Young Justice Season Four: Second Half Spoilers

The second half of Young Justice season four is finally done, and if you want a recap of my review for the first half, it’s right here. If the title still doesn’t give you an idea that there’ll be spoilers, then I’m telling you here: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Having said that, let’s see what I thought about the second part of season four.

Lar-Zod with Darkseid and His Minions

Let me begin by talking about some of my predictions for the second part in my previous review. Firstly, I mentioned that I thought the big baddie for this series was going to be Mordru from the 31st Century. I was DEAD WRONG. Turns out that the threat from the 21st Century is General Zod. This is quite appropriate considering, as predicted, Superboy wasn’t dead, but was actually trapped in the Phantom Zone due to his rescue by Phantom Girl. It was in the Phantom Zone that Superboy encounters General Zod. Back in standard reality, we find out that it was General Zod’s son, Lor-Zod, is responsible for the ‘death’ of Superboy after stealing a time sphere from the 31st Century.

Next, I also predicted two other story elements. One (the long shot) was the return of Wally West who might show up to save Superboy. That didn’t happen. Sigh. I’m still hoping he gets to return from the Speed Force bringing the A Team back to full power. I also predicted that we’ll see more Legionnaires show up in Young Justice. With the apperance of Brainiac 5 who travels back in time to retrieve the stranded Saturn Girl, Chameleon Boy, and Phantom Girl. I got my wish. So, I’m at fifty percent for these predictions. Yey for me.

Lagoon Boy, and the Aquamen

As to the story sequence, I also said that the last three arcs would focus on Aquaman, Nightwing, and Rocket. I was on the money on that one with Nightwing’s arc appropriately ending season four. It was fitting to have Kaldur’ahm aka Aquaman/Aqualad begin the second part of season four. It was a continuation of the mystical story arc that ended in part one with Zatanna. Here we get to find Vandal Savage up to his nefarious schemes again by trying to take control of the Kingdoms of Atlantis. Fortunately, Kaldur and company were able to thwart this plan which secured the safety of Earth for the moment.

Rocket aka Racquel

The next story arc focused on Rocket. With Rocket, the plot was about creating a pact between New Genesis, and the Green Lantern Corps vs. the power of Apokolips. She visited New Genesis to establish a treaty among the two aliend organizations, and Earth. Additionally, Rocket’s story arc focused on her relationship with her son, Amistad, who is autistic. Young Justice knocks it out of the ballpark again with this interpersonal story hook. We already have an overarching element in Beast Boy’s bout with depression. Now Young Justice adds to the mix the challenges of having a child with autism. This is just another example of what makes this series such a beautiful investment to view. Oh, also Rocket was able to broker an alliance with New Genesis, and the Green Lantern Corps.

From Left: Rocket, Miss Martian, Nightwing, Superboy, and Zatanna

Appropriately, the final arc for season four was headlined by the return of Nightwing to the team. I keep saying this, but I’ll say it again. Nightwing/Dick Grayson is a better team leader than Batman. This goes all the way back to his comic book roots even as Robin. We get to see that here in full display in this final arc. With Nightwing at the lead, the A Team was able to bring back Conner Kent from the Phantom Zone, and prevent the destructive fate of the universe under the crushing heels of the Zods. With that settled, Miss Martian, and Superboy could finally get married, albeit on Earth instead of Mars. Another happy ending for all…or is it?

From Left: The Foragers, Orion, Rocket, Jay Garrick Flash, and Lightray

Though the season ended with a happy wedding for our heroes, there are more challenges to face. Zod, and his forces were rescued from the Phantom Zone once again by Apokolips. Add to that the defection of Mary Marvel, AND Supergirl (Kara); and you have a more powerful force to face. I’m wondering if Supergirl’s appearance in Apokolips will follow the path of a familiar Batman/Superman comic story arc. Furthermore, Dru-Zod with the power of the Emerald Eye of Ekron retreats to Daxam…you know that planet of beings with powers similar to Kryptonians. It gets better. Dru-Zod is pregnant with General Zod’s child, and appears to want to raise this child on Daxam. Finally, Ma’alefa’ak who is Miss Martian’s brother, and enemy of Earth was gifted Durla by Darkseid as a reward for his services. For those of you unfamiliar with Durla, this is the planet of shapeshifters from which Chameleon Boy was born. Does this mean that Ma’alefa’ak is the ancestor of the Durlan shapeshifters like Chameleon Boy? Curiouser, and Curiouser. We’ll have to wait for season five (crossing fingers) to find out how these new story arcs pan out.

The A Team From Left: Zatanna, Superboy, Miss Martian, Aquaman, Tigress, Nightwing, and Rocket

Young Justice season four continues the excellent visuals, and storytelling that previous seasons have provided. The series not only centers on superheroics, but also delves deep into the interpersonal relationships among the main characters. Season four adds not only action, and intrigue, but also real life emotional problems such as dealing with depression, and autism. To my mind, this is the best western superhero series out there whether animated or live action. Young Justice is now streaming on HBO Max.

Something Truly Super is Happening in ‘Superman and Lois’

If you aren’t watching ‘Superman and Lois’ yet, you’re missing something really super. The first season was a beautiful series in itself. However, this second season so far is a strong argument for you to continue watching, and for everyone else not watching to join this super hero family in their journeys. Warning though, there are SPOILERS in this article. If spoilers don’t bother you…up, up, and away!

Superman Ready to Engage in Combar

From the onset, ‘Superman and Lois’ has established itself to be a family series aside from it being a story about super heroes. That is entrenched in the series’s DNA, and this has been further established this season. The Kent siblings are growing, and there is that continuing balance of Clark being parent, and being the greatest super hero on Earth. For one, Natalie, the daughter of John Henry Irons and Lois from another Earth, is now here. The new dynamic between Lois, and Natalie has proven to be interesting so far which adds to the already complex dynamic of the Kent household. The family elements are not a side story to ‘Superman and Lois’. In fact, thest story elements go hand-in-hand with what makes this series so special.

With new interpersonal challenges in ‘Superman and Lois’, the story sets the stage for new personal challenges for Superman. He has been for the longest time been Earth’s greatest super hero. However, this season his authority has been challenged by the very people who he protects. Superman’s loyalty has always been to the Earth first, and the United States a close second. This has led to test of loyalty for Superman who has been put on the spot to profess primary loyalty to the United States. The political dilemma leads to all sorts of plots including the creation of ‘new’ superman using the Superman emblem. If Superman can’t put his home country first, then it will find other ways to support its goals. I’m quite intrigued where this will all lead actually.

Son (Jordan), Fathe (Superman)r and Brother (Morgan Edge).

Then, there is also Superman’s relationship to his brother Morgan Edge aka Tal-Rho. As if the family dynamic wasn’t complicated enough, Kal’s brother adds to the mix. Both family, and foe, Morgan Edge adds another layer to the interpersonal relationships highlighted in ‘Superman and Lois’. How much is Superman willing to toe the line with his Kryptonian Kin? So far it hasn’t paid dividends, and Tal-Rho has consistently stabbed Kal-El in the back. Though, the situation might change with the coming of…

Bizarro Superman

…Bizarro Superman. I really liked the play on the expectations of the audience here. The hints were all there that this should be Doomsday, another famous Superman villain. Instead, we get Bizarro Superman, and I coudln’t be happier. Why? This means that the story writers of ‘Superman and Lois’ are really taking us into uncharted territory while using comic book lore to their advantage. This reminds me a lot of the approach of Young Justice which does not find itself inhibited by comic book canon. Instead, ‘Superman and Lois’ used these comic book story elements to tell their own story…and that’s what makes this series really super.

Superman aka Kal-El taking to Morgan Edge aka Tal-Rho

So, if you haven’t been watching ‘Superman and Lois’, it might be time to jump onboard. You’ll be treated to something truly…SUPER. ‘Superman and Lois’ is showing on the CW Network.

DC’s Injustice: A Dark Side of Superman

Finally, this long-awaited animated feature has become available, and it doesn’t disappoint. For those familiar with the video game, you already know the premise to this movie. For those who don’t, let’s just say it’s the flip side of Superman’s decision in the seminal Kingdom Come series written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Alex Ross. Though people tend to compare him here with Omni-man as he appears in Invincible, he is more of like Plutonian in the comic book Irredeemable also written by Mark Waid (hmm…).

What would happen to Superman if Lois Lane were murdered? This movie answers that question, and provides a side of Superman probably only seen in the darkest corners of the elseworlds universe. And, the film paints a scary picture. As is found in many epic Superman stories, the movie wouldn’t be complete without the presence of the other two members of the DC Trinity: Batman and Wonder Woman. Having said that, ‘Injustice’ also includes an array of supporting super hero characters that form part of the DC comics mythos with most of them coming from the Justice League bevy of characters.

With the characters set, and the premise plotted, we get to see how far Lois’s death can darken (strenghten?) the moral compass of the Man of Steel. The result is a police state not far from the imagination of Batman himself, though one can argue that a Superman police state is far scarier than one envisioned by the Dark Knight himself. Most especially since Superman has the raw power to carry it out without need of a lot of prep time. As we see just how far Superman can take his new moral compass, we can also see the heroes themselves take sides on the world Superman wants to enforce. There is no in-between here as battle lines are well-defined, and even Superman gets help from an unexpected, but unsurprising source.

Amidst the chaos, and destruction there is an apt order established; and one wonders if this is the way the way the world should have always been from the beginning yet it took so long to realize. However, even though the title of the film reveals its nature, let us not forget that this is still a Superman story, and the very best Superman stories are when he is at his best. This is the question the movie seeks to answer with its resolution: what indeed is the best version of Superman?

The answer is found in the vast multiverse that is the DC mythology though the answer still posits more questions. In the end, it is Superman himself who decides if this injustice done to him is worth the price of his ideal Earth or betrays the memory of his wife Lois. Even if the video game doesn’t provide any real ending to this madness, the film does provide the closure warranted. And, Superman is revealed as the hero we deserve even from the darkest depths of his soul. However, you still get to wonder how long before this tragedy happens again in the vastness of the DC Multiverse. Still, ‘Injustice’ shows Superman as he is: the best of everything we hold dear.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League: A League of His Own

Maybe this will teach the Warner Brother’s movie higher ups to allow their creators to create with trust and confidence. Maybe this will erase the memory of a messy and inconsistent film that reflected its patchwork pieces to come up with a pedestrian interpretation of a better film. Maybe this will open the door to a far different and more adult way of interpreting super hero films that might not be for every age, but becomes ageless. Enough of the maybes, ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ does all of the above.

Breaking away from what is expected of super hero movies nowadays, ‘Zack Snyder’s Jusctice League’ provides a super hero film consistent with the original vision started with ‘Man of Steel’. It is dark, it is gloomy, but it is hopeful. I liken this film to the gothic stories of old wherein you have characters set in a situation that is near hopeless with that rare light at the end of the tunnel driving them to their destinations. For truly, wasn’t the reason Dante Alighieri’s Inferno came before Paradiso to make people face their own darkness first to better appreciate the light? That was the case for this film.

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The story takes place directly after the events of ‘Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice’, and you can see from the onset that this was a completely different film from the previous ‘Justice League’. Zack Snyder’s vision came to light with his setup of character buildiing of new heroes such as Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash while balancing it with previous character staples in Batman, Wonder Woman and even Alfred. The dramatic build up to the impending doom was just what the film needed to justify the gambit of reviving Superman from his eternal slumber. Never mind Steppenwolf. He’s small fry. When you’re going up against a threat like Darkseid, you truly need the hope that Superman gives on your side.

True, the film does not pit our Justice League directly against Darkseid himself. But, that’s more the case that they were able to prevent his coming in the first place, and not because they weren’t set to face him. For in all DC Comics lore, there are few greater threats than the Lord of Apokolips and his cronnies, Steppenwolf being just one among them. This raised the stakes to a worldly threat to an existential one. With Darkseid’s presence in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’, we get to appreciate more the value of Superman to this story.

Let there be no mistake, this is a different film from ‘Justice League’ that came before it. Aside from the length, the treatment of the setting, characters and storytelling provide a better basis for the DC films that came after it. The vision is clearly set, and even sets the narrative up moving forward with what hopefully will be a proper continuation of this revived superhero franchise. Even the appearance of Martian Manhunter provides something to look forward to in future installmens of ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ as they move towards the power seven that is Justice League minus Green Lantern. However, elements of the film suggest that we might have a ring slinger making an appearance in the DC Extended Universe’s future. If not in this film, then maybe somewhere else.

All in all, ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ is a redemption film that reflects the true vision of the director. True, one might argue that the reshoots could be an afterthought of what worked in the previous film, and removing what didn’t work. However, that’s just pure cynical and insidious thinking. Zack Snyder loves these characters, and this story. Given a chance to show what he wanted, he would do so, and did so. What ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ provides us is an alternative way of telling super hero stories. Rather than be a super hero story, this film is a story about super heroes, and the difference can be seen in the end product.

‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ not only heralds the return, and highligths the importance of Superman. It also serves as a reminder of what happens when a creative genius is left to his own devices. Impending doom is averted, and hope in the future is restored.

Superman & Lois Pilot Review: The Superman Family We Need

It took me a while to write this pilot review. Maybe because I had to digest the story’s approach. Or maybe because I had to analyze my feelings for this show more? Or maybe I had to watch it several times in order to get a better understanding of what I just watched. Or, all of the above. This new series that adds to the CW Arrowverse has all the makings of the Superman family we need.

The ‘Superman & Lois’ pilot sets the stage of what to expect, and it leaves no room for doubt that this is a family story. Grounded on the relationhsip of Lois and Clark, the series also introduces the concept of a mature Superman with twin sons, Jordan and Jonathan. Neither of them know of their father’s heritage or his powers as the story begins. This provides an interesting family dynamic that takes center stage amidst the Earthly landscape that is the Superman mythos. In current comic book cannon, Lois and Clark do have a son named Jonathan, and it’s refreshing to see that the series isn’t afraid to take it a step further by giving the Man of Steel two heirs to Krypton’s legacy.

However, the quiet lives of the Superman family gets rocked with a tragedy that moves the characters forward in a direction that is totally different from where it began. While all of this is happening, Superman encounters a mysterious villain who has his identity veiled till the end of the episode. However, the revelation begs more questions than provides more answers. This appears to be the central villain of the series for the immediate future along with an unraveling mystery uncovered by Lois Lane. In spite of all the Superman drama and mystery, the series never fails to remind us that what will hold ‘Superman & Lois’ together moving forward are the challenges this Superman family will have with the revelation to Lois’s sons that Clark is indeed Superman.

All in all, we have the makings of a super hero series that stands out at least amongst its CW counterparts. Yes, it’s a Superman series. But, it is also a series about family, friendship and growth. As I viewed the pilot several times, I can’t shake the feeling that I was uplifted by the kindnatured dram that ‘Superman & Lois’ provided. Just as it is true with Superman, the series provides a lot of hope and positivity, something we all need in these pandemic times. It’s always nice to know that there is a Superman showing by example how it is to balance family life with superheroics. This is truly a series worth investing your time in if you want a bit more hope and positivity in your lives.