Narrator: Previously on Justice League...
If you help Grundy, Grundy will help you.
The curse removed your soul.
Grundy wants it back.
Will magician help?
I will do everything I can.
The walls between the worlds have been torn asunder.
I order them now sealed.
Banish the Old Ones and seal the breach.
Stop!
You take the magician.
Your mace seems to be giving him fits.
[gasp]
Those runes-- they're thanagarian.
Hah!
What do you know about Thanagar? Talk!
You've run out of choices.
Tell us what you're doing-- now.
We were trying to prevent that.
Worm face tries to attack Grundy’s friends.
Grundy crush!
Stay back, all of you.
Everything's in the hands of Fate now.
[chanting in foreign language]
[scream]
[both chanting in foreign language]
[chanting]
How could you possibly know that incantation?
Where I come from,
it's the closest thing we have to a prayer.
Is it over?
No. Only a beginning.
It will rest, then attack again.
We must complete the original spell.
You don't have the strength.
Nor do I have a choice.
What is going on here?
What was that thing?
There's no time.
Make time... Or are you scared
Because there's no water in here?
We're not gonna fight again, are we?
No, we aren't.
I'll show you what you wish to know.
Pretty.
Where is that?
It's Atlantis thousands of years
Before it sank beneath the waves.
In those days, Atlantis was ruled by sorcerer kings.
And fortunately so, for Atlantis,
Along with most of the ancient world,
Found itself under attack by extradimensional beings called "the Old Ones."
[roar]
The Old Ones nearly destroyed humanity
As they prepared the way
For the most powerful of their number--
Great Itchtultu .
But king Poseidon gambled that they could be stopped.
He gathered nearly all of the ambient mystical energy on earth,
Then forged it into a single weapon.
The power of the trident
Served to banish the Old Ones from our realm.
But the price was high.
Poseidon knew that the same mystic energy
He used to defeat the Old Ones
Also powered the spells that prevented Atlantis
From sinking beneath the ocean.
He saved the world,
But doomed Atlantis to rest forever
At the bottom of the sea.
Now the Old Ones seek to return to our world.
Already, fissures have appeared,
Allowing creatures from their world
To gain entrance into ours.
When you interrupted,
We were helping Fate cast a spell to bar their way.
And now we must complete the ceremony.
I won't let you torture Grundy again.
It's not exactly torture, Diana.
More like... Sacrifice.
How do you know so much about this?
My people once worshipped Itchtultu .
On Thanagar?
The Old Ones are an evil not bound
By your understanding of geography.
In return for his favors,
My ancestors made offerings to him.
I can't believe anyone would cooperate
With that... thing.
It was thousands of years ago.
We were still a primitive culture.
With your knowledge,
Perhaps you can help with the ceremony.
Forget the ceremony.
We're not sacrificing Grundy or anybody else.
Grundy volunteered.
I'm not sure he's competent to volunteer.
Does he even understand what you're asking of him?
Grundy understands.
Grundy helps magician, then magician will help Grundy.
I agree with Superman.
There has to be another way.
There is.
We go to Itchtultu 's world and kick his slimy--
Bird nose is right. Fight, not hide.
No. We should stick to our original plan.
This may be better.
It's more likely to work than simply recasting a broken spell.
It's a fool's errand.
I joined with you to protect Atlantis.
And the rest of the world be hanged?
We need your power.
So do my people.
My place is with them.
Aquaman--
I have spoken.
Very well.
A spell to return you to your home.
Inza, I must ask you--
To remain here as your anchor
So you can find your way back.
Prepare yourselves.
I always thought it was a fable to scare children.
I'll take point.
No! Keep down!
What did you do that for?
In this realm,
Ground and sky are not always parallel.
If we are separated,
You could become hopelessly lost.
I'm glad to see you safe.
And I you, my love.
Assemble my war council.
Atlantis is in grave danger.
Attack from the surface world?
Not this time.
But our enemies must be very near indeed.
You've heard reports from our sentries.
No.
It's the creatures of the sea.
Mera, I can't hear their thoughts.
They're gone.
Superman: I still don't see
How your people could have fallen
Under the sway of a creature like Itchtultu .
Hawkgirl: Thanagar was a harsh world in those days.
Itchtultu gave us agriculture,
Mathematics, philosophy.
The foundations of our entire culture.
But something changed?
You stopped believing in him.
Yes.
Modern thanagarians bow down
To no higher power.
I sense that we are very near our goal.
[scream]
[screaming]
Grundy hates stupid screaming man.
Grundy knows how he can crush
Lots of screaming men.
Aargh!
Bird nose helps Grundy?
But bird nose and her friends hate Grundy.
Grundy help bird nose,
Bird nose help Grundy, ok?
Excuse me. Hawkgirl smash.
[scream]
Superman: Everybody ok?
Grundy: Ok. Hawkgirl: Fine.
Magician: I am unharmed.
Let's get on with this.
For Atlantis!
Hawkgirl: Let me ask you something.
Do you really gain strength
When you call on your gods?
Of course I do.
My beliefs sustain me.
That must be comforting.
There are times when faith is all we have to rely upon.
I don't know how you can
Bear the weight all alone.
Great Hera.
What is that?
The breach between this dimension and our own.
My spell weakens.
It is only a matter of time
Until it fails altogether.
Then we stop them here.
Not all of us.
You and Wonder Woman halt their advance.
The rest of us will take the battle to Itchtultu .
Stay on the path.
Magician, why we stop?
He's here. I feel him.
Where?
I'm not sure.
Everywhere.
Be on your guard.
Itchtultu: Speak not until spoken to, dust mote.
Ok, that was just rude.
Wind mote, who are you?
Shayera Hol. Hawkgirl.
You have the stench of the thanagarians upon you.
Says the giant squid.
Definitely thanagarian.
I will speak to the Hawkgirl
Before I destroy her.
You others hold no interest.
[groan]
Grundy crush pimple man.
Hang on, Grundy, I've got him.
Get back, bird nose.
Let me put that out for you.
[whoosh]
Speak to me, child of Thanagar.
Nothing to say
I've got a gesture for you, but my hands are tied.
How I've missed your people's spirit.
We don't miss you.
We outgrew you-- thousands of years ago.
I gave your people everything.
Why did you forsake me?
Forsake? We threw you out.
The price for your favors was too high.
My tribute was equitable.
I earned your faith.
Really?
What's a fair price for the souls
Of my ancestors?
Snake face steals souls?
Give Grundy back his soul, snake face,
Or Grundy crush!
You hear Grundy?
Give it back!
Where is Grundy’s soul, snake face?
Tell Grundy!
Tell Grundy, or Grundy crush!
Uh!
They aren't attacking.
No, they're running.
I think I can seal the breach with the trident,
But I need something to plug the hole.
But what's big enough to--
That could work.
Let's find the others.
Oh!
[panting]
They're... strong.
Begone!
Aargh!
[groan]
Grundy must be close for snake face to fight so hard.
[gasping]
[roar]
Big ugly monster thing won't stop Grundy.
[groan]
Oh...
Grundy.
[moan]
Grundy can't move.
Bird nose get Grundy’s soul for him?
Rest. I'll finish what you started.
Itchtultu: You will not do this thing, Shayera Hol of Thanagar.
Itchtultu still has faith in you.
So do I.
Grundy: Bird nose?
I'm here.
Ahh...
Grundy thinks he is going away now.
No. Just hang on.
Do you think Grundy’s soul is waiting for him?
Grundy, I don't believe--
Yes, it's waiting for you.
Then Grundy gets his reward.
[sobbing]
I tried to do this according to human customs.
You honor his memory.
He was happy at the end.
I still don't understand why.
It's faith, Hawkgirl.
You're not supposed to understand it.
You just have it.