History Recap / SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS2E14GhostInTheMachine

* CallBack: Brainiac tells Luthor he survied his ship being bombed by the military, at the end of [[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS1E8StolenMemories "Stolen Memories"]], by downloading his mind into the computers of [=LexCorp=].
* ChekhovsGun: After his defeat, Brainiac began a plan that took [[Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS2E11PanicInTheSky 8 real life years to bear fruit.]]

-->'''Clark Kent''': Granted, Lois, Luthor does a lot of strange things. But what reason could he possibly have for trying to fool his own bodyguard?\\
'''Lois Lane''': Maybe he just needed some space. Haven't you ever noticed how she hovers over him, everywhere he goes?\\
'''Clark Kent''': But Lois, that's her job.\\
'''Lois Lane''': It's no wonder why you're still single, Kent.

* RageAgainstTheReflection: More like "Shame at the reflection" as Luthor painfully winces and then closes his eyes in shame after seeing how pathetic he looks after several days of being forced to work for Brainiac without food and rest in the glass.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[invoked]]An incredible example, since it can’t possibly have been intentional. Midway through the episode, Brainiac zaps Lex with a laser beam that leaves him completely unharmed and isn't brought up again, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness despite the fact that Brainiac had no reason to spare Lex after his usefulness was at an end]]. A few years later in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', [[spoiler:it's revealed the blast functioned [[GrandTheftMe exactly as Brainiac intended]]]].

* RageAgainstTheReflection: More like "Shame at the reflection" as Luthor painfully winces and then closes his eyes in shame after seeing how pathetic he looks after several days of being forced for Brainiac without food and rest in the glass.

* WeaknessIsJustAStateOfMind: Brainiac doesn't know that as an organic being, Lex needs rest and nutrition, so when Brainiac overworks him to the point of collapse, he thinks Lex has stopped working on-purpose.
* WrongGenreSavvy: Given his history, Superman wonders if Lex has some kind of dirt on Mercy that forces her compliance. Mercy says she works for him out of appreciation for saving her from the streets.

* ItsPersonal: After the humiliation that was the failed demonstration of his new magnetic weapon, which recquired Superman's intervention to save him and everyone else in LexCorp building, Luthor is visibly pissed off goes to investigate himself and alone the reasons for this failure. Brainiac was counting on it, to be able of trapping him without anyone's notice.

* SequelEpisode: Follows up on "[[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS1E8StolenMemories Stolen Memories]]" and the code Brainiac left behind in Lexcorp's systems.

* ItsPersonal: After the humiliation that was the failed demonstration of his new magnetic weapon, which recquired Superman's intervention to save him and everyone else in LexCorp building, Luthor goes to investigate himself and alone the reasons for this failure. Brainiac was counting on it, to be able of trapping him without anyone's notice.

* MadeASlave: Braniac demonstrates to Luthor a perfect 3-D rendering that also sounds just like him, so no one will notice he's missing after being trapped in the research lab. Several days of rebuilding Braniac's body, Luthor collapses from exhaustion, when Brainiac demands he keep working, Luthor says that as a human being he needs food and rest, but Braniac only allows him enough time to eat some candy bars from a nearby bending machine. Luthor is only freed when Mercy figures out where he's being held, [[EnemyMine and she and Superman]] confront Braniac.

* CallBack: Braniac tells Luthor he survied his ship being bombed by the military, at the end of [[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS1E8StolenMemories "Stolen Memories"]], by downloading his mind into the computers of [=LexCorp=].

* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[invoked]]An incredible example, since it can’t possibly have been intentional. Midway through the episode, Brainiac zaps Lex with a laser beam that leaves him completely unharmed and isn't brought up again, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness despite the fact that Braniac had no reason to spare Lex after his usefulness was at an end]]. A few years later in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', [[spoiler:it's revealed the blast functioned [[GrandTheftMe exactly as Brainiac intended]]]].

* MadeASlave: Braniac demonstrates to Luthor a perfect 3-D rendering that also sounds just like him, so no one will notice he's missing after being trapped in the research lab. Several days of rebuilding Braniac's body, Luthor collapses from exhaustion, when Braniac demands he keep working, Luthor says that as a human being he needs food and rest, but Braniac only allows him enough time to eat some candy bars from a nearby bending machine. Luthor is only freed when Mercy figures out where he's being held, [[EnemyMine and she and Superman]] confront Braniac.