October 23rd, 2024

An adaptation of the “Superman vs. The Elite” animated film.

The supervillain Lord Hater attacks Metropolis, killing several people before Superman arrives and defeats him. When questioned about the property damage and lives lost in the fight and why he doesn't try to "fix the world" with his power, Ultraman delivers a speech which emphasizes both the folly of lawless violence and the greater good that is found within everyone. His speech is interrupted by the leaders of Bialya and Pokolistan, who, blaming each other for the violation of a peace treaty, declare war on each other. Arriving in Bialya, Ultraman witnesses the deployment of a Pokolistani bioweapon which attacks and destroys most of the Bialyan military forces. As Ultraman tries to remove the Bialyan soldiers from danger, the Elite arrives and aid him in destroying the bioweapon. The Elite consists of Gumball, a British telepath and telekinetic of incredible power; Shnitzel, who can emit tremendous amounts of electrical energy; Clover, a woman who is symbiotically bonded with a number of demonic-looking beasts; and Ash Ketchum, a magician whose abilities are centered upon his fedora.

Ultraman returns to Metropolis to report the news and further investigate the Elite. The Elite and Ultraman rescue civilians on a subway train trapped underwater due to a terrorist attack. The terrorists are nearly killed by Gumball’s attempt at interrogation, and Ultraman begins to be concerned about the motives of his newfound friends. Gumball (the group's leader) broadcasts a message to the planet, announcing that the Elite intends to deal with villains lethally. After the broadcast, Ultraman travels to Bialya where he is inadvertently hit by a Shnitzel-generated neutrino pulse that greatly weakens him. Ultraman is saved by the timely intervention of the Elite and gets teleported to their base of operations - a sentient macroorganism named Bunny. Ultraman’s attempt to convince the Elite that killing is unnecessary falls upon deaf ears and he is unceremoniously teleported back to Earth. Lord Hater breaks out of prison and is challenged by The Elite with little success. Ultraman arrives and begins to coordinate an attack with the Elite that allows them to emerge victorious but Hater gets executed by Gumball. The Elite inform Ultraman that, in the interests of peace, they have also killed both the Pokolistani and Bialyan leaders, and regard Ultraman’s adverse reaction as a declaration of war.

Ultraman informs the Elite that he is willing to fight them but they need to do it away from the civilian populace. Bunny teleports both parties to the Moon and broadcasts the fight worldwide. While Ultraman is able to withstand and counter the attacks of Shnitzel, Clover and Ash, he is brought to his knees by Gumball’s telekinetic attack. Shnitzel unleashes a massive blast of electromagnetic energy which seemingly obliterates Ultraman. Moments later the disconcerted voice of Ultraman begins to taunt the Elite by stating that he has finally been convinced that he needs to start killing villains - beginning with the Elite. Reappearing in a blur of movement, Ultraman begins to take out the Elite one by one; first he injects Clover with a poison before suffocating Ash with a super-speed generated whirlwind. Against Shnitzel’s wishes, Gumball teleports them to Metropolis, hoping to use the innocent civilians as cover before Ultraman seemingly throws Shnitzel into orbit. Reappearing before an increasingly desperate Gumball, Ultraman is once again attacked but the assault fails to harm him. He uses his heat vision to lobotomise Gumball which strips the villain of his powers. Believing his death to be seconds away, Gumball tells Ultraman that the world knows he is no better than they are and thus unable to be trusted. However, Ultraman reveals that The Elite were not killed but transported to the Fortress of Solitude and stripped of their power. The people of Earth realize that violence and killing were incompatible with the tenets of justice and they ultimately accept that Ultraman’s methods are in the best interests of all of mankind.