Wander and Sylvia hide out from Dominator's forces with Sylvia's family.
Tropes appearing in The Family Reunion
- Bedsheet Ladder: Sylvia does this to try and escape from her room. It turns out her window is only two feet from the ground and her mom was standing right next to it.
- Big Ball of Violence: Sylvia's brothers Bill, Phil, and Gil do this whenever they start rough-housing.
- Brick Joke:
- When Wander and Sylvia arrive at Dorothy's house, Wander prepares to greet Sylvia's mom with a hug big enough for Sylvia's whole family. At the end of the episode, Wander finally gets the chance to give everyone that hug.
- Throughout the episode, one of Sylvia's brothers keeps asking Wander how much he can "bench". When Wander lifts everyone else up into a Group Hug at the end of the episode, Sylvia's brother remarks "So that's how much you can bench!"
- Cerebus Retcon: In "The Egg," Sylvia at first refused to mother the titular object saying she wasn't warm and fuzzy. In this episode, we see that she has mother issues and her mother is a Tsundere.
- Continuity Nod:
- Dorothy has Hater's wanted posters of Wander and Sylvia on the wall, along with a newspaper clipping of Wander and Sylvia liberating Bingleborp from "The Greatest".
- During Wander's Squee over Sylvia offering to introduce him to her family, an instrumental snippet from the "Happy Birthday Song" from "The Birthday Boy" plays.
- While Sylvia’s brothers chow down on meat, Wander asks if there's a salad instead; he’s a vegetarian as revealed in “The Battle Royale”.
- Disappeared Dad: Sylvia's dad is absent, but it's clear that Sylvia had a good relationship with him.
- Disappointed in You: At first it seems that Sylvia's mother is angry at Sylvia for running away from home, but she is actually disappointed that Sylvia is hiding from Lord Dominator instead of facing her like she has done with Lord Hater.
- Double Standard: As Sylvia points out, her brothers aren't asked to do anything despite the fact that they stay at home, but the minute she comes back, her mother assigns chores.
- Fantastic Racism: Sylvia's grandmother calls Wander a "filthy space hippie" and thinks he keeps trying to steal her purse.
- Giant Food: Sylvia's family eats really big food. During dinner, Sylvia has to drag a stick of butter the size of a steamer trunk.
- Group Hug: When Sylvia makes amends with her family, Wander is so touched he gathers everyone together in one big hug.
- Homeless Hero: Wander's response to one of Sylvia's brothers asking where he lives is "Wherever the stars take us," further rectifying he's homeless and possibly orphaned.
- I Am Not Weasel: Sylvia's brothers constantly refer to Wander as a monkey or a cat, and a Monkey-Cat.
- I Have Brothers: Sylvia's three brothers are always fighting each other, which may explain how she's so good at hand to hand combat.
- My Parents Are Dead: It's implied Sylvia's dad passed away, based on what Dorothy says to her.
- No Sympathy: Sylvia's mom doesn't seem to pick up that Sylvia only wanted a break from Dominator chasing her and Wander, not to permanently retire from galaxy heroics. She immediately puts Sylvia back into work as a brutal form of Shoo the Dog. It is implied that "taking a break" is Sylvia's way of simply running away from her problems, but the episode does not confirm or deny this.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: After Sylvia's family start fighting again, Wander finally has enough and goes into Suddenly Shouting and use of Unusual Euphemism to get them to stop.Wander: Frabdrazzit, that's ENOUGH!
- Parental Abandonment: Inverted: Sylvia ran away from home.
- Peeling Potatoes: Sylvia is asked by Dorothy to peel the potatoes for dinner. The very big potatoes. With a tiny peeler.
- Poor Communication Kills: If Sylvia had made it clear that she only wanted to wind down a bit from heroics and Wander's suicidal shipping of Hater and Dominator to get a break, and her mother made it clear that she wanted Sylvia back in the field to save more planets, then they wouldn't have been bickering. Although, it's subtly implied that Sylvia doesn't just want to take a break from Dominator and that she intends on abandoning the Galaxy.
- Puppy-Dog Eyes: Sylvia when she sees that her mother has collected articles about the duo's heroics.
- Shout-Out: Sylvia's mom is named Dorothy. After their species was previously announced as the "Zbornak", this takes the reference to The Golden Girls to its logical conclusion. (Bonus: Sylvia calls her mother "Ma", which is what Dorothy calls her mother Sophia in The Golden Girls)
- So Proud of You: Despite how cold she was being to Sylvia, Dorothy is actually very proud of Sylvia for all the good she does in the galaxy.
- Theme Naming: With the exception of Dorothy and Granny, each member of Sylvia's family has an "ill" sound.
- Wham Line: "I'm not mad ya left. I'm mad because ya came back!"
When Emperor Awesome shows up on Dominator's ship, Peepers and Hater must figure out if the two are joining forces or dating.
Tropes appearing in The Rival
- Abhorrent Admirer: Emperor Awesome is another one to Lord Dominator.
- Brick Joke: The Stinger shows the Watchdog spy still in Dominator's closet. Dominator sees him and he runs away and hits a wall. Dominator then asks "What is with these guys?"
- The Cake Is a Lie: For Dominator, Emperor Awesome's "secret weapon" which was not a weapon at all but rather an excuse for him to hit on her. She points out that even Hater isn't that dumb, since he tries to deliver tangible gifts.
- Camera Abuse: After Dominator blows apart Emperor Awesome's ship, his flaming license plate flies at the camera, cracking the screen.
- Comically Missing the Point: Hater is too excited that Dominator remembered his name, and that she isn't dating Emperor Awesome, to take much notice that A) Dominator just encased Awesome in hardened lava and had him carted off, either to the dungeons or a worse fate, and B) he and Peepers (who are still in their Fist Fighter disguise) should start running for their lives like the rest of Awesome's minions. (And that she called him an idiot.)
- Continuity Nod:
- Hater and Peepers remain at cross purposes about how to handle Dominator.
- Hater dances to the Watchdog janitor's breakdancing music from the TV shorts.
- Peepers refers to Awesome's planet-destroying parties and worries that could be the weapon.
- Dominator references Hater constantly giving gifts to her; given one was actually a weapon, she had a better reason for letting him live.
- Cowardly Lion: Jerry. He goes on the mission with fear and enthusiasm, but being a Mook...
- Did You Actually Believe...?: Dominator asks Awesome if he actually believed she'd let him ride her "coattails".
- Dramatic Curtain Toss: Emperor Awesome's secret weapon is covered by a tarp. When it is revealed, it turns out to be Awesome himself in a bid to impress Dominator with his "guns".
- Entitled to Have You: Awesome towards Dominator. It's part of the reason she coats him in lava.
- Epic Fail: Lord Hater's attempt at reading Dominator's and Awesome's lips to find out what they're talking about. Also the fact that Hater doesn't know his left from his right even with Peeper's guiding him.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Dominator points out to Awesome that at least Hater isn't stupid enough to promote himself as a dangerous weapon, and she's also tried to kill the idiot skeleton for his "gifts".
- Evil Laugh: Dominator releases her signature one after she blows up Awesome's ship.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: Dominator grabbing Awesome's butt.
- Go, Ye Heroes, Go and Die: Peepers and Hater prep a Watchdog to infiltrate Lord Dominator's ship, warning him that if he runs into either Dominator, Emperor Awesome or his Fist Fighters, he is doomed. And if he finds Dominator's Doombots, then he is super doomed. Naturally, the Watchdog is not too keen on going.
- Insane Troll Logic: Hater believes that Dominator's ship has a smooching room because the Skullship has six such rooms.
- It Amused Me: Dominator says this was the real reason she let Awesome onto the ship, since it was a "slow day" and maybe he did have a secret weapon.
- Lovable Coward: Jerry. His tears from nervousness inside Dominator's ship cause his camera to short out and cut the transmission.
- Mauve Shirt: Subverted; Jerry doesn't die, at least not onscreen. Still, the possibility of it terrifies him.
- Mood Whiplash: The end of the episode goes from Lord Hater gleefully celebrating the fact that Dominator is still single to Dominator blowing up Emperor Awesome's limo-ship and laughing maniacally, Awesome's fate still up in the air.
- Not Worth Killing: Dominator after possibly killing Awesome doesn't bother with Watchdog Jerry after he knocks himself out running into a wall.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Peepers and Hater when they see Awesome's limo parked outside Dominator's ship.
- Likewise, their reaction when they have to sneak onto Dominator's ship, and to see the weapon.
- Jerry when he runs into a few Lavabots, and later when he runs into Dominator in The Stinger.
- Awesome when Dominator incapacitates him with lava under the pretense of responding to his advances.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Hater and Peepers disguise themselves as one Awesome's Fist Fighters, but what makes them stand out is the fact that they're way taller and that Peepers's giant eye is sticking out of the fist thumb.
- Pet the Dog:
- Peepers actually consoles Hater after it seems that Dominator is dating Emperor Awesome.
- Skewed Priorities: While Peepers is worried that Emperor Awesome is seeking an alliance with Lord Dominator which would allow them to conquer the galaxy, Hater is more worried that the two might be dating.
- Something We Forgot: Hater and Peepers left Jerry on Dominator's ship.
- They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!: After Awesome calls Dominator "D", she tells him, "That's Lord Dominator if you're nasty!"
- Too Dumb to Live: Emperor Awesome romantic crusade was really ill-advised.
- Villain Episode: Not only for Hater and Peepers, but Awesome and Dominator.
- Villain Team-Up: Peepers is worried that Dominator and Awesome will do this, and Hater worries the romantic version of this will happen. They're both wrong.
- Who Would Be Stupid Enough?: Dominator stated that Awesome's attempt to impress her, by saying his "guns"— his biceps— were the weapon was so stupid that not even Lord Hater would try something like that.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Peepers tells this to Hater when it seems Dominator and Awesome will date.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Dominator's response to the weapon, along with The Cake Is a Lie.
- Your Other Left: Hater is told by Peepers to turn left. Instead he turns right and slams into a wall.Peepers: I said left!
Hater: Your left or my left?
Peepers: WE HAVE THE SAME LEFT!!
[Hater turns right again and hits wall] - You're Just Jealous: Lord Hater's response to Peepers when he tries to reason with Hater that Dominator is a cold heartless villain who isn't interested in a romantic relationship.
