Young Justice: Phantoms – “Zenith and Abyss”

Director: Christina Sotta

Writer: Akira “Mark” Fujita

We catch up with Kid Flash, Chameleon Boy and Saturn Girl (seen above) on September 13, 23:00 UTC, still cruising through Subspace on the Bio-Ship as prisoners of Lor-Zod. Even with Bart’s speed powering the Cosmic Treadmill, it took them nearly a week to reach Oa, only to find out the Kaizer-Thrall had already been sent to Earth. So that’s where they’re headed now, with Bart still wearing bandages on his chest and hands. Lor-Zod confesses to Ma’alefa’ak that he’s troubled by the disappearance of Phantom Girl. He knows the Legion flight rings are also communications devices and he wonders if he can hack into them to eavesdrop on Phantom Girl. Ma’alefa’ak has a simpler solution — he imitates Chameleon Boy and Saturn Girl and begins sending out signals from the rings.

Phantom Girl, meanwhile, is on the Justice League Watchtower, explaining to Miss Martian, Superman and a few others that she escaped from the Phantom Zone, but was unable to bring Superboy with her, as he is now loyal to General Zod. Also on the Watchtower is the Kaizer-Thrall, which is powered by the brain of an 11-year-old boy named Danny Chase, a meta-human who was experimented upon by Desaad. While they start working together on a plan to rescue Superboy, Superman uses the League’s computers to try to locate Kid Flash, Nightwing and Zatanna. But his search comes up empty.

When Ma’alefa’ak reaches Phantom Girl, he impersonates Chameleon Boy, Saturn Girl and even Kid Flash, claiming that the three of them managed to escape from Lor-Zod with the Bio-Ship. Phantom Girl unfortunately falls for the ruse and reveals everything, including their plan to go to Trombus — an uninhabited planet orbiting a red sun — to open a boom tube to the Phantom Zone and rescue Superboy.

Forty-five minutes later, Lor-Zod and Ma’alefa’ak reach Trombus. After the boom tube is opened, Ma’alefa’ak takes control of the Kaizer-Thrall and uses it to attack Phantom Girl, Miss Martian, Superman, Orion, Black Lightning, Green Lantern Forager and Prince J’emm J’axx (from Mars). Lor-Zod arrives, dragging an unconscious Kid Flash behind him. General Zod steps through the boom tube with his wife, Ursa, a lieutenant named Faora, and Superboy, who immediately collapses in pain due to the injuries he sustained before and during his stint in the Phantom Zone. Lor-Zod places a foot on Bart’s chest and proudly welcomes his father and mother, telling them the galaxy is theirs.

Once again Bart basically has nothing to do and nothing to say. At least Jason Marsden did get to speak a few lines as Ma’alefa’ak impersonating Bart (he also voiced Danny). But despite Bart’s minimal involvement, I am glad he gets to be a part of this climax. There are only two episodes left of this season, and they promise to be big ones!