Recap / With This Ring Episode 28

Episode 28: Ex Perdition

Takes place 2-3 January 2011.

Short version

The Team escorts J'onn J'aarkn, the Martian Womanhunter, to his ship, to ensure he's successfully deported.

Longer version

Paul and Zatanna visit John Constantine to summon Kent Nelson's spirit and ask him about Nabu. Mr Nelson is saddened to learn of Nabu's takeover of Mr Zatara, and directs them to Nabu's tomb. They take a sample of Mr Nelson's body and what appears to be Nabu's original skull, which John uses as a focus for a magic attack. However, Nabu shows no signs of being affected.

John also asks how Paul knows so much about his history. Paul is hesitant to explain his comic knowledge, but lets John know that fictional characters becoming real is involved; John has seen too many strange things to call it impossible.

The Team is then sent on a low-stakes mission to ensure that J'onn J'aarkn, the Martian Womanhunter, returns to Mars (having overstayed his visa). J'aarkn is reluctant to leave, but unable to get past them, and heads home. Before leaving, he gives M'gann a copy of his extensive research on shapeshifting into Earth-based animals.

The origin of the title is unclear.

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• Bilingual Bonus: When a soldier calls Chairman Jiang of the Great Ten project "Comrade", Grayven jokingly thinks he didn't realize the Chairman was homosexual.
• Early-Bird Cameo: J'onn J'aarkn friend Simon Leas is later revealed to be Sleez, an Apokoliptian.
• Internal Reveal: Paul tells Constantine his origins. Constantine takes it well.
• Loophole Abuse: Paul points out one in the Guardians' treaty with the Reach when talking to Guy.
  Paul: (about the Darkstars) They'd probably do better if they had power rings.
  Guy: No can do Paul. The treaty them and the Guardians signed says no Lanterns-.
  Paul: No Green Lanterns.
• Power Perversion Potential: In J'onn J'aarkn's defence, the first time he approached someone in the naked form of the man's girlfriend, it was unintentional, due to his lack of knowledge of Earth. Making a decades-long porn career out of it? Not so much.
• Sympathetic Magic: John Constantine uses this a lot. They summon Kent Nelson using his burialplace and staff, take his skull because it was in contact with Nabu, and set up a number of dead mice wearing miniature golden helmets and connected to Nabu's skull in order to launch their attack.
• Word of God:
  • Constantine asked Zatanna if she had ever seen Paul read a comic book from another universe.
  • Paul offhandedly mentioned his birthday after the first Belle Reve mission.
  • Sephtian has been busy making a buffer for the Star Sapphire.

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