The following contains spoilers for Young Justice: Phantoms, Episode 20, “Forbidden Secrets of Civilizations Past,” now streaming on HBO Max.
One of the main arcs in Young Justice: Phantoms has been Garfield Logan’s (aka Beast Boy) declining mental health. He’s broken following the death of Superboy/Conner Kent on Mars, unaware it was due to Darkseid, the tyrant’s son Grayven and the sinister Lor-Zod plotting against the Legion of Super Heroes and the Justice League. The tragedy left Gar heavily saddened, lashing out at his teammates.
It was understandable because, despite his cheery disposition, most of his life he’s known loss and pain. This led to him abusing sleeping pills, suggesting he may overdose or willingly hurt himself. Thankfully, the latest episode had a breakthrough being made that’s poised to bring him back to the light.
The emotional moment occurred when Gar visited Dinah Lance/Black Canary, his former trainer with the Outsiders. She was hosting a mandatory therapy session, which Black Lightning and other seniors wanted Gar to partake in if he wanted to stay on the team. They were worried the prospect of someday returning to duty was fueling his toxicity, and if this self-destruction was a way of wanting out without asking for it.
Gar lied throughout, though, stating he was doing better and would rejoin the roster soon. However, Dinah found out he alienated colleagues, derided friends — like Miss Martian and the Doom Patrol — and even dumped Princess Perdita. Dinah kept trying to penetrate his tough exterior, however, which led to Gar admitting he should have done better for Conner. He blamed himself for leaving a power-depleted Conner in the core of Mars during Lor’s bomb. Gar also felt guilty over his mom dying in Queen Bee’s terrorist attacks years ago, as well as the deaths of Wally West and many others.
Dinah then reiterated he couldn’t save these people. In any case, most of these instances would have resulted in his death, too. In fact, he wasn’t even there or an adult for many of these circumstances, and for those he could have made a difference, per Brion turning his back on the Outsiders and stealing the Markovian throne, Gar had to accept people make their own choices — an issue also plaguing Kaldur.
Sure, it leads to agony, but it’s a natural part of life, which culminated in him tearfully admitting he needed help. It was a powerful segment, especially for teens, as Gar confessed he was drowning amid all these mental health issues. The exchange reiterated how patient and understanding Dinah was, indicating his mental health didn’t mean he was a disgrace to the team he helped found and lead in the Outsiders. The episode ended with Dinah optimistic, reinforcing this first step is a big one, leaving fans eager to see how Gar recovers and heals old bonds.
See how Gar recovers in Young Justice: Phantoms, with new episodes every Thursday on HBO Max.
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