Episode 27: Gaolbreak
Takes place 31 December 2010-1 January 2011.
Short version
A breakout occurs at Belle Reve Penitentiary; Paul, Superboy, and Troia investigate and stop Kobra from escaping.
Longer version
Paul and a few others are still in the Watchtower while most of the League and Team have retired for the night. An emergency call from Amanda Waller, however, alerts the remaining heroes to a jailbreak in Belle Reve. Paul, Kon, and Donna are sent to the prison to assess the situation while the others go to round up the escaped prisoners.
They find the prison magically warded against detection (including power ring scans), the staff overpowered and the prisoners running riot. However, Paul's work pays off; Thomas, Tuppence, and Abra Kadabra all help in restoring order. The instigator turns out to be Jeffrey Burr, aka Kobra, who is plotting an escape and calls on four snake gods to power him up, but is quickly shut down when Paul destroys the magical gate he was using. After his defeat, one of the cultists channels "Lady Eve" and revokes Jeffrey's status as designated Kobra. Doctor Strange is revealed to be in collusion with Kobra, and is arrested; Waller is soon reinstated as prison warden.
Later that day, Paul is woken by a call from Nylor Truggs, sharing a warning about the future: Earth will soon be invaded by the Reach Interstellar Empire, with mass deaths and widespread civilisation collapse. Truggs indicates that he's impressed by Paul's success, and since the Light is having less success than he'd like, he's willing to attack the problem from multiple angles. Paul consults the database from his new second ring to learn more.
The Renegade doesn't enter the prison, instead working with Barda to chase down some of the escaped prisoners (including Thomas and Tuppence). As a result of his absence, and Klarion being in better condition than in the Paragon timeline, Jeffrey Burr escapes the prison.
There is also a single chapter from Earth -14, showing the Young Offenders at New Year's, after Power Ring Blue kills Emperor Rickard. Zorina Zatara recruits him to free her father from being controlled by Doctor Chaos, to which he agrees in hopes of making the Syndicate less aggressive.
- Alternate Universe: One chapter shows Earth -14, where the local version of Paul is a member of the Syndicate and wields a blue power ring.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Even the prisoners of Belle Reve aren't fond of Klarion. They are noticeably unhappy when they learn Strange was working with him.
- Great Escape: There is another break out attempt at Belle Reve. This time, the prisoners are more successful in escaping.
- Heel–Face Turn: Tuppence Beresford has remained hostile despite Paul's efforts, but after learning the truth about Jade's transfer out of Belle Reve, she starts to come around. (She previously thought that Jade had been killed.)
- Ironic Echo: When Count Vertigo proclaims that he is a noble and the Renegade is a peasant, the Renegade turns the tables on him.Vertigo: That's Count Vertigo, peasant.
Renegade: No it isn't. Didn't you hear? Your title's been revoked. Cancelled. Made extinct and invalid. And… Not that I'm one for nepotism, but I am the son of the ruler of the planet Apokolips. My name is Prince Grayven… Peasant. But you may address me as Your Highness. - Laser-Guided Karma: Dr. Strange helped in the first prison break attempt and, although it ultimately failed, it resulted in him becoming warden. This time, he aids a more successful breakout, but is exposed and at the mercy of the people he betrayed: Waller, the guards, and Dr. Quinzel.
- No-Sell:
- Kobra is given water manipulation powers by one of his gods, and attempts to use them on Paul, but nothing happens. Paul guesses it's because his scry-warding tattoos prevent the god from seeing and targeting him.
- A mundane Kobra cultist attempts to grapple with Thomas Beresford, who simply picks her up by her robes with one hand.Thomas: What you try'an t'do? Ah got Super-Strength.
Paul: Welcome to my world.
- Tempting Fate: Donna says that if the mind controlled League members had done anything, they would have heard it on the news by now. Young Justice season 2 reveals that they were indeed sent on a rampage, it's just that it was on another planet and took years to be traced back to them.
- Also, right after Donna says this, the Watchtower receives a distress call about another break out attempt at Belle Reve.
- Truth Serums: Abra Kadabra uses an Atlantean spell to compel Doctor Strange to answer Paul's questions honestly. Keeping silent isn't an option, either; Strange visibly tries and fails to keep his mouth shut, leaving his further answers permeated with the yellow light of fear.
-
Word of God: Mr Zoat answers a bunch of questions
about Earth -14.- Truggs made a deal with Black Manta to help him escape from Belle Reve during New Year's.
- After OL interrogated Dr Strange, Harley and the guards took turns questioning him.
- Truggs made a deal with Black Manta
- You Can't Thwart Stage One: Turns out to have been averted with Kobra, whose escape was doomed as soon as Klarion became indisposed in the previous episode, but who didn't know it. His climactic showdown was all for naught.
