Justice League – Hearts And Minds (Pt. 1 & 2)

When John Stewart learns that Katma Tui, his old girlfriend from the
Green Lantern Corps, is missing in action, he leaves Earth to try to rescue her from the clutches of the mad prophet known as Despero.

Media by Bird Boy, Jim Harvey
Review by The Detective

Voices:
Carl Lumby as J’onn J’onzz
Phil LaMarr as Green Lantern
Michael Rosenbaum as The Flash
Maria Canals as Hawkgirl
Keith David as Despero
Kim Mai Guest as Katma Tui
Dennis Haysbert as Kilowog
Pepe Serna as Shifflet
Carlos Ferro as Radocko
Rene Auberjonois as Galius Zed

I finally got to see both parts and this episode is a real mixed bag, a veritable roller coaster ride of opinions and I’m speaking just for myself, not the incredibly mixed reactions this episode is getting. The episode itself seemed to be going to for a big, epic, space opera type plot similar to TWILIGHT with it’s grand scope, particularly in the invasion scenes. I don’t think it succeeded in pulling it off nearly as well as TWILIGHT though I would hardly say it was on the level of WAR
WORLD. (an episode I didn’t mind that much anyway)

The episode did have many high points. The opening Green Lantern fight was impressively staged with some fair animation. I really don’t mind the CGI the way some people do except it looks a little out of place sometimes. Killing off two of the GL’s was a surprise and a good move.
It gave you a sense of dread; though I would have preferred the GL’s been actually killed by the Despero Minions rather than some cannon thing. It really hit home with you, these weren’t two nameless GL’s they threw at you–these were characters you got to know and like and there was no cheap "their essence was in the Pytar" resurrection scene either.
It was good seeing Kilowog again–I like his character and he got good treatment. He ate everything in sight but he still got to show of his smarter side when he built the carbon bomb. He and Flash played off each well, the poozer thing was funny despite the fact that I have no idea what it means. Katma Tui was a welcome guest star, I liked her design and they got her a good VA. Her character came off a little hard edged, but I guess it was in keeping with her drill sergeant persona. They made her very hot looking in her bikini outfit, as well and that was just the tip of the ice berg for the innuendo that flew throughout this episode.
Bruce Timm wasn’t joking when he said Cartoon Network wasn’t giving him any interference in the censorship department. The ending fight was as impressive as the beginning one. It was great seeing John Stewart really let loose and embed the image of his ring into Despero’s third eye.

The voice acting in this episode was very enjoyable. David Keith’s voice was top notch, I loved his Despero. A cold calculating voice, yet with a dark, villainous edge. I will say that for the DCUA, they never fail in the VA department. Carl Lumby really shone as well pulling off his monologue as the Pytar speaking through J’onn excellently. That scene was a highlight: well animated and nicely done.

It, however, seemed that all the high points had a low point to go with it. The plot moved along at a jerky pace with some illogical moments.
The Justice League appearing from nowhere was jarring. The Despero
Minions at the beginning do nothing more than hold their own against a unit of GL’s, yet Despero himself can’t do much to John except hinder his ring wielding capabilities, leaves you confused. And Despero himself was poorly developed, his origin clumsily thrown in. The Pytar issue wasn’t addressed enough to my liking either. How did Despero get control of it in the first place and how did he keep it under his control? How did he lose it at the end? The tree transformation was certainly different, but in a weird kind of way.

And in the end, it all adds up to give you mixed up feeling about your opinions. Most episodes may have various elements that you did or didn’t like, but you have an idea of what you thought about it. This episode was different. Impressive fight scenes, and good interaction with guest stars are drug down by a jerky plot and ill explained villains.

Three and a half stars.