The television series Young Justice has gone through quite a rollercoaster in regard to its production and the stories that have been adapted for the series’ extensive run. With the show facing its second cancelation, this time at the hands of Warner Bros. Discovery, there are some plot threads that were left hanging. Here, we are going to zero in on one of the references that called to a recent storyline that acted as a significant crossover in the source material of DC Comics. Acclaimed writer, Tom King, took the reins on this story, focusing on the emotional weight it carried. We are going to look at the reference that was made as well as the context behind it. We will then take time to look at the source material that gives the audience an idea of what “Sanctuary” is, and detail the “Crisis” that would follow.

The Reference

Warner Bros. Animation

Throughout the final season of Young Justice, there are events that lead the audience to focus on the mental health of the heroes involved. This would include an emotional look at Beast Boy as he goes into therapy, suffering from “Survivor’s Guilt” induced Depression as well as a heavy reliance on controlled substances. Audiences also witness the mental break suffered by Mary Marvel as she begins to feel isolated and distrusted by her peers and mentors alike, and instead sinks into her alter ego to cope with these emotions.

Black Canary acts as the therapist and crisis counselor for many members of the team, both on the Justice League and for the members of Young Justice. While this role was established as early as Season One when she helped the young heroes cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Dinah has advocated for the team, stating that the stress ad tragedy they face regularly is not healthy and that they need a place where they can go to focus on their mental health. Dinah would call this place a sanctuary, a reference that comic book fans immediately perked up for, but this story beat would be drowned out and left unanswered as the series shifted its focus before ultimately being shuttered.

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The Function

DC Comics

In the source material of DC Comics, Sanctuary was a place where heroes could go to help cope with the mental trauma they had suffered. In the build to this place being revealed to readers, it would be referenced on multiple occasions as different young heroes would be sent there by their loved ones. Wally West would be sent to Sanctuary after he has his memories restored and discovers that his children were erased from history. Already grieving the loss of his marriage, Wally would begin to emotionally break, running nonstop around the world looking for his family, blinding himself from the fact that they were truly lost to him. Only after Barry Allen and Iris West spoke to him did Wally finally agree to be taken by Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman to Sanctuary.

Roy Harper would admit himself to Sanctuary, admitting to his best friend Jason Todd and his mentor Oliver Queen that he had begun relapsing into his addictive behavior and needed help. Booster Gold would be sent to Sanctuary by Batman, as Booster attempted to give Bruce a gift and accidentally creating an alternate timeline and trapping himself in a world where he is driven insane. After witnessing an alternate version of Bruce Wayne take his own life in grief, Booster would be brought back to the original timeline. Here Booster describes a smudge of blood on his visor, one that only he can see—a representation of his guilt over the misery he had caused, not just for himself but for others.

Upon seeing Sanctuary, readers would see that it was not just these three heroes but many others, some of who had been forgotten, dealing with tragedies, grief, and a loss of control. With Sanctuary providing counselors, drones, and holographic areas that can be suited to everyone’s preferred setting, Sanctuary was meant to be the place for heroes to be saved. Until tragedy struck.

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The Crisis

DC Comics

One day, it is discovered that a mass slaughter had taken place at Sanctuary. With casualties including Roy Harper, Lagoon Boy, Gnarrk, Wally West, and Poison Ivy, among others, there was speculation on whom the culprit could have been, seeing as a collection of heroes in one place would prove to be an enticing target for the world’s villains. Attention is turned to Booster Gold and Harley Quinn, both of whom suffered bouts of amnesia.

It is eventually discovered that Wally was the killer all along. Wally had broken protocol and used his speed powers to listen to recorded confessionals of all the other patients in an attempt to feel less alone. This was too much for Wally. He became overwhelmed, mentally breaking and releasing all of his speed force energy, killing everyone, with only Harley and Booster remaining safe by circumstance. Wally would then commit the ultimate plan, planting evidence to buy himself time so he could send his confessional along with everyone else’s to Lois Lane, knowing she would report the truth. He would travel five days in the future, killing himself and using that body to take his place among the dead. After the truth is ultimately revealed, the public would at first become afraid of the heroes before realizing that their mental health battle makes them more human than believed. Booster Gold helps Wally close out the time loop so that he can still answer to what he has done, and the discussion of what these heroes need to move on from the tragedy has only just begun. Young Justice has never shied away from an emotionally taxing story, and seeing an arc like Heroes in Crisis by Tom King adapted would have been a tremendous watch.