Justice League: Last Ride #4 explains the tragic circumstances that drove a wedge between Batman and Superman and broke the duo’s trust forever.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Justice League: Last Ride #4, available now from DC Comics.
The Dark Knight’s cynical, calculated nature has always clashed with Superman’s more optimistic approach. But, the two heroes are usually able to put their differences aside in their pursuit of truth and justice. Sadly the events of Justice League: Last Ride seem to have widened the gap between Batman and Superman. This time, the tension between the two heroes may prove to be irreconcilable.
Justice League: Last Ride #4, by Chip Zdarsky, Miguel Mendonca, Enrica Angiolini and Andworld Design, includes a flashback to the tragic death of Martian Manhunter. The only way to prevent Darkseid from attacking Earth with nuclear weapons was to shut down Apokolips’s power source. Batman was able to do much of the work remotely but still needed someone to manually open the safety hatch. Wonder Woman was wounded in battle and rendered unable to travel quickly, and Superman was busy fighting Darkseid on Oa, so Martian Manhunter volunteered for the dangerous task knowing that the fire from the hatch would kill him.
Superman begged Batman not to let J’onn go and even left the battle on Oa in an attempt to stop his friend from sacrificing himself. Sadly, he failed to reach Apokolips in time and Martian Manhunter died saving the world. Superman has held their friend’s death against Batman ever since. He blames the master strategist for allowing a member of the Justice League to die. The Man of Steel seems to think that Batman should have been better prepared and that J’onn’s sacrifice could have been avoided.
Batman seems to share Superman’s feelings. Before saying goodbye to J’onn, he apologized for not finding another way to stop Darkseid. The caped crusader holds onto his guilt long after his comrade’s death: while talking with Green Lantern, he continues to blame himself, saying “I should have been two steps ahead.” Batman’s shame about the situation makes it difficult for him to defend himself from the angry and accusatory Superman. And both heroes are too stubborn to accept their teammates’ attempts at mediation or forgiveness, which leaves the future of their friendship and their working relationship in dire straights.
In their conversation, Hal Jordan is quick to point out that Superman also blames himself for the tragic results of the Justice League’s battle with Darkseid. Superman clearly wishes that he could have traveled the distance between Oa and Apokolips fast enough to save Martian Manhunter. But, it is also worth noting that if Superman had stuck with Batman’s plan and stayed on Oa, he could have helped the Green Lantern save countless lives and the planet from a tragic fate. In some ways, Superman’s impulsive decision had much more severe consequences than Batman’s.
The entire Justice League is still struggling to heal from the trauma of their fight with Darkseid. As the audience learns more about the battle, it is clear that mistakes were made by both Batman and Superman, but the rest of their team seems to be more than willing to make an effort to move on and heal as a group. Sadly, Superman appears to be too stubborn and too hurt to do the same. His faith in Batman has diminished greatly, and the two are butting heads even more than usual. Their relationship appears to be another casualty of their war with the forces of Apokolips.
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