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.
