Episode 82: Wing and Dagger
Takes place January 15-23
Paul visits Thanagar in company with several friends, including both the modern Hawks and the reincarnated Halls. While there, he discovers a cult that worships the Seven Devils and is trying to use their power to build enhanced soldiers. He assists the Thanagarian government to put down the cult.
The final chapter in the episode contains a conversation between Thanagarian government officials, revealing that the whole situation was a secret test of Paul's power, and that the cultists had been in contact with the government, seeking to have their achievements officially and publicly accepted. Since Paul was able to defeat the cult's giant warrior champion, their overtures will likely be denied.
The title is a play on "cloak and dagger", likely referring to the multiple deceptions practised by the Thanagarian government, as well as referring to the original Hawks, who recovered their memories by seeing the dagger used to kill their previous incarnations.
- Alternate Universe: This episode ends with snippets from two other Pauls.
- Common Sense Paul vetoes the idea of hiding Doctor Roquette in a school in a civilian area, follows up on his Exact Words to discover Cheshire's drugged lipstick in advance, and raises a number of concerns about the ill-fated telepathic training exercise with the Martian Manhunter.
- Indigo Lantern Paul, in the aftermath of a widespread implosion of the superhero program, visits a woman who is being made The Scapegoat for it, and steers her away from suicide.
- Barred from the Afterlife: Averted. Paul approaches Hades and gives him a Dolmen Gate connected to Ater Clementia, allowing him to reach the many souls (millions, possibly billions) that were trapped there when Mother of Mercy ate their corpses.
- Continuity Nod: Once again, Thanagar's uncertain history is brought up.
- Deal with the Devil: Thanagar has apparently been considering whether to cut a deal with the Seven Devils, because Nth Metal supplies are running low.
- Family Versus Career: Bleez's mother is pressuring her to stop touring and performing and get married. Bleez isn't keen. Paul just wants her not to lose her homeworld and become a Red Lantern.
- Fantastic Slurs: Thanagarians use "down" as an insult. Which makes things difficult when you've built on top of a mountain and want to expand (because no one wants to live downward). Calling a planet "Earth" sounds like a bad joke to them.
- Make Sure He's Dead: After killing the Blessed One, Paul consults the local expert, and the Thanagarian soldiers destroy its brain.
- One-Winged Angel: The demon Thasaro is fond of transforming Thanagarians into more physically powerful but more bestial Man-Hawks, or sometimes scarier things like twenty-meter-tall Blessed Ones.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Thanagarians, definitely. "Thanagar" apparently means "defensible home base".
- Spoiled Brat: The Renegade introduces Magnificus Sivana and Sunset Shimmer to each other.Renegade: Sunset, this is Magnificus. He's depressed because he feels like an underachiever due to his IQ being a mere two hundred rather than two twenty. Magnificus, this is Sunset Shimmer. After her superlative display of magic talent in early childhood attracted the demigoddess ruler of her nation to select her as her personal acolyte, she got so annoyed about the focus of the curriculum that she decided that she would rather storm off to a parallel universe with just the fur on her back rather than put up with it for a couple of years, graduate and then study whatever she wanted. I feel that the two of you have a great deal in common, and I'm going to leave you to talk about it. Have fun.
-
Squick: Hector Hall is disturbed to learn that his parents' wing harnesses were made from the wings of the Thanagarians who didn't survive their crash. - Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Andar Pul makes it clear that he'd rather not work with Paul, but he'll do it for the sake of getting the job done.
- Tempting Fate: Bleez wants to join in investigating a former cult location, rather than going home.Paul: I can't honestly believe that your mother is more fearsome than cultists, mutants, mutant cultists and manifested demons.
Bleez: There isn't gunna be anything like that down there. C'mon, even if there are ruins, they'd have to be idiots to perch there.
