Earth 3 is the thirtieth Episode in DC Universe Online which spotlights the Crime Syndicate: A Mirror Universe version of the Justice League.
Summary
An unknown craft has crash landed in the peaceful town of Smallville. Superman and Lex Luthor has asked the new heroes and villains respectively to investigate. This soon leads to Lexcorp where both encounter a familiar face: Lex himself! Though not the one we're familiar with. This alternate version of Lex Luthor, or rather Alexander Luthor has come to this Earth in a desperate attempt to find help in defeating the Crime Syndicate, a twisted version of the Justice League. This leads the Justice League and Lex traveling to Earth 3, an Earth where evil always wins.Tropes
- All for Nothing: Wonder Woman's attempts to bring good to the people of Earth 3 is this, as optional dialogue with her at the end of the "Earth 3: The Escape" raid has her admit that Earth 3 is irredeemable.
- Being Good Sucks:
- Ultraman taunts Alexander Luthor for trying to be a hero in a world that only respects fear (See Hannibal Lecture).
- Complete the "The Last Will and Testament of the Justice Underground" collection as a villain and you'll receive a message from The Riddler musing that their heroic counterparts in Earth 3 were dead and them becoming villains was the better choice as, you know, they're still alive.
- Berserk Button: Owlman usually maintains his cool composure, but stating that he was the one who got Richard Grayson killed is enough to make him snap.
- Black Widow: Superwoman is fully aware of the Love Triangle involving herself, Ultraman, and Owlman. While she says she'll side with the stronger victory, she makes it clear that in the end she'll stand alone.
- Call-Back: Upon the Justice League meeting Alexander Luthor, Batman states that they shouldn't trust a Luthor. Any Luthor.
- Dominatrix: Superwoman is essentially this, down to her magic lasso being called the Lasso of Submission."No one lays a hand on me, unless I command it."
- Egopolis: It's implied that Ultraman has renamed the Earth-3 Metropolis to "Ultropolis."
- Enemy Mine: In contrast the the Justice League being True Companions, the Crime Syndicate are only together as a means to an end with each planning on turning against the others in the future. Lampshaded by Luthor who, in a message after collecting all of the designated briefings, wonders if the villains in the society are any different from the Syndicate.
- Establishing Character Moment: Upon arriving in Earth Three during the "The Visitor" duo, when you rescue citizens from the Corrupt Cops, they tell the "freaks" to mind their own business rather than be grateful.
- Evil Me Scares Me: While he has yet to encounter his mirror counterpart, Cyborg hopes that unlike him, who has just joined the Justice League, he wasn't able to join the Crime Syndicate.
- The "Mirror Image: Justice League" Briefings have Superman and The Flash have this reaction towards Ultraman and Johnny Quick respectively.
- Fat Bastard: The Earth 3 version of Jim Gordon is the mayor of Gotham City and is overweight.
- The Ghost: Power Ring and Atomica, the Earth 3 counterparts of Green Lantern and The Atom are only mentioned.
- Hannibal Lecture: Ultraman gives one to Alexander in the climax of Earth 3: The Escape.Ultraman: Always the hero... But the people of this world don't respect heroes! They respect only fear. And I am the one they fear the most, with good reason. Soon, the Crime Syndicate will be the most feared beings on two Earths.
- It's Personal: Batman is pissed after seeing the Earth 3 version of Gotham that is somehow even worse than the city he has spent his life trying to redeem. Especially Mayor Gordon. Learning about Richard Grayson's fate nearly pushes him over the edge.
- Last of His Kind: Alexander Luthor is the sole surviving member of the Justice Underground, the Mirror Universe version of the Secret Society of Supervillains.
- The Millstone: Anything that goes wrong for the Justice League in Earth 3 can usually be attributed to Lex.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Lex does this multiple times. First, when he infiltrates the Panopticon, he gets captured to where Owlman manages to extract the vibratory frequency of his Earth, allowing the Crime Syndicate to develop a plan for an invasion. Then Lex, having learned nothing from his capture, runs off on his own to confront Ultraman, hitting him with a Kryptonite Lance. Which only serves to power him up. While Lex did not know the latter would happen, one would think he would actually wait after barely escaping from being Mind Raped.
- Other Me Annoys Me: Lex sends villains who complete the "CCPD Case Files: Speed Dating" investigation a message stating that if Captain Cold found out about his Earth 3 Counterpart Detective Snart, he would find a way there just so he could kill him. Even stating that Cold would not be able to live it down.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- At the conclusion of the "Injustice System" Alert, Batman delivers one to a trapped Mayor Gordon:
Batman: You're nothing but a maggot feeding on this city and you deserve what's coming! You're as corrupt and guilty as the entire city!- In the "Earth 3: The Panopticon" raid, Lex confronts Ultraman with a Kryptonite-tipped spear in hand:
Lex Luthor: I should thank you, Kryptonian. For proving everything I believed about your kind to be true. Ultraman, Superman... You both act like you're gods. But gods don't bleed! - Replacement Goldfish: The purpose for Owlman having Richard Grayson's parents killed is so that he, as Thomas Wayne Jr, could adopt him to serve as this to Bruce.
- Wham Line:Ultraman: Kryptonite? You think you can kill me with Kryptonite!?
- Worth It: Inverted at the end in regards to Lex's plan to fill the power vacuum that would be left by eliminating the Crime Syndicate. As far as he's concerned, any Earth where Superman is more ruthless than him is an Earth he wants no part of.
