The following contains spoilers for Doom Patrol Season 4, Episode 4, "Casey Patrol," now streaming on HBO Max.
Doom Patrol's latest episode introduced a popular character from the comics and gave their origin a significant twist.
"Casey Patrol" deviates from the main cast's frenzy over Rita's unconscious state to catch up with Dorthey and Morah Lee in Danny the Street's safe haven. Their world doesn't stay safe for long, as a group of robotic bugs infiltrates Danny the Street, turning the Dannyzens into screeching mechanical creatures. Dorthey identifies them as Vectra, the henchmen of galactic villain Torminox from her favorite comic book, Space Case. With Morah Lee and Dorthey the only remaining Dannyzens, the latter decides to bring Casey Brinke to life using her powers. A real-life Casey (Madeline Zima) manifests outside the trailer the pair have barricaded themselves in, quickly knocking out the attacking Vectra.
Who is Casey Brinke in the Doom Patrol Comics?
Gerard Way and Nick Derington created Casey Brinke during a critically acclaimed revival of the Doom Patrol in 2016 as part of DC's Young Animal imprint started by Way. Similar to Marvel characters like She-Hulk and Deadpool, Casey often breaks the fourth wall to talk with the reader and comment on situations she faces within the comic. By day, she works as an EMT, but she also serves as a superhero known as Space Case. In the comics, Danny The Street brought Casey to life from comics books rather than Dorthey, though they still played an instrumental role in Casey's creation.
"Casey is so beloved both by our writers on staff and by fans of Doom Patrol in general," showrunner Jeremy Carver said when Doom Patrol first revealed Space Case's upcoming addition. "We finally found a way to bring her into the story in a way that feels wholly organic to us, even though to someone who's never seen Doom Patrol, it might seem a little bats--- insane. To us, it fits perfectly! And it's not just a cameo."
Not long after revealing Zima's role as Casey in the show, Derington posted a side-by-side comparison of the hero in HBO's Doom Patrol and a sketch he drew of her based on her appearance in the comics. The photo of Zima in costume mimics one of his earliest sketches of Casey when creating the comics, something the artist heavily praised.
Doom Patrol Season 4 episodes air every Thursday on HBO Max. Seasons 1-3 are currently streaming.
Source: HBO Max