Mother Box

Mother Box
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	The Forever People #1 (March 1971)
Created by	Jack Kirby
In story information
Type	Computer, Technology
Element of stories featuring	New Gods

Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.

The Mother Boxes appeared in the feature films Justice League and Zack Snyder's Justice League of the DC Extended Universe.

History

Superman uses a Mother Box to get to Apokolips in Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey #1.

Created by Apokoliptian scientist Himon using the mysterious Element X, they are generally thought to be sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers, although their true nature and origins are unknown. ^{[1] [2]} They possess various powers, including teleportation via Boom Tubes, energy manipulation, and healing. ^{[3] [4]} Despite their name, Mother Boxes are not always box-shaped. ^{[5] [6] [7] [8]} In The New 52 continuity reboot, Cyborg's cybernetic parts are derived from a Mother Box, giving him access to its database and teleportation. ^[9]

Additionally, the New Gods of Apokolips use equivalents of Mother Boxes called Father Boxes.

Interpretation

In a 2008 article, John Hodgman observed: "Mister Miracle, a warrior of Apokolips who flees to Earth to become a 'super escape artist', keeps a 'Mother Box' up his sleeve — a small, living computer that can enable its user to do almost anything, so long as it is sufficiently loved. In Kirby's world, all machines are totems: weapons and strange vehicles fuse technology and magic, and the Mother Box in particular uncannily anticipates the gadget fetishism that infects our lives today. The Bluetooth headset may well be a Kirby creation". ^[10] Similarly, Mike Cecchini of Den of Geek described the Mother Box as "an alien smartphone that can do anything from heal the injured to teleport you across time and space", ^[11] and Christian Holub in Entertainment Weekly called it "basically a smartphone, as designed by gods". ^[12] Mother Boxes have also been interpreted as a symbol of the "ideal mother" and an example of the role of motherhood in Kirby's Fourth World stories. ^[13]

In other media

Television

• Mother Boxes appear in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU).
• Mother Boxes and Father Boxes appear in Young Justice . ^{[14] [15] [16]}
• Mother Boxes appear in Justice League Action . ^[17]
• A Mother Box appears in DC Super Hero Girls: Super Hero High .
• A Mother Box appears in the Harley Quinn episode "Inner (Para) Demons".

Film

DC Extended Universe

Main article: DC Extended Universe

• In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , a Mother Box appears briefly in footage that Batman obtained from Lex Luthor. The Box is the final component that transforms Victor Stone into Cyborg, thus saving his life in the process. Additionally, Steppenwolf and his Mother Boxes appear in a post-credits scene in the Ultimate Edition of the film. ^{[18] [19]}
• In Justice League , Steppenwolf is in search of three Mother Boxes hidden away on Earth. Two are located in Themyscira and Atlantis, while the third is the one that had been seen in Batman v Superman. ^[20] Previously, Steppenwolf had used the Boxes in his original invasion of Earth, intending to use them to terraform the planet before being driven off. After the war, the boxes were left on Earth, and the Amazons, Atlanteans, and humans each took custody of one of them. When all three boxes awaken after years of dormancy, Steppenwolf returns seeking to use them to finish what he had started. Eventually, after the Justice League defeat Steppenwolf, the first two boxes are each returned to their respective custodies, while Silas Stone begins researching the third box with his son. ^{[21] [22] [2]}
• Zack Snyder's Justice League depicts the Mother Boxes generally the same as in the theatrical version. After a failed invasion of Earth by Darkseid thousands of years ago, the Mother Boxes are separated and hidden away as in the theatrical release. The Amazonian Mother Box "awakens" upon Superman's death at the end of Batman v Superman, and alerts Steppenwolf to its location. He escapes with it after a short battle with the Amazonians and proceeds to search for the other two by capturing and interrogating Atlanteans and S.T.A.R. Labs scientists. Steppenwolf seizes the Atlantean Mother Box after a fight with Aquaman and Mera. The protagonists resurrect Superman with the third Mother Box, and Steppenwolf is able to claim it after an amnesiac Superman attacks the other superheroes. The superheroes locate Steppenwolf's fortress in Russia thanks to Silas Stone's self-sacrifice which allows them to detect the third Mother Box's location. They launch an attack on the fortress so Cyborg can interface with the Boxes and prevent the Unity. After they fail and Earth is destroyed, the Flash travels back in time to enable Cyborg to successfully deactivate the Boxes, preventing the Unity and defeating Steppenwolf, who is subsequently killed through the combined efforts of Aquaman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. In the aftermath, DeSaad informs Darkseid that the Mother Boxes are now destroyed, forcing Darkseid to conquer Earth using "the old ways", through military conquest.
• In the Blu-ray release of Wonder Woman , the epilogue Etta's Mission is included as an additional detailing of the events that transpired after the events of the film's story. Etta Candy's titular mission involves her, Diana Prince, and Steve Trevor retrieving one of the three Mother Boxes.

Animation

• Two Mother Boxes appear in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse .
• Numerous Mother Boxes appear in Justice League: War .
• In Reign of the Supermen , Lex Luthor uses the Mother Box to free the Justice League, who were imprisoned in another dimension, and help Steel and Superboy defeat the drones.

Video games

• A Mother Box is central in the plot of Justice League Heroes as it is coveted by Brainiac and used as a way to transform Earth into a "New Apokolips" by Darkseid.
• In Injustice 2 , Mother Boxes serve as the game's loot box rewards system, offering differing rewards depending on the rarity. Additionally, Cyborg utilizes them in gameplay to create drones that can target the opponent from multiple directions. ^[23]
• In Lego DC Super-Villains , a Mother Box is stolen from Wayne Tech and owned by Harley Quinn, who names it "Boxy". It is also revealed that the Mother Box contains a fragment of the Anti-Life Equation, which is then absorbed by the Rookie.

References

1. Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. p. 269. ISBN   978-0-345-50108-0.
2. Chitwood, Adam (November 18, 2017). "Justice League Mother Boxes Explained: What Are Those Things?". Collider. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
3. Polo, Susana (March 18, 2021). "Darkseid, Anti-Life Equation, and the Mother Box, explained". Polygon . Retrieved March 1, 2025.
4. Chigama, Kudzanai (May 9, 2020). "10 Things About DC's Mother Boxes That Make No Sense". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved March 1, 2025.
5. Jurgens, Dan  ( w ), Jurgens, Dan  ( p ), Breeding, Brett  ( i ). Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey,no. 1,p. 44(1994).DC Comics.
6. Jurgens, Dan  ( w ), Jurgens, Dan  ( p ), Breeding, Brett  ( i ). Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey,no. 2,p. 11(1994).DC Comics.
7. Jurgens, Dan  ( w ), Jurgens, Dan  ( p ), Breeding, Brett  ( i ). Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey,no. 3,p. 4(1994).DC Comics.
8. JLA #39
9. Dyce, Andrew (December 7, 2017). "DC's Cyborg Gets a Major METAL Upgrade". Screen Rant . Retrieved March 1, 2025.
10. Hodgman, John (June 1, 2008). "Comics". The New York Times Book Review . p. 30. — via ProQuest.
11. Cecchini, Mike (March 27, 2017). "Justice League New Trailer Breakdown and Analysis". Den of Geek . Retrieved 14 August 2020.
12. Holub, Christian (October 27, 2017). "Jack Kirby at 100: Celebrating the king of comic books". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 14 August 2020.
13. O'Brien, Annamarie. "'How Can I Refuse You, Mother Box?!' Abjection and Objectification of Motherhood in Jack Kirby's Fourth World". ImageText 7, no. 4. (2014)
14. Dar, Taimur (July 24, 2019). "SDCC '19: Greg Weisman & Brandon Vietti wage social media war in Young Justice: Outsiders". ComicsBeat. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
15. Weekes, Princess (August 29, 2019). "Young Justice EPs Say DC Universe Allowed for Bi Aquaman". The Mary Sue. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
16. Matadeen, Renaldo (July 31, 2019). "Young Justice: Outsiders Just Gave a Key Member A New God Upgrade". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved March 1, 2025.
17. Lax, Marc (August 27, 2017). "Justice League Action Episode Review – S01E33 "Best Day Ever"". Superman Homepage. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
18. Breznican, Anthony (March 28, 2016). "Batman v Superman Cyborg scene explained". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
19. Valentine, Evan (July 3, 2016). "Batman vs Superman Ultimate Edition Differences". Collider . Retrieved July 3, 2016.
20. Bumbray, Chris (June 21, 2016). "SET VISIT: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE". Joblo.
21. Dyce, Andrew (June 23, 2016). "Justice League: Ancient Prologue & Mother Boxes Explained". Screen Rant . Retrieved March 1, 2025.
22. Bankhurst, Adam (February 27, 2021). "Justice League Snyder Cut: All the Hidden Easter Eggs and Clues in the Mother Box Origins Clip". IGN . Retrieved March 1, 2025.
23. Connolly, Denny (May 23, 2017). "Injustice 2: How To Get Diamond Mother Boxes". Game Rant. Retrieved March 1, 2025.