Justice League/Teen Titans Chronicles: Dark Kingdom

Justice League/Teen Titans Chronicles: Dark Kingdom is an american Direct-to Video animated superhero film which is part of the Justice League/Teen Titans Animated Universe.

Featured Characters

 * Justice League
 * Aquaman / Arthur Curry
 * Batman / Bruce Wayne
 * Batgirl / Oracle / Barbara Gordon
 * Red Robin / Tim Drake
 * Robin / Damian Wayne
 * Flash / Barry Allen
 * Green Arrow / Oliver Queen
 * Green Lantern / Hal Jordan
 * Shazam
 * Billy Batson
 * Star Sapphire / Carol Ferris
 * Stargirl / Courtney Whitmore
 * Superman / Clark Kent / Kal-El (flashback and main story)
 * White Lantern / Kyle Rayner
 * Wonder Woman / Diana of Themyscira
 * Teen Titans
 * Beast Boy / Garfield Logan
 * Cyborg / Victor Stone
 * Nightwing / Dick Grayson
 * Starfire / Koriand’r
 * Raven
 * Knights of Rao (flashback and main story)
 * Alpha-Wolf / Milo Chaves
 * Black Owl / Zoe Lawton
 * Blue Lantern / Collin Hill
 * Galaxor / Mitchell Davis
 * New Gaia / Delilah Raymond Snow
 * Omega Knight / Jason Burke
 * Star Hunter / Felix Whitmore
 * Sun Rose / Esperanza Del Rey
 * Terra / Tara Markov
 * Toymaster / Hiro Okamura

Supporting Characters

 * Lois Lane (flashback and main story)
 * Lena Luthor / Tess Mercer (single appearance) (flashback and main story) (resurrected) (dies)
 * Liberty Belle / Jesse Chambers (first appearance)
 * Jessica "Jade" Cruz
 * Caitlin Fairchild
 * Steve Trevor
 * Rick Flag
 * Bronze Tiger / Benjamin “Ben” Turner
 * Big Barda
 * Queen Perdita

Villains

 * General Zod (first appearance) (flashback and main story) (resurrected) (dies)
 * Ra’s al Ghul (first appearance) (resurrected) (dies)
 * Floronic Man / Jason Woodrue (first appearance as Floronic Man) (resurrected) (dies)
 * Poison Ivy / Pamela Isley
 * Talia al Ghul (dies)
 * Project Cadmus
 * Ultimen
 * Downpour (resurrected) (dies)
 * Galatea (resurrected) (dies)
 * Juice (resurrected)  (dies)
 * Shifter (resurrected) (dies)
 * Wind Dragon (resurrected)  (dies)
 * Lexcorp
 * Lex Luthor
 * Metallo / John Corbin (dies)
 * Task Force X
 * Captain Boomerang / George "Digger" Harkness (resurrected) (dies)
 * Captain Cold / Leonard Snart
 * Clayface / Basil Carlo
 * Harley Quinn / Harleen Quinzel
 * Killer Frost / Louise Lincoln (resurrected) (dies)
 * King Shark / Nanaue (resurrected) (dies)
 * Ares (flashback and main story) (resurrected) (dies)
 * Agamemnon (first appearance) (resurrected) (dies)
 * Spartans
 * Joker (resurrected) (dies)
 * Darkseid (flashback only)
 * Slade (mentioned)

Other Characters

 * Highfather (flashback only)
 * Blue Lantern Corps (mentioned)
 * Martha Wayne
 * Lillian (single appearance) (resurrected) (dies)
 * Jonathan "Pa" Kent (first appearance) (flashback only)
 * Martha "Ma" Kent (first appearance) (flashback only)

Premise
Set between the events of the Justice League: Knights of Rao episodes War of Light, Part 2: Seven Lights in Hand and Big Twisted Bomb, fugitive scientists of Project Cadmus attempt to rebuild the agency’s destroyed reputation by creating a new device which can bring the dead back to life. But when the new device falls in the hands of criminals who end up using it to resurrect deceased foes of the Justice League, Terra and her Knights of Rao work to rebuild an ancient device created by the New Genesis Gods to undo what the rogue scientists started while the Justice League and the Teen Titans work to stop the new threat which Luthor unwillingly unleashed before before something worse can be created.

Plot
10 years ago, Lena Luthor witnessed the chaotic battle between Superman and his fellow members of the Justice League against the forces of General Zod, who was planning to terraform Earth in the image of Krypton. In order to help the League stop Zod's plan, Lena found the need of sacrificing herself by piloting a war plane containing Superman's Kryptonian Escape Pod and directing it to Zod's terraforming machine, destroying it and killing Zod in the progress. While attending to Lena's funeral, her father Lex Luthor loudly blamed Superman for "having brought this on" while vowing revenge on him.

In present day, following the seven Lantern Corps’ battle against the Black Lanterns, Luthor’s employed scientists had salvaged a small shard from the Black Lantern Power Battery as paid by his secret benefactors from Project Cadmus (who are going to hiding following Amanda Waller's arrest). Using a new device the Lexcorp Engineers built called the “Heart of Anubis”, Luthor manages to resurrect Lena. However, Lena (having experienced visions of her father’s crimes, including one which allowed Vandal Savage to take away numerous innocent lives ) reprimands him in tears of rage before escaping the facility and departing to places unknown with help from Jesse Chambers / Liberty Belle, a young speedster who was spying on Luthor. As Luthor orders his men to search for her everywhere, a stranger sneaks into the facility and discreetly steals the Heart of Anubis.

Next day, Lena (disguising herself as Tess Mercer) is hiding from authorities who are possibly loyal to Luthor until she crosses paths with Terra and her teammates the Knights of Rao (whom she is aware to be related to Vandal Savage’s victims) as well as the Teen Titans. Despite aware of her true identity and parentage, the young heroes spare her and agree to help her hide from Luthor’s agents. After Tess tells the Knights and the Titans of what Luthor committed, Terra and Nightwing contact the Justice League and alert them of the situation. Meanwhile, Harley Quinn, who was the intruder who invaded Lexcorp, uses the Heart of Anubis to resurrect the Joker, who had perished during the Enchantress’ rampage in Midway City. Her act inadvertently resurrects General Zod and Ra’s al Ghul along with several other villains and dark hearted ancient mortals who perished sometime ago before it successfully resurrects the Joker.

Knowing that the source of the deceased villains and tyrants’ resurrection is the Heart of Anubis, the young heroes formulate a plan to destroy it. While the Titans go on to help the Justice League, the Knights are approached by Big Barda, who informs them that they can destroy the Heart of Anubis with the Anti-Matter Fang, an ancient sword of massive power which was once wielded by the finest of the New Gods until it was shattered into pieces during a conflict between Highfather and Darkseid. Terra and her team exact to find an collect the pieces and bring them together so that they can destroy the Heart of Anubis. Meanwhile, the Justice League (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and Aquaman) and the Titans arrive in Lexcorp to investigate the files about the Heart of Anubis before they battle and defeat an army of Spartans sent there by Ares, who previously perished due to the instant lack of conflict (as a result of the Blue Lantern Corps and Knights of Rao’s actions against Tyranny ) until he was resurrected by the Heart.

Toymaster, New Gaia, Blue Lantern and Star Hunter are with Tess in a ravaged Project Cadmus facility of London to retrieve some shards which were buried in the debris. They are ambushed in there by Task Force X Squad members who were sent there by Luthor to retrieve Tess. The villains are however defeated with help from Liberty Belle and Hal Jordan's Green Lantern trainee Jessica "Jade" Cruz, who also agree to help with the shards of the sword. Alpha-Wolf, Black Owl, Galaxor and Omega Knight are in Vlatava where they discover some more shards in Count Vertigo’s secret laboratory (which Perdita was unaware of). The group are met there by the Justice League and the Titans just as Vlatava was to be attacked by the Ultimen, whom the heroes defeat and repel.

Terra and Sun Rose are with Barda are in the volcanic lands of Apokolips, where they are searching for the Anti-Soul Ruby, which is one of the three main sources of the sword’s power (along with the Sol and Lunar rubies). There, they encounter Bruce Wayne’s mother Martha, whose soul was chosen to be the Ruby’s keeper until it would be obtained by someone from Earth or New Genesis. Reaching the Ruby's sanctuary, the three are informed that the Ruby can only be obtained with the sacrifice of a human mortal with irredeemable soul. They are ambushed there by Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter Talia, who was planning to brainwash or kill her son Damian’s friends unless he abandons his father’s rules and path. The two girls and Barda, deeming her as a soulless mother who does not truly love her son, consequently thwart Talia and throw her into the fiery pits to her death, earning the Ruby.

Now after the Sol Ruby, which is in possession of the Enchantress (who has become an independent life form strong enough to live without a host thanks to the Heart of Anubis) as part of General Zod’s plans to terraform Earth into the new image of Krypton, Terra lures and confronts Zod’s forces in what was once Troy until it was invaded and destroyed by Agamemnon and his army centuries ago. She is joined in the fight by Superman, Stargirl, White Lantern, Starfire and Shazam and, after Enchantress is subdued by Starfire, Terra obtains the Sol Ruby and departs as Superman holds Zod back until the Knights complete their mission. While waiting for Terra, Tess is ambushed by Metallo, who was given a new robotic body which uses the Lunar Ruby as the battery and is seeking revenge on the Knights for foiling his attempts against Superman. Metallo severely woulds Tess, but she cannot die because of the effects of the Heart of Anubis (which will soon affect all humanity the more it resurrects the dark-hearted), which also grant her greater strength. Taking advantage of this, Tess fights back and rips the Lunar Stone from Metallo's chest, destroying his body and John Corbin's consciousness in the progress.

While Batman and his proteges (Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin and Red Robin) work with Geo-Force and Flash to battle Ra’s al Ghul, Poison Ivy, Jason Woodrue (who was resurrected as Floronic Man ) and the Task Force X Squad in Gotham City and with the Joker watching, Wonder Woman and Aquaman lead their armies of Amazons and Atlanteans to aid the U.S.A. soldiers in a battle against an army of Spartans commanded by Agamemnon and sent by Ares to destroy Metropolis. The Justice League and the Titans, along with Liberty Belle, the Amazons and Atlanteans, mount a defense and a battle issues. Terra reunites with her teammates and they assemble the shards and the rubies, successfully rebuilding the sword. As the others follow Barda in the battle for Metropolis, Terra and Tess head to the Heart of Anubis.

The two are ambushed by Rose, who is reluctant to let them destroy the Heart because it had just resurrected her long lost mother Lillian. Tess holds Rose off enough for Terra to finally destroy the Heart of Anubis with the completed sword. Just then, Tara has a tearful moment with Tess, who thanks her for setting her free and peacefully crumbles into stardust in Tara’s arms as Rose desperately rushes to her mother. The Knights of Rao’s mission succeeds, with those who were resurrected by the Heart of Anubis disintegrating into ashes, including Galatea, Downpour, Shifter, Juice, Wind Dragon, Agamemnon, Ares, Zod, Enchantress, Floronic Man, Ra’s al Ghul, Captain Boomerang, Killer Frost, King Shark and finally the Joker. Rose reaches her mother, who voices regret over seeing her daughter become what Slade turned her into and for having done nothing to stop him before she disintegrates as well. Learning of his daughter’s death, the enraged Luthor again blames it on Superman, who in turn scolds him for almost wiping out everyone else’s existence with his ambitious attempts to bring Lena back to life.

Luthor starts facing more accusations on him about the incident by Steve Trevor and Rick Flag as Superman and his fellow members of the League leave. Tara visits Lena Luthor’s grave (which is now written “Tess Mercer”) as she voices regret for her death. Tara is comforted by Diana, who convinces her that Tess is in a better place now. Just then, the two are approached and greeted by Tess’ spirit, who gently encourages Tara in continuing leading her friends on their mission to save the world from Tyranny, to which a confident Tara takes off to do so as Diana watches with a smile.

Cast

 * Ashley Johnson as Terra / Tara Markov
 * Kevin Conroy as Batman / Bruce Wayne
 * George Newbern as Superman / Clark Kent / Kal-El
 * as Tess Mercer / Lena Luthor
 * Dana Delany as Lois Lane
 * Mae Whitman as New Gaia / Delilah Raymond Snow
 * Jessie Flower as Liberty Belle / Jesse Chambers
 * Grey DeLisle as Wonder Woman / Princess Diana of Themyscira
 * Josh Keaton as Green Lantern / Hal Jordan
 * Greg Cipes as Beast Boy / Garfield Logan
 * Scott Menville as Nightwing / Dick Grayson
 * Khary Payton as Cyborg / Victor Stone, Juice
 * Tara Strong as Raven, Supergirl / Kara Zor-El, Robin / Damian Wayne, Galatea
 * Hynden Walch as Starfire / Princess Koriand'r
 * Kath Soucie as Batgirl / Barbara Gordon
 * Jason Marsden as Geo-Force / Brion Markov
 * Kari Wahlgren as Black Owl / Zoe Kyle Lawton, Martha Wayne
 * Eric Bauza as Toymaster / Hiro Okamura
 * Yuri Lowenthal as Alpha-Wolf / Milo Chaves
 * Dante Basco as Omega Knight / Jason Burke
 * Misty Lee as Big Barda
 * Jodi Benson as Star Sapphire / Carol Ferris
 * Travis Willingham as Aquaman / Arthur Curry
 * Wally Wingert as Flash / Barry Allen
 * Roger Craig Smith as Red Robin / Tim Drake, Steve Trevor, Rick Flag
 * Alan Tudyk as Green Arrow / Oliver Queen
 * Vanessa Marshall as Black Canary / Dinah Lance, Talia al Ghul
 * Sam Riegel as Shazam, White Lantern / Kyle Rayner
 * Natalie Lander as Stargirl / Courtney Whitmore
 * Colleen Villard as Blue Lantern / Collin Hill
 * Jessica DiCicco as Sun Rose / Esperanza Del Rey, Queen Perdita
 * Robbie Daymond as Star Hunter / Felix Whitmore
 * Ali Hillis as Caitlin Fairchild, Jessica "Jade" Cruz
 * Phil LaMarr as Bronze Tiger / Benjamin "Ben" Turner
 * James Arnold Taylor as Galaxor / Mitchell Davis
 * Jennifer Hale as Billy Batson, Killer Frost / Louise Lincoln
 * Alyssa Milano as Rose the Ravager
 * Troy Baker as General Zod
 * Oded Fehr as Ra's al Ghul
 * Mark Hamill as the Joker
 * Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor
 * Rick D. Wasserman as Ares
 * Tasia Valenza as Poison Ivy / Pamela Isley, Enchantress
 * Robin Atkin Downes as Floronic Man / Dr. Jason Woodrue, Agamemnon
 * Greg Ellis as Captain Boomerang / George "Digger" Harkness, Metallo / John Corbin
 * Liam O'Brien as Captain Cold / Leonard Snart
 * Benjamin Diskin as Wind Dragon, Clayface / Basil Carlo
 * Kat Cressida as Harley Quinn / Harleen Quinzel
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as King Shark / Nanaue
 * Laura Bailey as Lillian, Shifter

Quotes

 * (Tess and Cyborg are analyzing the files about Anti-Matter Fang)
 * Cyborg: Say. Joining the pieces of this sword won't be any problem. Just gather the gems, the shards will attach themselves in no time.
 * Tess Mercer: The sooner that happens, better. And maybe enough time to stop my father from trying to find me and get me to tell about Clark.
 * Cyborg: (that said catches his attention) And I know it's not of my business, but... you really don't wanna let your dad know about Superman? You really care for him like Luthor hates him?
 * Tess Mercer: No joke about it. I've known my father for my entire life. Even before he ever knew a thing about Krypton... it was pretty clear he happened to be nothing more than a heartless tyrant who's mad with power. (scene shifts to a flashback of a young Lena; narrating) I was only 12 years old. And I once sneaked into a Lexcorp facility without letting my father know... (scene shows her watching metahumans being experimented on) And I saw what they really used to do: to make weapons out of metahumans. He didn't care about those people's lives. Like I said: he only cares about their destructive power. (scene cuts to Lex Luthor grinning diabolically and Lena watching in horror) I wasn't proud of that. Nor was I proud of the monster he turned out to be. (scene shifts to her riding her bike in the Kent's neighborhood) And there was also this day... (scene shows infant Kal-El's Kryptonian Escape Pod crash-landing in the grass) ...when the baby would who grow up to be the champion who now stands between Earth and any threat against it arrived. (young Lena sees through the pod and sees infant Kal-El crying) I knew that if I convinced my father to raise him, he would just make Clark another subject for Lexcorp. And then, Clark would grow up to become a monster like the ones he fought against. And I couldn't let that happen. (scene shifts to young Lena calling for Jonathan and Martha) So I did what had to be done. (scene shifts to Martha holding infant Kal-El in her arms while Jonathan puts the pod in the truck. Scene shifts to the two riding home before Luthor arrives in the area the pod landed while Lena watches hidden) With my luck, he never suspected a thing. And I couldn't tell a thing about it. (scene shifts to a adult Lena watching Clark speak with Lois Lane) Years passed, and I still vowed to protect his secrets. Like Lois also did. (scene shifts to Lena preparing to pilot a military aircraft contain the escape pod) But then, there was this day when Zod's forces arrived to try to terraform Earth into Krypton. My father found out what I did in Smallville years ago. (Lena sees her father coming in the hangar and seeing her in the aircraft ready to fly) It was pretty clear for me that he just wanted me to tell him Superman's identity without even caring about the family he swore to protect. So once again... (Lena takes off with the aircraft) I did what had to be done. (scene shifts to Lena flying the aircraft towards Zod's terraforming machine with Zod still in there) Even if it would cost me my own life. (Lena's aircraft crashes on the machine, destroying it and killing Zod; scene cuts to Superman standing over a dying Lena, who shares one last tearful smile with him before she passes out and dies) But at least... I did make sure my father's terrible legacy would die... for the sake of all humankind.


 * (Terra successfully destroys the Heart of Anubis. Then, she sees Tess collapsing and Rose looking at the destroyed stone before running away desperately)
 * Terra: Tess! (rushes towards Tess and holds her in her arms) Tess?
 * Tess Mercer: (weakly) Tara... (energies are spreading out of her body)
 * Terra: Tess... I'm s... (starts crying) I'm so sorry... I...
 * Tess Mercer: (puts her fingers in Tara's lips) Shhhh. It's alright, Tara. You and I both knew it was the only way... So that humanity can still live... without any further corruptions. (smiles as tears slide from her eyes) I'm just glad I could still see... that despite all that my father had done... all the injustice he brought on... to you... and everybody,... there's still hope and freedom for humanity. (touches Tara's cheek) Thanks to you. To all of you. (she passes out and her body disintegrates into stardust. Tara lays down on her knees crying before she is approached and comforted by Lois and Supergirl)
 * (scene cuts to the battle field, where the resurrected Spartans turn into ashes in less than one second while Trevor and Flag watch)
 * Galatea: (seeing the Spartans fade away) What the... (sees her hand turning grey) Oh, no!
 * Juice: Galatea?! (Galatea disintegrates) Oh, man. That ain't right. (he screams and disintegrates)
 * Shifter: Brother? (her hands turn grey)
 * Downpour: Sister? (they scream as they turn into ashes)
 * Wind Dragon: Guys? Guys?! Gah! (he turns into ashes)
 * Liberty Belle: (sees him turn into ashes; to Jade) Aw. I was just gonna blow the wind out of him.
 * Agamemnon: (the Spartans are disintegrating until only he remains) My sons! My brothers! Why is this happening?
 * Wonder Woman: You had a chance to fulfill your ultimate plan. But you've wasted it with your loyalty to Ares. And now... (shows Agamemnon's hand turning grey) the price you'll have to pay.
 * Agamemnon: No! Wait! I must... I must still destroy the descendants of Troy...! NOOO!!! (he disintegrates)
 * Wonder Woman: (a weakened Ares lays on his knees at Diana's feet) So long, Wargod. (Ares crumbles and disintegrates)
 * Jessica "Jade" Cruz: So... how many more left?
 * Steve Trevor: Not too many.
 * (scene shifts to the Trojan battleground)
 * Enchantress: (senses something and gasps) No! Not now! Not... (grunts and disintegrates)
 * Starfire: Superman?
 * Superman: Yes. I know. She did it. (Zod attempts to attack him, but Superman blocks his attack) What was it you said? Oh, yes. This is for the greater good of Krypton. (Zod crumbles into ashes)
 * Lex Luthor: (sees Zod disintegrating and gasps realizing) No! Lena! (rushes to Metropolis with his flight suit) LENA!
 * Superman: (radios Lois) Lois?
 * Lois Lane: (radio voice) Yes, Clark. I know. Tess is gone. (Superman closes his eyes in a look of regret)
 * (scene shifts to Gotham, where Batman and his group are still fighting their foes before they watch as the resurrected warriors of Ra's al Ghul's League of Samurais begin to disintegrate)
 * Poison Ivy: (sees Ra's al Ghul's samurais disintegrate) What the...? (she sees Floronic Man walking weakly; worriedly) Jason? Jason?!
 * Floronic Man: (choking) I... vy... (he turns grey)
 * Poison Ivy: Jason! (Floronic Man disintegrates) ... no... (lays down on her knees sobbing)
 * Batgirl: Bruce?
 * Batman: Yes, I know. The Heart of Anubis was destroyed. And now everyone who got resurrected is falling into ashes. (Ra's al Ghul walks slowly towards Batman, who holds his arms) You were wrong. The Circle ends here for the League of Samurais. We need to be better than this. (Ra's has one last look at Damian, who turns his back on him. Then, Ra's disintegrates. The Task Force X Squad members are watching)
 * King Shark: Guys? (he disintegrates)
 * Killer Frost: Nanaue?! (gasps and disintegrates)
 * Captain Cold: I guess you're next, Boomer.
 * Captain Boomerang: (horrorstuck) Oh, barnacles. (he disintegrates)
 * (the other Squad members watch in disbelief before they turn themselves in. But Harley runs away to see the Joker)
 * The Joker: (acting weak) Help me, Batman... I don't feel so good... (Batman however tosses him away and turns his back on the Joker) No, Bats! Wait! (grabs a hold on Batman's cape) No! Please! NO!!
 * Batman: Goodbye, Joker.
 * The Joker: No! Wait! Don't leave me! PLEASE!!! (Batman kicks him away) (weakly) I need you...! (he lays down in the ground and disintegrates)
 * Harley Quinn: (breathing desperately) No! Puddin'! (she tries to pick the Joker's ashes in the ground, but the wind blows them out) NOOO!!!! (she starts crying as the police officers forcibly drag her away)
 * (the heroes are gathered together next to Batman. Scene cuts to Rose approaching her mother Lillian, who walks weakly towards her)
 * Lillian: I never wanted this for you… I never wanted any of this for you. I'm sorry, my Rose.
 * Rose the Ravager: Mother, please… (Lillian disintegrates) Mother! (lays down her knees in tears)