Zatanna Zatara

Today we leave the Marvel Universe in order to speak of the last DLC character released for INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, the heroic sorceress ZATANNA ZATARA. Despite being an extremely popular character, she only received one live action appearance in the tv series SMALLVILLE, as a recurrent guest star in the last three seasons. Portrayed by SERINDA SWAN, Zatanna acted both as a mysterious ally to CLARK KENT and his friends and, more often, as a pesty and unpredictable menace, who enjoyed putting people and relationships at risk just for some fun. In the DC Universe, she's a powerful and precious member of the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (in several incarnations of the team), and definitely a heroine. Let's see together.



Zatanna was born the daughter of GIOVANNI "JOHN" ZATARA, an adventurer and one of the most powerful magicians ever lived, and SINDELLA, member of a mystical race called HOMO MAGI. From her very first childhood, it was clear she would have been an incredibly skilled magician, especially considering her well-known ancestors, a century-long lineage that includes, among the others, the inventor LEONARDO DA VINCI, the alchemist NICHOLAS FLAMEL, the clairvoyant NOSTRADAMUS and the wizard CAGLIOSTRO. When her mother faked her death in order to come back to her people in TURKEY, John kept her magical origins secret from his daughter, but, also as a child, Zatanna was fascinated by magic and prestidigitation. In her childhood, Zatanna lost her father too, since the sorceress ALLURA cursed them both with a spell that prevented each other to ever meet each other. The girl was raised by strangers, always with the desire of meeting her natural father. Once a teenager, she discovered her father's diary and, inspired by it, she created a stage persona and started studying magic. With the money gained with her shows, Zatanna gave a new energy to her quest to find out the truth about her parents, and she started looking for her father around the world. In her travels she met JOHN CONSTANTINE, a British occultist who she started an affair with, and who helped her discovering her true powers: an innate ability with magic, the real stuff. She also met some members of the Justice League of America who helped her with her search. Finally, thanks to the help of BATMAN, ROBIN, HAWKMAN and HAWKGIRL, ELONGATED MAN and GREEN LANTERN, Allura's spell was broken, and Zatanna was finally reunited with her father. John had finally the occasion to speak to Zatanna about her true origins, and especially of her mother Sindella. Finally, Zatanna had found a place in the world, having found loyal friends in the JLA and, most of all, a family she belonged.




Unfortunately, the family reunion didn't last long. Zatara taught her daughter to handle her magic ability and to cast some spells: Zatanna learnt that, speaking backwards (a homage to her father's style), she could bend reality to her own will. When Zatanna visited the city of the HIDDEN ONES (the Homo Magi she belonged to for half her genetic heritage) to learn more, however, things didn't go as planned, and the other magicians threatened to keep her segregated forever, since they were feeding off MEDULLA JEWEL, a special part of her brain that emanated a unique kind of energy, the same of her mother's. Sindella herself intervened to save her daughter, but she died in the effort of protecting her from the Hidden Ones. Her mother's death gave Zatanna the will and strength to take upon her Sindella's heritage, and she studied to become one of the world's most skilled magicians. She helped the Justice League with every magic foe that was beyond the other heroes' reach, and she was finally regarded as the magician she always had been. When the GREAT EVIL BEAST, the embodiment of all the world's evil, threatened to conquer and destroy all reality, both divine and demonic forces joined to stop it, and Zatanna was part of a team of four magicians committed to fight the Beast: the group consisted of Zatanna, her father, Constantine and SARGON THE SORCERER. The Beast was extremely powerful, and barely become aware of the sorcerers' attacks; it noticed them just twice: the first time, its power litterally burnt Sargon alive, but he decided to die nobely and didn't break the circle, passing away holding the hands of his comrades; on the second time the Beast glimpsed at the magicians, Zatanna was about to be annihilated by its gaze, but John transferred the effects of the monster's attack on himself, thus protecting his daughter and sacrificing himself to save her life. Eventually, Zatanna and Constantine managed to neutralize the Beast, but Zatanna's life had changed forever one more time. Now carrying with her the will of her father and her mother, both of which died to protect her, Zatanna fought with the Justice League against many powerful foes, until she decided to give up with her adventurer's life. She retired in SHADOWCREST, Zatara's manor, and became one of the SENTINELS OF MAGIC, powerful and hidden guardians watching over the balance of light and dark in the physical world and the other dimensions.



Zatanna Zatara is a carefree and provocative girl, who masks the pain of a cursed childhood behind a cheerful behavior and attitude. As one of the world's most powerful magician, Zatanna disposes of a vast amount of powers, such as flight, the manipulation of the four natural elements, the ability to heal herself or others from wounds, teleportation, telepathy, and especially transformation, which she uses most often to turn her opponents' weapon into harmless objects. She is also a good hand to hand fighter, and she uses some objects, such as her WAND (which is not clear if it's just a stage tool or an actual magical artifact) and her TOP HAT (used as a dimensional portal) to increase her magic. Last one of a powerful lineage of magicians, Zatanna protects the worlds from threats whose existence normal people cannot possibly be aware of.
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