Young Justice’s adventures through the Dark Crisis have been a spotlight of what made their early years so poisonous. Nevertheless, one second drove residence simply how unhealthy the lives they led had been. In Dark Crisis: Young Justice #4 (by Meghan Fitzmartin, Laura Braga, Luis Guerrero, and Pat Brosseau) Wonder Girl and Arrowette bump into the memorial for fallen younger heroes, throughout which Wonder Girl expressed her disdain for the location.
It was initially meant to honor those that fell in battle. A spot the place Young Justice might mourn, however as a substitute it grew to become a relentless reminder that their lives had been by no means assured and that they might probably die. It bought so unhealthy that Wonder Girl admitted it was like being reminded that her life was on a timer till she died preventing some villain or disaster. It is a surprisingly fatalistic viewpoint held by the group, and if it is any indication, one which may be shared by all sidekicks.
It is a horrible standpoint, however one which historical past really tends to help. Most members of Young Justice have both died or been thought lifeless sooner or later. The aftereffects are nonetheless clearly traumatizing them to at the present time. Granted, within the DC Universe, loss of life is rarely assured to stay, however that does not make it any much less painful or scarring when it does happen. Young heroes, corresponding to Robin, are particularly weak to this tragic final result.
This, nevertheless, is only one instance of a bigger drawback that the youthful heroes have taken word of, in that they’re way more weak than their mentors. From a logical standpoint, this is sensible. They’ve much less coaching and expertise, so they are not geared up to deal with the identical issues as their predecessors, even when they’re coaching to take up the mantle. The issue with that’s that they by no means do take over.
From a meta standpoint, readers perceive that their mentors, even once they die, won’t ever be gone for lengthy, and the heroes they’ve educated to take over of their absence will achieve this, however may also step apart once they return. This creates a form of plot armor that may by no means be overridden by something, and it primarily ensures that if they can not be in danger, then their sidekicks might be.
It additionally would not assist issues that heroes tackle new sidekicks on a regular basis. Batman has had 5 Robins in canon, and so they all have combined emotions about how shortly he can and has changed them. From their standpoint, it should seem to be their mentors are organising their replacements as a result of they understand how harmful their lives are and that it’s probably they’ll die.
So, is it any surprise that Wonder Girl felt just like the memorial was a reminder that she was residing on borrowed time? Furthermore, if she felt this fashion, then others most likely have and nonetheless do really feel comparable. This sequence is not only a reminder that “the nice outdated days” of Young Justice weren’t as shiny as everybody pretends it was, it additionally reminds followers simply how darkish and upsetting life as a sidekick will be.