02x18 - Intervention

[bunniefuu]

I'm sorry your fellow prisoners and your saviors fled.

I was looking forward to 18 against one.

Your lust for needless battle eludes me.

[all grunting]

Let us end this.

Mongul is neutralized.

Forget Mongul. Only the Key matters.

The Crystal Key... Is gone.

[grunts]

Our priority must now shift to guarding the Key Chamber, so that whomever stole the Key cannot use it to reactivate the Warworld.

Agreed. But the Justice League already holds the Chamber for that exact purpose.

And unfortunately, our Ambassador has no appetite for direct confrontation.

Our only choice is to patrol the Chamber's perimeter like mere security guards.

It is galling. But, as with all Reach warriors...

We live to serve.

[buzzer]

Look! I know this missing Key is important, but we need to focus on...

Blue Beetle, the so-called Reach hero has dominated this news cycle with U.N. Secretary General Tseng announcing his plan to present Beetle with the International Medal of Valor for saving the Earth from the Warworld.

That's a load of good press for a traitor.

Hey! Don't blame Blue.

He's just much a c*ptive of the Reach as we were.

We have to set him free.

You know, before he conquers the Earth and enslaves all mankind.

[heavy footsteps]

[tires squealing]

[all screaming]

The Toyman's toys don't come cheap.

In fact...

They break the bank! [maniacal laughter]

No, no!

Aah!

[all screaming]

[all cheering]

Hero, what... He nearly got us k*lled!

And the Reach stinks!

No fair! I get the hero who took down the Warworld single-handed?!

This is Metropolis. Where's Superman?

[thud, clattering]

[crowd murmuring]

Here you go, officers.

Time to put the toy man back on the shelf.

No fair, no fair, no fair!

Yeah, OK, yeah, that was pretty cool.

And the Reach is, though.

Blue Beetle, Blue Beetle, a moment?

For the famed Cat Grant? I'm at your service.

Heck, I'm at everyone's service. That's just how I roll.

So, you've begun handling situations that, once upon a time, were a job for Superman.

Hey, if the Justice League's too busy, I'm happy to pick up the slack.

Why am I still waving?

I look like an idiot! Scarab, get us out of here!

The Reach desires the crowd's adulation, and we serve the Reach.

Quite correct, scarab.

Fighting human crime is without benefit.

Making sure the crowd appreciates it? Priceless.

Given the recent negative publicity over our hidden invasion fleet, it is fortunate your puppet is appreciated at all.

Please. The meat loves their heroes.

You worry too much, scientist.

I am so honored by your kind attentions...

And so honored to be your hero.

[all cheering]

That's not the way I talk! And stop waving!

Look like the Queen of England.

Great, now I'm Peter Pan.

Uh, as your profile expands, do you worry about increased scrutiny?

Nah. I welcome it.

Let 'em watch.

Hi, La'gaan. I'm glad your leg's all healed.

- Angel fish! You're here. I... Came to pick you up, - Bring you back to the surface world. That's so sweet.

I was just going to zeta back tomorrow.

I thought we could use the trip as an opportunity to... talk.

To talk? That's... Great.

We will soon arrive at your home, Jaime Reyes.

Ugh, could we not? Nothing's worse than watching you and the Ambassador pretend to be me to my family.

Any alternative tactic would only endanger them.

Congratulations, scarab.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

Breech of defensive perimeter.

Batgirl?! What are you doing? You know this won't hold us.

- It'll hold for a couple seconds. Batgirl, please!

They're going to make me hurt you!

The Batgirl cannot hear your true voice, Jaime Reyes.

And a couple seconds... Is more than I need.

Sweet dreams, Blue.

[grunting]

Scarab, what are you waiting for?!

I am establishing the Impulse's pattern of movement, anticipating where he will be.

Target point.

[groaning]

OK, they're down. You won. Let's go.

I think not.

As this street is currently deserted, we must seize the opportunity.

Scarab. k*ll them both.

Scarab! You don't have to do this!

But he does. And so do you.

In fact, it will be a good lesson for you to helplessly observe your own body m*rder your former friends.

The first kills are always the hardest, my boy.

Might as well get them over with.

Scarab, please! We've fought side by side with these guys. Do something!

I must do as designed parameters dictate.

Scarab! Your att*ck is ineffective.

- Analyze this containment field. Analysis already complete.

Field displays energy signature consistent with the alien cooperative.

Cooperative technology draws power from kinetic energy.

The scarab's physical att*ck is strengthening the force bubble.

It should know this!

Scarab! Do you have the means to effectively circumvent this tech?

- I do. A side att*ck would... Don't explain! Do it.

[backwards spell]

I've reinforced Rocket's force bubble with my magics.

Blue's not going anywhere. [speaking backwards]

[groans]

Ha! Don't you get it, extraterrestre?

Impulse and Batgirl were decoys.

A distraction from Rocket and Zatanna's real att*ck!

I guess some first kills are harder than others.

Scarab! Proceed with countermeasures.

There are no known countermeasures against this specific combination of magic and cooperative technology.

This goes well.

This isn't going well.

I'm sorry.

You're sorry? I'm the one getting dumped.

La'gaan, try to understand.

All those weeks in captivity gave me time to think;

To... to gain clarity.

I know now, I haven't been fair to you.

Shouldn't I get to decide that?

You don't see it yet. But the hard truth is, we only got together because you made me feel better about myself.

And that's not a relationship. It's selfishness.

That's just how it started, Angel fish.

What matters is what it might become.

Except we'll never be anymore to each other than what we are right now.

Neptune's beard!

This is about Connor, isn't it? No. It isn't about him.

Or you. This is about me. I can't give you what you want...

To be something other than my rebound guy.

And you deserve more than that.

You're right, M'gann. I do.

Enjoy your advantage while you can. The Reach track my every move.

And when we're through with you, there won't be enough left for a DNA identification.

Nice death thr*at! Could it get any more technical and dull?

Why are they not en route to one of their headquarters?

We need to find out where they're taking him!

Tell me our destination.

And I'll make your deaths painless.

Oh, yeah, that scared 'em.

[laughs]

[hisses]

What do they hope to find here?

Insufficient data.

We've got company!

And I'm otherwise occupied maintaining this bubble around Blue.

Chillax, Rock'. We're prepped for Queen Bee's tin soldiers.

[speaking backwards]

Hey! I was going to do that. You can still knock 'em out.

Oh, yeah! Crash!

Hey, hey, hey, let go! Let go! [grunting]

Rocket! The force bubble!

Holding! But I'm a sitting duck here!

You were fools to bring us here. Queen Bee is our ally, and her minions will destroy you.

If only these bubbles were soundproof.

[all grunting]

We don't have time for this.

[speaking backwards]

[all grunting]

Girlfriend, someday you have to tell me how you figure out those backwards words so fast.

Maybe backwards is my native tongue.

Seriously? Come on, let's get to work.

Here.

You, uh, sure you've got the power for this?

Me? No.

But I'll summon it from those who do.

[speaking backwards]

Man! I wish I could ask what's going on.

They doubtless plan to destroy Blue Beetle.

Ending you and this scarab in the process.

Hermano, if that's your only takeaway from our time together, you haven't learned a thing!

I do not like the implications of that scarab imagery.

We still know nothing of what put this scarab off-mode for 4,000 years.

You worry too much.

They all die now!

[grunting]

Guys, this is all on you! I still got my own Beetle to hold.

And Z's smacked in the middle of her mystic trance.

Oh, great. Not like our tushes haven't been kicked by one Beetle already.

But this Beetle comes with his own personal kryptonite. Go!

Gone!

[groaning]

Ha! Crash.

Those Martians really can't take the heat.

No, but stay alert. He has other skills to compensate.

Aah! Aah!

[trumpeting]

[grunting]

[trumpeting]

Aah!

You can thank us later.

Green Beetle is outnumbered. You must summon Black Beetle immediately.

Black Beetle cannot leave his post guarding the Warworld's Key Chamber.

Nor do I require his help.

[trumpeting]

Uh, Z, we're on the clock, here.

[speaking backwards]

Wicked!

[speaking backwards]

Fools! You will all die!

[speaking backwards]

Aaah!

Aah!

[static]

No!

Beetles Blue and Green are off-mode. We've lost both!

Why didn't you listen? I warned you!

Say one... More... Word.

Ahh. Zatanna, you OK? Did it work?

[all groaning]

Or are we back to square one?

Who controls the Beetles? Well, let's find out.

[speaking backwards]

It worked. Jaime and B'arzz O'oomm are back in control of their own bodies.

It's true. I can feel it!

I'm free of the Reach.

For real this time.

You're 100% sure? Because we've been through this before.

I am certain of it.

Reading no external signals since Zatanna worked her mojo.

Neither Beetle is in contact with the Reach.

Hey, hey, hey, hermano! Congrats!

Thank you.

- Congratulations, Jaime Reyes. Oh, right. Like you're happy about this.

I am! I swear!

If this mistrust is your only takeaway from our time together, you haven't learned a thing.

This scarab far prefers our partnership to being slaves to the Reach.

You know, I believe you. Of course you do. Up high.

It has been so long...

I had all but forgotten the sensation of controlling my own body.

My gratitude knows no bounds.

Uh, that's great, but Queen Bee's g*ons are waking up!

Which means it's time to go.

[screeching]

So spill. How did you know how to cure us?

That temple wasn't even in the Reach's database.

Bumblebee and I first came across it months ago, on another mission.

I couldn't help noticing the Blue Scarab imagery, and recorded a holographic file of the symbols in hieroglyphics.

Dr. Fate was able to translate the glyphs, which revealed a mystic ceremony the ancients had used to cleanse the scarab of Reach control.

That's why my scarab was off-mode when I found it.

I had been cleansed upon landing on Earth 4,000 years ago.

Because the ritual used magic of human origin, Fate, a lord of order, could not perform it.

So he prepped me instead.

Meanwhile, Batgirl and I got with the hacking.

Starting with the computer files of the previous Blue Beetle, the late Ted Kord.

Ted's files revealed that an archaeologist named Dan Garrett first discovered both the temple and the scarab in 1939.

It fused with him the way it fused with you, but Dan assumed it was some kind of mystic artifact, and he used it to become the first Blue Beetle of modern times.

When Dan passed away, he left the scarab to his protege, Ted Kord.

But Kord quickly realized the scarab was alien technology.

Since he wasn't about to let an alien device fuse to his spine, he locked the scarab away.

But Garrett still inspired Ted to become the second Blue Beetle, even with no superpowers.

Ah, I hear those are optional.

Anyway, Ted suspected the Light wanted the scarab back in play.

He tried to stop them from stealing it, and paid the ultimate price.

That's where you came in.

Guess I wasn't exactly what the Light or Reach had in mind.

But why keep all this from me?

Because it took months for me to learn the ritual.

And not to mention, configure the ancient Bialyian incantations to work in concert with my magic.

And you couldn't risk letting the Reach know the temple existed until you were ready.

You managed to keep your mouth shut? You?

Hey, making sure you stayed a hero was the main reason I came back to the past.

So I was motivated to take my mouth off-mode. Don't you get used to it, now.

Great news, Team. Nightwing, out.

What's great news?

The Team freed Blue Beetle and Green Beetle from Reach control.

Terrific. You need me, I'm watching TV.

Um, is Connor around?

He said something about going out with Wendy Harris.

Oh. Right...

I realize my order to throw the fight against the children was disappointing, and you have my sympathies.

But it was a necessary evil.

Now the Light's plans for the Reach, the League and the Team may proceed on schedule.