Plot summary: The Huntress enlists The Question to help her take revenge against her parents’ killer… who Green Arrow and Black Canary have been tasked with protecting.

Notes and Trivia

Episode: 19 (S2.E6)

Original Air Date: June 4^th, 2005

Directed: Joaquim dos Santos (10)

Written: Gail Simone (1)

Animation: DR Movie Co., LTD (10)

Music: Michael McCuistion (7)

This episode was greatly impacted by ‘The Bat-Embargo’ as it originally featured Batgirl getting injured during a mission, forcing her to become Oracle and form The Birds of Prey with Black Canary and Huntress. Nightwing also would have appeared, presumably in Green Arrow’s role.

The Question received his mission to investigate ties between Lex Luthor and Project Cadmus from Batman in ‘The Doomsday Sanction‘.

Mandragora’s son grows up to be the psychic villain in Batman Beyond‘s ‘Mind Games‘ and also appears in The Zeta Project.

In the comics world Huntress trained under The Question for a while and there was a mutual attraction, but he dropped her when he learned she had returned to her murderous ways.

DCAU Debuts

There have been three versions of The Huntress, with this one being Helena Bertinelli, who debuted in 1989, the creation of Joey Cavalieri and Joe Staton. She came to be because the previous version – Helena Wayne, the daughter of Batman and Catwoman in another universe – had been erased from existence despite her popularity, so Bertinelli inherited her first name and a very similar costume but a dramatically different background, as depicted in this episode. She’s peripherally part of The Bat-Family, though Batman has ‘fired’ her more than once for being too violent, so she’s more generally found in The Birds of Prey. Mary Elizabeth Winstead portrayed her in the movie.

It’s only a small role here, but Agent King Faraday debuted all the way back in 1950. Created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, he’s popped up in various government agencies, often working with Amanda Waller.

Steven Mandragora is named for the mobster who murdered her parents in the comics, Stefano Mandragora… but is clearly modelled on the FAR more prominent albino villain Tobias Whale. The nemesis of Black Lightning, he was created in 1977 by Jenny Blake Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden. He has no powers and is basically DC’s version of The Kingpin. He’s naturally the lead villain of the Black Lightning TV show.

Recap

The Huntress infiltrates the mansion of Steve Mandragora in an attempt to assassinate him in his sleep, but J’onn had the mobster moved for his protection and exiles her from The League.

Refusing to give up, Huntress sweet-talks The Question into helping her find where The League are keeping her man(dragora), in exchange for intel on Cadmus.

Black Canary and Green Arrow guard Mandragora in a federal safehouse while he’s prepped to testify in an impending criminal trial, but they both lose their cool and are ordered to go outside.

This proves to all be part of Mandragora’s plan though, as his men arrive posing as cops, facilitating his escape as Ollie and Dinah are distracted fighting off Question and Huntress.

Following a clue Question swiped from the safe house, the four (literally) race to reach Mandragora first, with Helena and Vic giving Ollie and Dinah the slip.

Question reveals that he knows Huntress knows nothing about Cadmus and that Mandragora murdered her parents in front of her as a child as part of a mob power grab.

Both couples reach the docks, but have trouble taking down the imposing Mandragora, who shrugs off the best shots of Green Arrow, Black Canary and The Question.

Huntress has her shot, but it turns out he was bringing his young son into the country and she can’t bring herself to orphan the boy so Mandragora is arrested instead. Question and Huntress kiss.

Best Performance

Hoo boy have we got ourselves a match made in heaven. Jeffrey Combs stamped himself as a DCAU legend in his single previous outing as The Question, and he’s every bit as good here, particularly his poetic narration of Huntress’ backstory.

But Amy Acker comes for his throat, playing Huntress with a great deal of sultry sass, playfully teasing Question to get him to help her. It’s not too dissimilar to how Morena Baccarin portrayed Black Canary in her debut, but where Dinah was overtly suggestive, Helena prefers to neg her way into a guy’s pants. I assume Acker had a lot of fun with the role as it’s so against type for her, and that really comes across in her performance. You can feel the venom in her barbs towards J’onn and of course the hatred for Mandragora.

Glenn Shadix and his oh so distinct voice were a perfect choice for Mandragora, who honestly makes my skin crawl a smidge. He’s a perfect blend of slimy and uppity. Repulsive and highfalutin. The fucking worst, really. Bravo.

It’s been a minute since Carl Lumbly was tasked with actual acting, but the expulsion of Huntress is about as emotional as he’s ever played J’onn.

Steve Schirripa is seemingly reprising his role from The Sopranos albeit under the character name Cecil, right down to the identical line “Why ya gotta be so mean all the time, Tony?” Cute!

Episode Ranking

How can you not fall in love with an episode like this? The dynamic between Green Arrow and Black Canary was so strong it elevated a below average episode. The Question stole the show in one of the best episodes in the series to date. So it’s just good sense to combine two things that worked before, adding in the compelling Huntress to complete the titular ‘double date’. I’m always in favour of episodes that are led more by characters than plot – though this is a good story and even advances the overall season arc – and comics veteran Gail Simone chose four really strong personalities to bounce off each other here.

Huntress comes packaged with some difficult moral quandaries given her family ties to the mafia and a never-ending quest to take bloody revenge. Like… she fully unloaded over half a dozen crossbow bolts into what she thought was a living person to start this episode. Of course the show is never going to depict an actual murder, so it’s the classic ‘pillows under a sheet to look like a person’ gimmick, but she didn’t know that! I’m pleasantly surprised a kids’ show would allow one of the main characters to attempt murder in the opening 2 minutes, even if they make sure to have J’onn J’onzz give her a stern talking to and fire her. Given her tragic backstory you can’t help but sympathise with her, and the idea of Martian Manhunter not just scolding her but actively protecting a crime boss from her is some solid Hero vs Hero conflict.

The very literal hero vs hero conflict of Huntress & Question vs Black Canary & Green Arrow is pretty solid too, with all four getting their moments to shine. More than the quality of the fight though, is the smart clash of personalities. Dinah and Helena don’t take to each other at all, but I really liked that we know they both object to The League protecting a murderer. Ollie and Question had a lot of friction in their last adventure together, so even though they learned to co-exist it made sense for them to slip right back into hold habits. I loved that GA spotted Vic quietly pocketing a clue, as an archer would have keen eyesight… but Question outsmarts him with a red herring… only for Ollie to have anticipated the deception and tailing them. Again, everybody gets to have a turn looking good because they’re all characters we’re meant to be invested in.

It’s not just the opposite-number bickering that works though, as Simone has a really great handle on the lovers quarrelling. It starts with the Huntress and Question making fun of each other in their first conversation, her teasing him for covering his face, him dismissing her entirely, but then moves on to cute little moments like her punching him in the arm for seemingly giving away their only lead on Mandragora, and eventually Helena growing tired of Vic’s schtick, so he immediately switches to sincerity. Ollie and Dinah get in the act too, with each getting outraged when Mandragora mocks the other but then having a tiff over the chase sequence where Ollie assumes the role of the only adult among the four, pointing out how silly the whole situation is and resenting Dinah’s anger over him saving them from an oncoming train. None of this feels like ‘I hate my spouse’ humour, but instead an authentic and balanced pair of relationships as both remain charged throughout. Everybody say ‘Thanks, Gail Simone.’

All of the above put the episode in contention with the existing top two, but what secured the crown was the final standoff. Huntress being forced into a situation where she’d have to do unto Mandragora’s son what was done to her in order to get her revenge was the ideal payoff. Question asks her if this is really what she wants (it isn’t), Canary protects the boy, Ollie protects Dinah, and the cycle of violence is broken… albeit with a literal tonne of metal dropped onto Mandragora to incapacitate him. It’s genuinely sad to watch Little Edgar led away by the feds while his father is carted off to prison, but luckily they wash the taste of that out of your mouth with the big triumphant smooch between Huntress and Question to end the episode.

This is a perfect episode of television. Like many of my favourite episodes in the DCAU I believe you could show it to a non-fan and get them invested. We have a will they/won’t they, a strong blend of comedy, action and drama, a fantastic villain, a solid chase sequence, a hero vs hero fight and some outstanding voice acting. All of that without even getting into the brief but extremely fun stuff with the mob in the opener. All hail the new champ.

Double Date (NEW ENTRY)
For the Man Who Has Everything
Task Force X
Fearful Symmetry
The Return
The Once and Future Thing, Part 1: Weird Western Tales
The Ties That Bind
The Cat and the Canary
The Greatest Story Never Told
The Balance
Dark Heart
Initiation
This Little Piggy
Kids’ Stuff
The Once and Future Thing, Part 2: Time Warped
Doomsday Sanction
Wake the Dead
Ultimatum
Hawk and Dove

Rogues Roundup

Steven Mandragora (Glenn Shadix) (first appearance)

Far too often ‘cool’ villains are given preferential treatment, but you absolutely have to have true slime-balls like Mandragora. He’s genuinely disgusting, sitting there in his robe slurping down oysters, harassing Black Canary, and taunting Green Arrow. He makes a damn cunnilingus joke for goodness sakes. Plus the whole ‘he murdered Huntress’ parents in front of her’ thing. He’s perhaps the most punchable villain we’ve ever seen in the DCAU.

They do make sure to play the Kingpin card though and remind you that he’s actually solid muscle and thus quite the physical threat despite his appearance. He more than holds his own in a fight against the four heroes, shrugging off Ollie’s electric arrows and a Canary Cry while generally smacking everybody around.

To then add on the final touch of genuinely wanting to be reunited with his son and run away to start a new life is icing on the cake. It doesn’t ruin how vile he is by making him too sympathetic, but rather simply gives Huntress pause on taking her revenge at last.

Lex Luthor will have his chances to reclaim the top spot, but just like the episode itself, I genuinely think this is a perfect villain. Extremely strong personality, distinct appearance, tied to the backstory of one of the heroes and a physical threat to boot. Plus the cute/weird son!

Steven Mandragora (NEW ENTRY)
Lex Luthor
Circe
Task Force X
Amazo
Chronos
Mongul
Granny Goodness
Galatea
Project Cadmus
Dark Heart
Tobias Manning
The Jokerz
Felix Faust
The Annihilator
Tala
Doomsday
Hades
Roulette
Solomon Grundy
Brimstone
Ares
Mordred (and Morgaine le Fey!)
Mordru
Virman Vundabar