5 DC Characters That Might Be In Injustice 3 Who Have Never Been In The Series Before
There have been plenty of rumors about a possible Injustice 3, a follow-up to NetherRealm Studios fighting game series featuring characters from DC Comics. Ever since the DCU reset with James Gunn, players have wondered if another Injustice game would happen, but recent rumors hint that the theoretical sequel could be getting playtested right now. This of course begs the questions — what characters from past Injustice games will return, and what DC characters will jump into a fighting game for the first time?
The first two Injustice games both have diverse rosters of DC characters, including a variety of villains, heroes, and anti-heroes from all sides of the comics. Some exciting guest characters in the fighting game were included too, including cameos from Mortal Kombat and third-party comic figures, such as Hellboy or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. For Injustice 3, the game represents an opportunity to fulfill long-held fan requests for specific characters, or to crossover with the new DCU by adding figures from that shared setting.
5. Beast Boy
One of the most requested characters throughout every Injustice game is Beast Boy, a member of the Teen Titans often depicted with Starfire and Cyborg, two characters who’ve been in the series already. Beast Boy has endless potential as a fighting game character, mainly due to his power to shape-shift into any animal on Earth. Beast Boy’s primal transformations are perfect for Injustice‘s trait system, where every fighter has a special power tied to a button input. Much like Bane’s Venom or Green Arrow’s trick arrows, Beast Boy’s trait could be him choosing an animal form.
Once transformed, Beast Boy’s moves could change, creating a character with a variety of stances that changes how he plays. For example, Beast Boy could use his trait to morph into an elephant, gaining armor on his attacks but slow movement. Alternatively, Beast Boy could become a green-colored eagle, with rapid strikes and tricky mix-ups for players to utilize in matches. This endless adaptability is what makes Beast Boy such an enticing choice for Injustice 3, making it no wonder why he’s been a fan-favorite ask since the first game.
4. John Constantine
An underrated DC pick for Injustice 3 could be John Constantine, an anti-hero that represents the dark, supernatural corner of comics. There aren’t too many characters in Injustice that use magic, other than Zatanna in the first game and Enchantress as DLC in Injustice 2. Arguably, it’s surprising that Constantine hasn’t been in the series sooner, as he is likely the character that fits the darker alternative universe of Injustice more than some other figures from DC.
At his core, Constantine is a trickster and gambler, which could be reflected in his play style through the magic he casts. There are many ways Constantine might play in Injustice 3, either as an unpredictable spell caster or someone who calls upon demons or other allies, such as Deadman or Etrigan. Since Constantine himself isn’t too much of a brawler like Superman or Batman, he’d need to rely on magic that distances himself from foes. Given the Injustice series’ history with giving character projectiles, perhaps Constantine can feel right at home.
There have already been some hints to NetherRealm wanting to include Constantine in some way, with references to the character made in Injustice games through multiverse challenges. Given NetherRealm’s history with blonde characters with an attitude (see Mortal Kombat‘s Johnny Cage), the story of Injustice 3 could easily include Constantine as a driving force. Although we know nothing about where the plot of Injustice 3 could go, having Constantine in it would make it far more interesting.
3. King Shark
Given the success of the DCU’s first project, The Suicide Squad, King Shark could be an instant fan-favorite in Injustice 3 for players to try. Much like Gorilla Grodd in Injustice 2 and other obscure villain characters in the series, King Shark is an unorthodox pick that adds some much-needed diversity to the roster through his size and brutal nature. King Shark could become Injustice 3‘s “grappler” character, following a fighting game archetype typically held by characters like Zangief, Potemkin, or Tizoc from other genre titles.
The big body nature of King Shark might manifest in a relentless gameplay strategy, with the character relying on hyper armor or projectile absorption to get close to enemies. The sheer force from King Shark would also make him a good character for fighting game beginners to try, even if he has worse mobility than other fighters. NetherRealm Studios has already shown that their larger characters can have unique qualities to them, as you can see with fighters like Swamp Thing from Injustice 2.
There is a possibility that other Suicide Squad members help King Shark in his gameplay too, such as Deadshot or Captain Boomerang. In the past, Deadshot and Harley Quinn have both been playable characters in Injustice games, with the former being one the most hated. King Shark’s role as a Suicide Squad regular could give him narrative importance in the game, or at least a way to show up in story fights to make the single-player modes of Injustice 3 more engaging.
2. Static Shock
Another highly requested character for Injustice 3 is Static Shock, a younger hero with magnetic and electric powers that are far different from most DC mainstays. While Injustice 2 did have a premium skin of Black Lightning for Raiden, Static Shock’s use of his powers have always been far different than the other electromancer. Everything about Static Shock is more energetic, from the way he moves around to how his powers manifest. Instead of brooding heroes and deplorable villains, a bright spirit like Static Shock could be great for roster variety.
Static Shock’s trait could be tied to his electrokinesis, where he generates bolts of electricity and explosive blasts to fight various bad guys. Much like Starfire’s trait in Injustice 2, this could appear as a powerful series of manipulable projectiles, allowing players to tap into Static Shock’s creativity. Static Shock may be a character almost the opposite of someone like King Shark, acting as a zoner through magnetic control of objects he can throw as projectiles.
Defensive force fields from Static Shock might also make him a rare Injustice 3 character that can counter other zoners too, preventing himself from losing in projectile wars with other fighters. Much like the Nullify Shield ability Doctor Doom has in Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, Static Shock could absorb attacks to keep his screen presence secure. As for weaknesses, perhaps aggressive characters keep him in check, creating a range of interesting match-ups that contribute to the back-and-forth of Injustice 3‘s cast.
1. Booster Gold
One of the best choices Injustice 3 has the chance to make is to include one of DC’s most comical characters — Booster Gold. This character is hardly what you’d consider a “hero,” and is more of a time traveling buffoon, but is also someone who ends up being in the most important places at the most important times. Using stolen future technology, Booster Gold often travels back to the past to pose as a superhero, seeking fame and fortune rather than any greater good.
Yet, as his stories in comics have gone on, Booster Gold has become someone who understands time’s delicate balance, and defends it with everything he’s got. Booster Gold is a fun, often joke character in DC Comics, with a close friendship to the first Blue Beetle Ted Kord. With Jaime Reyes’ more well-known Blue Beetle in Injustice 2, Booster Gold has a natural way to fit into Injustice 3, perhaps being a catalyst for that game’s story through time travel shenanigans. The selfless nature of Booster Gold could already be established, or something central to the third game’s plot.
As for gameplay, Booster Gold’s inclusion on a fighting game roster would come with many possibilities, as the character tends to use a variety of future tech. From drones, shields, blasting lasers, and free flight suits, Booster Gold’s play style would largely come down to NetherRealm’s own creative adaptation. For that potential alone, Booster Gold is one DC character I desperately want to see in a potential Injustice 3, if theories are true about that fighting game’s existence.