While chasing down Black Manta, Aquaman learns just how big the Bat family is.
Tropes:
- Accidental Misnaming: Spoiler calls the villain "Black Mamba" instead of "Black Manta."
- A Day in the Limelight: For Aquaman.
- The Bus Came Back: Batwing and Bluebird make their first appearances in a while.
- Crapsack World: It's brought up that because of Joker toxin, Scarecrow's fear toxins, and the city's regular pollution, the water around Gotham is so bad that Spoiler doubts if it can even be called water anymore. Aquaman confirms this when he dives headfirst into the bay...and jumps right out gasping in horror.
- Informed Loner: Lampshaded; after finishing his business in Gotham, Aquaman mentions to Batman that he constantly claims he works alone, but that doesn't seem to square with the huge number of Bats he just met. Batman's only response is telling him to stay away from Gotham.
- Is This Thing Still On?: After meeting Oracle (so to speak), Aquaman remarks to himself that it was nice to meet a helpful green computer lady instead of finding a brooding bat. Oracle then tells him that she's enabled his com and heard what he just said.
- Jerkass Has a Point: While she's not a villain anymore, Red Robin realizes (after Aquaman learns about how bad Gotham's waterways are) that Ivy might be right about the pollution in Gotham.
- Mythology Gag: Batman's constant statement of "I work alone" is questioned by Aquaman after he meets only a few of the members of the Bat family. Batman's only reply is "Stay out of my city."
- No. Just... No: Aquaman's reaction to Spoiler's attempt at a respectful title. How she thought "Your Imperial Fishiness" would be respectful is up for debate.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Hilariously averted. Aquaman is the king of Atlantis and spends the entire episode trying to take down Black Manta on his own. But the Bats end up doing everything for him (Oracle tells him where to go, Batwing gets him to the docks, Red Robin and Spoiler locate Black Manta, Bluebird takes Black Manta out, etc). The most Aquaman does is dive into the polluted bay. He's clearly annoyed about this.
- Shock and Awe: Bluebird takes out Black Manta with her tasers.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: After years of Joker venom, Scarecrow's fear toxin, and the city's regular pollution entering the waterways, the water around Gotham could hardly be considered water at this point, as poor Aquaman finds out when he tries to look for Manta underwater.
