Warhawk (Batman Beyond)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Warhawk is a superhero created for the DC Animated Universe, voiced by Peter Onorati.
Contents |
[edit] Batman Beyond Appearances
Based on Hawkman and invented specifically for Batman Beyond two-part The Call as a member of the Justice League Unlimited of the future, Warhawk met Batman. (They would later become close comrades and colleagues.)
In the animated series' related comics, Warhawk appeared in Batman Beyond issue # 21 - The Blackest Day - Part 1 when Batman teams up with the Justice League Unlimited in a high-voltage adventure as they battle a new villain called Blacklight.
[edit] Justice League Unlimited Appearances
Warhawk's next appearance in the DCAU was the Justice League season three episode The Once and Future Thing (Part 2: Time, Warped). The aforementioned JLU is the present-day lineup, set in current DCAU continuity, as opposed to that of the Batman Beyond timeline.
In Time, Warped, Warhawk met the modern-day Green Lantern John Stewart, the first Batman (Bruce Wayne), and Wonder Woman (Diana of Themiscyra), who had been sent into the future by Chronos. At that time he was a member of the future JLU alongside an aged Static and Batman II (Terry McGinnis).
It was revealed that Warhawk was the son of John Stewart and Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol); Stewart was thrown by this fact because he was involved with Vixen, having broken up with Shayera since the traumatic events of Starcrossed despite the presence of latent tension between the two.
Cyclical causality erased memories of the team-up from the future JLUers, the future Bruce Wayne, as well as the present-day Wonder Woman (as she had faded from existence halfway through the story). Only John Stewart and the current Batman retained knowledge of Warhawk's existence.
In Ancient History, Green Lantern finally informed Shayera that she was to become the mother of his child.
Warhawk's second Justice League Unlimited appearance was in Epilogue (which is set 65 years in the future, although the episode aired a season before Ancient History). He was still a member of the JLU, working alongside Batman II, Micron, and Aquagirl Merina.
[edit] Character Data
Warhawk's real name is given as Rex Stewart, possibly to identify him with Rex Mason (Metamorpho), who is given as John Stewart's best friend in animated continuity.
(An etymological hypothesis is that Warhawk's name derives from the Latin rex king: his mother Shayera is alleged to be the reincarnation of the ancient Egyptian princess Chay-Ara, the mistress of the pharaoh Katar Hol and the lover of John Stewart's past life Vashari.)
The creative team used for Warhawk's design the face of John Stewart from model sheets in the pre-production process of the Justice League animated series.
However, unlike his mother's organic wings, Warhawk's are made of Nth Metal. Producer Dwayne McDuffie gives this explanation: “Shayera’s wings are organic; like all modern-day Thanagarians she was born with them. ... Not explained on the show (but according to Bruce Timm) Thanagarians used to make their wings, only in the past several hundred years have they genetically engineered themselves to grow organic wings. ... For many generations now, Thanagarians [have been] born with natural wings. Warhawk (Rex Stewart, future son of Shayera Hol and John Stewart) was born without wings, this is as a result of his half-human heritage. Warhawk’s wings are artificial. Shayera and a Thanagarian male would produce organically-winged offspring, like any other Thanagarian couple."
Because Time, Warped (set in the Batman Beyond era) was wiped from continuity, a major point as to whether Batman Beyond is a possible future or actually entrenched in the reality of the space/time continuum, fans have debated over whether Warhawk (and, for that matter, Batman Beyond) is canon. His appearance in Epilogue is cited as proof that he will indeed be born to John Stewart and Shayera Hol, even if the couple was split up even at the end of Justice League Unlimited. On the other hand, Bruce Timm has stated that Batman Beyond was deliberately ambiguous as to its existence, and that while he knows some fans are upset with him for not giving the John/Shayera romance a set-in-stone conclusion, "you can put two and two together and imagine what happens."
It is worth noting that Dwayne McDuffie commented that “John and Shayera have the child, exactly as before. The time-traveling that has occurred is already part of the timeline that produces Warhawk as are the edicts to that timeline, including those we haven’t yet seen on the show. The important thing to remember is that Warhawk isn’t even thirty in Batman Beyond years […] a few things are going to occur in that time period to change the current status quo. [Also], it's dramatically more interesting for Green Lantern to believe it's the actual future. If he believes it's only one possibility it doesn't carry any more weight than a particularly vivid dream."
In conclusion, Warhawk goes beyond that of a minor character in Batman Beyond, or even a plot point in Justice League Unlimited. His parents and his very birth provide insight onto continuity in the DCAU, which is why Warhawk is firmly rooted into the mythos of the DCAU.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Warhawk has powers similar to Hawkman which include flight and seemingly increased strength. Also wears a suit of armor which has jet boosters, razor-talons (possibly other weapons) and the ability to cover him in protective liquid-metal plates. Warhawk may also have access to his mother's Nth Metal weaponry.
