Jordan reveals himself to the world once more, and claims to be a changed man, putting to the test Courtney's idea of making new friends out of old enemies.
Tropes:
- All for Nothing: All Artemis ever wanted to do was make her parents proud, which is what motivated her to become a star athlete. With both of them gone, it's as if everything she had worked towards amounted to nothing. This is why she destroys her own award in a fit of rage, because it's meaningless to her now.Stella Smith: (on Artemis' reaction) I'm holding a kettlebell, and I'm trying to distract my mind from everything that happened, and I just throw it into one of my trophies. And there's this moment where it's like, I realize that everything I've done in my life is for nothing. In terms of sports, and trying to please my parents, and trying to get their approval.
- Blatant Lies: Jordan tells his family and Courtney that he killed the Crocks in self-defense after they mistakenly attacked him first, which the audience knows isn't true because he actually lured them to him in the previous episode.
- Came Back Strong: Jordan claims to be even more powerful post-revival, though his trouble maintaining his physical form suggests a drawback to his claim if he's being sincere.
- Cast from Hit Points: Now that his powers are all that's keeping him alive, Jordan risks losing his physical form every time he uses his power to attack.
- Death Wail: Poor Artemis can only sob and scream in anguish when she finds her parents' remains. She screams more later as she trashes her bedroom in grief, forcing Barb to come and console her.
- De-power: Subverted. Jakeem attempts to wish away Jordan's powers for everyone's safety, but Thunderbolt rejects the wish because the genie can't kill anyone and Jordan would die if his powers were removed, as he is essentially made of ice now and his powers are the only thing preventing him from melting back into a puddle.
- Easily Forgiven: Deconstructed. Since his father has returned, Cameron wants to forgive Courtney for her role in killing him, but only because he wants to make things go back to how they were. As a result, it comes off as insincere and self-serving.
- Falsely Reformed Villain: Jordan claims to be a changed man who has seen the error of his previous ways and just wants to live in peace. As the audience knows, this is a complete lie given that, despite his false claims of self-defense, he murdered the Crocks in cold blood and is clearly still a villain. None of the characters outside of Jordan's immediate family buy it either, though Courtney may be becoming convinced by the episode's end.
- Flashback: A flashback to the end of season 1, one year in the past, shows Jordan's remains melting and flowing into the sewer. It then cuts back to the present day to show Jordan still has trouble maintaining human form after regenerating.
- Foreshadowing: As genuine as Jordan may seem in turning over a new leaf, it's pretty obvious he's full of nonsense from the get-go when he frames killing the Crocks as a spur-of-the-moment action that he regrets. As the viewers are well-aware, not only did he kill both quite intentionally, he lured them to their deaths when he didn't need to. It's also quite doubtful Jordan has the technical skill to set up his camera network, but Ultra-Humanite does, and it's surely not a coincidence that Ultra-Humanite killed the Gambler after he discovered Jordan's feed. Sure enough, the end reveals the pair are working together.
- Hidden Agenda Villain: Sylvester guesses that Jordan's Evil Plan may actually be simple and comparatively humble this time around—pretend to be reformed so that he can use the good guys for protection against the Ultra-Humanite's revenge campaign. However, the episode's end seems to indicate this is not the case, as Jordan and the Ultra-Humanite are working together.
- Internal Reveal:
- Jordan tells his family that Mike is responsible for his death. For his part, Cameron doesn't reveal that he knows the truth to Courtney, merely insisting that they can have a fresh start.
- Artemis and the JSA learn that the elder Crocks are dead.
- Karma Houdini: Even if Jordan were serious about being a reformed person (which he absolutely isn't), to have him simply resume his previous life in Blue Valley and to carry on as if nothing happened would mean he'd have effectively gotten off scot-free for all of the atrocities he has committed. Paula and Crusher, at least, actually spent time in prison before getting off on a technicality.
- Moral Myopia: The Mahkents act like the JSA's platform of forgiveness and unity can cancel out Jordan orphaning Artemis just the other day. Jordan is all but goading Courtney to be a hypocrite when he talks about how much her speeches of wiping the slate clean inspired him, but he at least has the excuse of doing it on purpose.
- "Not So Different" Remark:
- Cameron invokes this, saying that if the Crocks and Cindy deserve a second chance, then his father deserves one too.
- Jordan also tries this in regards to himself and Courtney, saying that Courtney believes in people in a way that he would like to. However, both Barbara and Courtney don't believe him.
- And to complete the triangle, Jordan also invokes this in a sideways fashion when he tells Cameron and his parents that Mike is the one who killed him, but that Courtney said she did it instead to protect her brother—right after having stated he kept the truth about his villainous past and what had happened to him from Cameron to protect him. His sincerity is questionable at best, but it does seem to convince Cameron to reach out to Courtney, at least.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Mike, who spent two seasons feeling remorse over killing Jordan, gets mad at the Thunderbolt for refusing to remove Jordan's powers for fear of killing him.
- Pulling Themselves Together: Jordan was able to regenerate after being shattered by Mike, though it took him the better part of a year. As a consequence, however, he has to constantly focus to maintain his physical form.
- Rage Breaking Point: While he's had other moments prior to this (destroying the mural of the ISA being the most notable), learning that Icicle is still alive ignites the biggest of these yet for Sylvester, in the form of him unleashing Cosmo's power on the Ultra-Humanite's abandoned barn with a full-throated Skyward Scream. It's no surprise this leads into his biggest disagreements with Pat and Courtney yet...and it looks like it will only get worse.
- Reports of My Death Were Greatly Exaggerated: Jordan excuses his supposed death as mere confusion after a tragedy, which civilians in Blue Valley are all too happy to believe.
- Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids!: Ever since the start of the season, Sylvester has had difficulty getting on the bandwagon with Courtney's desire for second chances and redemption. He seems to understand or at least appreciate where she's coming from, and admits that her Ideal Hero nature is something to aspire to, but the losses he's suffered (including his own death) make it difficult for him to be anything but a Knight in Sour Armor. After refusing to give the Shade the benefit of the doubt but implicitly admitting he was wrong about the Crocks by backing off, finding out Icicle is back but Courtney is even considering believing his supposed change in outlook is enough to finally push him into open conflict first with Pat, then her.
- Shout-Out: When Jakeem makes a wish for Icicle to lose his powers, Thunderbolt replies "I'm sorry, Jakeem. I'm afraid I can't do that".
- Stating the Simple Solution: Jakeem comes up with a wish for Icicle to lose his powers, an idea that Mike also thinks is brillaint. Unfortunately, it veers into Simple Solution Won't Work as Thunderbolt reveals the wish goes against his Thou Shall Not Kill rule as Icicle's powers are what were keeping him alive.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Less "teeth-clenched," more "pained smile," but after realizing she can't take on the Ultra-Humanite by herself, Cindy comes back and agrees to join Mike and Jakeem's "team" after all...and is clearly having some regrets.
- Wham Line: At the end of the episode, Jordan encounters the Ultra-Humanite in the woods. When the two approach each other looking like they were about to fight, Jordan says one line that reveals that this isn't a confrontation, but a meeting.Jordan: It's time.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Sylvester, in a dark rage, yells at Pat for him and the others not making sure that Jordan was really dead, as if they're supposed to know that Jordan could somehow reform himself and conveniently forgetting that he himself was in the same situation and still hasn't completely figured out how he came back.
