Line #14 Recap/TheAdventuresOfSupermanS1E21TheHumanBomb


1	Gambler Bet-a-Million Butler bets that he can control Superman for thirty minutes. To do it, he straps a bomb to himself and takes ComicBook/LoisLane hostage. What can Superman do to save her?
2	!! This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
3	* AntagonistTitle: The episode is named after Butler.
4	* AskAStupidQuestion: {{Averted\|Trope}}. Jimmy's response when Perry makes a foolish comment is not remotely snarky.
5	-->'''Perry''': Are you saying Superman can do something I can't do?
6	-->'''Jimmy''': Well, I guess you're gonna fire me, Chief, but [[BluntYes yes.]]
7	* TheBet: The HostageSituation was set off by Bet-a-Million Butler making a gamble with another man that he could control Superman for thirty minutes. Of course, he lost.
8	* CannotSpitItOut: Jimmy remains EmotionallyTongueTied even when trying to make a potential pre-death declaration of love to his girlfriend Miriam.
9	-->'''Jimmy''': Miriam, I may not be able to keep our date tonight. No, not the next night either. Maybe never -- but I want you to know...Miriam, you know what I mean.
10	* CatchAFallingStar: Superman swoops in to catch Jimmy after he falls off the ledge. Jimmy is absolutely fine, despite having been falling very fast.
11	* HangingByTheFingers: Jimmy ends up hanging from the ledge by his fingers. Butler [[HandStomp steps on his hand]] to speed up the process. Then a cop tries to grab him, but he falls and has to be caught by Superman.
12	* HostageSituation: Butler handcuffs himself to Lois and threatens to blow them both up if his demands aren't met.
13	* ICantLookGesture: Lois covers her face and turns her back when [[Characters/SupermanJimmyOlsen Jimmy Olsen]] falls off the ''Planet'' building's ledge. She turns around again when Perry shows her that Superman arrived in the usual nick of time.
14	* IHaveYourWife: Butler takes Lois hostage, specifically noting to her that "Superman always seems to turn up when you're in trouble." It fails; Superman insists on waiting out the thirty minutes in the office and then uses a recording and a silhouette to fool Butler while he goes and stops the robbery.
15	* ImprovisedWeapon: Jimmy [[GolfClubbing takes up a golf club]] to confront VillainOfTheWeek Butler and save Lois.
16	* IndignantSlap: After being held hostage, Lois marches up to Bet-a-Million Butler, declares, "Now it's ''my'' turn to blow up!" and slaps him hard enough to jolt his head backwards.
17	* LosingAShoeInTheStruggle: Lois loses a shoe when Butler drags her further out on the ledge.
18	* MurderIsTheBestSolution: Butler knocks Jimmy off the building's ledge, and steps on his fingers to make sure he dies rather than trying to escape once there's no one on the ledge who might get in his way.
19	* ThePrecariousLedge: Butler drags Lois out onto the ''Planet'' building's ledge, which seems barely a foot wide.
20	* PreSacrificeFinalGoodbye: ComicBook/JimmyOlsen calls his girlfriend Miriam to tell her he loves her and he may not be able to make their next date before trying to save Lois from the VillainOfTheWeek.
21	* RecordedAudioAlibi: To fool Butler into thinking he's leaving the robbers alone as ordered, Superman insists on sitting out the thirty minutes in the office, claiming that he's nervous seeing Lois in her current predicament. He adds a recording of "No comment until the time limit is up" to the shadow on the wall (Officer Henderson draped in a coat). [[FooledByTheSound Butler falls for it completely]] and is flabbergasted when he finds out the hero "double-crossed" him.
22	* SecretIdentityChangeTrick: Clark pretends that he believes the hostage situation is SomeNuttyPublicityStunt and criticizes it for endangering Lois before striding out. Of course, he just went to change.

Context Recap / TheAdventuresOfSupermanS1E21TheHumanBomb