Identity Crisis

Season 2, Episode 4

"*Inspire them, lead by example, and above all, give them hope. **That's** a job for Superman.*"
—Earth-12's Superman giving advice to the Superman of Earth-16A

## Description

"Identity Crisis” is the fourth episode of the second season of *Young Justice Abridged*. It was uploaded to YouTube on October 20th, 2017. The first part can be watched here.

## Plot

In the aftermath of Superman's election as President of the United States, Batman and Zatara decide to use the Helmet of Fate to see the future and learn their options. Flashing forward to December of 2057, Bruce discovers that he and Oliver Queen have become bitter old men, living in a world ruled by the iron fist of Superman. Batman suits up for one last mission to take down the Man of Steel. After a climactic battle, the Dark Knight kills Superman, ending his reign of terror. Determined to make sure things play out differently, the present-day Batman convinces Fate to let him mind-jump to alternate universes instead of the future, hoping that he can find a version of Superman that his Clark will listen to.

Back in December 2011, Lex Luthor is infuriated by Superman's victory, made worse by the revelation that the real Roy Harper has been discovered. At Mount Justice, Martian Manhunter says goodbye to his niece as he prepares to leave the planet for the duration of Superman's Presidency. Batman experiences his first mind-jump to Earth-21, inhabited by 1950s versions of the people from his world. However, the Superman of Earth-21 proves to be extremely sexist, and thus not a good enough match to talk to Batman's Superman. Back on his Earth, Bruce discovers that his son Damian has vanished from their hotel room, on the hunt for Deathstroke.

In the middle of a Bialyian desert, Superboy awakens to discover that he's in the body of Miss Martian. Separately, Kid Flash and Artemis discover that they've switched bodies as well. Red Robin and Aqualad have also switched. However, no one on the team knows what circumstances have led to their body swapping. Most of the heroes regroup but discover that Red Robin (in Aqualad's body) and Miss Martian (in Superboy's body) are still missing. Sasha uses M'gann's martian powers to restore the memory of how they ended up in different bodies. Batman sent them on a mission to Bialya to stop Queen Bee from gaining control of the neighboring Qurac by using her seductive powers on President Harjavti. However, her metahuman enforcer Psimon used his psychic abilities to hack into Miss Martian's mind link and scatter them.

Robin sneaks his way onto Deathstroke's oil rig facility, intent on rescuing his mother Talia. Batman pursues his sidekick but experiences another mind-jump to Earth-30, where he meets the Superman of Moscow. Bruce is significantly entertained by the idea of a Russian Superman (especially since his secret identity is Sasha, just like Superboy), but knows that his Clark Kent would never listen to the communist hero. Back on Earth-16A, Batman and Robin fight off Deathstroke's Man-Bat army. Talia is killed and Damian pursues the assassin in revenge. The Dark Knight heals his baby mama with the Lazarus Pit located under the fortress, resurrecting her. Batman's mind jumps to Earth-49G, where he discovers a Mexican Superman who was raised by immigrants, another gift he can't take advantage of. Robin and Deathstroke have a musical battle, with the young hero ultimately besting his foe in single combat and condemning him to the 'ponytail of shame'. Talia asks Damian to come back with her and help lead the League of Shadows, but he renounces her and his legacy after seeing his mother's true colors, choosing to stay with his father and serve as Robin.

Back in Bialya, the Young Justice attempts to rescue Miss Martian. She awakens and manages to switch back all the heroes' minds, but has to face off against Psimon. Their psychic battle ultimately ends in a draw, with the villain escaping. While heading back to Qurac to stop the President from signing over the country to Queen Bee, the Young Justice team saves Marie and Garfield Logan from a stampede of wildebeest. The young Garfield is badly hurt, and M'gann shapeshifts her blood type to give him a transfusion. While waiting for the operation to be complete, the team discovers that Megan's entire personality and appearance are based on Marie's childhood performance as Megan Wheeler on *Shut Up, Megan!*. Superboy forbids them from ever discussing it. The heroes head into Qurac to save Harjavti from Queen Bee but run up against her forces. Miss Martian is able to best Psimon, but not before he reveals her true appearance, a hideous martian creature. The team is somewhat alarmed by M'gann's true form but accepts the person she chooses to be seen as. Later, she tries to meet Garfield Logan, who has developed superpowers as a side effect of his treatment, but discovers Queen Bee standing over the boy. The villain warns Miss Martian that she'll have the hero under her control one way or another.

On the Watchtower, Batman summons Superman before his inauguration to introduce him to the Superman of Earth-12 (the character from the Bruce Timm *DC Animated Universe* or DCAU). He tells Earth-16A's Man of Steel about the error of his ways. Superman is already the most powerful being in the universe, and he shouldn't try to control the Earth. Clark needs to embrace who he truly is: Kal-El, the sole survivor of a dead planet sent to Earth so he could save and inspire people, not destroy lives. As he leaves, Earth-12 Superman tells Clark that he needs to give the people of his world hope, not rule them by fear.

At his inauguration, Superman shocks the world by renouncing his Presidency. He reveals that he is an alien named Kal-El from the planet Krypton. Superman promises that he will do his best to become the hero that the world deserves, striving for truth, justice, and the *real* American way. An infuriated Alfred threatens to unleash his eldritch power on Batman for causing his plans to unravel, but the Dark Knight convinces him otherwise with how ballsy the act was.

Starfire and Nightwing decide to get a new team of Teen Titans together, consisting of Garfield Logan and Robin, for starters. Meanwhile, a teenager named Jaime Reyes accidentally bonds with an alien scarab, becoming Blue Beetle. The alien parasite asks Reyes how he can become a superhero.

## Cast

* Starbeastrave as Clark Kent/Superman, Kent Nelson, Clark Kent/Superman (Earth-21), Sasha/Superboy, Sasha/Superman (Earth-30), and Kal-El/Superman (Earth-12)
* LordJazor as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Giovanni Zatara, Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, Red Tornado, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Earth-21), Slade Wilson/Deathstroke, Batman (Earth-30), Hernan Guerra/Superman (Earth-49G), Psimon, Alfred Pennyworth, Rumaan Harjavti, and John the Lobster (Earth-16B)
* Leik777 as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, Tim Drake/Red Robin, and Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle
* Mattroks101 as Wally West/Kid Flash
* Sehanort as Kaldur'ahm/Aqualad
* EileMonty as M'gann M'orzz/Miss Martian, Queen Bee, and Marie Logan
* TallestSilver as Artemis Crock/Artemis, Damian Wayne/Robin, Talia al Ghul, and Koriand'r/Starfire
* WarVibe24 as Dick Grayson/Nightwing
* DemonGroceryStore as J'onn J'onzz/Martian Manhunter and Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Earth-16B)
* Milkpiece as Avi
* Malcolm X-Ray as Kirk Langstrom/Batman (Earth-49G) and John Stewart/Green Lantern

Additionally, Mercy, Garfield Logan, Dinah Lance/Black Canary, Bekka/Wonder Woman (Earth-49G), Billy Batson/Captain Marvel, Nathaniel Adams/Captain Atom, and Adam Strange appear in a non-speaking capacity. Diana/Wonder Woman, Barry Allen/The Flash, Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Shayera Thal/Hawkwoman, and Katar Hol/Hawkman appear in their Earth-16B forms in a non-speaking capacity. John Constantine and the real Roy Harper are also mentioned.

## Trivia

* In the real world, if Superman and Alfred both stepped down, the Republican National Committee would nominate a new candidate for their party to receive the win; it wouldn't go to the opposing candidate. However, the politics are shown to work differently on Earth-16A, as evidenced by the strange election years.