Royal We

"Royal We" is the second episode of the third season of Young Justice, and the 48th of the overall series. It debuted on January 4, 2019 on DC Universe, along with the first and third episodes, "Princes All" and "Eminent Threat".

Logline
Dick Grayson, Artemis Crock, Conner Kent and Jefferson Pierce go undercover in Markovia to stop the Bedlam Syndicate's meta-human trafficking cartel – before it claims another victim.

Synopsis
Garfield Logan appears on the set of Space Trek 3016 to give a public service announcement about metahuman trafficking and encourages people to "scream something" if they see something.

GBS airs footage from the United Nations General Assembly metahuman summit, during which Catherine Cobert announces the Justice League members who resigned in protest of restriction the UN placed on the League's chart. UN Secretary General Lex Luthor expresses his disappointment, which prompts debate from various ambassadors. Zviad Baazovi, the UN ambassador from Markovia, reveals that, in light of events in Markovia, the country has closed its borders to all metahumans. Nightwing and Tigress arrive at Markovburg Airport from Vlativa under fake passports while Superboy and Black Lightning slip into Markovia aboard the Super-Cycle. Nightwing's plan is for he and Tigress to attend a pre-coronation reception for Gregor Markov to investigate anyone who might be connected to the deaths of Viktor Markov and Ilona DeLamb-Markov or to Bedlam's metahuman trafficking. Meanwhile, Superboy and Black Lightning sneak stealth gear into the Markovian National Cemetery and investigate the Markovburg Children's Hospital.

At the reception, Nightwing and Tigress observe members of the Markovian royal family, Simon Ecks and Helga Jace, wondering how any of them might be involved.

Frederick DeLamb delivers remarks prior to introducing Gregor who, in a private conversation with Brion Markov, assures him DeLamb will only be regent for a year. Brion warns Gregor that DeLamb can do a lot of damage in a year.

Tigress believes Brion can be ruled out and Nightwing identifies Simon as the prime suspect. They get communication from Superboy and Black Lightning that they have dropped off gear as planned and are heading to the hospital.

Brion locates Helga and reminds her about his desire to activate his Meta-Gene, believing that "something daring must be done" to save Markovia. Helga directs him to Simon, who she says is expecting him. Seeing this, Nightwing follows Brion and Simon while Tigress heads to the cemetery.

Superboy and Black Lightning bypass security to sneak inside the hospital. They enter the morgue, where Black Lightning detects a hidden door and bypasses the lock. The two discover an underground facility and find they can no longer communicate with Nightwing and Tigress. They explore the facility, where they find a disassembled Mother Box and four kids trapped in pods, each filled with a dark substance.

They are discovered by Count Vertigo, who uses his powers to weaken them, then directs Plasmus to take them out. Black Lightning can't get his powers to work and Plasmus grabs Superboy, who is weakened but able to fight him off. Superboy smashes through the floor so he and Black Lightning can escape through the sewers. Vertigo sends Plasmus in pursuit of them.

Tigress gathers stealth gear in the cemetery when she notices a purple light and investigates. She discovers Henchy and two other traffickers burying several dead Quraci refugees, but one, a teenaged girl, is still alive. Tigress fights off the traffickers, then Henchy retrieves Apokaliptan technology and attacks. The girl generates a red aura to protect Tigress. Tigress and the Quraci teen escape the cemetery.

Simon drives Brion to the hospital and Nightwing follows them. He contacts Tigress, who is riding in the Super-Cycle with the Quraci teen. When Nightwing arrives at the hospital, he tries to reach Superboy and Black Lightning, who are escaping through the sewer, but still can't contact him. They reach the spillway and Lightning leaps out, but is knocked out when he hits the water. Plasmus catches up with Superboy and subdues him.

Simon and Brion enter the hospital and Nightwing sends a bug to follow them. When Oracle informs him Superboy's signal has been lost and Black Lightning appears to be separated from him, Nightwing redirects Tigress to find Lightning. On her way, she tries to communicate with the teen-aged girl, but the girl doesn't remember what happened to her. Tigress finds Lightning, who informs her that Superboy has been captured.

Plasmus drags Superboy back to Vertigo, who decides to place him in the subject room for the time being. Meanwhile, Simon takes Brion into the facility, who realizes that Simon is involved with Bedlam. Brion vows to reveal this to Gregor, but Vertigo subdues Brion with his powers, then orders Simon to sedate him. Vertigo admonishes Simon for revealing the operation to Brion and orders him to take Brion into the subject room.

Lightning explains to Tigress what happened to Superboy and what he learned about Bedlam. Nightwing says the first priority is to rescue Superboy.

Superboy and Brion are placed in pods in the subject room. Vertigo orders Simon to do nothing until he returns. Vertigo meets with Henchy, who tells him what happened at the cemetery. Meanwhile, Helga arrives in the subject room and starts the process for activating Brion's Meta-Gene. Brion wakes up and panics, but Helga assures him it is all for the best.

Cast and characters
! colspan="3" | Uncredited ! colspan="3" | Non-speaking roles
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Troy Baker
 * colspan="2" | Brion Markov
 * colspan="2" | Simon Ecks
 * class="VA" rowspan="3" | Steve Blum
 * colspan="2" | Henchy
 * colspan="2" | Count Vertigo
 * Wilhelm Peters
 * class="VA" | Greg Cipes
 * colspan="2" | Garfield Logan
 * class="VA" | Zehra Fazal
 * Dead-Girl
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Crispin Freeman
 * colspan="2" | Gregor Markov
 * Kaizen Gamorra
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Grey Griffin
 * colspan="2" | Helga Jace
 * Troia
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Stephanie Lemelin
 * colspan="2" | Tigress
 * colspan="2" | Catherine Cobert
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" |Yuri Lowenthal
 * colspan="2" | Garth
 * Zviad Baazovi
 * class="VA" | Jesse McCartney
 * colspan="2" | Dick Grayson
 * class="VA" | Masasa Moyo
 * colspan="2" | Cat Grant
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Nolan North
 * colspan="2" | Conner Kent
 * colspan="2" |Frederick DeLamb
 * class="VA" | Khary Payton
 * colspan="2" | Jefferson Pierce
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Mark Rolston
 * colspan="2" | Lex Luthor
 * Sumaan Harjavti
 * colspan="2" | Catherine Cobert
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" |Yuri Lowenthal
 * colspan="2" | Garth
 * Zviad Baazovi
 * class="VA" | Jesse McCartney
 * colspan="2" | Dick Grayson
 * class="VA" | Masasa Moyo
 * colspan="2" | Cat Grant
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Nolan North
 * colspan="2" | Conner Kent
 * colspan="2" |Frederick DeLamb
 * class="VA" | Khary Payton
 * colspan="2" | Jefferson Pierce
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Mark Rolston
 * colspan="2" | Lex Luthor
 * Sumaan Harjavti
 * colspan="2" | Conner Kent
 * colspan="2" |Frederick DeLamb
 * class="VA" | Khary Payton
 * colspan="2" | Jefferson Pierce
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Mark Rolston
 * colspan="2" | Lex Luthor
 * Sumaan Harjavti
 * class="VA" rowspan="2" | Mark Rolston
 * colspan="2" | Lex Luthor
 * Sumaan Harjavti
 * Sumaan Harjavti
 * colspan="3" | Johann Mintz
 * colspan="3" | Piotor Platz
 * colspan="3" | Piotor Platz
 * colspan="3" | Piotor Platz
 * colspan="3" | Batman (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Batwoman (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Green Arrow (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Hardware (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Ilona DeLamb-Markov (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Katana (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Plastic Man (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Sphere
 * colspan="3" | Viktor Markov (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Ilona DeLamb-Markov (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Katana (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Plastic Man (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Sphere
 * colspan="3" | Viktor Markov (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Sphere
 * colspan="3" | Viktor Markov (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Viktor Markov (photograph)
 * colspan="3" | Viktor Markov (photograph)

Continuity

 * At the U.N. summit, Catherine Cobert announces the official resignation of Batman, Batwoman, Black Lightning, Green Arrow, Hardware, Katana and Plastic Man, following the events of "Princes All".
 * Dick alludes to his parents death to Artemis. This story was told in the tie-in issue "Fears".
 * Jefferson says he hasn't been able to generate lightning since the incident on Rann, seen in "Princes All".
 * The secret underground lab at Markovburg Children's Hospital reminds Conner of Cadmus, where he was created.
 * Conner recognizes a dismantled Mother Box, to which he was first introduced in "Disordered".

Trivia

 * Number 16:
 * Gar's TV show is called Space Trek 3016.
 * According to Gar, over 16,000 children and teens have been reported missing worldwide.
 * Dick and Artemis exit gate 16 at Markovburg's airport.
 * End credits shot: Sphere in Super-Cycle mode parked in the woods.
 * Greg Cipes takes over Logan Grove in the role of Beast Boy.
 * The lenses that Nightwing and Alpha Squad are using bear a striking resemblance to Hypnos 2.0, spy tech used by a espionage organization called Spyral. Among other things, they can upload information directly into the mind and distort the user's face with a swirl when captured by a camera, as seen in this episode.
 * Count Vertigo tells Conner "That's Count Vertigo to you, peasant", which echoes what he said to Kid Flash in "Revelation". This line is paraphrased from DC Showcase: Green Arrow, written by Greg Weisman also with Steve Blum in the same role.

Cultural references

 * Gar's TV show Space Trek 3016 is a variant of Space Trek: 2022, which first appeared in DC Comics in Teen Titans #50. He played the character Tork in that show, too. The show's name seems to take its name after two science-fiction series set in space: Star Trek and Space: 1999.
 * Gar's "It's What You Know" segment refers to "The More You Know" public service announcements that have aired on various NBC programs since 1989.
 * Artemis says her bike is not a "bicycle built for two", referencing the popular 1892's song "Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)".
 * Simon Ecks's line "I'm a doctor, not a pack mule" sounds like a nod to a catchphrase and snowclone from Star Trek.

Unanswered questions

 * Why is Dick apparently keeping Oracle's tech support a secret from Artemis?