Episode 22: Agendas
Takes place on November 25.
Superboy receives a message from Lex Luthor, who is now in charge of Project Cadmus. He suspects that a second clone of Superman has been created by the project, and Superboy reluctantly goes back to Cadmus to investigate. Though Guardian assures him that no such clone has been created, Superboy discovers another clone in a capsule, labeled "Project Match". This clone proceeds to violently attack Superboy, knocking him out and escaping. After recovering, Luthor contacts Superboy and explains that Match was the first attempt by Cadmus to create a Superman clone that failed because his full-Kryptonian DNA drove him insane. Superboy was the second attempt, created with Half Kryptonian - half Human DNA, which is the reason why he doesn't have all of Superman's powers. Dubbilex, the lead genomorph from the pilot episode, guides Superboy to 'Genomorph City', an underground area where the genomorphs have been escaping to so that they could lead their own lives. The clone is there as well, being held by the psychic G-gnomes before he ends up going berserk and attacking Superboy again. Utilizing a special shield patch given to him by Luthor, which temporarily grants him full Kryptonian powers, Superboy defeats Match just as Guardian and Cadmus security arrive. After the clone is subdued, Superboy confronts Luthor directly about the incident, where Luthor reveals that he was the donor of Superboy's human DNA; Superboy attempts to attack Luthor after he tries to persuade him to join the Light, but is subdued by the phrase "Red Sun", completely shutting him down for several hours. He eventually recovers and returns to the cave.
Meanwhile, the Justice League has been debating whether or not to induct new members into the League, as well as questioning the presence of Dr. Fate and Captain Marvel on the team. The episode ends with the League ratifying their decision regarding new members, though what that decision is was not revealed before the end of the episode.
Notes:
- Guardian is revealed to be Roy Harper/Red Arrow's uncle, again like in the comics.
- Luthor's frequency line references Superman: The Movie.
- Superboy is confirmed to be a half-human clone of Superman, with the human DNA coming from Lex Luthor, much like in the comics. It's also revealed that in this continuity, his human DNA permanently prevents him from gaining full Kryptonian powers, unlike the comics where he has all the powers and tactile telekinesis.
- Superboy's "clone brother" (called Match) featured in this episode is from the comics as well, though his background and appearance are different there. In the show, he is actually the first attempted clone of Superman; Superboy was created after the failure to fully synthesize pure Kryptonian DNA drove him insane.
- Wonder Woman makes her first voiced appearance in the show, voiced by Maggie Q.
- Awkward Collar Pull: Captain Marvel is seen nervously tugging at the collar of his costume when Superman declares the league will net let children join. Reason is that at this point the league knows Captain Marvel is actually a kid in an adult body.
- Both Sides Have a Point: In the debate over whether Captain Marvel should remain in the League now that they know he's actually a 10-year-old. Red Tornado points out that as Captain Marvel, Billy has an adult body and the wisdom of Solomon, but Aquaman interjects that wisdom doesn't equal maturity. When Billy takes offense to Aquaman acting like he's not even there, a sympathetic Black Canary suggests that he leave the room while they talk it out, only for Batman to shoot her suggestion down as Captain Marvel is still a member of the League and is entitled to remain until he's actually voted out. When Wonder Woman is less upset about his actual age as she is that he lied, Captain Marvel states he didn't lie so much as simply not mention his actual age, to which she rebuts that a lie of omission is still a lie.
- Evil Parents Want Good Kids: Played with, as Batman is of course not evil, but he does lead a very dark, difficult life driven by his mission and past trauma, and he explicitly desires for Robin to not fall down that same path. When Wonder Woman disapprovingly brings up how Robin started crime-fighting at age 9, he explains that he believed the boy needed to be involved in bringing the people who murdered his family to justice.Wonder Woman: So he could turn out like you?
Batman: So that he wouldn't. - Superhero Speciation: Guy Gardner is one of the heroes the League considers to give membership, but Hal Jordan and John Stewart both oppose.
