Recap / With This Ring Episode 40

Episode 40: Carpe Tempus

Takes place 18-22 March 2011.

Short version

A Themysciran theatre troupe puts on a play that is taken over by the Queen of Fables and made semi-real, but with help from Eris and Troia, Paul defeats and captures her.

Longer version

Paul visits the Greek underworld to learn more about Cottus and the circumstances of Diana's creation. He doesn't get the answers he was hoping for, but he does confirm that something odd is going on, when Cottus reacts violently to his questions. Upon returning, he accompanies a troupe of Amazons on a visit to America to perform some of Sappho's plays, which had been lost to the rest of the world.

Their initial performance, however, is the target of an attack from the Queen of Fables, Tsaritsa, who makes the play become partially real and makes Paul think he really is the character, apparently in an attempt to have him swear obedience to her. Eris assists him in gathering the resolve to resist, and Donna is able to help him fight and subdue Tsaritsa.

The Renegade helps out the Un-Men by giving Cranius an idea to make more money and get more credibility. He later heals the owner of Challenger Mountain from Alzheimer's Disease and rents the mountain from her as his new home. The Light contacts him and confirms that he has killed Klarion and qualified for membership.

An omake shows Dmitri Pushkin being informed by the Director of Defence Research that he is to join the Justice League as its first Russian member.

The title means "seize the time" ie make good use of your time, but its significance is unclear.

---

• Actually Pretty Funny: Despite scolding the Renegade for doing so, Zatanna can't help but smile at the fact that he pretended to work for Sinestro just to troll Lantern Jordan.
• Alternate History:
  • Thanks to Diana's involvement, Hellenismos is a larger and more widespread movement.
  • Mr Zoat explains why terrorists are a little different on Earth 16.
• Berserk Button: As soon as Paul asks about Wonder Woman's creation, Cottus tries to crush him and chases him out of Tartarus.
• Brain Bleach: Paul notes that Lois Lane was most likely trying to get the image of Superman/Lex out of her head after Superboy reveals that half of his DNA comes from the latter.
• Breaking the Fourth Wall: The Queen of Fables originally posted from her own Sufficient Velocity account, and demonstrated the ability to rewrite portions of the story she didn't like.
• Brutal Honesty: The Renegade is not exactly delicate when telling Doctor Robbins how long she's been in an old folks home.
  "You've been here about eight years, too doolally to look after yourself at all for about five of them."
• By "No", I Mean "Yes": The Renegade straight up calls the Justice League Earth's gods instead of its heroes.
  Renegade: I provoke people in order to force them to recognise their own contradictions. None of the League wanted Klarion alive. Including Diana. They just wanted to sugarcoat it, or hide it away. No. I will not indulge them. I will show people what our work really involves and I will look to them to make an intelligent decision, rather than palming it off onto their gods.
  Zatanna: Gods?
  Renegade: [outloud] Heroes… Whatever. [in Godspeech] Yep.
• Call-Back: When talking about the customs of the outside world, Paul references the Liberation of the Persians book that was mentioned in Minutes.
• Cassandra Truth: Melinoë doesn't believe Paul when he says he came from a universe where magic, and thus souls, didn't exist.
• Chekhov's Gun: Back in Aberration, the Renegade gave Manchester Black all his files on the incredibly corrupt British elite. Black's sister turns up in this episode trying to kill the Renegade, thinking he's done something to her brother because he's gone rogue. Turns out Black's been using the material the Renegade gave him to go after the politicians involved in the Caligula Club.
• Crazy-Prepared: In order to make sure the trip to take the Themysciran troupe to America won't have any issues, Paul scans the plane and has the Watchtower monitor the plane they will use at all times.
• Dark and Troubled Past: Hippolyta speaks of the time Herakles bound her in the Lasso to demoralize the Amazons. That is why she would never allow herself to be bound in them by another man.
• Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: Once again, Paul shows Zeus no respect.
  Paul: [about Zeus looking for a new wife] As a known serial adulterer with no devotees and few worshippers, what are his chances?
• Dismissing a Compliment: This is Melinoë's reaction after Paul accidentally compliments her appearance.
  "What? No, shut up. I'm not talking to you."
• Divine Assistance: "Prince Pavlos" gets some from Eris.
• Double Take: Paul, Ted, Io, and Sephtian react this way when Dubbilex mentions that Cadmus is working on creating a new kind of Genomorph called G-Succubus.
• Evil Costume Switch: The Renegade lampshades this when telling Zatanna that he isn't recruiting her for "Team Evil".
  Zatanna: So you're not trying to turn me to the Dark Side?
  Renegade: If I was going to do that… [looks up at the sky] I wouldn't have told you how old I was,- [Zatanna blushes] -and I either wouldn't have killed Klarion or I'd have done it quietly. I wouldn't gain anything by revealing myself. [leans closer] Of course, if you want to join Team Evil..?
  Zatanna: [chuckles and shakes her head] I.. don't think so.
  Renegade: Because if you do, I can probably lay my hands on the regulation leather and chain mail brassiere at- [Zatanna's eyes widen and her cheeks colour] fairly short notice.
• Fake Defector: Played with. The Renegade actually does identify more with the Light's stated goals than with the Justice League, and would like to genuinely work with them. However, he's a lot more skeptical about their characters than they realise, and is prepared to sell them all out and annihilate them if they don't shape up. And he's already obtained Batman's agreement about infiltrating them.
• Fantastically Indifferent: The Renegade is rather blasé about Vera Black pointing a gun at his head while invisible.
• Friendship Moment: Cranius straight up considers the Renegade family for all he has done for the Un-Men.
  "Grayven, you are family. Please, if you believe zhat zhere is some way in which our working here could be improved upon, you heff but to speak." His neck pulses. "I will not promise zhat will agree, but I will listen."
• Genius Loci: Erebos and Tartarus are named after two Titans because the locations are made from their still living bodies. Downplayed as neither seem to be conscious.
• Hell Is That Noise: Melinoë reacts this way after hearing the Ophidian's heartbeat.
• Imported Alien Phlebotinum: The suit Pushkin will use is made from technology salvaged from an alien spacecraft.
• Insistent Terminology: Melinoë calls the Greek Underworld Erebos as there are many different Underworlds. Calling it Erebos helps specify which one it is you're talking about.
• Internal Reveal: Superboy tells Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen that only half of his DNA comes from Superman, and that the rest comes from Lex Luthor.
• Irony: At the same time Eris is trying to tell "Prince Pavlos" that he isn't helpless, she gives him help in the form of her Apple of Discord.
  "Pavlos": You realise that after complaining about my helplessness I'm about to rely on a goddess' aid?
  Eris: I'm just giving you a shot. You -and the fish- have to make it count for something.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall: When Prince Pavlos asks Donna who the main character of the play is, she says:
  "You're the main character, Paul."
• Master of Illusion: Tsaritsa, the Queen of Fables, traps Paul in an illusion, making the play he was performing become semi-real and altering his memory to make him think he really is the character he's portraying.
• Mythology Gag: When thinking of a worse place he could be sent to than where he currently is (Siberia), Sergeant Pushkin jokingly thinks Detroit. This is a reference to the 80s, when a second team of the League was operating out of a warehouse in Detroit.
• Nasal Trauma: The Queen of Fables gets a broken nose after "Prince Pavlos" headbutts her.
• Noodle Incident: Thana once tried to speak to the dead that resided in the Silver City. It led to her getting a burn that wouldn't heal.
• Omake: The omake has Sergeant Dmitri Pushkin learn that he will use the most advanced Rocket Red armor, a one of a kind armor made entirely from alien tech, and that he has been chosen by his nation to be their representative in the Justice League.
• Pet the Dog: Paul comforts Akhlys and heals her wounds, though this just transfers them to himself before she takes them back. She does appreciate his consideration, however.
• Powered Armor: Russia has several, but Sergeant Pushkin gets the good stuff to make him a candidate for the Justice League.
• Replaced with Replica: In order to affect OL during the play, the Queen of Fables swaps his Spell Eater with a prop.
• Shout-Out: One of the responses the Queen of Fables gives when told she's a supervillain is that it's all about the presentation.
• Show Within a Show: The Amazon actress troupe intend to put on the play "The Five-Faced Senator" when they were to broadcast it, but thanks to the Queen of Fables they end up putting on "The Foolish Prince", which a certain Lantern stars in.
• Spanner in the Works: Calliope momentarily frees Paul's mind while Eris gives "Prince Pavlos" one of her apples in order to have a chance at defeating the Queen of Fables.
• Take That!: This episode takes several shots at Christianity.
  • Thana notes that the angels of the Silver City are far less merciful than the Greek gods.
    Paul: [internally] Oh, snap! Take that, Abraham!
  • Paul notes that there aren't many dead being tormented in Erebos as they've already had enough punishment equal to their crimes.
    Paul: [internally] Finite torment for sinners. Because anything else would be barbaric. Suck it, Jehovah.
• To Hell and Back: Paul has to go to the Greek Underworld to look for the answers he's looking for.
• Underestimating Badassery: The British government doesn't know how tough the Renegade is and think Vera Black is enough to kill him.
• The Underworld: Paul visits the original Greek version, and is escorted by Melinoë to visit Tartarus as part of his investigation of Wonder Woman's origin.
• Use Your Head: "Prince Pavlos" breaks the Queen of Fables' nose with a headbutt.
• What Is Evil?: The Renegade and Zatanna discuss what exactly defines the term "evil".
• Weather-Control Machine: Ted has been working on drones that can manipulate the weather, and asks Io for help in improving it. They're currently working on making them strong enough to counter hurricanes.
• Word of God: Vega is a cluster of inhabited systems in Universe 16.
  • There are some issues with the Renegade's Yellow Power Battery.
  • Mr Zoat answers some questions about Nabu and Match. Also, Paul will follow up on ways for Artemis to improve.
  • Mr Zoat answers some questions on Awakening.
  • One of the reasons Paul isn't telling the League about his plans for Nabu is because he's unsure if Nabu can read their minds.
  • A New God's portfolio can be enhanced.
  • Earth has more magic than most other worlds in the universe.
  • OL isn't transitioning the Ice Fortress because it's easier to move it the normal way.
  • No matter what, Paul would be very uncomfortable about being in a relationship with Zatanna.
  • Mr Zoat has no intention of using the Presence.
  • The Hero Dial is being studied in a SHADE facility.
  • Black Alice exists, but is around five.
  • What Paul tried to do to Akhlys isn't a big deal as it's just another powerful god making a lesser god subservient.
  • Paul is confirmed to not have fear enlightenment.
  • Large amounts of Nth metal can throw off boom tube generation.
  • The reason the Amazons moved to Themyscira is because the gods told them to.
  • Paul considers how the Amazons treated their men to be of historical interest at best.
  • Part of the reason that taking down Nabu is so difficult is because Paul and Zatanna want to keep Zatara alive and are unsure of the chances of resurrecting him if he dies.
  • The weather controlling drones have scry wards from Sephtian and Paul to ensure that no magic using supervillain can take control of them.
  • Although Dolmen gates are too resource intensive to mass produce, weather control drones aren't.
  • The reason Paul is able to get Dolmen gates is because he's in a mutually beneficial relationship with Atlantis.
  • Mr Zoat notes why calling some of the Genomorphs animals is wrong.
  • If the public ever learned that Superboy was made using Lex Luthor's DNA, Lex would use that as proof that he had nothing to do with Cadmus.
  • Mr Zoat explains why what Eris did isn't sexual assault.
  • You can't wear multiple Spell Eaters as this will just result in them eating each other.
  • Queen of Fables' attack on Paul is magic that affects his mind, but is distinct from telepathy.
  • Captain Marvel doesn't hear his patrons the way Adom does.
  • While the play has been going on, Diana is one of the entranced watchers.
  • The Renegade has only tested the Sword of Second and Third on conventional materials.
  • The Queen of Fables will be in Tartarus for as long as the people sending her there want her there.
    • What this entails is explained.
  • The Queen of Fables is probably strong enough to trigger the effect of the Sword of the Fallen.
• Wowing Cthulhu: Paul very briefly restores Akhlys, the Anthropomorphic Personification of Misery, to health, before her nature overwhelms him. She does appreciate the gesture, and his normally-sour escort tells him that it was "interesting".

---