Breaking Down ‘Failsafe’
4/17/2019 9:36 am
How One Episode Traumatized a Fandom
Happy Wednesday, everyone! We’re inching closer and closer to our July haven, but in the meantime, I hope y’all are keeping yourselves occupied. Game of Thrones is here for its final season, She Ra’s second season is arriving, and there are always Young Justice reruns to entertain my restless mind. You know, in between work and, uh, adult things. The usual.
I know I promised drabbles this week, and you’ll get them! Probably closer to Friday, as a Passover gift. That’s a good enough excuse, right? Anyway, this week I’d like to do something a little different on the website. I thought it might be fun to go on a more serious note and do a deep-dive into ‘Failsafe’ to try and analyze the resonance it still carries within the Young Justice fandom. Enjoy, y’all!
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If I were to ask any member of the Young Justice fandom which episode most stood out to them throughout its run, there is a high likelihood they would pick ‘Failsafe’. The high-stakes, emotionally fraught episode remains one of the series’ glittering jewels, wreaking havoc to its viewers’ emotions. Many are unable to go back and rewatch this episode, and often skip it in binges, due to the emotional distress it caused upon initial viewing.
The episode opens with a faceless enemy. Within moments, several members of the Justice League are decimated, all while Red Tornado and the team watch. Despite the sudden loss of many of their members, their faces remain blank, even accepting.
As the episode goes on, more and more members of the Justice League are eliminated, until only our young heroes remain. They remain cool and collected, and for the majority, their plan of attack works. And then, everything goes to hell. Artemis is terminated trying to buy her team time, and M’gann’s shrill scream is seared into the viewer’s memories.
Unfortunately, Artemis isn’t the only sacrifice. Though Martian Manhunter reappears, every member of the team falls victim to the enemy’s beams, ceasing in the process. Each death is worse than the last; Kaldur perishes while saving J’onn, Superboy is eliminated in a distraction, and Robin and Kid Flash give their lives to save the world. M’gann is left to deal with her friends’ deaths and the impending doom of their enemy until J’onn stabs her.
She then wakes up.
Unfortunately, I was one of the rare few who knew the entire episode was a simulation, so I managed to escape the mind-numbing shock and betrayal that many people felt from the episode. During the episode, fans were devastated, watching as their favorite characters were picked off, one by one. While many could have suspected it was a ruse, a dream, or a simulation, the staggering realization that the show would go there with such young heroes was starting to set in. On a side note, viewers would be left feeling this way again after the conclusion of Season 2’s ‘Endgame’.
Young Justice isn’t the first episode to tackle the ‘it was all a dream’ scenario. Many television shows have used this trope, and yet ‘Failsafe’ sticks out. Why is it that three seasons later, viewers are still mourning the fake deaths of the team members they’ve grown to love?
The emotional impact from this episode comes from a destruction of the storytelling framework set up in the preceding fifteen episodes. Namely, by killing the one character unique to ‘Young Justice’ and then forcing not just the audience to see through M’gann’s eyes, but her team as well. I’ll explain.
Artemis’ death strikes such a lasting blow because of her unique lack of backstory in DC history. In the comics, Artemis Crock was a minor villainess, much unlike her current incarnation. She is as unique to Young Justice as could be, and escapes many of the standard superhero tropes because they had not previously applied to her. When the leaguers are eliminated at the beginning of the episode, the viewers can accept it much more readily, given how many times heroes die and then reincarnate in comics with little to no consequences. Artemis’ death hits the worst because we know there will be consequences; M’gann and Kid Flash’s reactions attest to that.
Then we have M’gann.
When M’gann was first introduced at the end of ‘Welcome to Happy Harbor’, she’s the new girl on the team, and the viewers’ lens into the new world of the Young Justice universe. By ‘Failsafe’, the viewers trust her enough as a narrator that by the time she’s screaming Artemis’ name, we’re sucked into the reality that her teammate is gone. What’s fascinating about this transition is that not only do the viewers experience the simulation through M’gann’s eyes, but her teammates start to do so as well. Her emotions controlled the rest of the simulation to the point where every character’s experience could be attributed to her doing.
However, instead of being blamed for the traumas she inadvertently caused for her teammates, she is regarded as strong. The image of M’gann, sobbing in Captain Marvel’s arms as Martian Manhunter concludes how much power she possesses, is one seared into my mind as one of the most memorable moments of the series.
Unlike many cartoons, where heavy emotional episodes are standalones without future repercussions, ‘Failsafe’ has its consequences for both the characters and the viewers. Despite learning that it is a situation, many viewers were unable to shake what they’d just seen. The following episode, ‘Disordered’, serves as the perfect antidote. It takes the time to address the effect the simulation has had on the team, leading them into a quasi-therapy session where they can talk about their issues, giving a chance not only to the characters to process, but the viewers as well. I could go on about the beauty of ‘Disordered’ as a response to ‘Failsafe’, but I’ll save that for another analysis.
The consequences of ‘Failsafe’ are still felt, three seasons after the fact. The episode introduced the sheer importance of M’gann’s powers, slowly planting the seeds for Season 2. As a result of Artemis’ death in ‘Failsafe’, viewers were ever wary about her death in ‘Depths’. Sadly, the consequences ring even further at Wally’s ceasing in ‘Endgame’. Viewers are still left hoping for a way out, an explanation to how such a beloved character could still possibly be alive.
As for that scenario, I wish I had an answer for you. I may not have anything definitive, but you know what they say. Let hope always burn bright.
Ariel’s Top Five Season One Picks
4/10/2019 9:24 am
Whelmed Wednesday is a close contender for being my favorite day of the week. It’s a tough running, though, what with Fruits Basket episodes coming out on Fridays, and Game of Thrones returning on Sundays. And with 3b planning to air on Tuesdays… Anyway, back to the serious stuff. Happy Wednesday, everyone!
I hope y’all are busy binging YJ. I know I am; I started watching ‘Performance’ last night, dozed off, and woke up in the middle of ‘Usual Suspects’. My tendency to fall asleep watching television aside, I commend each and every one of you for continuing to keep this fandom alive and beating. This week, while I take a quick breather from drabbles so I can deliver them next week, I decided to rank my top five episodes from Season One. It’s a question I’m constantly asked, so I finally compiled a list. Disclaimer: These are solely my opinions, and you may not agree! While I promise these aren’t all Roy/Will Harper based episodes, my preferences might differ from yours. Feel free to fight me on it in the comments!
- Number Five: Usual Suspects/Targets: Okay, this one is a tie, solely because I love both these episodes so much I couldn’t bear to rank them any lower. Additionally, these episodes go hand in hand. You can’t fully understand ‘Targets’ without the ending of ‘Usual Suspects’. So why do these two go in my top five? Well, ‘Targets’ finally introduced Red Arrow and Cheshire to each other, thus beginning my descent into madness. Meanwhile, so much goes down in ‘Usual Suspects’ that it’s impossible not to give it the due credit it deserves.
- Number Four: Failsafe: I can hear the screaming already; shouldn’t ‘Failsafe’ be my top pick? I agree, this is a solid, A+ episode. But, if I’m being honest, a friend finally convinced me to start watching Young Justice by explaining her trauma with ‘Failsafe’; thus, spoiling the plot for me. Consequently, I knew it was all fake and never experienced the traumatizing impact that this episode left on everyone else. Despite my unfortunate circumstance, this still deserves a place in the top five, and I feel comfortable ranking it as my pick for number four.
- Number Three: Auld Acquaintance: Of course the Season One finale belongs in the top three of my list. So much happened in this episode, between Red Arrow suffering over his realization that he was the mole, the league infected with starro-tech, and the introduction of the missing sixteen hours. Let’s not forget to mention the iconic kissing sequence as the clock struck midnight. Ultimately, it was the perfect set up for season two, given that season two episodes premiered just a week later.
- Number Two: Misplaced: ‘Misplaced’ will forever hold a place in my heart as the first ‘new’ Young Justice episode that I watched. I remember tuning in on Saturday morning to watch it with everyone else, and then proceeded to watch it about 2348 more times. Until ‘Complications’ and ‘Private Security’ came along, this was probably my most-watched episode. The simultaneous fight scene between the League and the Team was coordinated so well, and the plot was gripping, interesting, and compelling. Plus, Captain Marvel! Shazam, for the newbies. If you haven’t properly appreciated this episode yet, I’d recommend watching ‘Shazam’ first, and then giving ‘Misplaced’ another watch.
- Number One: Insecurities: I saved my ultimately biased opinion for last! Roy/Will finally joins the team and is bent on exposing Artemis as the mole. Cheshire and Sportsmaster come out to play, and ultimately best the young heroes. We finally get official confirmation of Artemis’ family ties, and how it affects her psyche. This episode has all my favorite characters engaging in a wildly interesting plot, and I couldn’t rank it lower if I tried.
Honorable mentions go to Homefront, Bereft, Image, Coldhearted, Performance and Downtime. All excellent episodes with their own places in my heart.
Disagree? Tell me your favorite episodes from Season One! I’d love to hear them. It’s also not too late to request a drabble before next week! Click this link to submit a request.
Drabbles Galore
4/3/2019 11:23 am
It’s Whelmed Wednesday, beautiful readers, so I’m back with another update for y’all. In light of the recent WonderCon news, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that we won’t be getting new episodes until July. Therefore, we’re going to keep it chill this week. On a side note, yes, I am still bitter about a) not being able to see episode 14, and b) so season 4 confirmation. DC Universe, I just want to talk, I promise.
Anyway, to celebrate this asterous day, I’ve gone ahead and completed three of y’alls drabble requests! In case you don’t follow me on Tumblr/AO3/Fanfiction, I complete a ridiculous amount of headcanon, drabble, and writing requests on the (near) daily. I’m tickled pink at all the wonderful requests I received on this site, so please keep them coming!
Here are the summaries and links to this week’s stories:
- Prior to Season Three: Zatanna and Traci meet for coffee to discuss a possible mentorship (1000 words)
- During Season Three: On Halloween, Cassie hosts a post-mission Halloween gathering. She just isn’t aware that Traci invited some unexpected guests. (500 words)
- During Season Three: There’s one challenge even the Outsiders can’t avoid: Homework. (500 words)
These were so much fun to write, and I hope you enjoy them! If you liked them and want to see more, feel free to fill out our Drabble Request Form and let me know what you want. I’ll write about almost anything within the word count (though my specialty is and will always be anything revolving the Harper family) so the possibilities are endless.
That’s it for now, but I’ll see you next week with more Young Justice content! Remember friends, despite not receiving any turbing news this week, let hope burn bright and #keepbingingYJ.
Season 3 Part 2 Released Date Pushed Back
3/29/2019 7:43 pm
DC Universe is headlining Wonder Con's Friday main event and they brought a lot of cool new stuff with them. Our sister site stargirl.tv has the first live-action image of Brec Bassinger as Stargirl! If you haven't seen it definetly check it out! Among the great stuff that DC Universe brought was a little bad news for Young Justice fans. Before you freak out, no, it wasn't that the show wasn't renewed, but the second half of the third season has been delayed and will now debut on July 2nd. July 2nd is a Tuesday which is different from the usual Friday's that we've had. No indication that there will be a change to the three episode release however.
We've updated our countdown clock to reflect the new 90+ day wait, ugh! Let us know what you think in the comments below or in the forum! Message us if you're at Wonder Con!
Why Does Everyone Love Young Justice So Much?
3/27/2019 9:48 am
I’ve decided that I’m officially going to dub Wednesdays as ‘Whelmed Wednesdays’. Has a certain ring to it, right? More so than Hump Day, at least. Anyway, happy Whelmed Wednesday everyone! As March slowly creeps to a close, we get ever closer to the second half of Season 3. Hopefully y’all have been binging the show and reading the comics like mad. If you haven’t, I’d like to see you after class and give you a special homework assignment.
From looking at the title for this piece, you may be a bit confused and left wondering if I’m about to go on a negative tangent. Worry not, for I shall do the contrary. Today I want to delve into what makes Young Justice so special and why the show stands above the many other superhero shows out there.
Before I get into it, I ask that you take a minute and think: how would you entice Young Justice to a person who has never seen it before? Do you talk about the characters? The plot? As someone who had zero interest in heroes prior to watching the show, I can tell you that it wasn’t easy to sell me on the idea. Even now, when I try and spiel it to others, I have a difficult time explaining just why this show is so amazing. Thus, a little introspection was needed before I tried to put words on paper--er, screen. If you also struggle with what to say, I did the digging so you don’t have to! Let’s get into it:
- The Characters: There’s no beating around the bush here. If you have a favorite DC Hero (or character), odds are they’re probably in (or going to be in) Young Justice. Season 3 alone has given us a slew of new heroes, and fans are ecstatic to see their favorites shown on screen. Characters like Artemis and Kaldur are radically different from their comic-counterparts, and we love them more because of it. What makes Young Justice’s approach different from many other shows is that the writers truly care about the development of these characters and make sure to do them justice (pun intended).
- A Slice of Domesticity: Young Justice has always made sure to leave a careful balance between hero-time, and home-time, and the show is stronger for it. Personally, I adore seeing slices of these character’s lives outside of the hero business. Artemis struggling with her family life in Season 1 was done expertly. The Flash family dinners are adorable to watch. Will and Artemis having coffee in the mornings while Lian eats cereal is pure fluff material. On the surface, these little scenes could be written off as fanservice, but I disagree. It’s these little peeks into the private lives of these heroes that make them relatable and leave the audience more invested.
- Masterful Storytelling: If you can look me in the eye and tell me that you saw the twist about the mole coming in Season 1, then I’d either call you a psychic, or a liar. I’d say the same for the twist in Depths, Summit, and even Triptych. These little twists are common for Young Justice, in which the audience is so invested in the story, they don’t see these reveals coming. While plot twists are certainly not unique to Young Justice, the way there are brought about certainly are. There are little details in the episodes that certainly lead up to these dramatic reveals, but the audience wouldn’t necessarily realize them until they go back and watch it again. For example, M’gann’s Hello Megan identity reveal. If you rewatch earlier episodes of Season one, you’ll notice when other characters are watching TV, Hello Megan! will suddenly pop up. It’s these little easter eggs and instances that truly show the craft of storytelling these writers and showmakers possess.
- Relevant Issues: While Young Justice has always been relevant, Season 3 is where this point shines the most. What other animated show has introduced a Hijabi superhero who escaped a refugee crisis in her country? Yeah, I’ll wait. This season, Young Justice hasn’t shied away from the harder issues, and they are intermingled with the story of the show quite well. It leaves the show feeling fresh and important, while respecting the real-world issues happening today.
There are so many more things I could mention about this show. The female heroes’ costumes are (overall) practical and not sexualized. The top-notch humor. The amazing fanbase. Honestly, I could go on for six pages and that probably wouldn’t even cover it. But hopefully, the next time you’re trying to convince someone to watch YJ, these reasons can help you figure out something to say.
70 days left y’all. Let’s #keepbingingYJ and rock it.