Courtney and the JSA receive a tip from someone that could help in their investigation in the Gambler's murder, while Sylvester tries to search for a job in Blue Valley.
Tropes:
- Aesop Amnesia:
- Averted with Courtney. When the JSA learn that Sharpe blackmailed the Crocks, she immediately tells them to not let Sylvester know, remembering his attack on the Shade. Unfortunately, Cindy doesn't listen.
- Sylvester attacks the Crocks, even after making the same mistake with the Shade.
- Ambiguous Situation: It's unclear if Cameron's coldness (no pun intended) towards Courtney and hostility to Rick are just due to issues from his changing situation or if his grandparents have told him about the JSA and their role in his father's death.
- Big Damn Heroes: Pat shows up in his S.T.R.I.P.E. suit to prevent Sylvester from killing the Crocks.
- Big "WHAT?!": Sylvester does this when Pat tells him that Courtney once believed he was her father.
- Broken Pedestal:
- Discussed; Pat explains how much the legacy of Starman means to Courtney, and how he fears that Sylvester's erratic behavior will lead to this trope if he never shapes up. Sylvester takes Pat's words to heart and promises to be better.
- A downplayed example with Cindy. She thought that getting the approval of "the great Sylvester Pemberton" would make her place in the JSA secure. Instead she learns that he's "kind of an ass".
- Burning with Anger: Sylvester is so furious during his fight with the Crocks that, by the end of it, the Staff is radiating that emotional energy as flame-like light.
- Continuity Nod: Pat drinks out of the "World's Greatest Dad" mug Courtney gave him for Christmas.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: The Crocks put up an admirable effort, but Sylvester is far more skilled with the Staff than Courtney and they're disadvantaged in civilian attire. Once he gets them out in the parking lot, he has them dead to rights and only Pat's intervention saves them.
- Defiant to the End: The Crocks, while scared, attempt this against Sylvester when it looks like he is going to kill them.
- Disgusting Vegetarian Food: None of the Whitmore-Dugans are pleased when the Crocks throw out their breakfast of waffles for quinoa tofu bowls. Mike in particular needs a glare from Larry before he takes a bite.
- Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor: Crusher thinks The Purge movies are hilarious.
- Idiot Ball: Once again, Sylvester's enemies think it is a good idea to taunt him. To be fair, the Shade didn't warn them about Sylvester's anger issues, but Sylvester is wielding the Staff in the open and they still feel it necessary to antagonize him.
- Implacable Man: Sylvester has shades of this towards the end of his fight with the Crocks.
- Internal Reveal: Pat tells Sylvester how Courtney thought the latter was her dad at first after the Staff chose her, and about her actual biological father abandoning her. This is done in part to snap Sylvester out of his rage spiral.
- Irony: At the end of the episode, Sylvester goes to investigate the Gambler's trailer for more clues but doesn't take Cosmo with him because he's trying to set a better example by respecting the terms of his and Courtney's timeshare. Then he's attacked by an unseen but monstrous-sounding something, which the Staff might have been helpful to protect himself against.
- Jerkass Has a Point:
- The Crocks act like jerks to Sylvester, but they do state that he shouldn't have brought the staff out in public. Sure enough, his use of it scares people and destroys the grocery store.
- Sylvester is reacting violently to every situation, but he is right about the absurdity of the JSA's killers walking around freely and living next door to the heroes. The Crocks are only able to be out of prison because of a legal technicality, and they've committed more crimes than anyone else even knows, such as repeatedly murdering coaches who tried to bench Artemis and burying them in the woods.
- Kick the Dog: More like being treated as an Asshole Victim, but Sylvester's speech to Cindy is this.
- Laser-Guided Karma:
- Barbara's new boss gets threatened by Paula for his bullying treatment of her.
- A slightly heroic example. After attacking three people, Sylvester himself ends the episode being attacked.
- After years of violently attacking/killing innocent people unawares for the smallest of slights in previous seasons, the Crocks get a taste of their medicine because of Sylvester's actions.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Sylvester falls into this after Pat tells him to be a better role model, lamenting that he is a lunatic who destroys grocery stores.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
- Cindy tells Sylvester about the Crocks behind Courtney's back in an attempt to team up with him, thinking that his approval will solidify her as a member of the JSA. Instead, he insults her and goes on the warpath alone.
- Rick stands up to Cameron for his teacher by insulting and threatening him. This alienates the latter further and drives him to pop Rick's tire with an icicle as petty retaliation.
- Sylvester's attack on the Crocks leaves only a destroyed grocery store.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: What Sylvester's attack on the Crocks eventually turns into.
- Odd Friendship: Barbara and Paula have established one, despite being a nice, normal woman and a semi-reformed supervillainess. Barbara gives Paula advice about Rotary Club and shows up to support her during her speech, which gives sincerity to Paula's words when she talks about loving the people in Blue Valley. Later, Paula intimidates Barbara's jerk supervisor.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Cameron's grandparents have this reaction to seeing Sylvester alive and at the diner.
- The Crocks also have this reaction when Sylvester attacks them.
- Pet the Dog:
- Sylvester gives Yolanda praise, saying that Ted Grant would be proud.
- Courtney says that they need more proof against the Crocks before destroying Artemis’ life again.
- Poke the Poodle: Larry swipes a sauce bottle half on instinct, but Paula tells her husband to put it back.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- Sylvester gives a harsh one to Cindy, telling her he trusts her far less than the other villains and that she is a dime-a-dozen cheerleader in green spandex with daddy issues.
- Rick gives one to Cameron after the latter yells at a teacher, calling him a spoiled rich kid.
- Rebuilt Pedestal: Courtney spends most of the episode saddened that Sharpe was blackmailing the Crocks, believing he didn’t change after all. She begins to believe in him again after the Crocks reveal that he stopped two months before he died, and paid back all the money.
- The Reveal:
- Why did Crusher drive over to see the Gambler, bat in hand? Until two months ago, Sharpe had been blackmailing the Crocks with crimes that the other ISA members did beforehand and forcing them to send him regular payments. When the Gambler showed up in Blue Valley, they were afraid he would start blackmailing them again, so Crusher wanted to confront him, but lost his nerve as he didn't want to risk going to jail again for assault. Also, they were only released last season due to a legal loophole.
- Rick's uncle has left town for parts unknown and Rick's been living by himself in their house.
- Cindy stole Sharpe's laptop to get access to Dragon King's files.
- Ship Tease: Rick drives Beth to school, and tells her about his uncle.
- Sins of the Father: Cindy and Cameron both face this from Sylvester and Rick.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- After Sylvester nearly killed the Shade earlier, Courtney begs everyone to not tell him about the Crocks being blackmailed because she rightfully fears a repeat incident.
- Sylvester attempts to look for a job, but struggles not only due to his lack of skills, but also because he's not thrilled at the idea of working hard for one.
- Sylvester using the staff to attack the Crocks results in the grocery store and parking lot being destroyed.
- Cindy's attempts to get the Crocks backfire, with Sylvester insulting her and everyone else trusting her even less. Also, Sylvester supports Yolanda's distrust of Cindy, due to his own issues with ISA, and is angry that they just get to walk around freely after killing the JSA.
- The Crocks fight back against Sylvester, but are visibly shaken up and scared during and after the fight. They also admit that they said nothing about the blackmail because they knew they would look guilty.
- Yolanda once again attempts to get Cindy out of the JSA, this time using her actions against her.
- Paula joins the Rotary Club without knowing what they do. She ends up panicking about a speech she has to give and Barbara has to advise her to talk about her love for the community.
- Took a Level in Badass: Cameron has gained at least enough control over his powers to craft and propel icicles.
- Uncertain Doom: It's not clear at the end of the episode whether Sylvester has become the second victim or is just badly injured.
- Unstoppable Rage: Sylvester slips into this again, this time with the Crocks. It takes Pat being in STRIPE to stop him, and even that takes awhile.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- Pat calls Sylvester out big time for going on a rampage against the Crocks (causing severe damage to a grocery store and destroying two cars in the process) and tells him that he has to be a better role model for Courtney and the other JSA kids.
- In turn, Sylvester is initially upset that Pat is protecting the people who killed all of their friends. He calms down only when Pat tells him the truth about Courtney's father.
- Rick's teacher tells him that threatening and insulting Cameron is not a good idea after the two have a confrontation.
- No one is happy with Cindy for telling Sylvester about the Crocks, with Courtney stating that the next time Cindy screws up, she is out of the JSA. Cindy accepts the chastisement for once.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Sylvester gets this twice from Pat, the first time when he struggles with his job search and later after the fight.
