Line #27 Recap/WithThisRingEpisode43


1	!! Episode 43: Triumph of the Will
2
3	Takes place 3-11 April 2011.
4
5	!!! Short version
6
7	The Team encounters the Krieger brothers, who led the Nazi assault on the Watchtower, and kills them with assistance from a non-evil clone of Adolf Hitler.
8
9	!!! Longer version
10
11	Paul gives the Justice League a performance evaluation, resulting in several equipment upgrades such as Superman wearing a shield against kryptonite radiation. Unfortunately, Nabu flatly rejects his offer to provide a strong, resilient and easily repairable golem body.
12
13	Immediately afterward, the undead Einherjar on the Watchtower are reanimated, suggesting that a portal to Valhalla has been opened. The Team is sent to find the likely suspects, Wolf and Albrecht Krieger.
14
15	Paul's group visits a man named Helmut Schreiber, who turns out to be a clone of Hitler, but who is unaware of the fact and is living peacefully with his architecture practice and his non-Aryan wife and children. The Kriegers attack the house, disabling Paul and Schreiber with the Spear of Destiny, and announce their intention to use Schreiber as a [[SympatheticMagic sympathetic focus]] to retrieve Hitler's soul and create a magical champion of fascism. However, Rocket creates enough of a distraction for Paul and Schreiber to break free and strike back, killing both of their assailants.
16
17	In the aftermath, the Team receives substantial bounty payments for the Kriegers, and Sephtian advises Paul that the Spear should be locked away safely, as it is extraordinarily dangerous but he doesn't know a safe way to destroy it.
18
19	The Renegade meets with the Light and learns that they have recruited Mordru, who was able to return to the material universe due to Klarion's death. He also introduces Sunset Shimmer to Atlantean magic literature.
20
21	The title is a reference to a Nazi propaganda film of the same name.
22
23	----
24	* AmplifierArtifact: The Spear of Destiny constantly maintains a [[SympatheticMagic magical connection]] to ''everyone on Earth'', allowing the wielder to bypass most of the usual safeguards that make it difficult to, for example, casually mind control the world. Paul's magic contact wants to destroy it, but can't think of a safe method. It also works as an AntiMagic weapon.
25	* AnnoyingLaugh: The Brain's laugh sounds like a crackling noise.
26	* BaitAndSwitch: When Paul first meets Helmut Schreiber, the latter recognizes him immediately. Paul automatically assumes that this is because he knows him as [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten the Cake Man]], but is swiftly proven wrong when he identifies Paul as the Orange Lantern.
27	* BetterTheDevilYouKnow: Possibly. Klarion's death in the Renegade timeline left a [[EvilPowerVacuum power vacuum]] that allowed Mordru to return to the world.
28	* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Canis finds the fact that Hitler started a war that killed millions of people unimpressive compared to what Apokolips has done for eons across the universe.
29	* CallBack:
30	** Queen Clea laid a feast for the Renegade for being the one to kill Ocean Master.
31	** The fact that Paul is evaluating members of the Justice League was mentioned by Guy in ''Date Night''.
32	** The Einherjar that the League and the Team fought back at New Years reanimate, indicating that the Kriegers have returned from Valhalla.
33	* CantTakeCriticism: Nabu's response to OL critiquing his less than stellar record against Klarion is to teleport away and sulk like a child.
34	* CharacterTiers: At Batman's request, Paul gives the Justice League a performance evaluation. They both insist it's merely about everyone finding ways to improve, but realistically, when you produce Top Trumps cards for the whole League, they're gonna compare themselves to others.
35	--> '''Paul:''' Now, the first thing you'll note-.\
36	'''Guy:''' Is that Lanterns rule.
37	* ClonesArePeopleToo: Helmut Schreiber is nothing like his source material and much of the fight is helping him keep his freedom.
38	* CostumeEvolution: Diana is getting help from Ted Kord and Io on getting a new set of armor, though it isn't quite ready yet.
39	* ConsummateLiar: Odin is one, especially about [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6437860 where he gets his power]].
40	* CultureClash: Paul has to explain to Canis why they aren't killing Helmut Schreiber in a way the Apokoliptian understands.
41	--> '''Paul:''' Canis, this isn't Apokolips. We're here to achieve a very limited objective '''''while at the same time''''' not creating difficulty for our superiors. Killing a Brazilian citizen without an exceptionally good reason ''would'' create such a difficulty.\
42	'''Canis:''' Because you cannot be sure if someone of significance favours him in ignorance of his true nature. And you do not wish to challenge your elders by assuming a right which belongs to them alone.\
43	''[{{Beat}}]''\
44	'''Paul:''' [[SureLetsGoWithThat Okay. Let's go with that.]]
45	* DeathIsCheap: Discussed. M'gann asks Paul and Kon if people come back from the dead a lot on Earth, and wonders if it's possible on Mars as well.
46	* DidntSeeThatComing: The Renegade didn't expect the Light to induct a new member alongside himself, especially not someone on his scale of power like Modru.
47	--> "[[LampshadeHanging Were you expecting someone other than]] '''''[[LampshadeHanging Mordru]]'''''?"
48	* DramaticIrony: Much of the humor comes from Helmut Schreiber being nothing like his source material.
49	--> '''Rocket:''' Is that Adolf Hitler, his black wife and their three children?\
50	'''Paul:''' Well-. Well-. Well. Until they get further away from the house I can't do a genetic analysis, but working backwards from existing genetic records and their physical appearances… Probably?
51	* EarnYourHappyEnding: Prince Jon reveals that he was able to die an honorable death and reunite with his Valkyrie lover after he was frozen alive, thawed out centuries later, and ultimately killed by something he called [[OutsideContextProblem blast clay, i.e. dynamite]], because Odin didn't think to make him immune to something like that when cursing Prince Jon.
52	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: When Helmut Schreiber first meets Orange Lantern and Rocket, he surprises the both of them. As opposing to knowing OL as [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten the Cake Man]], Helmut remembers OL as the hero who was important in the Klarion terrorist incident and sees Rocket as his daughters' idol and role model. This establishes him as FamilyMan who is as far from a Nazi as you can get.
53	* {{Foreshadowing}}: While briefing the Justice League on how they can better defend Earth from alien threats, he brings up the Thanagarian Empire as one possible threat. This gets Hawkwoman to briefly deny this can happen. This is only the beginning of what would become a one-sided grudge on Hawkwoman's part.
54	* GetOut: Helmut Schreiber says this after Paul reveals that he's a clone of Hitler.
55	* HopeSpot: Paul broaches the subject of a golem body to Nabu with the hope of this allowing Zatara his freedom again. Nabu refuses the offer without even giving his reasoning for doing so.
56	* HornyVikings: The remains of the Einherjar come back to life, indicating that there is a portal open to Valhalla.
57	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Helmut Schreiber repeatedly stabs Wolf Krieger in the chest with the Spear of Destiny.
58	* LampshadeHanging:
59	** After the Renegade ditches the escorts escorting him, Lynne, and Sunset, his daughter asks him:
60	---> "Grayven, are you doing that thing where you [[TheGadfly annoy people for fun]] again?"
61	** Lia Briggs knows Paul is referencing something stupid by calling her '[[Literature/{{Carmilla}} Miss]] [[SdrawkcabName Allimrac]]' but is too hungry at the moment to care.
62	* LaughThemselvesSick: OL and Rocket do this after finding out about Helmut Schreiber and his black/mixed blood family.
63	* LeeroyJenkins: After the Renegade recovers Manchester, he accuses the latter of being this.
64	--> '''Manchester:''' Fook off. I've been shot.\
65	'''Renegade:''' I can't ''imagine'' why that happened.\
66	'''Manchester:''' You were the one who gave me those fookin' fiyals. What'd'ja think I was gonna do with 'em?\
67	'''Renegade:''' I gave them to you because I wanted to demonstrate the nature of the people you work for. I thought you'd use your position to gather more information. Gather allies. '''''Plan''''', like I '''know''' they tried to train you to. I didn't expect you to try '''killing them all off yourself one by one''', You- I ''[pokes a finger just above one of Manchester's wound]'' -are a '''Muppet'''.
68	* MakeSureHesDead: Representatives of several nations assign a minor magician to inspect the Kriegers' bodies, which will then be [[KillItWithFire cremated]], mixed with [[SilverHasMysticPowers silver]] and calcium oxide, exorcised, and scattered widely in secret locations. Paul killed Albrecht in the first place with a mixture of regular ammunition, [[DisintegratorRay crumblers]], [[AntiMagic mage slayers]], and even [[HolyBurnsEvil angel-feather rounds]].
69	* MorallySuperiorCopy: Helmut Schreiber, a clone of Hitler, was raised as a normal orphan due to an issue in keeping track of him when he was an infant and became a NiceGuy who eventually married and had children with a black woman.
70	* MythologyGag: Mordru's OneLiner is taken from the time he revealed himself to be the new Doctor Fate. The line even has a link to an image of that event.
71	* NatureVersusNurture: Paul tells Rocket that he believes the latter is a bigger deal than the former. It also proves true with Helmut Schreiber, who is nothing like his genetic progenitor.
72	* OhCrap: After seeing that Mordru has been made a member of the Light, the Renegade realizes that it won't be easy for him to take them down if needed.
73	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Paul visits a vampire to study her powers and determine whether vampirism has market potential.
74	* PassiveAggressiveKombat: When critiquing Nabu's showings against Klarion, Paul wants Nabu to feel insulted, but does so [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6418710 in a way that sounds like he isn't intentionally doing so]].
75	* PhlebotinumOverload: Paul's Spell Eaters are unable to cope with the Spear of Destiny, instantly being overwhelmed even after Paul replaces the one he's wearing.
76	* PointOfDivergence:
77	** Due to the Renegade being more discreet when getting data, scry wards [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6366888 aren't as common in the Renegade timeline]] as they are in the Paragon timeline.
78	** As the Renegade never needed to go to Atlantis to get protection from magic, [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6489386 Spell Eaters don't exist in the Renegade timeline]].
79	** Wolf Krieger didn't get in touch with Klarion and Vandal Savage in the Renegade timeline, so he's [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6499127 still in the preparation stage of his plan]].
80	* RhetoricalQuestionBlunder: Paul answers a rhetorical question that Superman asks before realizing that he was being rhetorical.
81	--> '''Superman:''' Remind me again why we lined these storage rooms with lead?\
82	'''Paul:''' In case you were storing radiological materials, probab-. Rhetorical, sorry.
83	* RiddleForTheAges: The Renegade tells Sunset that the reason ancient Atlanteans all turned themselves into what they are now was lost to time due to their continent sinking.
84	* ShoutOut:
85	** Paul calls the purple healing ray [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 a gun that shoots life]].
86	** When visiting Lia Briggs, who's a vampire, he calls her [[Literature/{{Carmilla}} Miss]] [[SdrawkcabName Allimrac]].
87	*** Paul also thinks of [[TabletopGame/{{Mordheim}} Ulli and Marquand]] while dealing with Lia.
88	*** When allowed inside her house, Robin asks if she'll say "[[Film/BramStokersDracula Welcome to my house!]]".
89	** Paul briefly [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6390608 references]] ''Literature/CarpeJugulum'' when talking to Guy about Lia Briggs.
90	** Rocket asks Paul if he's ever read ''Literature/TheBoysFromBrazil'' after they see Helmut Schreiber and his family.
91	* StunnedSilence: The Renegade is able to briefly catch Lex off guard by mentioning his daughter Lynne.
92	* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Paul takes no chances when it comes to taking down Albrecht Krieger and fires everything he's got at him. After Albrecht is incapacitated by the numerous bullet holes in his chest, Paul then [[DoubleTap shoots two shots into his eyes]].
93	* ThoughtTheyKnewAlready: The Brain assumed that the other members of the Light already knew his real name and simply used his nom de guerre out of professional courtesy.
94	* ValuesDissonance: Discussed between Aqualad and Rocket. The former doesn't understand racism, while the latter doesn't get Purebloodism. Aqualad even lampshades it.
95	* VigilanteMan: Manchester Black tries this, but gets himself shot and nearly killed before the Renegade seizes him and gives him a talking to.
96	* WardrobeMalfunction: Discussed. Superman tells Paul that he wears a belt because his trunks used to get pulled down when he flew too fast.
97	* WeaponOfXSlaying: Paul adds angel-feather-tipped ammunition to his arsenal, for destroying demonic magic.
98	* WhamLine: Upon seeing Helmut Schreiber, Rocket asks:
99	--> "Is that Hitler?"
100	* WordOfGod:
101	** Baroness von Gunther [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6347307 may not have known]] what actually happened in the concentration camps.
102	** Chester was shot by [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6351846 invisible gunmen]].
103	** The Renegade didn't use a purple healing ray on Chester partially because it wouldn't get rid of bullet fragments, and partially because [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6352107 he was a bit annoyed at what Chester did]].
104	** Mr Zoat explains why he [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6371611 added the scene where the Renegade was nuked]] in ''Stars, Crossed, Part 2''.
105	** Paul is evaluating the members of the Justice League because Batman [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6378374 wants the news to come]] [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6431097 from someone other than himself]], as well as a sort of interview for OL.
106	*** It's explained that this allows Batman to [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6431316 look like a neutral debate moderator]].
107	** The Renegade won't just Awaken Queen Clea because [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6384160 it would make his involvement obvious]].
108	** Queen Clea's choices, and the reason Venturia is suspected of working with Ocean Master, [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6385074 are explained]].
109	** Paul suspects that Atlanteans [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6400290 can't be Dannered or Garricked]].
110	** Part of why the Renegade didn't leave Earth after quitting the Team is to [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6400785 show Alan]] that he didn't ''really'' become a supervillain. Also, the Renegade won't allow the Controllers to control his OLC.
111	** The red light is powered by an emotion that doesn't have an exact word in English. There is a word for it in Qwardian, which translates as something like [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6404800 'the certain need to unmake']].
112	*** Mr Zoat later explains that Red Lanterns are driven to [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6406402 unmake their targets, with no regard of anyone else's opinion]].
113	** Paul backed off after Nabu said he won't be taking the golem body because [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6407139 he knows he will have other opportunities to undermine Nabu]].
114	** Paul thinks the League needs bigger and better weapons to properly defend the Earth against alien invasion and that it [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6412352 shouldn't be restricted by previous treaties preventing such weapons]].
115	** Nabu hands over minor criminal magic users [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6418710 after impairing their ability to use magic]].
116	** Mr Zoat explains [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6420818 how Shade, the Changing Man and Shivering Jemmy can be on Earth]] when there's already a Lord of Chaos there.
117	** What the Norse call giants are [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6437293 the same class of being]] as what the Greeks call Titans.
118	** Mr Zoat reveals that, in this story, Prometheus [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6440284 helped with the conception of Hephaestus]] [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6440527 by creating a device for her]].
119	** Wolf is [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6445430 stronger than Beton Brut]].
120	** Paul remembers [[Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse Earth 12]] from [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6451543 a wiki he read]], so he calls it that in-universe.
121	** Gerri Brauer [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6451585 is around]].
122	** ''Something'' happened to Uncle Sam which has [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6462570 rendered him unavailable]]. Also, the Light have a new member who [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6462640 can keep most people from being consciously aware of him]].
123	** Mr Zoat isn't using the [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6463946 version of Uncle Sam]] from ''Creator/VertigoComics''
124	** Paul [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6475667 doesn't remember]] Ice's background.
125	** Paul can't use his ring to absorb the excess heat of his Spell Eater because [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6488766 the heat is a side effect of it reaching magic capacity]].
126	** Spell Eaters [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6489187 can be made bigger in order to absorb more magic]], though that comes with [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6489685 its own problems]].
127	** Adding more features to a Spell Eater is [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6489407 impractical at best]].
128	** A combination of the Kriegers teleporting in and the wards around the house [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6495333 prevented Zatanna and Canis from realizing Paul and Rocket needed help]].
129	** Wolf remembers how his last fight against OL went, so he [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/with-this-ring-young-justice-si-thread-twelve.25032/post-6496307 mostly ignored Rocket and focused his efforts on OL]].
130	* YouClonedHitler: The Kriegers did, but didn't follow up properly, and "Helmut Schreiber" has settled down happily with his architectural practice, his African-descent wife and their three children. Paul and Rocket [[LaughThemselvesSick can't stop laughing]] when they find out. Unfortunately that's not the end of it; even though the clone isn't ideologically a Nazi, he's still a potential TargetedHumanSacrifice to get the original's spirit back as a kernel of a new [[AnthropomorphicPersonification god of Fascism]].

Context Recap / WithThisRingEpisode43