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"Ebb Tide" is the 15th episode of the fourth season of Young Justice, and the 88th of the overall series. It debuted on March 31, 2022 on HBO Max.
Logline[]
Clark Kent gets all the news that's fit to print, and Kaldur'ahm hears old family stories from his parents.
Synopsis[]
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Clark Kent reads the Daily Planet at the counter of Bibbo's Diner, when two strangers sit on either side of him. The girl tells him they need to talk, calling him Superman. Clark tells them they must be confused before The boy shape-shifts into an alien form and tells him they need his help.
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At the ruined conference hall, Kaldur and La'gaan report to Orin. Kaldur informs him they have not found any sign of Ocean-Master. Orin is unsurprised and wonders why Ocean-Master would make such an uncharacteristically chaotic attack with seemingly no larger goal attached. Kaldur suggests he may simply have sought revenge for his imprisonment, but Orin doubts he would have waited so long for that. La'gaan then reports on the growing unrest in almost every city-state, especially Xebel, where King Ryus Nereus himself is stoking protests against the apparent priority being given to repairs to Poseidonis, while other city-states feel neglected. Orin explains that Orm could not be seen to have won, and that the repairs were being paid for by Poseidonis itself, not the Atlantean treasury. Kaldur tells him that is not how the people see the situation, and Orin complains about perception. The people always criticized him for not giving enough time to Atlantis while he was Aquaman, and now that he is king full-time, they disagree with his decisions.
In the strange dimension he awoke in, Superboy continues leaping from rock to rock while carrying the unconscious "Ghosty". He laments that despite covering a lot of ground, they have gotten nowhere, and hopes the heat trail he is following leads them somewhere useful. Another rock then collides with the one he is standing on. Superboy leaps to another rock, becoming angry and swearing in Martian. The source of the heat trail then reveals itself as a huge creature turns toward Superboy and charges at him, slashing his back.
In the throne room of the Atlantean royal palace, Mera warns Orin that rumors are spreading about the stranger that defeated Ocean-Master and Neptune's Trident, with many feeling it fits the Prophecy of the One True King. Orin is unconvinced, since it is hardly the first time Ocean-Master and the trident had attacked and been driven back. Mera points out that fact will not stop the rumors, and Orin asks for the exact wording of the prophecy. Mera conjures the Tablet of the Widowhood and recites the prophecy. Orin acknowledges that the first condition of the prophecy-a stranger quelling the trident's threat-seems to have been met, but wonders if it fits too well; had Ocean-Master thrown the fight to set up the victor as a hero? Mera notes the stranger had real power, and Orin orders for the Widowhood to make finding the stranger their top priority.
At Wyynde and Kaldur's home, Wyynde praises Delphis for her work helping those displaced by Ocean-Master's attack. Kaldur agrees and offers Delphis the chance to stay with them for as long as she needs to continue the work. Delphis thanks him, and passes on a message from his parents, asking him to call them. Wyynde and Delphis go outside to give him some privacy. He makes the call, reaching Sha'lain'a who quickly calls over Calvin Durham as well. They explain that they are worried about Kaldur, feeling he has taken on too much while still grieving for Conner. Kaldur objects that he is merely doing what is necessary, but they feel he is going beyond that, as he always has. Kaldur says he learned responsibility from them, but they laugh and suggest he learned that because of them, not from them. Though Kaldur objects that they were wonderful parents, they remind him of the difficult times when he was young. Calvin had always been away from home, struggling to find honest work and falling in with Krush's criminal gang. Sha'lain'a had suffered from depression, sometimes finding herself unable to leave home. Kaldur had comforted his mother and taken on odd jobs to help. Things eventually improved as his mother sought help and Calvin found his path, but by then Kaldur's sense of responsibility had been set. They urged him to finally take time to be himself, but Kaldur refused, he could not until Orm was captured. Before the conversation could continue, Kaldur was called outside by Wyynde, to witness a giant pillar of fire that had appeared outside the city.
In the skies above Metropolis, Superman flew up to meet Saturn Girl and Chameleon Boy. After claiming his friend Clark had sent him, Saturn Girl asked to explain things telepathically, but Superman insisted they talk. The pair explained that they had traveled back in time to prevent a disaster, the death of Superboy. Though they had previously succeeded a year ago outside the UN with no-one noticing, they had failed on Mars. Superman asked why they could not go back in time and try again. Saturn Girl told him their Time-Sphere was destroyed, stranding them. They also mentioned that there had been a third with them, but she died alongside Superboy. Superman was dubious, having seen no evidence of a second death at the scene. They agreed, but since their friend had flown off to try and save Superboy and then never returned, they could only conclude she died in the explosion as well. Superman wondered how they got back from Mars without their Time-Sphere. Saturn Girl said they asked for help and "she" said yes, as Bio-Ship decamouflaged.
Mera thanked Nimue for the warning as she swam out to the pillar of fire and conjured a giant octopus to attempt to extinguish the pillar. Doctor Fate and the Sentinels of Magic teleported nearby, as Kaldur and Orin swam out of the city to join Mera, with Kaldur noticing them just as they teleported away.
Back in Superboy's dimension, Conner leapt from rock to rock, dodging the creature. He put down Ghosty, and tried to punch it as it passed by, but found it intangible. Conner berated himself, remembering that he needed to believe to touch something. He hit the creature again, this time making contact, but to Conner's horror it fell on Ghosty.
Back at the pillar, Mera makes a protective bubble around herself, Orin and Kaldur, as she explains that a new Chaos Lord had created the pillar, which was generating red waters that killed anything they touched. Orin warns the sea life to keep clear, then orders Poseidonis sealed. Mera's octopus collapses, so she has Kaldur take over the bubble, allowing her to focus solely on fighting the pillar. At the city gate, La'gaan sees Blubber outside, about to be overrun by the red water. He has to be held back from going out to save his best friend, but Orin sees and has Kaldur project another bubble to get him clear of the red water. He reaches Blubber and helps him speed to the opposite side of Poseidonis, as Ocean-Master looks on.
Back over Metropolis, Superman notes Bio-Ship is a great character reference, and offers his help. The Legionnaires explain that Superboy had been a great inspiration to them, and that Superboy's death had led to a galactic disaster in their time. They ask Superman to take Superboy's place at a crucial moment in Happy Harbor at noon in exactly ten years. They dare not reveal too many details, but suggest that Superman should ask himself "what would Superboy do?" The pair refuse to reveal their future plans for fear of affecting the timestream. Superman is called away to Agra by Black Lightning. As Superman leaves, Chameleon Boy is disappointed the timestream had not reset itself, suggesting Superman failed. Saturn Girl counters that their exposure to chronoton radiation may mean they are no longer able to tell if the timeline changes. They need to keep trying.
Back at Poseidonis, Orin has the guard there let Blubber in, then spots Ocean-Master approaching the pillar. Orin can't believe even Orm would take advantage of this crisis, and Orm tells him he is right; he wants to help as he has no interest in being master of a dead ocean. He has no intention of saving Orin from the encroaching red water however, so Orin is forced to back away.
As Mera wraps the pillar in an eel construct, Orm appears beside her and fires a beam at the eel, making it larger and stronger. Kaldur wonders what Ocean-Master will do if they succeed. Mera admits he will likely try to kill them, but they must take one crisis at a time.
Meanwhile, Superboy continues to battle the creature. He throws a rock which passes right through it, before the creature slashes him across the chest. Conner becomes enraged but pauses as he sees Ghosty is unharmed. He wonders why he is the only thing solid to the creature, then realizes it is attracted to his rage. Conner begins to imagine himself fixing a motorcycle in his garage, with Wolf, Sphere and M'gann, calming him. The charging creature passes through him and flies off. Conner kneels by Ghosty and admits that, though they survived the creature, following its heat trail led them nowhere, and they have no other leads.
Back at the pillar, the eel construct collapses. Mera and Orm fire suppression beams, and Mera reciting the prophecy can be heard, as a third beam strikes the pillar; the stranger has appeared at their side. The pillar becomes contained and the red waters recede. In Poseidonis, La'gaan and a number of gathered Atlanteans whisper of the prophecy, to Delphis's confusion.
Finally, the pillar is extinguished. No sooner than it goes out, Ocean-Master blasts Mera and Kaldur, knocking Kaldur out. Mera tries to fight back but is too drained to conjure anything. The stranger blocks a blast meant for them, as La'gaan, Wyynde, Delphis and others from the city approach. The stranger then easily disarms Ocean-Master of the trident. Orin appears to arrest Orm, uppercutting him and knocking off his mask. La'gaan and Wyynde drag Orm away. The stranger passes the trident on to Mera, and turns to leave, but Orin and Mera ask his identity. He initially demurs, but reluctantly pulls off his hood and reveals himself as Arion. Mera recognizes him as the first Lord of Atlantis, but he calls himself the failure of Atlantis. The crowd begins chanting Arion's name, as Delphis asks Kaldur who he is.
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Jay Garrick leaves his home. Once he is gone, Saturn Girl and Chameleon Boy, appearing as regular humans once more, approach and ring the bell. When Bart Allen answers the door, they tell him they need to talk to Kid Flash.
End credits scene: In a storeroom on the Warworld, Vandal Savage issues instructions to his daughter. Though Child has been defeated, they will keep the equipment they had evacuated to the Warworld there, pending the next inevitable crisis. He wants Psimon to confirm the integrity of the Psy-Backs, and the inventory updated before the room is sealed. He wants it done quickly so they can move on to their highest priority, Project Thrinos.
Title[]
Ebb Tide is the period between High Tide and Low Tide when the sea level falls. Metaphorically, this could refer to the ebbing popularity of High King Orin after the arrival of Arion, Kaldur'ahm's struggle to retain composure under mounting pressure, and the Legionnaires' seemingly failed attempts to correct the timeline.
Cast and characters[]
| Voice actor | Character | |
|---|---|---|
| Dee Bradley Baker | Chameleon Boy | |
| Devourer | ||
| Robbie Daymond | Wyynde | |
| Blubber | ||
| David Kaye | Arion | |
| Vandal Savage | ||
| Phil LaMarr | Orin | |
| Calvin Durham | ||
| Yuri Lowenthal | La'gaan | |
| Nolan North | Superboy | |
| Clark Kent/Superman | ||
| Khary Payton | Kaldur'am | |
| Black Lightning | ||
| Tiya Sircar | Delphis | |
| Roger Craig Smith | Ocean-Master | |
| Rodunn | ||
| Kath Soucie | Mera Nereus | |
| Tara Strong | Sha'lain'a | |
| Kari Wahlgren | Saturn Girl | |
| Uncredited | ||
| Multiple Atlanteans | ||
| Non-speaking roles | ||
| Bart Allen | ||
| Bibbo Bibbowski | ||
| Bio-Ship | ||
| Cassandra Savage | ||
| Doctor Fate | ||
| Jay Garrick | ||
| Khalid Nassour | ||
| Mary Bromfield | ||
| Megan Morse (dream) | ||
| Phantom Girl | ||
| Sphere (dream) | ||
| Thirteen | ||
| Wolf (dream) | ||
| Zatanna | ||
| 1 | Character debut |
| 2 | Speaking debut |
| 1 | Episode debut |
Continuity[]
- Clark is reading a Daily Planet newspaper with the front cover's headline saying "Roanoke Island Disaster". This refers to Child and Klarion's skirmish in "Nomed Esir!", which ended just five hours prior.
- This episode's events are concurrent with "Og Htrof Dna Reuqnoc!", in which Child unleashed a series of pillars of fire across the globe. Mera thanks Nimue for the heads up, who at that time was tasked with foreseeing the Lord of Chaos's next moves. The scene where Mera tries to contain the pillar is briefly seen in the aforementioned episode, as Doctor Fate and his group travel through every crisis location. Likewise, Superman is summoned to help in Agra, as seen in the end credits scene of that episode.
- Saturn Girl and Chameleon Boy brief Superman on their failed mission to save Superboy in "Involuntary".
- Chameleon Boy's line "So, please, get on board, so we can get out of the way" is a paraphrase of Superboy's line to the Justice League in "Fireworks".
- To soothe himself, Conner thinks of his closest attachments—Megan, Wolf and Sphere—while fixing bikes, which was established to be his job in "Private Security". Megan is wearing her engagement ring which Conner gave her in "Princes All" and Conner and Megan are also wearing their wedding rings which they briefly wore in "Inhospitable".
Trivia[]
- The mural depicting Orin as Aquaman astride a sea horse may be a reference to his early iteration from Filmation's The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure.
Goofs[]
- La'gaan refers to the other Atlantean city-states as principalities. However, both Nanauve and Xebel are led by kings—Nanaue Sha'ark and Ryus Nereus, respectively—so they would be kingdoms, not princedoms.
Cultural references[]
- Shakespeare reference: Kaldur'ahm's adage "Heavy the head that wears the crown" is a famous misquote of the line "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown", from William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2.
Questions[]
| Questions |
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Unanswered questions[]
- What will happen in Happy Harbor in ten years?
Quotes[]
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References[]
| ◄ Previous "Nautical Twilight" |
Season four "Ebb Tide" |
Next ► "Emergency Dive" |