History ComicBook / TheLastDaysOfTheJusticeSociety

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/41c5c5f3f226fbcf8b26848137a6b83c.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:It's the final adventure of the Justice Society...for the time being.]]
'''''The Last Days Of The Justice Society''''' was a one-shot comic book special published by Creator/DCComics in 1986. It was written by Roy Thomas, with art by David Ross and Mike Gustovich.

The story takes place sometime after the ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', and as the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica mourns for the loss of both fallen heroes who have died during the Crisis (the Golden Age ComicBook/{{Robin}} and the ComicBook/{{Huntress}}) and those who have passed on from the new PostCrisis reality (the Golden Age Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/WonderWoman), ComicBook/{{the Spectre}} appears unto the team to reveal that UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler has used the Spear Of Destiny to link the fate of the Norse gods' Ragnarök to that of the entire universe, with the Justice Society failing to stop Hitler from doing so in 1945. Traveling back in time to the point where the "rip in the sky" first took place, the modern Justice Society merges with the [[Myth/NorseMythology Norse gods]] in Asgard to change the outcome of the battle and ensure that the universe survives.
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!!This comic book story provides examples of
* AdvancingWallOfDoom: The Justice Society heroes left outside the range of the Spear Of Destiny's influence are unable to stop the wall of fire approaching them and consuming everything in 1945.
* ApocalypseHow: The complete destruction of the universe.
* ArtisticLicenseReligion: This version of the Ragnarök leaves nothing and nobody left in creation, whereas in the actual story two people will survive to repopulate the world.
* BecauseDestinySaysSo: The Justice Society members that die in the battle of Ragnarök are the ones whose gods they merged with were fated to die. (Though it's hard to tell in Johnny Thunder's case since he and his Thunderbolt just jumped in to fight the Midgard Serpent and got their heads handed to them.) Fortunately, they don't stay dead, as they are resurrected for the final fight with Surtur.
* BigNo: The Spectre to the modern Justice League when he appears at the funeral service at the point where Hawkman is ready to officially disband the team.
* BookEnds: Ignoring the prologue, the story begins and ends at the grounds of Hall Manor, where fallen Justice Society members have been buried.
** The story itself serves as a book end to the Justice Society's origin story, as how they were chosen to end their careers (for the time being) is still linked to UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, though at the end of it.
* BreathWeapon: The Midgard Serpent kills Green Lantern with poison fumes that he exhales with his last breath.
* TheCameo: ComicBook/InfinityInc makes a brief appearance in this special.
* ChildSoldier: The Flash gets killed by a child soldier working for the Nazis in 1945.
* DelayedRippleEffect: The destruction of the universe in 1945 takes its time having its full effect, as the modern Justice Society sees the "rip in the sky" taking place right after Doctor Fate has shown it happening in the past.
** Of course, the fact that the Golden Age Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman still exist in the past means that this story takes place before the sweeping changes caused by the ''Crisis'' have their full effect.
* DisneyDeath: The Justice Society members who were killed in the Ragnarök battle are resurrected for the final fight with Surtur the fire giant.
* DrivenToSuicide: Failing to destroy the universe as a result of the Justice Society changing the outcome of the Ragnarök, Adolf Hitler kills himself immediately after his wedding to Eva Braun.
* DropTheHammer: Green Lantern as Thor lays the smackdown on the Midgard Serpent before he dies by the toxic fumes of the serpent.
* EndOfAnAge: This story would mark the (temporary) end of the Justice Society's active role in stories of the present era, as well as the end of the pre-Crisis era. The modern version of the team would not reappear until several years later, when another universe-threatening situation would bring them back home.
* FaceOnTheCover: Hawkman, Power Girl, Spectre, Star-Spangled Kid, and Dr. Fate looking at the fallen bodies of the Justice Society members in a ruined landscape circa 1945.
* [[DeathFromAbove Fire From Above]]: A firestorm strikes the Earth as the hour of its destruction approaches in 1945, killing both soldiers and civilians alike.
* FlamingSword: Surtur the fire giant wields a sword made of literal fire, which he uses to kill the Flash upon their initial encounter. [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice He is also impaled with his own sword at the final fight the Justice Society has with him.]]
* {{Flashback}}: Dr. Fate shows the Justice Society what took place in 1945 following the funeral of President UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt, to show them how history has been altered when Adolf Hitler used the Spear Of Destiny to destroy the universe.
* FusionDance: The Justice Society members get a Power Boost when they merge with the Norse gods to fight the Ragnarök. Some of them even get miraculous healings, such as with Sandman's heart problems and Wildcat being unable to use his legs.
* GodHelpUsAll: Said by President-Elect UsefulNotes/HarrySTruman in regards to the Justice Society in 1945 being unable to penetrate the "rip in the sky".
* GoshDangItToHeck: One of the Allied forces soldiers says "holy spit" when he sees fire raining from the sky in 1945.
* {{Gotterdammerung}}: What takes place in the story, and what the Justice Society is trying to change the outcome of.
* GreenLanternRing: Starman uses his cosmic rod in the same manner as a Green Lantern ring in 1945.
* GroundhogDayLoop: The battle of Ragnarök repeats itself every time the Justice Society succeeds in winning it.
* {{Hellhound}}: Fenrir, who kills Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and then immediately afterward is killed by Atom and Power Girl. Also Garmr, whom Wildcat kills before he too dies.
* IAmTheNoun: The Spectre: "I am the universe...and I am dying!"
* InTheBack: Loki's head horns stab Starman in the back after he has been decapitated by Starman's cosmic rod.
* LeeroyJenkins: Johnny Thunder, who just rushes into combat with the Midgard Serpent with his Thunderbolt and gets killed.
* TheLegionsOfHell: Surtur, Loki, Garmr, Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent, and a bunch of nameless {{mook}}s make up the hellish army that the Justice Society must fight while merged with the Norse gods.
* OffWithHisHead: Starman uses his cosmic rod to decapitate Loki, whose horned head then kills Starman.
* OmnicidalManiac: Adolf Hitler graduates to becoming this.
* PoisonIsCorrosive: The Midgard Serpent spews poisonous venom which kills Johnny Thunder on contact.
* PoweredByAForsakenChild: The Spear Of Destiny was somehow able to retroactively tap into the Spectre's magical power in order to make Adolf Hitler's wish of destroying the universe a reality.
* PublicDomainArtifact: The Spear Of Destiny gets used here.
* PutOnABus: The Justice Society, as a result of their having to repeat the same battle over and over. They would not be released from this battle until 1992 during ''Armageddon: Inferno'', when Waverider and the Spectre swapped out the Justice Society for Abraxis' "daemen" as their replacements. Dr. Fate spares ComicBook/PowerGirl and Star-Spangled Kid from joining them, and then the Spectre himself spares Dr. Fate as well.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: The Spectre in 1945 has red eyes with skulls as pupils when he tells Harry S. Truman that what's going on with the "rip in the sky" may affect the whole universe.
* SeaMonster: The Midgard Serpent, which Johnny Thunder and Green Lantern fight to the death.
* StepIntoTheBlindingFight: Dr. Mid-Nite uses his blackout bombs to help the Justice Society fight their way into Adolf Hitler's bunker in their attempt to stop him from destroying the universe in 1945.
* SwallowedWhole: Hawkman and Hawkgirl meet their (temporary) end inside the gaping jaws of Fenrir.
* TakingYouWithMe: Adolf Hitler to the entire world on a grand scale, as he unleashes the power of the Spear Of Destiny when he and his Nazi forces are so close to defeat.
* TimeTravel
* TransferableMemory: The Spectre instantly transfers the memories of what he had witnessed to Dr. Fate, who then shares them with the rest of the Justice Society so that they may act upon them before it's too late.
* WartimeWedding: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, though it lasted only until the both of them killed themselves.
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII

* WartimeWedding: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, though it lasted only until the both of them killed themselves.

* EndOfAnAge: This story would mark the end of the Justice Society's active role in stories of the present era, as well as the end of the pre-Crisis era. The modern version of the team would not reappear until several years later, when another universe-threatening situation would bring them back home.

* EndOfAnAge: This story would mark the end of the Justice Society's active role in stories of the present era, as well as the end of the pre-Crisis era.

* SeaSerpent: The Midgard Serpent, which Johnny Thunder and Green Lantern fight to the death.

* BecauseDestinySaysSo: The Justice Society members that die in the battle of Ragnarök are the ones whose gods they merged with were fated to die. Fortunately, they don't stay dead, as they are resurrected for the final fight with Surtur.

* FlamingSword: Surtur the fire giant wields a sword made of literal fire. [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice He is also impaled with his own sword at the final fight the Justice Society has with him.]]

* TheLegionsOfHell: Surtur, Loki, Garmr, Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent, and a bunch of nameless {{mook}}s make up the hellish army that the Justice Society must fight merged with the Norse gods.

* TheLegionsOfHell: Surtur, Loki, Garmr, Fenrir, and a bunch of nameless {{mook}}s make up the hellish army that the Justice Society must fight merged with the Norse gods.

The story takes place sometime after the ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', and as the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica mourns for the loss of both fallen heroes who have died during the Crisis (the Golden Age ComicBook/{{Robin}} and the ComicBook/{{Huntress}}) and those who have passed on from the new PostCrisis reality (the Golden Age Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/WonderWoman), ComicBook/{{the Spectre}} appears unto the team to reveal that UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler has used the Spear Of Destiny to link the fate of the Norse gods' Ragnarök to that of the entire universe, with the Justice Society failing to stop Hitler from doing so in 1945. Traveling back in time to the point where the "rip in the sky" first took place, the modern Justice Society merges with the [[UsefulNotes/NorseMythology Norse gods]] in Asgard to change the outcome of the battle and ensure that the universe survives.

* FusionDance: The Justice Society members get a Power Boost when they merge with the Norse gods to fight the Ragnarök. Some of them even get miraculous healings, such as Sandman's heart problems and Wildcat being unable to use his legs.

* GodHelpUsAll: Said by President-Elect UsefulNotes/HarrySTruman in regards to the Justice Society in 1945 unable to penetrate the "rip in the sky".

* BecauseDestinySaysSo: The Justice Society members that die in the battle of Ragnarok are the ones whose gods they merged with were fated to die. Fortunately, they don't stay dead, as they are resurrected for the final fight with Surtur.

** The story itself serves as a book end to the Justice Society's origin story, as how they were chosen to end their careers (for the time being) is still linked to UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.