Young Justice ended its long-awaited fourth season, subtitled Phantoms, recently. The story mainly focused on Superboy's apparent death and the Team's efforts to rescue him from the Phantom Zone, coming into conflict with the evil General Zod in the process. Other characters received considerable attention, but the show's attention remained firmly on Superboy.
Phantoms' last episode wrapped up most of the major plot points, providing a satisfying conclusion to the season's main storylines, especially considering its future remains uncertain. However, it also left several burning questions unanswered, leaving the door open for a potential season 5.
What's The Team's Current Line-Up?
The Team has gone through numerous iterations over Young Justice's four seasons. The current line-up is somewhat confusing, considering M'Gann is back, meaning Artemis is no longer in charge. Then there's Dick, who also works with them but isn't exactly part of the line-up, a similar situation as Aquaman and Superboy.
Originally meant to be a way for younger heroes to get their feet wet, the Team is now more of an off-the-book group that works in secret operations. Will season 5 reunite the main line-up led by Nightwing or Aquaman to train younger heroes, or will it keep going the secretive route?
Will Jade Go Back To Will & Lian?
Artemis' arc revolved around her strained relationship with her sister, Jade, AKA Cheshire. Things ended positively for the two. Although Jade chose to stay with the League of Shadows, her bond with Artemis strengthened, and the show hinted there might be a way to repair their relationship.
Cheshire is one of the most interesting characters in Young Justice. Her flexible loyalties and self-interest make her fascinating, and her relationship with her former love Will and their daughter Lian adds an extra layer of complexity to her characterization. Season 5 needs to keep exploring the dynamic between this chaotic family because there's genuine love between them; all it needs is a little push.
What's The Deal With Brion & Markovia?
Brion Markov played a prominent role in season 3, acting as the de-facto leader of the newly formed Outsiders under Nightwing's mentorship. However, he fell under Baazovi's influence and betrayed his teammates, becoming Markovia's king.
Spending most of season 4 on the sidelines, Brion received hardly any development in Phantoms. The show seems to be setting up his eventual redemption, but there's no knowing when it will actually happen. Brion is an intriguing character that deserves more screentime in Young Justice, and season 5 should either hurry up with his redemption or give his storyline proper closure.
Is Dick A Metahuman?
Dick Grayson is arguably the show's lead character. He is also one of the most famous non-powered DC characters and the Bat-Family's second in command. However, Young Justice: Phantoms' last episodes hinted that Dick might be a metahuman.
He held his own against a Kryptonian in hand-to-hand combat, resisting a fully powered punch from him. Dick's training surely gave him enhanced resistance and stamina, but taking a direct hit from a Kryptonian and surviving is an entirely different story. Young Justice plays fast and loose with comic book canon, and while giving Nightwing superpowers would be a significant deviation from the source material, it might be a welcome change.
What's Ma'Alefa'Ak Next Move?
M'Gann's treacherous brother, Ma'Alefa'Ak, is one of Young Justice's best and most hated villains. His hatred for Green Martians turned him into a radical extremist and terrorist. Ma'Alefa'Ak was one of the main architects behind the attempt on Superboy's life and served as Lor Zod's henchman during Phantoms' last episodes.
Season 4 ends with Darkseid gifting Ma'Alefa'Ak with a planet for the White Martians to call their own. Considering everything the show has revealed about him, it's clear Ma'Alefa'Ak will be a terrible leader. Now that he has a planet of his own, will he seek to expand in his quest for White Martian supremacy? Or will he remain a loyal servant to Darkseid?
Will Emerald Empress Return?
Ursa, General Zod's cruel wife, proves even more deranged than her husband, especially after becoming the Emerald Empress. The Eye of Ekron rescues her from being sent back to the Phantom Zone, taking her to Daxam, where she reveals she's pregnant with Zod's baby, the future Lor-Zod.
It seems very likely that Ursa will return, but in what capacity? The revised timeline means that Lor will be born centuries before the original continuity, and he'll surely develop the same ruthless ambition as the original, especially under Ursa's care. Will the two try to release Zod again only to discover he isn't in the Zone? Or will they seek revenge against Superboy and Superman?
When Will Jason Become Red Hood?
Young Justice has been teasing Jason Todd's arrival for two seasons. Many expected Dick's storyline to revolve around Jason, but Phantoms neglected both characters in the end, leaving Jason's situation just as confusing as it was when he first appeared.
Season 5 should deal with his storyline already. One of the show's most egregious mistakes was supposedly killing him off-camera in the time jump between seasons 1 and 2. It now has the chance to provide the character with a real storyline while adding deeper complexity to the Bat-Family. What's stopping them? It makes no sense to keep putting Jason's arrival off, especially considering the Bat-Family has been largely absent for the past two seasons.
Will The Furies Be The Main Villains?
The post-credit scene in Young Justice: Phantoms reveals that Mary Bromfield embraced her dark side, officially becoming Black Mary and joining Granny Goodness in service of Darkseid. Granny also recruited another Kryptonian trapped in the Phantom Zone, Kara Zor-El, AKA Supergirl, forming a new version of the Female Furies alongside Big Barda.
The tease suggests the team will be the main antagonists of season 4 or will play a major role at least. Having another Superman-related villain might seem tiresome, especially after Phantoms revolved entirely around the Man of Steel's lore. However, Supergirl's relationship with Clark and Conner has the potential to be genuinely compelling. Mary's fall from grace and contentious dynamic with Zatanna should also prove meaty enough, and her battle against fate should be one for the ages.