Depths

"Depths" is the seventh episode of the second season of Young Justice, and the 33rd of the overall series. It aired on June 9, 2012.

Logline
Artemis rejoins the team to defend a critical satellite launch. But will her first mission back also be her last?!

Synopsis
In his news show, G. Gordon Godfrey speaks out on a new communication satellite that is being launched to improve communications between Earth and Mars. He speaks disdainingly about it and asks why the people of Earth want to improve communications when aliens are already trying to invade them. He announces he'll go to Cape Canaveral himself to enquire further.

Wally West watches Godfrey's show in his living room, when Artemis enters to tell him she's ready to leave. Wally is unhappy about her picking up the bow again, at which Artemis points out that he himself donned his costume weeks before. She explains that she is needed now and that Wally should not blame Nightwing for her going, since it was her own choice. She tells him not to worry, and leaves with a hug.

Nightwing is performing CPR on Artemis. He stops and declares her dead.

Nightwing is speaking to Mal Duncan and Superboy in The Cave about Impulse and the original Speedy. Mal believes that Bart and Roy are both going to become the Team's responsibility, but Nightwing disagrees saying that Bart is in the care of Jay and Joan Garrick, and Roy is being watched over by Green and Red Arrows at Royal Memorial Hospital in Star City. Mal still believes that they will end up the team's responsibility, and Superboy agrees adding that everything becomes their responsibility. Nightwing reveals that they have not gained any information regarding the Light's new partner.

Miss Martian enters with Lagoon Boy and she tells him that he will choke if he doesn't slow down eating the Crab Cakes she has made for him. Superboy is about to leave, but Artemis Zetas into the Cave and is greeted by everyone there. Gamma squad then begins its briefing. The team has to go into covert ops, and guard the rocket launch in Cape Canaveral. Nightwing mentions that the rocket could be attacked by people who dislike the idea of interplanetary communications, and Miss Martian is visibly upset at that. Artemis consoles her by saying that there are also many people who do want the contact. Mal questions Nightwing about why he is going on the mission and Nightwing responds that, after leading the Team for a year, he needs some action again.

Carol Ferris, CEO of Ferris Aircraft, holds a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center. Superman is seen flying above, while Martian Manhunter joins Carol on the ground to answer questions, an hour before the scheduled launch. G. Gordon Godfrey interupts Cat Grant when she is about to ask a question, and asks if Earth really wants more communications with aliens. Ferris argues that the Martians are not aliens, that they are our next door neighbors. Godfrey disagrees, but Martian Manhunter steps in to say that because Earth is being invaded the Martian-Earthling communication is needed more than ever, as they can make an alliance that will protect everyone. Martian Manhunter then leaves, which upsets Godfrey. He says that "Manhunter" in his name is ominous and asks why Superman, the Kryptonian, is not taking any questions at all.

"Martian Manhunter" flies with "Superman" and remarks that they are out of sight. He then morphs back into Miss Martian. Superboy is upset that she has to levitate him to make him look as if he is Superman, and she reminds him that they have to make it look like the Justice League is still there. Artemis and Nightwing are on a tower acting as lookouts. Artemis remarks that if there is no attack, they have a nice view at least. A mental link is established through Miss Martian and Nightwing tells her to patrol the skies with Superboy. Lagoon Boy says that he would like to join Miss Martian in the skies, but Nightwing responds in the negative telling La'gaan that he needs maximum coverage of the ground, air, and water. La'gaan is unhappy with this because he is being stereotyped as the water guy, and his girlfriend is patrolling the skies with her ex-boyfriend.

Title
The title may refer to the depths beneath the sea, where Kaldur'ahm launched his attack on the comsat. It may also refer to Kaldur'ahm's deep cover mission to infiltrate the Light. Finally, it may also refer to the depths of which Nightwing sunk into to ensure a successful infiltration—by lying to the Team and the League, and faking Artemis's death through the use of a heartbeat-stopping pill and a strategically-placed blood squib.

Cast and characters

 * Tim Curry
 * colspan="2"| G. Gordon Godfrey
 * Stephanie Lemelin
 * colspan="2"| Artemis
 * Yuri Lowenthal
 * colspan="2"| Lagoon Boy
 * Jesse McCartney
 * colspan="2"| Nightwing
 * Danica McKellar
 * colspan="2"| Miss Martian
 * Nolan North
 * colspan="2"| Superboy
 * rowspan="2"| Khary Payton
 * colspan="2"| Aqualad
 * colspan="2"| Black Manta
 * rowspan="3"| Kevin Michael Richardson
 * colspan="2"| Mal Duncan
 * colspan="2"| Superboy
 * rowspan="2"| Khary Payton
 * colspan="2"| Aqualad
 * colspan="2"| Black Manta
 * rowspan="3"| Kevin Michael Richardson
 * colspan="2"| Mal Duncan
 * rowspan="3"| Kevin Michael Richardson
 * colspan="2"| Mal Duncan
 * colspan="2"| Mal Duncan

! colspan="3"| Non-speaking roles
 * colspan="2"| Martian Manhunter
 * colspan="1"| Thomas Kalmaku
 * Jason Spisak
 * colspan="2"| Wally West
 * Kari Wahlgren
 * Carol Ferris
 * Jason Spisak
 * colspan="2"| Wally West
 * Kari Wahlgren
 * Carol Ferris
 * Carol Ferris
 * colspan="3" | Barbara Gordon
 * colspan="3" | Cassie
 * colspan="3" | Garfield Logan
 * colspan="3" | Impulse (photo)
 * colspan="3" | Jaime Reyes
 * colspan="2" | Jimmy Olsen
 * colspan="3" | Karen Beecher
 * colspan="3" | Raquel
 * colspan="3" | Speedy (photo)
 * colspan="3" | Tim Drake
 * colspan="3" | Zatanna Zatara
 * colspan="2" | Jimmy Olsen
 * colspan="3" | Karen Beecher
 * colspan="3" | Raquel
 * colspan="3" | Speedy (photo)
 * colspan="3" | Tim Drake
 * colspan="3" | Zatanna Zatara
 * colspan="3" | Speedy (photo)
 * colspan="3" | Tim Drake
 * colspan="3" | Zatanna Zatara
 * colspan="3" | Tim Drake
 * colspan="3" | Zatanna Zatara

Continuity

 * Artemis mentions Kid Flash "wearing yellow and red" a few weeks ago. This happened in "Bloodlines ".
 * Some members of the League are still away facing trial, which started in "Alienated".
 * Nightwing discusses the prospects of taking responsibility for Impulse and Speedy with Mal Duncan and Superboy. This refers to events in the previous episode, "Bloodlines", where Speedy was rescued from cryo-hibernation and Impulse arrived from forty years in the future.
 * This episode shows an improvement in Miss Martian's shape-shifting over the last five years, as she was shown to shape-shift into Martian Manhunter quite adequately here after claiming that males were harder for her in "Welcome to Happy Harbor".
 * The reason for the break-up between Superboy and Miss Martian is revealed; it was hinted at in "Happy New Year", "Earthlings" and "Alienated". Superboy also mentions Miss Martian's questionable use of powers on her enemies, which result in the victims being put into catatonic states, as seen in "Image", "Earthlings" and "Alienated."
 * Nightwing takes a look at the picture he took with Artemis on her first day at Gotham Academy, as shown in "Homefront".
 * The true reason for why Aqualad is with Black Manta is finally revealed in this episode.
 * Nightwing mentioned Aqualad's difficult choice to save the Kroloteans or his friends from the alien bomb. This alludes to events in "Alienated".
 * Nightwing mentions a history between him and Zatanna, which could have started after the events of "Auld Acquaintance".

Trivia

 * The faking of Artemis' death can be seen as an allusion to the classic and common "comic book death." A common occurance where a character returns from the dead.
 * If you listen closely to the first time when Artemis' "death" is shown, you can hear Nightwing crack the blood pack over her.
 * Nightwing states that Impulse is now living with Jay and Joan Garrick. This a similar to Bart's comic counterpart, who moved in with the Garricks after his original guardian and mentor Max Mercury disappeared into the Speed Force.

Goofs

 * In the very begining of the episode when Wally is talking to Artemis he turns his head and his eyebrows are miscolored black.

Unanswered questions

 * Why did Black Manta want to destroy the Earth-Mars communications satellite?
 * Why were Miss Martian, Superboy and the Justice League not included in the ruse of Aqualad's defection and Artemis's death?
 * Where did the Manta-men take Lagoon Boy?
 * Why did Artemis leave with Aqualad at the end of the episode, and where did they go?