Episode 57: Headhunting
Takes place July 22-28 and August 14.
Short version
Paul recruits his first two Lanterns, the princesses Komand'r and Koriand'r of Tamaran, and together they destroy the Citadel Empire.
Longer version
Paul sets out to contact Vril Dox the Second, whose extraordinary intelligence makes him a leading candidate to run the Orange Lantern Corps. However, Paul's comic knowledge indicates that Dox is likely being held illegally in a prison run by Dominators.
Since Dominators use plant-based computers, Paul contacts Lantern Medphyll, a mobile and sapient plant, for help in disrupting the computers. Medphyll is willing to investigate, but cannot leave his sector without a Lantern caretaker.
Paul therefore goes to Tamaran and recruits the princesses Koriand'r and Komand'r. To boost their status and thus free them from other obligations, as well as giving them field experience, he takes them with him to destroy the Citadel Complex, kill the Emperor, and wreck the Citadelian cloning facilities, shattering the balance of power in the Vega Systems. They also find and rescue Captain Comet, an immensely powerful telepath and telekine who was captured in Tamaran's bid for freedom forty years ago.
The Renegade arranges the making of a new Mother Box to replace the Father Box that he destroyed, and reveals to Scott and Barda that the New God Amazing Grace is loyal to Darkseid.
The title refers to Paul's recruitment efforts.
- Archaic Weapon for an Advanced Age: Subverted. Paul has spent a lot of time training the princesses to use ranged attacks, but when they encounter elite soldiers with exotic defensive fields, he finds to his chagrin that his most effective weapon is an Nth Metal cutlass.
- Arranged Marriage: Princess Koriand'r is supposed to marry Prince Karras, in order to gain enough political influence to keep Tamaran's rebuilding on track. He's in love with his bodyguard, but would go through with it for the good of Tamaran. Paul however, doesn't like seeing people ignore their desires unnecessarily, and makes other plans.
- "Blind Idiot" Translation: Paul goes undercover on Korugar, where power rings are illegal, so he relies on a commercial translator. It produces such gems as "Wrong time place opportunity" and "Colouration skin advertisement?"
- Chain of Deals: Paul recruits princesses Komand'r and Koriand'r as Lanterns, so that they can look after Sector 586, so that Lantern Medphyll will agree to help him break into a Dominator-run prison, so that he can recruit Vril Dox II as the Clarissi of the Orange Lantern Corps.
- Colony Drop: After using the Citadel's own defences to obliterate their fleet, Paul drops their huge space station onto the cloning complex that is the source of their population.
- Evil Overlord List: After reminding the princesses not to destroy the battleship they're targeting, Paul pauses, remembers the list, and adds "Unless that would put you at undue risk. There are other battleships."
- Flashback: The whole episode is treated as one, with Paul discussing his efforts later with a woman he is trying to recruit.
- Guilt-Free Extermination War: Paul acknowledges that the Citadelians are irredeemable and genocides them.
- Mana Drain: To keep Captain Comet neutralised, the Psions put him in a cage that continually drained his power and used it to fuel the Citadel Complex. For decades.
- Mercy Kill: Barda Free, after publicly exposing Amazing Grace, kills her on the spot before the mob can get their hands on her. The Renegade figures all her recent exposure to superheroes has softened her.
- Plant Person: To break into a prison operated by plant-based computers, Paul seeks help from Lantern Medphyll of planet J, a planet full of sentient plants and non-sentient animals.
- Trojan Horse: Paul brands most of the crew of a ship, then has them report his attack to their superiors, in order to get permission to dock the ship for repairs at the Citadel Complex that is his true target.
