One of the biggest changes for the Justice League in the New 52 was with the seventh member. Originally Martian Manhunter was one of the founding members but instead, Cyborg took that slot. Cyborg used to be a founding member of the Teen Titans but now it appears as if he never had anything to do with Dick Grayson, Starfire, and the other original members.
Having Cyborg part of the Justice League was a big step for him. It was like an immediate graduation. He was now on equal grounds with Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the others. The problem is, not much is being done with Cyborg.
Since joining the Justice League, Cyborg is basically their mode of transportation. Being fused with some technology from Apokolips, Cyborg has the ability to create Boom Tubes that lets the team teleport to where they need to go. He's even mentioned to the Flash that he pretty much just sits around the Watchtower. Does that mean that's all he's done the past five years when not on a Justice League mission?
We are seeing Cyborg pushing his way to the forefront in Throne of Atlantis. In JUSTICE LEAGUE #15, he mentions drowning if he teleported to the wrong location. His father reminds him that they've had "additional environmental protective modes" ready to install into him for months. In order to do this, he'd have to lose the one remaining lung he has left.
== TEASER ==
When Victor was caught in the explosion that destroyed most of his body, it was replaced with machinery and technology. He's doing his best to retain his humanity and keeping a lung over having an underwater breathing apparatus shows this. It's a small thing but losing that one lung means one step closer to losing his human side and becoming more of a machine.
When the League is down and at the mercy of Ocean Master, Cyborg makes a decision for the good of the team. The Justice League has been defeated and taken to Atlantis. Without a second thought, Victor goes to his father and tells him to add the environmental mode to his body. Losing his second lung may mean being one step closer to fully becoming a machine but as he tells his father, all he needs is is brain and heart.
It appears that it's going to be up to Cyborg to save the team. He's already connected to everything. He can access all forms of communication. He uses this to call for reinforcements by connecting himself to 'the grid' while talking to his father. With the Mother Box technology integrated into him, he can also open a boom tube and teleport anywhere he can think of. With this new upgrade, it sounds like breathing in different atmospheres won't be a problem.
Many of us have been wondering why Cyborg was pushed into the spotlight during Flashpoint and in the Justice League since he hasn't really done too much. This could be his moment to show everyone what he can do. If he is able to save the Justice League when Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman all failed, it will raise Cyborg's credibility.
It has been strange with all the other League members having their own solo titles and Cyborg has been the only one without one. It's hard to say what a solo title with him would be like since he's spent so much time apparently just sitting around the Watchtower.
Perhaps with the decision to take more initiative with the team in adding modifications to himself and making the call to have new members become active, Cyborg is no longer willing to sit behind and wait for the next time he's needed to act as the League's transport.
The idea of a young hero making sacrifices and trying to retain his humanity is something that should be explored. He was a brilliant character in the pre-New 52 so he should be given the opportunity to step out on his own and show the world what he's made of…and not just machinery.
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