Round two of Young Justice: Outsiders begins this week folks! With Dick’s squad back from Markovia, the question is, “What to do with Prince Brion, Dr. Jace, and Halo?” Turns out, Dick doesn’t want to take responsibility and is still on his “No more teams” schtick. Hijinks and humor ensue. As usual spoilers ensue. Let’s dive in!
1. Hypothesis was incorrect
I had a lot of thoughts on the first three episodes and how they functioned as one long mega episode, and questioned whether or not all of them would be like that going forward. I’m here to tell you that hypothesis has been disproven. While I have no doubt that the upcoming episodes will focus more on the aftermath of what happened in Markovia, this episode in no way feels simply like a piece of a longer episode, but functions completely as a standalone adventure. Perhaps the first three needed to be like that for season premiere purposes and the rest won’t look like that. Anyway, I am grateful, and feel good knowing this season won’t be stifled into “streamable sections” and fall into a sort of long narrative, non-episodic cluster like many shows that premiere on streaming services nowadays (looking at you Marvel Netflix shows). You can have one-offs and also tell one long story. I don’t need an extra-padded, 12 hour movie, that’s not television. I like getting to cool down and check in with people before the action ramps up again.
2. Bowhunter Security
Lol so Will (Clone Roy) is out of the hero game, rocking the dad bod, and running a private security company. Wonderfully hilarious and all kinds of comic book trope-y. How many times have former heroes decided to run private security companies? (I can think of at least 3 off the top of my head, one being Ant-Man and the Wasp). Anyway, the trio of Harpers, Will, Jim (Guardian also a clone) and OG Roy (Arsenal) all run this company where the tagline is “Always on point.” How are you not rolling over laughing?
It’s fun, and it makes for a lighter tone to this episode after the darker parts of the first 3, and also doesn’t distract from the emotional beats happening in the sideplot and at the end of the job. I’m all here for an emotionally mature Clone Roy after thinking he’s been insufferable for most of the show, especially as he talks some sense into Dick by episodes end. The silly poses, the jokes about seatbelts, talks of deposits and insurance, etc etc make this episode lighter, help the one-off nature, and tell a great, episodic story in the process.
3. Where do we go from here?
This is the question of the episode. As the Dick squad…actually no not gonna call them that…as the unit leaves Markovia after the first three episodes, the question is what to do with Brion, Dr. Jace, and Halo. We get short flashbacks to the immediate aftermath of leaving Markovia to answer this question. Artemis decides to house Halo with her Will, and Lian in Star City. Superboy takes Brion back to Happy Harbor to his and M’gann’s home. And, lastly, Jeff puts Dr. Jace up in a Tru…Luthor hotel in Metropolis.
All three sort of match the personalities or vulnerabilities of the people they’re with. Artemis and Halo are both suffering loss and aren’t processing it super well. Brion is like angry Superboy from season 1 whose world has been entirely upended. Jace has (is playing like) she has all this guilt over running the metagene program while trying to protect those kids all the while Jeff still has the guilt from not being able to save the children from Rann and Markovia. They seem to have a bit of a romantic spark I don’t see going well. While this is all happening, however, we’re left to ask where’s Dick? Why is he still isolating himself? We get to some of that towards the end of the episode, but it’s cool to see what these characters bring out in their mentors, especially Artemis and Conner and M’gann and I’m looking forward to seeing these characters mature to now be teachers.
4. “We’re here for this part.”
Continued belowI welled up a bit in this section of the episode. Halo takes Artemis to a reunion Zatanna has with her father Zatara. One of the prominent plot points of season one makes a recurrence here as Nabu gives Zatanna and Zatara an hour to catch up, which apparently the Lord of Order has started doing every year. It’s certainly not enough time, and the father/daughter duo are still grieving the effects of Zatara sacrificing his life to be Doctor Fate in order to save Zatanna. It’s curious why Artemis is there, and why she would have brought Halo along for such an intimate moment. They’re talking and trying to figure out more about Halo’s past and she questions Artemis why it is that they’ve come to which Artemis says “We’re not here for this part.” Then Zatara dons the helmet again, and Doctor Fate leaves emotionless with Zatanna weeping which leaves Artemis to try to comfort her. Halo sits on the bench watching this all unfold and has the realization, “We’re here for this part.” It’s such a beautifully executed moment and really got to me, especially since this was one of the sadder story beats of earlier seasons. It both showcases a deep respect this show has for its continuity, and also captures a “smaller” moment really well especially with the tapestry of the bigger grand narrative. This and what came next had me.
5. “The mission is what the mission becomes”
So Dick, Will, Jim, and Roy all take on Brick and his goons trying to steal the Goode VR visor things. I’m getting the sense that these visors are going to become a later plot device, perhaps “Final Crisis” or The Spongebob Squarepants Movie style and with some mind control whatnot. Someone’s gonna send me internet hate for comparing those two things. Anyway, the chase sequence is really funny and cool, especially as Brick’s crew keeps trying to figure out why a security company is able to best them. The conversation Will and Dick have while fighting where he tells him that he’s let down the Markovian refugees and that he’s still not over Wally’s death is kind of heartbreaking. That’s why Dick’s been a loner, that’s why he won’t get close to people and doesn’t want to train Brion and Halo. He doesn’t want them to get hurt. When Dick tries to shirk responsibility, say he completed his mission, Will tells him “the mission is what the mission becomes,” which is just so hauntingly perfect and chock full of superhero ideals and principles and shit. I’m all down for that sappy talk of principles nonsense. It’s why I also cry watching Star Trek. Now you all know too much about me.
It all sets the stage for these next two episodes where Dick is sure to organize a new team, maybe they’ll call themselves the Outsiders. Who knows. It’ll be crazy to juggle four different teams, especially since we’ve yet to see hardly anything of M’gann’s team. There’s still plenty of time though.
We’ll be back on Tuesday for the middle episode of this batch, but until then sound off in the comments and let us know what you think about the show!
