It Never Went Away

Lore & Background

While the film American Symphony documents the marriage between Batiste and Suleika Jaouad as Jaoaud battles leukemia, the song is intended to celebrate a serene, enduring love beyond the limitations of the physical world. The piano ballad is inspired by lullabies that Batiste wrote and played for his wife to help her survive.

In Their Own Story

The song is played at the end of the film after Jon Batiste's titular symphony is played by an orchestra at Carnegie Hall. It Never Went Away not only brings the music down from a whole orchestra to a piano, but is also intended to summarize the documented events. In November 2023, Jon Batiste released the single It Never Went Away.

Reader's Guide

The episode begins with Angela Abar recovering from injuries sustained during a confrontation with masked vigilantes. Her physical healing parallels a psychological descent into memory and trauma. She navigates a surreal dreamscape constructed by her own mind, where she encounters visions of her past and the people who shaped her identity as Sister Night. Central to this journey is her husband, Jon Keefe, whose involvement in a larger conspiracy is gradually unveiled through fragmented flashbacks. Angela must reconcile her love for him with the realization that his actions contributed to systemic corruption within Tulsa's law enforcement. As the dream sequence progresses, Angela confronts the legacy of the Seventh Doctor and the cover-ups surrounding Will Reeves' true identity as Hooded Justice. This revelation forces her to choose between protecting her family or exposing the truth that could shatter the city's fragile peace. The episode concludes with Angela waking from her stupor, resolved to pursue justice regardless of personal cost.

Did You Know?

• It Never Went Away won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.
• The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 96th Academy Awards.
• It was written by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson for the documentary American Symphony.
• The piano ballad is inspired by lullabies Batiste wrote and played for his wife Suleika Jaouad to help her survive leukemia.
• Jon Batiste released the single It Never Went Away in November 2023.