History Recap / JusticeLeagueS2E17And18SecretSociety

* FailedASpotCheck: Despite J'onn and Clayface -- i.e. two shapeshifters -- going at it during the Training Grounds battle, Grodd doesn't think to telepathically scan the victor and double-check that Clayface ''is'' the genuine article. An irritated Grodd later lampshades his own shortsightedness just before the final battle.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Hawkgirl abandons her fight with Giganta to assist a downed John Stewart, leaving Wonder Woman to fight alone. It’s a heavy indicator of her feelings for John. She does it again in “Wild Cards,” the episode where they finally kiss.

* SequelEpisode: Primarily to Season One's [[Recap/JusticeLeagueS1E14And15TheBraveAndTheBold "The Brave and the Bold"]] (picking up Grodd's storyline), but it's also a loose sequel to [[Recap/JusticeLeagueS1E8And9InjusticeForAll "Injustice for All"]] and [[Recap/JusticeLeagueS1E16And17Fury "Fury"]] (at least in terms of the Villain Community having another go at doing an anti-Justice League -- and Shade once again becoming part of the VillainTeamUp).

* GrudgingThankYou: Played with during the final battle. When Superman steps in on the fight between Batman and Shade, Batman starts saying "I could of-" with Superman angrily interrupting "''What''?" in response. After a brief pause, Batman just gives a grudging "Thanks", showing they are trying not to repeat their arguments again.

* RoleReprise: Powers Boothe returns as Grodd for the first time since Season One's "The Brave and the Bold" (thus cementing him as a recurring character through the remainder of the series). In addition, Ron Perlman returns as Clayface for the first time since BTAS's "Growing Pains". Ted Levine also returns as Sinestro following his sole appearance on STAS's "In Brightest Day".

* RoleReprisal: Powers Boothe returns as Grodd for the first time since Season One's "The Brave and the Bold" (thus cementing him as a recurring character through the remainder of the series). In addition, Ron Perlman returns as Clayface for the first time since BTAS's "Growing Pains". Ted Levine also returns as Sinestro following his sole appearance on STAS's "In Brightest Day".

* MirroredConfrontationShot: When the League is broken free at the stadium, they and the Secret Society charge at each other-- a nice MythologyGag to the intro of ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}} Challenge of the Superfriends]]''.tank

* DivideAndConquer: When the League breaks up, Grodd immediately gets to work picking them off. Flash and then Batman are captured, and Green Lantern is off examining Grodd's spy camera, which leaves the others outnumbered during the ambush at the training ground. By the time Green Lantern finds Grodd's hideout, he's on his own.

* MirroredConfrontationShot: When the League is broken free at the stadium, they and the Secret Society charge at each other-- a nice MythologyGag to the intro of ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}} Challenge of the Superfriends]]''.

* SoMuchForStealth: While the villains discuss their next move, Green Lantern sneaks into Grodd's hideout and tries to free the other Leaguers. The others had no idea he was there, but Grodd did because of his mind-reading power.

** Averted with Parasite. See TheOtherDarrin.

* RoleReprisal: Powers Boothe returns as Grodd for the first time since Season One's "The Brave". In addition, Ron Perlman returns as Clayface for the first time since BTAS ended (and following Clatyface's then-last DCAU appearance "Growing Pains"). Ted Levine also returns as Sinestro following his sole appearance on STAS ("In Brightest Day").
** Averted with Parasite; see TheOtherDarrin.

* TheOtherDarrin: Brian George replaces Brion James as the Parasite. Justified as James had passed away towards the end of STAS.

* AxeCrazy: Grodd notes that Killer Frost joined the Secret Society for the sole reason that she likes to kill.

* TheBusCameBack: Matt Hagen and Rudy Jones, aka Clayface and the Parasite, neither of whom had been seen in the ''Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse'' since ''The New Batman/Superman Adventures'' ended. Sinestro also makes his return after previously appearing in an episode of ''Superman: TAS''.

* {{Foil}}: Grodd intentionally make his Secret Society to contrast the previous two Injustice Gangs. The Injustice Gangs were solely motivated by greed while the Secret Society is fueled by their equal hatred towards the Justice League.

* HighAltitudeInterrogation: Flash puts his own spin on it.

-->'''Grodd:''' ''(EmergingFromTheShadows)'' What's that old saying? The third time's the charm.

* TrustBuildingBlunder: The Secret Society has a spin on the traditional trust building exercise, having the faller drop from a 30 foot ledge. Giganta, paired with Killer Frost, warns her that she's heavier than she looks. After the camera cuts away, we hear a loud thud, followed by Frost saying "Ow".

* VillainTeamUp: Deconstructed. Grodd is well-aware of how easy it is for villains with mutually exclusive goals to turn on each other. He actively promises to give them their personal desires instead of mere money and has them engage in team-building exercises to ensure that they can function as an effective unit.

* BookEnds: J’onn, in the first storyline, was the last to join the League (not counting Batman’s half hearted assertion that he’s not a “joiner”). Here, he’s the first to walk away.

** Grodd also notes that Sinestro and the Parasite were willing to join his team due to their respective grudges against the Green Lantern Corps. and Superman, shown in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''.
** Grodd mentions that if it wasn't for Flash's messing with his MindControl helmet at the climax of [[Recap/JusticeLeagueS1E14And15TheBraveAndTheBold his first appearance]], [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Grodd would've never gained the telepathic abilities he's been using to influence the League's arguments with each other]].

* ForeShadowing: Hawkgirl abandons her fight with Giganta to assist a downed John Stewart, leaving Wonder Woman to fight alone. It’s a heavy indicator of her feelings for John. She does it again in “Wild Cards,” the episode where they finally kiss.

* IdiotBall: When two shapeshifters are fighting, you probably want to make extra-certain that the winner is who you think it is. Also, Grodd trying to handle Superman by himself at the climax may not have been a good idea...

* KillSteal: Batman and Superman both do this to the other members (and each other.) This is the main source of resentment that the other members have towards them. Superman tries to justify it by saying, as the most invulnerable member of the team, every hit he takes is one the others don’t have to endure. The other members bristle at the suggestion that they can’t handle themselves.

* PretenderDiss: See above.

* RuleOfThrees: Lampshaded by Grodd when Shade says his two previous attempts at a VillainTeamUp didn't work.

* TheSocialDarwinist: Grodd shows elements of this, attacking the League for "coddling" the weak and arguing to Superman that "superior" beings like them should be in charge.