Ep 21. A Knight of Shadows (2)

In episode 21 of Justice League's first season titled "A Knight of Shadows (2)," the story follows up from the previous episode's cliffhanger where Batman was abducted by Morgan Le Fay. The episode opens with Batman who wakes up in an eerie and foggy realm named Avalon, where he is being held captive by Morgan Le Fay's magical powers.

While the other members of the Justice League - Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl, are trying to find a way to rescue Batman from Morgan's grasp, Batman is forced to confront Morgan and her physical manifestation of Batman's shadow self. She tries to convince Batman to stay in Avalon, where he can live without being a pawn in the world of mortals, which only leads to a heated exchange of words.

Meanwhile, the Justice League tracks down the Pagan ritual that Morgan Le Fay is using to keep Batman hostage in Avalon, while also having to fend off an army of mythical creatures and Morgan's loyalist - Etrigan the Demon. When the League finally reaches Avalon's portal entrance, they discover that it's protected by a giant dragon, which leads to a fierce battle, and a few members of Justice League are injured.

Despite the setbacks, the League manages to penetrate the portal and join Batman in Avalon. But, they soon realize that everything in Avalon is just an illusion created by Morgan, intended to manipulate them. Morgan continues to pit them against their worst fears and doubts, and the team slowly gets separated and trapped in different realms of their own nightmares.

In one of those realms, Superman encounters an alternative version of himself that acts as a devious and manipulative bully, trying to ruin Superman's reputation and legacy. Similarly, Hawkgirl's insecurity and guilt about betraying her home planet in the past is used against her, and she gets trapped in a flashback with her critical moment of betraying.

Meanwhile, Batman, being the only one who had already faced his shadow self and overcame it, reunites with his allies and lays the plan to defeat Morgan. With the help of a new ally - Sir Galahad, Batman convinces his team that what they're facing is not real and that they need to embrace their fears head-on to break free from Morgan's illusion.

In the end, the Justice League manages to break Morgan's hold on them and destroy the Pagan ritual, but not without making significant sacrifices. Back in the real world, the League members have to deal with personal traumas that the illusory realms have forced them to relive. But with the help of each other, they manage to confront their fears and move forward as a team.

"A Knight of Shadows (2)" is a significant episode of Justice League's first season. It explores the darker side of the heroes' minds, strengthens the individual character arcs within the team, and sets up the groundwork for the future relationship of the Justice League and their adversaries. The episode revolves around the themes of fear, self-doubt, and courage, making it one of the most thought-provoking episodes of the series.