Recap / Jackie Chan Adventures S 1 E 1 The Dark Hand

Jackie Chan joins Section 13 to stop the Dark Hand from getting the Rooster Talisman that he finds embedded in a shield in a Bavarian castle. He must also deal with the sudden arrival of Jade, his niece (technically his first cousin-once-removed) who has flown in from Hong Kong to live with him.

---

This episode provides examples of:

• Arc Words: "Shield not important!" Uncle repeated this to Jackie a few times. In the end, he finally clarifies why: It is actually the talisman attached to it that was the real prize. Luckily, Jade swiped it, leaving Tohru with a worthless shield.
• Establishing Character Moment:
  • Uncle is introduced by summoning Jackie, asking for a hug, and then, when Jackie proceeds to try and hug him, striking him over the head and berating him for not making morning coffee. All while repeatedly insisting "ONE MOOOORE THING!"
  • Shendu interrupts a conversation between Valmont and his enforcers and summons the Shadow Khan, revealing not only that he is alive, but that he is connected to dangerous mystical forces.
  • Tohru is introduced towering over the Dark Hand enforcers, glaring at them before putting them in a crushing bear-hug.
• Exact Words:
  • Jade invokes "Scout's Honor" when promising Jackie she will stay out of harm's way and then, once Jackie is out of earshot...
    Jade: Tch. Like I'm a scout.
  • While the prize Valmont and Shendu are after is really the Rooster Talisman, Uncle is the only one to realize it—as far as everyone else is concerned, the prize is "the shield". Tohru, quite naturally, is content to present the de-talismaned shield.
• Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Jackie tells Black that three thugs were after same old shield he was before they met. Black then comes to the conclusion that the Dark Hand Syndicate is on the move.
• Failed a Spot Check: Tohru didn't notice that the Rooster Talisman was missing from the shield all the way back to the Dark Hand's headquarters. Shendu and Valmont both immediately notice and growl Tohru's name, causing him to look up with an innocent, "What?"
• Halfway Plot Switch: The episode is the relatively simple story of an Adventurer Archaeologist getting wrapped up in a crime thriller when he runs afoul of an international crime syndicate...for about eleven minutes. Then the crime boss's decorative statue starts talking and magically summons a bunch of shadow ninjas, hinting that there's much more going on here than initially met the eye.
• How Many Fingers?: When Jackie is dazed from Jade's "rescue," he gets asked this by Captain Black.
  Jackie: Look, fishies.
• I Have Your Wife: Tohru abducts Uncle, then tells Jackie to surrender the shield if he wants him back.
• Kidnapped by an Ally: Captain Black saves Jackie from the Dark Hand enforcers, though Jackie is upset having been knocked out and kidnapped.
• Leaking Can of Evil: Shendu demonstrates this both by talking and summoning the Shadowkhan to back up Tohru.
• The Man Behind the Man: Valmont is the leader of the Dark Hand, but it soon becomes apparent Shendu is calling the shots.
• Man Hug: Upon waking up in the van, Jackie sees Black and immediately hugs him. It turns out they're old friends.
• Offscreen Teleportation: When trying to call a cab, Jackie stumbles into the phone booth entrance to Section 13, which takes him on a wild ride. When he finally stumbles out of it, Captain Black is there to help him up from the floor by way of "the stairs". Jade soon after gets a couple of Stealth Hi Byes, likewise via "the stairs".
• Poor Communication Kills: Apparently, the Dark Hand enforcers were only ever told to retrieve "the shield", so Jackie is aggravated when Uncle insists, "Shield not important!" and Tohru is content to present Valmont and Shendu with the shield after it has been stripped of the Rooster talisman, which was the real prize.
• The Quiet One: Jade is introduced as this up until midway into the episode. Jackie had initially assumed she didn't speak English beforehand.
• Shame If Something Happened: Finn not-so-subtly threatens the Chan family when the Enforcers enter Uncle's shop asking about the shield.
• The Syndicate: Black explains that the Dark Hand has connections to just about every other major criminal organization out there, giving them the resources and knowledge to perform activities around the globe.
• Wham Line: Shendu's first line reveals that he is not, in fact, mere decoration for the rich Valmont.