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Context Recap / YoungJusticeS1E1and2IndependenceDayandFireworks

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1!! Pilot/Episodes 1 and 2: Independence Day and Fireworks
2
3Takes place on July 4 - 8
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5Teenage superheroes Robin, Speedy, Kid Flash and Aqualad - Sidekicks, respectively, to Franchise/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/GreenArrow, Franchise/TheFlash and Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} - are taken to the Hall of Justice, [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League]]'s headquarters, for the first time. Speedy is disappointed that they will only have limited access (read: only slightly better access than ''the public''), and storms off after a rant about how disrespectfully the elder heroes have treated the younger. The League then receives a report about a fire at Project Cadmus, a suspicious research project, but get called away to deal with another crisis. The kids decide to investigate Cadmus on their own. They find out that Cadmus has been secretly creating living weapons called "genomorphs", including a clone of Franchise/{{Superman}} named ComicBook/{{Superboy}}. They try to rescue him, but he turns on them and captures them.
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7The project's director, Dr. Desmond, is told by Cadmus' [[NebulousEvilOrganization board of directors]] to [[NeverSayDie dispose]] of the young heroes and replace them with clones. However, Aqualad manages to help Superboy break his MindControl and he helps them escape. It is then revealed that the genomorphs' leader, Dubbilex, had secretly helped the heroes as he wanted them to help his brethren. Desmond tries to stop them by drinking a genomorphic chemical that turns him into [[OneWingedAngel a superstrong monster form]]. Still, the young heroes defeat him by working together. The League then shows up, and lectures the kids for acting on their own, but they stand up to them and convince them to allow them to be a team. The League accepts, although their roles will be mostly undercover, and set them up in Mount Justice, a former base used by the League. The ComicBook/MartianManhunter's niece, Miss Martian, joins the team in the end.
8
9!!Tropes:
10* ArcWords: "Today is the day."
11* DudeWheresMyRespect: Speedy blows up at the League for their treatment of their partners.
12* GreaterScopeVillain: Dr. Desmond is merely working for the "board of directors", a mysterious group of supervillains whose identities are hidden.
13* ItIsDehumanising: Wally calls people to task for identifying Superboy as an "it" rather than a "he".
14* KillAndReplace: Dr. Desmond's initial idea with Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad is just kill them and replace them with clones.
15* MythologyGag:
16** The Cadmus Project is based on the DNA Project, a concept created by Creator/JackKirby for Creator/DCComics in the 1970's, including the characters of The Guardian and Dubbilex. The DNA Project became Project Cadmus after the ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, and was later responsible for Superboy's creation.
17** The name of the project that the serum used by Dr. Desmond to transform is codenamed Blockbuster, an homage to the codename his comic book counterpart used (a DC Comics CaptainErsatz of ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk).
18* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Guardian ''tries'' to be one, but the genomorphs have a habit of putting the telepathic lockdown on him so he'll do what they want.
19* ThereAreNoCoincidences: The episode begins with four ice-themed villains (Captain Cold, Killer Frost, Mr. Freeze and Icicle Junior) all committing crimes on the same day.

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