Many major changes are afoot in the DC Universe, from the newly formed DC Films division at Warner Bros. to the Rebirth relaunch on the comics front. Now, an official confirmation of a sequel to the popular fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us also has something for fans of the video game to get excited about.
In addition to continuing the story from the first game, Injustice 2 is also getting hyped for what is being referred to as “the biggest DC roster ever offered in a fighting game.” The launch trailer and gameplay preview confirmed the addition of a few new characters, notably the Red Lantern Atrocitus, Aquaman villain Black Manta, sentient ape Gorilla Grodd, and Superman’s Kryptonian cousin, Supergirl.
Any DC fan is likely to find their mouth watering just considering the potential characters that could be added in a widely expanded roster. With hundreds of possibilities, here are the 20 Characters we would most like to see added for Injustice 2.
Mera
Wife of Aquaman and Queen of Atlantis, Mera has many similar powers to Aquaman, in addition to her ability to form hard-water objects, which allows her to create an almost endless variety of weapons from available water sources.
With a new focus on Mera in DC’s Rebirth comics – and the casting of Amber Heard to play the character in Zack Snyder’s Justice League – Mera’s inclusion in Injustice 2 makes a lot of sense. Her hard-water manipulation also brings new skills to the game and serves to differentiate her from a simple alternate female skin for Aquaman.
Penguin
Oswald Cobblepot is a long time Batman villain who is small in stature, but still no chump when it comes to combat. Penguin is adept at judo and bare-knuckle boxing, but also wields an umbrella that has been modified to double as any variety of melee and ranged weapons, and also serves as a shield.
Due to his unique build and attack types, Penguin would be a wholly unique addition, providing a range of abilities not currently offered by any character in the current roster. His height and umbrella shield also combine to bring a fresh focus on defensive capabilities, something the characters in the first game don’t prioritize.
Mr. Freeze
It’s not clear what’s colder, Mr. Freeze’s Freeze gun, or his cold, cold heart, but both are just a component of what makes him such a classic Batman villain. His arsenal may not be as varied as other playable characters, but that doesn’t make him any less dynamic of an addition to Injustice 2’s roster.
Freeze’s refrigeration suit enhances his strength, while also providing him protection from attacks, allowing him to stand toe to toe with any adversary in the game. His ability to freeze enemies can also be utilized to immobilize his opponent for both defensive benefit and offensive bonus.
Captain Cold, a similarly-powered supervillain and vaunted member of the Flash’s Rogues gallery, would also be right at home in the Injustice world.
Bizarro
As a half baked Superman clone, Bizarro may not be able to match wits with the Man of Steel, but that doesn’t make him any less formidable an opponent. With powers that are mostly the reverse of Superman’s – such as freeze vision and flame breath – Bizarro would be a fun new superpowered addition to the roster of playable characters.
Bizarro’s is also going to be sharing the spotlight in Rebirth’s Red Hood and the Outlaws, potentially moving him into anti-hero territory. Seeing him as a member of the Outlaws definitely raises his profile above what it’s been for the past few years, making him another desirable addition to the game.
Red Hood
Red Hood is the alter ego of Jason Todd, the (formerly) deceased second Robin. With years of mentoring from Batman himself, bolstered by additional training from other martial arts experts post resurrection, Red Hood is a deadly anti-hero who isn’t afraid to use any weapon available to him – he’s proficient with all of them.
A playable Red Hood would be a departure from the Batman and Nightwing characters already in the game due to his use of guns and other explosives, opening up the potential for any variety of basic attacks and special moves that aren’t a part of any existing character’s catalog of moves.
As an odds-on favorite to feature in the DCEU in the very near future, it would make a ton of sense for DC to try and get audiences as acclimated with the former Boy Wonder as possible. What better way to do that than to show off just how lethal he can be?
Deadshot
When it comes to adding characters to the playable roster in Injustice 2, Deadshot is a no-brainer. Not only does he have a long history in DC Comics, but he’s about to be predominantly featured in the Suicide Squad movie (played by Will Smith), and is obviously a main fixture of the Suicide Squad comics in Rebirth.
Deadshot is an elite marksman who claims to have never missed his target. He’s also proficient with just about any weapon with a firing pin – both short and long range – and is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. Despite his lack of superpowers, he’s adequately equipped to face off against any character in the game.
Black Canary
As one of the most adept martial artists in the DC Universe, Black Canary has been trained by, and fought against, some of the most talented DC fighters, and deserves the chance to do so in Injustice 2. Although her combat proficiency alone should earn her a place on the new roster, her Canary Cry puts her over the top as a formidable (and infinitely playable) in-game character.
Black Canary is also getting a major focus in Rebirth, with a featured role in both Green Arrow and Birds of Prey. Additional rumors of her making an appearance in the DCEU only serve to add more justification for her to also make it into Injustice 2 as a playable character.
John Constantine
Most people don’t think of John Constantine as a major physical threat, but what he lacks in combat ability, he more than makes up for it in a proficiency in mystical arts and some downright dishonest trickery. Constantine’s magic is largely utilized in a defensive manner – blocking attacks, increasing his luck, and even reflecting damage back at his enemies. He also utilizes an arsenal of magical objects, making him a truly versatile addition to the game.
Constantine’s antics, which often include deception and dirty tactics, wouldn’t only make him an entertaining character to play, but his utilization of magic would also add some cool visuals to his special attacks.
Batwoman
As a former West Point cadet, Katherine Kane leverages her military training with a proficiency in martial arts and fancy gadgetry to serve as yet another Bat vigilante in Gotham City. As a part of DC Rebirth’s Detective Comics, Batman even asks her to run a boot camp for young vigilantes as an admission of his deficiencies as a mentor.
Batwoman’s new prominence in the Bat Family make her another great addition to the Injustice 2 roster. Her military training providing a stark contrast to the typical ninjutsu tactics of the rest of Batman’s allies, making her a true head-to-head threat for any character in the game.
Doctor Fate
Many characters have adopted the mantle of Doctor Fate over the years, and while the body under the Helmet of Fate is important, the powers are the same regardless. Known as one of the most powerful arcane objects on Earth, the Helmet of Fate imbues its wearer with the vast knowledge of sorcery deposited by its creator, Nabu.
Fate wields many personal powers, including strength, flight, telekinesis, and invulnerability, in addition to a host of magical spells, both offensive and defensive. The combination of these abilities make for a list of moves, combos, and finishers that any fighting game fan should be itching to get their hands on.
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing is a creature who is comprised nearly entirely of plant matter, and has almost complete control of surrounding vegetation, allowing him to manipulate nearby plant life – including the green that makes up his body. This makes him highly resilient to damage and injury, as he can regrow any damaged parts, or even an entire body, often using the latter ability as a means of transportation.
In addition to his plant control, Swamp Thing’s super strength makes him a true dual threat. Between his strong offensive and defensive powers, he makes him a great addition for Injustice 2, introducing a completely new character type and playing style to the game.
Stargirl
Stargirl is a young DC hero who wields the Cosmic Staff and Cosmic Converter Belt she inherited from the former Starman, Sylvester Pemberton. While she is a proficient gymnast and kickboxer, the Cosmic Converter Belt enhances her physical abilities, giving her improved strength, speed, agility, and stamina, while the Cosmic Staff grants her the ability of flight and energy manipulation.
Stargirl makes a brief appearance as a statue outside the Hall of Justice in the first Injustice game, but she deserves a spot as a fully playable character in Injustice 2. Her unique style would provide more visual flavor, but her star powers also present yet another unique fighting style.
Firestorm
Many characters have inhabited the Firestorm Matrix over the years, but all exhibit similar abilities. The obvious basic offensive abilities include super strength, speed, and the ability to wield fusion blasts. Defensively, Firestorm can absorb large amounts of energy targeted at him, and change his density, allowing objects to pass through him harmlessly.
As a playable character in Injustice 2’s larger roster, Firestorm’s elemental power would introduce a new visual flair and power set not currently provided by any existing character. His recent presence (in two different incarnations) on The CW’s The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow series provided a visual demonstration of his powers that should have many people itching to play him.
Katana
Skilled in both armed and unarmed combat, Katana is a force to be reckoned with. Her true expertise is with the blades (as demonstrated by her name), and she wields a Soultaker sword, which has the ability to take the souls of its victims – where Katana can occasionally communicate with them.
While Injustice does have a few playable characters that wield swords, there is not yet a true swordsman on the roster, and Katana would be perfect to fill that vacancy. With her recent appearance in Arrow and presence in the upcoming Suicide Squad, it only makes sense for her to also pop up in Injustice 2.
Poison Ivy
After surviving a lethal dose of plant toxins, Pamela Isley is born again as the villainess Poison Ivy. Not only had she survived the dosing, but she also gained immunity to all toxins, a mastery of natural poisons, and control over living plant matter. She also keeps vines and other vegetation on her person at all times, and can readily utilize them for offensive purposes.
As another addition to Injustice 2, Ivy’s manipulation of plant life and use of poison would present another great player strategy. Her classic association with various giant toothed plants also make for some potentially epic finishing move cinematics, a la Aquaman’s shark.
Blue Beetle
The mantle of Blue Beetle has been claimed by three people. Dan Garrett , Ted Kord, and Jaime Reyes. Blue Beetle’s power is derived from an ancient mystical (later revealed to be alien) scarab that grafts onto the heroes spine, giving them the abilities of flight, super strength, increased durability, and the ability to manifest weapons.
The unfortunate part about the inclusion of Blue Beetle is that there aren’t enough button combos in the game to truly demonstrate the variety of weapons the scarab is able to create (not unlike the infinite possibilities of Green Lantern and his ring). Nevertheless, Blue Beetle would be a phenomenal inclusion, even if he’s not able to be utilized to the fullest extent of his powers.
Booster Gold
Booster Gold is a hero from the future who gets all of his abilities from equipment he stole from the Metropolis Space Museum. This equipment consists of a Power Suit that grants him super strength and near invulnerability, gauntlets that emit powerful blast energy, goggles that augment his vision, and a Legion of Superheros Flight Ring that grants him the ability to, well, fly.
Booster is another character with personality that can bring more unique skills to the game in addition to a sense of humor. With confirmation that a Greg Berlanti is working on a Booster Gold movie, it also makes sense for DC to give the character a profile boost by including him in Injustice 2.
Reverse-Flash
Amongst DC’s various villains with on-the-nose names, the Reverse-Flash stands out. From his morality all the way down to his costume, Eobard Thawne is truly the opposite of Barry Allen. He’s able to tap into the Speed Force, run at extraordinary speeds, create speed mirages, travel through time, and he has a genius intellect to boot.
Injustice: Gods Among Us had a large roster of villains to choose from, including many of DC’s best pairs of arch-rivals. Batman and Joker are playable, Superman and Lex Luthor are playable, Green Lantern and Sinestro are playable, but Flash doesn’t have a nemesis on the roster. This reason alone should be sufficient to justify the addition of Reverse-Flash to the ranks of Injustice 2’s playable character selection.
Larfleeze
Larfleeze is an odd ball in DC’s pantheon of characters, but with Injustice 2’s inclusion of a Red Lantern (Atrocious) to complement the Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and the Yellow Lantern (Sinestro), there’s definitely a case to be made to add Larfleeze and his orange power ring to the fray.
Agent Orange is a little different from your standard lanterns of other colors in that he always has his power battery on his person. While other lanterns’ abilities are limited by how much charge their ring has, Larfleeze can unleash orange light without discrimination, adding a major threat, and unique spin, on the standard ring-wearing characters already in the game.
Darkseid
As one of the most powerful characters in all of DC lore, Darkseid also has a one of the strongest arguments for inclusion on Injustice 2’s playable character roster. While the Lord of Apokolips is primarily a Superman rival, Darkseid has been the central antagonist of multiple major DC comics crossover events, making him an enemy of any DC hero. He even makes an appearance in the Injustice: Gods Among Us comic series, making his absence from the game even more notable.
As a New God in the DC Universe, Darkseid wields immense power. His nigh-invulnerability normally renders him impervious to damage from other beings that don’t wield similar power, but he’s still been brought down by non-superpowers heroes, such as Batman. His best-known attack, the Omega Beam, is a blast of energy that can bend and curve at will, making him one of the most lethal characters in the universe and setting the stage for what would likely be one of Injustice 2’s most brutal finishing moves.
Do you have any favorite DC characters you’d like to see as a playable option in Injustice 2? Let us hear about it in the comments!
