Chronology in the DC animated universe
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The DC animated universe is a series of animated television series and related spin-offs produced by Warner Bros. Animation which share the same continuity. Most of these animated series are adapted from DC Comics properties. The abbreviation "DCAU" is often used.
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[edit] The Present Day DCAU
The timeline in the DCAU can be divided into two great eras.
The first era is the "The Present Day DCAU" and it presents events that take place in the present of the animated universe.
This era can be divided into three periods.
[edit] The Batman Period
This first period describes the adventures of the first Batman (Bruce Wayne) and his allies, most notably the first Robin (Dick Grayson) and Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), but also Zatanna (Zatanna Zatara). There are several clues that indicate that these events take place before any other in the animated universe.
- Batman: The Animated Series - beginning with the episode "On Leather Wings"
- Batman: Mask of the Phantasm - theatrical feature animated film
- The Adventures of Batman & Robin - a direct sequel of the original animated series
- Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero - direct-to-video animated film
[edit] The New Superheroes Period
The second period begins with Clark Kent's decision to use his super powers for the good of mankind (the destruction of Krypton and arrival of Kal-El on Earth are presented here, but they took place some time before). Note that as Clark dwells upon becoming a superhero his adoptive mother, Martha Kent, makes a reference to "that nut in Gotham City". This proves that Bruce Wayne was already operating as Batman, and apparently that the events seen in Batman: The Animated Series already happened (however, since the first episode of Batman TAS was not an origin story, all we know for sure is that at the time of this Superman episode, Batman was a known figure).
This period introduces many DC Comics superheroes into the animated universe. The most notable ones are Superman (Clark Kent), the second Robin (Tim Drake) and Static (Virgil Ovid Hawkins). However we also meet The Flash (Wally West), Supergirl (Kara Kent), Dr. Fate (Kent Nelson), the Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Aquaman (Arthur Curry), Etrigan the Demon (Jason Blood), Steel (John Henry Irons) and The Creeper (Jack Ryder).
- The Last Son of Krypton - a direct-to-video animated film that consists in fact of the first three episodes of Superman: The Animated Series
- Superman: The Animated Series [Season 1 and a great part of Season 2] - we follow Superman's adventures as he defends Metropolis
- Static Shock [Season 1 and a great part of Season 2] - meanwhile young Virgil Hawkins becomes the superhero Static and defends Dakota
- The Batman/Superman Movie - another direct-to-video animated film that consists of three episodes from Superman: The Animated Series (World's Finest Parts 1,2 & 3), presents the first time Superman works with Batman
- Superman: The Animated Series [remaining episodes of Season 2]
- The New Batman Adventures [Season 1] - some years have past since the events of Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (period in which we followed the adventures of Superman and Static), and in this time Dick Grayson became Nightwing and Robin (Tim Drake) became the new Robin.
- Static Shock [remaining episodes of Season 2 and a great part of Season 3] - features episodes "The Big Leagues" (in which Static meets Batman and Robin) and "Hard as Nails" (in which he works with Batman once again)
- Superman: The Animated Series [Season 3 and Season 4]
- The New Batman Adventures [Season 2]
--> These two would form The New Batman/Superman Adventures
- Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman - direct-to-video animated film
[edit] The Justice League Period
In the third period of the Present Day DCAU, all these heroes and many more unite and form the Justice League. This period introduces the following notable superheroes to the animated universe: Wonder Woman (Princess Diana of Themyscira), Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz), the Green Lantern John Stewart, Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol),Captain Atom(Nathaniel Adams), Green Arrow (Oliver "Ollie" Queen), The Question (Victor Szasz), Mister Terrific (Michael Holt), Black Canary (Dinah Lance) and The Huntress (Helena Bertinelli).
- Secret Origins - a direct-to-video animated film that consists in fact of the first three episodes of Justice League
- Justice League - animated series that chronicals the adventures of seven of the above superheroes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Hawkgirl, J'onn J'onzz and John Stewart)
- Static Shock [remaining episodes of Season 3 and Season 4] - features episodes "A League of Their Own" (Parts 1 and 2, in which Static meets all the members of the current Justice League except Superman and Wonder Woman), "Toys in the Hood" (in which he teams up with Superman), "Future Shock" (in which Static first helps Batman and Robin and then travels into the future where he meets the second Batman, Terry McGinnis) and "Fallen Hero" (in which he teams up with the Green Lantern John Stewart)
- Justice League Unlimited - a direct sequel of Justice League, presents the new and extended Justice League
- The lengthy flashback sequence of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker takes place (according to Paul Dini) at the end of the Present Day DCAU.
[edit] The Future DCAU
The second era is the "The Future DCAU" and it presents events that take place in the future of the animated universe.
Approximately 30 years after the conclusion of Batman: The Animated Series (15 years since the end of Justice League Unlimited) and an aged Bruce Wayne is having increasing difficulty handling criminals he once subdued with ease. One day a heart attack forces him to betray a lifelong personal principle by threatening a criminal with a gun, and subsequently Wayne decides to retire from crimefighting permanently.
After another 20 years (50 years from the conclusion of present day DCAU) Gotham is a city of the future equipped with staggering high rises and hovering/flying vehicles. It is then that Bruce Wayne meets young Terry McGinnis, who will become the second Batman. This marks the beginning of the Future DCAU.
- Batman Beyond [Season 1 and great part of Season 2] - Terry McGinnis begins work as Batman and meets his own rogues gallery, formed of the seductive shapeshifter Inque, the confusing hypnotist Spellbinder, the bitter, deaf sound expert Shriek, the most deadly of the League of Assassins Curaré, the insane terrorist Mad Stan, and the African hunter Stalker
- Batman Beyond [remaining episodes of Season 2 and Season 3] - features episode "The Call" during which Terry meets this era's Justice League
- The Zeta Project - after the episode "Zeta" of Batman Beyond this spin-off series was born, the events depicted in the two series take place at the same time and there are several cross over episodes on both shows
- "Future Shock" (episode of Static Shock) - the events of this episode of Static Shock (Static travels into the future where he meets and works with the new Batman) probably take place in this period
- "The Once and Future Thing" [end of "Part 1:Weird Western Tales" and entire "Part 2:Time, Warped"] (episode of Justice League Unlimited) - some time later (Terry already knows and works with the future Justice League) the present day Batman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman chase Chronos into the future Gotham City, where the combined heroes defeat a gang of retooled Jokerz lead by the supervillain (however, since the present day Batman traps Chronos in a time loop, right before he started his first time travel, these events never truly take place)
- Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker - direct-to-video animated film
- "Epilogue" (episode of Justice League Unlimited) - after another 15 years, Terry McGinnis learns the secret connections between Bruce, him, and his brother Matt, and his parents' unwitting involvement with Amanda Waller's scheme at Project Cadmus over thirty years ago (this episode marks the end of the DCAU timeline)
- "Far From Home" (episode of Justice League Unlimited) - Supergirl, Green Lantern John Stewart and Green Arrow are transported approximately 1,000 years into the future of the Justice League Unlimited Period by Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 and Bouncing Boy are the only members left that have not been captured by the Fatal Five. Seeing no other way they decided to recruit the three heroes from the past. At the end of this episode, Supergirl decides to remain in this time period while Green Lantern and Green Arrow are sent back to their era.
[edit] See also
- DC animated universe
- Batman: The Animated Series
- List of Batman: The Animated Series episodes
- Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
- Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
- Superman: The Animated Series
- List of Superman: The Animated Series episodes
- The New Batman Adventures
- The New Batman/Superman Adventures
- Static Shock
- List of Static Shock episodes
- Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
- Justice League (TV series)
- Justice League Unlimited
- List of Justice League episodes
- Batman Beyond
- Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
- List of Batman Beyond episodes
- The Zeta Project
- List of The Zeta Project episodes
[edit] External links
| The Bruce Timm DC animated universe | |
|---|---|
| Television series: | Batman: The Animated Series | Superman: The Animated Series | The New Batman Adventures | The New Batman/Superman Adventures | Batman Beyond | Static Shock | The Zeta Project | Justice League | Justice League Unlimited |
| Feature-length films: | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman |
| Comic books: | Batman Adventures | Superman Adventures | Justice League Adventures | Batman Beyond | Gotham Girls |
| Web cartoons: | Gotham Girls |
| Video Games: | DCAU Video Games |
