History Recap / BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE54Zatanna

* AdaptationalSuperpowerChange: Since the original ''Batman'' animated series is significantly lower-key than the comics (and what the DCAU eventually turned into), the Zatanna that appears here has no literal magical powers like the comics character--she's just a very competent mundane illusionist.

** Zatanna seems like an ordinary stage magician until the end, when she pulls a disappearing act on Batman. ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' simply presents her with her usual complement of magical powers.

While Bruce and Alfred watch Zatanna's magic act, Bruce remembers how he first met her while learning escape artist techniques from her father Zatara. She was clearly interested in him, and asked him to write... but he never did, and she had no way to find him since he was using the alias "John Smith".

The magic act concludes with an illusion in which the Gotham Mint and ten million dollars seems to vanish. The structure returns, but the money remains gone, and Zatanna is arrested on suspicion of setting the whole thing up to steal it. Batman breaks her out of the police van and enlists her help tracking down the real thief.

!!Tropes:

* CallForward[=/=]{{Futureshadowing}}:
** In a flashback, young Zatanna does a card trick with young Bruce (under the alias "[[MrSmith John Smith]]") to predict his future. She thinks Bruce got "two of hearts" (it's implied that she set that up as an excuse to flirt with him), but he's got [[CallForward a Joker card]].
--->'''Zatanna:''' (''throws the cards in anger'') It's a dumb trick anyway!
** In the same flashback, Bruce says that he's on his way to Japan for the next phase of his education. Bruce's time in Japan training in martial arts was covered in an earlier episode, "Night of the Ninja".

* CoolPlane: Kane's escape aircraft appears to be inspired by industrial designer Norman Geddes "Airliner No. 4".
* DisappearingBox: In the flashback, Zatara's equipment includes one, which Zatanna hides in to eavesdrop on a conversation between her father and "John Smith". Zatanna goes over and looks inside and there's apparently nobody in there, but he's not fooled and makes it spit her out.
* EscapeArtist: Zatara was a renowned escape artist, which is why Bruce chose to study with him. In the present day portion of the episode, Batman gets several opportunities to demonstrate what he learned, including a scene where he's imprisoned by chains that Kane claims even Zatara couldn't have escaped.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Zatanna seems like an ordinary stage magician until the end, when she pulls a disappearing act on Batman. ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' simply presents her with her usual complement of magical powers.

* MythologyGag: The magic word Zatanna uses in her act is "Arbadacarba", the reverse of one of the standard stage magic words. In the comics where Zatanna has real magic, it's activated by speaking words backwards.

* SecretKeeper: It seems Zatara knows a lot more about "John Smith". And eventually so does Zatanna.
* SoftWater: A pair of {{mooks}} fell out of a plane flying ''above the clouds'' and survived the impact with the ocean below.
* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: Batman calls Zatanna "Zanna". A nickname only "John Smith" called her, which she hated.

* StealthHiBye: Here we see Batman's first (chronological) example, when in the flashback Zatanna cuffs him to the wall, turns around, and remarks that if "John Smith" were a real escape artist, he would have broken free by now. She turns around to face him and of course he's no longer in sight.
-->'''Zatanna:''' Now you see him, now you don't.

* TheWallsAreClosingIn: In Kane's mansion, Batman and Zatanna get trapped in a pit where the walls move inward and have SpikesOfDoom on them. Lampshaded by Kane as being a bit of a cliché.
* WrongfulAccusationInsurance: Nothing is said at the end of the episode about the criminal charges Zatanna is liable to for breaking out of police custody to go after the real thief. This is particularly notable by Zatanna herself actually pointed out the liability to Batman when he broke her out.

* YouGotSpunk: The villain tells Zatanna, while holding her at knife point, "You are most ''engaging'', my dear -- beautiful, impetuous... I could be persuaded to spare you if ''properly implored''..." ''CRUNCH'' Cut to Zatanna's heel crushing his foot.

** In a flashback, young Zatanna does a card trick with young Bruce (under the alias "JohnSmith") to predict his future. She thinks Bruce got "two of hearts" (it's implied that she set that up as an excuse to flirt with him), but he's got [[CallForward a Joker card]].

** In a flashback, young Zatanna does a card trick with young Bruce (under the alias "John Smith") to predict his future. She thinks Bruce got "two of hearts" (it's implied that she set that up as an excuse to flirt with him), but he's got [[CallForward a Joker card]].

* YouAnsweredYourOwnQuestion: Zatanna: "What do you care about [[ShesGotLegs some leggy dame]] [[StockingFiller in nylons]]? Or did I just answer my own question?"

* CallForward[=/=]{{Futureshadowing}}: In a flashback, young Zatanna does a card trick with young Bruce (under the alias "John Smith") to predict his future. She thinks Bruce got "two of hearts" (it's implied that she set that up as an excuse to flirt with him), but he's got [[CallForward a Joker card]].
-->'''Zatanna:''' (''throws the cards in anger'') It's a dumb trick anyway!

* FlatEarthAtheist: Dr. Montague Kane (magic is ambiguous in the original BTAS but beyond that, all bets are off). But to be fair its implied most of the magic he encounters really are illusions.

* FlatEarthAtheist: Dr. Montague Kane (magic is ambiguous in the original BTAS but beyond that, all bets are off).

* StealthHiBye: Here we see Batman's first (chronologically) example, when in the flashback Zatanna cuffs him to the wall, turns around, and remarks that if "John Smith" were a real escape artist, he would have broken free by now. She turns around to face him and of course he's no longer in sight.

-->''Zatanna:'' Now you see him, now you don't.

* YouAnsweredYourOwnQuestion: Zatanna: "What do you care about some leggy dame in nylons? Or did I just answer my own question?"

* {{Futureshadowing}}: In a flashback, young Zatanna does a card trick with young Bruce (under the alias "John Smith") to predict his future. She thinks Bruce got "two of hearts" (it's implied that she set that up as an excuse to flirt with him), but he's got [[CallForward a Joker card]].

* {{Futureshadowing}}: In a flashback, young Zatanna does a card trick with young Bruce (under the alias "John Smith") to predict his future. She thinks Bruce got "two of hearts" (it's implied that she set that up as an excuse to flirt with him), but he's got a Joker card.

* {{Futureshadowing}}: In a flashback, young Zatanna does a card trick with young Bruce (under the alias "John Smith") to predict his future. She thinks Bruce got "two of hearts", but he's got a Joker card.

* SecretKeeper: It seems Zatara knows a lot more about "John Smith". And eventually Zatanna.