Original subtitles

Yeah, I know it's almost curfew, Mom, but I'm practically home.

I'm taking a shortcut across the Kord parking lot now.

What is all this?

SCARAB: Recall, Jaime Reyes, you allowed Aqualad to take us prisoner.

Uh, right, right. Better armor up.

SCARAB: Negative. Containment pod has neutralized all combat systems.

SCARAB: Providing translation.

FEMALE REACH: The Scarab's memory files are corrupted.

Only recoverable data is from the last eight months.

That is, since it fused with this host body.

In fact, I was just reviewing the point of inser...

Spare me the details.

If the Scarab is off-made, perform a reboot.

I'd rather assess the cause of the crash, Ambassador...

to make certain it cannot happen again.

MAN: Now, scientist, admit it.

You just enjoy playing with the meat.

Well, there's that too.

AQUALAD: Your ship is most impressive, Ambassador.

As are your people.

We call ourselves the Reach.

And these are our labs, most dedicated to researching the human Meta-Gene.

- Meta-Gene? - A genetic marker...

indicating the potential of an individual human...

to survive catastrophic physical trauma by adapting new abilities.

In other words, Ambassador...

the Meta-Gene allows certain humans to develop super-human powers.

Kaldur'ahm, this is the scientist in charge of all Meta-Gene research.

I understand you are responsible for providing several of our test subjects.

Gratitude.

I assume it would interest you to know...

that in this lab, we are attempting to isolate the Meta-Gene...

by stimulating potentially dormant powers in average humans.

But La'gaan already has powers.

He is Atlantean.

Hardly an average human.

Ah, but his powers are based on training in sorcery.

Beyond that, he is an average Atlantean, is he not?

Now, in this lab, we study humans with active Meta-Genes.

And how they respond to various levels of stress.

The goal is to learn if their abilities can be extracted or duplicated.

I see. You seek to weaponize the Meta-Gene.

You never mentioned he was clever.

A pleasure meeting you, Kaldur'ahm.

Blue Beetle is unaccounted for.

I assume he is inside this third lab.

That particular laboratory does not concern you or your masters, the Light.

And frankly, neither does Blue Beetle.

He may be human, but he is of the Reach.

As you say.

AMBASSADOR: The new test subjects? AQUALAD: Soon to be on their way.

My best operative oversees the shipment.

AMBASSADOR: Gratitude.

WOMAN 1: What are they gonna do with us?

WOMAN 2: I wanna go home. - Let us go!

Bring out the pods. Now!

Get those pods open. We're on a schedule.

And Kaldur'ahm does not tolerate delay.

- Hey! - What are you…?

Shh. We're here to help.

Why should we trust…?

Okay. Never mind.

TIGRESS: One per pod. Move.

WOMAN: Hey!

WOMAN 1: Stop it!

TROOPER: Into your pod.

Okay, go. Boat them and float them.

Good. They're leading us to Lagoon Boy and the others.

How can you be sure?

Wishful thinking.

And the abductee shipment at the docks?

How did you know about that?

Aquaman came across the intel while searching for La'gaan.

Yeah.

Whoa, Tye, what's up with this fog?

SCARAB: Translating.

FEMALE REACH: This human beetle is a disappointment.

How can he be the Reach's advanced operative on Earth...

if his Scarab refuses to function on-mode?

Then reboot.

Yes, that may be necessary.

Of course, we'd require a new host.

Finding another will not be difficult.

Though removing the Scarab for mode-repair will kill this Jaime Reyes...

Meat is plentiful here.

NIGHTWING: So this is the Light's Partner.

That ship shares the same alien design sensibility...

…as the bombs that destroyed Malina Island and Mount Justice.

Kind of reminds me of Blue's armor.

Miss M, you're up.

MISS MARTIAN: Alpha Squad, I'm heading into the alien ship.

Are you aboard?

BATGIRL: Affirmative. We're in some kind of docking bay.

We have a visual on the new aliens, a.k.a. the Krolotean's competitor...

a.k.a. the Light's Partner.

And we've got other company.

It's Aqualad. If he makes us, we're over.

NIGHTWING: Stay whelmed. He won't be looking for you.

Just don't attract attention.

MISS MARTIAN: I've found Gar and Bart. They're unconscious but alive.

No sign of Jaime or La'gaan.

BATGIRL: We've got eyes on Lagoon Boy. And Shimmer?

Plus four civilians and all the teens we came with.

BATGIRL: We're unsupervised now, but Blue's still unaccounted for...

and escape could trigger response.

- Do we wait? NIGHTWING: Negative. Make your move.

Before you need rescuing too.

You too, Miss M. Get our boys.

MISS MARTIAN: Garfield?

BEAST BOY: Knew you'd come for me.

Are you shorter?

MISS MARTIAN: What? Oh, the pressure of the water outside the ship compacted…

IMPULSE: Thanks for the rescue. I'll find Blue.

MISS MARTIAN: Impulse!

MISS MARTIAN: Which way?

BEAST BOY: This way.

Hold your position, trooper.

SUPERBOY: Docking bay, secured.

BUMBLEBEE: Nice timing, handsome.

NIGHTWING: Docking now.

All right, people, let's move!

You!

Murderer!

SUPERBOY: M'gann, where are you guys? M'gann?

The link's down. I'm going in.

Apologies, meat.

But no one goes anywhere.

Listen, uh, Black Beetle.

You're totally outnumbered.

Open those doors now and we'll go easy on you.

You will go easy on me?

Oh, that is not a good sign.

MISS MARTIAN: No.

M'gann? M'gann?

Kaldur!

M'gann, what have you done?

MISS MARTIAN: I thought he had killed you, that he deserved...

TIGRESS: I'll take mine. You take yours.

And count yourself lucky, boy.

M'gann, snap out of it.

You did good. You took out Aqualad.

But the others still need our help.

Look out!

BLUE BEETLE: On your feet, slave.

IMPULSE: That's how it was. I mean, how it will be.

Somehow the Reach gets you on-mode...

and Blue Beetle becomes the biggest, baddest big bad in history.

Don't make me tell you again.

Ugh. No. I wouldn't.

I'd never.

Except you do.

And that's the real reason, well, the main reason, I came back to the past.

To stop you from betraying the human race...

and bringing on the Reach apocalypse.

BEAST BOY: Can't you at least get the link back up?

Oh, thanks.

Now, come on. We're sealed out of the docking bay.

- What's going on in there? NIGHTWING: Don't know.

I'm cut off aboard the Bio-Ship.

WONDER GIRL: We're fighting Black Beetle and Shimmer.

Lagoon Boy, Robin, and Bumblebee are already down, and… Conner, look out!

Superboy's down. It's just Batgirl and me now.

BEAST BOY: You've got to get in there!

MISS MARTIAN: What? How?

BEAST BOY: What do you mean, how? Density-shift.

MISS MARTIAN: Right. I can do that.

I can still do that.

What did you do to her?

Shifted the density of the door.

Wasn't quite prepared for that, was she?

But don't be jealous.

I can put you halfway through the door too.

Halfway...

The hard way.

Little brother, one way or another, I'm putting you back on-mode.

You are of the Reach and cannot escape it.

I have to.

SCARAB: Jaime Reyes, you do not function at full capacity.

Suggested tactic: grant me total control of armor and all weaponry.

Do it.

Hold up. Blue's keeping Black busy.

Impulse, Beast Boy, and I will drag everyone else into the hold.

Once in, you need to be at the helm, ready to make a fast exit.

Right. Execute.

No. Can't let you win.

Everyone's aboard except Blue.

Going back in for him.

Nightwing, seal the hatch.

- Docking bay is flooding our hold. NIGHTWING: Acknowledged.

- But Blue! - We can't help him if we drown...

or are crushed by the pressure at this depth.

It's me! It's me!

Course it is.

Mission accomplished, everyone. Well done.

Care to take the controls, Miss M?

Think she's still basking in the glow of victory.

She totally nailed Aqualad. You should have seen it.

Well, actually, it didn't look like much.

But I'm sure it was very cool inside their heads.

By now they'll have moved their ship.

There's still the Beetle connection to figure out.

But you can tell the world they're here.

Their secret invasion is no secret anymore.

AQUAMAN: That would be an understatement.

CAT GRANT : Repeating today's top story: a small group of extra-terrestrials...

the Reach, have arrived at United Nations Headquarters...

in New York City.

For more on this, we go live to GBS' own G. Gordon Godfrey at the U.N.

Thanks, Cat. And, yes, folks, it seems Earth's finally met some aliens...

who know how to get it right.

The Reach comes to your world as friends.

We come with open arms, extending our hands...

our reach, if you will, to help.

Well, thumbs up to the Reach.

Oh, I know what you're thinking.

Old G. Gordon's gone soft on the spacemen.

But don't you see? This is exactly how aliens should come to Earth.

Knocking on our front door...

not sneaking in the back, like some Leaguers we know.

So before we warn the public, they go public.

It could be worse.

At least we know exactly where they are.

That's right.

We know what we're up against.