WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Injustice, now available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray and Digital.
With DC’s animated adaptation of Injustice, it’s no surprise that liberties were taken with the source material, as the hit video game and comics contained a lot of backstory and action as Superman and Batman’s teams went to war. As such, some subversion of the story occurs while some characters and arcs are totally omitted.
No Super Pill Exists
In the source material, Superman used a secret drug to empower his regime so they could police the world and fight off Batman’s insurgents. Batman’s squad would eventually steal the pills so they could tussle with the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman and Shazam, but that’s totally left out this film. Instead, Superman holds back with his strength, leaving the heavy-hitting for his minions.
Major Characters Get Sidelined
In the movie, Hal Jordan returns to Oa with the other Green Lanterns rather than becoming a Yellow Lantern with Sinestro and fighting for Superman. Shazam also stays out of the battle with other magical heroes, whereas the source material had him on Kal-El’s side before he died at the hands of the Man of Steel. Aquaman’s role is changed as well, with him recusing himself rather than standing against Superman.
New Deaths Occur
Barry Allen/Flash gets killed off early on after Joker uses fear toxin and a buzzsaw on him, and later on, Hawkman and Cyborg get maimed by Amazo. However, in the source material, Hawkman died fighting Superman with a Kryptonite mace, while Cyborg was imprisoned despite switching from Superman to Batman’s team. Flash also made a similar switch, repenting to help Batman stop Brainiac’s invasion after choosing the wrong side initially.
Team Green Arrow vs. Team Superman
The comic books see Oliver Queen killed trying to steal the pills at the Fortress while Black Canary became one of the rebels’ leaders alongside Batman, even working with an Ollie from another world. However, the film doesn’t have Ollie being pummelled by Kal-El. Instead, he’s fried by heat vision when Superman deflects an arrow that kills his father after the rebels come looking for a red sun gun. The source material, on the other hand, only had Jonathan injured in this scene.
The Bat-Family Drama
This movie doesn’t have Tim Drake and the Titans, a grieving Alfred or even Batgirl and the other sidekicks, focusing on Damian Wayne joining Superman and killing Nightwing. The big change comes with Dick becoming Deadwing thereafter, helping Damian break out from Ra’s’ influence rather than convincing mystical heroes to join the Dark Knight. DIck’s death is also different, as Damian’s baton shot to the temple kills him, while the game had Dick breaking his neck on a rock. As for Harley, she doesn’t repent like in the source material before Team Batman hires her.
Wonder Woman’s Turn
In this film, Diana realizes Superman’s a maniac who still wants Batman’s crew in chains after they help bring Amazo down. Kal-El then beats and swats her away, but the source material didn’t have Wonder Woman being lenient. She was influenced by Ares early on and kept pushing Superman to kill as much as possible, even if it meant her own people, all because she wanted him to succumb to her love.
The Multiverse’s Secret Players
In the lore, the Justice League used a Superman and Leaguers from another world to aid them in bringing down the dictatorship. The movie, however, has Mister Terrific drastically alter that by bringing over only one alternate reality Kal-El and, more importantly, a pregnant Lois who lost her Clark. And she’s the one who ends up getting the evil Superman to renege on his mission.
To see the DC animated adaptation’s biggest changes, Injustice is currently available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray and Digital.
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