With any controversial or near-universally derided piece of entertainment, there will always be a fringe network of apologists. Zack Snyder's DC Universe is no exception. Despite an angry, ravenous fanbase that insists everyone, anywhere, who hates Dawn of Justice or Suicide Squad is paid off by Marvel, most critics and audiences alike were underwhelmed to say the least with the direction of their favorite DC heroes. Luckily for us, we have Ed Boon.
Wait .. what?
In the strangest of places, a true hero has emerged to save us from Zack Snyder. That hero takes the form of the Mortal Kombat creator and serial troll, Ed Boon, who brought us Injustice: Gods Among Us and is stepping it up a notch for Injustice 2.
We already went over the individual reveals in the latest trailer, but there's something to be said for tone, stakes and an actual, memorable villain.
I know that most of what we've seen from Injustice 2 are just cinematic trailers with little gameplay, but, in terms of saving the story and characters of the DC Universe, that's all we need to get the feel for what kind of DC entry Injustice 2 is going to be.
For the record, I do understand that these video games are not canon in terms of the DC Cinematic Universe, but any positive portrayal of these heroes that gives us an opportunity to step away from that cinematic universe is a welcome sight.
We need to do these heroes justice – call out the hypocrisy of Batman condemning murder while sitting by as his allies commit it, give Superman emotional stakes when it comes to Lois Lane and his endless pursuit of American freedom, show us Wonder Woman and Super Girl doing anything.
Once you do that, you have to bring it home with great villains. If the Joker truly won't be in Injustice 2, as the trailer seems to suggest, there is going to be a big hole to fill. Fortunately, Brainiac is there to help. His stinging voice-over is a highlight of the most recent trailer, examining how the super hero world has gone too far astray and needs to be destroyed.
And then, in perhaps the most direct comparison to Dawn of Justice, Injustice 2 will also feature Darkseid. It's unclear what sort of role he will take in the story, itself, but it's bound to be better than Lex Luthor's plot to get Superman and Batman to fight each other so he can … it's very unclear, but he's also creating Doomsday at the same time, anyway.
This Darkseid looks a lot more in line with the comic book portrayal, but still in a way that feels menacing and impactful, rather than just a pawn of someone everyone should have known was crazy.
It's a shame that the film series is … let's say "on the path to redemption, just not quite there yet," but that doesn't mean DC fans have to sit around and wallow – not as long as we have Injustice to help us along the way.
Everything Revealed In Injustice 2's Cinematic Trailer
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Bane Is In the Game
This isn't the most surprising character reveal, as Bane appeared in the last Injustice game and didn't die, so there was no reason why he wouldn't be in the game.
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rnBut still, he is here. -
So Much For the Voice Actor\'s Strike (Braniac)
Injustice 2 was said to be on the list of games affected by the SAG/AFTRA voice actor's strike, but you wouldn't know it from listening to the trailer. The end of the trailer reveals that the person talking the whole time, the main villain of Injustice 2, is Braniac, and his voice lines are nothing short of haunting, and so too are they delivered.
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rnIf this is a sign of the voice-acting quality we can expect from Injustice 2's remaining cast, the game will be in good shape, despite the strike. -
Darkseid Is A Pre-Order Bonus
Darkseid will get screen time once again, after flaming out spectacularly in the controversial movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
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rnBut, you'll have to pre-order Injustice 2 in order to get a crack at him - or wait until the GOTY edition when all the characters are bundled together. Your call. -
Yes, it is coming out May 16
For those of you (mostly in the games press) still confused as to what Ed Boon's apparently mysterious Tweet was supposed to mean, Injustice 2 is, in fact, coming out on May 16, 2017.
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rnNow we can move on to the good stuff. -
Poison Ivy Is, Too
This one is going to make things exciting. It will mark Poison Ivy's first appearance in a game since the Arkham series, and her first in the Injustice series at all, so we're really excited as to her possibilities in the franchise. -
Bane\'s Venom Might Be From Poison Ivy
Now that we've gotten both of them out of the way, some imagery in the trailer seems to suggest that Bane's Venom (the stuff that makes him hella buff) is created by Poison Ivy. This was the same conceit used in the ill-fated Joel Schumacher Batman movies.
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rnIf so, this would be a slightly more disappointing version of Bane than we otherwise could get, potentially reducing him to a puppet of Poison Ivy, where we have all seen by now what a worthy foe Bane can be when given the proper care and attention by screen- and video-game writers. -
Robin Appears, and Is Damian Wayne
Robin is confirmed, another new addition from the previous game. While the Robin in the trailer appears to be wearing the costume we know from Arkham City, which would indicate that it is Tim Drake behind the mask, the line that is spoken over his fight with Batman is "As offspring turns into adversary," implying pretty heavy-handedly that this Robin is the son of Batman, meaning Damian Wayne. -
The Joker Might Not Be In The Game
Of all the character reveals in Injustice 2's new trailer, the Joker was not one of them, and he has yet, to this day, to be confirmed.
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rnThe Clown Prince does appear in the trailer, though ... being murdered by Superman, as he was in Injustice: Gods Among Us. While the Joker did later appear in the game, and that appearance is canon, if Injustice 2 is doubling down on his death, than it might be for real (at least temporarily).
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rnWe'll know more in the coming months, I'm sure. -
Everything Revealed In Injustice 2\'s Cinematic Trailer
