Episode 10: Tracers
Takes place September 5-7
Short version
Paul helps capture Ocean Master, protects a Rhelasian peace conference from assault, and gains the attention of Lex Luthor.
Longer version
After testing the Danner Formula on rats, Paul uses it to enhance Superboy's human components, giving him similar strength and toughness to Superman. A few days later, Superboy has the chance to use it when Ocean Master attacks Atlantis and kidnaps its queen. Orange Lantern cuts off Ocean Master's hands (a weak point in his armor), disabling him and allowing him to be captured — which shocks Atlantis with the revelation that he is Prince Orm.
The school term starts shortly afterward, occupying most of the team. Paul discovers that he has been enrolled too, because his ring-optimised body looks younger than his true age of 29, and panics about the possibility of being removed from the team, but doesn't want to repeat school either; he claims to be 18. Renegade!OL, however, reveals his true age.
Being older and not needing to go to school, OL takes the opportunity to visit Mister Miracle and Big Barda, to tell them about the occurrences in Bialya and show them the Sphere. The Frees are initially suspicious, but friendly once they confirm that he and Wonder Woman are not from Apokolips.
While Paul is recording what he knows about the New Gods, Red Arrow contacts the Cave. He and Paul thwart multiple assassination attempts on a Rhelasian peace conference, escalating from a single rampaging Venom Buster injected civilian to the launch of ten anti-ship missiles at the conference building.
Between assaults, Orange Lantern has a conversation with Lex Luthor, who is mediating at the conference, regarding the need for human technological advancement, drawing his attention to the Danner Formula and Atlantean magic as examples of what is possible. Lex is surprised that he takes magic seriously, but thoughtful by the end of the conversation.
Equivalent canon episode: "Targets". "Tracers" possibly refers to Paul tracking and destroying the missiles.
- Achilles' Heel: Ocean Master's armor has bound spells that make him, among other things, immune to constructs — but it doesn't cover his hands or feet. So Paul cuts his hands off.
- Actually Pretty Funny: Lex finds Paul's joking accusation of being a Yandere for Superman genuinely amusing.
- Child Abuse Is a Special Kind of Evil: Wonder Woman is horrified to learn that Apokolips has a New God of Child Abuse.Wonder Woman: The New God of… They have a god for that!?
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Aqualad, Miss Martian, Superboy, and Orange Lantern are able to quickly disable and capture Ocean Master.
- Large Ham: Paul takes the opportunity to have some fun when Donna is bemused and disturbed by the Rats of Dawn.Donna: You made.. super rats?
Paul: Yes! NOW THE WORLD WILL TREMBLE IN FEAR BEFORE MY RODENT MINIONS!
Wallace: Ah, I'm not gunna help you with that. - Literal Disarming: Orange Lantern cuts off Ocean Master's hands before Superboy incapacitates him.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Paul puts the idea in Luthor's head to utilize magic, as it's a virtually untapped resource that can bring exponential benefits in R&D, and to research the Danner formula, which gives strength and toughness comparable to Superboy.
- Noodle Incident: Scott reminds Barda that she once made a scene in New York involving a "five items or less" line.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: The defeat and capture of Ocean Master.
- Older Than They Look: Paul realizes that people think he is a teenager when Wonder Woman tries to send him to high school with Kon and M'gann.
- Painting the Medium: This episode marks the first instance of "God-speech", magical communication between empowered individuals, which appears (or rather doesn't) as text that is invisible until highlighted.
- Percussive Therapy: Paul decides to unwind by "testing" the resilience of Danner-augmented rats, through baseball.Paul: I already know that the Danner Formula worked on them just fine. But yesterday I had to explain to Batman why I decided to build a giant naked statue of myself in the middle of an enemy country. I need this.
- Refuge in Audacity: When Big Barda and Mister Miracle's cover is blown, OL tries to pass off the fight as a stunt and even produces a camera to pretend filming it.Big Barda: I didn't know that Earth had a God of Bullshit.
- Super-Empowering: Paul increases Superboy's strength and durability and even gives him a minor Healing Factor with the Danner Formula.
- Super-Reflexes: When responding to the missiles, Paul uses his ring to temporarily accelerate his brain, allowing him to locate and counter each of them. Unfortunately, since the technique causes neural degradation, he can only use it briefly before stopping to heal.
- Thought They Knew Already: When Mr J'onzz brings up Paul's sensitivity to telepathy and ability to transmit tactile sensation, Paul immediately apologises for coming on to M'gann in Bialya. Mr J'onzz didn't actually know about that incident.
- Villain Respect: Luthor likes that Paul is so polite and cordial to him, unlike every other hero he interacts with.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Guy's reaction to finding out that Paul can use his ring to mine as much precious metals from asteroids as he wants. Green Lanterns just get a basic salary; they're allowed to collect local bounties if applicable, but otherwise can't use their rings for personal gain.
