Young Justice: Outsiders episode 21 review: A formula for villainy

Young Justice: Outsiders “Unknown Factors” clarifies some ambiguity and amplifies the stakes this season, all while explaining the source of the mind-controlled metahumans.

SPOILER WARNER: While all our other TV and movie reviews typically include some form of spoilers, we get into the Young Justice: Outsiders spoilers pretty quickly in this review. So bookmark this article and read it after you’ve watched “Unknown Factors.”

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New Gods, Old Gods, and god-tier animation sequences encompass Young Justice: Outsiders. After teasing us with Apokoliptian tech for the entire season, “Unknown Factors” clarifies an ambiguous figurehead behind the metahuman trafficking syndicate. Beyond building toward the season’s the climax, episode 21 creates some interesting concoction for villainy, as well as underwriting for some future heroes.

“Unknown Factors” revealed Darkseid as the ominous Overlord in this week’s synopsis. And Darkseid is… using his cohorts to take over the universe one metahuman at a time. Before we dissect the super villainous saga, let’s talk about the heart of the episode: Barbara Gordon, a.k.a Oracle.

The notable BA of the episode

Not surprising anyone, Oracle is a fierce hero who saved the Outsiders. Organizing the covert mission wasn’t enough for her because she also set up the rescue team for Dick and Jefferson’s batched Motherbox recon mission.

Beyond saving Nightwing and Black Lightning (technically twice), Babs used her detective skills to prevent Granny Goode from capturing half of the Outsiders team. Seriously, her rightful suspicions allowed her to plant a counter-attack in time to save the Outsiders from being trapped and mind-controlled.

As the role model for heroic endeavors, “Unknown Factors” isn’t just about Babs (though we wouldn’t be opposed to an Oracle-themed season or spin-off). The heart of the episode is, well, the heart. Amid some narrow escapes, the episode still artfully pushes both Babs and Dick’s, as well as Wynnde and Kaldur’s ardent relationships to the forefront of the story.

The heart of the episode

The episode plays on the dynamic of the two couples. Oracle talks to and comforts Dick as he recovers from some hefty mind-control. Whereas, both Wynnde and Kaldur’ahm protect and physically shield each other from Granny’s attacks. Their sturdy connections throughout most of the episode contrast with Halo and Brion’s patchy relationship. While they thankfully make amends in the final moments of the episode, “Unknown Factors” uses these contrasting dynamics as an interesting way to segue to Halo and Brion’s arc. Above all else, we’re just glad they’re communicating and working through their relationship.

Interjecting the episode with these compassionate moments between the couples creates a balance between the action and the softer side of the story. This duality not only reminds us that this is a character-driven series, but that Darkseid’s looming threat carries more meaning now. And the team we’ve become so invested in has a lot to lose — and that’s the most frightening detail in Darkseid’s plot.

In line with the title of this Young Justice episode, “Unknown Factors” clarifies some of our season-long questions. We’ve assumed Darkseid had something to do with the mind-controlled metahumans. And this episode only fuels our theory (which we can only assume the remaining episodes will further elaborate on).

Creating the perfect villainous allies

Seeing Darkseid’s powers controlling and brainwashing Dick and Jefferson shows more than Granny Goode’s reign as the Lord of Apokolips’ right-hand villain. Witnessing Dick and Jefferson’s temporary “brainwashed” state provides a subtle insight into why so many villains are working together this season.

Some of the Reach’s most villainous figures, like Lex Luther and Deathstroke, likely go along with Darkseid without any extreme motivating measures. After all, Lex naturally hates heroes, and Slade will do nearly anything for the right paycheck. Others require a more unconventional form of incentive.

While we still have a growing number of questions as we narrow in on the season finale, this side conflict in the episode does more than build Darkseid’s power set and his warped mind. It also illustrates that even the villains who are in on Darkseid’s deal might be victims of his mind-control, just closer to the boss of the trafficking syndicate. If that implicit narrative pans out, it could produce even more of those morally ambiguous grey characters everyone loves.

Using comic influences, “Unknown Factors” naturally builds Darkseid’s TV-verse motives. By carrying out Darkseid’s will and brainwashing multiple heroes, Granny shows that the Apokilitian is trying to rewrite the entire universe with his nefarious likeness. While many of his main followers are already villains, this scene will prove to be critical in the coming episodes. Because right now, we don’t know the full scope of Darkseid’s brainwashing. Who knows who could be one of his pawns, especially now that we know Granny can activate his mind-controlled drones at any time.

Slade Wilson’s side scheme could still be related to Darkseid’s universe-wide domination goals. Especially after the showrunners discussed villains and everything Young Justice, it’s hard not to imagine the villains working as a cohesive team. However, the main problem and subsequence solution with the meta-trafficking (and thus Darkseid) might have been setting up the main conflict of the next season. Which means Darkseid’s shenanigans could be a distraction for a long-haul approach to Tara’s character development into Terra.

This entire season gradually develops the stakes and virtually everything Outsiders-related. Heck, it even took 17 episodes before the titular team officially became a team. There’s a gradual build to any Young Justice conflict. With only five more episodes left and a fourth scene confirmed, we might not see the brunt of the Judas Contract until season 4.

Setting up another noteworthy comic hero, such as Rhea Beecher, could be Young Justice‘s way of teasing season four’s theme. Judging by Garfield Logan’s leadership aptitude and the use of time-jumps in practically any superhero show, we sense a Teen Titans-themed season. Or maybe we’re just projecting our hopefulness onto these hints. Nonetheless, our fan theories have intensified.

Of course, there are some other crash elements in this episode:

• The scene in Shayeris finally confirms our theory that the mysterious aquatic metahuman is Dolphin by officially referencing the hero’s name. The focus (albeit fleeting) on Dolphin in lieu of the rest of the latest batch of saved metahumans could mean we won’t see the other vaguely familiar faces again.
• Vic’s new upgrades and powers. We’re ready to see him test out even more of his New Gods tech and use them to inevitably take down Darkseid. (Alongside Halo, of course).
• The homage to Rhea Beecher-Duncan’s metahuman origin story in the comics. During her comic counterpart’s time with the Doom Patrol, Niles Caulder gave her medication to treat her heart condition. On Young Justice, her mom gives alters her DNA to give her the metagene.

We’re still not sure how Karen formula that can turn people into metahumans fits into the expanding narrative. Based on everything villainous and menacing, we can assume Darkseid and his horde of followers might nab it. That would only escalate things, but we’re weirdly on-board with even more threats. Yeah, we know we’re going to regret typing that by the end of this season.