We keep going in our Multiversity Summer Binge and kick off our coverage of the 11th episode of Young Justice as Superboy and Miss Martian are tasked with breaking into Belle Reve to get the skinny on some dangling plot threads! Also the single greatest scene in the whole show happens in this episode. I also just got back from New Orleans so it was fun to remember the first part of the episode starts there. Belle Reve being in Louisiana is a super interesting choice. Anyway, let’s dive in!
1. Call back to episode 1
So way all the way back 10 episodes ago, all the heroes and sidekicks were fighting villains with ice related powers. Robin and Batman took on Mr. Freeze, Flash/Kid Flash had Captain Cold, Aquaman/Aqualad had Killer Frost, and Green Arrow and then Speedy fought Icicle Jr. Well it turns out that means something and was deliberate as the whole episode centers around the four of them along with Icicle Sr. getting sent to Belle Reve. Honestly this really just highlights again how good this show is about continuing to build on everything, to stick to its continuity, and to continue to craft this larger narrative. What I think the most interesting aspect of this whole thing is is that Batman trusts this mission to the team. The intensity of the missions the team is being called to continues to increase. It only gets better from here.
2. #notmyWaller
Amanda Waller is one of the strongest characters in comicdom despite having no powers. She is a definite bad ass who always holds the cards and is 10 steps ahead of everyone. Say what you want about Suicide Squad (which I imagine is mostly derogatory things), but Viola Davis was Waller and just amplified the power of that character. The Waller of the previous DCAU Timm-verse is one of the best characters in that cavalcade of shows because again she epitomizes the planning, skepticism and pragmatism of that character.
This Waller though has none of that though and is instead booted simply to warden with a horrible Southern accent. Because of that she loses control of Belle Reve and ultimately gets replaced as the warden by none other than Hugo Strange by the end of the episode who is revealed as an agent of The Light. While that twist is fine, and very foreseeable, it sucks that it comes at the expense of a character like Waller who in most other adaptations would be at the center of ruthlessness and badassery. Waller should’ve been an active member of The Light with a Suicide Squad in tow. Seems like a missed opportunity.
3. All the villains!
In addition to the aforementioned frosty fiends (wow that’s a horrible pun) we also get cameos in Belle Reve from a ton of other villains that have made their appearance on the show already including Blockbuster, Abra Kadabra, and Professor Ivo, who is the throwaway character who delivers the thermal prison suits. This really adds to that sense of this universe being big which I know I discuss every week, but it’s the best part of this show.
It’s also really cool that they highlight villains I haven’t really ever heard of like the Icicle’s and some of the other inmates. The Terror Twins who Superboy and Miss Martian imitat, I had to look up, were created specifically for the show which makes sense why I had no idea who they are. This episode also makes some really interesting creative choices with some of the villains, including making Captain Cold and Mister Freeze metahumans, and making the Riddler a super whiny joke character. But also Tommy and Tuppence Terror are horrible names…
4. “Someone that sees the psycho that you are and likes you anyway”
Speaking of the Icicles, the bromance that Superboy strikes up with Icicle Jr is really fascinating as his whole character arc in the episode mirrors Superboy’s in so many ways as both are striving for attention and recognition from their “father,” in Icicle Jr’s case his actual father and in Superboy’s from Superman. The whole time that Icicle is trying to hit on Miss M too is hilarious and the line quoted above that he gives Superboy about love actually kind of makes sense. Icicle Jr is basically the semi evil stand-in for Kid Flash.
Continued belowWhat is more interesting though is how Superboy manipulates Icicle Jr because of this fact. The whole last part of the episodes sees Superboy getting to turn Icicle pretty easily into turning on everyone in Belle Reve all by playing on the idea of making him do things to impress his father. It’s super vindictive and an interesting choice for Conner to not actually have to deal with his problems.
5. “Dude, that’s your sister!”
Hands down the best and funniest scene in all of Young Justice which is why it gets to be the featured image. The tagline for this episode is “Showcasing incest before it was cool.” Thanks Game of Thrones.
As an added thought, this is the second episode in a row without Robin, Kid Flash or Artemis, which is a really interesting choice, but perhaps mirrors actual comics in acknowledging that the whole team doesn’t have to be around every week. Robin comes back strong next week though!
In addition, DC announced at SDCC this weekend a lot of details and the lineup for the team for Young Justice: Outsiders the third season of the show coming to their exclusive streaming service in 2018. You can find the details in our day two coverage of DC at SDCC.
As always come back next week and sound off in the comments!
