Episode 14: Runaways
Takes place on May 13 - 14
The abductees are at STAR Labs, where scientists have them test their powers for hours at a time. Because of this (and Eduardo's anger at his scientist father) they decide to escape. "Neutron" is worried that his powers will come back and believes they're being kept at STAR Labs for their own good, so he calls security. Here (except for Tye) they get to show off their powers: Virgil can control electricity, Eduardo can teleport and Asami can propel herself with kinetic energy. A power outage lets them escape. They go to a bus station and discuss what to do when STAR personnel and Blue Beetle find them. Tye uses his power of creating a giant astral projection of himself to help them escape again, though he has trouble controlling it.
Blue Beetle finds them and tries to convince them to go back, even revealing his identity as Jaime. He convinces them to go with him to Green Beetle, but Nightwing gives him a new mission: Red Volcano is attacking STAR Labs looking for parts of AMAZO, and he's the only one close enough to stop him. The runaways follow him.
The Runaways are no match for Red Volcano, so they mostly evacuate civilians while Blue Beetle fights him. As they fight, Blue Beetle displays a highly uncharacteristic ruthlessness, unleashing his full firepower without regard for the safety of nearby civilians, or even that of the runaways. He eventually destroys Red Volcano and insists the runaways come with him, but is soon distracted by the arrival of the press, who he shows off for. The runaways ditch him in disgust.
They're found by Lex Luthor (revealed to the audience to have been behind Red Volcano's attack). Luthor tells them he was responsible for the power outage and that despite being partnered with the Reach, he doesn't trust them. He offers them the chance to work for him.
Notes:
- Asami can only speak and understand Japanese.
- It's revealed that Green Beetle has not reprogrammed Blue's Scarab to put him in control of it, but has instead put him and it under the Reach's control. It seems Green Beetle was a mole for the Reach after all.
Tropes used in this episode
- Reality Has No Subtitles: Asami is not translated for anyone, not even the audience, unless someone in-universe translates for her.
