History JusticeLeague / TropesAToL

** Luthor actually uses this classic line on Ultra Humanite, in "Injustice for All", after finding out he betrayed him.
** Bonus points for the Ultra-Humanite literally stabbing Lex in the back (of the power armor, anyway) when he does it.

* LeastIsFirst: In [[Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS3E13Destroyer "Destroyer"]], a random elderly bystander at the Great Wall proclaims his wish to help against the Parademons despite Diana telling him to stay back. Cue said 'old man' punching out two Parademons with one hit each, then revealing himself to be none other than J'onn J'onzz.

%%* ActionDressRip: Franchise/WonderWoman in "Maid of Honor".

** When Franchise/TheFlash and ComicBook/LexLuthor swapped minds in "The Great Brain Robbery" the bodies kept their voice actors, so now Lex Luthor is being voiced by Creator/MichaelRosenbaum. Michael Rosenbaum played the role of Lex Luthor on ''Series/{{Smallville}}''.

* AdaptationInducedPlothole: Obsidian is seen [[LivingProp in the background]] in many episodes of ''Unlimited'', but as the son of Alan Scott, the original [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] Franchise/GreenLantern, his birth is something of a mystery since his father apparently never existed in this continuity.
* AdaptedOut: The contest to send an Amazon out into Man's World's in Franchise/WonderWoman's origin isn't present, with Diana instead being told not to get involved in the AlienInvasion by Hippolyta--[[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight only for Diana to elect to ignore Hippoltya's edict]].

%%* AffablyEvil: Comicbook/VandalSavage, the Ultra-Humanite, and even ComicBook/LexLuthor on occasion.

** Not even superheroines are safe from kids, as Stargirl found out when in Japan and attending a Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} convention. After she complains about the attention Kara is getting, a chubby little FanGirl goes over and kicks her in the shins for insulting the better-known heroine.

** Comicbook/{{Brainiac}} remains as this just as he was back in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', where he has interpreted his programming to collect data as a directive to collect all information in the universe and then to destroy it.

** Franchise/TheFlash was the first to explicitly point out the ridiculous nature of skepticism in their line of work since, as he points out to John Stewart, "we've both got a [[ComicBook/MartianManhunter Martian's]] phone number on our speed dial; I think I deserve the benefit of the doubt here."

** Lord Superman. In the comics, Doomsday [[Comicbook/TheDeathOfSuperman killed Superman]] after already defeating the entirety of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, but Lord Superman lobotomized him five minutes into the fight once it became apparent that his strength approached Superman's own.

%%* BadassLongcoat: Comicbook/TheQuestion.

* TheBlank: Comicbook/TheQuestion wears a mask that makes him appear to have no face.

* BoxedCrook: Task Force X, which is an adaptation of the Comicbook/SuicideSquad.

** [[Franchise/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] makes a brief appearance in "Once and Future Thing" when Chronos' messing with time causes him to get retconned into the JL in place of John Stewart.

* CanonImmigrant: The Justice Lords were officially made canon in ''Comicbook/TheMultiversity''. They currently reside on Earth-50 of the Post-''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' {{Multiverse}}.

** The Justice Guild of America is a recreation of the Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica. The Society was originally supposed to appear in the episode "Legends", [[ExecutiveMeddling but DC Comics said they could not use the actual characters.]]

* CaptainSuperhero: Comicbook/CaptainAtom (Who actually held the rank of captain in the United States Air Force) and [[Comicbook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]].

%%* TheChosenMany: The Justice League itself, and [[Franchise/GreenLantern the Green Lantern Corps.]]

** The giant robot that the League faces in the first episode of ''Unlimited'' is supposed to be Brimstone from ''Comicbook/{{Legends|DCComics}}'', but that name is never used.

** Comicbook/BoosterGold is an inversion of this idea. He is a physically fit, but otherwise normal citizen from the future who uses relatively common technology from his time to travel back in time and become a superhero so that he can become rich and famous.

** In "Question Authority", Huntress uses Comicbook/JimmyOlsen's signal watch to call Superman; the watch first appeared in "[[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS3E8SupermansPal Superman's Pal]]" back in ''Superman: The Animated Series''.

* CoolCar: Comicbook/TheQuestion's Pontiac GTO. And he's VERY good at [[CarFu using it to kick butt]].

* CourtroomEpisode: Flash defends Franchise/GreenLantern when he is accused of murder. "If the ring wasn't lit, you must acquit!"

** Franchise/{{Batman}}, after having Medusa brought up from Tartarus in order to provide information on the recently released Circe, gives Charon the required two pennies. In the DVD audio commentary, the producers feel it is only natural that Batman would happen to be carrying exactly two pennies in his utility belt, ''just in case'' he had to cross the River Styx.

* CrissCrossAttack: Done piecemeal in the episode "Divided We Fall, Part 2", where in the villain ComicBook/LexLuthor usurps Brainiac's technology to transform himself into a pleomorphic cyborg that can keep the Justice League at bay. Franchise/TheFlash, however, runs at Luthor from different directions at increasing speed, until he's circling the Earth to deliver his next blow. In less than a minute, [[spoiler:nigh-omnipotent Luthor is reduced to gasping and naked in a blast crater]]. Viewable on Website/YouTube [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a0pwb9NvFE here]] (spoilers, obviously).

** Comicbook/BoosterGold points out that the ones in distress are his favorite type of damsel.

* TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget: Lord Superman is ready to kill Franchise/TheFlash, whose counterpart's death was the reason for their FaceHeelTurn in the first place:

** Comicbook/CaptainAtom, after being soundly beaten by Superman in a fight throughout the Cadmus headquarters, refused to give up even after Superman was clearly the victor. He had been beaten nearly senseless and lost the ability to even throw a punch, but he ''refused'' to stop.

* DeusExitMachina: In the episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core", the miniature red sun of Skartaris weakens Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'s powers almost to nothing.

* DiscriminateAndSwitch: The superheroes [[PlayingWithFire Fire]] and [[AnIcePerson Ice]] have been close friends and partners for the entirety of their tenure in comics. This has, over time, given rise to a lot of romantic/sexual subtext between them and corresponding theories in the fandom. When they were added to the [[HeroesUnlimited expanded roster]] of ''Justice League Unlimited'' Franchise/TheFlash began to nurse a not-so-subtle crush on Fire and Hawkgirl tried to prod him into action as best she knew how.

** Franchise/GreenLantern, who is a former marine, has zero compunctions about using firearms and is possibly the only hero in the whole DCAU that actually succeeds in shooting someone in "The Savage Time".[[note]]"Possibly" because the HitFlash is placed ambiguously, so that it could be interpreted as either [[BlastingItOutOfTheirHands hitting the enemy's rifle]], or as a [[BoomHeadshot headshot]]. Either way, the guy does not seem to get back up afterwards.[[/note]]

** When Comicbook/CaptainAtom has his military commission reactivated by General Wade Eiling he ends up coming to blows with Superman who, after one of the most brutal fights in the series, emerges as the clear victor.

* EnhancedPunch: Franchise/TheFlash once ran [[Awesome/JusticeLeague around the world]] to build up enough momentum to punch the Brainiac out of Brainthor.

** Galatea is actually an evil ''clone'' of Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, but she fits the trope otherwise.

** Hro Talak is not quite [[Comicbook/{{Hawkman}} Katar Hol]], but his name is an anagram and he was also given a past relationship with Hawkgirl.
** Galatea is not exactly ComicBook/PowerGirl, but she wears a similar costume, which one scene made identical with the addition of a red towel hanging over her shoulder in place of a cape. She shares the background of "not exactly Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, but close."

** The Justice Lords from "A Better World" were heavily inspired by ''Comicbook/TheAuthority'', which the producers had begun to read between seasons one and two, and one idea they had was to see what the world would be like if the League ever tried to emulate their tactics.

* FanDisservice: Comicbook/BlackCanary's sonic scream ripping the clothes off [[FatBastard Steven Mandragora]].

** Whenever Comicbook/BlackCanary has time to prep for a fight -- sparring with Huntress or Green Arrow -- she starts by removing her jacket, fighting only in a bustier, panties, and sheer leggings (the fishnets were impossible to animate).

* ForgotToGagHim: Franchise/{{Batman}} has been known to use this approach whenever he turns out to be not QUITE CrazyPrepared enough. This includes that time he was caught by the Injustice Gang, and proceeds to (overtly) [[SexFaceTurn seduce one member of the crew]] while (covertly) [[EveryManHasHisPrice bribing another]].

* FromMyOwnPersonalGarden: In the episode "Hereafter", after Franchise/{{Superman}} realizes the futility of fighting Vandal Savage, the latter invites the former to lunch. Food's great because [[EarthAllAlong he has had 30,000 years to rediscover the principles of agriculture.]]

** Comicbook/BoosterGold, one of the most iconic iterations of the trope, appears.

** Comicbook/{{Darkseid}} returns in season two of ''Justice League''.

%%* TheGoodCaptain: [[Comicbook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]], Comicbook/CaptainAtom, [[strike: Captain Boomerang]], etc.

* IAmNotLeftHanded: This is the subject of the famous "world of cardboard" speech, where Franchise/{{Superman}} sees that he doesn't need to hold his power back against {{ComicBook/Darkseid}}.

-->'''Franchise/WonderWoman:''' Don't let ''that'' stop you; keep digging!

** [[Comicbook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]]. Some of it is childhood naiveté, but part of his pureness is his ability to ''retain'' such naiveté, even when everybody around him has become jaded and cynical.

* IntraFranchiseCrossover: The episode "Legends" was [[WhatCouldHaveBeen initially intended]] to feature the Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica. [[ExecutiveMeddling The rights weren't cleared]] (possibly because the superheroes involved were portrayed as [[InnocentBigot somewhat bigoted]]), so the writers instead used a CaptainErsatz version called "The Justice Guild".

* ItGetsEasier: In "A Better World", Franchise/TheFlash states that killing him, a close friend whose parallel universe death was the motivation for his FaceHeelTurn in the first place, would be a line Lord Superman would never cross. [[spoiler:Lord Superman shrugs and says that he has done many things he once thought were over a line; one more will not hurt.]]

* JustFriends: Batman's description of his and Diana's relationship. Comicbook/{{Zatanna}} does not buy it for a second.

* LeotardOfPower: All over the place, though most often seen, of course, on Franchise/WonderWoman.

* LikeAnOldMarriedCouple: Franchise/TheFlash [[EveryoneCanSeeIt points out]] that Franchise/GreenLantern and Hawkgirl are bickering like an old married couple.

* LivingProp: Many superheroes introduced during ''Unlimited'' (who, in the comics, belonged to teams ranging from the [[Comicbook/JusticeSocietyofAmerica JSA]] to JL Detroit) never progressed beyond this.

* LoveCannotOvercome: No matter how hard she tries, Franchise/WonderWoman cannot get grumpy, antisocial Batman to give a relationship a chance. They do still go dancing once though. Or rather, Diana tells Bruce he's taking her dancing. And of course, at one point Bruce throws aside his scary exterior to sing a blues song to satisfy Circe to lift her spell on Diana. No matter how hard he tries to hide it, the man definitely cares.

* LowerDeckEpisode: The ''Unlimited'' portion of the series focuses heavily on lesser-known members DC Comics, with many minor and supporting heroes receiving their own episodes throughout its three seasons. The episode "Patriot Act" starred seven of these characters, who had weapon- or gadget-based super powers: Green Arrow and Speedy, Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E., the Crimson Avenger, Vigilante, and the Shining Knight. Counts as a MythologyGag because they [[note]] with Stargirl substituting for Star-Spangled Kid, and Stripsey without a battlesuit[[/note]] starred in the comic ''Comicbook/SevenSoldiersOfVictory''.
* LukeIAmYourFather: For ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' via [[FullyAbsorbedFinale "Epilogue."]] Hades also pulls this on Franchise/WonderWoman, only to have her shut him down by basically saying "Who cares?".

* [[ComplainingAboutPeopleNotLikingTheShow Complaining About People Not Liking Hawkgirl]]: [[invoked]] [[StalkerWithACrush Hawkman]] keeps getting banned from the "I Hate Hawkgirl" websites [[InUniverse because he is constantly flaming their members for their dislike of Hawkgirl.]]

* AllForNothing: For Cadmus the events of "Task Force X", in which Task Force X stole the Annihilator, becomes this after the following episode, "The Balance", when Felix Faust takes control of it, leading to it's destruction at Wonder Woman's hands.

** Franchise/TheFlash was the first to explicitly point out the ridiculous nature of skepticism in their line of work since, as he points out to John Stewart, "we've both got a [[ComicBook/MartianManhunter martian's]] phone number on our speed dial; I think I deserve the benefit of the doubt here."

** Vandal Savage's gambit in "The Savage Time". He could not actually time-travel on his own, but he could only send technology and messages to himself in the past.

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Lex Luthor, Simon Stagg, Morgan Edge, etc. Luthor even funds Cadmus and orchestrates an extensive PR campaign to rehabilitate his image so he can run or President... [[spoiler:which is false because he's doing it to ruin tge Justice League's reputation.]]

* ElevatorSnare: In [[Recap/JusticeLeagueS2E13And14Eclipsed "Eclipsed"]], the Flash has a TooDumbToLive moment when, after the rest of the League is possessed by an ancient evil, he tries to take the elevator instead of [[ForgotICouldFly running]].:

* DaylightHorror: Director's commentary of the episode "A Better World" said that, for them, it was far creepier when we see Alternative Universe Gotham entirely by daylight, which added to the dystopian feel that the universe's Justice League had created. In addition, the episode in question sets all events in the Justice Lord universe in the daylight and all in the Justice League at night.

* LightheartedRematch: In "Grudge Match".

* LikeBrotherAndSister: Flash and Hawkgirl.

* LivingShadow: Shadow Thief.

* LostWorld: Skartaris and Themyscira.
* LotusEaterMachine: The Black Mercy in "For The Man Who has Everything".

* DoesNotLikeShoes:
** Gypsy always goes around barefoot as to authenticate her gypsy attire. Aquagirl too from the Future Justice League Unlimited as seen in a flashback in "Epilogue".
** Villainous examples include Cheetah and Tala (extra points for going to the snowy regions of Nanda Parbat completely barefoot and barelegged). Another villainous example is the Ten from the second incarnation of the Royal Flush Gang (or third, Future Amanda Waller can't remember which). Like JLU Aquagirl, she just wears a one-piece swimsuit and nothing else. Unlike JLU Aquagirl, [[PrehensileHair her powers have nothing to do with water]]

* HeyYouHaymaker: Superman taps Darkseid on the shoulder to get him to turn around and clobbers him when he does during the finale.

* CuffsOffRubWrists: Even Superman does some wrist-massaging when any cuffs come off. Only once, in ''Starcrossed'', does it seem to be justified, since he had been held in a room filled with red sun radiation.