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<b>The Ultimen</b> are a fictional [[superhero]] group featured in the [[animated]] series ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]''. Based on original characters from the ''[[Super Friends]]'', they are a group of young heroes who used their gifts to not only help people, but also to gain [[media]] attention. 

== Team history ==
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[[Image:ultimen.jpg|thumb|250px|The Ultimen (from left to right: Juice, Long Shadow, Wind Dragon, Shifter, and Downpour).]]
First appearing the the episode "Ultimatum", the Ultimen assisted the [[Justice_League|Justice League]] in saving an off-shore oil platform from a group of lava monsters.  Near the end of the fight, Wind Dragon created a cyclone of artic wind that froze the remaining creatures solid, a power he had never displayed before.  Concerned, but not willing to dwell on it, he turned his attention to the media, giving such a wholehearted speech that it even made Superman groan.  Though they were given the chance to join the Justice League, the Ultimen declined, saying they would rather do things their way.

The team's money manager, [[Maxwell Lord]], used the media to make them look like selfless heroes who had nothing to hide from the public. He contested that his Ulitmen, unlike the Justice League, were a group of "down-to-earth" heroes (both figuratively and literally) who the people could relate to.  Lord also justified the use of marketing their images and likenesses through toys and merchandise as a way to fund their crimefighting careers.  Secretly, however, he was growing concerned with the knowledge that Wind Dragon had gained a new power, and called all the Ultimen together for testing.  Long Shadow, having also mutated into gaining super hearing, heard Lord speaking to their doctor, Professor Hamilton, and learned that the Ultimen themselves were actually created in a lab with false memories by members of [[Project Cadmus]]. Eventually, they interrogated the truth out of Lord, who also told them that they were dying and were going to be replaced by [[cloning|clone]]s. Angry, the Ultimen attempted to find the woman in charge, [[Amanda Waller]] and confront her. When the Justice League showed up, they stopped searching for Waller and (except for Long Shadow) attacked them in hopes that they would be remembered for defeating the world’s most powerful heroes. They eventually lost, and with the exception of Long Shadow (who was officially offered membership into the Justice League), were taken into Cadmus' custody to await their eventual deaths.  Neither Long Shadow or any of the other Ultimen make additional appearances in the series, and it is very likely that their bodies simply deteriorated.

In the episode "Flashpoint", it is revealed that Cadmus has created an army of clones of all the Ultimen, to be led by [[Galatea (Justice League Unlimited)|Galatea]] (herself a clone of [[Supergirl]]) against the Justice League.  In the following episode "Panic in the Sky", the clone army attacks the Justice League's Watchtower while its founding members are being held on Earth.  The remaining members of the Justice League are able to defeat them and Galatea, though it has not been revealed how or even if they were disposed of afterward.

== Members ==
The Ultimen themselves are a [[pastiche]] of several ethnically diverse superheroes from the old <i>Super Friends</i> series (sometimes refered to as the [[affirmative_action|"Affirmative Action"]] Heroes) as well as the Wonder Twins.  While they retain the powers and cultural backgrounds of these characters, they are portrayed in a far less stereotypical fashion.
  
* [[Wind Dragon]] – The leader of the Ultimen, who had the power to control the wind and later on create ice. (Based on [[Samurai_(superhero)|Samurai]])
* [[Long Shadow]] - Has the powers to expand his body mass, growing into a massive [[Giant (mythology)|giant]]. Has a crush on [[Wonder Woman]], much to [[Batman]]’s chagrin.  (Based on [[Apache Chief]])
* [[Downpour]] - Shifter’s brother, can turn into any kind of water. (Based on Zan of the [[Wonder Twins]])
* [[Shifter (Justice League Unlimited)|Shifter]] – Downpour’s sister, can turn into any animal, even extinct ones. (Based on Jayna of the [[Wonder Twins]])
* [[Juice (Justice League Unlimited)|Juice]] – Can control electricity that came from his body. Water is his weakness and causes his powers to short out.  (Based on [[Black Vulcan]])

=== Others ===
*[[Maxwell Lord]] – Took care of the Ultimen’s public image and profits. He also looked after them.
*[[Amanda Waller]] – Lead the creation of the Ultimen among other Project Cadmus affairs. 
*[[Professor Hamilton]] – Looked after the Ultimen (along with Lord) and also acted as their doctor.

== Trivia ==
* In the episode "Ultimatum", the Ultimen are fought by a team consisting of the founding members of the very first <i>Super Friends</i> series: [[Batman]], [[Wonder_Woman|Wonder Woman]], [[Superman]], and [[Aquaman]].

[[Category:DC Comics superhero teams]]
[[Category:Justice League villains]]
[[Category:Animation villains]]