Episodes 24 to 26 Review
Young Justice: Outsiders
Where "Terminus" ended on a grim note with Granny Goodness declaring victory, "Into the Breach" pulls the rug out from under her in entertaining fashion. Like a lot of fans may be speculated, Victor Stone saves Violet Harper when then saves everyone else for the most part. Great day for the Team and the Outsiders indeed. On the resume, they potentially saved the universe, too. Definitely a feel good episode after that roller coaster of emotions in the past few episodes.
Poor Beast Boy. To say he took a beating is sugar coating it. Still, hat's off to Beast Boy for refusing to give up and standing up to her at every turn. They really gave us the fight of the century that's been coming to a head for a long time this season. Beast Boy taking on a Ma'alefa'ak form was a cool surprise. Likely a nod to the off-screen mission to Mars mentioned at the end of Invasion and he probably came across a beast. Also note to self: Don't make Wonder Girl cranky. Also, Kid Flash seemed really on point this episode and he had some well written lines this time. Loved the Klamulon segment. And after all that, just tosses it carelessly and it shatters off screen. heh heh.
Back on Earth, Lex Luthor staged a fight to create good PR for Infinity Inc. and they overtook Outsiders in social media. The whole thing definitely echoes what everyone's been yelling at the Anti-Light for doing: staging events. And if there was any doubt, he's their boss and they know it. So the gears in our head should be thinking they're likely part of the Light's plans heading into the season finale. Also of note, looks like that symbol on Beast Boy's white tank was the Outsiders logo after all going by the stats on 1K Wordsworth.
Then back to Orphanage where the wins get racked up. It was one thing that the mystery Apokoliptian machine in Building 16 does some sort of mitosis thing to Granny. Being Apokoliptian tech, it's horrific even in reverse. So I guess Gretchen was embedded on Earth for many decades considering how long Goode World was probably around. In a fantastic nod to the Halo in the comics, Violet busted out a rainbow aura then cured everyone of Anti-Life. Visually, great way to show Violet coming full circle. Instead of one aura at a time, all at once! However, that was pretty hilarious (but reckless) of them to just indiscriminately blow up the machine then realize they have they're getting caught in the blast wave. Guy was kinda right... did I just that? Superman referencing Markovian Eight? Feels like ages since those meta-teens that Baron Bedlam had in pods were boomed away in the third episode of this season. My one quibble was resolving M'comm's sub-plot this season with a small mention from Miss Martian. Granny, you in trouble, Darkseid squinted.
There were "hundreds" of meta-teens on the Orphanage? Wow, the implications! El Dorado brought up the short term issue of space at the Youth Center - looks like there's going to have to be some kind of expansion. But just thinking broadly about next season, I wonder if new members of the Team or Outsiders or even villains will emerge from these rescues. I have a feeling Victor's recording of Gretchen and Granny merging will be met with skepticism. Eh, deal with that later. Victor is now Cyborg and a member of the Outsiders! Finally!!! Loved Brion's callback to "Evolution" and suggesting Hot Lava.
In a way, if you look at the structure of these last episodes of the season, I'm somewhat relieved Apokolips was dealt with and pushed aside first and they correctly weren't the major threat. It was always going to be the Light and their pawns.
Moving into "Overwhelmed," what a pleasant surprise another character from the Outsiders tie-in digital comic makes a jump to the show proper. Tod Donner and figures he's working for GBS. Wow, 316 meta-teens rescued from the Orphanage. They said "hundreds" but to put a solid number on it. I now think it's definitely fair to speculate we might see some new teen heroes and villains originate from this bunch show up next season. And like I thought, Goode World claims Cyborg's video was special effects.
I was wondering ever since the season premiere when there would be an Artemis focus episode. 20/20 hindsight it makes sense it also squashes the Artemis-Will sub-plot once and for all. But not without messing with us a little bit more at the start. Though Will calling it a terrible kiss was hilarious. Guess we might see Artemis with a new love interest next season potentially. Just gonna say it but did I get the feeling Artemis and Raquel were never really best buds even from the days on the Team? Dug the Secret callback. Another nice reference was Wally and Artemis being professors at Royal University, which was mentioned at least once like in season one when it was linked to the nano expert Dr. Roquette. I loved it when Artemis turned off the TV before Hello, Megan! could start. Wonder what M'gann thought of that. heh heh. But all in all, great resolution for Artemis, executed brilliantly, and all in all the crew did all the right moves with resolving her season arc. I also thought it was also subtly a great little full circle moment for Miss Martian - to use her telepathy to help a major character heal vs. the talk recently in the Orphanage about brain blasting everyone and Superboy bringing up old wounds. Points to Zatanna for the big word of the episode, "legerdemain "or trickery basically.
A bit of a surprise Conner also got a focus but Nightwing's brief conversation with him before the Orphanage mission planted a flag for us if we forgot he very much had a recurring role and season arc, too. And to tie it in with Forager's decision to stay and join the Outsiders as well as update us on the Genomorphs was inspired. Very amusing nod that Dubbilex's illusion is Dabney Donovan. Nice little bonus to see the 424 (aka G-Sprites) out and about among the other Genomorphs. Those were the ones in the tubes powering Cadmus in the series premiere. Also neat that Jim Harper and Dr. Spence seem to be living with them. And going back to those Comic Con bags from July, turns out the Craig character on the it was indeed one of Superboy's genomes. A spoiler we didn't really know was a spoiler.
So if the Genomorphs were liberated six years ago, that would have been in 2012 or Team Year Two. A period we know little about. All we really know about that year was from Red Arrow's journals in the Young Justice Legacy video game: The Justice League and the Team ends their search for Speedy, October 26th, 01:25 KST: Red Arrow infiltrates a LexCorp robotics plant in Seoul and is almost caught, and December 25th, 20:02 EET: Red Arrow follows Lex Luthor's operations to Athens but has another run-in with Cheshire. Liked the little touch that the construct John made to transport the Genomorphs looked like Noah's Ark. But the meat of this section, another brilliant move to bring the narrative back to the series premiere and Dubbilex's hope for Superboy and all of Genomorph kind.
The episode also plays set up with the season finale with King Gregor eager to bring Brion and Tara back to Markovia. But politics is still an issue getting in the way of that. Aaaand Tara sets things off with a text. Once again, social media plays an interesting role this season. Baron Bedlam and Dr. Ecks get rescued by Count Vertigo and a coup is staged. The Light was after Markovia all along kind of mirroring how they were after Warworld in season 2. Also can't not think setting up Markovia as the back drop for the season finale was influenced by the Outsiders comics. Cue the oligatory eye roll with the Trump quote but the statement seems pretty clear. The Justice League will be on the sideline and only the Team and Outsiders will be headed to Markovia. Surprise. Not.
The episode has a not-so-subtle season 4 tease. After decades of seeing the Boom Tube in animation getting old hat, makes sense Metron would know how to use it in a new way and making a Boom Tunnel of sorts. Also amusing the timestamp broke. If "Into the Breach" didn't hammer it down that Victor and Violet will be very important against Apokolips and the Light, Metron plain states it. But what was up with the giant corpse in the background?!
"Nevermore" is one last free fall on the roller coaster of this very entertaining season -- complete with a very satisfying ending. No hand shake not-cliffhanger. Though it's still not without its twists and turns and controversy. The Light's plan for Markovia was not only to take it over and discredit the Outsiders once and for all with a public murder of Beast Boy -- yeesh -- and use the debacle to start up the registration program with was part of Lex Luthor's amended plan and surprise surprise it was intended to then usurp the Justice League with Infinity Inc. then continue to expand its ranks with metas loyal to the Light. A bit like Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers from Marvel. I was wondering who would quote The Raven given the title of the episode, and it was amusing it was Jefferson and he essentially did it to troll Lex and Slade. heh.
Funny they squeezed in one more obscure character reference when the camera man starts rolling, the reporter associated with him is Pete Danbury from the 2000s era of Action Comics. And it turns out Terra could manipulate Baron Bedlam but she wasn't strong enough to have any real affect on him. I was glad to see my guess was right and Artemis knew Terra was a mole all along and was trying to show her a different life she could have. Though I guess you could argue that was a bit of a 'Batgod' moment when Artemis conveniently revealed Batman read Slade's micro-expressions. Stand-up of Terra to turn herself in, stand trial, and try to make amends by joining the Outsiders. As if the assassination plan wasn't enough nor getting wailed on by Granny last week, they break Beast Boy's arm. Guy can't catch a break can he? Ooh, poor choice of words. Also, anyone else chuckle that Vertigo got beat with a baton to the head?
But the main topic at hand. The manipulation of Geo-Force and the subsequent turn was unexpected to say the least. Forget Jace or Terra, the real threat was Geo-Force all along? Hm. And as terrible Bedlam was and the crimes he committed, what a horrific way to go. He deserved to rot in an isolation cell with a collar around his neck. Sure, they addressed the reality that Bedlam would just keep escaping over and over like the other villains in the show. But that's all a hero can do and never cross that line unless you're in a live action super hero movie. Also a nice twist that Zvadi was a meta and now he's a member of the Light. Basically, he has the power of emotion manipulation but something like that combined with the right kind of politician, very deadly. Man, so like this whole time, Brion's worst impulse was to be judge, jury, and executioner -- and he somehow equates that to being a modern hero-king. I think they gave us fans something to pick apart for awhile.
Political intrigue for the second half. But don't get me wrong, still good stuff after all the action. Lex gets forced to resign thanks to Black Lightning and Cyborg outing him for still running Lexcorp and for Superboy going public and outing Lex for his role with Project Cadmus. I bet Garth was waiting a long time to call for a vote of no confidence. And Superman must have relished every moment seeing Lex getting skewered. I LOVE it that Troia may be the next Secretary General.
Naturally, the Light still gets a win. Markovia becomes a puppet kingdom annexed into their sphere of influence. Dr. Jace is reinstalled, likely to help expand Infinity Inc. with more metas -- essentially giving Brion a private super-army undoubtedly fated to clash with the Team and Outsiders next season at the earliest. Apokolips and the Light are cool again. Granny is used as the scapegoat. Darkseid continues his search. Can't wait to see who the recurring threat(s) will be next season aside from G. Gordon popping in with his show. I'd love to see what's up with Gravyn or when others like Steppenwolf or Kanto will be showing up on Earth.
Black Lightning becomes the new leader of the Justice League. It wasn't as spelled out but looks like Nightwing resumes leadership of the Team. And everyone rejoins the League or the Team. Blue Devil I expected to be a member -- but Magog?! Presumably that's David Reid who had a cameo in "Failsafe" back in season 1 during the mental simulation but we never met his real world counterpart yet. Wild. Too bad we didn't get to see the character design. Got a chuckle out of Guy using "poozer" and still trolling Elongated Man. So the Team will be around 8 members, 9 if Orphan is added in as a member (still unknown if she ever was one) and the Outsiders are around 10 strong. The League is 32, 33 if Metamorpho is added as a member (also unknown if he ever was a member). Definitely happy to see everyone back in the fold. But it's too bad there wasn't enough real estate even though this episode clocked in at the longest run time of 26 minutes. So a few things were left unaddressed like Black Canary and Green Arrow or Robin and Wonder Girl.
And cue the finale finale! Taos scene. I like to interpret that as a hint we may see Windfall with the Outsiders or Team next season. It's at least a step in that direction. But the 316 rescued meta-teens plus the ones already at Taos. I wonder how much of an influx we'll see with new Team and/or Outsiders members next season from that pool of teens and how society will adjust to the metas that choose to return to their old lives. I guess Cyborg stopping Ron from bullying Cisco seemed pretty stilted. I mean, in the initial debut episode, Victor did nothing to stop Ron and Sebastian from bullying Cisco and it's meant to scream 'Awww, look, he changed in more ways than one.' Still felt off. And of course Connor and M'gann make up. Shrug. I suppose depending on the next time skip if there is one, we may not get to see Superboy and Miss Martian's wedding. Crash the mode! A Legion ring?! Saturn Girl is the waitress?! The Legion is coming?! Oooo... Don't tune out when the credits roll. Lobo remembered. I'm at a loss for words but at least the occasional return to the finger in the end credits was leading to something -- albeit it was all for a bout of some twisted humor. But all in all, I thought it was a strong finale - way better than the previous two. Fingers crossed there will be a Blu-ray season set in the works like Titans and Doom Patrol got and please, please let there be some tie-in material because it's going to be a long wait for season 4 in... 2021 or so. Moded.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5