[6.8/10] A perfectly fine episode that tries to do too much too fast. We not only have to introduce Mason and Stagg as major characters, but we have to establish Mason and Green Lantern as old friends, then show their friendship getting strained, and then showing Mason transforming into the near-eponymous Metamorpho. That’s all before you get into the byzantine conspiracy angle.
You can see the show trying to use the Batman: The Animated Series formula here, making Metamorpho the villain, but giving him a sense of tragedy by making Stagg an even worse villain. But the problems are three-fold: 1. Mason isn’t likable or interesting before he has his transformation. The thrift store James Bond routine is pretty weak, even before you find out that he has a fiance. 2. He looks silly. While the slucing powers allow the animators to do some neat stuff, the four quadrant look just looks goofy. 3. He’s an idiot. The fact that he’s so easily manipulated by Stagg into turning on his fiance and John makes him seem like a dunce, which doesn’t necessarily create the most compelling antagonist.
You could see some of this stuff working if the show gave it more time, but they have to get from zero to “I’m using my new superpowers against you, John Stewart!” by the end of the episode, and take too many shortcuts to get there. Stagg’s also another generic evil scientist/businessman, and the quasi-Hulk/Bruce Banner routine he pulls with Mason and his daughter didn’t do much for me.
The one touch I did like is that the mutagen his brutish henchman was transporting looks like the Bang Baby formula from Static Shock. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but if not, it’s a nice bit of continuity.
Overall, this one is fine enough, but packs too much breathless material into twenty-two minutes to make a truly good episode.
Shout by Caleb PetersBlockedParent2023-09-11T05:56:42Z
A great start to a great arc.
This marks the first time John's ring energy has run out, and introduces Vandal Savage - who turned the tides of World War 2 with advanced technology.
We don't see much of the "enemies", but it doesn't matter as much since the main focus is the league trying to find a way back home and take down Savage.