Following the original Justice League animated series, Justice League Unlimited concluded the original DC Animated Universe saga that began with Batman: The Animated Series. Bruce Timm and company were joined by talented writers like Stan Berkowitz and Dwayne McDuffie to present some of the best Justice League stories ever told.

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JLU upped the scale, expanding the roster of the team and pitting the heroes against bigger, stronger threats like the Dark Heart, Ivo's Android, and Darkseid. The ratings on IMDb indicate which episodes were the most beloved by fans and critics. Those episodes were mostly season finales, had epic showdowns, or revealed more about the DCAU lore.

10 "For The Man Who Has Everything" (8.6) Recreated An Iconic Superman Story

Mongul fights Wonder Woman and Batman in the Fortress of Solitude

The creatives behind the DCAU crafted many amazing original stories, but they often pulled inspiration from popular DC comics. One of the first episodes of Justice League Unlimited, titled "For the Man Who Has Everything," was a direct adaptation of the story crafted by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons from Superman Annual #11.

Batman and Wonder Woman travel to the Fortress of Solitude for Superman's birthday, but they find a comatose Man of Steel who's infected by an alien plant from Mongul. The episode features one of the most tragic scenes in JLU, as Superman experiences the destruction of Krypton and the loss of the Kryptonian family he could have had. Wonder Woman also steals the show with her brutal battle against Mongul.

9 "The Great Brain Robbery" (8.6) Was One Of The Most Entertaining Episodes

Lex Luthor swaps brains with Flash

Michael Rosenbaum's name is familiar to many DC fans. He voiced Wally West, a.k.a. The Flash, during Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, but he also played Lex Luthor on Smallville for seven years. In "The Great Brain Robbery," Rosenbaum reprised his role as Lex Luthor, this time in animation.

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After Lex Luthor and Wally West inadvertently switched bodies, Luthor used the Flash's body to try to escape the Watchtower while Flash (in Lex's body) tried to stay alive amidst the Legion of Doom. The episode was fun, creative, and demonstrated how powerful Flash is as he outmaneuvers heroes like Green Lantern and Doctor Fate.

8 "Alive!" (8.7) Pitted Villains Against Villains

The Injustice and Justice Leagues face each other

Lex Luthor was recruited to Gorilla Grodd's Legion of Doom at the beginning of season three, but Luthor instantly fought for the position of leader. Their feud lasted until the penultimate episode of JLU. "Alive!" shed the spotlight on the villains as Luthor led his Injustice League against Grodd's Legion of Doom.

When the DCAU jumped from Justice League to Justice League Unlimited, the creators took more chances and focused on more obscure characters and concepts. It was a bold move to center the penultimate episode on the villains, but it worked for the story. The villains were responsible for resurrecting Darkseid, the main antagonist of the series finale.

7 "The Once & Future Thing, Part Two: Time, Warped" (8.7) Explored Alternate Timelines

John Stewart meets Static Shock, Warhawk and Batman Beyond

The first season of JLU concluded with a two-parter titled "The Once & Future Thing." The second part was one of the highest ranked JLU episodes on IMDb. While the first part saw Justice Leaguers travel to the 19th century, part two saw them travel to an alternate future where they met Batman Beyond, Warhawk, and an older Static Shock.

The episode featured so many moments of entertaining fanservice, from Batman and elderly Bruce Wayne's dual-interrogation to Hal Jordan's cameo. The DCAU didn't include time travel stories as often as the comics, but this episode provided a thrilling time travel adventure with high stakes and repercussions involving John Stewart and Hawkgirl's relationship.

6 "Flashpoint" (8.9) Saw Captain Atom Battle Superman

Superman defeats Captain Atom

A lot happens in "Flashpoint." Superman battles Captain Atom in one of the most brutal, emotionally-charged fights in JLU. Huntress and Question develop true feelings for each other after she rescues him from Cadmus. Lastly, Cadmus hijacks the JL Watchtower's explosive weapon and frames the heroes by firing that weapon back at Earth.

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"Flashpoint" proves how talented JLU's creatives are. When fans talk about why the DCAU shows stand above other superhero media, they should point to "Flashpoint." The emotional episode drives an intriguing, season-long story arc forward in unexpected ways.

5 "Question Authority" (9.0) Was The Question's Best Episode

The Question argues with Superman

The Question was easily one of the best characters in Justice League Unlimited. He first fully appeared in "Fearful Symmetry," working alongside Supergirl and Green Arrow in an episode that laid the foundation for the Cadmus arc, which came later in the series.

During "Question Authority," Question discovers footage of Superman killing Lex Luthor in another universe. That event led to the Justice Lords ruling over their world as tyrants. To prevent the same thing from occurring in this universe, the Question attempted to kill Luthor before Superman could ever have the chance. Question was unlike any other hero. He was willing to kill to save the world, which made him all the more memorable.

4 "Panic In The Sky" (9.0) Put The JLU In Jeopardy

Galatea fights Supergirl in the Watchtower

While the founding members of the Justice League traveled to Earth, Cadmus attacked their orbiting Watchtower with an army of superhuman clones led by Galatea, a more powerful version of Supergirl. "Panic in the Sky" was the culmination of the Cadmus arc that had been slowly building for half the season.

The Justice League members on the Watchtower, who are far less powerful and experienced than the absent founding members, held their ground against the mindless Ultimen clones. Supergirl ultimately killed her more powerful clone with the help of Steel. The episode was incredibly thrilling, and many heroes' lives were at stake.

3 "Epilogue" (9.2) Concluded Batman Beyond's Story

Terry McGinnis speaks with elderly Bruce Wayne

Terry McGinnis dropped a lore bombshell on fans when "Epilogue" first aired. The character who fans had grown to love over three seasons in Batman Beyond, the high schooler who became the Batman of the future under an elderly Bruce Wayne's tutelage, was Bruce's son.

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"Epilogue" was intended to be the series finale that would conclude the entire DCAU, but Warner Bros. ordered another season. "Epilogue" is still a fitting end. The DCAU began with Batman, and discovering that Terry continues the Batman legacy in more ways than one felt like a fitting conclusion to the animated universe.

2 "Divided We Fall" (9.3) Was An Emotional Climax To The Cadmus Arc

Flash defeats Luthor Brainiac

Using the alien technology of the Dark Heart, Lex Luthor merged with Brainiac to create a new, cosmic foe with godlike powers. The founding members of the Justice League attempted to stop him in one of the most climatic battles of the DCAU. Luthor-Brainiac created duplicates of the Justice Lords to battle the League, calling back to "A Better World," one of the best two-parters of the original JL series.

In a scene heavily inspired by the Flash's sacrifice in the Crisis on Infinite Earths comic event, Wally West ultimately unleashed his full power. In a matter of seconds, he circled the Earth dozens of times to defeat Luthor-Brainiac, nearly killing himself in the process. "Divided We Fall" was an emotional, thrilling conclusion to the season-long Cadmus arc.

1 "Destroyer" (9.3) Ended The DCAU With A Bang

Darkseid versus Superman

After his resurrection, Darkseid collected his forces on Apokolips and launched a full-scale, global invasion of Earth, forcing the Justice League to team up with Lex Luthor and his Injustice League. The heroes and villains split into small teams, but the episode primarily focused on the confrontation between Darkseid and Superman, Luthor, and Batman.

"Destroyer" ended JLU with a bang. The score was epic, the fights were action-packed, and the reunion between J'onn and Diana was heartfelt. One of the highlights of the DCAU came when Superman unleashed his full power on Darkseid, punching the New God halfway across Metropolis. As such, it's the highest-rated JLU episode on IMDb.

NEXT: Every Animated Justice League Movie, In Order