WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for "Elder Wisdom," Episode 19 of Young Justice: Outsiders, streaming now on DC Universe.
Being a superhero is a dangerous job, and that's before accounting for those who choose not to keep their alter egos secret. Having your civilian identity known to the public can turn a hero into an overnight celebrity, but there are also lots of added risks as well. First and foremost, your friends and family as now potential targets.
It's one reason the Young Justice Team has operated as the Justice League's covert-ops unit. As the former sidekicks are underage, it was important to keep their identities a mystery. However, Season 3 of Young Justice revealed one hero has made a name for himself in Hollywood as the star of a hit television series: Beast Boy.
Garfield Logan retired from The Team to pursue an acting career, following in the footsteps of his late mother. But when Beast Boy became the latest victim of Goode VR Goggles, developed by Goode World Studios founder Gretchen Goode (aka Granny Goodness), he rejoined The Team to take her down.
Part of Beast Boy's plan involved forming a public team to inspire the world. Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Blue Beetle, Static and Geo-Force step forward to join Beast Boy as a new Outsiders team, garnering positive reaction on social media with the #WeAreAllOutsiders trending hashtag. But when a ploy orchestrated by Lex Luthor leaves an Outsider injured, three of their parental guardians step in to essentially put the young heroes on a timeout.
A United Nations climate conference in Bwundasa is interrupted when a group of assassins makes a move on General Simon M'Barra. Thanks to a tip leaked on the dark web by Luthor, the Outsiders are already on the scene to foil the attack. Unfortunately, Kid Flash is injured during the melee, with footage making it online. Luthor takes the opportunity to point out how the Outsiders are untrained, reckless youths exploiting their special abilities.
Of course, we know Lex Luthor isn't to be trusted, but the general public isn't aware of his evil scheming. This is probably why Wonder Girl's mom, El Dorado's dad and Jay Garrick show up at the Hub -- the base of operations for the Outsiders -- to confront the Outsiders. While they have always worried about the safety of their kids, they at least had some solace knowing the kids had secret identities. But working with the Outsiders puts an even larger target on their back.
Beast Boy reminds Jay Garrick that he's an emancipated minor, while Static and Blue Beetle are 18 years old. However, because Wonder Girl, El Dorado and Kid Flash aren't 18, they technically have to obey their guardians. Jay even brings up the Watchtower's Grotto, where memorials are stored for deceased heroes like Tula, Jason Todd and Wally West.
Kid Flash realizes the cause of Jay's true issue has to do with the passing of his wife, Joan. Jay is in mourning, but Kid Flash reminds him that he's not going anywhere, and he can't just turn his back on missing meta-teens. After Wonder Girl and El Dorado chime in, the guardians decide back off their demands and allow the heroes to continue fighting the good fight.
"Elder Wisdom" is the perfect reminder that behind every hero is a support group that only wants the best for them. Seasons 1-2 of Young Justice never showed any on-screen deaths, compared to the more mature Season 3 with Halo's numerous deaths and resurrections, but we know heroes have fallen in the line of battle. Hopefully, none of the Outsiders find themselves memorialized in the Grotto.
New episodes of Young Justice: Outsiders premiere Tuesdays throughout the summer on DC Universe.