Jackie and Valerie are looking forward to resuming their normal lives with Shendu's apparent destruction, only to learn the hard way they're far from being done with the demon. A retelling of "The Stronger Evil".
- Broomstick Quarterstaff: Valerie tries to attack Shendu with a broom when he comes to Uncle's store, only to be easily intercepted.
- Call-Back: When Shendu's touch on Valerie doesn't result in the normal surge of power between them, she notes that even when he possessed Jade, their touch resulted in a spark, prompting him to explain that unlike with Valmont right now, Jade's spirit wasn't sharing her body with Shendu and blocking his chi's connection with Valerie's.
- Cliffhanger: Like the canon episode, the chapter ends with Shendu ordering the Shadowkhan to kill Jackie and Captain Black as he leaves with the book he stole from Uncle's store.
- Counterspell: When the Enforcers offer to Shendu his Talismans, he discovers that in addition to the spell that's binding him to Valmont's body, his siblings have placed on him a counterspell that prevents the Talismans' magic from connecting with him as they normally would, rendering him unable to use them.
- Drama-Preserving Handicap: Sharing Valmont's body with the crime lord results in Shendu being unable to draw power from touching Valerie because the proximity of Valmont's chi prevents those of Shendu and Valerie from connecting like they normally would. His siblings' spells also render him unable to use his Talismans while he's trapped in Valmont's body, giving him a perfect reason for his canon lack of interest in them during his time as a spirit.
- Elemental Rivalry: Bai Tza is established to be Shendu's twin sister, but they've loved to hate each other since youth. This Sibling Rivalry is explained to be tied to the fact that their elements, water and fire, are always in competition with each other despite being the closest of elements.
- Evil Laugh: Subverted. When Valerie sees Tohru whom Shendu knocked unconscious and comments that throwing someone else in their own home is considered bad-mannered, she's surprised when Shendu responds by cackling in a way that sounds like he's genuinely amused by her comment instead of being sinister or mocking.
- Get Out!: When Valerie finds Valmont in Uncle's shop, she shouts at him to get out as she attempts to attack him, only to be overpowered and realize to her horror that the crime lord's body is being controlled by Shendu.
- "I Can't Look!" Gesture: When Jade and Jackie are about to crash a wall with a jet pack, Valerie covers her eyes before peeking behind her fingers to see them scaling the wall upwards.
- In Spite of a Nail: When Shendu assaults Uncle's Rare Finds for the book he needs to locate the Pan'Ku Box, he ends up speaking with Valerie instead of searching for the book. Fortunately for him, she happens to have it on her person, and he finds it right before Jackie and Captain Black arrive.
- Out-of-Character Alert: After being told that the Dark Hand left their stolen money behind despite Jackie, Jade and Captain Black being put out of commission, Valerie notes that prioritizing over something else than money is very unlike them; even while hunting the Talismans for Shendu, they tended to derail a mission in favor of extra cash.
- See You in Hell: When Shendu asks Valerie to help him find the book he needs, she tells him to go to hell. He responds with a mirthless smirk "Been there, and come back."
- This Cannot Be!: Valerie is understandably in initial denial when she realizes Shendu has returned from death in Valmont's body.
- Twitchy Eye: When the Enforcers offer the Talismans to Shendu and attempt to exit the fish cannery, his eye twitches in annoyance before he stops them.
- You're Insane!: A variant of this trope is said when Shendu comments to Valerie that she seems to have been doing well since their last meeting.Valerie: Considering I was kidnapped by an evil and insane demon, I think I'm recovering well.
Shendu: I may be spiteful and vindictive, but far from insane.
