Movies / Animé and Toons

Young Justice Season 2 Episode 2

By Hervé St-Louis
May 7, 2012 - 20:21

After a spectacular reintroduction last week, Young Justice season two continues to deliver. The entire episode is set on planet Rann where a small team lead by Earth scientist Adam Strange has landed to figure out what exactly did the six Justice League that were brainwashed for 16 hours by Vandal Savage did on Rann. And this episode, we don’t find out, but Miss Martian does.

It’s hard to start somewhere. There was just so much good stuff and a couple of subplots introduced. Here’s some background. Planet Rann in the comics, is where Adam Strange through a Zeta beam travelled and had adventures with Rannians and fell in love with local girl Alanna. The Zeta beam, in Young Justice has been established as the means through which the Justice League teleports from the Hall of justice on Earth t their space station orbiting the Earth.

Superboy, Miss Martian and Beast Boy have to figure out what the aliens that have begun an invasion of Earth are up to on Rann. The story gives hints that Miss Martian used her telepathic abilities above what is reasonable in the past and that’s why Superboy broke with her. It also reveals that Superboy will not age and will look like a teen forever. He’s not thrilled about that. Finally as was easy to figure out way back in season one, the blood transfusion Miss Martian gave to Beast Boy is responsible for his shape-shifting abilities. This is a much better explanation for his powers than the mongoose blood origin from the comics and it also explains why he’s green. I found that his characterization reminded me of KidFlash. He likes to collect souvenirs.

The Martian Manhunter said in season one that Miss Martian was probably one of the most powerful telepath he had met. This season, that subplot will definitely continue. She also developed a big sister link with Beast Boy which I think is cool. However, the way she was subdued in this episode reminds me of the X-Men’s Jean Grey. She felt weak and easy to take out of the picture for fear that she was too powerful.

Superboy is angry as usual but he seems to be better trained and aware of his powers than in the past. It shows he’s experienced now. I really like Adam Strange in this episode. He wasn’t a pure super hero and let the fighting to the big guys. However, he was still useful and used his trademark jetpack and red coloured suit.

We didn’t see any of the other Leaguers left n Earth but something which I raised last week which still has not been noticed is that all of the seven Justice League members involved on Rann were part of the original team that founded the Justice League in the earlier incarnation from the early 2000s, except for Flash. Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Superman, Hawkgirl, Batman and Green Lantern John Stewart were all part of that iconic team that defined the Justice League for an entire generation. The team of creators behind this series don’t do things randomly. There is a meaning to this. Perhaps that might even explain why the Flash was absent from that bunch. Well, first of all, it wasn’t the same Flash under the hood. It wasn’t Barry Allen, it was Wally West, who was a kid as KidFlash. Then, in a few episodes in the old Justice League cartoon where their evil counterpart from another dimension took over, it was said that the Flash was necessary for the League to remain a peaceful organization. Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but it has to mean something in regards to the six missing Leaguers in Young Justice.

Last Updated: January 17, 2025 - 08:20