Recap / Superman: The Animated Series S2 E15 "Father's Day"

To curry his father’s favor, the New God brute Kalibak goes to Earth to destroy Superman. Meanwhile, Clark’s parents Jonathan and Martha Kent are visiting him in Metropolis for Father’s Day. The city takes a beating as the two sons battle it out.

This episode includes examples of the following tropes:

• Abusive Parents: Darkseid is one of the worst fathers seen in an American cartoon, as he contemplates annihilating his son Kalibak as punishment for disobeying an order not to engage Superman, and only has antipathy for his pleas of mercy. Superman, upon seeing this kind of abuse, orders Darkseid to tell him why would he torment his own son, but Darkseid never gives him an answer.
• Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Kalibak really isn't.
  Kalibak: Please! Father!
  Darkseid: [blasting Kalibak with Omega beams] You'll beg louder than that when I'm done with you.
• Badass Boast: After Superman demands to know who he is, Darkseid blasts him and forces him to the ground.
  "That is who I am."
• Cerebus Syndrome: The second appearance of Darkseid. Until then, Superman had faced various foes, but none of them could withstand him in a conventional fight for long - not even Brainiac or Metallo. In this episode, Superman fights off Darkseid's son Kalibak with some difficulty, but then he meets the lord of Apokolips himself and is laid low in seconds as a warning and a command to bend the knee. Darkseid's next appearance sees him outright defeat Superman and string him up for the world to see and despair at. He leaves after humanity (backed up by the intervention of New Genesis) tells him to get lost, but not before murdering Dan Turpin for leading the shouts of defiance.
• Do Wrong, Right: Given the twisted nature of Apokolips, Darkseid's punishment of Kalibak is implied to be not just about his defiance but the fact that he failed to accomplish what he disobeyed him to do.
  Kalibak: I know I disobeyed you, but I thought if I could destroy Superman...
  Darkseid: And did you?
  Kalibak: I... underestimated his strength. But he won't catch me off-guard again.
  Darkseid: That much, at least, is true.
• Failed a Spot Check: As Kalibak is about to hit Superman from behind, Martha shouts for "Clark" to look out while right next to Lois. Despite knowing who Clark is, and that Superman is about to be sneak attacked, she doesn't put two and two together and realize she's referring to Superman, instead just wondering where Clark is. It's also interesting how numerous people clearly within hearing distance don't consider the idea that Superman's name is Clark after he reacts from hearing that.
• Heroic Second Wind: Kalibak inadvertently pushes the Relative Button by gloating about how defeating Superman will bring his father's approval, reminding Supes that his father is still trapped inside a precarious damaged building.
• I Have No Son!: How Darkseid regards Kalibak. Even freaking Desaad, who manipulated Kalibak into going to Earth to begin with, is briefly taken aback by how harsh and cold Darkseid's statement comes off.
  "A technicality of his birth. As far as destiny and I are concerned, I have no son."
• Sequel Episode: To Season One's "Tools of the Trade", picking up the Darkseid storyline (and to a lesser extent Manheim's) while setting the stage for "Apokolips...Now!" towards the end of this Season.
• Silent Treatment: Darkseid gives this to Superman.
• Smug Snake: Desaad manipulates Kalibak into going after Superman against Darkseid's orders, figuring that whether he succeeds or fails, the result will take Darkseid's attention off Desaad's own failure. When Darkseid finds out what Kalibak did, Desaad pretends to know nothing about it.
• Sympathy for the Devil: Superman doesn't sit well with Kalibak being tormented and threatened by Darkseid.
• Villainous Valour: Prior to the above, Superman has Kalibak on the ropes when Kalibak's "Well Done, Son" Guy psyche kicks in and won't let him lose, and he rallies, beats Superman harder than expected and, in the above scene, prepares to strike him down.
• Workout Fanservice: Lois is introduced jogging in the park wearing a sports bra and shorts.