Young Justice season 3, episode 21 review: Unknown Factors

The team has a dangerous encounter with Granny Goodness, as a new life enters the world on the latest episode of Young Justice: Outsiders.

Young Justice: Outsiders has entered the homestretch of its season, and the action and drama are only ramping up by the week. And in this episode, “Unknown Factors,” the team takes a bold step to uncover the dark forces that have been at play.

To Granny’s House We Go

The New God Metron gave a cryptic response when asked about Gretchen Goodness in the previous episode. With this, Nightwing and Black Lightning, who posed the question, embark on recon mission to her home. But it quickly turns into a search when Nightwing uses Dreamer’s Mother Box to detect Apokolips tech in the house. Once inside, the two are seemingly sucked into the floor and disappear.

Oracle, who was overseeing the mission, is left with no choice but to call on Kaldur (Aquaman), the only other person available from Batman’s hidden alliance. He accepts the task and is joined by his boyfriend, Wyynde, who is already proving to be likable. His presence brings out a eased, and even playful, side to Kaldur we rarely see.

At the house, the two take a different approach than their allies by ringing the bell and meeting face to face with Goodness. Granny is upfront with the pair and takes them to Dick and Jefferson’s location — her X-Pit, which she uses for “discipline.” Fans no doubt know how Granny Goodness has used it for torturous purposes in the comics, with Scott Free (Mister Miracle) being one of its most notable inhabitants.

More from DC Universe

• James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy casts more major DC characters
• New Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer pushes Arthur to his limits
• 7 actors who could replace Ezra Miller as The Flash in the DC Universe
• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have a battle pass (and that’s a bad sign)
• Harley Quinn renewed for a fifth season on Max (and it’s well-deserved)

Surprisingly, Granny allows Kaldur and Wyynde to rescue their friends but, upon leaving the X-Pit, she demands they hand over the Mother Box, to which they refuse. This leads her to use the brainwashed Dick and Jefferson to fight for her. But the mind-controlled heroes are no match for the two Atlanteans, so Goodness takes her power out on the Mother Box.

But in doing so, she inadvertently alerts Violet and Vic (who both have ties to the device) to the situation, and Vic surprisingly boom tubes them along with Beast Boy and Brion to the house, where Violet is able to undo the brainwashing and heal the Mother Box, which greatly interests Granny.

This part of the episode was thrilling to say the least, and seeing Kaldur step into the spotlight after being relegated to the background for most of this season was fun. The presence of the X-Pit and her rant about the kids needing to learn a lesson also brought out the more sadistic nature of Young Justice’s Granny Goodness. We’re sure to see more of this before the season ends.

Working It Out

Before joining the fight at Granny’s, the others were engaged in their own activities. Not only has Vic mended his relationship with his father, Silas, he’s also begun to accept his cybernetic enhancements and abilities. He can now even form weapons at will, which means we’re one step closer to hearing him say that iconic “booyah” line. He and Gar then test his new abilities in the gym, with comedic results.

Meanwhile, Violet and Brion are still dealing with the aftermath of the former’s revelation about Gabrielle. Dr. Jace has been serving as a mediator (or manipulator) during the conflict and it’s absolutely clear that she wants them apart. Still, the two reconcile by the episode’s end. This leads Jace to contact her “mentor,” who turns out to be none other than the Ultra-Humanite — a member of The Light.

Jace’s true allegiance has been murky, but it seems that she is indeed a traitor, or could this be a misdirect? Whatever the case it makes for a bittersweet resolution for Violet and Brion’s, as Jace will likely find a way to drive a wedge between them.

The Miracle of Birth

In the most sentimental segment of the episode, we were treated to the welcome returns of Karen Beecher-Duncan and Mal Duncan a.k.a. Bumblebee and Guardian. Karen was revealed to be expecting in “Home Fires” and, in this episode, she gives birth to a baby girl. Unfortunately, there’s a complication, as the baby is born with a hole in her heart.

With her newborn daughter’s life on the line, she shrinks down and has herself injected into the baby to manually seal the hole herself. Once she is successful, Karen also activates her daughter’s metagene using a new genome of her own creation. This follows a discussion between her and Mal about their lack of metagenes and the possible of raising a child with one.

Karen and Mal have always been two of the show’s most underrated characters. Their lack of superhuman abilities add a grounded aspect to the series, and they’ve been a showcase for how superhero activities affect the dynamics of a relationship. Karen’s decision may seem rash or risky to some, but it’s hard to fault her motivation — wanting the best possible life for her child.

Things end on a sweet note, but the post-credits scene in which Granny tells Darkseid she’s found the Anti-Life Equation won’t bode well for the team, especially Violet. Things are already intense on Young Justice: Outsiders, and these last few episodes will likely up the ante.