WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Young Justice: Phantoms, streaming now on HBO Max.
One of the newest characters to Young Justice quickly proved one of the most intriguing, with Zatanna's protégé Mary Marvel hinting at a dark secret through much of the latest arc --- one whose true nature was only revealed in the latest episode. The young Shazam family member used her powers in a very different way from her season 4 debut, utilizing her connection to the divine power as a source of magical power in her training with Zatanna. Yet the question of why she has yet to transform into her alter ego just got more interesting.
In "Nomed Esir!" fans of Young Justice finally got their answer. Mary Marvel goes through a therapeutic foray into a magical realm that tests worthiness for the challenges that lay ahead, and in confronting that test the audience learns why she may just be one of the best new additions to the show's cast.
Young Justice's massive and ever-expanding cast seldom leaves time to delve deeply into its new characters, but occasionally there are hints of depth that prove too intriguing to ignore. As Zatanna took on the new proteges: Khalid Nassour, Traci Thirteen, and Mary Marvel it was the last of the trio who raised the most eyebrows. As the character with the oldest origins in the comics by far, dating back to her first 1945 appearance, and the one with the greatest representation in other media like Batman: The Brave and the Bold and the live-action Shazam!, Mary certainly had the popularity to attract viewers' attention. But what proved perhaps most interesting is that this version of Mary was totally different from any seen before.
Classically, Mary's powers work much the same as Shazam and the rest of his family. The young mortal shouts a magical incantation that strikes her with a transformative lightning bolt, granting her extraordinary abilities and a costume fit for superheroics. But the Mary Marvel of Young Justice only used a fraction of her powers at a time, individually calling on the speed of Mercury or the strength of Hercules rather than fully transforming. Throughout the following episodes she avoided saying "Shazam!" almost out of fear of even briefly transforming, and tension built around the mystery of why exactly Mary would not embrace the fullness of her power all at once.
In the latest episode, the heroes of Young Justice turn to Doctor Fate to seek his aid. The Lord of Order subjects Zatanna's trainees to trials against their inner demons, whisking them away to separate magical realms where they face their greatest fears. For Mary, that means a face-to-face confrontation with her full divinely-empowered self. The audience learns that Mary struggled in the past with growing disconnected from mortal life, occupying her Shazam-infused form almost all of the time, and ever since she has been subsequently reconnecting herself with humanity and only calling on portions of her total power at a time.
The conflict stands out as unique and interesting against those of her compatriots, and that is not for any lack in their tales either. Traci Thirteen's conflict centers around her inner voices of self-doubt and the expectations of others, while Khalid's involves a crisis of faith that brings his practice of magic, science, and Islam into contention with one another. The magic of Traci and Khalid's inner conflict is how relatable and everyday they are, and that certainly has its value in terms of drawing the viewer into the experience of the show, but Mary's stands out as a problem specific to her situation and powerset. It's made all the more interesting as a result of its inhuman nature, deepening Mary's alienation from humanity.
It is exceptional storytelling, and refreshing to see one of the newer characters in Young Justice getting the space they deserve. It also provides further fascinating conflict moving forward as the stakes of the threats the Team is up against ramp up. When will the temptation to fully transform become too great for Mary to resist, and could her hesitation to do so come with severe cost?
Plus, it's refreshing to see the character getting the space she deserves, free from Billy Batson's shadow, with the hero Shazam too often serving as the narrative focus to stories featuring his sister. When Billy appears in the episode it is for a sobering moment of self reflection rather than to steal the spotlight. Given the room to grow, there's no telling what Mary Marvel could transform into next.