"Tale of Two Sisters" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of Young Justice, and the 78th of the overall series. It debuted on November 4, 2021 on HBO Max.
Things seem to be going well in the life of Artemis Crock. She is now a professor at the University, dating a new boyfriend, and still stopping bad guys, as Tigress, by night. When she returns home, to the house she shares with Will Harper and Lian Nguyen-Harper, she finds Will, Dick Grayson, and Kaldur'ahm waiting up for her. They inform her of Conner's death.
Tigress stands in front of the hologram memorials of both Conner and Wally West. A tear rolls down her cheek.
Star City April 18, 17:54PDT
At the Harper house, Will hangs a photo of the original Team on the wall. Artemis stares at it, barely holding her emotions together. Will tries to comfort her. Artemis stares at another photo on the wall. The one of Will with Lian and Lian's mother, Jade Nguyen.
Artemis thinks back to the days when both she and Jade were trained by their father, Lawrence Crock.
Artemis talks with her mother, Paula Crock. She confesses that she regrets not trying to save Jade from herself and if there was any way to find her, she would take it if it meant bringing Jade back for good. The look on Paula's face suddenly tells Artemis that Paula might actually know where Jade is hiding.
Cheshire takes a speedboat to sneak onto the island.
Back at Star City, Artemis decides to go to the University Library and leaves Paula to look after Lian. During the drive, Artemis breaks down crying, taking a moment to grieve the loss of Conner.
Artemis is followed all the way to the library by a mysterious figure. Inside the library, Artemis's tail is suddenly ambushed by Arsenal and Arrowette. The mysterious figure attacks them both, claiming that "they will never take her back". Using his robotic arm, Arsenal electrocutes the woman causing her to pass out. When the woman awakens, she finds Arsenal, Arrowette, and Tigress standing over her.
Cheshire tries to sneak into the Infinity Island Temple only to find Sensei waiting for her. The two fight with Sensei eventually becoming victorious. Cheshire calls for Sensei to finish the job.
Back at the University Library, the mysterious woman introduces herself as Onyx Adams and explains that she thought Arsenal and Arrowette were working for the League of Shadows. She also claims that she wasn't following Tigress to attack her, but to warn her: Cassandra Savage is on her way to claim that she has defected from the League and needs Tigress's help. But her true intention is to become a mole on the Team. At that moment, Cassandra comes out of the shadows. She has scars on her face and has also lost an arm. Cassandra claims that the League must have sent Onyx to sabotage her reception with Tigress. She explains that she was once loyal to her father, but after Vandal killed her sister, Olympia Savage, she couldn't stand it much longer. She tried to escape, once before, which cost her face and her arm. Onyx accuses Cassandra of lying. Not knowing which one to trust, Tigress decides that there is only one thing to do.
On Infinity Island, Sensei asks Cheshire why she has come. Cheshire states that she has come to end the bounty that the Shadows have put on her head. Talia al Ghul, Damian, and Red Hooded Ninja enter. Talia is not fooled by Cheshire's statement and accuses Cheshire of actually being afraid of something. Suddenly, Cheshire receives a message on her communicator. Without hesitating, she leaves the island.
Sixteen years ago,[1] Jade was packing her things to leave, and Artemis plead her to reconsider. Jade said that their mother wouldn't be getting out of prison anytime soon, and that she refused to stay at home with their father. Artemis desperately argued that they needed to keep their family from falling apart. She warned her that their father would go after her and Jade simply replied that she'll disappear "like the Cheshire Cat". She advised her younger sister to leave too, and contemplated taking her, but she would slow her down. Artemis claimed that someone had to stay and wait for their mother. Jade signed off by claiming that in their family it's every girl for herself.
Tigress, Arrowette, Arsenal, and Will Harper transport Onyx and Cassandra to the Vault. While en route, the League of Shadows ambushes them. Arrowette is knocked out, leaving Tigress, Will, and Arsenal to handle the Shadows while leaving Cassandra and Onyx inside their vehicles, handcuffed. Tigress is attacked from behind but Cassandra has freed herself and saves her. Arsenal and Will are pinned down by gunfire when Onyx breaks free and saves them.
At the Vault, Tigress has the women put in separate interrogation rooms. Cassandra claims that the Shadows were after her for her betrayal. Onyx claims that the attack was a ploy to help Cassandra sell her story. In the main room, Tigress, Red Arrow, Arsenal, and Arrowette meet with Terra, Spoiler, and Orphan, asking for their advice in fishing out the real mole. Orphan advises not to trust either of them. Red Arrow agrees. But Tigress holds out that there may be hope for both Onyx and Cassandra.
Lawrence found out that Jade had run away. Not caring, he focused his training on Artemis, alone. Jade left the city by bus.
Jade arrives at the Harper house. She reluctantly enters to find Paula sitting at the table. She asks Paula why she contacted her and if Lian was okay. But Paula seems surprised to see Jade and explains that Lian is just fine. Artemis enters, revealing that she was actually the one that called Jade.
End credits scene: Dick and Kaldur look at Superboy's memorial hologram in the Watchtower's memorial garden, over which Artemis recites the end of Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities.
Title[]
The episode is a tale of the two sisters, Artemis and Jade. It is a reference to the 1859 Charles Dickens novel A Tale of Two Cities, which Artemis also recites during her second lecture and the end credits scene. She also wrote the opening line of the book on her classroom board, in the last flashback she was holding the book and Paula is seen reading it before Jade shows up.
The group photo of the original Team that Artemis has Will hang up was taken moments before Red Arrow joined the Justice League in "Usual Suspects", judging by their clothes and setting.
A flashback shows Sportsmaster forcing her daughters to fight each other, which Cheshire reminisced about in "Usual Suspects".
Superboy's death dredges up Artemis's painful memories over the loss of Wally West in "Endgame".
Several references to Red Arrow being a mole in season one are made throughout this episode.
Sensei reminds Cheshire that he is no longer affiliated with the League of Shadows or the Light, something that Ra's al Ghul had declared in "Rescue Op".
Cassandra Savage mentions her father killing her sister in "Evolution". She also refers to his motto of not wasting life when it can be used for a better purpose, also established in that episode.
The flashback of Jade packing her things to run away is the partitioned one from "Homefront", now edited together.
Will's jab at Arsenal about keeping him away from the rocket launchers is a nod to "Satisfaction", where the latter broke into Green Arrow's hideout and absconded with a rocket launcher and other paraphernalia.
Will complains about losing another SUV because of the Team. In "Private Security", his SUV got demolished while he was on a side mission with Dick, Roy and Jim.
Artemis's car has the same shades of green as her original costume.
Terra's comment about how Cassandra Savage betraying her father would the "scandal" may be a tongue-in-cheek reference to Scandal Savage, Vandal's more well-known daughter in the comics.
Goofs[]
During her fight with Onyx, we can see Arrowette drawing her bow back but the strings don't move (second shot).
Sensei's eyebrows are briefly miscolored as white after he defeats Cheshire.
Cultural references[]
The French quote that Artemis writes on the board (C'est votre âme que je vous achète...) is from Victor Hugo's Les Misérables.
Artemis: I miss Conner. He was like a brother to me and... M'gann. I know exactly... exactly what she's going through. There are some things you just never prepare for and some things you can never get over.
Artemis: I know the formula, Mom. I know what works for me, what helps me through the grief.
Paula Crock: Hitting criminals over the head with a bo staff?
Tigress:You followed me from my home. My home! You broke the rules. Makes me want to break some rules, too.
Onyx: I've defected from the League of Shadows. Specifically to warn you. Look, can I stand up?
Tigress: No. But I'm listening.
Onyx: Okay, fine. Cassandra Savage is on her way here. She'll claim she defected and she'll pretend to need your help, but her true intent is to become a mole on your team.
Arrowette: So you want us to believe that Vandal Savage's daughter would believe that we would believe that she'd ever in 50,000 years betray her father?
Arsenal: Hell would have to freeze over.
Cassandra Savage: Well, as a matter of fact... you might want to break out your mittens. I'll only need the one, thanks.
Cheshire: Once a Shadow, always a Shadow. You taught me that, Sensei.
Sensei: I taught you many things, Jade Nguyen. Foolishness is not one of them.
Sensei: Cheshire... you came here to die. Come back when you are ready to live.
Will Harper:(stabs Shadow with a pen) Keep the pen. Compliments of Bowhunter Security. Our number's right on there. On second thought, I'm gonna need that back.
Terra: The falling apple does not bounce far from one's head.
Arsenal: I think you're conflating genetics with gravity. But, yeah. As the tree is bent, so grows the twig.
Red Arrow: Sometimes the apple doesn't even fall. It just sits on the branch and turns rotten.
Arrowette: Are we still talking about Cassandra and Onyx? Cause all this apple stuff has made me very confused and kinda hungry.