Episode 115: A Waltz in Orange and Green
Takes place 10 September 2012.
Short version
Paul arranges a truce between the Green Lantern Corps and Lord Malvolio, who appears to be planning a peaceful build-up.
Longer version
Paul's class with his hand-picked Orange Lanterns is interrupted by the arrival of Lord Malvolio. Despite their previous conflict, Malvolio proves to be open to diplomatic contact, and respects Paul's skill with the orange light.
Malvolio reveals that since being freed by Paul, he has imprisoned Lantern Priest (who first trapped him) in turn, and he intends to expand his operations and recruit more Lanterns once he succeeds in forging rings (he has already crafted a Central Power Battery). Paul demonstrates his own progress in forging, and unexpectedly recreates Larfleeze's ring (which had been destroyed when he was killed by qwa-matter). However, while they are talking, Malvolio receives word that Priest's prison is under attack, and goes to respond.
Paul goes ahead and remonstrates with Lantern Gardner, who is leading a squad of Lanterns to jail-break Priest. Guy stubbornly attacks Malvolio, but Paul contacts the Guardians and is able to persuade them to call the attack off, after which he mediates a settlement, with Priest being freed and obtaining a ring, but remaining under Malvolio's supervision, while the Green Lantern Corps in turn will investigate Malvolio's Sector and actions to gauge the effects of his rule.
The title presumably refers to the interactions between Paul (with Orange Enlightenment Superpowers) and Malvolio (centuries-old Lantern with epic-level willpower), and is also a reference
to the song A Waltz in Blue.
- Adaptation Expansion: Canon dropped Malvolio after his one encounter with Lantern Jordan, never mentioning him again, but here he seems to be positioned to become an ongoing character.
- Deadpan Snarker: Paul's ring AI strikes again, when he's tracking down the ill-advised attempt to free Lantern Priest.Paul: Ring, find me whoever it is that's taking the piss.
Ring: Urine-extractors found. - Enraged by Idiocy: Paul is not impressed by the attempted jailbreak.Paul: Illustres to WHATEVER IDIOT JUST DECIDED TO PICK A FIGHT WITH LORD MALVOLIO I HOPE YOUR LIFE INSURANCE IS UP TO DATE.
- Fish out of Temporal Water: Malvolio has been imprisoned for centuries; he left Earth around the time of the English Civil War, and still has a noticeably feudal mindset and lack of familiarity with recent events. His ring and his devoted subjects enable him to gather information quite effectively, though.
- Idiot Ball: Lantern Gardner is generally quite competent in this story, but angering a centuries-old Lantern with green light skills that other Green Lanterns didn't even know were possible for a mortal being? Not one of his better plans.
- Insult Backfire: A downplayed example when Lord Malvolio demands to know "what scurrilous yaldson" is intruding on his domain. Paul internally reflects that although it's technically untrue, Lantern Gardner hates his own father enough that he wouldn't mind being the son of a prostitute. No one comments on it aloud, though. May also count as a small Bilingual Bonus, since few readers will recognise the word without looking it up.
- Metaphorically True: Paul asserts that the Guardians' story about Lord Malvolio is not untrue, but leaves out pertinent facts.
- Primal Scene: Malvolio apparently walked in on his parents, one of whom was the Sector Green Lantern. Unfortunately, the Lantern was not human, and Malvolio didn't previously know that, leading him to believe that his mother was being attacked by a demon. And since the Lantern was unable to maintain his environmental shield during the encounter...Malvolio ended up with his ring.
- Squee: Lantern Onik is in raptures after seeing Paul forge a personal lantern as a demonstration.
- Time Abyss: Apparently, during the centuries where Lantern Priest was minding Malvolio's prison, the Guardians hadn't noticed that he was absent. Guardian Appa Ali Apsa was still waiting for his next move in their game of chess.
- Underestimating Badassery: Downplayed. The Green Lanterns are aware of the fact that Lord Malvolio is powerful. It's just that they think that they can take him and it is their job to do so.
- Universally Beloved Leader: When Lantern Gardner claims that he's only picking a fight with Malvolio, not declaring war in the sector, Paul points out that at least 95% of the sector really wants Malvolio ruling it. Possibly higher. An earlier conversation with Lantern Priest suggests that this is partly a result of subtle and unintentional Mind Control, with Malvolio's extensive use of the green light causing people around him to see things as he does.
- Wham Line: Malvolio tells Paul that he will anoint an heir for his Sector and make him a green power ring. Upon telling Malvolio that the Guardians may have made that impossible, Malvolio responds by saying:"Is a thing already achieved impossible?"
