cost of making them go berserk, forcing them to eventually burn out all their magic and return it to Hecate. The "possession" part is implied with how some cured civilians explain the curse's effects, describing it as hearing the voices of Hecate in their heads.
- Rhymes on a Dime: All of Etrigan's scenes in this episode, and the investigation centered on his thoughts on the situation and the various people involved, are full of this.
- Robbing the Dead: The player and Mary do this when they "borrow" Gentleman Ghost's cape from his grave. Downplayed in that the cape you equip is a recreation she made from her analysis. The original cape is returned.
- Relationship Upgrade: Downplayed with Constantine and Zatanna. While their relationship is only slightly better than it was in the previous episode, at least Zatanna trusts him enough to be her assistant.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Hecate is revealed to be this as her actions are motivated by an unforeseen threat that is bound to target magic users. After defeating her and hearing her explanation, Wonder Woman isn't sure if they did the right thing.
- Working with the Ex: Constantine and Zatanna's relationship, per usual. But the two are getting along better in this episode than they had previously.
