Why A New Justice League Recruit Promises To Be The Team's Biggest Threat Since... Forever

The Justice League disassembled after Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, but the threat of Amanda Waller made the hero community realize how much they need each other and how much the world needs them. Now the League is back and bigger than ever before. But this new era may not last long since one of their newest members is planning on betraying them.

The Justice League's New Recruit Air Wave is Planning to Kill the Team

Air Wave Has Gained Their Trust and Furthered His Secret Plot

In Justice League Unlimited #1 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, and Ariana Maher, it's a fresh start for the iconic team and newbie Air Wave transports himself to the new and improved Watchtower. Air Wave is caught up in the chaos onboard as numerous heroes are responding to crises all across the world, but thankfully, the young man is greeted by the Flash, who gives Air Wave a tour of the Watchtower. However, the tour comes to an end when Red Tornado’s AI alerts the Justice League of mass casualties in South Africa.

A cache of League members head out and discover a group known as Inferno is attacking in order to control South Africa’s supply of iridium. The team struggles against several War Wheel drones, even with the combined might of heroes like Superman and Firestorm. Air Wave asks to join the team, but the Justice League's system turns him down, saying his powers aren’t relevant to the mission. However, Star Sapphire and Black Lightning discover a mortally wounded man and can only save him by contacting his wife. Air Wave joins the fray and uses his power to find the man’s wife.

Star Sapphire uses the power of love to heal the man, while the rest of the Justice League finish handling the War Wheels. The squad returns to the Watchtower where many heroes compliment Air Wave’s quick thinking and properly welcome him into the Justice League. Air Wave retires to a private room and begins to cry, thinking about how much it means to him that the team trusts him. But Air Wave’s inner thoughts reveal that he’s not here to work with the Justice League, he’s here to kill them all.

Who is Air Wave, and What is His History with the Justice League?

How Long Has He Been Planning to Kill the Team?

Air Wave, aka Harold Jordan, is a legacy hero and the son of the original Air Wave, Larry Jordan (both kin to Green Lantern Hal Jordan). Air Wave has a costume that lets him transform into electromagnetic waves, as well as other forms of energy and radiation. Though Harold died during Infinite Crisis, he returned to the post-Flashpoint DC Universe, once again a relative of Hal Jordan. Despite Green Lantern's insistence that he didn't want Harold being a hero, he saw just how effective Air Wave was when he helped stop an invasion of the radio people of Kwyzz.

Air Wave’s most recent time in the spotlight was during Absolute Power, when Amanda Waller stole the abilities from the Earth’s metahumans, intent on imprisoning them for good. Harold was one of the few heroes to not get apprehended by Waller’s all-Amazo team, Task Force VII, and made it to the Fortress of Solitude, where he caught the attention of Mister Terrific. With Blue Beetle, Terrific used Air Wave’s tech to rig a Phantom Zone projector and helped get the remaining heroes to a safe place on Themyscira.

Like the rest of the heroes, Air Wave faced a crisis of confidence, but after being inspired by Aquaman, he rallied with the heroes in one final stand against Amanda Waller. After the team defeated Task Force VII and got their powers back, Air Wave used his powers to broadcast Waller admitting to her actions all across the world, leading to Waller finally being arrested for her numerous crimes. The dust settled from her attack and the heroes began the task of rebuilding the Justice League for a new day.

Why Does Air Wave Want to Kill the Justice League?

If It's Really Him, Can He Actually Do It?

It’s a bit of a shock seeing Air Wave going rogue so suddenly. He’s never been portrayed as a villain, and he really came through for the heroes at the end of Absolute Power. But there were a couple of months in-between the end of the summer event and Justice League Unlimited #1 and anything could have happened. Air Wave could have been blackmailed by a villain, he could have been converted by this new Inferno terrorist group the League is onto, or he could have been replaced by a doppelgänger altogether.

Whatever his reasoning, Air Wave is planning to kill the Justice League, which is a pretty tall order. Amanda Waller’s attack put the entire Justice League on high-alert. They’ve upped their security, have more heroes than ever in their ranks, and have numerous failsafes on and off the Watchtower. However, the Justice League is planning against outside threats, not inside ones, and now that Air Wave is starting to gain the team’s trust, he can start making moves against them.

Though he cast doubt on his own powers, Air Wave’s ability to manipulate radio signals could prove useful. He could mimic distress signals that send team members to dangerous places or compromise the security of the Watchtower and allow dangerous villains into their base. Air Wave knows his limits and he’s clearly approaching his betrayal methodically. If he takes his time and plans carefully, he could do some serious damage to the Justice League before they’ve even begun to suspect him.

Will the Justice League Catch On Before It's Too Late?

Who Can Stop What Air Wave's Planning?

Unfortunately, one of the people who knows Air Wave best, Green Lantern, doesn’t appear to be anywhere, and he’d probably know if something was off with his cousin. For now, Air Wave is surrounded by a bunch of trusting people who don’t suspect his ill-intentions. While there are incredible sleuths like Batman and the Question in the Justice League, if they don’t start paying attention to Air Wave, the entire team could pay dearly.

Justice League Unlimited #1 is available now from DC Comics.