Review: Young Justice: Outsiders 3×03 – “Eminent Threat”

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Director: Christopher Berkeley

Writer: Greg Weisman

Starring: Jesse McCartney, Nolan North, Stephanie Lemelin, Jason Spisak, Zehra Fazal, Troy Baker, Khary Payton, Alyson Stoner, Jason Marsden, Greg Cipes

 

Summary

Gar is living his best celebrity life whilst also campaigning about the dangers of meta trafficking. On the other side of the world, Dick, Tigress, and Jefferson are still on the hunt for their missing bud, and it seems like their new mysterious ally may be more of a threat than a help as she struggles with her new powers after her resurrection. In the face of Brion’s discovery, Gregor, the dodgy doctor, and Vertigo try to dismantle the remainder of their illegal labs whilst the royal recovers in his pod. Brion’s one ally is attacked by Vertigo after it’s revealed that she tried to ignite the prince’s meta powers so he could fight against the Baron’s evil plans, and with Dick in the shadows it looks like Markovia’s Baron Bedlam has finally been revealed.

Positives

All good things must come to an end, and this arc has ended. I felt a sort of sadness ending the last episode in the first 3 part arc but that sort of sadness when you end an arc in a comic book but the main story continues. With the reveal of Baron Bedlam in the last episode ( a twist we should’ve all seen coming) the climactic battle pits Nightwing and his team against the Baron with help from the new meta Prince Brion. The fight was great and lead to some hard hitting after math as Brion is banished by his own brother and another meta child dies and leaves the team wondering whats next.

Negatives

Again my biggest complaint was the brothers angle. It didn’t have the gran pay off I hoped and seems to have come to an end. While i do hope it continues in some form if its truly over I didn’t enjoy the final interactions between the two nor the build up to it.

Verdict

When your up its best to walk away but Young Justice seems to have taken the ambitious route and doubled down. When the first meta child died I thought it would be a one off but the show has continued its dark tone and kept the trend going. Shows such as the live action Flash, Arrow, and Legends have never gone the road of hurting or killing a child but Young Justice has decided has gone down this road and even doubled down.  While many find it cynical, the show has treadled new ground and set its self to touch subjects we dont rarely see on animated shows, death, empathy, regret, and life after heroism, its brave new ground for a brave renewed show.