Netherrealm Studios’ DC-focused fighting series, Injustice, has always shared some similarities with its acclaimed Mortal Kombat franchise, from its visual style to its fast-paced, visceral combat. As the developer prepares for the release of Mortal Kombat 1 later this year, with a timeline-resetting storyline certain that’s sure to shake things up, it should consider taking a similar narrative leap at the conclusion of Injustice 3. Giving Netherrealm’s superpowered fighting franchise a timeline reset would be keeping in line with the time-hopping hijinks that have become a comic book staple and potentially help refocus the series moving forward.
With a cross-media continuity that stretched across video games, comics, and even an animated film, the Injustice franchise was a big deal for both Netherrealm Studios and DC Comics. The story’s premise of superheroes-gone-bad provided the perfect setup for having some of DC’s mightiest heroes come to blows, letting players see how thin the line separating the superpowered beings from the villains they fought truly is. If Netherrealm wants to keep Injustice’s evil superhero storyline feeling fresh, though, it should consider moving away from the established timeline after Injustice 3 and introducing some powerful new threats to the universe.
Magic Could Be the Key to a Rebooted Injustice Universe
No matter which of the endings for Injustice 2 that players chose, the story was resolved in a fairly tidy fashion while still leaving the door open to potential future installments. While both paths provide a solid setup for Injustice 3, trying to carry forward the story of a beleaguered Batman trying to take down his best friend-turned-foe, Superman, into a fourth game could feel repetitive. By taking influences from the often magic-infused storylines of DC Comics, Injustice 3 could have a conclusion that introduces powerful, magical threats to the universe while positioning the Caped Crusader as the series’ newest threat.
Some of DC’s magical heroes and villains have appeared in previous Injustice games, meaning that introducing a magical menace to the games wouldn’t be wholly unprecedented. With Ed Boon teasing that he’d like to add Teen Titans member Raven to Injustice 3, who counts time travel among her many magical abilities, the franchise would have the perfect opening for a timeline reset. Having somehow fallen under the sway of powerful villain Ra’s al Ghul, Raven could reset the timeline at the end of Injustice 3, giving birth to a world where Bruce Wayne never left the League of Assassins and now stands as the same sort of looming threat previously posed by Superman.
A Rebooted Injustice Could Place the Spotlight on Justice League Dark
A magically-influenced Injustice timeline would help the franchise escape the evil Superman trope and open the door to giving the mysterious Justice League Dark a leading role. First introduced in 2011 and comprised of a rotating cast of some of DC Comics’ most powerful supernatural characters, Justice League Dark focuses on taking down magical threats to the DC Universe. With Raven’s time travel having unleashed chaos on the world, Injustice 4 could see Justice League Dark assembling to stop a now-evil Batman and reset the timeline to its proper order.
Justice League Dark members like Doctor Fate and Swamp Thing have already appeared in previous Injustice games, and Injustice 4 could see the introduction of Hellblazer John Constantine as the group's reluctant leader. With Raiden’s ending for Injustice 2 having already shown Constantine forming the magical group, this would be in line with the franchise’s existing storylines. Netherrealm could introduce some of the more unusual members of Justice League Dark, like Detective Chimp and Man-Bat, to the Injustice character roster to add some variety to the franchise’s familiar faces.
By following Mortal Kombat 1’s lead and rebooting the Injustice timeline, Netherrealm could reinvigorate its superhero fighting franchise. Placing the spotlight on DC’s magical heroes and villains would be the perfect way to do this, paving the way for a new slate of playable characters and establishing a corrupted Batman as the series’ biggest, most menacing threat yet.
Injustice 3 is rumored to be in development.