Happy New Year

"Happy New Year" is the first episode of the second season of Young Justice, and the 27th of the overall series. It aired on April 28, 2012.

Logline
The Team takes on the intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo... as a precursor to an alien invasion!

Synopsis
Robin, Batman, Aqualad, Aquaman, Captain Marvel and Red Tornado discuss what happened to the Justice League while they were under Vandal Savage's control. Robin was able to account for most of the Justice League members except for Martian Manhunter, John Stewart, Wonder Woman, Hawkwoman, Superman and Batman, who went missing for a total of sixteen hours.

Superboy is running down the sewage tunnel and notices clay on the floor. Clayface rises up from the water and graps Superboy by the neck. He pulls Superboy to his body, trying to suffocate him.

Miss Martian intervenes, dropping her camouflage to telekinetically free Superboy. Clayface lunges at Superboy and misses. Miss Martian calls in the rest of Delta Squad.

Robin attacks Clayface from behind with electrified batarangs, but Clayface is not impressed. It was just a distraction, however, and Superboy is able to administer a pill to the monster that causes him to solidify from the inside. Beast Boy, Blue Beetle and Bumblebee arrive late, and the former is disappointed he couldn't find a souvenir. Blue Beetle mocks him, and tells him the stench from the sewer is a decent reminder. Miss Martian contacts the Cave to let Nightwing know the target is neutralized.

Nightwing beats Lagoon Boy in a sparring match, and Lagoon Boy is not happy with it. He promises that he'll eventually beat him, no matter how much training Nightwing had. Delta Squad arrives home. Mal checks up with Bumblebee to go on a date that night, but she gives him a rain check because she has a meeting with Doctor Palmer. Lagoon Boy welcomes Miss Martian home with a kiss, which upsets Superboy.

Captain Atom contacts the Cave; the United Nations building is under attack. Mal informs Nightwing that Beta Squad is only two blocks away. Nightwing sends them on their way.

Lobo carelessly walks through the hallways on the UN building, not at all hindered by the police that tries to stop him from getting to Secretary General Tseng. After ordering his computer to translate his speech from Interlac to English, he gives Tseng a warning: surrender or die. Not getting a satisfactory answer, he chooses the second option for his target.

Wonder Girl flies in and punches the bounty hunter in his stomach, which puts him on his knees. Batgirl breaks through the window and tells Wonder Girl to keep him busy while she tries to bring the Secretary General to safety. Wonder Girl punches Lobo in the face, but it has no effect on him. He grabs her head and throws her against the wall. Lobo goes after Batgirl and Tseng, who have escaped by elevator.

Lobo catches up to them, but Batgirl distracts him with a smoke bomb and uses the diversion to escape with Tseng, turning the fight back over to Wonder Girl. She manages to get get her lasso around him, but he again overpowers her. Lobo pulls the lasso and punches Wonder Girl in the face which sends her twirling into the ceiling. Batgirl jumps over Lobo and attaches two bombs to his collar. Wonder Girl flies from behind for a renewed attack, but Lobo grabs her feet and throws her at Batgirl, knocking them both down. Lobo grabs Tseng and pulls his arms apart, revealing it's actually a robot with a Krolotean inside.

Lobo graps the alien, attaches him to his bike and flies off. Batgirl and Wonder Girl come to, but can't stop him.

Two days later, G. Gordon Godfrey shows security footage of the alien attack in his program. He makes negative comments about aliens, and warns his viewers that the aliens in the Justice League shouldn't be trusted. He then switches to a live scene in Washington, D.C., outside the Hall of Justice. Field reporter Cat Grant tries to get a statement from Zatanna and Rocket, but the two have no comment on the matter. Catherine Cobert, the League's public liaison, tells Cat that the League will issue a comment in due time. Godfrey continues to berate the league, making comments about Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Icon, and Hawkman, and their potential to be aliens.

Zatanna and Rocket arrive by Zeta-Beam, just in time for a briefing. John Stewart informs them, Batman, Nightwing, Superboy, Captain Atom, Martian Manhunter, Miss Martian and Adam Strange about Lobo, and his target, which worries him more: a Krolotean. Kroloteans always travel in packs.

Martian Manhunter introduces the heroes to Adam Strange, a STAR Labs scientist with the Erdel Initiative. He is responsible for maintaining the Zeta-Beam teleportation technology for the Justice League. Superboy makes a comment telepathically, and Manhunter connects Strange to the group telepathically, who is overwhelmed by the experience. Adam Strange tells his story:


 * While working on the tubes, something went wrong and he found himself on Rann. He met a native scientist, Sardath, and after a while, they eventually figured out a way to communicate with each other. Sardath told Adam about how some of his technology was stolen.

John informs the heroes that the stealing technology fits the Krolotean way of life.


 * Strange continues; Sardath had discovered that a single transmission on Rann landed on multiple places on Earth. He was trying to trace them but accidently brought Strange to Rann. He gave Strange a device that could detect where Kroloteans were on Earth.

Captain Atom organizes raids on every Krolotean location on Earth, while League members will travel to Rann with Strange to cut the Kroloteans at the source. Strange tells them Justice Leaguers are personae non gratae on Rann. He also states that six Leaguers are wanted criminals.

Nightwing then realizes that those Leaguers are the ones that were unaccounted for five years earlier, while under Savage's control. Batman agrees with his fomer protégé. John wants to alert Hal and Guy to the mission. But because planetary watch alert on every Leaguer, Nightwing steps up and says he'll send a Squad to Rann instead.

Teleplathically, Zatanna tells Nightwing, Miss Martian, and Superboy they are still welcome to join the Justice League whenever they want. The three tell their former team members they are happy where they are.

Nightwing informs the Team that they will hit all Krolotean hideouts simultaneously.

Nightwing announces that he and Wonder Girl are Alpha Squad, their assignment is Philadelphia. They head there in the Super-Cycle.

Beta Squad is Batgirl, Bumblebee and Wolf; their assignment is Vlatavastok.

Robin is appointed the leader of Gamma Squad with Blue Beetle and Lagoon Boy; they head to New Orleans in the Bio-Ship.

Gamma arrive at New Orleans, and after mistaking a tools shed as their target, find the real lair under the waterline. Inside, Robin informs the base that the Krolotean hideout his full of stolen technology. Mal tells them to lay low and he'll send back-up. It's too late; they're spotted and attacked by the Kroloteans.

Robin uses his staff to fight them, Lagoon Boy expands his body and Blue Beetle uses his sonic gun to attack. Beetle discovers he can understand the Krolotean language through his armor. He finds out the Krolotean leader is ordering everyone to evacuate while it starts a self destruction countdown. The three go deeper underground and find trapped victims, including Secretary General Tseng. T'he hostages are frightened by the alien-like appearance of Lagoon Boy and Blue Beetle, and scream in terror when Lagoon Boy breaks open the cage. They save the trapped victims and escape in the nick of time.

Back on the surface, they are welcomed by the Justice League and the Team. Nightwing commends them on a job well done.

Zeta Squad, consisting of Adam Strange, Superboy, Miss Martian and Beast Boy arrive on the planet Rann by Zeta-Beam. Beast Boy is amazed at his surroundings.

Title
"Happy New Year" is the common salutation given on New Year, which is where this episode takes place (January 1st). Also, the narrative jumps fives years forward, from 2011 to 2016, making it literally a new year to the audience.

Cast and characters
|- | Cameron Bowen | Robin | |- | Lacey Chabert | colspan="2"| Zatanna |- | Tim Curry | G. Gordon Godfrey | |- | Bruce Greenwood | colspan="2"| Batman |- | Logan Grove | colspan="2"| Beast Boy |- | Stephanie Lemelin | Catherine Cobert | |- | Eric Lopez | Blue Beetle | |- | Yuri Lowenthal | colspan="2"| Lagoon Boy |- | Jesse McCartney | colspan="2"| Nightwing |- | Danica McKellar | colspan="2"| Miss Martian |- | rowspan="2"| Masasa Moyo | colspan="2"| Bumblebee |- | colspan="2"| Cat Grant |- | rowspan="2"| Nolan North | colspan="2"| Superboy |- | colspan="2"| Clayface |- | Yuji Okumoto | colspan="2"| Tseng |- | rowspan="3"| Kevin Michael Richardson | colspan="2"| Mal Duncan |- | colspan="2"| Green Lantern |- | colspan="2"| Martian Manhunter |- | David Sobolov | Lobo | |- | Alyson Stoner | colspan="2"| Batgirl |- | Michael Trucco | Adam Strange | |- | Michael T. Weiss | colspan="2"| Captain Atom |- | Mae Whitman | Wonder Girl | |- ! colspan="3"| Non-speaking roles |- | colspan="3" | Aqualad |- | colspan="3" | Aquaman |- | colspan="3" | Atom |- | colspan="3" | Bibbo Bibbowski |- | colspan="3" | Black Canary |- | colspan="2" | Black Lightning | |- | colspan="3" | Captain Marvel |- | colspan="3" | Doctor Fate |- | colspan="3" | Flash |- | colspan="3" | Green Arrow |- | colspan="3" | Hawkman |- | colspan="3" | Hawkwoman |- | colspan="3" | Icon |- | colspan="3" | Noor Harjavti |- | colspan="3" | Plastic Man |- | colspan="3" | Red Tornado |- | colspan="3" | Rocket |- | colspan="2" | Sardath | |- | colspan="3" | Superman |- | colspan="3" | Wolf |- | colspan="3" | Wonder Woman |-

Continuity

 * The opening monologue recaps (part of) the events of "Auld Acquaintance".
 * The opening shot of Gotham City Park mirrors the opening shot of "Independence Day". Also, in that episode Mister Freeze went on a freezing rampage there, while in this one the park in covered with snow.
 * Likewise, the ending, with the entire Justice League arriving, mirrors the ending of "Fireworks" (and to a lesser extent, "Revelation").
 * Apparently over the past years, Clayface has become resistant to an attack on his morphogenic field with the right electric frequency. In "Downtime" he was defeated with it.
 * The continuation of bringing souvenirs from missions, which Kid Flash began during "Welcome to Happy Harbor", still goes on, though Beast Boy has taken over the responsibility of collecting them.

Trivia

 * As of this season, there is no opening sequence, so there are no main title clips.
 * Number 16:
 * Five years later makes the current year 2016.
 * The first timestamp of 2016 is 16:16.
 * The Team and League are still in the dark as to what happened in the missing 16 hours.
 * Adam Strange and the Zeta Squad arrive on Rann on 22:16.
 * The timestamp shown in the recap displays "03:21". The choice of numbers (3-2-1) may not be arbitrary, as it can be an in-joke to signal a countdown to the premiere of the new season.
 * The title "Justice League" showing on-screen behind G. Gordon Godfrey bears a striking resemblance to the logo of Justice League animated series.
 * Lobo speaks Interlac, a fictional language utilized by various alien races within the DC universe; most notably, by the Guardians of the Universe and Legion of Superheroes.
 * Adam Strange works for the "Erdel Initiative" and is responsible with maintaining the Justice League's Zeta-Beam technology. In the comics, Dr. Erdel was the scientist who inadvertently teleported the Martian Manhunter from Mars.

Goofs

 * Throughout the entire fight scene between Wonder Girl and Lobo, the size of the upper "W" on Cassie's shirt changes between cuts.
 * While Nightwing claims there are fourteen zeta sites, the maps shown in the episode contradict this. In the briefing scene, a map with seventeen sites is displayed. In the scene where Mal communicates with Alpha and Beta squads, a map with ten sites is displayed.
 * During mission assignment when Lagoon Boy says "Neptune's Beard" his hair fin is green instead of black.

Answered questions

 * What are the Kroloteans doing on Earth? (Answer)
 * Why are the Leaguers wanted criminals? (Partial Answer, Full Answer)
 * Where are Artemis, Kid Flash and Aqualad? (Answer #1, Answer #2)
 * What happened to Miss Martian and Superboy's relationship? (Partial Answer, Full Answer)

Unanswered questions

 * Who hired Lobo and why did he have to "put on a show"?
 * How long has Tseng been replaced with an alien?
 * Why does G. Gordon Godfrey distrust the Justice League so adamantly?
 * When did the new members join the Team?
 * What is the reason Nightwing, Miss Martian and Superboy don't want to join the League?
 * Why are the Kroloteans afraid of Blue Beetle?