TV Retrospective: Young Justice Invasion Episodes 6-10

 

Bloodlines

In a post-apocalyptic future, two people are working on something

At mount justice, Nightwing’s finished decrypting and translating the data the two martians got from the Kroloteans, they were searching for something known as the metagene but no-one gets time to ponder as some kind of pod enters the room and we see the introduction to a classic Young Justice Character, Impulse.

If you’re expecting a goofy character with low intelligence, you’re going to be disappointed. Once again we have Peter David writing the episode so… Beast Boy pursues but slips on some water in the shower room. Robin isn’t any more fortune but Nightwing is better and actually captures him.

In Tibet, Clone Roy, Cheshire and Lian (you’ve got to be kidding me) are about to infiltrate a League of Assassins base searching from the original Roy

Impulse claims to be a tourist from the future and the Grandson of Barry Allen. Nightwing gives him a drink, and provides Nightwing with a DNA. He also has no clue about secret identities. Mal is about to enter the cave and Impulse uses that opportunity to escape, although if he could vibrate through solid objects why he couldn’t vibrate through a cave entrance while it was closed

The drink contained a micro-tracker that Nightwing uses to follow, not that it wasn’t entirely predictable where he was going anyway. Right to the Allen family home in Central City. Nightwing makes a call.

Barry and Iris are celebrating the 70^th anniversary of Jay and Joan Garrick. Nightwing calls but Impulse arrives before he can explain. Iris explains that she’s pregnant, with twins no less. Wally arrives, Nightwing thinks he could be of help for some reason

Iris gets a call; a super-villain is calling for the Flash’s blood. This is their version of superman villain Neutron. He has nothing to do with the Flash or Young Justice. The Flash heads to confront him and helps civilians out of his range. The Flash tries to charge him but he’s blasted back with Impulse stopping the worst of the damage.

Man this guy is spouting corny dialogue, but you’ll soon see why. In a warehouse nearby 2 aliens are saying they have complete control of the subject but his energy readings are spiking. Meanwhile apparantly the icy mountains of Tibet require people wearing Tarzan level clothing. When Lian squeals, they’re surrounded by guards.

Wally, as Kid Flash arrives to help, and they begin to discuss a plan at super-speed so Wally can’t hear them. They begin to run circles around the guy and we see both Impulse and Barry can lap Wally easily, that’ll be important later.

Neutron’s energy levels are increasing than he can release, he’s going critical, causing a pretty massive explosion. Glad downtown was evacuated, hope they’ve all got insurance. Bart is about to go and take a look but Wally sees that he’s regenerating.

But now he’s confused, he’s no longer under the control of the reach. They decide to abort the test and blow up the warehouse. Wally believes he’s going to blow again, maybe even bigger this time but Barry can see fluctuations between his energy waves that may allow him to grab Neutron. Bart trips him up and they’re both down rescued by Kid Flash and Jay Garrick

Barry says since the overload accelerated, he wouldn’t have been able to grab him in time. Bart disappears again and drops some kind of thing as Neutron regenerates, it seems to bond with his skin, his energy levels are back to normal.

Cheshire and Roy defeat the guards. Roy expresses some concern about her delight. And they find the freezer unit containing the original Roy Harper.

Wally confirms that Bart has Barry and Iris’ DNA (amongst another probably) he prepares to head home but the time machine has, ahm, ‘malfunctioned’ and he’s trapped. Back in the post-apolyptic future we know that Bart knew this was a one-way trip. It’s 40 year in the future – oh and the other guy, is Neutron, who gives him the means to stop him and save the Flash’s life. Neutron sees that his state has changed but is worried that little else has. The reason for that is… I have no idea.

Anyway this is fun tribute to the Flash family

Rating 8.5/10

Depths

G Gordon Godfrey is complaining about the launch of an Earth-Mars communication satellite, despite the fact that Martian Manhunter still exists.

Artemis is heading out, Dick has called her on a mission. Artemis points out that he was using the yellow and red suit just a few weeks ago. She asks what could go wrong and we cut to sometime later with her being pronounced bead

Back a few hours, Mal is complaining that both Roy and Impulse will become their responsibility. Lagoon Boy is eating crab cakes with a disturbing amount of delight. Artemis arrives and it’s time for team briefing.

Their mission is to safeguard the launch of the satellite. Nightwing’s going because he’s peckish for action and he’s absolutely not been involved in any mission accept destroying the zeta tubes and Malina Island and also Metropilis if you’ve read the tie-in comics. Just saying…

G Gordon Godfrey asks whether they want more communication with aliens, Martian Manhunter proposes it as an alliance that can help them against other alien threats – oh and Martian Manhunter is in fact Miss Martian. Superboy is being levitated in the air to fake flight and mimic Superman, they can’t let their enemies know how short handed the League is. No offence but mimicking Icon, Hawkman and the Green Lanterns might be more difficult.

Nightwing and Artemis are watching from the sky, Superboy and Miss M are in the bio-ship and Lagoon Boy is watching from the sea. And that’s where the attack is, Black Manta’s troops are setting up a missile platform. Oh and subtle reference, violet clothes and lipstick on Carol Ferris.

OK, time to address that elephant in the room. Why did Superboy and Miss M break up? He was not impressed with her ripping intel from people and worse trying to influence Superboy. You remember the whole moral dilemma in Identity Crisis – this is almost exactly the same thing.

Anyway, it really doesn’t answer why Superboy didn’t tell Nightwing, a decision which I have a rant saved about for next time. Lagoon boy spots the missile platform and prepares to engage, Nightwing tells Superboy to help but he’s not exactly Superboy’s best friend and he engages. The troops begin to launch the missiles as a second wave begins a ground attack. Nightwing and Artemis head down rather than using a sniping position from the tower.

Miss M goes to help lagoon boy whilst Superboy takes command of the bio-shp and provides some cover fire. Aqualad knocks Lagoon boy out and demands the missiles be launched. Superboy blasts the missile and Carol decides to accelerate the countdown.

Artemis uses a flare arrow to blind the troops so they can get over the wall and engage. Aqualad says that Lagoon Boy is a perfect specimen for their partner as a troop reports about the missiles and the problems with their helmets. He says he’ll personally take charge of the ground assault.

Aqualad comes out of the water with more troops. Miss Martian sees Lagoon boy being taken but Superboy isn’t keeping up with the missiles. Miss M redirects on back at the platform but gets caught up in the explosion. The rocket is launched, Aqualad fires a rocket but Artemis manages to destroy it with an arrow. Nightwing is knocked back by Aqualad who then proceeds to stab Artemis.

He orders the troops to move out as the rocket explodes. Nightwing tries to resuscitate Artemis but is unsuccessful. Aqualad reports to Black Manta, explaining their victory was mere luck. But it wasn’t, Manta had a bomb smuggled onto the rocket days ago, this was a test and he passed

Everyone gathers to mourn Artemis. Nightwing headed out to tell Wally. We cut to Blüdhaven, where Nightwing looks at that photo they’re joined by Aqualad, then Wally and then Artemis. We see that Aqualad’s sword had gone around her and she’d taken some kind of supressent that mimicked her having no heartbeat. Nightwing planted the blood stain on her.

Aqualad has been in deep cover for the Light, capturing La'gaan was the only way to save his life and maintain his cover. He gives his word that he’ll help Lagoon Boy. He gives Artemis a glamour charm, she looks identical to the 4 of them but an entirely different person to everyone else.

It’s a great episode, revealing plenty about the arc of the season and building the stories for later on.

Rating 9/10

Satisfaction

Before we get to the episode itself I want to talk about hiatuses. Young Justice: Invasion premiered pretty much after the season finale of Young Justice. After 7 episodes were aired the season took a standard summer break till mid-September. All of 2 episodes were aired after that break before it was put on sudden hiatus for no adequately explained reason. It didn’t resume until January. Despite this, ratings were good and reasonably consistent, this reason the show was cancelled is because toy sales were lacking. I hope Netflix realises the potential of this series because there’s so much more they have to give.

But to the episode itself. We open at the hospital in Star City where Roy is getting the lowdown on what’s happened since he was on ice. Look, I’m going to have to distinguish between the two Roy, clone Roy is Roy2, k?

Roy wants to know how he got to the state he is. He was investigating a LexCorp shell company on his own almost immediately after becoming Green Arrow’s sidekick. That’s really dumb when you think about it. I think the rest of the story speaks for itself really.

Roy expresses no hatred towards Roy2, but Ollie/Green Arrow is another story, since he gave up on him after all. Roy orders them both out, of course Artemis’ ‘death’ is also a weight on Ollie, so he’s not feeling good about himself. I feel this is better drama than in Arrow. Roy2 tries to reassure him and tells him to head back in but Roy’s already gone.

At the cave, Beast Boy, Jamie, Bart and Tim are in the grotto, paying respects to Artemis. Among the memorials are Ted Kord, Jason Todd and Tula, hope you got those references. Anyway, the whole point of this scene is Blue Beetle and Impulse are hooking up as buddy’s or something.

At Gotham Cemetary Wally and Mrs Crock are paying repsects to Artemis. Wally is clearly guilty. From the shadows, Sportsmaster and Cheshire in civilian garb. Jade wants vengeance on Aqualad, Sportsmaster says this murder is an insult to his professional reputation and he can’t let this stand, he wants a reckoning with Black Manta. This will take a few episodes to play out – episodes 12 and 16 to be precise.

Roy finds one of Green Arrow’s caches and finds guns and weapons and things I wouldn’t really associate with Green Arrow. Ollie and Roy2 arrive outside and manage to head in but it’s too late, Roy leaves with some gear and blows up the Zeta tube so they can’t follow. He zeta’d to Metropolis. Ollie concludes he’s going after Luthor.

In Metropolis Luthor is doing some paperwork as Roy fires a missile, fortunately Luthor has a customised desk

Superboy is greeted by Wendy, who celebrates his birthday. She’s the only person to wish him happy birthday because the rest of the team are a bunch of <censored> seriously, no-one forgot Dick’s birthday (see the tie-in comic) and whilst they didn’t exactly celebrate because things were happening, it was at least something.

Oh, wait, Miss Martian did remember. You know M’gann, you may not need to throw him a party but you could at least say something! Or leave him a note, or anything. I know, this is just after Artemis’ ‘death’ and everything but come on people!

Anyway, M’gann, along with Zatanna and the rest of the women of the League and the Team are having a bridal shower for Raquel aka Rocket who clearly has no friends outside of superheroing. Captain Cold has his eye on a bank.

Luthor is being dragged away by Mercy but he has something behind his not at all egotistical picture of himself that he needs. A briefcase which he picks up. He tells his security chief to kill the assassin and whilst they prepare to do so, there’s no-one there.

Roy is already in the parking lot. Mercy uses her arm cannon to fight back. A truck is about to make a money delivery but Captain Cold attack, I didn’t realises his gun could freeze quite that much, he also has the most awkward looking run. Thanks to Zatanna the others escape the ice in costume and for some reason they all charge at him.

OK, I’m going to skim over this fight. It’s very good. Luthor comments about Roy’s arsenal, meaning his instincts and strategies. Luthor himself never goes armed and almost never be seen in a giant mech suit. Cut to the chase, Roy beats Mercy by blowing up her arm with explosive cord, designed by LexCorp no less. He wraps some of it around Luthor’s arms but his guards arrive and have Roy in their crosshairs.

Luthor uses a classic Gargoyles line ‘vengeance is a sucker’s game’ but offers an alternative, satisfaction. Inside the briefcase. Green Arrow and Roy2 finally arrive but Roy comes out with the briefcase. He didn’t kill Luthor, but he’s gained a new arm a robotic arm that’s more powerful than Mercy’s. He’ll never be used like that again. He’ll be using the name Arsenal.

It’s a good episode, despite my frustrations

Rating 8/10

Darkest

Lagoon Boy berates Aqualad for his betrayal. Aqualad injects Lagoon Boy with a serum to knock him out to be delivered to their partner. Black Manta has another task for Aqualad, whilst his faith is absolute, the others require further proof of his loyalty.

Kaldur heads out with Tigress (Artemis), Icicle Jr (long flight from Bialya) and HOLY SH*T are those the Terror Twins, they’ve been taking the steroids since we last saw them, then again, I have no idea how they got powers, it might well be steroids.

Anyway, they discuss whether or not it’s wise travelling with Aqualad and Tigress. Tigress shuts them both up as Icicle Jr tries to make moves on Tuppance, because of his relationship with Miss M’s tuppence in Belle Reeve

Meanwhile Impulse goes to see Jamie at his house, in costume. It’s difficult to tell how much of Impulse is deliberately naïve. Oh, Mal meets up with Karen, wanting a date but she’s busy with Doctor Palmer.

Beetle and Impulse are hanging out in a desert when they’re attacked. Impulse steals the gismo Kaldur was using to track them and they make their retreat. The others prepare to berate Aqualad but Aqualad had thought of that.

Blue Beetle and Aqualadd zeta into the cave with the device because they’re kind of morons. Nightwing decides to analyse it because he’s also kind of a moron. As it is, the device was a Trojan horse that deactivated the security in Mount Justice.

Aqualad emerges from the water and discourages Sphere’s intervention. Meanwhile Lagoon Boy’s pod is placed with the teens we saw back in Beneath. When it’s clear Karen isn’t leaving, Mal decides to head out. Wolf is not worried as Tigress places an inhibitor collar around him.

Beast Boy is watching Hello Megan for some reason but is knocked out. Icicle Jr and Tommy Terror attack Superboy and put on a collar, both say they’re harbouring grudges and prepare to finish him but Aqualad stops them.

Impulse is also collared and Nightwing soon follows but Blue Beetle is caught by Aqualad. He has a bomb, the same type that destroyed Malina Island. And he’s using a dead man’s switch. Blue Beetle decides to surrender, not wanting his friends incinerated in the blast.

Kaldur orders a retreat, keeping Superboy and Nightwing in the cave as hostages. Nightwing tries to stand but he punches him in the stomach. They move out but the Scarab tells Jamie they can turn off the collar, when Jamie refuses, he takes control. Turns out the dead man’s switch was a fake. But Aqualad zaps him with electricity, exposing his skin so Tigress can knock him out. They head out but Tommy isn’t happy about them not killing Superboy. Aqualad tells Tigress to blow up the cave and she does so.

Mal notices this from afar and calls the league before going to investigate. He hears sphere and uses his phone to spot them just out to sea. Guessing Miss M and the bioship are elsewhere. Mal swims out, saving Nightwing from being washed away. Fortunately none of them are in collars. The Sphere folds up to heal leaving Mal and Superboy to drag wolf and Nightwing ashore.

In the Hall of Justice Wally confronts Nightwing. Aqualad passed a flash drive when he punched Nightwing in the face, containing intel to justify his actions. Wally isn’t happy that they took such a big risk. Even suggesting that Aqualad might be a ‘triple agent’ this really doesn’t go anywhere so I’m just going to ignore it.

It’s certainly an episode with a big impact, good set-up for the midseason episode, which really should’ve been what aired in October, even appearing in some ITunes episodes. Anyway, Aqualad is welcomed into the Light and they tease that now they’re ready to introduce him to their partner.

Rating 8.5/10

Before the Dawn

Jamie remembers his origin, he was taking a shortcut across a Kord Industries parking lot when there’s an explosion, his shirt is set on fire so he takes it off, he finds the scarab and it fuses to his spine. He awakens in a pod, but he can’t armour up.

We’re introduced to our villains and I’ll cut to the chase, they’re the Reach – I recommend watching Linkara’s Blue Skying to find out more about them. The main difference for now is that Black Beetle, an independent agent in the comics is now their lead enforcer.

The Reach scientist has analysed the scarab but finds that the only data they can recover is from when it fused with Jamie. Aqualad is taken on a tour of the ship from the Reach Ambassador, explaining the concept of the metagene and confirming that they plan to weaponize it.  

They don’t show him Blue Beetle, saying that it’s none of his business. There are more test subjects en-route courtesy of Tigress. Barbara, Tim and Bumblee infiltrate the prisoners, oh and that girl that’s blond – apparently she’s supposed to be Stephanie Brown, cute reference.

Nightwing and co are following via bioship, he has answers for some of Nightwing’s questions. To reboot the scarab they need to remove the scarab from Jamie, killing him. As Tigress loads the prisoners. Nightwing ends Miss M into the ship.

Time for another edition of over-explaining the point “we have eyes on the new aliens aka the Krolotean’s competitor aka the Light’s partner” Batgirl, you never cease to over-explain the point. Anyway, Miss M finds Beast Boy and Impulse. Despite Blue Beetle being unaccounted for, Nightwing orders them to make their move.

Impulse quickly goes out in search for Blue Beetle. The Docking bay is secured by Superboy, in the guise of a manta trooper. Miss M and Beast Boy find Aqualad, Miss M psychically attacks him. Everyone is loaded onto the ship. Superboy goes to find Miss M but is knocked back by Black Beetle, who seals the heroes, minus Nightwing, in.

Impulse searches the rooms and eventually finds Jamie, rescuing him. Miss M finds out about the deep cover mission and collapses. Tigress, who Miss M recognises as Artemis, comes to Aqualad’s rescue and gets him out before Beast Boy can attack.

Black Beetle powers through them, knocking out Bumblebee, Lagoon Boy and Robin with no problem. One of the teens left behind picks up a gun but Shimmer knocks him out. Batgirl begins to fight her.

We reveal that in the post-apocolyptic future, Blue Beetle has taken over the world and has enslaved the populace. They don’t know it’s Jamie under the mask, right? But Impulse was sent to the past to help.

Beast Boy and Miss M arrive at the door as Superboy is also knocked out by Black Beetle. Miss M tries to phase through the door but Black Beetle does something that traps her, he then bashes Wonder Girl against the door repeatedly. Batgirl does win against shimmer but Blue Beetle manages to open the doors, allowing Impulse and Beast Boy and Batgirl. The scarab recommends he gains total control of the armour and weapons. Too weak to win otherwise, Jamie agrees. They fight. Shimmer recovers but her touching the wall melts through it and water begins to flood the ship.

They close the hangar to prevent drowning or being crushed. The fight concludes with Jamie being thrust out of the ship. Black Beetle catches shimmer and closes the hole she made. The reach ship opens fire and Lagoon boy catches Blue and takes them back into the Bio-ship.

Nightwing reports to the League, so they can tell the public but Aqualad informs them that the Reach have reported to the United Nations. G Gordon is happy they’ve come knocking on the Earth’s front door rather than sneaking in the back. They claim they know what they’re up against but… there’s a massive fleet of Reach ships in the Mariana Trench

It’s an episode with great action and helps things get to a position to make you come back. Wonder Girl is a bit of a punching bag in this one but she survives it.

Rating 9/10

Next time we’ll see Despero, Manta’s vengeance, Deathstroke, The Reach’s political game, Mongul and a Green Beetle?

For initial thoughts on movies, comics and video games as well as exclusive updates, click here to like my Facebook page or follow me at @rageformedia on Twitter

For more reviews click here

Images/clips used in this review are from Young Justice Invasion and belong to their respective owners. All images in this review are subject to fair use