Usual Suspects

"Usual Suspects" is the 25th episode of the first season of Young Justice, and the 25th of the overall series. It aired on April 14, 2012.

Logline
The Team gets a new member and a new mission – a mission that may finally expose all the Team's secrets... and all their lies!

Synopsis
Press has gathered outside the Hall of Justice. From behind a lectern, Superman gives a speech. They are gathered to introduce five new members of the Justice League: Doctor Fate, Atom, Plastic Man, Icon and Red Arrow.

Inside the Hall, the Team watches Cat Grant's report on television with their newest member, Icon's sidekick Rocket. Wally is glad Captain Marvel has managed to retain his place in the League, and likes the idea that there's a ten-year old in the League. This surprises Rocket, and causes Robin to remind him that though she's on the Team, there's no need to tell her all secrets they know just yet.

Cat continues on, how Superman hands out each member's official card. Robin briefly consoles Zatanna when the mention of Doctor Fate reminds her of her father. Rocket is jealous of Icon, considering she convinced him to become a hero in the first place.

Green Arrow makes it personal by handing out the card to Red Arrow himself. In causes a cheer inside the Hall, and the Team considers him their example, the first sidekick to mature. Rocket wants to know what's so bad about being a sidekick—the original sidekicks inspired her. Robin wants to explain the events of six months earlier, but an alarm on his computer cuts him off.

Outside, the majority of Leaguers depart. Superman, Green Arrow and Aquaman remain behind to talk to the press, while Batman, Black Canary and Red Tornado prepare the new members for transport to the Watchtower. Canary wants them to allow the Team to congratulate them, though Icon doesn't think Rocket is in the right mood to do that. To their surprise, they find the lounge area completely empty.

Title
The title refers to Superboy, Artemis and Miss Martian—all of which have been suspected of being a mole ever since "Secrets". The events of "Agendas", "Insecurity" and "Image" further strengthened the suspicions (to the audience) on each suspect, respectively.

Cast and characters
! colspan="3"| Uncredited ! colspan="3"| Non-speaking roles
 * Lacey Chabert
 * colspan="2"| Zatanna
 * Crispin Freeman
 * colspan="2"| Red Arrow
 * Kittie
 * Rocket
 * Stephanie Lemelin
 * colspan="2"| Artemis
 * Jesse McCartney
 * colspan="2"| Robin
 * Danica McKellar
 * colspan="2"| Miss Martian
 * rowspan="2"| Nolan North
 * colspan="2"| Superboy
 * colspan="2"| Superman
 * Khary Payton
 * colspan="2"| Aqualad
 * Jason Spisak
 * colspan="2"| Kid Flash
 * Masasa Moyo
 * colspan="2"| Cat Grant
 * Marina Sirtis
 * colspan="2"| Queen Bee
 * Mark Rolston
 * colspan="2"| Lex Luthor
 * Miguel Ferrer
 * colspan="2"| Vandal Savage
 * Kelly Hu
 * colspan="2" | Cheshire
 * Nick Chinlund
 * colspan="2"| Sportsmaster
 * Dave Franco
 * colspan="2" | Riddler
 * Bruce Greenwood
 * colspan="2"| Batman
 * Tony Todd
 * Icon
 * Vanessa Marshall
 * colspan="2"| Black Canary
 * Miguel Ferrer
 * colspan="2"| Vandal Savage
 * Kelly Hu
 * colspan="2" | Cheshire
 * Nick Chinlund
 * colspan="2"| Sportsmaster
 * Dave Franco
 * colspan="2" | Riddler
 * Bruce Greenwood
 * colspan="2"| Batman
 * Tony Todd
 * Icon
 * Vanessa Marshall
 * colspan="2"| Black Canary
 * colspan="2"| Batman
 * Tony Todd
 * Icon
 * Vanessa Marshall
 * colspan="2"| Black Canary
 * Vanessa Marshall
 * colspan="2"| Black Canary
 * colspan="2"| Black Canary
 * colspan="3"| Bane
 * colspan="3"| Blockbuster
 * colspan="3"| Mammoth
 * colspan="3"| Shimmer
 * colspan="3"| Mammoth
 * colspan="3"| Shimmer
 * colspan="3"| Shimmer
 * colspan="3"| Shimmer
 * colspan="3"| Aquaman
 * colspan="3"| Atom
 * colspan="3"| Atomic Skull (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Black Adam (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Captain Atom
 * colspan="3"| Captain Marvel
 * colspan="3"| Count Vertigo (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Doctor Fate
 * colspan="3"| Plastic Man
 * colspan="3"| Flash
 * colspan="3"| Green Arrow
 * colspan="3"| Hal Jordan
 * colspan="3"| Hawkman
 * colspan="3"| Hawkwoman
 * colspan="3"| Huntress (profile on screen)
 * colspan="3"| John Stewart
 * colspan="3"| Joker (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Martian Manhunter
 * colspan="3"| Poison Ivy (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Red Tornado
 * colspan="3"| Ultra-Humanite (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3"| Wotan (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Hal Jordan
 * colspan="3"| Hawkman
 * colspan="3"| Hawkwoman
 * colspan="3"| Huntress (profile on screen)
 * colspan="3"| John Stewart
 * colspan="3"| Joker (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Martian Manhunter
 * colspan="3"| Poison Ivy (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Red Tornado
 * colspan="3"| Ultra-Humanite (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3"| Wotan (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Martian Manhunter
 * colspan="3"| Poison Ivy (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Red Tornado
 * colspan="3"| Ultra-Humanite (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3"| Wotan (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Ultra-Humanite (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3"| Wotan (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Wotan (photograph)
 * colspan="3"| Wotan (photograph)

Continuity

 * The results of the membership votes from "Agendas" are revealed.
 * Wally refers to Captain Marvel's secret identity, which the Team found out in "Misplaced".
 * Robin wants to refer to the events of "Independence Day" and "Fireworks" before being cut off by his computer.
 * Artemis recognizes Cheshire's suitcase as the one from New Orleans, which she saw in "Insecurity". Kid Flash later mentions how that mission failed because of Artemis.
 * The Apokoliptian weaponry first introduced in "Disordered" reappears during Riddler's ambush and the fight against Bane's minions.
 * Riddler mentions his previous sentencing in Belle Reve in "Terrors".
 * The Team mentions the Injustice League's plant attacks from "Revelation"; Rocket fought the one in Paris.
 * When Batman makes his "familiar" speech, he chooses the same words he did in "Fireworks".
 * Miss Martian, Superboy and Artemis were coerced into cooperation in "Image", "Agendas" and "Insecurity", respectively.
 * The compromised team members were instructed to proceed to Santa Prisca, a location the Team visited in "Drop-Zone".
 * Lex Luthor used the same kill switch he used on Superboy in "Agendas".
 * Robin explains that he knew Artemis's real identity; this was hinted at in "Homefront" and "Secrets". His admission of this knowledge echoed the one Batman made regarding Captain Marvel's secret identity, in "Agendas".
 * Miss Martian reveals her true form to the Team, after lying about it in "Image". Robin even mentions the lie, "bald M'gann".
 * Superboy says he has known about Miss Martian's true form ever since their mission in Bialya, which took place in "Bereft". When Miss Martian infused him with the Team's collective memories, there was a glimpse of a White Martian that slipped through.
 * Superboy figures that the Injustice League wasn't the Secret Society behind all the criminal activity, as The Team and the Justice League had thought in "Revelation".
 * The identity of the mole is finally revealed. This subject has been tapped in several episodes: "Infiltrator", "Targets", "Secrets", "Insecurity" and "Performance".

Trivia

 * Main title clips:
 * The Team gathered at the Cave
 * Superboy hesitates
 * Miss Martian in the Bio-Ship
 * Batman and Black Canary
 * Superboy and Lex Luthor face to face
 * Aqualad fighting
 * Number 16:
 * Superman makes a public announcement introducing five new members of the Justice League at 09:16 EST.
 * The logo of the Justice League membership cards uses the same font and color as the title card of the Justice League animated series.
 * This episode aired in Brazil on March 16.

Cultural references

 * The phrase "the usual suspects" comes from the classic film Casablanca and is uttered in one of Claude Rains's most memorable lines, "Round up the usual suspects". This expression was also used as the title of a column in Spy magazine and the 1995 film directed by Bryan Singer, starring Kevin Spacey.

Unanswered questions

 * Where did Lex Luthor, Queen Bee, and Sportsmaster want to take Superboy, Miss Martian, and Artemis from Santa Prisca?
 * Is the entire Justice League under the influence of the echinoderm?
 * Why was Red Arrow shocked at finding out he was the mole?
 * How long had Red Arrow been under the influence of the Light?