Review: Young Justice: Phantoms “Inhospitable/Needful”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Inhospitable

Miss Martian, Superboy, Beast Boy, and Martian Manhunter take a little vacation…to somewhat unfriendly climes.

Needful

While attempting to solve a growing list of mysteries, Miss Martian, Superboy, and Beast Boy consult with royalty.

Our Take:

After a successful revival with its third season in 2019, the critically-acclaimed Young Justice is back for another round of teenage drama and superhero antics. This time, it’s got help from its new home, HBO Max. Originally slated to premiere on Thursday, the series decided to drop the ball and release its first two episodes early during DC Fandome. Everyone who’s a fan of this animated superhero series should consider themselves lucky. Now it’s time to see if these two episodes can start the show’s fourth season with a bang.

The first episode, “Inhospitable”, kicks off Phantoms with a marriage proposal between Miss Martian (Danica McKellar) and Superboy (Nolan North). Following that, they, along with Beast Boy (Greg Cipes) and Martian Manhunter, travel to Mars to meet Miss Martian’s parents and get their blessings. Unfortunately, their vacation took a sharp turn for the worse when they encountered the Garoons, who don’t take lightly to humans. The episode has that “Meet the Parents” vibe with slight hints of racial tension and politics. It’s also more focused on character-driven moments than the action, which is a common element in the show. “Inhospitable” showcases that the series never lost its touch in the formula regarding its mature themes and characters. Along with Beast Boy’s humor and a shocking conclusion, this was a solid start for the show’s heroic fourth season.

Its second episode, “Needful”, takes place immediately afterwards, in which the portal unexpectedly explodes with Martian Manhunter inside. Luckily, he managed to make it to the Watchtower before it happened. The episode sees Superboy and Beast Boy attempting to fix the communication line between Mars and Earth. Meanwhile, Miss Martian consults with her young brother, Ma’Khan, following his arrest. “Needful” continues this “Vacation on Mars” arc with tons of dialogue, unsolved mysteries, and a heartfelt ceremony, which were enough to keep me engaged. It also featured a brief yet sweet moment between Miss Martian and Superboy with small flashbacks of them together throughout the series. Whether you’re a long-time follower of Young Justice or a newcomer, it’s easy to admit that these two are made for each other.

Overall, the first two episodes of Young Justice: Phantoms may not have much action in their storylines. However, they offer enough intrigue in the character-driven moments to get me excited for the rest of the season. Ranging from its themes to the characters, the episodes are promising starts to the latest season in the DC superhero series.