Superman The Animated Series
It's time to start season two of "Superman: The Animated Series" and we are getting a bit more of Krypton's backstory and a little more of Superman learning more about it. Oh, and meeting more Kryptonians which usually works out really well.
Mala: "I am Mala, Superman's second in command. I offer you my promise to this world that I will follow in Superman's tradition of just rule with a fair hand."
Lois Lane: "I thought I was career minded."
While investigating the ship that brought Superman to Earth, Dr. Hamilton locates a Phantom Zone projector. When Superman hears a woman crying out he heads to the Fortress to investigate where he learns the tale of Mala. A woman who was second in command to Krypton's leading military mind, Jax-Ur. Mala attempted to overthrow Krypton's ruling council, seemingly under Jax-Ur's sway. Superman decides to free Mala and they becoming Metropolis' dynamic duo. Until Superman's pacifist ways start to rub Mala the wrong way.
 |
| Superman meets H.E.R.B.I.E. |
I'm a big fan of Clark learning about Krypton so when he found the Phantom Zone projector, I was excited. Though, I'm not sure why it was hiding in his spaceship. I guess Jor-El had big plans for his boy on Earth? I'm curious why they didn't just make Jax-Ur and Mala, Zod and Ursa. It's clearly who they are meant to be. Maybe there was a Zod moratorium in 1997? Who can say? I was too lazy to research it.
Hamilton fiddles with this alien device that he has no idea what is or how it works (great idea) and of course immediately releases this giant bug thing. This leads to a pretty gnarly action sequence where Superman goes to town on this alien bug from the Phantom Zone. Did anyone else notice that the Phantom Zone projector kind of looks like H.E.R.B.I.E. the Robot from the Fantastic Four? Just me? Cool.
Superman heads to the Arctic to learn more about the Phantom Zone and Mala. Here's where I think the episode excels. It would be easy to call Superman naive for deciding to just release Mala even after hearing what happened. It's easy for us who are well versed in plots like this to see that she was with Jax-Ur all along, but that's not who Supes is. He wants to see the best in people. And he probably is excited to interact with someone else from his planet. It's very in character for him and I love that.
We get a fun training montage while Superman teaches Mala how to use the powers granted to her by Earth's yellow sun. It's enjoyable to watch her help Superman as his own Robin and Lois' snarky exasperation with the whole scene. You know it can't last, but I kind of wish it had lasted a little bit longer. It feels like one second Superman and Mala are stopping robbers in Metropolis and the next Mala is overhearing Superman and Hamilton talking about potentially putting her back in the Phantom Zone if things go bad, which of course, leads her to releasing Jax-Ur.
Grade: B+
Jax-Ur: "Look at it this way, Kal-El; death is better than the Phantom Zone."
Superman: "I'll take your word for it."
After Jax-Ur is freed from the Phantom Zone, he and Mala decide to pick up on Earth where they left off on Krypton. After destroying the original Phantom Zone projector, the devilish duo trap Superman using the new one that he and Hamilton built with Brainiac's help. They then head to the UN to complete their takeover. Do the people of Earth have any hope and can Superman somehow make it out of the Phantom Zone before it's too late.
 |
| Zod and Ursa... er... I mean... |
The biggest thing this episode is the "Fortress of Solitude" officially gets its name and its all thanks to Hamilton. One of the things I've loved about this first 15 episodes of "Superman: The Animated Series" is the budding friendship between Hamilton and Superman. It's nice to see him interacting with someone other than Lois or Jimmy. And Hamilton is someone that he can be more of himself with, even though he can't reveal his secret identity. Superman clearly has a lot of trust in Hamilton and seeing as how I haven't seen really any of these episodes, I don't know if that trust will end up being misplaced, but I have to say that I'm enjoying the journey. And it just feels correct that it's Hamilton's random turn of phrase that inspires Superman to give his home away from home the name.
So my issue with some two part episodes rears it's ugly head in this episode. It feels like all the good stuff is in part one and in part two we are left with a bunch of mindless action sequences. That's not to say the action here is bad. It's not. It's great. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a fan of the show giving Superman threats that he can really lay into and Jax-Ur and Mala being fellow Kryptonian's really fit that bill. There are some fun moments here. I appreciated the scene where Jax-Ur is just casually crossing the street and a car hits him and he is nonplussed. It's a fun little micro moment and I live for that stuff.
Sadly, there are more kind of meh and head scratching moments in Part 2 than great ones. Jax-Ur and Mala are pretty bland. And to me they never really felt like credible threats despite being on Superman's power level and Jax-Ur being a great military mind. That sort of lowers the tension on the episode considerably.
Remember in part 2, how I praised the writing and the reasoning of Superman releasing Mala from the Phantom Zone despite the fact she might be bad? Well, in part 2, there are a couple of "huh?" moments. There's a scene in the Daily Planet when Mala and Jax-Ur are causing chaos and everyone from Clark Kent is running around and reacting. This is a guy who is super attuned to the needs of the citizens of the planet he's sworn to protect to the point where he always has an ear out for cries to help. And Clark has no idea two Kryptonians are tearing shit up? I get it's supposed to be funny but it takes you out of it.
Then there is the scene at the United Nations where they are getting ready to submit to the Kryptonians. Minor spoiler alert, but the Flash shows up in the next episode or two, so where is he? Or Batman? They are just letting this happen? This feels like small stuff, but it's enough to ding the episode and make someone like me enjoy it less.
Grade: C
Next up, the Flash and Superman race and Metropolis' own Howard Stern becomes a pain in Superman's behind.
What did you think of these? A good start to season two? Any theories on why they wouldn't just use General Zod? Let me know in the comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment