History Recap / MiraculousLadybugS04E22Ephemeral

* OutsideContextProblem: When Unification was used previously, it was explicitly limited to just two Miraculouses at a time. Even when "Kwamibuster" had Marinette (as Multimouse) unify several Miraculouses, she was using [[SelfDuplication Multiplication]] as a LoopholeAbuse. This episode has Shadow Moth ''unifying the Cat Miraculous with the Peacock and Butterfly'', becoming Shadow Noir for his confrontation with Ladybug. Of course, the show never said that you ''couldn't'' unify more than two Miraculous at a time, merely that you ''shouldn't'', because it will drive you insane. Presumably Shadow Noir is fine because [[InsanityImmunity he wasn't all there to begin with]].

** We finally get some more concrete details on what would happen if someone combined the powers of the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous and made their wish: in order for the wish to be granted, the entire universe would be destroyed and a new one created in its place. Also, judging by the Kwamis' [[OhNoNotAgain reactions]] to this happening, ''it has happened before!''

* EvilIsPetty: In what must be the pettiest akumatization in the whole show, Bob Roth ends up turned into a supervillain after losing a penny.

* BigDamnHeroes: Luka saves the universe by charging straight into the Dupain-Cheng Bakery and running to Marinette's room to find Sass, who then uses Second Chance to travel back to before these events ever happened.
* BlatantLies: Originally, Ladybug comes with a plan to convince Cat Noir that both will reveal their identities to each other, when she had no intention to follow with it. In the second timeline, when Cat Noir asks Ladybug what she wanted to talk to him about, she says it's not important. His expression makes it clear that [[LockedOutOfTheLoop he didn't buy it]].

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Ladybug and Cat Noir revealing their true identities to each other. Ladybug tells him that it's time, only for Cat Noir to quietly ask her if she's sure. Then, when she gets cold feet and says she changed her mind after he detransforms in front of her (i.e. removes his costume), he assures her that he can wait until she's ready. A few days later, she stops him and tells him that she's ready now, and detransforms as well.
* DramaticIrony: Out of context, this sounds a lot like two teenagers getting nervous about getting naked in front of each other and losing their virginity together.

* AbsenteeActor: Despite the episode's high-stakes premise ultimately culminating in a TimeTravel-based resolution, Bunnyx doesn't appear and isn't even mentioned. One can imagine up some plausible reasons, but ultimately it seems she was absent simply because it wasn't a Bunnyx episode.

* ADayInTheLimelight: Luka once again has a good amount of focus this episode through how him knowing Ladybug and Cat Noir's secret identities would help save the world.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Ladybug and Cat Noir revealing their true identities to each other. Ladybug tells him that it's time, only for Cat Noir to quietly ask her if she's sure. Then, when she gets cold feet and says she changed her mind after he detransforms in front of her (i.e. removes his costume), he assures her that he can wait until she's ready. A few days later, she stops him and tells him that she's ready now, and detransforms as well. Out of context, this heralds to a much more intimate situation that two people would have together. Need we say more?
* DramaticIrony:

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Ladybug and Cat Noir revealing their true identities to each other. Ladybug tells him that it's time, only for Cat Noir to quietly ask her if she's sure. Then, when she gets cold feet and says she changed her mind after he detransforms in front of her (i.e. removes his costume), he assures her that he can wait until she's ready. A few days later, she stops him and tells him that she's ready now, and detransforms as well. Out of context, they sound a lot like two teenagers getting nervous about getting naked in front of each other and losing their virginity together.

* OutsideContextProblem: When Unification was used previously, it was explicitly limited to just two Miraculouses at a time. Even when "Kwamibuster" had Marinette (as Multimouse) unify several Miraculouses, she was using [[MesACrowd Multiplication]] as a LoopholeAbuse. This episode has Shadow Moth ''unifying the Cat Miraculous with the Peacock and Butterfly'', becoming Shadow Noir for his confrontation with Ladybug. Of course, the show never said that you ''couldn't'' unify more than two Miraculous at a time, merely that you ''shouldn't'', because it will drive you insane. Presumably Shadow Noir is fine because [[InsanityImmunity he wasn't all there to begin with]].

** Su-Han admits one doesn't come across a guardian like Ladybug every century[[labelnote:*]]That's 100 years[[/labelnote]].

* AllOfTimeAtOnce: When Sass uses Second Chance without a wielder, he causes various things in the past to appear in the then present, from previous akuma villains to dinosaurs and Joan of Arc appearing. Fixing the official clock resets this problem.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Ladybug and Cat Noir revealing their true identities to each other. Ladybug tells him that it's time, only for Cat Noir to quietly ask her if she's sure. Then, when she gets cold feet and says she changed her mind after he detransforms in front of her (i.e. removes his costume), he assures her that he can wait until she's ready. A few days later, she stops him and tells him that she's ready now, and detransforms as well.

* OhNoNotAgain: The Kwamis reaction to the lights indicating the universe's upcoming destruction and recreation. That means the wish was made at least once before the current time.

* {{Foil}}: Marinette and Adrien have very different reactions about learn each other's secrets. While Marinette needs time to process that Adrien and Cat are the same person, Adrien is overjoyed to learn that Ladybug is also one of his best friends.

** Sass uses Second Chance by himself in order to undo Gabriel getting the Miraculouses.

* RunningGag: Paris' abundance of billboards with Adrien on them returns as a sight gag, with Marinette finding to her shock that she can't stop seeing Cat Noir on them now that she knows Adrien is Cat Noir.

* StatusQuoIsGod: Just like in "Cat Blanc", our heroes learning each other's identities results in Gabriel learning them soon after, Adrien is akumatized, and everything just goes straight to Hell from there. In other words, [[StarCrossedLovers even if they love each other, they can't be together]] while Gabriel is around and preying their Miraculouses.

** Adrien discovers the secret repository under his house and finds his mother inside the cryogenic pod. Unfortunately it causes his akumatization into Ephemeral. Sass' Second Chance ensures it doesn't stick.

* {{Foil}}: Marinette and Adrien have very different reactions about learn each other secrets. While Marinette needs time to process that Adrien and Cat are the same person, Adrien is overjoyed about learn that Ladybug is also one of his best friends.

* StatusQuoIsGod: Just like in "Cat Blanc", our heroes learning each other's identities results in Gabriel learning them soon after, Adrien is akumatized, and everything just goes straight to Hell from there. In other words, [[StarCrossedLovers even if they love each other, they can't be together]] while Gabriel is around and preying their miraculous.

** Ladybug's meeting with Chat Noir at the Eiffel Tower is at 1:00 AM.

** Ladybug says to Su-Han that she's proven she's a good guardian 100 times, and that she and Chat Noir have proven themselves as exceptional heroes 100 times.

** Ladybug tries to make use of a reset to give Cat Noir's identity to Su Han. She lies to Chat about her reasons for wanting a reveal. Su Han's threat, her plan to expose Cat Noir's identity to the Guardian and Luka without his consent and that she was originally going to erase her own knowledge of his identity were never going to be revealed to him.

* TakeAThirdOption: Su-Han's original ultimatum is that Ladybug learns Cat Noir's secret identity or he will confiscate Cat Noir's Miraculous. She comes up with the alternative solution of having Viperion learn Cat's identity, using Second Chance to undo her learning it in the process, and having ''him'' tell Su-Han, thereby making it possible to keep tabs on Cat Noir outside the suit while preserving the secrecy between Ladybug and Cat Noir. At the end of the episode, after time shenanigans disrupt this plan, she comes up with the ''fourth'' option of skipping all the identity stuff and just telling Su-Han to his face that she's not going along with his demands because the team is doing fine as-is, which he admits might be due to his own hang-ups over the situation.

* BlatantLies: Originally, Ladybug comes with a plan to convince Cat Noir that both will reveal their identities to each other, when she had no intention to follow with it. In the second timeline, when Cat Noir asks Ladybug what she wanted to talk to him about, she says it's not important. His expression makes it clear that he didn't buy it.

* AndImTheQueenOfSheba: When Cat Noir tells Ladybug he's Adrien Agreste, she laughs and says she's Audrey Bourgeois.

* Foil: Marinette and Adrien have very different reactions about learn each other secrets. While Marinette needs time to process that Adrien and Cat are the same person, Adrien is overjoyed about learn that Ladybug is also one of his best friends.

* WhatIf: According to Thomas Astruc, this is what the episode is meant to be. Downplayed as the events of this episode do have an impact to the main plot to some extent, such as TheReveal that the price of making a wish using both the Ladybug and the Cat Miraculouses is [[EquivalentExchange the destruction of the old reality that would be replaced in favor of the new ones that suited for the wisher]].

* StatusQuoIsGod: Just like in "Cat Blanc", our heroes learning each other's identities results in Gabriel learning them soon after, Adrien is akumatized, and everything just goes straight to Hell from there.

* BlatantLies: In the second timeline, when Cat Noir asks Ladybug what she wanted to talk to him about, she says it's not important. His expression makes it clear that he didn't buy it.

* OhNoNotAgain: The Kwamis reaction to the lights indicating the universe's upcoming destruction and recreation.

* ApocalypseHow: Gabriel's wish to change the past requires erasing the present, metaphysically annihilating the current universe so it can be replaced with one that meets his desires.
* ApologeticAttacker: Ephemeral is forced to ambush Ladybug and apologies as he does so.

* WhamEpisode: Adrien reveals his identity to Ladybug. Adrien discovers the repository where his mother is and that his father is Shadow Moth. He is then akumatized and forced to ally himself with his father and give his Cat Miraculous to him. Gabriel discovers Ladybug's identity. [[ResetButton None of this sticks, however.]]

* EvilIsPetty: In what must be the pettiest akumatization in the whole show, Bob Roth ends up turned into supervillain after losing a penny.

* NoNonsenseNemesis: Heroic examples: When dealing with Shadow Moth who knows their heroes' secret identities and has already seized Cat Miraculous, Plagg instantly tries to use Cataclysm on him. Similarly, Ladybug summons her Lucky Charm the second she finishes transforming.

* SecondaryCharacterTitle: Despite being titular villain, Ephemeral has less than a minute of screentime, [[MeaningfulName fittingly enough.]] Even Moolak lasts longer.

** Cat Noir's song, "Thus spoke Catathustra" is a reference to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Also_sprach_Zarathustra "Also sprach Zarathustra"]] most famously used in 8 Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey