01x09 - Ultimatum

[bunniefuu]

[WIND HOWLING]

[♪♪♪]

Huh? Whoa!

[BOTH SCREAMING]

The new Bermuda
Platform's under att*ck.

If it collapses,
we're gonna have

the worst oil spill in
history on our hands.

I've told those idiots
to stay out of my ocean.

ETA is three minutes, Aquaman.

Right behind you, Superman.

SUPERMAN: See you there, Diana.

[GRUNTING]

These geniuses dug right
into the Earth's magma.

Never occurred to them there'd
be anything living down there.

Not to worry, fellow heroes.

The Ultimen are here.

Not them again.

[♪♪♪]

Now, is that nice?

[ALL GROANING]

You know, Juice,

Superman was my
hero when I was a lad.

It's not his fault
he's getting old.

Old?

Old but spry, sir. Old but spry.

It's, uh, really an honor

to be working with
you, Wonder Woman.

Thank you, Long Shadow.

Lend them a hand, Brother?

Absolutely, Sister.

Flood!

Sea serpent!

[ROARS]

Don't be afraid, Wonder Woman.

It's only me, Shifter.

Any chance you could warn
me before you try to drown me?

We were only trying to help.

[BOTH GRUNTING]

Can you make telepathic contact?

Do they look like fish to you?

Don't despair, old chum.

I didn't know you could do that.

Neither did I.

WIND DRAGON: Finding new sources
of fuel for an energy-starved world

is truly a worthy endeavor.

But in man's quest
to better himself,

he must respect all of
the world's creatures,

including those poor beasts
whose homes you've disturbed.

It's imperative that we
learn to share our planet

if Earth is to survive.

He's certainly... earnest.

I think the word is "corny."

Our paths keep crossing,

and our goals are
very much the same.

Isn't it time you
accepted our offer?

All right!

We're truly flattered,
Wonder Woman,

but we're simply not ready yet.

All of you in the Justice League

stand as shining examples
of what true heroism is.

I only hope that one day...

the Ultimen can live
up to your legend.

Oh, for crying out loud.

Wonder Woman?

I... I think it'd be terrific

if one day we could
join the League, but...

Maybe you could come
with me on patrol sometime.

Oh! Oh, that would be...

Let's go, Romeo.

Mr. Lord, your Ultimen have
taken the country by storm

these past six months.

Why do you think that is?

Simple, Mike.

They're heroes people can trust,

relate to, depend on.

They're not aloof.

They don't put themselves
above us mere mortals

the way that some heroes do.

Are you referring to
the Justice League?

Who?

But what about
those who criticize you

for the millions you've made

in licensing and
endorsement deals?

All the money
generated by the Ultimen

is funneled back into the group
to cover overhead and such.

Fighting crime
isn't cheap, Mike,

and even superheroes
have to eat.

I can't listen to
any more of this.

This guy's dripping more
oil than that platform ever did.

And he has the gall to
take cheap sh*ts at us.

I know Maxwell Lord.

All he cares about is money.

Well, it takes money
to do what we do.

And not everyone's
independently wealthy.

Lord's a walking ego
who'd do anything

for a buck and
some free publicity.

If he's involved in this, it
isn't about helping people.

I don't know about Lord,

but I think these
Ultimen have potential

that should be encouraged,
especially Long Shadow.

I admit, they're
a little overeager,

but they're really a
nice bunch of kids.

So last night,
Inside Celebrity did

a whole segment on Wind Dragon.

And Mr. Swelled Head here
didn't even mention the rest of us.

When do I get to be team leader?

When your teeth
sparkle like mine.

LORD: Kids, kids,

you know you two
play best to the tweens.

Your faces are on the walls of
every 12-year-old in America.

I don't know about Shifter,

but I'm sick of
being a teen idol.

There's more to me
than just a pretty face.

Hmph.

Did I forget to give
you the royalty check

for the new water-spouting
Downpour action figure?

And that's just domestic.

What... What I wanna know is...

ALL: Why can't we
join the Justice League?

Hey, it's all right. I
used to think like that.

Used to? What happened?

I don't know.

I guess I just
started wanting stuff.

[PHONE RINGING]

[♪♪♪]

Yes, ma'am,

but just because Wind
Dragon has a new power, we...

Yes, I know,
but... But... But...

I'll check it out, ma'am.

I'll check them all out.

[WOMAN GRUNTING]

Come on, Giganta.

How long are you going
to be Grodd's errand girl?

Long as he needs me.

I took you apart before.
Why go through it again?

Because this
time, I've got help.

♪ Bizarro's here
To save the day ♪

[GRUNTS]

[g*nf*re]

Out of the way, tiny.

You were saying?

Oh, poop.

Can't you see
Giganta's just using you?

Me do anything for woman I love,

even break her
boyfriend out of jail.

And what's gonna happen then?

Uh...

Good job.

Believe it or not,

when I was born,
I was small, sickly.

But lucky for me, my
folks were scientists

experimenting with
growth hormones.

Guess the experiments
were a success.

Where are your parents now?

Well, Mom... passed away.

Dad's retired.

Do you really think I could
make it in the League?

Yes. Yes, I do.

But I guess... I guess I
owe it to the Ultimen to...

[BOLD MELODY PLAYING]

Yeah?

Okay. Right away.

I've gotta go.

[MACHINERY HUMMING]

SHIFTER: How long are they
gonna keep us here like this?

What's the hurry, sis?

Gotta get home and
wax your mustache?

[LAUGHING]

Well, I, for one, have a date,

and I have to get
her home by 10.

It's worse than we thought.

The Ultimen's cellular
matrix isn't holding.

Wind Dragon, in particular,

is showing massive
cellular atrophy.

But they're all in the
early stages of failure.

How long?

A few months, a few days.

The progression will be painful.

We should do everything
we can to help them.

WALLER: That's not our priority.

But, Mrs. Waller, I
really think that we...

Since when did your
opinion count, Lord?

How fast can you get the
second team up and running?

I swear, he still wets the bed.

HAMILTON: If we push
ourselves, five days.

Can I help it if I keep
turning into a puddle all night?

Quiet.

WALLER: Do it in three.

I saw her turning
into Britney Spears...

LORD: But what
about the Ultimen?

Quiet!

WALLER: They're expendable.

Great news, troops.

Dragon's new power is
nothing to be concerned about.

But just to be safe,

Professor Hamilton wants to
keep you overnight for observation.

Overnight?

No problem, Max.
We'll be happy to stay.

[SIREN WAILING OVER TV]

[g*nf*re, SCREAMING OVER TV]

[GRUNTING]

SHIFTER: What exactly
are we looking for?

We'll know when we find it.

[GASPS]

[BARKING]

What is that?

Over there.

[♪♪♪]

[SOBBING]

The clones are unharmed.

Security can't find a
trace of our Ultimen.

But I want you to
find them, Mr. Lord,

and bring them back.

They're not gonna
trust me or anyone

now that they know that...

Bring them back,

or I'm calling in the
squad to put them down.

I want this laboratory
dismantled and relocated.

No loose ends.

[SCREAMING]

[GRUNTS]

[♪♪♪]

You lied to us, Max.

I was only trying to protect you

from people who don't have
your best interests at heart.

I've always been on your side.

And I promise I
won't stop until...

Spare us the performance.

Water.

Lion.

What'll it be, Max?

Drowning on a rooftop,
or eaten by a lion?

[MUFFLED SPEECH]

[GASPING]

[COUGHING]

You're...

You're artificial life
forms grown in a test tube,

designed to be the
ultimate superheroes.

That's a lie! I
remember my parents!

How much they loved me.

I was with my mother
when she d*ed. I...

Implanted memories.

But I spent Thanksgiving
with my father.

Actors.

How long have we...?

You're just a little
over a year old.

The purpose of
the Cadmus Project

was to create a popular
group of superheroes

who were completely
loyal to the government,

unlike those loose cannons
in the Justice League.

And the clones?

Replacements for
when... you... wear out.

Once they're complete,

the clones will
think they're you.

They'll be you,

and no one will be the wiser.

How could you do this to us?

Ha! Me? This is so big,

even my superiors
are small fish.

But I... I was just...

Following orders?

No. He's nothing.

We want the big fish.

They're gone.

And we're dead.

They're here somewhere.
They've got to be.

Rhino!

Tidal wave!

Take this place apart.

No, wait!

There are other
offices in this building,

innocent people who...

[RUMBLING]

What's going on?

[PEOPLE CLAMORING]

[SCREAMS]

I'm here to help.

Get us out of here!

[YELLS]

[WHIMPERING]

WONDER WOMAN: Need a hand?

What's the point of this?

We'll never find
Cadmus or a cure.

It's hopeless.

Then what? We just die
and let them replace us?

No one ever knows we were here?

That we mattered?!

I say we just bring the
whole building down

right on top of us.

LONG SHADOW: Don't
give up hope yet, Downpour.

We've got friends...
in high places.

You idiot.

Do you really think
that they can help us?

Whatever's going on,

we'll do everything
in our power to...

Yes, power.

That's what it always
comes down to, doesn't it?

And that's the only way
we'll ever be remembered.

If we're the ones who take
down the Justice League,

the world will never forget us!

Listen to yourself.

You're not making any sense.

You're getting sicker.

Translation: They're
afraid to face us.

No!

As a man said,

"You're either with
us or against us."

[YELLS]

Where'd he go?

Light's out... old chum.

[GROANING]

Nobody does that to my sister.

Do you hear me?!

Nobody!

King of the seas, remember?

[ROARS]

[GRUNTING]

You don't have to do this!

It's all I know!

It's what I was created to do.

You're confused, Dragon.
The cellular degeneration...

No more words.

I'll suck the wind
right out of you.

[GASPING]

Look what you're doing. Look!

LONG SHADOW: Is this what
you wanna be remembered for?

He was your hero.

[ROARS]

He was my hero.

And a hero's all I
ever wanted to be.

[CROWD CHATTERING]

Project Cadmus?

That's all you know?

Everything else is
an implanted memory.

How much time...
do you have left?

Who knows?

[♪♪♪]

We'll take it from here.

WALLER: The
Ultimen belong to us.

Belong?

A poor choice of words.

We'll see to it

that their last days
are comfortable.

We will take care of you.

You have my word,

for whatever it's worth.

All right, Max.

No.

You need to step back.

Not gonna happen.
Long Shadow's with us.

Safeties.

[g*ns COCK]

Mine are bigger than yours.

Stand down.

He's free to go with you

for however long he's got.

Who are you people?

That's a National
Security matter.

And if I were you,

I wouldn't probe the
situation too closely...

rich boy.

[♪♪♪]

Welcome to the Justice League.

[♪♪♪]