1x22 Agendas

[7.7/10] Holy hell, apparently we’re just in the bombshell section of this season! I’ll confess, I wasn’t necessarily enthused about returning to Project Cadmus. It was probably inevitable, given that it’s part of Superboy’s origin and there were plenty of unanswered questions. But the whole thing felt convoluted from the jump.

It’s not necessarily less convoluted now, but I like the details we get. Finding that Doublex and the other Genomorphs attempted to build their own city and have dreams of freedom and acceptance build on the hints we saw in the series premiere. I’m also intrigued by Match, who seems to be akin to Bizarro -- a feral, fully Kryptonian clone whose missing DNA strands have left him primal and angry, especially at anything with an S symbol on its chest. Seeing how the Genomorphs and the fruits of Cadmus’ labor continue to develop is worthwhile, and adds new motivations and threats into the mix.

But the biggest deal here is, of course, the reveal that Superboy isn’t just a clone of Superman. The spotty Kryptonian DNA used was filled in with DNA from none other than Lex Luthor. (Dun dun duuuuuuun.)

I love it. It complicated Superboy’s character so much. He is essentially the son of both Supes and Lex. He has one father who is good, whose approval he desperately wants, and whom he resents for being distant and even looking down on him. And he has one father who is evil, who wants to control him, but also seems to want to accept him in a way that Superman doesn't. Particularly as Conner reckons with his anger of his creation, his frustration with feeling accepted and embraced, and his struggles with self-identity, this throws a bald, megalomaniacal monkey wrench into the proceedings.

I don’t know how I feel about the “shields” that allow Superboy to have full Kryptonian powers for an hour or so. While I appreciate the explanation that Conner’s abilities are more limited because he’s part human, I think the character is more interesting with those limitations. The shields belie that, even if their power boost comes with a ticking clock.

I’m also a big fan of the B-story, where the Justice League members (who get an official roster at this point) debate whether to expand or even contract their membership. It’s a nice mix between the sort of boardroom debates the senior officers would have on Star Trek and the kind of nerdy debates fans would have in comic book shops.

What are the characteristics that make a hero worthy of joining the League? Should they deny the Young Justice team membership because they’re too young? What does young mean in a team featuring clones and aliens with different biologies and maturation rates? Do you reward Red Arrow despite his intransigence? Do you allow Captain Marvel to stay despite him hiding the secret of being a ten-year-old boy? Do you permit Dr. Fate to stay on the team even though he’s imprisoning Zatara?

These are big, legitimate questions about what the criteria for membership should be. “Agendas” goes a little overboard in terms of the magnitude of deciding who gets an invite. But I appreciate that the show takes the decision seriously, taking an almost philosophical approach to who’s worthy and trustworthy to become a member.

It also gets personal. Wonder Woman challenges Batman for starting Robin’s crime-fighting at age nine, only for Batman to explain that it was necessary to help him process the loss of his parents, and more importantly, to avoid having Dick turn out like him. Less dramatically, we see Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner reject the inclusion of Guy Gardner. We see people bring up Plastic Man’s criminal history. We see Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter stand up for their proteges. We don’t know most of these characters very well, except for from other shows, but they already feel like lived in figures with their own differences and perspectives.

The contrast is clear, though. There’s one body that's wringing its hands over who should be invited to join and participate, including debates over Superboy. There’s another that's welcoming him and wants him right now, including the Genomorphs and Lex Luthor himself. Most of us in the audience are inclined to believe that the Justice League wants what’s best for the young man, but as he learns more about who he is, it’s not hard to imagine him feeling the pull of the people, and the father, who seem to want him as he is right now.