Justice League Unlimited's Biggest Conspiracy

[@dcauwatchtower]

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[@thegreatacolyt1277]

Ok

[@Garrettsamuel98]

Lol! That Bruce comment was hilarious!

[@AETorrePuerto]

Sorry, I am on team Duolingo

[@ashleytuchin7693]

The last time Bruce was involved with something called Babel, it didn't go so well.

[@BobbyMoore2-mp8wb]

Call them lunatic

[@booploops22]

"Brainiac, I'm coming!" has got to be the best line in the DCAU

[@ianfinrir8724]

Clancy Brown had a lot of fun on this show.

[@GoHazyQuietSexAngel]

😂😂😂 it never left my head... including the "And they're going to burn for it, BURN!!!" 😂😂😂 it's all legendary but hard not to laugh a little at it. 😂

[@bigmock141]

Lexi thor gonna be his screen name

[@Forsoothious]

That can be taken out of context.

[@DastardlyDavid69]

@@ForsoothiousHow so?

[@ElMalito187]

Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor is THE definitive Lex Luthor of all time. And now he's General Kregg for Invincible

[@hungryhandz1067]

🔥✊🏾M😉s Def 🤔n Luthor!!…👊🏾💯

[@ElMalito187]

​@@hungryhandz1067 😊🎉

[@PanoptesDreams]

I love this portrayal.

[@VelociJX]

He is the best Crab after all 🤣

[@mickey1928geo]

Dude is a legend - whether as Lex, Mr Krabs, the dean of God U, or the Kurgan - there can be only one

[@AETorrePuerto]

I didn't dwell much on it, but I assumed it was just Brainiac's foot prints in Luthor's memory. But not being able to see him in destroyer doesn't make much sense with that.

[@thegreatacolyt1277]

Yeah

[@Izanna3]

W

[@ShinySephiroth1]

My reasoning when I first saw it was that they didn't want/couldn't afford to pay the voice actor (or simply didn't want to schedule for them to come in)

[@parkerboy795]

I think that's because when Darkseid was resurrected, he was fused with Brainiac so the connection Lex had with Brainiac was gone.

[@ShinySephiroth1]

@@parkerboy795 I lean toward this, too

[@kryl0b]

One alternate explanation I could see, given what we know of these characters, is that Lex IS being manipulated with visions... but not by Grodd. After all, I could be wrong, but I don't recall Grodd being able to cause hallucinations to this extent. It's been a long time since I saw JLU, so if I'm wrong, please let me know. But even if he could, if Grodd wanted to mentally control Lex, he could just... control him. Manipulating him in such a roundabout way just seems impractical to me. However, consider this: Braniac has learned from experience that combining with another life form, as he did with Lex, is a good idea. Sure, the last time he did, he failed, but this is something he'd never tried before. Like you said, it was LEX who suggested it. So maybe Braniac decided the problem wasn't the combining in and of itself, but rather the one he combined with. As he himself put it, he had doubts about Lex prior to them becoming one. But now that he knows that the idea has merit... he just needs a better partner. And what better partner... than a God? Braniac knew how powerful Darkseid was, and that both he and Darkseid desires knowledge, even if it is for different reasons. Combining with Darkseid would serve both their purposes, more than reuniting with Lex ever could. And it just so happens that Darkseid died in Braniacs old base. His evaporated remains are mingled with those of Braniac. All he needs is for someone to put them together again. See, one thing that's fundamental to know about Braniac is... he learns. That is literally all he does, all that motivates him. So what did he learn by combining with Luthor? Manipulation. Cunning. Strategy. And now, with some small part, even if it's severely weakened, inside Lex, maybe he pushes him to use his intellect to make this happen, using Lex's own desire to reunite as the motivator. It'd explain why ghost-braniac is so friendly with Lex, urging him on and on about how "we can be together". Now, why not tell him right away where the rest of the pieces are, and get it out of the way? Well, maybe he is trusting Lex himself to work it out, to reach the conclusion himself. Telling him too much, too quickly, would perhaps make Luthor too cautious. Why is this a bad thing? Because Braniac being brought back to normal isn't what he wants. Combining with Lex doesn't serve his purpose. So what's to say, if Braniac is interconnected to all parts of himself, that he didn't deliberately prevent Luthors experiments from succeeding? Braniac has a goal, and to accomplish that, he needs Lex to fail. He needs him to keep looking for alternative solutions. He needs Lex well and truly desperate... because a desperate man makes mistakes. For Braniac's plan to succeed, he needs Lex blinded by his desire. But then, Lex betrayed Tala and strapped her into the machine, leading to her, in her dying moments, using her magic to turn Lex's plan on its head. This was an X-factor Braniac didn't expect. Sure, he knows full well how Luthor thinks and operates, thanks to being part of him. But he's not telepathic. He can only go by the data he has. Braniac knows technology. He is an expert on machinery, both technological and biomechanical. But he knows nothing about magic, and what it can do. It's an unquantifiable factor, by its very definition. And the result So instead of a reconstituted Braniac, augmented with the powers of the New Gods... they got Darkseid, augmented by Braniac. Or, which is also possible, he just underestimated Darkseids willpower and was outright overpowered by him. Combining with a willing host of unusually high intellect is one thing. Combining with one of the New Gods, powered by the Omega Force, a being who's willpower is THAT STRONG... that's a different matter entirely. Yes, their goals do align on the face of it, but Darkseid isn't a team player. There is no "our goal" in Darkseids world. And this is something Braniac did not, could not prepare for. Now, is this what really happened? I have no idea. Like your video said, the creators were deliberately vague about it. But I think it does hold up to scrutiny, and we have just about as much evidence for this as any other explanation.

[@Ahmed-DB]

Very nice theory

[@Cdr2002]

This is a perfect breakdown of it

[@rpgcraftsman520]

I legit like this theory better than the Grodd one, and the Grodd one is a good one.

[@strifenineteen]

Personally I thought it was Darkseid, not Brainiac, that was talking to Lex.

[@Cdr2002]

@@strifenineteen I personally don’t think that lines up with Darkseid’s dialogue “It appears I have you to thank for my resurrection” as if he’s registering Lex’s existence for the first time

[@finn_underwood]

Luthor going through a Flowers for Algernon trauma makes the most sense to me. He reached the apex of everything he ever wanted only to have it all ripped away from him. Seems reasonable even he would have a bit of brain damage after that; trauma only cured when he accidentally reawakened Darkseid in his pursuit of Brainiac, which forced him to reevaluate his priorities.

[@bluespaceman7937]

That's a great idea for another version of this story.

[@matti.8465]

You don't ascend into godhood then lose it without your psyche being damaged. He gained and lost so much intelligence in such a short amount of time

[@RtistiqSkubie]

Oh my gosh! I'd NEVER thought I'd ever see ANYONE ever mention my favorite obscure book.

[@minerman60101]

@@RtistiqSkubie the show Person of Interest has an episode which mentions the book a good few times

[@lastmanstanding7155]

​@@RtistiqSkubieis it that obscure? It was required reading for me in school. I guess I just assumed everyone had to read it.

[@Garrettsamuel98]

"You know something Bruce, Your not always right" that was absolute gold!

[@zainmudassir2964]

Cadmus conspiracy arc made The Question my favourite character in the show. The writing was phenomenal which allowed lesser known heroes to shine

[@erhiueQWEF]

The Question was so based. Not to mention he was banging Huntress who is a total babe. 100% Idk as far as I'm concerned his real name is Chad Himmington III

[@Kirkmaximus]

Plus they picked the perfect voice actor for the role of The Question. Now we need a Question show. Live action or animated.

[@Paddydukes89]

The question being an obscure enough hero and a normal enough person (potential mental health issues aside) that being such a badass in his own brand was peak JLU. He called Superman out about the Justice Lords right to his face, didn't back down against someone who was damn near a god in comparison, he dtill relentlessly pursued the truth and justice he believed in. For the little screen time he got, easily some of my favorite parts. Plus he probably ended up with an absolute hottie in the end.

[@Aivottaja]

It is a shame that Vic Sage is no more. I think he deserved his own show. I really like his character. It's like Fox Mulder on steroids.

[@joncross8483]

@@Kirkmaximus Jeffrey Combs is a legend on the level of Kevin Conroy Yuri Lowenthal and Khary Payton

[@mo3bandz91]

”brainiac- I’m coming” will now be stuck in my head as a personal inside joke

[@LacTheWatcher]

One thing we can confirm is Luthor is comming for Brainiac

[@CoralBlue-2]

Always ❤

[@picklesandnori]

so proud of them

[@winglessmecha]

Phrasing *boom*

[@mrseximix]

😆😂

[@Justsomeguy87]

He says it so sensually too lol.

[@matthewhecht9257]

According to DCAU wiki this is the code's reason. "The code Luthor enters "060669" refers to June 6, 1969, the day the Kinney National Company bought out Warner Brothers Seven Arts. Kinney National had previously absorbed both DC and All-American Comics in 1967 so this day is effectively the day DC comics merged with Warner Brothers; essentially making the WB DCAU possible."

[@dnmstarsi]

Maybe there's Brainiac in all of us. Because he's real in our hearts...

[@autobotproductions1244]

I think the real Brainiac was the friends we made along the way

[@bluespaceman7937]

I wish that were true.

[@bigfatcarp93]

*I'M COMING!*

[@QueenMonoChrome]

Braniac is microplastics

[@Swenglish]

I for one have been knocking on doors this whole time, to tell people the good news of our Brain InterActive Construct.

[@Gohka]

Completely agree with you about the Flash running round the world while ripping Brainiac out of Lex is the coolest scene in the DCAU. Hell I think it's one of the coolest scenes of any cartoon.

[@davidw.2791]

It honours the tradition of “a Flash running themselves to death” while spinning differently.

[@Hi_Just_Fred]

I don't like the idea of Grodd using his psychic abilities to make Brainiac appear to Luthor. I like the idea he either went crazy, or he was real and pushing Lex to revive him but regardless Darkseid was brought back instead and gained power from whatever remnants of brainiac he was revived with. As for if Brainiac is fully gone? Nah, there's some "back up plan" of his that lead to the future brainiacs.

[@parkerboy795]

​@@MGrey-qb5xzThe creator's said Tala deliberately brought back Darkseid to spite Lex.

[@parkerboy795]

@@MGrey-qb5xz Maybe, but did Darkseid actually say it was him? I remember him saying,"It seems I have you to thank for my resurrection. Though your world will suffer slowly, I grant you a quick death." And then when he returned to Apokolips, he said it was only by slim chance that he returned. It seemed like even he didn't count on being brought back.

[@Xehanort10]

And Lex wouldn't have called Grodd's "make everyone apes" plan stupid if Grodd was controlling him.

[@boobah5643]

@@Xehanort10 That rather depends on how light a touch Grodd was using. And he _had_ to be using a light touch; mindless convict Luthor is pretty useless, and if your only worry is him being another pole for supercriminals to coalesce around, it'd make far more sense to kill the hairless biped.

[@KairuHakubi]

actually this video has me realizing that Brainiac has been operating all across space via many duplicate bodies... so it's basically impossible to ever get rid of him, and logically he should have hundreds of planets under his control by the time he shows up in the 31st century..

[@wanderlustwarrior]

I had no idea Grodd returned somehow. That's the big thing I learned from this.

[@dcauwatchtower]

"Somehow, Grodd returned."

[@Joe--]

​@@dcauwatchtower What about option 4? That the visions were sent from Darkside from -well, wherever his spirit or essence was before he was revived. Basically Darkside predicted or foresaw that if he sent visions to Lex, eventually it would lead to his revival. Personally it seems like the most simplest explanation is the best one: that Lex tried to revive Brainiac, but Tala summoned Darkside instead for revenge and absorbed the witches powers or he just feels like a brand new rejuvenated villain after being revived.

[@Notthebloodgod812]

My main theory is that projected some sort of psycho kinetic field in order to survive atmospheric break and not popping from the pressure

[@LaNoLaCola]

It's safe to say we all came for Lex coming for Brainiac

[@jyles9722]

i'm glad you said something. That shit was in the back of my head all week, I had to come here just to make sure I wasn't imagining it

[@chrislaezur730]

A week of…hallucinations, even?

[@ItsOver9000Productions]

The Cadmus arc is indeed one of the greatest seasin long storylines in any show EVER. Its awesome on its own, but it's elevated even more when you've watched the other shows and they tie it all in. And then finale of the show just culminating absolutely everything else from before is a mind blowing experience and pay off. It's like a reward for being a fan.

[@collegerebel]

And it preceded the MCU.

[@TetsuShima]

I always wondered what Clark's reaction was when he learned that a future reincarnation of one of his worst enemies hooked up with his cousin. Without a doubt a damage that not even all the kryptonite in the universe could match. 😅

[@jagnestormskull3178]

I doubt he has that much animosity towards Braniac-5, Clark is Superman after all. He of all people should know what it's like to be judged for your genome.

[@Xeno-The-Wanderer]

@@jagnestormskull3178there would probably be a little hesitance from Superman, he’s pretty adamantly against his major enemies even to the end of JLU “c’mon it’s LEX FLIPPIN LUTHOR” so it wouldn’t be too far fetched to be skeptical of brainiac 5

[@lilj362]

the brainiac 5 and supergirl pairing has been a thing since the 60's, it even showed up in the 2023 legion of superheroes movie. (they even had a kid in kingdom come but eh) I don't recall any story where he had any violent reaction toward the pair he was more like "well, this is a thing now"

[@ryan1976]

Clark knew Brainiac 5 before Kara did. He’s fine with it.

[@jagnestormskull3178]

@@Xeno-The-Wanderer There's a difference between his enemies and their distant descendants, and I think Superman would recognize that.

[@5uper8eedle]

The aspect of Brainiac I enjoyed the most, and would like to see in a movie, is his general steeliness. I’d like to see an actor capture that cold calculating nature while also sounding especially intimidating. Maybe he can ponder orbs in his ball pit, I don’t know.

[@Ted-Kendrick]

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, Not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real." "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. - The Velveteen Rabbit

[@Liam_Phoenix]

I'm sorry but uh whats the skin horse??? I'm thinking like horror movie skin horse

[@Kareemmason]

So, my favorite interpretation is that it was actually Darkseid. His consciousness survived a bit and manipulated Lex into resurrecting him. That's why Brainiac's voice went silent. Darkseid didn't need it anymore and he wouldn't bother explaining himself to a lowly mortal. I'd also like to say, it bugs me that Lex was convicted after the Luthoriac thing. Everyone in that room heard Brainiac admit that he'd been guiding Lex's actions for years. How bad was Luthor's lawyer that he couldn't work that into an acquittal?

[@kyletowers9662]

Honestly even as a kid i assumed it was all a hallucination, It just made the most sense in the end.

[@GeoffreyToday]

I'm a big fan of the Superman TAS version of Brainiac. I like that it started as Krypton's AI, it gives a nice tie-in to Superman. Design wise, my favourite look for Brainiac is from the 80s, when he was a terminator style looking robot. I had the Super Powers action figure of him, and that was my first exposure to Brainiac.

[@freeradiomars]

1) Luthor is just insane in the membrane. (Insane in the brain!) 2) If we see a live action Brainiac, I want it to be in the Batman Beyond future. I think that he'd make a great villain in that setting and tie it further together with rest of the DC universe. You could even use the current Beyond comics run as basis, and just make that the twist for the screen. Whadda ya think?

[@thegreatacolyt1277]

Yeah

[@rigorgrynn4469]

If I remember they did a storyline in the comics where brother eye merged with brainiac in the future.

[@freeradiomars]

@rigorgrynn4469 that would make so much sense that i now can't remember whether I remember that, or if it just sounds right. If it did, I surely read it.

[@CharaGonzalez-lt7yw]

Insane in the membraaane 🎵

[@thegreatacolyt1277]

@@CharaGonzalez-lt7yw ha

[@tylercorbin5286]

I think the Brainiac we see in the new 52 would be great for film. It simplifies the history enough to not need an extended knowledge of comics to appreciate, could condense it enough for a single movie while still offering enough to make him appear multiple times if necessary, preys upon modern fears of AI and technology and the depths of the internet, and is still genuinely faithful and menacing. Hugo Weaving or Javier Bardem could be cool in the role. As for Lex...I gotta agree that he probably just cracks by the end of the show.

[@CrowsCalling]

I would want to Brainiac to be given the DCAU origin, being the ultimate cause for the planet not being able to survive. I think having him and Superman being the last sons of krypton would be interesting in that sense, seeing as one is the savior of a new planet while the other was the destroyer of its home. As for the theories, I’d like to believe that it’s Grodd messing with Lex, but his confusion at the beginning of the season when Lex is talking to Brainiac is the only think making me skeptical of it. I do think the idea of Lex just going crazy makes the most sense.

[@crisananca313]

one joke that got left on the cutting room floor "you managed to cure my cancer, but couldent be bothered to grow back my luscious red hair?!"

[@Zaprozhan]

"You never asked."

[@reapthegirlwind]

Okay, that Kalibak bit at the end was a goddamn masterclass in closing out the running gag, good job.

[@hrothgardevaitos8330]

Honestly, I always interpreted it as Darkseid's soul manipulating Luthor through the Brainiac code still embedded in his psyche to push for his resurrection, and that Brainiac had been too weakened by the Flash's actions during Luthorac's destruction to stop or even resist it. After all, Darkseid is a New God, and his spirit is far tougher than any mortal's. That's how I interpreted it, anyway. And it made sense, because the second that Darkseid got what he wanted, he cast Luthor away, and stopped using the link to manipulate him.

[@Axumes]

Agreed

[@Sorain1]

I mean, it was my assumption that it was Darkseid, he needed a fresh body in that universe, and Lex was easily manipulatable with the image of Brainac. (Plus that 'your new lord and master' line is awfully specific to Darkseid.)

[@TetsuShima]

Tbh, I have always loved the continuities that stablish Brainiac as someone responsible for the extinction of Kryptonians. It makes his rivalry with Superman much more epic and personal, similar to the one Goku and Frieza share

[@billybadass3056]

LOL... if you watched that particular part of the series then you dn't even need to watch this vid LMAO... the answer is ALWAYS Yes.... Braniac was real and it had imprinted itself onto Lex so even after it was striped completely from his body because of The Flash but the essence of Braniac was still in Luthor's DNA... Because Braniac CAN DO THAT if you Didn't know

[@dcauwatchtower]

Total badass here

[@LowellLucasJr.]

I never had my doubts of Brainiac being part of Luther. In the world of DC and comics in general, anytime you hear voices or see projections of somebody, it always leads into something more disastrous and crazy down the line to not be believed!!!😂

[@GabePuratekuta]

Aren't comets in the world called "meteorites"?

[@Count85]

😊😊

[@Count85]

😊😊

[@cdwell3810]

I like when brainiac’s origin is directly connected to Superman’s, so having him be the cause of krypton’s destruction in some way would be cool to see in live action, even if it wasn’t quite like the dcau’s spin on it. And I think the grodd theory would be pretty interesting, so I’m going with that one.

[@IanWatson]

Did you know that through precisely focused sound waves, you can make a whisper sound like it's coming from right next to someone, even hundreds of feet away? Anyway obviously it's Toyman messing with Lex by projecting a hologram with the lightwaves targeted so only Lex can see them

[@David-nq8cv]

Brainiac always has a backup plan for survival like how after Lex made him a body he blasted him with nanomachines and a copy of his consciousness so he can live afterwards, so not impossible that theres still a part of him in Lex's brain 🤔

[@boobah5643]

'Always having a backup plan' depends on having time to think of _and implement_ the backup before the current plan goes boom.

[@theendersmirk5851]

​​@@boobah5643 Eh, Brainiac had years to decide "eh, while I'm screwing with this human, on the off chance he figures out my rude I'll implant a copy of my programming into his subconscious. It will likely become irreparably... *Human,* but it would survive should Luthor become wise to my plans, and should be able to make the transfer to the Android."

[@NexXxu]

Brainiac and Lex relationship feels like Symbiote and Eddie Brock relationship, in the DCAU we have Luthoriac and Marvel-Spider Man Universe they have Venom. Also, this DCAU theory for Brainiac gave me vibes of Rei from Evangelion, like the same character but it not the same character.

[@ParadoxicalThird]

I have always thought the coolest thing about the Flash scene is that after he beats Luthor to bits and stops to stand before him he's drawn WAY buffer than usual, like absolutely yolked. In my head I always saw it as Wally ran so fast, so far and was so mad that the speed literally worked his muscles out massively and briefly gave him a bunch of extra muscle mass, like working out for a year in the span of a couple of seconds.

[@ianfinrir8724]

"Less talking, more hitting!" I knew there was a reason I liked Hawkgirl.

[@TwilightWolf032]

Brainiac was surprised by Lex's creativity and the way he pushed the JL's buttons all the way through during their final battle. Just like Lex's perception of Brainiac was altered due to their fusion, it could be that Brainiac's "programming" was infected by Lex's personality and now both seek each other as a means of achieving what they now perceive to be their true, or complete forms. I totally buy that Brainiac would be praising Lex like that, after all he was infected by Lex's mindset and egocentric nature.

[@cancerconnoisseur]

I don't think Brainiac wanted to really fuse with Luthor again. I think he wanted Luthor to reconstitute him under the pretext that he would merge with him again. He wanted Lex to rebuild him, but he didn't realize that Tala would sabotage the process and bring Darkseid back instead

[@JARD7318]

I honestly never thought Brainiac was really communicating with Lex. I always thought it was another symptom of Lex's megalomania in that for one shining minute not only was he Superman's equal he was more he had truly become a god and he couldn't handle that being taken away. And that was so traumatic that his mind fabricated brainiacs voice and his presence just so Lex wouldn't have to deal with the trauma of the fact that he was back to being just a mere mortal. Because that's what it has always been for me with Lex it isn't that he hates Superman because Superman thinks he's above humans he hates Superman because himself can't be anything but human

[@dinofacedindividual9462]

If we were to get live action Brian…I mean Braniac, I really hope it’s inspired by the DCAU version. I’m admittedly not well-versed on Braniac, but I’ve found the DCAU version to be the most compelling. His connection to Clark’s backstory, and his really sinister voice are both so compelling to me

[@jagnestormskull3178]

Whether he's an android or cyborg (which, yes, it does vary, older comics usually prefer him as a cyborg, which is why he has descendants), he almost always has some sort of connection to Krypton via Candor.

[@donniejefferson9554]

It wouldn't shock me if it went that way. Injustice used the same backstory so people are definitely stillbusing it when making new versions of Brainiac

[@CTP909]

Narrator: we're lead to believe Brainiac is still somehow inside of Lex Lex: Brainiac, I'm coming!!! 😅😂😂😂

[@councilmanbanks6528]

I doubt that it was actually Brainiac do to some of the lines the two share. I think it has to be Lex’s subconscious because of him gaining such power and then losing it broke him. I think that is an obsession for him regaining his power. I think the explanation for how Brainiac survived could be that when The Flash separated the Lex from Brainiac maybe other tech survived and he remains.

[@theinvisiblegentleman1142]

I was under the impression that Lex's visions of Brainiac were just a tool of darkside to trick Lex into bringing him back.

[@eniovieira5637]

If he ever gets to be in live action, I think it’d be amazing for us to see more about Colu, kinda of how Superman: Unbound and The Legion of Superheroes did it, showing us how the civilization that created him affects the way he acts now.

[@kristi4113]

Grodd mind manipulating Lex is a pretty good theory, and I always wondered why Grodd had LOD peeps exactly where Luthor ended up after breaking out of the clink. It makes sense that Grodd led Lex there. Also, “Poor, old Goldface”😂

[@Drexlore]

I kinda like the theory that Brainiac was all just in Lex's head cause he sorta went crazy after having a computer man fused with him. As for the question, I think it would be fun if he still did the city shrinking thing and Supes has gotta stop him from shrinking Metropolis. Also could setup the whole "Superman gets Kandor" plot and lead to a future Kryptonians come back story later on. But make him a computer man and not just some bald green guy.

[@SerpentineDeity]

My god...To think this legendary series could be any more potentially legendary. The Key is the key!

[@kimeraclan3135]

Technically, in "The Great Brain Robbery" Dr. Polaris said that Luthor had been aloof and talking to himself. So it was alluded in that episode that Luthor had been seeing Brainiac behind the scenes. Also, "Grudge Match" takes place after "The Great Brain Robbery", so Grodd did not stop the hallucinations nor was he behind them. Hell, Grodd was just as befuddled to see Luthor talking to his cybernetic Koosalagoopagoop in "I Am Legion"!

[@Patrious_WoW]

the more you use the "im coming" line, the more funny it got, i dont know why, maybe the timing? the cutoff?

[@SerpentineDeity]

I like the twist where it was Lex's lust all along. Brainiac is like an ex trying to leave him and he deludes himself into having that non-existent relationship. After tasting such power a guy like Lex would have a hard time being mere mortal again.

[@OctopusLady]

07:02 I don't disagree that the Flash super hyper punching the Braniac out of Lex was ONE of the coolest moments in the DCAU, but nothing holds a candle to Superman's "world made of cardboard" speech. FIGHT ME NERDS

[@durianthesleepy]

Grodd was playing a dangerous game yanking Lex's chain in the first place. So I can believe it goes deeper. I don't even think Grodd has a meaningful range limit on his powers, since he was able to fry Metallo while he was at the center of the Earth. If he was not brain-restrained by that helmet he could keep sending the visions. I do have to wonder what his endgame was. Sure get Lex in the Legion. Work for some time... but then what? Just trust that by the time he hands over the Braniac chunk Luthor is so comfortable inside the Legion headquarters he'll stick around and keep working for Grodd part time while he devotes his energy to the possibly tampered-with Braniac chunk? Grodd probably wouldn't suggestion to Luthor via Braniacvision that he was double crossing him. Visions from Grodd to make Luthor look like an ineffective, incompetent, untrustworthy leader after his takeover in Dead Reckoning sound good... but I'd argue the Braniac vision in Grudge Match actually works to Lex's advantage. Since it reminds him to go make money for the villains in the Legion that are paying up to him... which turned out to be a smash success for Roulette until however long it took Huntress to sniff it out.

[@MattwosRandomNonContent]

14:56 There's also the fact that Grodd would know if Braniac is in Luthor's head and would tell him he's not even if he was so Lex can focus on the LoD stuff.

[@Lucifishy]

Loved the commitment to the Luthor "I'm coming" bit lmao

[@demod2080]

I like to think Braniac was still in Lex's brain, even without the hardware. Given how deep the fusion had been, whatever Flash pulled out was the Dark Heart/Braniac bits. What was left was already imprinted in him. Grodd being responsible doesn't seem like the type because there's always a visual cue of him using his powers to manipulate others. Grodd also is visibly confused when Lex is talking to someone else who isn't there. That's proof to me he isn't responsible.

[@elenadirectorofmiiss7942]

As much as I love Wally joining with the Speedforce and kicking Luthor/Brainiac’s ass, Superman’s “World of Cardboard” speech and moment are even more epic because they show how powerful and how great a hero he is; if Superman is maintaining that level of self control at ALL TIMES, that truly shows how amazing he is and how dedicated he is to saving people and protecting people.

[@yellowscarf8812]

I kinda thought it was some weird leftover brainiac AI that was slowly fading and using lex to prolong it decay like a fridge

[@L337P1R4735]

If Joker can rewrite Tim Drakes DNA when he was a child Brainiac Definitely can

[@Sollace]

20:16 That line there is what made me conclude back in the day that the image of Brainiac was Darkseid's doing, and he was somehow manipulating Luthor in order to revive him, not Brainiac.

[@tapseymoth803]

Here’s my personal thoughts on it because its just fun to over think it. There is evidence that Grod’s mind control tech can be sneakily sent through things like the justice league communicator thingies so it’s definitely possible that even while far away there could be something sending the signal. But what makes me lean towards it actually being Brainiac is just how close Lex actually did come to reviving him. The writers did say that Tala fused brainiac with dark side as a last desperate act to spite lex so all of the pieces for bringing back and fusing with Brainiac are there. And given how throughout the season we see her getting increasingly jealous over his imaginary robo boyfriend so snuffing that out definitely does seem plausible. Another possibility is that it wasn’t actually Grod who was using the legion of doom’s mind control tech but actually brainiac trying to get lex to build him another body. And when the legion’s hq blew up so did that plan.

[@ohgoditshimrun1346]

Personally I think that Grodd was telepathically pushing Lex's buttons to keep him on mission, but these buttons were already there to be pushed due to Luthor having already cracked under the pressure of losing everything again and again. That the piece Grodd showed him was a knockoff made by the Toyman, who never had anything to gain by spoiling the joke. And of course that the "blown out the airlock" joke is the mark of a true Trekkie in the writing team. I approve, most highly.

[@frankiemiller5364]

Jeez, I just don’t get why it’s such a challenge to bring this to live action?!? It’s all right here in the DCAU 😂

[@rigorgrynn4469]

got a six count on Brainiac i'm coming! As for the question, I'd like to see him making sure folks are alright and getting involved with small small stuff in metropolis. Like Bippo getting robbed and such. And for the theory I dig the idea of grod using lex's dependence on Brainiac against him. it's really something he'd do. Saves him a lot of work.

[@bobtherandomguy805]

If Part of Brainiac still existed in Lex couldn't it still exist in Richie Foley as well? Also more digimon

[@davidw.2791]

3:47 I’m never surprised about this one though: With Kasnia being a so-called Rogue Nation in the DCU, it would be downright irresponsible for Batman to not learn their language. 😅

[@mechajay3358]

I always saw it as Lex losing it. Also he really enjoyed having that power when he merged with Brainiac so much that he'll do anything to get it back.

[@nyukjustacommenter857]

Every instance of Lex coming for Brainiac: 1:58 BRAINIAC... I'M COMING 5:53 BRAINIAC... I'M COMING 19:36 I'M COMI- 23:52 BRAINIAC... I'M C- 29:12 I'M COM- 30:43 COMING Bonus: 31:55 YOU SAID HE'D COME

[@anonprime]

I always thought that lex's brainiac visions were "real," just with the twist that it's some part of Darkseid's that essence haunting the face meteor.

[@MattwosRandomNonContent]

26:56 It looked to me like it's possibly because Lex reflected Grodd's powers back at him.

[@inorganicjoe]

I'd like to see the concept of the Bottle Cities explored, forever keeping a culture in stasis, as a villainous act. I think that it could be a dark mirror for Superman. He wants a stable society, so does Brainiac.

[@leastlikelysuspect5122]

7:08 I totally agree with this point. But Kevin Conroy’s adaptation of Batman releasing his pride to sing in front of a live studio audience just for Sercy to give Wonder Woman back her human form was also really cool. That scene, Flash Running to beat Robo-Lexi-Poo and Batman dropping the Watchtower onto the Shield Generator are 3 of my favorite moments in this series

[@ShinySephiroth1]

My thoughts when I first watched this about the times Brainiac didn't appear was that the team was looking at their budget and/or production timeline, so to save money and/or time, they didn't invite him to return for certain episodes and got away with it by having Lex talk to himself.

[@dcauwatchtower]

We don't see him do that any other time though 🤔

[@ShinySephiroth1]

@dcauwatchtower Oh! It's been a while since my rewatch, so thanks for that. I had a false memory there were multiple episodes he talked to himself. 😆 🤣

[@InternetMameluq]

21:00: A few points: 1. I never watched Superman, so I didn't noticed Darkseid's costoume change... but I see it now 2. I assumed that was a grav lift lowering him down... but I see it now. 3. I'm pretty sure Matt was joking... I took that as a 'yes' 4. I totally didn't know what what Darkseid meant by 'more powerful than I've ever been', so this really clears it up for me...

[@gamerswag014]

"Brainiac im coming"-Lex Luthor 💀💀💀

[@brandonnewby178]

7:26: Where is that Justice League spin-off movie where we find out that the flash is a brainiac to the speed force, and Brainiac took it over?

[@rodeofrancisco6130]

I love the Grod theory.. I can't remember if this is from justice league or JLU but I thought the last episode was Luthor giving Darkseid the anti-life equation and leading him away to the source wall? Regardless, if brainiac were still part of Lex that far in the show.. He, possibly Brainiac, and Darkseid at the end of time is insane to never know what really happens. 😢 P.s. My favorite JLU member is by far The Question. He's so mysterious, not enough for a video though.

[@AlbertoGarcia-wd7sc]

Lex: Brainiac, I'm coming! Brainiac: Do not come. Do not come.

[@CommanderButter]

BRAINIAC, I'M COMING

[@GeekMasterGames]

Props to you using the "Correction, sir: That's 'blown out'" clip.

[@TrumbullComic]

If they use Brainiac in the new DC movies (not to be confused with The New Scooby-Doo Movies), I hope they keep his backstory as Krypton's AI. That's the coolest origin he's ever had.

[@TheOmegazerox]

It'm not sure but I thought I remember somewhere in jlu Braniac 5 stated his an Braniac 1's species or something. Like braniac is not cryptonian origion but maby acting as cryptons monitering network and gaining thier blinde trust in him to record thier data and telling crypton thier was no coming catastrify despite the proof Jor El had.

[@lilj362]

​@@TheOmegazeroxbrainiac 5 said he was Coluan, basically the aliens from planet Colu. The planet brainiac was originally from in the comics.

[@TheOmegazerox]

I thought I remembered something like that. I'm not much of a comic expert. It just seamed like Braniac was not cryptonian origion just became the cryptonian monitoring network for whatever reason he had.@@lilj362

[@dangalfthedruid]

Man, the way you use references, even half-sentences in new contexts, is really clever. Amazing work

[@DCMarvel2009]

In a live action setting, I think it’d make sense for them to adapt Brainiac being a computer based mind like in the DCAU and Smallville. However, maybe that could’ve just been part of the cyberizing process that turned Vril Dox into the Collector of Worlds we know. Smallville had Brainiac start out as an AI, and somehow he was able to develop/mimic human emotions, so why not do the reverse and have a humanoid alien slowly transform into a robot minded supervillain?

[@MechaEmperor7000]

The Grodd Theory still makes the most sense to me even if Grodd survives cuz he would still be roughly in position to see the wtfbbqheug explosion that took out the HQ. As far as he knows, Lex probably wouldn't be seeing any more Brainiac visions one way or the other. If he *wasn't* within range to see the explosion, he probably was pulled so far away that he couldn't exert his powers over lex anymore.

[@haldosprime3896]

You would think if Grodd was manifesting the brainiac visions he’d have used that to try and convince Luthor to spare his life while he was about to be sent into space. I know that luthor used Grodds psionic abilities against him but he did turn it off so I’m assuming he has some kind of ability to do that, but maybe not. Maybe the belt was still enough to prevent any kind of psionic effect.

[@U.S.CyberSoldier50]

I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to learn Old Norse. !!!

[@notjesse5445]

when the alien said "DigDabDoGoo"I felt that :(

[@Wanderer2331]

I remember thinking that the piece of Brainiac that Grodd had was fake. I later dismissed that idea because Lex would have obviously tested it.

[@ameliorategrey]

Lex Luthor: A Complex Villain, struggling with the grief of getting out of a codependently toxic relationship he wasn't prepared for.

[@charlesp.8555]

This may be the smoothest sponsor transition I have ever seen.

[@lostmonkey]

Obviously the Superman unleashes on Darkseid scene is the actual best scene in the DCAU

[@JeffDangerous]

I watch the cardboard scene when I need a good cry

[@foreverkent2225]

“Luthors home for imaginary friends” that one made me burst out laughing

[@xyongrayson8007]

“Shut up Dan! You’re not my real dad”😂😭

[@elihutchinson007]

Unbelievable, I was just thinking about this the other day. I think my theory at the time I first saw the show was that Darkseid was luring Luthor using Brainiac’s technology to resurrect him, though of course that makes no sense because he was dead. Then again, so was Brainiac…

[@teorachev9455]

BRAINIAC WAS ALL IN LE HEAD

[@scrudge5352]

I'd always just taken for granted the idea that Brainiac was really still inside his head, but I actually really like the Grodd theory, and I especially like the idea that Tala was basically the only one who could've brought Brainiac back in the way Lex wanted: it was only because of her that he knew about the Brainiac asteroid explosion from Twilight, and it was only through her magic that Brainiac could've been reconstituted. Luthor's plan totally would've worked if his abuse of Tala hadn't made her bring back Darkseid to spite him. I like the irony of Grodd and Luthor both being responsible for their own failings. Also I have so many thoughts about how to do a live action Brainiac, so much so that I've thought about making a video about it. My main desire would be to include Brainiac's cyborg origin from the comics, to emphasize that he was originally a normal organic alien who augmented himself and merged his conciousness with technology. I think it would be really cool to have the reveal of Brainiac Prime at the end of his first film appearance. Basically have Superman fight a bunch of Brainiac robots throughout the film, only to reveal that his original organic form is out deep in space, preserved in a robotic cocoon like his New 52 design, and serving as the central Brainiac conciousness. I think that way, a) you get a sense of Brainiac's strategic prowress, that he's able to fight from afar, and b) you put kind of a hard limit on how much you're able to bring Brainiac back: since so many Brainiac stories are about him reconstituting himself from leftover pieces, I think to firmly establish early on that he actually can be ultimately destroyed gives some weight to that actually happening. Like if Brainiac Prime is destroyed in a future film, the only way to bring him back would be to use whatever surviving Brainiac tech was availible to create a Brainiac 2, a sort of imperfect copy which is ultimately an evolution of the original being that would have different motivations and personality.

[@theleonpasta7336]

I think a better name for Brainiac and Lex "fused" together is "Lexiac"

[@OhNoBohNo]

Lexicon

[@taWay21]

idgf. The Flash running around the f'n world to kill Lex-Braniac was the pinnacle of the series

[@IdarkshadowI]

7:02 I feel you bro... this is the most epic moment in all DCAU... we discovered how trully badass Flash can be