Board Thread:Episodic and Issue Discussion/@comment-47881-20190716185903/@comment-5624498-20190717235154

I thought this was a good but not great episode.

I didn't mind how the main plot with Klarion was handled. The whole point was to establish the idea that the Outsiders have a higher, more positive profile than the Justice League, for which the consequences could be good (Garfield's idea is working) or bad (perhaps too well, to the point Lex Luthor demands oversight, even if he doesn't reveal that the Outsiders were approved by Aquaman, the League's leader).

I do wonder if Zatanna's involvement might set up her leaving the League and joining the Outsiders.

I was surprised they didn't put the climax of the battle with Klarion closer to the end of the episode.

I also liked that Eduardo Dorado Jr. will be part of the Outsiders and now we know what really has him concerned about Windfall (he realizes she needs someone to inspire her in more than just conversation).

The subplot with Halo: I understand the concerns about the character's portrayal, but long story short, I don't think her journey has been fully told, and that's not just whether or not she tells Brion the truth. They are exploring a character that is "the soul of a living computer inside a human body" and it's a difficult character type to navigate, because it's tough to get humans to relate to the idea "what if technology gained human emotions."

And I understand that there are people who, when looking for characters they can relate to, want characters who are like them and true to who they are. So I realize why some would question the direction they're going with Halo.

I did see Zehra Fazal's tweet, which indicates that there might be some things she didn't agree with, but there's more of Halo's story to be told. We'll see how it's resolved, but yes, the resolution needs to do right by the character and make Halo truly relatable.

One final observation: While it's clear Terra is working with Deathstroke, I see nothing that tells me it's going the exact same way it did in Judas Contract. I still believe Greg, Brandon and the rest have their own twist on it that's more than just "Terra is a psychopath."