Synopsis
Aliens once again threaten the Earth, but with the Justice League split and scattered, only Earth’s first and greatest hero can save us!
Review
If I’ve learnt anything during the first half of Young Justice: Outsiders it’s that this show is not afraid to flex some serious muscle with its storytelling. In latest episode “Evolution” writer Brandon Vietti goes on a deep dive in to the life of Vandal Savage.
The episode is also dedicated to Miguel Ferrer, the original Savage voice actor who sadly passed away in 2017.
On the face of it “Evolution” seems like a way to subvert the story. With the Justice League off-world its left to Savage to save us all from an extraterrestrial threat. But once you peek beneath the surface this episode actually has huge ramifications for the entire Young Justice universe.
We’re introduced to two of Savage’s daughters: Cassandra and Olympia. The older sister spends much of the episode asking if the younger has read the history books on their father.
This method is used to bring the show in to some insightful flashbacks which, on first glance, are used to embellish the character and also to show off some visual flare.
But much like everything in Young Justice, there’s a lot more to these flashbacks than meets the eye.
By the end of the episode Vietti has introduced us to some huge concepts. First off it’s confirmed that Savage is a millennia old human who was granted special powers following a meteor crashing to Earth. This makes Vandal Savage the first metahuman.
Moving through history it is confirmed that Savage was several historical figures including Genghis Khan. As we move through the ages we learn that Savage has fathered many children. It’s heavily implied that all metahumans on Earth are in some way related to him. If this turns out to be true then that’s a huge revelation.
The story culminates in Savage murdering Olympia or, in his eyes, euthanising her. It’s a hugely powerful moment in an episode which is filled with powerful moments.
There’s also time for a guest appearance by Darkseid, pushing the show towards it’s Apokolips infused climax.
It adds a lot of depth to an already complex storyline but it’s also one of the most cohesive episodes of this third season.
Verdict
“Evolution” has huge ramifications for Young Justice as a franchise. It’s a bold episode which puts the focus on a villainous character who has been a constant right back to season 1 of the show.
It has some grown up moments in a story which blows the scope of the show wide open.
8/10
Young Justice stars Jesse McCartney, Nolan North, Stephanie Lemelin, Khary Payton, Zehra Fazal, Troy Baker and Jason Spisak. The series is directed by Christopher Berkeley and Mel Zwyer and producers by Sam Register, Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti.
The series premieres new episodes weekly via the DC Universe streaming service.
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