Toyman, Live Wire, Weather Wizard, Kalibak, and Metallo team up to get revenge on Superman. They cause a disturbance in Metropolis in the hopes of luring the Man of Steel into their trap. Superman shows up eventually but he is preceded by the rest of the Justice League. Live Wire and Metallo are defeated. Kalibak puts up more of a fight. Weather Wizard's wand causes all sorts of destruction until Batman strips him of it.
Superman finally shows up. The Toyman unleashes his deadly giant robot on the city once Superman arrives. Superman takes a blast from the robot's deadly gun, a blast which otherwise would have killed Batman and Wonder Woman. Superman disintegrates before his teammates eyes.
A funeral is held. Everyone goes, except Batman who is convinced that Superman is still alive. There are lots of familiar faces at the funeral in addition to the other five members of the Justice League: Orion, the Green Lantern Corps, Alfred Pennyworth, Tim Drake, Aquaman and Mera, Dr. Fate and Inza, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Jonathan and Martha Kent, Supergirl, Lana Lang, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White.
The five members of the league who attended the funeral gather in the watch tower later that day. They are sharing memories of Superman when Lobo shows up. He wants to join the team as Superman's replacement. They don't want him. A fight breaks out.
Live Wire, Deadshot, Copperhead, Volcana, Star Sapphire, and Kalibak breakout of the prison and start wrecking havoc. Batman is the first one on the scene but he can't handle them all. The rest of the Justice League plus Lobo show up to deal with the super-villains. It isn't easy but they eventually get things under control.
The final scene shows Superman unconscious or dead in a desert under some debris.
Thoughts
I believe this story is the DCAU version of the Death of Superman, a story which I have never read. I know that in the comic book it is Doomsday who kills Superman. Doomsday appeared in 2.06.A (A Better World - Part 1) and also shows up in an episode of JLU but he is not in this story.
I didn't recall how many super-villains showed up in this episode.
I had to pause the show numerous times during the funeral scene in order to see everyone that showed up. I've seen this one at least a couple times before but I didn't recall how many past guest stars returned in this story.
I found the funeral to be well handled. I know how this story turns out and yet I found myself moved by the music and words in that scene. Superman may not be dead but everyone believes he is and that certainly brings the mood down.
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