The Question has undoubtedly been one of the great successes of Justice League Unlimited. He is certainly an odd character: a cynical, blank-faced, fedora, and trench coat-wearing paranoid Ayn Randian conspiracy nut. He exists on the far fringes of the League and can easily be described as something of an anti-hero. His obsessiveness and paranoia are clearly flaws, but these flaws give way to a deep desire to serve the common good.
He is certainly on of the most layered and compelling character in the series and that is nowhere more evident than in "Question Authority". The Question fits right in as the character that is trying to get to the bottom of the Cadmus conspiracy. When he gets to the bottom of it he discovers a secret that almost completely unhinges him. He comes to believe that Lex Luthor will instigate Armageddon after becoming president by killing the Flash and then being killed by an angry Superman. He decides to avert this disaster by killing Luthor before Superman can. This selfless, but perhaps lunatic, act fails when Luthor pummels the Question and reveals that there is more to Cadmus and the conspiracy than even the Question could unravel. The Question is captured and tortured only to be rescued by Huntress and Superman.
Superman is in an odd position in this episode. He is the authority that the Question doubts. Why does he doubt him? Well there is certainly the predestination aspect. But there may be a bit more going on here. Perhaps the Question does not doubt Superman's ability to do the right thing. Perhaps he doubts Superman's being the person to do the right thing. After all, the Question thinks that the right thing to do is to kill Lex Luthor. Its just that a "well known crack-pot" has to do it. Who knows?
Most of the action revolves around the Question, Huntress, Superman, and Cadmus. A minor subplot revolves around another Charlton Comics character Captain Atom. Captain Atom is forced to choose between the Air Force and the Justice League. The subplot works and makes for a great conclusion to the episode. It also demonstrates how the writers are really using characters intelligently. The minds behind Project Cadmus are brilliant even if they are insidious.
This is no stand alone episode. It makes numerous references to other episodes of the show. From the relationship between the Question and Huntress started in "Double Date" to the dark secret of Superman featured in "A Better World". There is a also a nice scene between Superman and Professor Hamilton that references several events from earlier episodes and from the Superman animated series.
The animation is of course excellent and the voice work is wonderful. Among the voice cast, Jeffrey Combs and Clancy Brown steal the show. Its also nice to hear Dana Delany as Lois once again.
Overall: 10/10
Standout Scenes: The Question confronts Superman and shortly thereafter Luthormoreless
Episode Summary
EDIT
While investigating Cadmus, the Question discovers a secret that threatens to shake the very foundations of the Justice League.
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GUEST STAR
J.K. SimmonsGeneral Eiling
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GUEST STAR
Amy AckerThe Huntress
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George Newbern
Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El
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Carl Lumbly
Martian Manhunter/J'onn J'onzz
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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TRIVIA (3)
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When the Huntress comes to the Question's apartment to check up on him, a lock suddenly appears on the door as she's opening it.
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As was seen in "Fearful Symmetry," the Question wears a mask. Why did his captors let him keep wearing it? At the very least they could have cut open a mouth hole, even if it was chemically bonded to his skin. There's no indication they made any attempt to remove it, even though his arms are cut and bleeding.
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How did Cadmus and/or Lex Luthor get hold of the tape of the alternate Lex Luthor and Superman? The Justice League itself might have been able to get it, but why would they have given it to the government, even to get Lex's pardon (in "A Better World (2)")?
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QUOTES (10)
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Question: (babbling) Secret messages... Encoded in amino acid chains in carb-free breakfast bars.
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Captain Atom: Is it me or are the world conquerors getting mouthier? Superman: He's from Apokolips – they're all pretty chatty.
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Huntress: I'm not even in the Justice League any more. You're lucky to have me along. The Question: Hardly. You're drawn to my eccentric charm.
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The Question: Dinner and a movie? Huntress: It's a start.
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The Question: I want you to understand something, Luthor. Although my distaste for you as a human being is brobdingnagian, what I'm about to do isn't personal. Luthor: What're you babbling about? The Question: Everything that exists has a specific nature. Each entity exists as something in particular and has characteristics that are part of what it is. A is A, and no matter what reality he calls home, Luthor is Luthor.
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Luthor: President. Do you know how much power I'd have to give up to be President?
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Luthor: That's right, conspiracy buff. I spent $75 million on a fake presidential campaign, all just to tick Superman off.
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Professor Moon: Tell me what you know. The Question: (babbling) The tips at the end of shoelaces are called 'aglets'. Their true purpose is sinister.
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The Question: (babbling) Topically applied fluoride doesn't prevent tooth decay. It does render teeth detectable by spy satellite.
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Superman: What are you talking about? Humanity doesn't need protection from us. Professor Hamilton: I used to believe that. I thought you were a guardian angel come to answer our prayers. But Lucifer was an angel too, wasn't he?
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NOTES (10)
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Character bios: Mantis the Power Parasite, Dr. Moon, The Question, Captain Atom, The Huntress, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor
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The Cadmus data file contains a folder named "Zarathustra," which is also the codename to the British government program that created Miracleman, a superhero from the 1950s later reinvented by Alan Moore in the 1980s.
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The Cadmus data has the following files: Terporal Flux, Overload (Para.), Multiverse, Pandora Proj., Pres. Luthor, Ishershop (W.), Zarathustra, Djinn Bottle, Stratagem 5, Brazilboyz, Paradigm (Eng.), Quantum Theory. The Pres. Luthor folder has the following files: CauseEffect, Worldview, Voter Fraud, Kaznia Crisis (Pos.), Rushmore - A.L., Comm. Supression, Hirsute Act - (Rev.), Flashpoint - 23, Aztech, Metawar Dec., DC Siege - 8 HR, Oval Office, New Deal - 08, N. Hampshire Reb., Could It... (Q), Counter-Measures, W.C. Scenario, Conclusion.
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Clancy Brown, Dana Delany, Robert Foxworth, Jeffrey Combs, and Amy Acker reprise their roles as Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Professor Hamilton, the Question, and the Huntress, respectively. The actors playing Mantis and Professor Moon are uncredited.
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Other heroes that appear without dialogue: Aztek, Steel, Crimson Fox, and Shining Knight.
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On first airing, clips at the end are from "Flashpoint" and "Panic in the Sky."
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The Cadmus data contains a file titled "Flashpoint - 23" - a reference to the next episode, the 23rd episode of Justice League Unlimited.
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First aired on YTV May 20, 2005.
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The Cadmus data contains a file titled "multiverse" - a reference to the DC multiverse, and the first use of that terminology in the series.
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Superman and Captain Atom pursue Mantis into the "Plastino Street Station" - a reference to Silver Age Superman comic artist Al Plastino.
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ALLUSIONS (5)
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The Question: Everything that exists has a specific nature. Each entity exists as something in particular and has characteristics that are part of what it is. A is A, and no matter what reality he calls home, Luthor is Luthor.
The Question's line of reasoning is an exact recitation of the Law of Identity - a philosophical concept widely attributed to Aristotle, and one of the founding principles of objectivism. This is also a reference to the objectivist viewpoint of the original Steve Ditko Question. "A is A," in particular, can be attributed to objectivism stalwart Ayn Rand. -
The Question: I want you to understand something, Luthor. Although my distaste for you as a human being is Brobdingnagian, what I'm about to do isn't personal.
Jonathan Swift originated the word in his book, Gulliver's Travels, in which Lemuel Gulliver meets the huge inhabitants of Brobdingnag, has bequeathed us this awkward adjective. -
The Question There was a magic bullet. It was forged by Illuminati mystics to prevent us from learning the truth!
Illuminati refers the the Illuminated Ones, a secret society, which is the subject of many, many conspiracy theories. -
Dr. Hamilton: Lucifer was an angel, too, wasn't he?
Lucifer, generally speaking, in the Christian tradition was cast out of heaven along with a third of the host of angels when he led a revolt against God. Known as the morning star, he was the first and most loved among the angels, but after his betrayal he ruled in hell as the devil. -
The Question: There was a magic bullet. It was forged by Illuminati mystics to prevent us from learning the truth!
The "magic bullet" the Question mentions refers to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. While Oswald was convicted as the assassin, the zigzag route the bullet traveled led conspiracists to believe that there were was more then one assassin, with Oswald used as a scapegoat in a government coverup. The bullet has since then been christened as the "Magic Bullet."
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