Swamp Thing's Demise Signals Trouble for the Justice League

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Justice League Unlimited #3!

The Green's champion, Swamp Thing, has just met his maker in a twist that will have devastating consequences for the DC Universe. Since the Justice League expanded dramatically, a terrorist organization has started to make plays all over the Earth, and their latest plan could give them their greatest advantage yet.

In Justice League Unlimited #3 by Mark Waid and Dan Mora, the Amazon rainforest is on fire, and Superman quickly finds the source of the flames: Magic pillars embedded in the soil. The team realizes that Inferno is behind this destruction, and Mister Terrific determines that the terrorists' real objective was to seize control of the mystical force, the Green.

Air Wave and Aquaman seek out Swamp Thing so they can use his connection to the Green to stave off the terrorists. Unfortunately, Swamp Thing is already trying to fight off Inferno's control but loses and bursts into flames.

Inferno Has Just Killed Swamp Thing By Setting Him on Fire

What Does the Death of the Green's Avatar Mean?

In the wake of Absolute Power, the Earth's heroes banded together and made the most expansive version of the Justice League that's ever been. Now the team welcomes every hero and works together to take on catastrophes across the Earth. However, just as the Justice League began this new era, a dangerous threat emerged. Inferno, a shadowy organization attacked a mining town in South Africa that would have given them control over the Earth's global electronics industry. Though the team saved the small community, Inferno promised that the Justice League's days were numbered and that the Earth would be theirs.

If Inferno wants control of the Earth, going after Swamp Thing is, unfortunately, the best way to do so. The Green is connected to Earth's plant life and as its avatar, Levi Kamei had absolute control over it. But with Swamp Thing out of the picture, the Green is rudderless. Could it create another avatar? Absolutely (Levi was far from the first one). But Inferno has powerful magic at its disposal, and if the organization could destroy Swamp Thing from afar, it could easily make a play and go after other elemental forces beyond the Green.

The Justice League's New Enemies Want Total Control and the Other Elemental Forces

Inferno Could Take Control of Every Aspect of Life Itself

Inferno has made it clear that they won't settle for anything less than total control of everything. Taking the Green is a victory for them, and if they can subvert that force to their will, they could easily take over the Red, the Rot, or the Grey until every facet of life itself is theirs. It's hard to imagine what's given them so much power to be able to harm the Green. But whatever it is, Inferno's not going to stop until they have complete control, so the Justice League had better beware because Swamp Thing was just the beginning.

Justice League Unlimited #3 is available now from DC Comics.