Directed by Dan Riba
Written by Jim Steranko (Teleplay by J. M. DeMatteis)
The full name of this episode is "The Ties That Bind (a.k.a. Miracles Happen)".
Mister Miracle and Big Barda solicit Justice League assistance to free Oberon from Apokolips. J'onn refuses, but Flash decides to help out on his own.
This episode contains examples of:
- Accidental Misnaming:Flash: Great news, Bertha! You don't have to!
Barda: (grabs the Flash by the neck and raises him up) BARDA!
Flash: (meekly) Isn't that what I said? - Actor Allusion:
- "Verrry IN-teresting, but ________!" was one of Arte Johnson's catchphrases on Laugh-In.
- In a case of Writer Allusion, Jim Steranko writes an episode about Mister Miracle, a character that Jack Kirby based partly on Steranko himself.
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: An exchange between Barda and Oberon after they rescue him:Barda: All the trouble we had to go through because of you.
Oberon: Heh, all legs, no heart.
Barda: You're just too far away to hear it. (Barda kneels down and hugs Oberon) - Batman Gambit: After it seems like Granny Goodness won't follow through on their agreement, Flash reveals that he replaced Kalibak with J'onn. After that J'onn immediately reads her mind and tells Flash where Oberon is being kept.
- Big Bad Wannabe: Both Granny Goodness and Virman Vundabar are vying to take over Apokolips in Darkseid's absence, but neither can overcome the other. J'onn is certain, though, that whoever won would eventually present a threat to Earth.
- Call-Forward: Flash and Elongated Man wonder if Mister Miracle and Barda are League members. The latter would be by the time of Batman Beyond.
- Cold-Blooded Torture: Vundabar tries to convince Kalibak to join his "noble" cause through repeated bouts of torture. And cake.
- Continuity Nod: The civil war on Apokolips is a result of Darkseid's absence.
- Curse Cut Short: When J'onn refuses to help Mister Miracle and Big Barda rescue Oberon, Barda calls him a "beetle-browed, arrogant son of a—" before being cut off by Mister Miracle.
- Deadpan Snarker: Kalibak gets a good barb in at Vundabar's expense.Vundabar: Kalibak, Kalibak, Kalibak...I have used every vile punishment, every known torture, and still, you refuse to join Virman Vundabar's noble cause.
Kalibak: You are about as noble as my armpit. - Determinator: Mister Miracle, past and present.
- Dragon Ascendant: Virman Vundabar and Granny Goodness, as they both fight to claim the throne of Apokolips.
- Dude, Where's My Respect?: Flash feels he gets no respect despite being a founding member of the League. Elongated Man sympathizes, feeling he gets similar treatment despite having been fighting crime longer than there's been a League.
- Enemy Civil War: Apokolips has fallen into civil war since Darkseid "vanished", with Granny Goodness and Virman Vundabar leading the factions. In an instance of the League playing Realpolitik, J'onn J'onzz tells Flash that it is in their interest that it continues since it keeps Apokolips from turning its attention to Earth and other planets.
- Enemy Mine: Kalibak works with Flash, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda so that they can all escape from the X-Pit.
- Evil Laugh: Virman Vundabar lets out a malicious cackle as he sets the X-Pit to self-destruct and flees.
- I Lied: Granny Goodness predictably backs out on her agreement to release Oberon in exchange for Kalibak.
- I Resemble That Remark!Flash: Tell me the truth, Ralph. Do I seem immature to you?
Elongated Man: Not in the least.
(camera pulls back to show they're playing Brawlin' Bots, which Flash wins)
Flash: Ha, I bopped your block off!
Elongated Man: That-that's not fair! The green guy's arms are longer!
Flash: Are not! - Irony: When Kalibak agrees to work with the heroes to escape, he remarks that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", adding "at least for the moment" under his breath, implying an intent to betray his allies. At the end of the episode, it's the heroes who have backstabbed Kalibak, locking him up on Earth to keep him out of the civil war.
- Mythology Gag:
- Flash says he's treated like a kid sidekick, which was how Wally got his start in the comics.
- Flash and Elongated Man are shown to be close friends, which is the case in the comics.note
- The Needs of the Many: J'onn's justification for refusing to get involved in the Enemy Civil War on Apokolips. Basically, it's better for everybody if the two factions are focused on fighting each other rather than anyone else. Flash gets involved anyway.
- Not So Above It All: After Flash expects J'onn to yell at him for what he did:J'onn: I was only going to ask if you wanted to play "Brawlin' Bots."
Flash: Dibs on the green one! (zips away)
J'onn: I wanted the green one... - Offscreen Moment of Awesome:
- Mister Miracle twice gets out of seemingly inescapable situations. Flash lampshades the second escape, only for Mister Miracle to reply, "trade secret".
- It's not shown how the heroes (and Kalibak) escaped from the exploding X-Pit. Flash borrows Mister Miracle's line, calling it a "trade secret".
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Kalibak makes some disparaging remarks about Big Barda's gender.
- Remember the New Guy?: Virman Vundabar, a high-ranking member of Darkseid's forces, who was never seen until this episode.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Flash helps out Mister Miracle and Big Barda, even though this is in violation of rules.
- Shout-Out: Flash briefly does Accidental Misnaming of Big Barda as "Big Bertha", the name of both a Marvel character and a World War I cannon.
- Shout-Out to Shakespeare: Granny Goodness forces Mister Miracle and Big Barda to help rescue Kalibak from Virman Vundabar. When the two are about to finish off Granny Goodness in the end, Martian Manhunter points out the Enemy Civil War needs to continue. Scott remarks, "A curse on both their houses."
- Stripperiffic: Big Barda starts out wearing this, but she reveals her full body armour later on.
- Take a Third Option: Rather than just leave Oberon to die or free Kalibak and shift the balance of power on Apokolips, Flash devises a last-minute plan to teleport to Earth, imprison Kalibak there, then return to Granny Goodness with J'onn disguised as Kalibak to read her mind and find Oberon's location, saving him while leaving Apokolips stuck in a civil war where neither side has the upper hand.
- Thought-Aversion Failure: How J'onn gets Oberon's location out of Granny Goodness.J'onn: Try not to think about where you've got Oberon hidden. [Granny tries and fails] Darkseid's old palace. I'll guide [Flash].
- Unexplained Recovery: When last seen, Granny Goodness had her mind fried by Superman. She's perfectly fine here.
Word of God confirmed no one thought explaining it was worth the trouble. Of course, she is a New God, it takes a whole lot to cause them any real permanent damage, let alone death. Even then, Darkseid could have just resurrected her at some point in the interim. - Wham Line: Downplayed. Up to this point, viewers unfamiliar with the comics version of the New Gods would probably have thought Kalibak was the son Highfather exchanged for Orion as a result of New Genesis' treaty with Apokolips since he's the only son of Darkseid's that has appeared in the DCAU up to this point, making the introduction of Mister Miracle and The Reveal that he was the son Highfather gave to Darkseid a surprise to anyone who didn't already know that from the comics.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Flash wants to help Mister Miracle and Barda simply because he feels it's the right thing to do. J'onn tells him he's not seeing the bigger picture.
- Written-In Absence: Superman is on a mission in deep space.
