The Best Justice League Unlimited Characters, Ranked

Justice League Unlimited distinguishes itself from the series that came before it, Justice League, in a number of ways. Most episodes are only a single part; each season has an ongoing story arc, and the cast is significantly larger. Rather than just starring the seven League members from the previous series, it highlights an abundance of lesser-known heroes.

Justice League Unlimited massively expands the cast of the DCAU and features dozens of incredible characters. Superman, Batman, and the rest of the founders still make ample appearances, but Green Arrow, Supergirl, The Question, and more are equally important. The villains of Unlimited are just as crucial to the series’ success, with figures like Lex Luthor and Darkseid being stand-outs.

10 Black Canary is a Stand-Out of Season 2

Black Canary is one of DC’s greatest heroines, and JLU lives up to its title by doing her justice. Dinah Lance, aka Black Canary, is a master martial artist with a sonic scream. She stars in three fantastic episodes across Seasons 2 and 3, and each of them showcases different parts of her character.

Black Canary is voiced by Morena Baccarin.

“The Cat and the Canary” explores Dinah’s relationship with Wildcat and begins her iconic romance with Green Arrow. “Double Date” continues to focus on the adorable new couple while also putting Black Canary into conflict with Huntress. And “Grudge Match” develops her friendship and rivalry with Huntress, while also giving her multiple excellent fights.

9 Vigilante is the Coolest Version of the Character

Justice League Unlimited revels in fleshing out not just B-list DC heroes but truly obscure ones. Vigilante, aka Greg Saunders, was as unknown as superheroes get before appearing in this series, but he’s had a significant fanbase since it aired. Vigilante is a heroic cowboy, and despite there not being much else to him, he manages to be awesome and hilarious.

Vigilante is voiced by Nathan Fillion.

Vigilante makes frequent cameo appearances, often alongside Sir Justin, and every joke he makes in the limited time he has on-screen lands. His first major appearance is “Hunter’s Moon,” which puts him right in between the feuding Hawkgirl and Vixen, but it’s “Patriot Act” that makes him unforgettable. Despite only having the tools and abilities of a cowboy, he doesn’t hesitate to take on the seemingly unstoppable General Eiling, and there are countless great bits between him and Shining Knight.

8 Batman is the Reason the DCAU Exists

The DCAU started with Batman: The Animated Series, so it’s only right that the universe’s finale gives significant focus to Batman. Bruce Wayne, the world’s greatest detective, has a major role in many stand-out episodes, such as “For the Man Who Has Everything,” “This Little Piggy,” “The Once and Future Thing,” and “Ultimatum.” He also plays a significant role in the Cadmus Arc, and his rivalry with Amanda Waller makes for some of the best interactions in the show.

Batman is voiced by Kevin Conroy.

It’s impossible to discuss Batman in Justice League Unlimited without mentioning “Epilogue.” The original intended ending of the series, and the DCAU as a whole, this episode massively shakes up the franchise’s lore but is best remembered for Batman’s heartbreaking confrontation with a dying Ace. This scene makes perfectly clear who Batman is at his core, underneath all the brooding, and why he does what he does.

7 Huntress Could Have Led Her Own Series

Huntress stands out from every other hero in the series with her refusal to play by the Justice League’s rules. Helena Bertinelli, aka Huntress, gets fired by the League in her first appearance for her murderous intent, leading the bold, vengeful, and snarky heroine to learn why their rules exist on her own. With a strong, nuanced personality and a personal vendetta against crime families, Huntress demands her own series more than any other new addition to the cast.

Huntress is voiced by Amy Acker.

Huntress plays an unexpectedly large role in the Cadmus Arc after entering a relationship with The Question. The two’s romance is one of the best and weirdest in the DCAU, with the seeming strangeness of the pairing only making it more wholesome. Season 3 doesn’t abandon Huntress and instead spotlights her friendship with Black Canary.

6 Amanda Waller is a Completely Unique Antagonist

Amanda Waller is one of the only villains in the DCAU who honestly believes that what she’s doing is in the world’s best interest. Cold, calculating, ruthless, and an even match against Batman, Waller is the leader of Cadmus and the series’ main antagonist for the first two seasons. While she commits horrible acts against the Justice League, she knows in her heart that superpowered beings are a danger to everyone around them, and the League does little with their actions to prove her wrong.

Amanda Waller is voiced by CCH Pounder.

Without Waller, there is no Justice League Unlimited, as her political beliefs form the backbone of what the story aims to argue against. Waller herself also isn’t punished by the story for being rightfully afraid of the unchecked gods living above Earth in their satellite and is instead able to accept that she went about things the wrong way. Her appearances in “Patriot Act” and “Epilogue” make clear she’s going down a better path.

5 Lex Luthor is the Main Character of Season 3

Lex Luthor was already brilliant as the central villain of Superman: The Animated Series, but Justice League Unlimited elevates him even further. The billionaire genius is more charismatic than ever, his fake run for president ties perfectly into the Cadmus Arc, and his fusion with Brainiac brings about the best fight in the series. Season 3 capitalizes on how entertaining Lex was in the previous seasons by making him its protagonist.

Lex Luthor is voiced by Clancy Brown.

Season 3 focuses on Lex’s power struggle with Gorilla Grodd within the Legion of Doom and his quest to re-merge with Brainiac. Lex as a villain protagonist in episodes like “I Am Legion” and “Alive!” is a refreshing change of pace, and he even ends up being the one to defeat Darkseid in the series finale, “Destroyer.” Lex also plays a key role in the funniest episode in the series, “The Great Brain Robbery.”

4 The Question is the Ultimate Fan-Favorite

The Question is undoubtedly the most popular new hero introduced in Justice League Unlimited. Vic Sage, aka The Question, is a conspiracy theorist, and while not the fighter Batman is, he might be a superior detective. Nearly every line he has is infinitely quotable, with his theories getting increasingly ridiculous Season 2 goes on.

The Question is voiced by Jeffrey Combs.

The comedic aspects of Vic’s character act as a perfect contrast to the suffering he goes through as he becomes entangled in the conspiracies surrounding Cadmus. “Question Authority” puts him through Hell, with his beatdown from Lex Luthor standing out as one of the most memorable moments in the show. Equally memorable is his endearing romance with Huntress, the tenderness of which is brought out in full by what he goes through.

3 Green Lantern Goes Through Justice League Unlimited Uncertain of What He Wants

If Justice League has a main hero, it’s Green Lantern. John Stewart, the protector of Sector 2814, grows more than anyone else throughout the two seasons, and his romance subplot with Hawkgirl is the series’ most significant arc. Following the dramatic conclusion to the series, Justice League Unlimited continues to focus on his romantic life, while also giving him consistently great roles in standalone episodes.

Green Lantern is voiced by Phil LaMarr.

Some of the stoic, former Marine’s best episodes in Justice League Unlimited include “The Once and Future Thing,” Chaos at the Earth’s Core,” and “Far From Home,” with him often playing the role of mentor to young heroes like Supergirl and Stargirl. While the series falters in giving proper resolution to his and Shayera’s arc, it makes up for this by adding a new element to his life. Green Lantern and Vixen’s blossoming romance doesn’t get any full episodes dedicated to it like it should have, but their chemistry is strong enough to have a huge impact even with the limited screentime they receive.

2 Hawkgirl Struggles to Put Her Life Back Together

In the Series Finale of Justice League, Hawkgirl betrays her friends, and plays a key role in the conquest of Earth by the Thanagarians. Real name Shayera Hol, her story throughout Justice League Unlimited is about learning to forgive herself, making amends for her mistakes, and regaining her place within the team. At the same, while it doesn’t have the best conclusion, her romantic subplot with Green Lantern does get plenty of attention.

Hawkgirl is voiced by Maria Canals-Barrera.

Hawkgirl doesn’t appear until near the end of Season 1, making her a sight for sore eyes when she does show up. Her first episode, “Wake the Dead,” explores her personal issues well while also serving as a sequel to the brilliant “The Terror Beyond.” Season 3’s “The Balance” and “Hunter’s Moon” show how her quest for redemption isn’t an easy one, while Season 3 moreso lets her enjoy the fruits of her labor after regaining everyone’s trust. Hawkgirl was primed to be the stand-out character of Justice League Unlimited after how phenomenal a finale “Starcrossed” was, but she’s somewhat let down by not only the resolution to her and John’s storyline but by Season 3’s weak Hawkman arc.

1 Green Arrow is Justice League Unlimited’s Greatest Addition to the Cast

Green Arrow is both the first hero to appear in Justice League Unlimited and the most prominent new addition to the cast. Real name Oliver Queen, Green Arrow is the world’s best archer and, more importantly, the League’s connection to the normal people they protect. This makes him thematically, and not just narratively, crucial to the Cadmus Arc.

Green Arrow is voiced by Kin Shriner.

After taking center stage in the series premiere “Initiation,” Green Arrows goes on to star in outstanding episodes like “Fearful Symmetry,” which puts together the hysterical duo of him and The Question, “The Cat and the Canary,” which introduces his romance with Black Canary and shows how strong his heart really is, and “Patriot Act,” where he leads a ragtag team in a hopeless battle against General Eiling. The moment that best shows what he brings to the series comes in an episode he otherwise doesn’t have a role in, as his idealism is what holds the Justice League together at the end of “Divided We Fall.”