Superman: The Animated Series (TV Series) Legacy: Part II (2000) User Reviews

Superman learns that despots have their fans, too!

[garrard · 9/10 · 24 June 2006]

In the first part of this installment from the series third, and final season, the world is shocked to learn that Superman has led an alien attack that has almost devastated the planet. Through the run of that episode, the viewers learn that Superman (voiced by Tim Daly) has been brainwashed by the malevolent Darkseid (Michael Ironside) with the assistance of the "sweet" Granny Goodness (Ed Asner in an Emmy-worthy effort).

Part Two kicks off with Superman and Supergirl being captured and held at a military installation, both weakened by the rays of a Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) provided "red sun" emission. Lois Lane (Dana Delaney) comes to their aid and frees them both, and Superman returns to Apokolips to seek his vengeance against Darkseid. A monumental battle ensues between The Man of Steel and the evil warlord, culminating with Superman almost dealing a deathblow to Darkseid.

When Superman stands victorious over his fallen foe, he learns, to his surprise, the power that Darkseid has over his slave minions.

a metaphor for the whole series

[A_Different_Drummer · 10/10 · 15 February 2014]

Not merely a great 2-parter to end the series, but there are subtle messages here as well. Why (you ask, or at least YOU SHOULD ASK) did the Batman TAS capture so many viewers over so long a run yet, the very same production team essentially (until arguably the final season) stumbled and fell with Superman? Why have there been so many iterations of Spiderman, Wolverine and other Marvel characters -- yet, from the DC side, Dini's two series pretty much represent the highpoint of these sagas in the current era? The answer to these questions (and I have touched on this in earlier reviews) has to do with the character as originally drawn. In a sense, the Marvel stable tends to create characters without limitations and - speaking broadly here -- the DC team, especially with their forebear, Superman, tends to go the opposite way. So little can hurt him. He is so unambiguous morally. And Lex Luthor is so $^$*^% boring. With this 2-parter Dini and co. took off the gloves, and want "Dark Knight" on old Supe. Turns out at the end of the day, he is still an alien and no one really ever accepted him. Turns out that Lex is not the only one (on Earth) who would like to do him harm. Turns out he is (err...) human sometimes and has a temper. Turns out that he can reach wrong conclusions like anyone else. All in all, a tremendous ending, and one which ironically shows us HOW THIS SERIES COULD HAVE GONE if they had freed themselves of the character's "restraints" from the getgo.