A mine is a terrible thing to waste.
Tropes in this episode:
- Accidental Pervert: When Electra assigns them separate quarters (and pointing out it isn't appropriate for young people of opposite genders to room together like this), Jean and Nadia look at each other blushing. And then, inevitably, Jean's gaze can't help looking downward at her chest. For several seconds. As with the shower incident in Episode 04, Nadia does not take Jean's Male Gaze well and lashes out at him (but she later apologizes to him for that).
- Actually Pretty Funny:
- When Sanson and Hanson launch the Gratan's underwater operation, Nemo asks Sanson what happened to Grandis. Sanson responds that they "forgot" to bring her along. Despite the seriousness of the situation, even Nemo can't help cracking a small smile and agreeing "That's good.".
- After the Gratan barely survive the minefield, an exhausted Hanson sarcastically asks Jean what he learned from this experience. Jean’s innocent, outraged response (“That I really hate mines!”) sends Sanson and Hanson into paroxysms of laughter. Even Jean cracks up too once they get going.
- Anger Born of Worry:
- Grandis is livid at Hanson and Sanson for leaving her behind and risking their own lives in place of hers to try and clear the Neo-Atlantean minefield. While she naturally slaps them (off-screen) as soon as the Gratan is recovered, she quickly breaks down crying in relief that they're still alive
- Nadia, on the other hand, is shown to be remorseful from the start (she had previously yelled at Jean unfairly earlier when they were forced to separate rooms) and is only mentioned to just breaking down.
- Batman Gambit: Gargoyle uses one to set up his Xanatos Gambit. He lures Nemo into a trap using himself as bait. He knows Nemo will do anything to follow him and so leads The Captain to a cavern which he blocks off with mines.
- Call-Back: Sanson mentioned back at the end of the Cape Verde arc that the Gratan wasn't designed to operate underwater. This comes back into play as a major plot point.
- "Everybody Laughs" Ending: Jean, Sanson, and Hanson enjoying a needed bout of post-crisis laughter.
- Fire-Forged Friends: While Jean bonded with Hanson in the previous episode over their mutual engineering interests, the Minefield crisis is what really locks in his friendships with not just Hanson, but Sanson too.
- Foreshadowing: Sanson knocking out Grandis and he and Hanson being prepared to sacrifice themselves to protect her (and Grandis' off-screen emotional breakdown at the end of the episode) . This is one of the first signs that they're not actually just simple employees of Grandis. They do genuinely care about her (and vice-versa) and keeping her safe. Why will be fleshed out with Grandis' backstory during Episode 12.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Attempted. Hanson and Sanson are certainly prepared to do this in order to ensure Grandis doesn't die if this turns out to be a suicide mission. Thankfully, it proves unnecessary.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: The Grandis Gang in this episode (Sanson and Hanson in particular).
- Little Stowaway: Jean sneaks aboard the Gratan during the Minfield crisis. Ironically, his stowing away actually helps the mission succeed (as he's able to operate systems and make adjustments Hanson and Sanson can't due to the other demands of the mission).
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Downplayed and inverted with Hanson and Sanson leaving Grandis behind to protect her. While she's pissed, it also ironically works out. Grandis is able to serve as Mission Control after the water pressure knocks out their cameras (or at least she essentially usurps the role from Nemo and Electra). But it's justified, as Grandis knows Hanson and Sanson and how the Gratan works. So she's able to coach and guide them in a way that neither Nemo or Electra would've been able to in that situation.
- Race Against Time: The Nautilus has three hours to find a way to clear Gargoyle's minefield before the current reverses and the mines are triggered.
- Spanner in the Works: Downplayed. Gargoyle's minefield trap fails because of the Gratan, but Gargoyle had set up his Xanatos Gambit to account for an escape (and would still benefit from it).
- Underestimating Badassery: While Nemo and his crew got a glimpse of the Gratan in action during Episode 08, they're still not quite sure what to make of it or the Grandis Gang. Yet, Nemo accepts their pitch for clearing the minefield because they're out of ideas and the clock's ticking. The successful completion of the mission is what earns the Gang (and Jean, Nadia, and Marie) an offer to join the crew in the next episode.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Mild example. Nemo is not happy that Elektra not only realized Nadia was still alive and had come aboard during Episode 04, but that she had not told him any of this.
- Xanatos Gambit: As mentioned earlier, once Gargoyle's Batman Gambit suceeds, it leads directly into the main plan. If Nemo tries to remove the mines with conventional means they will detonate, but if he does nothing the shifting tides will eventually drive them into the Nautilus anyway. Even if Nemo somehow survives the mines and escapes, Gargoyle can observe how his experimental mines will work in the field and save the data for later.
