Justice League, Season 1, Episodes 22-23: Metamorphosis
This two-parter is another that features a guest star hero, but unlike previous attempts (Aquaman, Etrigan the Demon) it is an episode that features the debut and origin story of another hero, which is a new hallmark for Justice League as a series as it expands the world of the TAS-verse, not just with brand-new villains and developing the lore behind its core seven characters, but bringing in heroes of lesser renown from the greater DC universe, acting as sort of a stepping stone to actually making the show really, really stretch the scopes of the DC universe with Justice League Unlimited. But we're overreaching by talking about that show -- that's two seasons down the road.
The lucky superhero to be spotlighted so early in the show's run is Metamorpho, the Element Man, is one of those superheroes with such an awesome and theoretically overpowered set of powers -- the ability to transform into his body into element -- while having the most ridiculous look, wearing black underwear with each quarter of his body being a different colour. And I'm surprised at how faithful the show is in adapting his origin story. Yes, the circumstances of his origin has changed from being transformed by the mythical Orb of Ra into your good ol' science experiment (which fits better for Metamorpho's more science-based powers anyway), but the gist of it is the same. Evil businessman Simon Stagg, father of Rex Mason's lover Sapphire Stagg, causes Rex Mason's transformation into Metamorpho. Oh, and Simon Stagg's troglodyte of a henchman, Java, also puts in some work.
This episode gives the audience an entry point to Rex Mason's life by making him an old friend of Green Lantern, and we explore Green Lantern's own insecurities with his life choices, seeing the big money that his buddy Rex Mason makes, as well as the hot sexy girlfriend. We've delved a bit into how Green Lantern views his past before during 'In Blackest Night' in the melancholic scene when he takes a stroll through his old hometown. But the main theme of the two-parter is definitely envy and jealousy, and the whole 'the grass is greener on the other side', with Rex Mason himself envying John's ability to, well, be a superhero kicking ass with a godlike alien power ring. Rex's swaggering hides a fair bit of insecurity underneath it, with him being fooled by Simon Stagg about how John caused the accident to steal his girlfriend. And despite John's own conflict about whether he picked the right path in life, he consistently remains steadfast to his principles and duties as Green Lantern. Moreso than anything, John Stewart is a soldier, whether a marine or a Green Lantern.
Rex Mason's a flawed individual, and this episode portrays that. He shows off his wealth and hot girlfriend to John, he gets jealous and gets fooled by Simon Stagg easily after his traumatic transformation and assaults the Justice League... but deep down he still has heroic qualities, qualities that eventually lead to his role as the superhero Metamorpho. The thing that caused Simon Stagg to eventually decide to eliminate Rex Mason by using him as a science guinea pig was Rex Mason himself investigating the mysterious mutagen unleashed on the train.
Which, by the way, leads me to observe that, wow, for an evil businessman, Simon Stagg is the most incompetent motherfucker in the world, isn't he? Let's put away his increasingly-creepy obsession and possessiveness of his daughter for a moment, but let's go through what he did. He sends his flunky Java (who's not the brightest fellow around, too) to lug around a suitcase filled with mutagens... in a freaking public train. When even small-time crooks in Gotham City can afford their own cars and armoured vehicles, you'd think they would do so without risking the suitcase being appropriated like it did in the train. And getting rid of Rex Mason by... forcing him into the Metamorpho machine? Yeah, sure, it causes Sapphire to be super-freaked-out and Stagg gets to pit Metamorpho against the Justice League by causing Rex to think Sapphire cheated on him, but it backfires literally immediately when Metamorpho figures out that, hey, Simon Stagg set him up. Seriously, Stagg and Java are just two normal people, giving someone with reason to hate him the power to transform into any element? Not the best idea ever.
Of course, we need a proper climactic fight at the end of the two-parter, so Simon Stagg gets his mind fried and partially transported into this giant Chemo-esque blob monster with, in J'onn's words, an incomplete, irrational mind that is driven by base desire. Which is to grab his daughter and re-enact the final scene of King Kong. Metamorpho takes out Simon Stagg with a fake-heroic sacrifice, but very quickly pulls himself together.
The ending is a bit cliched, I admit, but the episode works very well at establishing Rex Mason the man for nearly the entirety of the first part, having his past friendship and contrast with John Stewart being well-defined, as well as the worldbuilding around the whole Simon Stagg conspiracy. The second part just goes full-tilt crazy as the show makes full use of Metamorpho's insane power set.
Speaking of which, Metamorpho fighting the entire Justice League (well, barring Flash and Wonder Woman, who are absent), while awesome, does bring to the forefront the 'weak Superman' complaints that has plagued the Man of Steel throughout the first season, a problem that will be addressed in the second. Metamorpho absolutely owns Superman, and at times J'onn and Hawkgirl are far more effective at battling the Element Man than Superman himself. He doesn't fare all that well against Stagg's giant Chemo-form either.
J'onn, on the other hand, is awesome, isn't he? While he usually relies on phasing, some stretching and general super-strength to beat up enemies, this is one of those episodes where J'onn lets loose with the full extent of his powers. Maybe it's the fight with Etrigan last episode? But here J'onn turns into a fucking dragon at one point to battle Metamorpho with axe-arms and a spring-lower-body.
Also, Green Lantern really needs to get more creative with his power ring other than just forming boring old domes, generic energy blasts and bubbles. I mean, I know John's a very serious fellow and not quite the mecha-suit-with-swords-and-buzzsaws manga otaku that Kyle Rayner is, but man, the show really could've made Green Lantern's fight scenes a lot more interesting visualy by having him create like giant boxing gloves or energy rhinoceroses or whatever. It's something that Green Lantern doesn't really improve in until the end of the second season, but considering the animation budget probably can't stretch that far (though they did quite a lot in displaying Metamorpho's awesomeness) it's hard to blame. Oh well.
DC Easter Eggs Corner:
- Metamorpho, the Element Man, well, was introduced as one of the new superheroes in Batman's Outsiders team back when he quit the Justice League. His origin is more or less similar to the one displayed in this two-parter, except Metamorpho was transformed by the mystical Orb of Ra, and Simon Stagg never transformed into a giant green slime monster.
- Speaking of which, a giant humanoid green goop monster created by science is similar to classic DC villain Chemo, though Chemo usually has weird metal booties and metallic 'eyes' and 'mouth'. It might just be a coincidence, though it's worth noting that Chemo makes no appearances anywhere in the TAS-verse.
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