For the past two weeks, we have taken a look at two of the most iconic female Ultras to have ever fought for the side of good, in honor of the new hero Ultraman Dinas, from Ultraman Decker Finale: Journey to Beyond. For the final entry, we’ll be taking a look at somebody a little different, but equally important and powerful. This week, we’ll be taking a look at the Messenger of Delacion, Ultraman Justice!
Justice first made himself known to viewers in 2002’s Ultraman Cosmos 2: The Blue Planet, first depicted in the recordings of the Alien Gyashi as a mysterious protector, before arriving during the climax in a shocking display to help the embattled Ultraman Cosmos fight off the Scorpiss Invasion of Earth. Though they said nothing and left in silence with Cosmos, they were integral to the defeat of Sandros, the monstrous ruler of the Scorpiss.
When he next returned to Earth, however, it was not as a friend. Justice, above all, has always been the herald and enforcer of the universal judge known as Delacion. In order to preserve cosmic harmony and the rule of law throughout the universe, Delacion has repeatedly sent Justice out to cull species that would cause harm to the universe as a whole.
In the past, Justice once spared a species from this annihilation, allowing his compassion to stay his hand. Unfortunately, the species saved was the Scorpiss, and Sandros; a mistake that cost thousands of worlds and countless lives. Since this mistake, Justice has excised sentiment from his heart—only justice and law guide his actions.
And so it came that shortly after the defeat of Sandros, Delacion sent Justice out to eliminate another species it had judged to be an eventual threat to cosmic peace: humanity. Sent to Earth alongside the robotic Glokers, Justice took on the humanoid form of Julie, and in this body, communicated to humanity that their lives would soon be forfeit to safeguard the universe’s future.
At the same time, Julie’s presence on Earth caused her commitment to her mission to begin to waver; the more she stood among humans, and observed their simple kindnesses to one another and the world around her, the less certain she was that their extermination would be any sort of justice. As the Glokers prepared to destroy the Earth with the planet-shattering Giga Endra weapon, Julie was convinced of humanity’s worth and potential by Musashi Haruno, Ultraman Cosmos’ human host, as well as a young girl who Julie witnessed risk her own life to save that of a puppy. Once again, compassion had returned to Justice’s heart.
Justice and Cosmos began a battle to destroy the Glokers before the Earth could be destroyed, aided by the Earth’s natural monsters, equally at risk of oblivion. However, the Glokers and the Giga Endra were simply too durable, too powerful, to be destroyed by even the two giants.
Just as things were darkest, the two Ultras combined their powers, and very beings, to become a being out of legend: Ultraman Legend, that is. Legend, stronger than the sum of his parts, was easily able to destroy the Gloker weapons. Separating again, Cosmos and Justice appealed to Delacion on humanity’s behalf, and seeing how far two legendary heroes like the Ultras were willing to go to give humanity a future, the cosmic judge relented, saving the Earth.
Since then, Justice has continued their work as the arbiter of Delacion’s will; a job that has brought them in regular contact with Cosmos, and occasionally other Ultras. Most recently, they were part of the Land of Light’s war against the forces of the Kingdom (in Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Destined Crossroad), mounting a mission directly into the Absolutians’ homeland to rescue the kidnapped Princess Yullian.
The question remains, however: Why, in this series that has featured prominent female Ultras to celebrate Ultraman Dinas, are we discussing Ultraman Justice? Simply put, Justice, like Dinas, has a masculine giant form, while having a feminine humanoid body. Though Dinas’ form comes from her body controlling the power of the Light, influenced by Ultraman Dyna and Ultraman Decker, Justice and Julie are 100% the same entity, and the “Julie” identity is who Justice is as much as the “Justice” identity is.
Though in her human form Julie presents and identifies in a traditionally feminine way, in the form of Justice, he presents and identifies more masculinely, a facet of his identity tied to his belief that justice as a concept transcends any identifiers of gender. Though their gender identity is tied to the physical form they occupy at a given time, it is not inherent to it; Julie and Justice are simply two names for the same core being.
This has been a wonderful series to compose, and while our coverage of these Ultras has concluded, the real fun is just starting. Ultraman Decker Finale: Journey to Beyond is now available to rent via TVOD on ultramanconnection.com right now!
