Insecurity

"Insecurity" is the 23rd episode of the first season of Young Justice, and the 23rd of the overall series. It aired on March 31, 2012.

Logline
Red Arrow's return undercuts Artemis' confidence, while the team's mission to track down Sportsmaster threatens to expose her darkest secrets.

Synopsis
Black Spider swings through Star City, landing outside Bernell Jones' apartment window, as Bernell puts his daughter to bed. Bernell is pulled out of his daughter's bedroom by Black Spider, who then drops him to the ground. As Bernell falls to the pavement below, a foam arrow hits the ground beneath him, and Bernell safety lands in the foam. Above, Black Spider is attacked by Green Arrow and Artemis, whose arrows are evaded by the assassin. Cissie looks on the ensuing fight, and is overjoyed at the heroes' presence.

Sportsmaster runs across the roof of the Belle Reve Penitentiary, and removes a grate from an air vent. He waits for Hugo Strange to deactivate the security sensors, and proceeds into the facility.

In the rooftop fight with Black Spider, Green Arrow is knocked to the ground, forcing Artemis to take the lead. Black Spider easily evades her explosive arrows.

Meanwhile, Sportsmaster makes his way to the cell blocks and uses a key card to override the lock. He takes a prisoner with him.

Artemis continues her right against Black Spider, and ultimately wins when she freezes his web and traps him in a net. Green Arrow congratulates her, and gives her "bonus points" for poetic justice - catching the spider with a web arrow.

Sportsmaster leads the prisoner through the hospital ward, where Professor Ivo is insulting the comatose T.O. Morrow, with prison warden Hugo Strange looking on.

Green Arrow and Artemis make their way to a zeta-tube. Artemis is ecstatic about the victory over Black Spider; Green Arrow happily agrees, but calms her down. As soon as she's gone, Green Arrow calls his former protégé Red Arrow, who had been watching them for some time. Their conversation is cut short by the police scanner, which reports an armed robbery.

A truck is leaving Belle Reve, but is stopped by security for a routine check. Two guards open the back of the vehicle to see only boxes of medical waste. They give the van the go-ahead. Sportsmaster, and the prisoner, Professor Ivo, had hidden in a compartment. Back at the prison, Strange turns off the fake Professor Ivo, an android.

Outside a Save-Big store in Star City, Green Arrow congratulates Red Arrow on his acceptance into the Justice League, but requests that he "set a good example" and join the Team first.

Artemis tells her mother about her night with Green Arrow, and expresses her satisfaction with the outcome. Paula comments that this life suits Artemis, as she is relieved that her daughter is not taking the same criminal path that put her in jail. Paula then reveals that Green Arrow and Batman initially visited Paula before they asked Artemis to join the Team, and that she begged them to help Artemis. Artemis is furious that her mother begged them, and storms out.

Sportsmaster and Professor Ivo arrive at a warehouse where Klarion, Brain, Teekl and Monsieur Mallah await them. Klarion is upset that Ivo isn't T.O. Morrow, but Ivo stays to help anyway.

Artemis, full costume, decides she's got nothing to prove to the League and the Team, and zeta-beams to the Cave.

Artemis arrives to the news that Red Arrow has agreed to join the Team. As Green Arrow begins to assign a mission, Artemis sarcastically comments the Team has needed a "real" archer. Green Arrow tells the Team that Sportsmaster was spotted at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, and assigns Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Red Arrow to the mission. Artemis volunteers herself for the mission. Green Arrow, knowing Sportsmaster's identity, asks her if she's sure. She is adamant, and with Artemis piloting the Bio-Ship, they leave the Cave.

Alone in the cockpit, Wally turns to Artemis, and tells her she is a "real" archer, and that she has nothing to prove, at least to him. She is flattered by the compliment. In the back of the ship, Red Arrow tells Aqualad his suspicion of Artemis being the mole.

Back at the Cave, Zatanna, M'gann, and Conner are bored, and ask Red Tornado if he has any missions for them. He turns them down, tells them to amuse themselves, and flies into his apartment. Zatanna questions what Red Tornado actually does in his apartment since he does not require it for basic human needs.

Red Arrow watches Sportsmaster heading north by boat, and gives the order for Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Artemis to follow, but maintain a discreet distance. Sportsmaster docks, and stands by a railroad. Artemis' suspicion is raised and she exits the Bio-Ship to take a closer look. However, Cheshire stands behind her, and teases Artemis for not revealing her identity to her friends. Cheshire attacks, as does Artemis, but before their fight continues, Red Arrow shoots a trick arrow at Cheshire, tieing her up.

Cheshire flirts with her captor, leading Artemis to believe they are dating. Shocked, Red Arrow dismisses the idea, as Cheshire discreetly gives Sportsmaster word that they're being followed. The train arrives, and a case is thrown into Sportsmaster's hands. Cheshire breaks free and takes down Artemis. Sportsmaster makes his own escape, as Red Arrow is pinned to the ground by Cheshire, and she kisses him. Kid Flash arrives, and hits Cheshire to the ground, claiming her sai as his souvenir. Red Arrow orders Artemis to place a tracer on Sportsmaster, but she is unable to, claiming he's out of range. Red Arrow shoves her aside and manages to plant the tracer with a shot Artemis would never have attempted.

Red Arrow begins his pursuit of Sportsmaster, but his jet ski is blown up by the assassin. Sportsmaster removes the tracer from his boat, and throws bombs into the water, stopping Aqualad from following him. Aqualad contacts Kid Flash, who along with Artemis is fighting Cheshire. Cheshire disappears, but not before Artemis can place a tracer on her sword. Without any onlookers, Artemis also places a tracer on a passing train, giving Aqualad and Kid Flash the location of the tracer on the train, leading them in the opposite direction. She then follows the tracer on Cheshire, deceiving the Team.

At Mount Justice, Red Tornado leaves the cave, and Zatanna, M'gann, and Superboy decide to see what is in his apartment. They find a Christmas tree complete with decorations, as well as a human shaped object beneath a sheet.

Sportsmaster arrives at a warehouse and delivers the case to Ivo, who uses the device inside to perform experiments on the echinoderm, with help from the Brain and Klarion, who also performs experiments on it. The echinoderm begins to glow in an oddly shaped pattern. Artemis has tracked Cheshire to the same warehouse, and in another room, is confronted by her, who points out a tracker Red Arrow placed on Artemis. Mocking Artemis because a member of the Team doesn't trust her, Cheshire shows her live security camera footage of Sportsmaster preparing to kill Red Arrow. Artemis fires an explosive arrow at the factory door, alerting him to Sportsmaster's presence. A fight ensures between the four of them, as Red Arrow radios his location to Aqualad.

In Red Tornado's apartment, Zatanna, M'gann, and Conner are shocked to find a human android. Red Tornado arrives, surprising them, and explains that it will serve as his alterego, entitles John Smith. Zatanna comments on the android's attractive appearance, and uses the sheet that was covering to make it a pair of pants.

The fight between Red Arrow and Sportsmaster, and Artemis and Cheshire continues, as Kid Flash arrives, telling Artemis he and Aqualad found her tracer on a train, but is then confused as to how Artemis found Cheshire. As Klarion finished his experiment on the echinoderm, Artemis bursts into the room and orders them to freeze, and they do. Klarion freezes himself, Ivo, Klarion, Mallah, the Brain, Cheshire and Sportsmaster. The newly formed ice statues shatter, and the villains disapear.

Aqualad announces that they failed their mission, and that they know nothing of the supervillain team's plans. Red Arrow blaims Artemis, who defends herself with the information that Sportsmater was working for Brain, Klarion and Ivo. Red Arrow then continues that Ivo has been in Belle Reve the whole time, when unknown to him, it was merely an android replica of the professor. Kid Flash is annoyed at Red Arrow's continual accusations aimed at Artemis, but Red Arrow reveals that Artemis inertially sent Red Arrow, Aqualad and Kid Flash on a "wild goose chase". Kid Flash assumes it was because Artemis was insecure about Red Arrow joining the Team, and is shocked at her acceptance of the accusation. Kid Flash dumps the sai as his previous souvineer, and instead takes the tracker.

As the rest of the Team are ordered to sleep by Aqualad, Red Arrow tells Artemis that he knows she isn't who she says she is, and that "this isn't over".

Artemis returns home and goes straight to her room, where Sportsmaster awaits her. He knows that the Team has blaimed her for the failure of the mission, and then questions her continued membership. He doubts that the Team would ever trust her again if they found out about her family ties, and it is revealed that Sportsmaster is Artemis' father. Her father tells her that she can fight him, and her sister, but not who she really is. He tells her it's time to switch sides, and that she'll never be one of them.

Title
In this episode, Artemis is riddled with insecurity. At first, she feels insecure about whether she is worthy of her place in the Team or not. After Red Arrow joins the Team, she feels insecure about her position in the group, especially since he is also an archer and has it in for her. Finally, by the end of the episode, she feels insecure about what to do when her father tells her she can't fight her nature and tries to subvert her loyalties. The title could also refer to Sportsmaster, who bypasses Belle Reve Penitentiary's security to break in.

Cast and characters
! colspan="3" | Uncredited ! colspan="3" | Non-speaking roles
 * Lacey Chabert
 * colspan="2" | Zatanna Zatara
 * Crispin Freeman
 * colspan="2" | Red Arrow
 * Stephanie Lemelin
 * colspan="2" | Artemis
 * Danica McKellar
 * colspan="2" | M'gann M'orzz
 * Nolan North
 * colspan="2" | Conner Kent
 * Khary Payton
 * colspan="2" | Aqualad
 * Jason Spisak
 * colspan="2" | Kid Flash
 * Thom Adcox
 * colspan="2" | Klarion
 * rowspan="2" | Jeff Bennett
 * colspan="2"| Red Tornado
 * Bernell Jones
 * Nick Chinlund
 * colspan="2" | Sportsmaster/Crusher Crock
 * rowspan="2" | Kelly Hu
 * colspan="2" | Cheshire
 * colspan="2" | Paula Crock
 * rowspan="2" | Peter MacNicol
 * colspan="2" | Professor Ivo
 * colspan="2" | M.O.N.Q.I.
 * Josh Keaton
 * Black Spider
 * Alan Tudyk
 * colspan="2" | Green Arrow
 * Nick Chinlund
 * colspan="2" | Sportsmaster/Crusher Crock
 * rowspan="2" | Kelly Hu
 * colspan="2" | Cheshire
 * colspan="2" | Paula Crock
 * rowspan="2" | Peter MacNicol
 * colspan="2" | Professor Ivo
 * colspan="2" | M.O.N.Q.I.
 * Josh Keaton
 * Black Spider
 * Alan Tudyk
 * colspan="2" | Green Arrow
 * Josh Keaton
 * Black Spider
 * Alan Tudyk
 * colspan="2" | Green Arrow
 * Alan Tudyk
 * colspan="2" | Green Arrow
 * colspan="2" | Green Arrow
 * Peter MacNicol
 * Professor Ivo (android)
 * colspan="2" | Cissie King-Jones
 * colspan="3" | Cooper
 * colspan="2" | Cissie King-Jones
 * colspan="3" | Cooper
 * colspan="3" | Cooper
 * colspan="3" | Cooper
 * colspan="3" | Cooper
 * colspan="3" | Biggitz
 * colspan="3" | Brain
 * colspan="3" | Hauser
 * colspan="3" | Hugo Strange
 * colspan="3" | Monsieur Mallah
 * colspan="3" | Riker
 * colspan="3" | Teekl
 * colspan="3" | T.O. Morrow
 * colspan="3" | Wilcox
 * colspan="3" | Wolf
 * colspan="3" | Riker
 * colspan="3" | Teekl
 * colspan="3" | T.O. Morrow
 * colspan="3" | Wilcox
 * colspan="3" | Wolf
 * colspan="3" | T.O. Morrow
 * colspan="3" | Wilcox
 * colspan="3" | Wolf
 * colspan="3" | Wolf
 * colspan="3" | Wolf

Continuity

 * Red Arrow remarks on Artemis's improvement since their last meeting in "Infiltrator".
 * Green Arrow tells Red Arrow the result of the vote the Justice League took in "Agendas".
 * Paula Crock tells Artemis of how Batman and Green Arrow visited her before confronting Artemis, which happened in issue #8.
 * Artemis mentions saving Kid Flash's life, which happened in #8 and "Schooled".
 * Paula again mentions losing a daughter (as she had done in issue #7); this was shown in "Homefront".
 * Red Arrow's search for the mole started in "Targets".
 * Red Arrow mentions Sportsmaster was adept at recognizing Martian camouflage; he easily spotted Miss Martian in "Drop-Zone".
 * Cheshire refers to her last meeting with her sister Artemis, in "Infiltrator".
 * Cheshire also refers to her last meeting with Red Arrow, and the advances she made towards him, in "Targets".
 * The Light uses nanotech similar to the Fog to alter the echinoderm. The Fog was created by Dr. Serling Roquette in "Infiltrator" and the piece of the echinoderm was procured in "Misplaced".
 * The warehouse where Artemis and Red Arrow confront Cheshire and Sportsmaster is the same one where the Terror Twins were apprehended in "Terrors".
 * Aqualad still refers to the collective of villains opposing them as the Injustice League, who took the fall for the Light in "Revelation".

Trivia

 * Main title clips:
 * Professor Ivo talking to T.O. Morrow with Hugo Strange nearby (reversed) (02:15)
 * Red Arrow lines up an arrow (18:04)
 * Artemis arguing with Red Arrow and Kid Flash standing next to her (19:29)
 * A close-up of Sportsmaster (01:17)
 * Artemis lines up an arrow (inverted) (10:19)
 * Red Arrow being tossed away in an explosion (16:42)
 * Josh Keaton voices Black Spider. Keaton also voice another, more prominent web-slinger on The Spectacular Spider-Man, another show produced by Greg Weisman.
 * Green Arrow and Red Arrow stop a robbery at Save-Big. This is a reference to the Justice League Unlimited episode "Initiation", Green Arrow's debut in the DCAU, in which he stopped an armed robbery with a variety of trick arrows. Afterwards, John Stewart inducted him into the League, which mirrors Green Arrow telling Red Arrow that he has been accepted into the League.
 * In DC Comics, Cissie King-Jones is the heroine Arrowette, a member of the team Young Justice whose main skill is archery.
 * This episode aired in Brazil on March 14.

Cultural references

 * In their opening shot, Green Arrow and Artemis stand in front of a crescent moon. This lunar phase is traditionally connected to the Greek goddess Artemis. A similar reference was made on the cover of #7 of the tie-in comic.
 * Artemis uses a Zeta-Beam portal in Star City which resembles the Doctor's TARDIS from Doctor Who.


 * The Save-Big is said to be on the corner of "Weisinger and Papp". Mort Weisinger and George Papp are the creators of Green Arrow.
 * Under the Christmas tree in Red Tornado's room are a Kinara, a Menorah, a nutcracker and a snowman, along with several presents and fruits.

Unanswered questions

 * Why did Black Spider want to kill Bernell Jones?
 * What did Klarion, Professor Ivo and the Brain do to the piece of the echinoderm?
 * Does Artemis accept her father's proposition?