WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the first 10 episodes of Young Justice: Phantoms, streaming now on HBO Max.
The Young Justice series has been divisive when it comes to the Bat-family, with early seasons heavily focusing on Dick Grayson as Robin, who then becomes Nightwing. Now, Cassandra Cain and Spoiler play a larger role, but one thing that irked fans was how the show skipped over Jason Todd's death to push Tim Drake to assume the Boy Wonder mantle. Well, those diehards could be in for a treat soon enough, as Young Justice: Phantoms brings Jason back, and thanks to a shocking redemption arc, he could get a new and deadlier Outlaws team.
In the comics, Jason's Outlaws -- which included the Amazon Artemis, Roy Harper, Bizarro, Bunker, Starfire and Wingman -- were seen as ruthless vigilantes as Red Hood tried to atone for his sins. However, they were violent as can be, killing in the field, which drew the ire of Batman time and time again.
Ultimately, the Dark Knight and other sidekicks soon warmed to Jason, who toned it down and turned the Outlaws into something more. This show now has the chance to follow suit when Cheshire leaves Artemis and her family behind in "I Know Why the Caged Cat Sings," wanting to kill the League of Shadows' seniors on Infinity Island. However, Sensei makes it clear he's not about weaponizing killers anymore. He tells Cheshire he wants to make up for the past as well, with Ra's al Ghul chiming in, making it clear they're no longer part of the Light and want to heal the world.
Artemis is there when the speech goes down, and as skeptical as she is, she understands why Cheshire opts to stay. Her sister is seeking redemption with the only family she's ever known, because she really is ashamed to go back home. In addition, Onyx buys into the Shadows' sales pitch because Sensei wants to train them to be better.
Right there alongside him is a masked Jason, clearly the Demon Head's successor and someone who wants to scrub his own dark history. As such, audiences can see Ra's and Sensei training them, with Jason as the leader to form a take on the Outlaws. Cheshire has also been an ally to Jason's team in the comics, so this would allow her and Onyx to make up for their own criminal ways.
More so, a reformed Jason won't have to answer to Bruce and co.; although, folks are curious if Talia al Ghul will have input or be compromised based on her past with the Dark Knight. That said, once she helps train Damian, he could join Jason's team, giving the ex-Robin a cadre of the most brutal assassins ever. It'd even provide the Shadows their own Dynamic Duo when Damian matures, and once they're genuine about repenting, they could be a team that Batman's crew can use down the line against sinister threats.
See how Cheshire's redemption could give Jason Todd a new spin on the Outlaws in Young Justice: Phantoms. The first 10 episodes are streaming now on HBO Max.