[7.5/10] So let’s get the most important thing out of the way first. That *was* Virgil Hawkins in the last episode! He even used the phrase “Static Shock”! I’ll confess that since Phil Lamar’s already in the cast, it’d be nice to see him reprise the role, but it’s still cool to see *Young Justice* teasing the character regardless. I dug the main story here. Despero being led by L-Ron to the Hall of Justice to fight Earth’s champions for sport is a good setup. His super strength makes him a physical challenge for the likes of Superboy and Captain Marvel, and his third eye’s ability to temporarily stupefy folks like Zatanna and Bumblebee creates a psychological challenge for Miss Martian, who’s reluctant to use her psychic powers after what happened with Aqualad. L-Ron’s malapropisms and insistence on the fairness and honor of single combat are a solid laugh. I particularly like the creative solutions here. M’gaan is still wary of using her mental abilities offensively, but is willing to use them to wake her fellow heroes up. Zatanna is able to possess one of her allies and turn Despero’s third eye-mesmerizing abilities against him. Superboy’s able to use the opportunity to get the upper hand on the brute. Captain Marvel’s lightning bolt may not work on Despero but does on L-Ron. And I particularly appreciate the inventiveness and bravery of Mal, putting on the Guardian armor, posing as Earth’s greatest champion, and playing “the most important game of keepaway of my life” to buy his friends time to find another solution. This is really a team effort, and feels like a multifaceted fight in a way not every superhero rumble does. Meanwhile, I appreciate the political tangles of The Reach’s arrival on Earth. The Reach seem like reasonable representatives in public, even as privately The League (and the audience) knows what’s really up. The Ambassador chalks up their hidden surveillance to the League being wanted criminals in their corner of the galaxy. He not only points out that Captain Atom’s organization has a secret watch tower and young covert ops team that the U.N. representative has firsthand knowledge of, but discredits any attempts to note The Reach’s treachery by claiming that any witnesses would be the Justice League’s junior heroes or young fans. It all has the patina of reasonability that, with mouthpieces like G. Gordon Godfrey, helps The Reach’s propaganda land. The other big development is Jaime coming clean about the dark future and heel turn Impulse came to the past to prevent. His desire to rid himself of the scarab and avoid bringing that future about adds a personal touch to these grand events. The arc of “Tell no one ever” and “I have to tell the truth!” is a little rushed, but still solid. Otherwise, it’s cool to have the show picking up the pieces of Mount Justice’s destruction. M’gaan bunking in Martian Manhunter’s usual digs, Superboy and a semi-jilted Mal making due in Nightwing’s warehouse hideout, and The Reach having to de-force field the Hall of Justice all show the practical side of this conflict’s consequences. Overall, a solidly built and executed episode of the show, which gets a boost from the inventive solutions to the problems posed by Despero and the plausible political angle of The Reach’s smokescreen.