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Justice Society of America

General Tropes

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jsa.jpeg

L-R: Courtney Whitmore, Dr. Charles McNider, Rex Tyler, Todd Rice, Amaya Jiwe, and Henry "Hank" Heywood

A top secret organization which began operating in 1942 (on Earth-1). According to Nate Heywood, they are the greatest secret force the United States has ever known.

Adaptational Backstory Change: Vixen, Stargirl and Obsidian in the comics are not members of the wartime JSA - Stargirl is a modern day legacy character to Starman, who was part the wartime JSA, while Obsidian is the son of the golden age Green Lantern and a member of Infinity, Inc., the JSA equivalent of the Teen Titans. Vixen is a member of the Justice League.
Alternate Self: There are two other JSA's in The Multiverse, one on the post-Crisis Earth-2, the other on Earth-167.
Always Someone Better: They're more competent and less sloppy than the Legends, as demonstrated when the two teams fight. Granted the Legends were reluctant to fight, but still..
Breaking the Fellowship: After Hourman's murder and Vixen jumping through time to chase after his killer, the team mysteriously disbands with only Obsidian remaining. It is later revealed that each took a piece of the Spear of Destiny and were scattered through time. Star Girl ended up in Camelot, Mid-Nite wound up in the 30th century and Commander Steel ended up in 1960's Manhattan.
Fish out of Temporal Water: All but two (Rex and Obsidian) members are scattered throughout time. Amaya is Time Travelling with the Legends, Dr. Mid-Nite is on the year 3000, Stargirl is in 507 A.D., and Commander Steel is on the very beginning of The '70s.
Foil: To the Legends. The JSA are well coordinated, serious, and very competent with their missions. The Legends are sloppy, constantly argue, don't take things seriously, and regularly screw-up. Furthermore, the JSA remained largely secretive and hidden throughout history, while the Legends always create a scene and alert everyone to their presence in the time period they're visiting. Though on a more positive note to the Legends, while while the JSA have a very strict professional relationship, the Legends are more friendlier with each other.
The Greatest Story Never Told: Despite being very colorful superheroes who fought the Nazis, their adventures were kept so secret that none of the Legends knew about them except Dr. Heywood, the historian. And even then, only because he's Commander Steel's grandson. Likewise their mission to protect the Spear of Destiny which was so secret only Rip had any knowledge about it.
Guest-Star Party Member: All members except Rex (who was immediately killed), Amaya (who joins full time), and Charles (who was also killed) join the Legends in a one episode basis throughout Season 2.
Hero of Another Story: Heroes that operated during the 1940s and later on throughout scattered moments across time protecting the Spear of Destiny.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: All of them are extremely hostile to the Legends when they first meet, with Vixen being particularly hard on Ray, but they're still heroes and considering the circumstances they kinda had a good reason to be suspicious. They grow much warmer by the end of the episode though.
Magical Girl Warrior: Both female members are magic users.
Men Are the Expendable Gender: Of the four male members, only one (Obsidian) grew up into old age along with the two female members. Both Rex and Dr. Mid-Nite were killed. The former by Eobard Thawne, the latter by a Brainwashed and Crazy Rip Hunter. Commander Steel, on the other hand, dies in a Heroic Sacrifice.
Remember the New Guy?: So Oliver Queen and Barry Allen were the first public superheroes right? Nope, these guys were active as heroes decades before they were born. Yet they were never acknowledged until five seasons into the Arrowverse, and only Nate knew of them. Somewhat justified in that the knowledge of their existence was kept extremely classified and the team ended up disbanding not long after the war anyway.
Smug Super: Most of the members of the JSA look down on the Legends and believe they don't need their help, of course they're proven wrong.
Super Power Lottery: The Team consist of two metahumans (Obsidian and Dr. Mid-Nite), two magic users (Vixen and Stargirl), a Badass Normal (Commander Steel), and Hourman.
The Team: A superhero team that preceded all the current Arrowverse teams by over a half century.
Two Girls to a Team: Amaya and Courtney are the only female members.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: They (or rather, Obsidian and Dr. Mid-Nite) are one of the reasons why the Dominators attacked Earth to destroy all Metahumans.

Rex Tyler / Hourman

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arrowverse_rex_tyler.png

Species: Metahuman

Known Aliases: Hourman

Played By: Patrick J. Adams

First Appearance: "Legendary" (Legends of Tomorrow 1x16)

Appearances: Legends of Tomorrow

The Leader of the Justice Society of America, who comes to May 2016 under Future Mick Rory's orders.

see Stargirl (2020): Heroes for the post-Crisis Earth-2 character who bears his name and background

see Smallville: Clark's Allies for the Earth-167 character who bears his name and background

Adaptational Wimp: There is no indication of him using Miraclo in this incarnation.
And Starring: Is given a "Special Guest Star" citation.
Battle Couple: He and Amaya are in a relationship, but we never got to see them in action together.
Disposable Woman: Male example. Killed early on, his death motivates Vixen into joining the Legends and finding his killer.
Informed Ability: He is The Leader of the JSA, suggesting his combat and strategic prowess. None of those abilities were demonstrated in the show.
In the Hood: Wears a black hood as part of his costume.
Last Episode, New Character: Debuts in the Season 1 finale of Legends of Tomorrow.
The Leader: Of the Justice Society of America.
Politically Incorrect Hero: Automatically assumes Professor Stein to be The Leader of the Legends instead of Sara, on account of his age and her gender. Justified given that it's the 1940s.
Sacrificial Lamb: We got to know him a bit, but he's promptly killed off to show the threat of Reverse-Flash is still very real.
Two First Names: Per the DC Comics norm.
We Hardly Knew Ye: He's promptly killed by Reverse Flash to prevent his warning to the Legends.
White Male Lead: A Caucasian male and The Leader of the JSA.

Amaya Jiwe / Vixen I

see the Arrowverse: The Legends page

Courtney Whitmore / Stargirl

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arrowverse_courtney_whitmore.png

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arrowverse_stargirl.png

Species: Empowered Human

Known Aliases: Stargirl, Merlin

Played By: Sarah Grey

First Appearance: "Out of Time" (Legends of Tomorrow 2x1)

Appearances: Legends of Tomorrow

A young woman wielding a Magic Staff and a member of the Justice Society of America.

see Stargirl (2020): Heroes for the post-Crisis Earth-2 character who bears her name and background

see Smallville: Clark's Allies for the Earth-167 character who bears her name and background

Action Girl: She's a female superhero.
Adaptational Modesty: Her outfit is typically midriff baring, which includes her last live action appearance on Smallville, while here her outfit covers her belly.
Age Lift:
- Courtney Whitmore is typically depicted as a young girl or a teenager, here she's played by 20 year old Sarah Grey.
- Furthermore she's more of a modern day character, and definitely not old enough to be in the Justice Society of America during the 1940s.
The Baby of the Bunch: Much like Jax, she's a fair bit younger than the rest of her team, and may be underaged.
Boxing Lessons for Superman: Courtney doesn't have powers herself, with her abilities coming from her staff. However, she's trained in hand-to-hand combat like all the JSA members.
Composite Character: Merlin is a distinct character in the comics. Courtney ends up becoming the Arrowverse version of Merlin. It also counts as Gender Flip.
- As a WWII era Justice Society member and having Star in her superhero alias, she takes the place of Ted Knight, the original Starman, with her Cosmic Staff replacing Ted's Gravity Rod.
- Being a WWII era female superhero with advanced hand-to-hand fighting skills and an American flag-themed outfit makes her similar to the Earth-Two Wonder Woman.
Forbidden Fruit: She's in-love with an already married man.
Flying Firepower: She can fly and fire energy bolts from her staff.
Gender Flip: Prior to Courtney, every version of Merlin has always been male.
Guest-Star Party Member: Courtney temporarily joins the Legends during the episode "Camelot/3000" to fight the Legion and save a mind-controlled King Arthur and his men.
I Choose to Stay: Willingly stays in 507 AD to be with King Arthur.
Living Legend: She got sent back in time, where she's revealed to be Merlin.
Magic Staff: Her main arsenal. It provides her with a Flying Firepower.
Ship Tease: With Jax, who quite evidently has a crush on her.
Sole Survivor: Courtney is the only member of the Spear of Destiny team who wasn't killed protecting her fragment.
Statuesque Stunner: She's 5'8 1/2 and is definitely attractive as Jax can attest to.
Subordinate Excuse: Her other reason for staying in the 6th century AD: to stay with the man she loves.
Symbol Motif Clothing: Three stars on each arm and one on her chest.
Tagalong Kid: She's the youngest member of the JSA.
Wearing a Flag on Your Head: Her costume is modeled after the American flag.

Hank Heywood / Commander Steel

Henry "Hank" Heywood / Commander Steel

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arrowverse_henry_heywood.png

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arrowverse_commander_steel.png

Species: Human

Known Aliases: Commander Steel, The Chameleon

Played By: Matthew MacCaull

First Appearance: "Out of Time" (Legends of Tomorrow 2x1)

Appearances: Legends of Tomorrow

Nate Heywood's grandfather and a member of the Justice Society of America.

Abled in the Adaptation: He was turned into a Cyborg in the comics due to injuries. He was spared from that fate here.
Ace Pilot: Amaya mentions that he was a fighter pilot before being recruited by the JSA. Word of God says he was in the U.S. Marine Corps Aviation.
Adapted Out: He was turned into a Cyborg in the comics. Here, he remains a Badass Normal.
Alliterative Name: Henry "Hank" Heywood.
Badass Normal: His only weapons are his skills and his rifle.
Batman Gambit: Henry spend the better part of five years rising up the ranks of NASA to ensure that he could place his fragment of the Spear of Destiny into the flagpole that Neil Armstrong would place on the moon.
The Big Guy: He's the most combat proficient of the JSA due to being a former marine.
Disappeared Dad: According to Nate, Hank was never around in his father's life. Time Travel changed the reasons quite a few times, but it's ultimately because he died in a Heroic Sacrifice.
Face Death with Dignity: He calmly makes his Heroic Sacrifice and only sheds Manly Tears while giving a final So Proud of You speech to Nate.
Guest-Star Party Member: Henry temporarily joins the team during the episode "Moonshot" in order to ensure that his fragment of the Spear of Destiny doesn't fall into Eobard Thawne's hands and to save the members of the Apollo 13 launch. Fittingly this is also the episode he dies in.
The Gunslinger: Rarely seen without his trusty rifle.
Heroic Sacrifice: Due to the Waverider being damaged from a collision with an asteroid belt, the cargo bay door needed to be manually opened in order to adjust for impact upon re-entry to Earth. Henry willingly opens up the cargo bay door knowing that he would be sucked out and die.
Hidden Depths: Amaya reveals that he loves to sing and would often try and make her smile during their missions together.
Lantern Jaw of Justice: Squared jawlines are a family trait according to his future grandson Nate.
Married to the Job: Hank is a dedicated soldier, something he himself sees as a fault.
Military Superhero: He was in the Marine Corps prior to his recruitment into the JSA.
My God, What Have I Done?: When Nate tells him about how his son become a shitty father to him due to Freudian Excuse of having a Disappeared Dad, Hank is immediately distraught.
Never My Fault: When Henry sees Rip for the first time in years he punches him out due to blaming him for bringing him along on the Spear of Destiny mission and letting his wife think he was dead despite the fact that he willingly chose to help Rip. He eventually realizes this and apologizes to Rip by the end of the episode.
Red Baron: Dubbed "The Chameleon" for his stealth and infiltration skills.
Semper Fi: He was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and his JSA costume even has the colors of the aviation component's emblem.
Sergeant Rock: He was a staff sergeant in the USMC ^note prior to his recruitment into the JSA and his "stern yet personable" attitude is evident from the get go.
So Proud of You: By the end he has this opinion of Nate.
Tall, Dark, and Handsome: He stands 5'11.
Tall, Dark, and Snarky: Acts indifferent towards Nate at first although he eventually warms up to him.
The Team Normal: The only one with no super powers or abilities whatsoever, being completely in the realms of normality.
White Shirt of Death: Is wearing the white NASA uniform when he performed his Heroic Sacrifice.

Charles McNider / Doctor Mid-Nite