Nothing lasts ceaselessly, however do not inform that to the still-seething followers of Young Justice. After the dramatic serial starring DC Comics’ teen superheroes was swept underneath the rug in 2013 for the goofy Teen Titans Go! collection, which traded excessive stakes for gags about evil vegetable gods, Young Justice’s fanbase swarmed the Web in protest. However because the vitriol percolated throughout message boards, Teen Titans Go!’s ranking crept greater and better. Clearly, the bulk did not thoughts sacrificing seriousness for shenanigans.

However now, the super-serious Young Justice forged—and in spirit, its followers—are putting again in tomorrow’s episode of Teen Titans Go!, “Let’s Get Severe.” In a universe and continuity bending situation, Young Justice’s Aqualad challenges the Looney Toons Titans to place down the video video games and act like precise heroes. The episode might seem to be a second of triumph for Young Justice, however ask govt producer Michael Jelenic, and he’ll let you know it is one other excuse for the Titans to go bonkers.

“We thought it might be humorous to have the Young Justice crew are available and problem the Titans to be extra critical. Lots of people who hate us vocally occur to be Young Justice followers, as a result of Teen Titans Go! is on the other spectrum of what Young Justice was,” Jelenic mentioned. “We’re only a foolish present, and Young Justice was very advanced and dramatic. So, it simply appeared enjoyable to have that crew are available for the sake of juxtaposition.”

Feeling insufficient in opposition to the straight-laced Young Justice crew, Robin and his Titans get actual the one means they understand how—by taking their seriousness to the acute. Transmographying themselves into 80s caricatures that Frank Miller may love, the veiny, proclamating Titans swear whole vengeance on all evil-doers like, says, whoever who drank the final juice field.

“These characters are goofballs, in order that they change into critical about all of the flawed issues,” Jelenic mentioned. “They act how they assume super-serious superheroes would. No person really turns into extra critical within the episode; it is simply them attempting.”

Bridging the hole between the crime-busting and salty codger jokes is Cyborg voice actor Khary Payton, who performed Aqualad on Young Justice. By giving Payton the reins to at least one squad’s chief and the opposite’s resident cheeseball, Jelenic mentioned that the actor fueled a number of the episode’s funniest second. In a single scene, Jelenic mentioned, Cyborg and Aqualad share an trade that is solely made extra hilarious by the behind-the-scenes information.

When the episode is all mentioned and finished, the Titans nonetheless will not study something from their Young Justice crossover. However that is the purpose. Teen Titans Go! is unapologetically foolish, and nobody—not even their law-abiding counterparts, can derail their delinquency.

“Now we have a phase on the market who need their superheroes to be critical. I believe there is a view that if you are going to do comedy, there’s higher media or superheroes to play with comedically,” Jelenic mentioned. “We have been reluctant to make use of Young Justice, but it surely felt like they simply labored so completely for the concept of the group turning into critical. And on the identical time, Young Justice lets us poke enjoyable at ourselves for what folks see as our failings on the present.”

Even because the bullseye for Young Justice followers’ on-line anger, Jelenic stands by his pizza-scarfing Titans. He thinks that almost all tremendous hero cartoons overlook a fundamental reality: These exhibits are made for youths. Whereas the chief producer strives to create a present that pleases each longtime followers and their kids, Jelenic mentioned that he all the time makes youthful viewers’ wants his high precedence.

“We’ll get fairly bizarre and fairly meta, however we’re all the time asking ourselves, ‘Will a child get this? Is that this foolish of enjoyable sufficient for a teenager?'” Jelling defined. “It is all the time behind our minds.”

If something, Teen Titans Go’s! rankings success—which far outweighs the Twitter hate—solely proves this: The Teen Titans are an iconic franchise that followers will all the time flock to no matter their rendition.

“I believe this present cements the Teen Titans as a property that is nearly like Batman. There’s so many alternative interpretations of the Titans, however folks will nonetheless come to those characters as a result of they like them a lot,” Jelenic mentioned. “As soon as this present goes off the air, I am certain there shall be one other Teen Titans collection to comply with, wether it’s critical or comedic.”

So whether or not Robin, Starfire, and the group deal with a disaster of infinite proportions or a messy bed room, they may all the time stays the Titans. As Jelenic and his group of comedy writers maintain pushing the envelope, he stays confidant—regardless of the various tastes on the market—that Teen Titans Go! will all the time have an viewers.

“The truth that this present, the unique collection, and the comics are all so profitable—regardless of being so totally different from one another—actually says lots,” he mentioned. “These are characters that folks clearly love.”

“Let’s Get Severe” airs Thursday, February twenty sixth at 6:00 p.m. on Cartoon Community.