War

"War" is the 15th episode of the second season of Young Justice, and the 41st of the overall series. It aired on February 9, 2013.

Logline
A conqueror from another world becomes a wild card in an intergalactic game of supremacy – placing planet Earth square in the jackpot.

Synopsis
Testifying in a courtroom, Superman tells one of the magistrates that he doesn't understand, as the other accused Leaguers and a large audience look on. The Tribune agrily responds before being interrutped by a colleague who points to a device on their desk. The Tribune hits the device, and it begins translating his Interlac speech. Superman declares (not for the first time) that the League did not intend the harm they caused, but the prosecutor finds that hard to believe, going into a long list of the damage, direct and indirect, done by the Leaguers. As he speaks, a pair of observing Kroloteans discuss the trial; one is shocked to learn the "savages" have refused to bribe the court. When the prosecutor asks Superman why they were put under Vandal Savage's control, Superman is forced to admit the reason is unclear. The testimony is interrupted by a commotion from the audience when a series of holographic screens pop up carrying news of the Reach's arrival on Earth. One of the Kroloteans is happy to see Earth finally being controlled, but his companion is more concerned about the Reach's growing influence in the galaxy. The Tribune attempts to call order, as Martian Manhunter and John Stewart telepathically discuss the Reach. John reveals the Reach were conquerors millenia ago; it took the entire Green Lantern Corps to stop them, leading to a treaty signed with the Guardians of the Universe stating that the Reach could only claim a world to which they had been invited, and that no Lantern may ever go to such a world. As the Tribune finally manages to quiet the crowd, in the shadowed back row Vandal Savage comments to the alien next to him that the Reach having access to Earth's meta-population could have long term implications about who will rule the galaxy. The alien rises, stepping down to the courtroom floor, shocking the crowd into silence, before wordlessly leaving the room.

Title
The title refers to the Warworld, the giant satellite that Mongul controls. His threats to Earth could be considered an act of war, which result in the Justice League, the Team, the world's military forces and even the Reach responding. It may also imply that events are now leading to a war with the Reach, given that Blue Beetle has revealed himself to the Team as a Reach operative and taken the key from Warworld, and the Reach revealed a hidden fleet on Earth while claiming they only brought one weaponless ship "for peace".

Cast and characters
! colspan="3" | Uncredited ! colspan="3" | Non-speaking roles
 * Keith David
 * Mongul
 * rowspan="2" | Miguel Ferrer
 * colspan="2" | Vandal Savage
 * Tribune
 * rowspan="2" | Crispin Freeman
 * colspan="2" | Arsenal
 * Galet Dasim
 * rowspan="3" | Phil LaMarr
 * colspan="2" | Green Beetle
 * colspan="2" | Ambassador
 * colspan="2" | Aquaman
 * Eric Lopez
 * colspan="2" | Blue Beetle
 * Jesse McCartney
 * colspan="2" | Nightwing
 * rowspan="3" | Masasa Moyo
 * colspan="2" | Bumblebee
 * colspan="2" | Cat Grant
 * colspan="2" | Scientist
 * rowspan="2" | Nolan North
 * colspan="2" | Superboy
 * colspan="2" | Superman
 * rowspan="3" | Kevin Michael Richardson
 * colspan="2" | Guardian
 * colspan="2" | Green Lantern
 * colspan="2" | Martian Manhunter
 * Alyson Stoner
 * colspan="2" | Batgirl
 * Michael T. Weiss
 * colspan="2" | Captain Atom
 * colspan="2" | Bumblebee
 * colspan="2" | Cat Grant
 * colspan="2" | Scientist
 * rowspan="2" | Nolan North
 * colspan="2" | Superboy
 * colspan="2" | Superman
 * rowspan="3" | Kevin Michael Richardson
 * colspan="2" | Guardian
 * colspan="2" | Green Lantern
 * colspan="2" | Martian Manhunter
 * Alyson Stoner
 * colspan="2" | Batgirl
 * Michael T. Weiss
 * colspan="2" | Captain Atom
 * colspan="2" | Green Lantern
 * colspan="2" | Martian Manhunter
 * Alyson Stoner
 * colspan="2" | Batgirl
 * Michael T. Weiss
 * colspan="2" | Captain Atom
 * Michael T. Weiss
 * colspan="2" | Captain Atom
 * colspan="2" | Captain Atom
 * colspan="3" | Kroloteans
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Girl
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Girl
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Girl
 * colspan="3" | Adam Strange
 * colspan="3" | Batman
 * colspan="3" | Beast Boy
 * colspan="3" | Black Beetle
 * colspan="3" | Black Canary
 * colspan="3" | Captain Marvel
 * colspan="3" | Doctor Fate
 * colspan="3" | Hawkman
 * colspan="3" | Hawkwoman
 * colspan="3" | Icon
 * colspan="3" | Impulse
 * colspan="3" | Red Tornado
 * colspan="3" | Robin
 * colspan="3" | Rocket
 * colspan="3" | Sphere
 * colspan="3" | Tseng Dangun
 * colspan="3" | Wolf
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3" | Icon
 * colspan="3" | Impulse
 * colspan="3" | Red Tornado
 * colspan="3" | Robin
 * colspan="3" | Rocket
 * colspan="3" | Sphere
 * colspan="3" | Tseng Dangun
 * colspan="3" | Wolf
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3" | Rocket
 * colspan="3" | Sphere
 * colspan="3" | Tseng Dangun
 * colspan="3" | Wolf
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3" | Wolf
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Woman
 * colspan="3" | Wonder Woman

Continuity

 * The away members of the Justice League are finally seen at their trial on Rimbor, something that they left for in "Alienated". This scene takes place on April 2, during "Cornered".
 * Although most of the damage, including the zeta beam teleporters, was already repaired, some parts of Star Labs Taos are still fenced off, after Red Volcano's rampage in "Runaways".
 * The Reach mobilizes their hidden fleet, which was seen in "Before the Dawn".
 * Arsenal has a panic attack at the thought of being captured again, referencing to his abduction by the Light before the events of the series. It was not until "Bloodlines" that he was freed.

Trivia

 * Mongul's recurring invoking of his mercy is a reference to one of Mongul's weapons of choice in the comics, the Black Mercy.

Goofs

 * EDT is four hours behind UTC. When Captain Atom conversed with Mongul, the timestamp showed 6:59 EDT in the Watchtower. The scene cut to the Warworld, a minute after, with 12:00 UTC in the timestamp. This would be correct for EST, but not EDT.
 * When Mongul grabs Superboy and mocks his powers, his right sleeve disappears.

Unanswered questions

 * Why did Vandal Savage goad Mongul to move in on Earth?
 * Who was the other tyrant that ousted Mongul from his dictatorship on his planet?
 * What does the Reach plan to do with the captured Team members, Mongul, the Warworld, and its key?