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eightcrows β Might've been once
Published: 2013-08-15 22:09:43 +0000 UTC; Views: 3519; Favourites: 49; Downloads: 3
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This took a long while.Justice League Spoilers!!!!
I swear, the shipping in this show is some of the saddest I've ever seen. I mean, first it was just the fact that they actually made it make you care about them, then the whole Thanagarian invasion, and stuff with Hro. And then in JLU we've got Vixen messing things up (doesn't she know she should go with B'wana Beast?!!?!) and then 'The Once and Future Thing' happened. Now, this episode was very upsetting in many ways. Mainly, what happens to Terry, and some personal stuff I have with certain other things... but then at the end when John was thinking about Rex, and looking at Shayera, it was like, oh, now they'll go ahead and get back together. That's sweet. But... After Carter came things got weirder... and then 'Ancient History.' This episode is one of the saddest, if not the saddest in the whole series. First of all with the past, and how it was kind of a reversal, what with Shayera being the one in between, with two people both wanting her. And how she wanted to have children, but never got to. Instead they all died... And then the end of that one... Because however much Vixen-tension there was, I never expected them to actually have it that Shayera and John don't actually end up back together. He breaks her heart, telling her not only that he won't be hers ever again, but also about their son, who will never exist now. And once again, in another life, she's denied her child.
Which all makes 'The Once and Future Thing' take on a whole new meaning. I mean, we know just from it itself that we're dealing with a doomed timeline, what with how history was crashing into itself and that we know Terry can't really die, since 'Epilogue' still has to happen, so what happens therein won't be what will really happen, culminating in the intense imagery of the cracks that swallow up up Terry's body, and Virgil, and seemingly erase them from existence. But what if it's not just what happened that's what ceases to exist? What if whole aspects, whole people, met in the future, are still not a sure thing? What if meeting Rex is no real proof that he will ever be? Only what could've been.
And the episode ends with Shayera asking Batman, the other person who went to the future, the other person who lost a son there, one who died without him even seeing, and also one whom he doesn't know that his future self had already lost, to tell her about her child. To tell her what he would have been like, and now, never will be.
End of Spoilers
Worked hard to get Shayera's expression right. Don't think I did. I know she's probably not one for crying, but... There are some times when anyone cries.
I was very much inspired by this picture by SuperheroGeek13 right here... link
And sorry if John's head looks weird... XD Not good at drawing bald people.
EDIT: Ok guys, I KNOW that the fact that Rex is in 'The Call' proves that John and Shayera get back together. No one else needs to tell me. This is supposed to be fanart of JUSTICE LEAGUE, and I don't have to make it fanart of Batman Beyond. It's also meant to convey an emotion. Just because something turns out ok in the end that doesn't make the sadness that was on the way not matter. I'm tired of having to explain this when people completely miss the point of this picture.
Characters copyright DC
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Comments: 23
Didn't Vixen's death at the hands of Shadowman have a hand in Warhawk's existence?
I would be pretty miffed if he never existed, good job on the tension in the drawing by the way.
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But wasn't it pretty obvious that they did indeed come back together due to the events of "The Call" in Batman Beyond? That episode pretty much shows that Shayera and John did get back together eventually, and had Warhawk as their son.Β
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I know that. This picture is meant to convey an emotion.
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I hate green lantern he blamed her for what happened between themΒ
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Okay, whoa. The lighting alone in this is so perfect, girl. The light coming through the cracks in the darkness, but not as a hopeful sign, but as the very thing that's erasing the character from the timestream. *shudder*
And the expressions here...so pained and tragic, but the characters look so very much like themselves. And yeah, Shayera isn't really one for crying, but the fact that there's so much pain tied up in her tears...it's just how I imagine she would look if it were to happen in series. Dang, that series made me love her!
Flattered to hear that my picture helped inspire something so amazing.
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Thank you very much! I was hoping the light would be alternately hopeful and terrible on different layers of meaning.
Thanks, expressions were very hard. And I know what you mean! She's gotta be my favorite super heroine.
But of course! It has so much in common! I've always thought that picture was truly haunting...Β
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This is a very powerful and emotive piece, your placement of Warhawk between them, almost like a beam of light/hope is wonderfully done. Shading is well done and Shayera's pose especially is awesome. Its not an easy position to draw that's for sure. You've done a fantastic job here.Β
I also agree with everything you've said also. From their perspective they don't know what we know about Epilogue and therefore have no knowledge for certain whether or not Warhawk was the creation of a warped timeline or a real and potential occurrence. Your capture of Shayera here is simply heartbreaking and true, maybe she isn't one for crying but she has more than enough reason to.Β
Anyway, again, you've done a wonderful job!Β
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Thank you very much! I wanted Warhawk to symbolize a lot in this piece.
Yes exactly. The time travel system in this show doesn't always make sense, and the rules are unclear... In the end, it seems the future is still just as unknowable as it is to the rest of us.
Thank you!
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You are most welcome! He does symbolize a lot indeed 
I agree, they seem to use it for whatever they want in the show so it is all a bit confusing but we all know that they'll make it in the end
And thank-you for creating this
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Yeah, Shayera and Jon do get back together. Β Warhawk was in the BB series, so it was always going to happen... Jon's speech about not being destiny's puppet is nice, but even in the context of the show, you knew it was a futile position, because Warhawk would be born regardless.
Anyway, they clear it up in the BB comic book series, but it's not a whole lot less depressing. Β Jon was on the verge of proposing to Vixen when she was killed by Shadow Thief. Β Shayera helped him to kill Shadow Thief, but Jon was expelled from the Green Lanterns for killing and some other fun stuff happened. Β And they eventually got back together.
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Yeah, I know. This is just meant to convey the emotion as presented in JL alone, with showing the future but then leaving off with the turn-around of the possibility of it not being that way. It's a very unique tragedy, and I wanted to show the whole idea of it.
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Shayera was the most well developed female character (alongside Barbara Gordon) in the entire DCAU. And their relationship was one of the best achievements this show accomplished. On the drawing: I've never seen her barefoot before though, lol. She looks great here!
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She's definitely one of the best. My thoughts exactly on the relationship! I think that and the whole 'without the Flash the world is doomed' rule being established are the best parts of JL.
XD I wondered whether to give her her shoes or not, but I can't see being curled up in my room hugging a pillow and crying with shoes on!
Thanks!
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I've gotta take a crack at drawing her myself that way, lol. The pose is great on her
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Cool. 
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As for Warhawk: yeah the timeline in Once and Future Thing was doomed and was reset. And yeah we didn't actually see John & Shayera get back together in the course of the show (cuz it ended too soon 
But yeah... Shayera doesn't know all that to ease her despair. Poor Shayera. Just you wait
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Thank you very much! Yeah, she does get emotional sometimes... Like with Solomon Grundy.
LOL I love that beard!
That is true... I tend to think of Batman Beyond as a different continuity sometimes, mostly because I really don't like that 'Epilogue' stuff very much... I mean, the whole premise seems just a little ridiculous to me: We did this horrible experiment to make you a replacement Batman by having him have you as a biological son and then planning to kill your parents, but it fell through, but then WHATAYA KNOW you became Batman anyway! Seems just a little silly... and having Dana just know that he's Batman alluva sudden kinda undermines the point of the last BB episode... :/
But anyway, I had heard about that; what they said about putting them back together, which is what I would certainly hope for, had the show gone on! For this picture, I just kinda went with the mindset of 'what there is in this show by itself, and the feeling that evokes.'
Oh I'll be sure to check out that review. 
I sure hope so.
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Haha yeah the whole story of how Terry was Bruce's biological son and became Batman was a little too coincidental LOL... but Dana knowing he's Batman isn't really "all of a sudden", Epilogue is like 20+ years after the last episode of Batman Beyond so a lot coulda happened
And I totally agree that at that point in the show Shayera would be in total despair 
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And what about Matthew then? Doesn't he have just as much reason to become Batman?
XD Yeah, I know. But without the intervening time shown, it came as quite a shock! When that scene played I literally just shouted, "YOU TOLD HER?!?!"
Yeah... Does kinda seem like, why'd he tell her about Rex and then just turn around and say they weren't gonna happen? Not a very delicate approach, certainly...
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Matthew does have just as much reason to become Batman... if it weren't for his brother already being Batman I guess. I mean he's like what 8 when Terry becomes Batman, way too young and by the time he's of age for superheroing the Bat's already taken... I've seen a lot of fanworks where Matthew becomes Robin Beyond, I think that'd make sense if Matthew were to take the same path as Terry... but without canon reference, who knows really LOL
I think he told her about Rex cuz he loves her and he WANTS them and Rex to happen. He turned it around cuz he's a pighead. He's desperately trying to hang on to the relationship with Mari not only cuz (at the time) he has feelings for her, but also cuz he's trying to prove that he's in control of his own life rather than some "destiny" and he thinks denying himself what he really wants would prove that. Also he's a character with a lot of integrity, he wouldn't wanna do this to Mari, I think he's already very conflicted as it is... anyway basically every excuse in the book to try to push Shayera away... but at the same time give her a reason to fight for him
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I think it's a real cool idea. Matthew didn't do a whole heckuva lot in the show. It would've been awesome if we'd seen an older Matthew in Epilogue!
"...cuz he's a pighead." AGREED!! XD
They really are just excuses, no denying that! He knows deep down what's supposed to happen, but, like you said, he's got that integrity, and has respect for everyone's feelings... trouble is, in a love triangle, there's no pleasing everyone. Why the heck doesn't Vixen just get with B'wana Beast?! I swear, Vixen and John messes up two of the best DC ships there are...
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Yeah I woulda liked to see what became of Matthew too, there was a lot of potential there
LOL I think Vixen should date Hawkman instead
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