Episode 2.03: Cry Wolf

So, a change of pace episode to give us a breather before the next big Imperiex episode. Interestingly, this is the first episode that was directed by the series Producer, James Tucker. And it was written by J. M. DeMatteis, veteran DC Animated Universe writer who also wrote a couple of the most ummm, unique, Legion stories (LSH v2 #265 "The Brigadoon Syndrome" and LSH v2 #268 with Dr. Mayavale) way back in 1980.

This episode apparently works on two other ongoing storylines for this season: one we already knew about, as Lightning Lad, Bouncing Boy, and Brainiac 5 were off fighting the Dominators; and the other is a new one, with Dr. Mar Londo aligning with certain people who share his vision of how the galaxy should be. Do those others include Imperiex, or is this a third subplot?

Matthew pointed out that Kell-El must have joined the Legion between last episode, when he said he didn't want to be part of the team, and this episode, where he had a vote on whether or not to convict Timber Wolf. Not sure if Cosmic Boy is back running the team (after Bouncing Boy was elected late last season), but his by-the-book demeanor this episode would never have allowed Kell-El to vote if he wasn't a Legionnaire.

The return of Interlac! When Phantom Girl and Chameleon Boy accompany Timber Wolf onto Heisenberg-7, outside the convention center with the Science Police was some police tape that said "CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS" in scrolling Interlac. Yay animators!

According to the closed-captioning, the little guy working with Mar Londo was "Yin Des Neerg". If you spell it backwards you get something like "Sidney Green". There was a Sid Greene who was a Silver Age inker, but that doesn't really make sense in this context. Wonder if it's a production in-joke?

Couple of homages to the Silver Age: Timber Wolf was expelled from the Legion (Adventure 342) for killing after a vote by the Legionaires, as was Star Boy. However, Star Boy was not sent to Takron-Galtos, presumably because of the murder/self-defense angle. And Timber Wolf sought refuge from humanity here as in his first story (Adventure 327), only then it was because he thought he was an android and now because he thought he was too bestial.

Here's your episode Legion Wiki link, and your torrent file. Now for the roundup:

• The Legion Abstract:
  

  It was an all right episode. There were continuity bits for people who like that stuff, there was atmosphere, there was action, there was a serviceable story with some character moments... the problem for me is that I don't care for the subject matter. I don't like this feral Timber Wolf. I don't think he should be an animalistic character; I'm just not interested in that angle. To me, the difference between Basic Original Timber Wolf and Extreme Feral Timber Wolf is like the difference between Batman and Man-Bat. And, "Now I do what I do best"? That little reference was neither necessary nor desireable. I think Blok said it best when he said, "Plaugh."
  
  The scientific conference took place on the planet Heisenberg 7. I guess all the scientists who were there must have been unaware of how fast the planet was going.

  
  Ha! Science humor.
  
  
• The Daily P.O.P.:
  

  A cartoon directed at a younger audience, Legion episodes stress themes of cooperation, friendship and teamwork. Given that this is the case, DeMatteis’s script surpasses the saccharin sweetness of children’s entertainment with a glimpse of seedy city streets and neo-futurist city skylines of future Metropolis that hearkened back to the days of the Batman cartoon from the 1990’s and an unexpected narrative from Timber Wolf himself.
  
  A larger star of this week’s episode than I expected was newcomer to the Legion cartoon, Chameleon Boy. Once again, I hope that kids are watching this series since it is such a fun cartoon and Cham perfectly encapsulates its youthful energy.

  
  
• Forum talkback at the Legion World, Toon Zone, and DC Universe message boards.
  

More when I find them.