The Justice League’s Black Ops Squad May Not Be What it Seems

The Justice League has always been the shining beacon of heroism in the DC Universe. With mainstays like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, it’s no surprise that this team stands for doing the right thing and saving the day no matter what, seeing no difference between those two. The Justice League will never compromise their morality or their hearts, and will always find the right way to save everyone. However, sometimes characters think that the right way can’t possibly work, and take matters into their own hands. They know the Justice League would never approve, so they do their dirty work in secret, plunging through the mud of morally grey choices to keep the League clean. While the Justice League Unlimited fights crime and gives people hope, Red Tornado has assembled his own secret team to do missions the League never would. They are the Justice League Red, and they are definitely not as clean as Red Tornado lets on.

A Team Born of Oncoming Danger

Recently, the android hero Red Tornado’s body was destroyed, and ever since he has served as the eyes and ears inside the computer systems of the JLU’s Watchtower. However, now separated from the pieces that made him human and fully immersed in data, Tornado ran thousands of simulations about the future. In every single one, the reformation of the Justice League Unlimited brought about the end of the world. He foresaw the end of all things, unless he discreetly shifted probability in his favor. He sent emergency alerts to Power Girl and Green Lantern Simon Baz, who were each doing their own hero work, having them travel to a secret space station Tornado built and hid behind the moon.

Once inside, Tornado explained his plight, to which the other Leaguers tried to convince him to tell the rest of the team and bring in help. Tornado refused, saying that as lonely as doing everything alone was, telling the rest of the JLU would only cause the future to arrive faster. He insisted that there was no time to discuss as millions of people were in danger right now, that the alien planet Varva was developing a superweapon that would inevitably lead to Earth’s destruction. Power Girl and Green Lantern had their doubts about Tornado’s methods, but trusted him and flew to Varva, where they found an absolutely massive robot. It was tough, putting up a fight against a Kryptonian and Green Lantern, but eventually the two brought it down. The problem emerged when they saw what was inside the mech. It carried grain, rain-making chemicals, and plenty of other concoctions designed to enrich plant growth. This thing wasn’t a weapon, it was a farmer with self-defense protocols. 

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Power Girl and Green Lantern questioned why Red Tornado would have them destroy a machine built to grow food, each wondering if maybe he’s gone off the deep end. Unknown to the pair of heroes, they were being watched by Black Adam, who recognized this as Red Tornado making his move. The despot was surprised that Tornado started his attack so early, but declared his intent to join this secret war and bring down the Justice League Red himself.

Heroes Going Too Far, Or Not Far Enough?

Obviously, we have a lot of unanswered questions about what Red Tornado’s plan is. He clearly wants to protect the Earth at any cost, but that cost could very well be something the Justice League would never pay. Instead of explaining what the robot was, he manipulated his friends into destroying a harvester robot, which even if its design has the potential to lead to weapons created in its image, is obviously not something the League would want to destroy. He also specifically chose Power Girl and Simon Baz for this mission, two heroes who are less prominent than the other members of their hero families, especially in the League. Either Tornado chose them because of their personalities, or because if something happens they’d be far easier to claim as unrelated to the League than someone like Superman.

And of course there’s the fact that Tornado is clearly hiding plenty of secrets from his teammates. Not only is he willing to destroy equipment that could improve the lives of millions because of the potential it has to end poorly, but he’s also fighting some kind of proxy war against Black Adam and has said nothing. He has some kind of plan, and is desperate beyond belief in order to save the planet, but in doing so is willing to sacrifice his humanity, and maybe the humanity of his allies as well. Red Tornado is on the precipice of becoming a monster for the right reasons, but a monster all the same. We’ll just have to watch and hope that when the time comes, he doesn’t try to destroy an alien planet that could potentially cause problems, or anything like that.

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