The following contains spoilers for Young Justice: Phantoms, Episode 18, "Beyond The Grip of the Gods!," now streaming on HBO Max.
Young Justice has certainly proved an emotional trip for the Flash family. With Barry Allen kept to the Justice League, the first couple seasons focused heavily on Wally West evolving from a goofy teen into a badass speedster. Sadly, he died in battle, teaching the youngsters a lot about loss.
The series then brought in Bart Allen/Impulse from the future, marooning him in the present where he matured and became Kid Flash. Sure, he still had his sass, but he came a long way, honoring Wally and reminding Barry the mantle was in good hands. Ironically, Phantoms continued to delve into Barry's inner-circle, introducing another Flash with quite a bang in outer space.
As fans know, Jay Garrick is Barry's mentor and someone he actually thinks of as a dad. Barry was inspired by Jay, as were other members of the League, who thought the Justice Society of America were the perfect example. Granted, Jay wasn't connected to the Speed Force like the other Scarlet Speedsters, but he still proved to be a rock for the Flashes.
Jay even helped out in the field on occasion, although his biggest move was him and his wife, Joan, becoming Bart's legal guardian. They knew how important it was to add stability to Bart's life, but in time, Joan would pass, leaving Jay with a gap to be filled. Well, Phantoms confirmed he was passing the free time with the League, officially embarking on his first mission with Rocket and Forager (the Bug) to New Genesis' capital, Supertown.
He was quite excited, feeling like a kid again, but things grew dark when Jay and Co. realized a power cell had been stolen. They worked with Orion to get it back because it was a dangerous WMD that would kill the Bugs that kept it. Thankfully, Jay brought composure and patience to the team, showing how experience matters in testy situations. It culminated in Jay using his super-speed to rescue the Bug kids holding the cell and usher them away, while Rocket worked to minimize the damage.
It was brilliant teamwork with Rocket recognizing how much Jay's leadership mattered. Sure, she was in charge, but she respected how Jay helped her contain the blast and reduce collateral damage. And the thing is, Jay was never worried or flustered. He'd been through so much with the JSA, that this was a walk in the park. Even with Orion turning on the team briefly, Jay wasn't fazed.
It left fans wondering what role Jay will continue playing on New Genesis, now that the heroes realize someone is manipulating the planet. They don't know it's actually Darkseid, his sinister son Grayven, and other soldiers on Apokolips such as Lor-Zod, which will require Jay to dig deeper should a confrontation happen in the remaining episodes of Phantoms. Given his age, one can only hope he doesn't fall in battle against such a strong, young legion who clearly want New Genesis taken off the table.
Young Justice: Phantoms is now available to stream on HBO Max, with new episodes debuting Thursdays.