History Recap / TheVentureBrosS4E2HandsomeRansom

** The Monarch's rant to Captain Sunshine includes a reference to this old PSA: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjKssFcNcc4 "You'll have a fun time eating sunshine on a stick!"]]

* HitThemInThePocketbook: The Monarch agrees to return Hank and Dean if Dr. Venture pays a ransom of $10 million for them. When Dr. Girlfriend asks what he's doing, he responds with this trope.

'''Dr. Girlfriend:''' Not really, but as a wife, I try to be supportive, so-\\

* MotiveDecay: Subverted by The Monarch. Both Dr. Venture and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch are shocked when he demands a ransom from Venture for the boys, but he explains that he's doing it to hurt Venture where it hurts him the most: his wallet.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: As Captain Sunshine learns, you can't just literally throw a super villain in jail.

The Monarch has Hank and Dean held hostage. Monarch demands a $10 million dollar ransom from the incredulous Dr. Venture, also surprising his wife, Dr. Mrs. the Monarch, since it's not his usual MO. Monarch and Dr. Venture plan to meet the next day for the exchange. After ending the communication with Dr. Venture, Captain Sunshine bursts into the Monarch's Cocoon. His attack leaves everyone in the Cocoon temporarily blinded and sunburned. He then takes the Monarch off to prison (literally, he just drops him in the prison yard.)

A while later, Monarch returns to the Cocoon, having been released from the prison due to a lack of "due process." Dr. Mrs. the Monarch, badly sunburned over half her body, explains that Captain Sunshine returned and flew off with Hank. Monarch instructs a [[TookALevelInBadass beefed-up]] #21 to kill the cab driver that brought Monarch back from prison. (21 just pays the driver and tells him to keep it a secret.)

Venture and Hatred arrive to pay the ransom, planning to spring a trap on the Monarch. They fail miserably, however, and Monarch demands that they pay the ransom. Sgt. Hatred cites a Guild policy of releasing all captives, which Monarch cannot do since he doesn't actually have Hank. Monarch pretends he still has Hank and takes an I.O.U. from Venture, releasing Dean. They agree to meet again the following day, where Monarch says he'll have Hank but expects Venture to have the $10 million.

Captain Sunshine changes himself into his uniform as the Monarch falls through Wonderboy's costume-applying slide. Now dressed as Wonderboy, Monarch rants about killing Wonderboy and about improper sexual relations between Sunshine and Wonderboy. Finally, he uses a "sunlight ray-gun," designed by Dr. Mrs. the Monarch, to attack Captain Sunshine. However, this just charges Captain Sunshine's powers (as he is otherwise powerless at night.) Using this power, Sunshine blasts the Monarch and his men.

Captain Sunshine overhears Hank call Rusty "pop," and realizes that he isn't an orphan after all. Hank, knowing that Captain Sunshine is just using him to replace the previous Wonderboy tells the Captain that he is leaving. Before he does so, Captain Sunshine kisses him on the lips and tells Hank "you broke my heart." As he leaves, Hank asks Captain Sunshine to put in a good word to Franchise/{{Batman}} for him, which angers Captain Sunshine.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Monarch has to stifle his laughter when he finds out Hank called Dr. Venture a "honky" during an earlier argument they had.

** Monarch wants to give Captain Sunshine a taste of his own medicine, blasting him with a weapon that mimics Sunshine's solar radiation. Instead, it just charges his powers, allowing him to use them at night.

* MotiveDecay: Subverted by the Monarch. Both Dr. Venture and Dr. Mrs. the Monarch are shocked when he demands a ransom from Venture for the boys, but he explains that he's doing it to hurt Venture where it hurts him the most: his wallet.

** Monarch trying to shoot Captain Sunshine with a gun that shoots simulated UV radiation, which predictably just gives the superhero back his powers instead of hurting him.

* WrongGenreSavvy: Monarch tries to go for an IronicDeath for Captain Sunshine by intending to kill him with a sunshine blaster during the night when his sun powers don’t work. Unfortunately, Sunshine’s powers not working at night doesn’t mean he doesn’t ''have'' them, and the blaster instead activates his powers.

* CurbStompBattle: Captain Sunshine easily defeats the Monarch and his henchmen at the start of the episode. After Monarch inadvertently repowers him, Sunshine dishes out another one-sided battle.

** The Action 5 news team is a thinly veiled {{Expy}} of the ComicBook/{{Freedom Fighters|DC}}:

* VigilanteInjustice: Parodied. Captain Sunshine tries to put Monarch in prison by literally dropping him in the courtyard, however, the warden just lets Monarch go since Sunshine didn't consider the legal requirements to actually put him in prison.

** "You broke my heart, Wonderboy. [[Film/TheGodfather You broke my heart."]]

'''The Monarch:''' Apparently nobody ever told him what ''due process'' was.

* CharacterizationClickMoment: According to the creators, they properly figured out how Sergeant Hatred should work in relation to Doc when they wrote the scene where he goes undercover in the bag of money--that is to say, doing the kind of ludicrous and humiliating work that Brock would ''never'' do.

-->'''The Monarch:''' He threw me in jail. Literally. Threw me right into the yard at the state prison. Then he shouts up to the warden, "Looks like this one won't be causing any more trouble!" And he flies off with a gallant salute.\\

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Monarch wants to give Captain Sunshine a taste of his own medicine, blasting him with a weapon that mimics Sunshine's solar radiation. Instead, it just charges his powers, allowing him to use them at night.