Spoiler warning for Young Justice #19
The DC Universe’s heroes have always had a complex relationship with the Greek Pantheon. While Wonder Woman’s origin is closely tied to the Gods of Olympus, that doesn’t mean they’ve always been allies to her. Ares is one of Wonder Woman’s arch-enemies and even nobler gods like Zeus have played both hero and villain. Further complicating the pantheon’s morality is Wonder Woman’s protege, Cassie Sandsmark who is the granddaughter of Zeus himself. It’s because of that connection that the Greek Gods are hunting her team in Young Justice #19.
One of Cassie’s defining character arcs in her recent appearances has been her dealing with her heritage as the granddaughter of Zeus. After spending two years hopping dimensions, Cassie finally returns to the main DC Universe, and Zeus is not happy about her absence. He approaches her in human form on the street, telling her that she has an obligation to take her place in the Greek pantheon. After Cassie repeatedly tells her grandfather that she has no interest in joining him, Zeus calls her a dumb child. Though Zeus disappears, that’s not where the conversation ends, gods do not handle rejection well. As punishment for Cassie’s impudence, Zeus summons an ancient Greek monster to battle Cassie.
Using her powers, Cassie is able to dispatch the monster before it can harm people. Cassie then calls her friends to vent her frustration about the situation. The newer members of Young Justice such as Jinny Hex can’t help but question Cassie about the implications of Greek mythology being true. Just as Cassie explains that all mythologies are true in the DC Universe, Young Justice’s lunch meeting is interrupted by the appearance of another god, this time Poseidon. Together, Young Justice defeats an entire army of sea monsters, which is when Zeus reappears. Zeus tells Cassie that her victory against Poseidon is proof that she belongs in the Pantheon. Furious, Cassie finally takes her stand and tells Zeus that she won’t hesitate to fight her grandfather if he won’t leave her alone. Finally catching the hint, Zeus says “so be it,” and finally lets Cassie live her own life.
An important part of Young Justice’s appeal is dealing with normal teenage issues in the context of a superhero world. What writers Brian Michael Bendis and David Walker along with artist Scott Godlewski do in this issue is put Cassie’s issues with her family in a relatable context. As a young adult, Cassie is at a crossroads in her life where she hasn’t quite found what she’s going to do with her life yet. Despite her aimlessness though, Cassie definitely knows that she doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of her grandfather.
Though the Greek Gods might be putting pressure on Cassie to join them in Young Justice #19, the story is ultimately about a young adult finding the confidence to forge her own path.
