The cool thing about how well Injustice 2 is written is that you come across a number of great Easter Eggs as a result. We previously broke down some of our favorites in our last article, covering everything from a mention of Mortal Kombat‘s Raiden to a crazy good reference from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, pointing out one of our favorite (okay, make that not-so-favorite) delicacies.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Since our time of digging into the game, we’ve actually discovered even more cool Easter eggs hidden within Injustice 2, whether they’re making sly references to other comic book characters in the DC universe, or even general conversation about obscure stuff…like the John Travolta movie Broken Arrow. (No, we’re not kidding.)
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So sit back and relax as we take a look at even more great Easter Eggs from the world of Injustice 2. If you’re lucky – or just plain good at the game – you’ll find them all for yourself!
WARNING: Spoilers ahead!
Remembering Shazam
In case you might have forgotten, Shazam was actually in the original Injustice: Gods Among Us, but became what Superman would quip “a casualty of war” when he refused to help the Man of Steel destroy both Metropolis and Gotham City. As a result, he was laid to rest with a simple blast of heat vision – and it seems characters aren’t forgetting about it in Injustice 2.
In some pre-fight prompts between certain characters (like Batman and Superman, or Blue Beetle and Superman), you’ll hear call-outs for why Supes ended up doing Shazam in, but, surprisingly enough, he actually defends his actions – and that probably prompts you to kick his ass even harder.
Broken Arrow
In a fight set-up between Green Arrow and Bane, you’ll actually come across a rather strange reference to a 90’s action film that was directed by John Woo and featured John Travolta and Christian Slater as former Army buddies going up against one another over a nuclear bomb. The film was called Broken Arrow, and, upon being reminded about it, Green Arrow refers to it as a “good action flick.” (Bane basically threats to leave Arrow “broken,” thus initiating the reminder.) His opponent, though, doesn’t seem too thrilled with the reference – probably because he was more of a fan of Hard-Boiled or The Killer.
We’ve included the trailer below, for good measure.
Dick Grayson Is Missing As Well
Shazam didn’t appear to be the only casualty of war in the original Injustice: Gods Among Us, as Dick Grayson has gone missing as well. You’ll hear this referenced in a few different battles, but perhaps the best exchange comes between Batman and Robin. Pitting the two against each other, the Dark Knight will note that he’s not ready to forgive Robin for the people he killed. The young charge replies that he’s Batman’s only son…to which Dick Grayson’s name comes up. It just makes the pain of what Damian Wayne hurt that much worse – but also gets fans in the mood to fight with the Caped Crusader. So there’s that, at least.
Amanda Waller Shout-Out
Considering that both Harley Quinn and Deadshot are included in Injustice 2, it only makes sense that there’s some kind of Suicide Squad references within the game. Sure enough, there are, as Quinn and Deadshot going up against one another initiates a conversation involving Amanda Waller, the government official who runs the group. But that’s not the only time she’s mentioned, as Deadshot also brings her up with other conversations, most notably with Black Adam and Cyborg, who have some sort of ties with her. With that in mind – you can’t help but wonder if other Suicide Squad members were added to the fold. Can we kick Captain Boomerang’s butt, for that matter?
Super Mario For The Win
It’s not often that you see a Nintendo property hinted at in games that appear on Xbox and PlayStation platforms. But leave it to NetherRealm’s old-school nature to throw in a shout-out to Mario during a particular fight. This fight comes in the form of Supergirl going head-to-head against Brainiac. In their pre-fight banter, she makes note that the princess is in another castle – a reference to what Toad says to Mario after he rescues him from Bowser in the earlier stages of the game. Granted, Brainiac isn’t sure what to do with the reference, but no matter – he’ll probably feel something similar to a Fire Flower at the end of their match anyway. Now Supergirl just needs to say, “It’s a-me, Supergirl!”
The Ice Cold Club?
In a pre-fight exchange between Captain Cold and Green Arrow, the green-suited hero can’t help but talk about how many villains like to use ice-cold tactics when it comes to stopping their opponents. He begins mentioning other characters like Killer Frost, Mr. Freeze (who, by the way, has a premium skin in the game) and Icicle. Cold simply replies, “And I’m the baddest of them all.” But that can’t help but Arrow from thinking, “You got a clubhouse or something?” Heck, they probably would if Superman didn’t already occupy the Fortress of Solitude. We’re sure someone’s bound to shout out, “Crank up the AC!”
“You Kiss Like a Fish, Too?”
Mera is going to take center stage in the new Justice League film when it arrives later this year (alongside Aquaman, of course), but there are some fun references to her sprinkled throughout Injustice 2. For instance, once Harley Quinn gets into a clash scenario with Aquaman, she easily asks, “You kiss like a fish, too?” To which he brings up Mera. But you can tell that the joke grows tiring on him, as Harley attempts to make it again during a second clash, and he yells, “Enough with the fish metaphors!”
Robin Hood References
Some fun Robin Hood references pop up during certain fight scenes in Injustice 2 with Green Arrow. For instance, Captain Cold reveals he has a soft spot for the character when he asks what kind of homage Green Arrow was going for. But perhaps more interesting is Harley’s dialogue, in which she points out the look that Arrow has, and he brushes it off, noting, “I thought you were going to say fake Ollie.” It’s a fun little reference, especially to those who remember Robin Hood’s old-school approach, and not necessarily the new films that have been coming out. (Maybe it’s a good time to watch some Daffy Duck, like the short we included below.)
Planet of the Apes!
Finally, over the course of the Injustice 2 story, you’ll come across Bane and have to take him on with either Black Canary or Arrow. After letting him have it, you’ll eventually weaken him and leave him laying on the ground. Following that, you’ll begin looking for Gorilla Grodd, with Arrow making a classic Planet of the Apes reference – “Now, where’s that damn dirty ape?” Considering that War of the Planet of the Apes is opening up in theaters in a couple of months, that reference is certainly rather timely.
Injustice 2 is available now for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
