Episode 121: Workhorse
Takes place 20 September 2012 - 15 October 2012.
Paul decides to try and have a holiday with Jade, who similarly has a month on leave from the Darkstars.
- Alternate Universe: We see Paol (of Warhammer Fantasy) negotiating with a foreign prince for aid in the construction of an expansive road network. He succeeds in getting an architect for the job, and reports it back to High Queen Khalida before the two share a kiss.
- A Birthday, Not a Break: Discussed. After Paul comes back from Earth 666, Jade notes that he worked through his birthday again.
- Bridal Carry: The Renegade carries Luna this way after the latter is turned into a human and finds difficulty in moving her new body.
- Busman's Holiday: Jade does her best to avert this during her holiday with Paul. She experiences mixed results.
- Continuity Nod: The time Paul was killed by angels is brought up.
- Culture Clash: A Thanagarian ambassador explains to Paul why Hawkwoman still holds a grudge towards him. Essentially, when she challenged him to a duel, he didn't respect it as an attempt to prove that she was willing to face insurmountable odds, and thus redeem her honour; he treated it as a pointless temper tantrum, and was consistently dismissive of her efforts.
- Damn You, Muscle Memory!: After being asked why she's constantly doing sexy poses, Bleez reveals that she's been doing them so often that it's a subconscious act now.
- Dramatic Irony: While Paul and Jade are backpacking in Kenya, they decide to meet up with the local doctor who works for Paul's company. Jade notices the resemblance between him and John Constantine and points it out. Paul thinks that it could be a coincidence but does decide to do a genetic test in a month to check if he is John's son. The man in question is Finnbar Brady, John Constantine's long lost nephew.Because while it wouldn't surprise me at all if John Constantine had bastard children around the place, even he isn't precocious enough to have started at… What, ten? I sort of assumed that Ambrose was older than John, but they don't look all that similar up close. And if Welsh John is anything like his apparent physical age then he's right out.
- Ghibli Hills: After finding themselves pulled into work — albeit interesting work — wherever they go, Paul and Jade do eventually manage to "get away from it all" by visiting Odym, which is an uninhabited natural paradise. Paul was initially not keen on roughing it, but willing to try for Jade's sake.
- Half-Human Hybrid: Paul and Jade discuss how this is possible between humans and aliens.Paul: The magic systems of Earth that all presently existing humans carry within them know as a result of millions of generations that male and female humanoids having sex produces babies. Mere biology stands no chance against that sort of magic.
- Humanity Ensues: Luna visits the Renegade via Starswirl's Mirror for the first time, becoming (quite an attractive) human. Unfortunately, between her completely incorrect instincts and her ridiculously long hair, she's unable to walk or even stand — though she does find that a Bridal Carry is "not a wholly unpleasant experience."
- Ignore the Fanservice: Paul talks to Bleez from time to time, and she habitually answers his calls in underdressed poses. However, as an empath, he can tell that she's actually just keeping Thanagarian Intelligence (who would like her to seduce him if possible) appeased.Paul: Bleez is perfectly pleasant, but knowing for certain that she's not that in to me is a turn off.
- I Know You Know I Know: Paul and Jade have an exchange about the fact that Bleez is reporting on him to Thanagarian Intelligence.Jade: I'm not going to mention that you know that she's an informant. But do you want me to mention it if she knows that you know?
Paul: I'm pretty sure that she knows that I know.
Jade: Then do you want me to mention it if she knows-
Paul: -that I know-
Jade: -that she knows?
Paul: I don't know. I don't know. - The Internet Is for Porn: Paul answers with this trope when Jade asks him if he likes seeing Bleez when she's scantily clad as part of the reason for why he isn't interested."Jade, we live in the era of the internet. And I have a power ring with a scanning capacity. And designs for gynoids. If I wanted to see naked women, I'm spoiled for choice. But that sort of thing… Doesn't interest me as much as it used to."
- Joke and Receive: Before telling Paul and Jade what she really wants, Bleez rhetorically asks Paul to check for monitoring equipment. After doing what she asked, Paul reveals that the pond they are at really does have monitoring equipment, to Bleez's surprise.
- Modeling Poses: Paul notes that Bleez makes sensual poses even though she has no reason to do so. When he points this out, she explains that she's been doing sexy poses so often that she now does them subconsciously, even when she doesn't want to.Bleez: 'Posing'? [sags after checking her stance] Uhr, I've been doing that so long it's just automatic now. … I'm pressing my boobs together with my upper arms, aren't I?
Paul: I hadn't notic-
Jade: Yes.
Paul: -ed. - Offscreen Moment of Awesome: The Sheeda launched just one attack in the vicinity of Jade's grandmother, in Vietnam, resulting in stretches of scorched forest where Paul's automated defense systems chased them off.
- Switching P.O.V.: The POV of a high ranking Thanagarian reveals that the government has control over a portion of the Seven Devil cultists, with most of the ones not under the government's control being the ones Paul and Jade helped apprehend.
- Wealthy Philanthropist: Paul and Jade do some backpacking in Kenya, and Paul actually owns most of the land they're travelling through. He's arranged for Cadbury's to bring in farming equipment via Dolmen Gates to areas devastated by the Sheeda, and get them back to producing and exporting. The two of them then have a discussion about the history of rich employers recognizing that it's both moral and practical to take good care of their workers.
- Workaholic: When Jade asks whether Paul is capable of taking a month off without working, he honestly admits that he isn't sure. Possibly justified by the fact that his work is, by the very nature of an Orange Lantern, made up of things he wants to do.
