History Headscratchers / IdentityCrisis2004

** Short answer, it's like the no kill rule even when it's a blatant case of defence of self and/or others. How far is too far, don't sink to their level, abuse of power, setting a precedent, yada yada yada. Longer answer, that very question seems to be why they decided to add a magic lobotomy and retcon a lot of villain redemptions into magical brainwashing. Considering the usual stakes and context of superhero stories, just mind-wiping very specific information to protect the families of superheroes from being systemically hunted down by vicious murderers is too reasonable and understandable. Not to say there isn't a story there about the methods of superheroes and the ethics of mind-wiping alone, or that we couldn't see members of the JLA pushed into making increasingly unethical decisions due to circumstance with that causing internal conflict, but that'd be a more subtle, nuanced narrative while Identity Crisis seemed so focused on bashing us over the head about how bad the JLA is had to derail characters and make them act uncharacteristically unethically against less harmful villains like Catwoman.

** I think we're supposed to take it that he is that cold. Remember in Cry For Justice (I know it's painful, but try), that he insisted that he wasn't a hero, and brutally tortured someone? This story was probably meant to show his SanitySlippage. When he learned that her idiotic, immature attempt to regain he affections were the cause of all the death and consternation in the story, he wasn't even going to give her the dignity of a trial or confronting the relatives of her victims. He just declared her insane and chucked her in a hellhole with the same kind of people she worked with during her scheme, where he knows she'll probably go insane for real and/or be killed. As for the whole "knowing everyone's secret identity" thing, it's an IdiotPlot, and he was going into Countdown soon, so he might not have cared.

*** This segment is basically RuleOfCool and MemeticBadass. Black Canary being disabled is atleast somewhat belivable if we assume that bag is some kind of special material. Flash, it's still pretty stupid but atleast looks somewhat belivable. Whats really unforgivable is Green Lantern, because THE DAMN RING DOESNT WORK LIKE THAT. Yes, willpower is required to use the ring, but you still have to be chosen bu the Guardians and fit the Green criteria. You cant just grab it off a Lantern because you're strong willed. I can accept him beating all the other heroes in that chapter, but NOT Rayner.

*** This segment is basically RuleOfCool and MemeticBadass. Black Canary being disabled is atleast somewhat belivable if we assume that bag is some kind of special material. Flash, its still pretty stupid but atleast looks somewhat belivable. Whats really unforgivable is Green Lantern, because THE DAMN RING DOESNT WORK LIKE THAT. Yes, willpower is required to use the ring, but you still have to be chosen bu the Guardians and fit the Green criteria. You cant just grab it off a Lantern because you're strong willed. I can accept him beating all the other heroes in that chapter, but NOT Rayner.

*** Kyle was taken down because Slade broke his fingers, and presumably the pain kept him from concentrating enough to use the ring (maybe coupled with Slade's mega-brain trying to jack the ring at the same time). It's been seen before at least twice in the Justice League cartoon, though it still does not justify [[TooDumbToLive Kyle getting within arms reach of Deathsroke in the first place...]]

* When they decided to make Dr Light a more threatening villain, why didn't they think that [[LightIsNotGood his powers]] could make him a heavy hitter? Think about what he could do with manipulating light: he could generate red sunlight to pacify Superman, or try to make HardLight constructs to deal with GreenLantern. Or just glow brighter than a thousand suns to blind his enemies, or even use the more direct "fry them with light." Manipulating other spectrums of light could also become an option. Why settle for [[MoralEventHorizon making him extra evil]] instead of exploiting the potential of his powers?

** Being a feminist doesn't mean you despise due process. She's not advocating for Dr. Light to be let go or for him to be spared from prison. She may be a feminist, but that doesn't mean a SJW crazy obnoxious feminist.

* How does Batman figure out that Ray didn't kill Sue Dibny? We see how the lab researchers discover the diminute footprints that point to the Atom while Batman reaches his own deduction independently in his office at the same time. But then, when Jean Loring and Ray Palmer are discussing Jack Drake and Boomerang's death there's a cut to Bats saying "Ray? [[WhamLine It's not Ray]]..." seemingly deducing the answer just by looking at photos of Sue. It's implied that Batman figured it was Jean because he immediately tries to reach Ray anyhow. But is it ever explained how Bats deduced that Jean rather than Ray was the killer or is this another case of a generic [[WriterCopOut "I'm the doggone Batman" copout]]?

* This has more to do with the fallout from the premises and retcons ''Identity Crisis'' set up, but: after the revelation that a group within the League had been engaging in mindwipes on a regular basis when villains discovered their secret identities and such, other DC series(es?) revealed in turn that seemingly-reformed villains like Flash's old-school Rogues and Catwoman were actually brainwashed by Zatanna into goodness (or, in the case of the Rogues, she brainwashed one who then attacked the rest). But in the meantime, while she was neutralizing burglars and bank robbers, menaces like SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker who actually killed and maimed people were still running around apparently unaffected. Zatanna's priorities might need a little work.