100 Greatest Superhero Stories Ever
By Steve Lam
Screen Capture from Young Justice Season 2, Episode 1: “Happy New Year”
#65. Young Justice Season 2
Medium
Animated Television Series
Release Dates
April 28, 2012–March 16, 2013
Credits
Directors: Tim Divar, Doug Murphy, Melchior Zwyer
Writers: Greg Weisman, Kevin Hopps, Nicole Dubuc, Jon Weisman, Paul Giacoppo, Brandon Vietti
Cast: Jesse McCartney as Dick Grayson / Nightwing, Khary Payton as Kaldur’ahm / Aqualad, Jason Spisak as Wally West / Kid Flash, Nolan North as Conner Kent / Superboy, Danica McKellar as Megan Morse / M’gann M’orzz / Miss Martian, Stephanie Lemelin as Artemis Crock / Tigress / Artemis, Crispin Freeman as Roy Harper / Speedy / Red Arrow / Arsenal, Lacy Chabert as Zatanna Zatara / Zatanna, Alyson Stoner as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl
The Reason It’s Great
Young Justice Season 1 introduced a range of compelling characters and set the stage for some phenomenal storytelling. Season 2 only improved on the previous foundation. Whatever intrigue and mysteries Season 1 had, Season 2 upped the ante. It also had one of the most emotional season finales of any animation series.
Season 2 was titled “Invasion” and it was set five years after the events of Season 1. Aqualad has gone on a deep cover mission and poses as a loyal soldier to his father, Black Manta. In addition to the Light, a new dangerous enemy, called the Reach reveal themselves.
In the finale episode, the Reach tries to destroy Earth by using Magnetic Field Disruptors. An MFD in the North Pole starts to go into “chrysalis mode.” The Flash and Impulse attempt to stop it with their speed trails, but they don’t have enough kinetic energy.
Kid Flash soon joins them to help. However, since he’s the slowest of the three, the energy being siphoned off quickly disintegrats him. When Artemis and the team learn of Wally’s sacrifice, they’re overcome with grief.
Now is a good time as any to catch up on Season 2 because Season 3 has been given a green light on Netflix. If you want one of the greatest Teen Titans stories outside of the comics, look no further than this incarnation. I will assure you that you will most definitely not be “whelmed.”