History Recap / BatmanBeyondS1E8Heroes

* CaptainErsatz / CorruptedCharacterCopy: The Terrific Trio strongly resemble the ComicBook/FantasticFour. They start off as heroes, but after they learn their conditions are unstable and that their friend Dr. Hodges was the one who orchestrated the accident that gave them their powers specifically to kill Mike so he swoop in on his fiancee Mary (who wasn't supposed to be there), and after the public, the military, and law enforcement turn on them, they become emotionally destroyed and try to duplicate the accident, not caring that the radiation would destroy the city.[[TakeThat They all die horribly.]]
** Gemeral Norman is possibly based on Nick Fury, acting as liaison between a superhero team and the government. He doesn't trust said superheroes, and launches a military attack to destroy them upon being informed of a slight chance they could be losing their sanity.

* Batman becomes trapped beneath machinery (and frees himself by lifting the massive object) in a scene that is a direct reference to an iconic Spider-Man sequence, even down to the shape of the machinery trapping the character.
* 2-D Man's name is a reference to Silver Age superhero 3-D Man, and his powers resemble Flatman of the ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers.
* Magma's design is similar to the DCAU version of Clayface.

* CaptainErsatz: The Terrific Trio strongly resemble the ComicBook/FantasticFour. [[TakeThat They all die horribly.]]

** More subtly, Hodges is an Expy of Reed Richards.
*** Hodges shares some traits of Doctor Doom, both being jealous rivals of Magma/Mr. Fantastic.

* ShoutOut: Batman becomes trapped beneath machinery (and frees himself by lifting the massive object) in a scene that is a direct reference to an iconic Spider-Man sequence, even down to the shape of the machinery trapping the character.

* TakeThat: Judging by the Terrific Trio's rather horrible deaths, it appears the episode's writer isn't a fan of the Fantastic Four.

-->'''General Norman:''' How are they?\\

** The Terrfic Trio to the ComicBook/FantasticFour, although remixed a bit. Specifically, Magma's living lava form makes him an expy of both the Thing and the Human Torch, Freon's see-through mist form, flight and ice blasts have elements of both the Invisible Woman and an inverse Torch, and 2-D Man is a straight Mr. Fantastic clone. Personality wise, however, Magma has Reed Richard's role both as the leader and as the love interest to the female member.

* GoneHorriblyRight: Hodges had hoped that by setting up the "accident", it would horribly mutate Morgan, taking him out of the picture and leaving Mary all to himself. Well, the accident happens, with both Morgan ''and'' Mary there. So now the two can never be together physically, so Hodges accomplishes that much. At the same time, this falls under...

** To Marvel Superheroes in general by Magma's final words, that being mutated into a superbeing does not make you a "hero" it is your choices.

* BittersweetEnding: Batman saves Gotham from being blown up, but in the ensuing fight to stop the Terrific Trio, they all die. Even Dr. Hodges, the very man who set up the accident and started it all, grieves at the loss of his friends.

* GoneHorriblyRight: Hodges had hoped that by setting up the "accident", it would horribly mutate Morgan, taking him out of the picture and leaving Mary all to himself. Well, the accident happens, with both Morgan ''and'' Mary there.
So now the two can never be together physically, so Hodges accomplishes that much. At the same time, this falls under...

* MythologyGag: While the Terrific Trio look suspiciously like a certain other [[ComicBook/FantasticFour family of heroes]], the team's name originated in [[Series/{{Batman}} the Adam West series]], referring to Batman, Robin, and Batgirl after the latter had been established in Season 3.

* MythologyGag: While the Terrific Trio look suspiciously like a certain other [[ComicBook/FantasticFour family of heroes]], the team's name originated in [[Series/{{Batman}} the Adam West series]], referring to Batman, Robin, and Batgirl after the latter had been established.

* GreenEyedMonster: Hodges was always jealous of Morgan, not just because he has Mary.

One night during a botched attempt to stop a robbery, Batman receives some help from a new group of superheroes calling themselves the Terrific Trio: Magma, Freon, and 2-D Man, who were three former scientists that became mutated in a FreakLabAccident and gained superpowers. At first, Terry is optimistic about the new heroes' intentions and wonders if Gotham will even need Batman anymore. Bruce, however, remains skeptical that such events can work out so perfectly.

* AllForNothing: Hodges' plan to steal Mary only ends with him losing her forever.

* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: All three of the Trio, whom Batman is forced to kill to stop them from carrying out their plan to blow up Gotham. Freon and 2-D man are sucked into a giant fan while Magma is sprayed with cold water, causing him to solidify completely.

* AllForNothing: His plan to steal Mary only ends with him losing her forever.

*** Hodges shares some traits of Doctor Doom, both being jealous rivals Magma/Mr. Fantastic.

* GreenEyedMonster: Hodge was always jealous of Morgan, not just because he has Mary.

* GreenEyedMonster: Hodge was always jealous of Morgan.

* FreakLabAccident[=/=]SuperHeroOrigin: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] when the recently superpowered heroes discover that their FreakLabAccident was not exactly an accident and was not supposed to give them superpowers. It is a chilling reminder that the line between hero and villain can be as slim as the choice one is offered. Magma even lampshades how he's ''not'' a hero because he was robbed any choice whether he wanted to be one.

* FreakLabAccident[=/=]SuperHeroOrigin: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] when the recently superpowered heroes discover that their FreakLabAccident was not exactly an accident and was not supposed to give them superpowers. It is a chilling reminder that the line between hero and villain can be as slim as the choice one is offered. Magma even lampshades how he's ''not''a hero because he was robbed any choice whether he wanted to be one.

* FreakLabAccident[=/=]SuperHeroOrigin: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] when the recently superpowered heroes discover that their FreakLabAccident was not exactly an accident and was not supposed to give them superpowers. It is a chilling reminder that the line between hero and villain can be as slim as the choice one is offered.

* BittersweetEnding: Batman saves the city from being blown up, but in the ensuing fight to stop the Terrific Trio, they all die. Even Dr. Hodges, the very man who set up the accident and started it all, grieves at the loss of his friends.

* TrueCompanions: For all intents and purposes, the Terrific Trio still stick by each other even as they gradually lost their sanity after discovering what's really happened to them. Freon in particular is disgusted that Hodges wanted to steal her away from Magma, and she continues to stay with him even though they can't touch anymore.