Anthony Bergamini
It is a tradition every year for TV shows to have some sort of holiday episode. A lot of American shows will have some sort of Christmas shenanigans, whether it is a police procedural or a thirty-minute sitcom. This has come to the chagrin of many audience members who tire of the classic tropes that befall these episodes, making them very predictable and uneventful. But, once in a while, when lighting is captured in a bottle, a show finds a way to tell a new classic holiday tale that captures the spirit of the holidays without relying on the usual tropes, while also being mature and ahead of its time. Justice League’s holiday episode “Comfort and Joy” is one of those that just feels right at this time of year.
The episode begins with the end of a classic, mostly unforeseen adventure for the league, saving a race of beings on a planet by developing a device that will stop it from colliding from another planet. Following this, the characters split off to celebrate the holidays in their own ways: Green Lantern and Hawkgirl stay back on the planet as Green Lantern shows her how much the snow and the season means to him. The Flash returns to Central City where he tries to find a sold out toy for orphaned children. Finally, Superman brings Martian Manhunter home with him to celebrate Christmas at his family farm.
Green Lantern and Hawkgirl:
This story starts off simply with Hawkgirl showing interest in Green Lantern’s love for the snow. It is this kind of appreciation of his customs and life that brings that bond between the two characters closer than ever. Green Lantern decides to accompany Hawkgirl to a sleazy bar planet where she often goes to celebrate after a big victory. Green Lantern is initially taken aback by the planet and bar scene, seeing it as the complete opposite of how he would celebrate in the holidays, especially after Hawkgirl starts a bar fight for seemingly no reason. As the fight winds down, Hawkgirl smiles as she has been able to celebrate in the way that brings her joy.
The Flash:
This story contains the most tropes, especially the idea that The Flash has to search the whole city for that sold out toy so he can bring joy to those less fortunate than him. Thankfully, the episode jumps through that plot really quick, revealing that the tale is actually about The Flash using the power and theming of the holiday season to convince an enemy, Ultra-Humanite, to repair the toy after their fight results in it breaking. As That Flash returns the toy to the orphanage, it is revealed that Ultra-Humanite reprogrammed it to tell the story of Christmas to the children, putting them in the same spirit that changed his mindset. This all results in The Flash spreading some final Christmas cheer to Ultra-Humanite as he returns him to prison.
Superman and Martian Manhunter:
This story is very important as it symbolizes the alien nature of Martian Manhunter by inserting him into the Kent family home. The Kents are one of the few families that completely understand having a personal relationship with an alien, welcoming him inside with open arms. Much of this story revolves around Martian Manhunter observing the Christmas traditions and why they mean so much to everyone. This is done in simple ways, such as seeing Clark go all in on his traditions, listening to a little girl wish for Santa to come, and coming across a church full of people singing. This all shows Martian Manhunter that the Christmas spirit comes in several different forms, revealing to him what really makes the holiday special.
As all of these tales coalesce, the themes of all of these tales come to light. For Green Lantern and Hawkgirl, it is the idea that people can celebrate in any way that makes them happy. So often nowadays, there is this stigma that people have to follow certain traditions in order to make the holiday work the way it should. This story shows that it is ok for everyone to celebrate the way that makes them happy. For Green Lantern it is the idea of snow, snow fights, and creating snow angels that brings him joy in the holidays. But, when Hawkgirl acknowledges that and brings him to a place that makes her happy, it shows that part of celebrating with those different from us is embracing the parts of their lives and cultures in the same way they embrace ours. This is a very important story in today’s landscape, celebrating one another for our differences rather than forcing everyone to conform under one idea.
The Flash story really has a strong meaning of what the material side of Christmas signifies. Initially, The Flash just wants to make the children happy, which leads him to trying to find the gift and end it there. But his experience with Ultra-Humanite symbolizes the idea that Christmas is more about how we share the joy with others than purely the material things. When they return with the toy to the children, Ultra-Humanite has reprogrammed it to spread that same joy that made him act outside of his typical villainous ways. The Flash repaying this change of heart by showing he is capable of reciprocating that joy. This tale shows that making sure everyone has an opportunity to relax and enjoy the holiday is just as important as any other tradition.
Finally, the Superman and Martian Manhunter story tells probably the most poignant tale. As Martian Manhunter struggles to understand why Superman loves Christmas so much, he witnesses Clark fall right back into his small-town, Kansans boy mindset. This is accompanied by Superman’s insistence that Santa Clause is real and how he sneaks into the living room to get a glimpse at his presents. This, combined with Martian Manhunter’s other observations of what makes this holiday so special shows him just why the holiday means so much to everyone. In this story, the theme revolves around Superman allowing Martian Manhunter to view the holiday in any way he perceives. Much like the Green Lantern and Hawkgirl story, the idea that the ideologies are not being forced on one another is a huge theme. Superman never forces Martian Manhunter to participate in his traditions, he just shows him the joy and asks that he not sit on the watchtower alone. This shows the idea that Superman has the singular goal of bringing joy to his friend but also knows that he cannot force anything.
This holiday season a lot of things are important as the world is changing and people are worried about what is to come. With Justice League’s “Comfort and Joy” the lessons come across clear and hold true to the ideals that are the foundation of the futures many want to see. We should all embrace one another for our differences, finding common ground and producing acceptance. We should be welcoming to those who are without a home or a land, allowing them to participate in our customs as they please, without forcing a lifestyle they are unfamiliar with. And most importantly, the goal should be to spread joy for all.
