'Young Justice: Outsiders' episodes 21 and 22 reveals Halo's connection to Anti-Life Equation making her all-important in Darkseid's war
‘Unknown Factors’ and ‘Antisocial Pathologies’, the 21st and 22nd episodes of ‘Young Justice: Outsiders’ dropped a few bombs including the revelation that the human Mother Box that calls herself Halo/Violet is actually the key to the Anti-Life Equation. ‘Antisocial Pathologies’ ended with Granny Goodness taking the young hero from the clutches of the Light, in all probability to deliver her to Darkseid.
‘Young Justice’ has been building up to this reveal for quite some time. Eagle-eyed fans noticed a while back that there was even a clue in the episode titles for the third season. Taking the first alphabet of each of the season's episode titles, we get the message, "PREPARE THE ANTI-LIFE EQUATION".
The Anti-Life Equation is the ultimate plot device, an equation that grants its wielder the power to control the minds of anyone they want. The surprise post-credits scene at the end of ‘Unknown Factors’ revealed Halo was the key to finding that equation and ‘Antisocial Pathologies’ builds on that to reveal what exactly the equation is and Halo's connection to it.
The comics have been pretty vague about the true nature of the equation but ‘Young Justice’ explains it in pretty simplistic terms: Life - Free Will = The Anti-Life. The idea is that life under someone else’s control isn’t really living.
Violet is a truly unique being because she isn’t technically alive in the normal sense of the word. Earlier in the season, it was revealed she was the disembodied essence of a Mother Box which took up residence in the body of a recently deceased woman. This makes her the living embodiment of the Anti-Life Equation and the only thing standing between Darkseid and universal domination.
In ‘Antisocial Pathologies’, Granny exposes Violet to the energies of the X-Pit, brainwashing her and unlocking her Anti-Life abilities. Now that she is about to be delivered to Darkseid, the Apokoliptian dictator has everything he needs to put his final plans in motion. We are well and truly in the endgame now.
It was always clear Halo held the power to turn the tide in the war with Apokolips but the 22nd episode has put her in a very unique position. She has now been revealed to be Darkseid’s greatest weapon, however, the despot will most probably try to kill her and take her power for himself.
Just as life under someone else’s control isn’t really living, ruling through someone else’s power isn’t something Darkseid is likely to see as true dominance. Right now, the only hope for Earth’s heroes is that Halo might find a way to come to her senses and defeat Darkseid, saving both the universe and herself.
With just four more episodes to go in the season, there is no telling how things might play out. The show’s creators have already revealed that the upcoming fourth season will see the Apokolips war break out in full force, which suggests that our young heroes may not succeed in saving their comrade.
With the team fractured, Nightwing grievously injured and the rest of Earth’s heroes at each other's throats, everything is riding on Halo finding the will to break free. If she were truly to fall to the Apokoliptian despot, there will be no hope, no life and no chance at victory. All that will be left is Darkseid and the Anti-Life.
The 23rd episode of ‘Young Justice: Outsiders’, titled ‘Terminus’, will air on DC Universe August 20