For more effective humiliation, just add a public forum.
- Do you know the saying, "If you want a job doing, do it yourself"?—Kneedling
Kneedling's sabotage of Fogg's journey ramps up in Hong Kong as he uses his authority to interfere with Fogg's finances. Meanwhile, Abigail is thrilled at her latest article's reception, until Passpartout points out one glaring problem.
The pair's efforts to keep Fogg from learning about the article derail efforts to find funds, and Passpartout's guilt over his actions in India lead him to make a very bad decision while trying to help.
Tropes:
- Actor Allusion: Fogg is not the only character played by David Tennant to encounter a one-episode character named Lady Clemency whose valuable necklace is stolen.
- The Atoner: Deconstructed. Passpartout continues to try and make up for drugging Fogg by getting the money to continue their journey by returning to his former thieving ways. It only makes things worse.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Kneedling confronting Fogg at gunpoint aboard the ship to Japan.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Passpartout is revealed to have been a thief for a man strongly implied to be a high-ranking Triad member as he tries to get Fogg funds.
- Defiant Captive: Fogg manages to maintain a stoic facade in front of Donaldson while maintaining his innocence, even cracking a joke.Fogg: [Handing his coat to a guard] Keep the crease there, that's a good chap.
Donaldson: Is this funny to you, sir?
Fogg: Not in the slightest. There's nothing the least bit amusing about being flogged for something you know you didn't do. - Foreshadowing: It's overshadowed by the drama between Fogg and Abigail, so viewers might be forgiven for not making the connection when Passpartout is nowhere to be seen. He's hidden himself in the governor's mansion, ready to steal the White Dragon that night.
- Grave Robbing: The White Dragon necklace was taken from Jang Liei's ancestors' grave. He's understandably furious and pays Passpartout to steal it back.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Kneedling is using his position as a police officer to interfere with Fogg's journey by pretending that he's a fugitive. First the bank manager is persuaded to prevent Fogg accessing his money, then the Governor and the chief of police are set against him just as a valuable necklace is stolen...
- Honor Before Reason: Seeing Kneedling, Passpartout angrily returns his bribe money... moments before Fogg reveals that he can't access his own money.
- Humiliation Conga: Fogg's troubles begin with being unable to access his own money due to Kneedling's interference. Then, at a garden party thrown in his honour by the Governor where he hopes to get a loan, he's humiliated by his old heartbreak being revealed to the public by Abigail's article. Then he's arrested for a theft he didn't commit and sentenced to a dozen lashes, of which he mercifully "only" receives one. By the end of the episode, he's in full Heroic BSoD mode and just wants to be left alone. Cue Kneedling...
- Inspector Javert: Donaldson takes Fogg apparently turning out to be a thief deeply personally, taking great pleasure in Fogg's obvious horror at his sentence and holding him in obvious contempt. Although, in fairness, he promptly calls off the flogging as soon as he's handed a pardon.
- Just in Time: Averted. Passapartout and Abigail reach the prison with Fogg's pardon just as he's about to be flogged, but the guard doing the flogging hasn't been told to stand down when he's due to start, so Fogg takes one lash before it's called off. This was apparently a deliberate decision by the writing team to avert this trope, while leaving Fogg physically able to travel. What really twists the knife is Fogg's desperately hopeful look as his companions scream that they've got his pardon.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Both Abigail and Passpartout in regards to Fogg.
- Abigail is thrilled when her article is published, and with such prominence! Passpartout tells her it's a brilliant article, but points out that she's revealed deeply personal details that Fogg shared with her unknowingly while under the influence, and that he'll be humiliated when he finds out. After that, she's horrified that she's hurt him this way.
- Passpartout was only trying to help Fogg when he steals the White Dragon to get funds. Instead, he gets Fogg lashed for a crime he didn't commit.
Abigail: I should have said sorry.
Passpartout: And I should have told him the truth. - Not So Stoic: Fogg maintains a stoic demeanor in front of Donaldson, but in the prison cell he cries while trying to distract himself by reading the newspaper and while Abigail and Passpartout scream that they have his pardon he frantically twists around trying to see what's happening, desperately hoping he might be spared the pain.
- Sentenced Without Trial: Fogg is wrongly accused of stealing a valuable necklace and sentenced to a dozen lashes. When he protests that he's an Englishman and entitled to a trial, Donaldson contemptuously tells him, "This isn't England. This is Hong Kong!"
- Shout-Out: When Fogg protests that he's a British citizen and has the right to a trial, Donaldson tells him, "This isn't England. It's Hong Kong." Which is damn close to "Forget it, Jake; it's Chinatown."
- A Taste of the Lash: Fogg is wrongly sentenced to a dozen lashes for the theft of the White Dragon. Appropriately, it's treated as a savage and barbaric practice, especially when Fogg gets a close-up look at a recent victim. He gets one lash before Passportout and Abigail are able to stop it, and is left with a nasty-looking and clearly agonising wound. He's still moving stiffly and with pain as he heads for his ship cabin and demands to be left alone.
- Tempting Fate: Both Fogg and Abigail are sure they'll have a wonderful time in Hong Kong. Cue the worst time they've had so far.
