Line #46 ComicBook/LastDaysOfTheJusticeSociety


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/41c5c5f3f226fbcf8b26848137a6b83c.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:It's the final adventure of the Justice Society...for the time being.]]
3	''Last Days of the Justice Society'' was a one-shot comic book special published by Creator/DCComics in 1986. It was written by Creator/RoyThomas, with art by David Ross and Mike Gustovich. It now has a trade paperback reprint with additional stories from the second ''ComicBook/SecretOrigins'' series.
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5	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 ComicBook/PostCrisis reality (the Golden Age Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/WonderWoman), ComicBook/{{the Spectre}} appears unto the team to reveal that UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler has used TheSpearOfDestiny 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 and leading to the end of the world. 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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7	The story was briefly recapped in ''Armageddon: Inferno'', although parts of the story were changed to fit the Post-Crisis timeline. In that story, the JSA was rescued, and another group consisting of Abraxis' "daemens" willingly took their place, to allow them to return to the Post-Crisis DCU safely. The story was also revisited in a ''ComicBook/TalesFromTheDarkMultiverse'' issue, where different heroes tried and failed to quell the threat.
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9	!!This comic book story provides examples of
10	* AnyoneCanDie: The initial 1945 siege sees many of the heroes shot dead before Hitler uses the Spear to destroy the world in a planet-sized fireball.
11	* ApocalypseHow: The complete destruction of the universe.
12	* 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.
13	* TheBadGuyWins: The 1945 flashback ends with Hitler succeeding in destroying the universe, with only time travel and interdimensional battles being able to set things right.
14	* 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.
15	* 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.
16	* BookEnds:
17	** Ignoring the prologue, the story begins and ends at the grounds of Hall Manor, where fallen Justice Society members have been buried.
18	** 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.
19	* BreathWeapon: The Midgard Serpent kills Green Lantern with poison fumes that he exhales with his last breath.
20	* TheCameo: ComicBook/InfinityInc makes a brief appearance in this special.
21	* ChildSoldier: The Flash gets killed by a child soldier working for the Nazis in 1945 during the fall of Berlin.
22	* DeathFromAbove: A firestorm strikes the Earth as the hour of its destruction approaches in 1945, killing both soldiers and civilians alike.
23	* DecompositeCharacter: Thor's aspect is seen both in Johnny Thunder's lightning bolt and Green Lantern's magic ring, particularly when Alan Scott uses the ring to become Thor.
24	* DelayedRippleEffect:
25	** 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.
26	** 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, starting from ''ComicBook/AllStarSquadron'' issue 60.
27	* DisneyDeath: The Justice Society members who were killed in the Ragnarök battle are resurrected for the final fight with Surtur the fire giant.
28	* 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.
29	* DueToTheDead: In the present, the Justice Society pay their respects to their fallen comrades, including the presently-killed Dick Grayson (Robin) and Helena Wayne (Huntress), while in 1945, they pay their respects at the funeral of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
30	* DwindlingParty: The Justice Society members of 1945 who aren't affected by the Spear of Destiny become this as they get closer and closer to Adolf Hitler in their attempt to stop him from using the Spear to destroy the universe. By the time they get to Hitler, only Batman, Wildcat, and Hawkman are left before Hitler destroys the world in a giant inferno.
31	* 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 [[ComicBook/Armageddon2001 another universe-threatening situation would bring them back home]].
32	* EverybodyDiesEnding: The 1945 flashback ends with everyone in the JSA dying via magical fire, with the Earth itself being destroyed shortly after. Stopping this from happening is the goal of the comic.
33	* EverythingsBetterWithRainbows: Asgard, complete with Bifrost.
34	* 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.
35	* TheFellowshipHasEnded: The Spectre walks in on the JSA ''just'' as they're about to disband for good.
36	* 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.]]
37	* {{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.
38	* 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.
39	* GodHelpUsAll: Said by President-Elect UsefulNotes/HarrySTruman in regards to the Justice Society in 1945 being unable to penetrate the "rip in the sky".
40	* GoshDangItToHeck: One of the Allied forces soldiers says "holy spit" when he sees fire raining from the sky in 1945.
41	* {{Gotterdammerung}}: What takes place in the story, and what the Justice Society is trying to change the outcome of.
42	* GroundhogDayLoop: The battle of Ragnarök repeats itself every time the Justice Society succeeds in winning it, leaving them trapped in an eternal duel.
43	* HearingVoices: As Ragnarok commences, the JSA hears the epic poem narration in their minds and attempt to defy their chosen fates at times.
44	* {{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.
45	* HeroicSacrifice: The modern members of the JSA sans Power Girl, Star-Spangled Kid, and Dr. Fate make the choice to stay perpetually in battle with the forces of Ragnarok to keep the world from dying.
46	* HornAttack: Loki's head horns stab Starman {{in the back}} after he has been decapitated by Starman's cosmic rod.
47	* IAmTheNoun: The Spectre: "I am the universe...and I am dying!"
48	* KilledOffscreen: Wildcat isn't shown dying on-panel and is last seen trying to fight his impending doom, but he apparently died as he's resurrected with the others in the finale.
49	* LegacyCharacter: Discussed in-universe, as the JSA members feel that with younger heroes taking old mantles they're irrelevant now.
50	* LeeroyJenkins: Johnny Thunder, who just rushes into combat with the Midgard Serpent with his Thunderbolt and gets killed.
51	* 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.
52	* NoPlaceForMeThere: The surviving senior Justice Society members felt they had no place among the modern-day heroes after the Crisis and decided to retire and disband the group, until the Spectre makes them aware of the story's impending disaster.
53	* OffWithHisHead: Starman uses his cosmic rod to decapitate Loki, whose horned head then kills Starman.
54	* OmnicidalManiac: Adolf Hitler graduates to becoming this, deciding to destroy the world rather than lose the war.
55	* OpenSaysMe: In the 1945 flashback where history ends up changing, Hourman rips open a huge door leading into a Nazi military bunker, only to soon be shot down by a machine gun nest waiting behind the door. Hourman hurls the door right at them as he is gunned down, killing his assailants in the process.
56	* PoisonIsCorrosive: The Midgard Serpent spews powerful venom which kills Johnny Thunder on contact.
57	* 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.
58	* 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.
59	** Most of the high-powered heroes (Superman, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate, and Wonder Woman) are sidelined from the inital 1945 battle because they're the most vulnerable to the Spear of Destiny's influence. This also keeps them from easily stopping Hitler before the plot can start.
60	* 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.
61	* SealedEvilInADuel: The Justice Society are locked in a duel against the evil gods of Valhalla that they must repeat indefinitely to save the universe.
62	* SeaMonster: The Midgard Serpent, which Johnny Thunder and Green Lantern fight to the death.
63	* SetTheWorldOnFire: What Adolf Hitler does to the world and the whole universe in 1945.
64	* TheSpearOfDestiny: The Spear gets used here.
65	* 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.
66	* SwallowedWhole: Hawkman and Hawkgirl meet their (temporary) end inside the gaping jaws of Fenrir.
67	* TakingYouWithMe: Adolf Hitler to the entire world on a grand scale, as he unleashes the power of TheSpearOfDestiny when he and his Nazi forces are so close to defeat. Also a few instances in the battle of Ragnarok itself, such as the Midgard Serpent killing Green Lantern as Thor upon his death and Loki's head killing Starman after its decapitation.
68	* ThunderHammer: Green Lantern as Thor lays the smackdown on the Midgard Serpent before he dies by the toxic fumes of the serpent.
69	* TimeTravel: Used in this story by the current-day members of the Justice Society.
70	* 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.
71	* VillainousBreakdown: Hitler panics when it turns out that his ritual to destroy the world is not working.
72	-->'''Hitler:''' Why is [[{{Ghostapo}} the magic]] ''not working? Why??''
73	* WartimeWedding: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, though it lasted only until they both killed themselves.
74	* WorldWreckingWave: 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.
75	* YouCantFightFate: Wildcat realizes that he as Tyr is supposed to die in his fight with Garmr and tries to change that fate, but he still succumbs anyway.

Context ComicBook / LastDaysOfTheJusticeSociety