WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the first three episodes of Young Justice: Phantoms, streaming now on HBO Max.
In Young Justice: Phantoms, Beast Boy/Gar has been exhibiting some disturbing traits. He’s been lashing out on Mars, endangering diplomatic relations on a planet that’s already dealt with racial tension and politics. This has caused Miss Martian distress, as she’s deeply worried for Gar. And sadly, in Phantoms‘ third episode, “Volatile,” Beast Boy’s denial and mishandling of the situation almost kill Superboy.
Miss Martian wants to help Gar because he’s like a brother to her, but he insists on bottling things up and trying to control the Outsiders remotely, even though Cassie’s taking care of the squad. He’s adamant nothing’s wrong, despite flashbacks of numerous fights against villains, such as Kobra, which hints at deep-lying problems. He’s also seeing visions of Brion all the deaths that surrounded the other youths, which is another mind that his mind is slipping.
And it all comes to a head when Gar’s part of the Martian contingent helping Conner build his crystal for the wedding ceremony with Miss Martian. As they’re deep below the surface where the sun can’t penetrate, Conner’s health isn’t pristine, and Gar blows it out of proportion when his flashbacks take over. As he sees the lava, he recalls Brion’s powers, the killing of his corrupt uncle Baron Bedlam,and how Brion angrily left the team, making them enemies of Markovia. At this point, Gar’s triggered and grabs Conner, making it clear that he has to save him.
Gar convinced himself that Superboy’s dying and that he needs to get him to the surface of the sun to recharge him. The only problem is, as Conner fades, the surface is actually more dangerous and will kill him due to its toxic composition. Fortunately, Miss Martian’s allies, including Prince J’emm, are able to jet up and grab Conner from the surface. And then the real breakthrough comes when Gar’s calmed down via a mental link.
Miss Martian taps into his mind telepathically, and it turns out Gar’s been damaged because he felt like he had finally found a family with the Outsiders. However, Brion’s betrayal and Terra’s own subterfuge wrecked him, and he’s been processing those issues in a harmful way. All these incidents, coupled with Gar’s bad upbringing and Granny Goodness messing with his mind, patterned fracture points that are now manifesting.
And while Miss Martian puts the shards in place, Gar soon realizes it wasn’t her at all. Unbeknownst to them, it was actually the Legion of Super-Heroes’ Saturn Girl working her magic, but regardless, they’re glad Gar’s been repaired. He soon apologizes to Conner, but Superboy only cares that about getting his little buddy back in one piece.
To see how Beast Boy’s trauma endangers the team, the first three episodes of Young Justice: Phantoms are streaming now on HBO Max.
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