[8.3/10] Mick Foley had a theory about bad guys in fiction -- the good ones believe that they’re right. I enjoy this dive into the perspective of Vandal Savage because it affirms that for one of the biggest recurring antagonists in the series. It has the lore-building intrigue of also being a backstory episode, helping to establish his run-ins with other noteworthy figures from history and the DC Universe, not to mention the founding of The Light. But I appreciate it most as an opportunity to show how, in his mind, he’s the hero of his own story.
I’ll admit, the lore dump is a little cheesy in places, but totally works on me. I already knew his “caveman meets magic rock” backstory from Justice League, but I appreciate the story of the bear attacking him and explaining his famous scar, along with a metaphor for grave threats prompting great potential. It’s a hell of a bombshell to find out that Dr. Fate/Nobu is apparently his son. The idea that he was Ghengis Khan and Marduk adds texture to the character’s personal history. And finding out that he made a deal with Darkseid in the 13th century, built on mutual respect and understanding that both know is destined to fall apart puts a sword of Damocles over his head as well. The founding of The Light with his family and a fearsome confrontation with Starro even helps account for some of the business in season 1, which was never fully paid off given the time jump between seasons. The world of Young Justice makes more sense having seen this history, which is a good thing.
At the same time, we see these stories through the eyes of his daughters, who want to see the best in their dad. The bravery of his deeds is buoyed by the idea that he wants to see humanity evolve, to protect it, to see it rise to its greatest potential. There’s an irony in that he is a Neanderthal, the ancestral cousin of humanity that eventually died out, but also the first metahuman, an off-shoot that brought this planet to the attention and interest of warlords like Darkseid in the first place. Seeing him decide to fend off the Starro assault himself, having previously occupied the other heroes and allies he’d normally trick or send in his place, helps demonstrate that, and the utility of his relationship with Darkseid when he enlists the demigod’s help and resources to stave off the attack.
There's even a certain nobility to him, as he looks upon the wanton destruction imposed by Kalibak and tsks in disdain. Life is precious to him, in a way, with much talk about how it can be used for a “greater purpose” and wantonly destroying it is wasteful. You can squint and see a similar perspective in the leaguers.
Then, of course, we see the other side of that principle. In a second, he snaps the neck of his own daughter, seeming unsentimental about it despite her rapturously regaling her sister with the stories she’s written. When your life serves no greater purpose, when your mind is deteriorating, there’s no more of what masquerades as compassion in Vandal Savage. He’s done with you, even if you’re the blood of his blood. It’s an object lesson to Cassandra Savage, the daughter he seems to be grooming for command, but who’s seen how disposable she could be too. Vandal Savage believes he’s right, and for a split second you can understand why. But just as quickly, you understand why his philosophy runs counter to so many of the values this show is built around.
The business with The Outsiders is good too. Deciding code names is a little silly. But I like each member of the team getting new gear and training with a member of the old Young Justice crew. Halo discovering new auras, Geo-Force getting better with his powers, and Forager showing he’s already no slouch in combat make for some fun sequences. Honestly, just seeing the older heroes train the newer ones is kind of a treat, as lessons are imparted and the sort of trust and mutual valuing of one another that’s missing from Savage’s crew are put into stark relief.
Last but not least, the flirtations between Jefferson and Dr. Jace are quite endearing. The pair make a good team, and in contrast to some earlier seasons of the show, you totally understand at an intuitive level why they go together. The dialogue, the chemistry, are all there. The show’s really upped its game in terms of interpersonal scenes this season, and it’s nice to see.
Otherwise, the score is particularly excellent this episode, helping to set the mood and the tone of the Savage flashback scenes in particular. And I appreciated the tribute to Mugel Ferrer, who voiced Savage in prior seasons but passed away around this time.
Overall, a great look at what makes Vandal Savage tick, told with artistry and a pointed poingance, with some nice moments for the heroes as well.
(As an aside, it’s amusing to me to see David Kaye step into the role of Vandal Savage, since I paired my prior rewatch of Justice League Unlimited with a rewatch of Beast Wars, where Kaye voiced Megatron. Can’t escape him as a big bad, apparently!)
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2022-06-18T21:24:02Z
[8.3/10] Mick Foley had a theory about bad guys in fiction -- the good ones believe that they’re right. I enjoy this dive into the perspective of Vandal Savage because it affirms that for one of the biggest recurring antagonists in the series. It has the lore-building intrigue of also being a backstory episode, helping to establish his run-ins with other noteworthy figures from history and the DC Universe, not to mention the founding of The Light. But I appreciate it most as an opportunity to show how, in his mind, he’s the hero of his own story.
I’ll admit, the lore dump is a little cheesy in places, but totally works on me. I already knew his “caveman meets magic rock” backstory from Justice League, but I appreciate the story of the bear attacking him and explaining his famous scar, along with a metaphor for grave threats prompting great potential. It’s a hell of a bombshell to find out that Dr. Fate/Nobu is apparently his son. The idea that he was Ghengis Khan and Marduk adds texture to the character’s personal history. And finding out that he made a deal with Darkseid in the 13th century, built on mutual respect and understanding that both know is destined to fall apart puts a sword of Damocles over his head as well. The founding of The Light with his family and a fearsome confrontation with Starro even helps account for some of the business in season 1, which was never fully paid off given the time jump between seasons. The world of Young Justice makes more sense having seen this history, which is a good thing.
At the same time, we see these stories through the eyes of his daughters, who want to see the best in their dad. The bravery of his deeds is buoyed by the idea that he wants to see humanity evolve, to protect it, to see it rise to its greatest potential. There’s an irony in that he is a Neanderthal, the ancestral cousin of humanity that eventually died out, but also the first metahuman, an off-shoot that brought this planet to the attention and interest of warlords like Darkseid in the first place. Seeing him decide to fend off the Starro assault himself, having previously occupied the other heroes and allies he’d normally trick or send in his place, helps demonstrate that, and the utility of his relationship with Darkseid when he enlists the demigod’s help and resources to stave off the attack.
There's even a certain nobility to him, as he looks upon the wanton destruction imposed by Kalibak and tsks in disdain. Life is precious to him, in a way, with much talk about how it can be used for a “greater purpose” and wantonly destroying it is wasteful. You can squint and see a similar perspective in the leaguers.
Then, of course, we see the other side of that principle. In a second, he snaps the neck of his own daughter, seeming unsentimental about it despite her rapturously regaling her sister with the stories she’s written. When your life serves no greater purpose, when your mind is deteriorating, there’s no more of what masquerades as compassion in Vandal Savage. He’s done with you, even if you’re the blood of his blood. It’s an object lesson to Cassandra Savage, the daughter he seems to be grooming for command, but who’s seen how disposable she could be too. Vandal Savage believes he’s right, and for a split second you can understand why. But just as quickly, you understand why his philosophy runs counter to so many of the values this show is built around.
The business with The Outsiders is good too. Deciding code names is a little silly. But I like each member of the team getting new gear and training with a member of the old Young Justice crew. Halo discovering new auras, Geo-Force getting better with his powers, and Forager showing he’s already no slouch in combat make for some fun sequences. Honestly, just seeing the older heroes train the newer ones is kind of a treat, as lessons are imparted and the sort of trust and mutual valuing of one another that’s missing from Savage’s crew are put into stark relief.
Last but not least, the flirtations between Jefferson and Dr. Jace are quite endearing. The pair make a good team, and in contrast to some earlier seasons of the show, you totally understand at an intuitive level why they go together. The dialogue, the chemistry, are all there. The show’s really upped its game in terms of interpersonal scenes this season, and it’s nice to see.
Otherwise, the score is particularly excellent this episode, helping to set the mood and the tone of the Savage flashback scenes in particular. And I appreciated the tribute to Mugel Ferrer, who voiced Savage in prior seasons but passed away around this time.
Overall, a great look at what makes Vandal Savage tick, told with artistry and a pointed poingance, with some nice moments for the heroes as well.
(As an aside, it’s amusing to me to see David Kaye step into the role of Vandal Savage, since I paired my prior rewatch of Justice League Unlimited with a rewatch of Beast Wars, where Kaye voiced Megatron. Can’t escape him as a big bad, apparently!)