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dyketectivecomics · 5 years

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Since I’ve seen too much general bitching about this decision from the writers and not enough Thoughtful Analysis of what it actually means & ways it could be improved. I guess I’m gonna have to bite the fucking bullet and talk about this. So buckle up kiddos.

Here’s Why Zatanna & M’gann Giving Artemis ‘Closure’ Is The Most Interesting Thing to Happen to Them All Season. And One (1) Way It Can Be Improved: (under the cut bc im not a dick that’s gonna Force people to scroll for miles through analysis they don’t have any interest in reading. Just remember if you’re thinking of Reacting to this, i GAVE you that out)

Let’s talk about the Decision on the writers part for this first, and why everyone needs to set aside personal feelings about it. Conflict is needed to drive a plot. And sure, this conflict is only JUST being set up, but this is a wonderful opportunity to develop these three characters together now.

Say what you will about Miss M in the second season, whether you agreed or disagreed with her methods from then is irrelevant (it was mindwiping criminals to the point of leaving them in a vegetative state, just so we all recall. Which. Is a whole other topic to dive into at a different time). It created a Conflict, and a subplot, that was more or less resolved by the end. As little development as characters end up getting with such a huge cast, M’gann was still provided an inciting moment & points of progression throughout the season. It even became relevant to the overarching plot, which is ideally what a writer should be doing with the characters.

Developing the characters personally & interpersonally alongside the greater conflict that may be beyond the protagonists’ control. That is what Makes Stories Interesting. How you feel about those decisions is almost irrelevant. The fact that the writer got you to feel something, means that they’re working effectively. (Or that you might be over-involved/projecting onto the work/characters. Which can be valid, but like.. Take a breath & take a step back maybe if you find yourself getting genuinely bothered by the narrative/narrative decisions. There may be something Deeper at work there bro.)

Now, this situation between Zee & M’gann manipulating Artemis is similar, but not the same as M’gann’s conflict last season. And that’s an important distinction to make. All characters have made questionable decisions and well-intentioned manipulations of others. It’s an age-old, tried and true conflict to introduce. This is a wonderful grenade who’s pin has been pulled, and it’s either a matter of time before someone slips about the news, or something that’s being so carefully kept together begins to provide internal conflict for those In The Know.

M’gann’s already made questionable choices about manipulating the minds of others (again, see season 2), it’s been touched on how she’s altered the minds of those close to her (so far only with Conner before this new development of course), but that conflict and aftermath was never actually shown to us, the audience. Another difference to note, however, is that M’gann didn’t force Artemis through this situation. Zatanna was very clear that everything in Artemis’ mindscape was her own creation and own subconscious working through her grief towards a path of acceptance.

It was a manipulation, nonetheless, but we can wax poetic about intentions vs consequences till the cows come home. It’s happened, it’s done. Now the question needs to be about those consequences: how will Artie react to it, if she ever finds out about it? Hell, how would Conner reaction if/when he finds out? Other members of the team? Etc? Again, it doesn’t matter if you personally agree with her involvement, it’s all about how the decision develops these characters & their relationships to each other, and whether we agree with the effects and implications of these decisions.

So onto Zatanna’s involvement as well. Zatanna is a character who has also been molded by her ‘bad’ decisions. Similar to M’gann, she’s erased memories and altered personalities and manipulated more than her fair share of people. She’s taken justice into her own hands and doled it out with impunity. It’s not something everyone likes about her character, but it IS a part of her pre52 canon, and we can’t deny it’s there. So for the writers to have her do something similar, by giving her friend a chance to seek closure even if it may be at a cost, even if some might not consider it ‘real’, isn’t totally out of character given her history. (Just maybe out of character, given that YJ’s canon hasn’t given her much of one until now) Agree or don’t agree with the intentions writers have given her. They’re there now. And now she’ll have to live with the consequences.

So back to the archer herself, Artemis has been seen grieving Wally all season long. Many characters have gotten a chance to show their grief in their own ways. Very much to the point where it became obvious the entire season was leading up to this One Moment.

But saving this moment and this potential development till the end was the real Poor Decision.

Many fans were similarly mourning Wally’s death, and with the time jump in the show nearly matching the years it had taken to bring it back, showing the different types of grief the characters felt over the season was a wise move. But showing how they moved past it would be just as important. And giving Artemis closure, should have been a mid-season plot point, not an end-of-season one. It would have provided the audience a sense of closure and excitement for new opportunities from the narrative to come, would have given more of a punch when other characters grieved alongside us even after this closure (because grief is not a linear, over and done with thing), but providing the first step is just that. A First Step.

And to circle back to the conflict it would have provided between M’gann, Zee & Artemis, it would have created a good half-season of development as they each tiptoed around each other on the issue. Once again, a chance to further develop all of these characters & their relationship to one another, possibly even to the greater part of the teams as well. (For example, maybe mix it in by showing how Artemis handles a Betrayal, and giving a further connection for Tara to hold onto, truly Showing how anyone can be forgiven for even well-intentioned mistakes, or if they hadn’t wanted to subvert the usual Judas Contract narrative, further push Tara away by having Zee & M’gann’s choices condemned. But if that decision had been made, we’d be opening up a whole OTHER can of worms)

Whether we see this nugget of conflict potential actually come to fruition is another point all together. But knowing the likely time-jumps to occur for season four, the cast continuing to expand to unreasonable proportions, and the fact that even our Original Main Cast have become nothing more than overblown cameos at many points during this last season, I wouldn’t be holding my breath on this one.

#young justice #artemis crock #zatanna zatara #miss martian #m'gann m'orzz #randywrites #yj meta #another warning in the tag. if you THINK I'm looking for a conversation about this. i am not #you will be either at best ignored. at worst blocked.#please do NOT try to add your own Hot Take. make your own post if you feel otherwise #but if you agree and want to ADD something to the conversation to Further this point you'remore than welcome to #and again. please keep in mind that I'm neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the decision itself.#merely pointing out what it means for the narrative. (which is on thin ice with me at this point if we're being totally honest)#yj10 #forgot that extra tag for MYSELF lmao

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