History Recap / JusticeLeagueS1E10And11WarWorld

Superman and Martian Manhunter are abducted by extraterrestrial slave traders and are sold to a planet of the despotic ruler Mongul where the population spends its time watching aliens in mortal combat in an enormous colosseum. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl set out to rescue them.


!!Tropes:

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Having defeated Mongul, Draaga offers Superman the crown. Superman, in turn, gives it to Draaga (who actually dealt the finishing blow).
* BelligerentSexualTension: Pretty much the entirety of the episode's subplot, which involves Green Lantern and Hawkgirl traveling across space in search of their teammates.
* BreadAndCircuses: Mongul's empire drew obvious parallels to the Roman Empire. The Martian Manhunter finds out there's mass unemployment and poverty, but people are kept entertained by the [[BloodSport gladiatorial games]].
* CanonForeigner: A bizarre example in that J'onn, Hawkgirl and Green Lantern are all characters from the comics but they did not feature in the Superman storyline this two-parter adapts.
* CrowdChant: When Superman refuses Mongul's order to kill Draaga, the Martian Manhunter starts a chant of "Superman!" in the stadium, which convinces Mongul that executing Superman for his defiance might be [[PowderKegCrowd a bad idea]].
* CruelMercy: At first, Draaga considers Superman's refusal to "FinishHim" as this. Later, Draaga himself refuses to finish off Mongul, saying the despot doesn't deserve an honorable death.
* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Mongol apparently believes this.
* DramaPreservingHandicap: Something in War World's atmosphere (we never learn exactly what) weakens the Martian Manhunter, preventing him from rescuing Superman by brute force and disrupting his attempt to impersonate Mongul.
* FascistButInefficient: Despite his iron-fisted cruelty, Mongul is shown to be an extremely poor and incompetent ruler of War World, as the planet has suffered from mass poverty and unemployment under his leadership. He manages to keep the populace docile by providing [[BreadAndCircuses entertainment]] in the form of the gladiatorial games.
* FinishHim: After Superman defeats Gladiator Draaga, Mongul orders Superman to do this. [[AllLovingHero Being who he is]], he refuses, even when Draaga himself begs him to do so.
* GladiatorGames: This two-parter episode focuses on these.
* GladiatorRevolt: Towards the end of the second part of “War World”, Superman rose to become champion, beat Mongul on interdimensional TV, and overthrew his rule.
* AHandfulForAnEye: Draaga does this when he fights Superman.
* [[IHaveYourWife I Have Your Planet]]:
** Mongul reveals that he has blackmailed Draaga for years, pointing a large DeathRay at his home planet and threatening to destroy it if he refuses to fight in his games.
** Later, Mongul makes the same threat against Superman; Supes just informs him that [[SubvertedTrope Krypton is already gone]]. Only for Mongul to [[DoubleSubversion double-subvert]] it by pointing the DeathRay right back at Draaga's planet. As he points out, "Any planet will do."
* AScarToRemember: Draaga does this to ''himself'', burning an "S" into his chest to remind him of his shame in losing to Superman.
* StrikeMeDown: When Superman refuses to kill Draaga after defeating him, Draaga asks him to go ahead and give him an honorable death.
* TakingYouWithMe: Downplayed. Mongul coerces Superman into throwing his next bout (against Mongul, no less); and while Superman has every intention of complying, he refuses to go down as easily as Mongul would like.
-->'''Mongul:''' ''(after taking several punches)'' What do you think you're doing?\\
'''Superman:''' ''(smirking)'' Making it ''convincing''. [MegatonPunch]
* ThrowingTheFight: Mongul, unwilling to simply execute a popular gladiator, blackmails Superman into taking a dive by threatening to destroy Draaga's homeworld.
* WhyWontYouDie: Mongul orders Superman executed via ray guns in one scene. Though they cause him pain, they don't really harm his body. Mongul goes, "What!? Still alive!?"

* BelligerentSexualTension: Pretty much the entirety of the episode's subplot, which involves Green Lantern and Hawkgirl traveling across space in search of Superman.

* GladiatorRevolt: Towards the end of the second part of “War Worlds”, Superman rose to become champion, beat Mongul on interdimensional TV, and overthrew his rule.

* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans

* GladiatorGames
* GladiatorRevolt

* Mongul reveals that he has blackmailed Draaga for years, pointing a large DeathRay at his home planet and threatening to destroy it if he refuses to fight in his games.
* Later, Mongul makes the same threat against Supeerman; Supes just informs him that [[SubvertedTrope Krypton is already gone]]. Only for Mongul to [[DoubleSubversion double-subvert]] it by pointing the DeathRay right back at Draaga's planet. As he points out, "Any planet will do."

* DramaPreservingHandicap: Something in War World's atmosphere weakens the Martian Manhunter, preventing him from rescuing Superman by brute force and disrupting his attempt to impersonate Mongul.

* FinishHim: After Superman defeats Gladiator Draaga, Mongul orders Superman to do this. [[AllLovingHero Being who he is]], he refuses, even when Draaga himself asks him to do so.

* [[IHaveYourWife I Have Your Planet]]: Mongul reveals that he has blackmailed Draaga for years, pointing a large DeathRay at his home planet and threatening to destroy it if he refuses to fight in his games.

* AbsenteeActor: Because they weren't present when the plot kicks off, Batman, the Flash and Wonder Woman are on Earth while their teammates are occupied.

* FinishHim: After Superman defeats Gladiator Draaga, Mongul orders Superman to do this. [[AllLovingHero Being who he is]], he refuses, even when Draega himself asks him to do so.

* FinishHim: After Superman defeats Gladiator Draega, Mongul orders Superman to do this. [[AllLovingHero Being who he is]], he refuses, even when Draega himself asks him to do so.

* [[IHaveYourWife I Have Your Planet]]: Mongul reveals that he has blackmailed Draega for years, pointing a large DeathRay at his home planet and threatening to destroy it if he refuses to fight in his games.

* [[IHaveYourWife I Have Your Planet]]: Mongul reveals that he has blackmailed Draega for years, pointing a large DeathRay at his home planet and threatening to destroy it if he refuses to fight in his games.

* FinishHim: After Superman defeats Gladiator Draega, Mongul orders Superman to do this. [[TheMessiah Being who he is]], he refuses, even when Draega himself asks him to do so.

* GladiatorRevolt