Episode 98: Low Politics
Takes place 4-9 April 2012.
Paul hires several arch-mages from Venturia to help deal with the entity that was responsible for the eye-gouging society he destroyed the previous year. This makes Venturia an official partner of the Orange Lantern Corps, entitled to its protection, and in response, a very mercantile Lantern arrives, planning to commence a roaring trade on Earth.
The title likely refers to the fact that Paul largely shrugs his shoulders at the political strife, considering it to be mostly minor and especially not his problem.
- Alternate Universe: We see some of the aftermath of Repetition and Duplication.
- Berserk Button: Paul's offhand suggestion, on board the ClusterShip, that staff could consider unionising, causes automated laser turrets to appear and open fire on him.
- Beware the Superman: When Venturia comes under the protection of an interstellar defence force, nations like China become very concerned about the implications of super-powered individuals intervening in politics in a way that cannot be meaningfully countered.
- Big Entrance: Subverted; Lord Manga Khan attempts one but has technical difficulties with the door, requiring several tries and some "please forget what just happened."
- Breather Episode: After the massive multi-universal crossover crisis of the last few chapters, there's a definite breath of fresh air dealing with Lord Manga Khan and his... eccentricities.
- Call-Back: The destruction of the cult from Tillettit is mentioned. Apparently, all the eye-gouging had some sort of purpose, as sentient eyeballs are now threatening the planet.
- Happy Fun Ball: The UN Security Council relaxes when they learn that the Cluster Corp vessel is minimally armed, with weapons that can't threaten Earth unless it takes the time to launch an asteroid or similar, and any of Earth's Lanterns could beat Lord Manga Khan in a fight. However, Paul warns that it's a potential civilisation-ender, likely carrying enough refined metal to crash all the relevant markets, blueprints for enough advanced technology to crash all of those markets and massively empower every two-bit crook and warlord into a planetary threat, and it will cheerfully make any sale that doesn't attract the ire of the Green Lantern Corps.
- Insistent Terminology: Any time Paul refers to Lord-Lantern Manga Khan by a shorter name, Khan interjects the missing words.
- Large Ham: Everything that Lord Manga Khan says. In canon, he actually taught classes in melodrama.
- No Listening Skills: Lord Manga Khan talks to his robots, but doesn't pay any actual attention to their responses.Khan: L-Ron? Didn't you used to be gold?
Robot: I'm not L-Ron, Lord-Lantern Manga Khan.
Khan: And shorter. I'm almost certain that I remember you being shorter.
Robot: I'm not L-Ron, Lord-Lantern Manga Khan.
Khan: And your voice was a different pitch.
Robot: I'm not L-Ron, Lord-Lantern Manga Khan.
Khan: And you had a gravity-repulsor rather than legs.
Robot: I'm not L-Ron, Lord-Lantern Manga Khan.
Khan: And a unified sensor array rather than those little faux-eyes.
Robot: I'm not L-Ron, Lord-Lantern Manga Khan.
Khan: And three fingers-.
[L-Ron interrupts and says he'll be there shortly]
Khan: (to the robot) Why were you pretending to be L-Ron? - Not in This for Your Revolution: Paul says that the internal politics of Atlantis isn't his problem. He offers Venturia a defence contract in exchange for the use of their arch-mages, knowing that that may tip the balance of power in their dispute with Atlantis, and isn't interested in working out which side is in the right.
- Only in It for the Money: Lord Manga Khan doesn't appear to have any particular motivation except profit. He's willing to buy and sell anything, respecting regulations insofar as breaking them would cost more than it's worth, but will cut any corner to make more money even if it collapses a civilisation.
- Removed Achilles' Heel: Thanks to the Paragon, Yellow Lantern Paul now knows that it's possible for him to forge a personal lantern and use his ring freely.
- Required Secondary Powers: Paul tests out the "Compound V" formula that he obtained from Indigo Paul, but finds that it doesn't give secondary powers. The test rats get lethally incomplete Superpower Russian Roulette entries such as fire powers without fire resistance, an expanded visual cortex without an expanded skull, and "rock skin".
- Someone Else's Problem: The most notable part of Paul's reaction to Lord Manga Khan's arrival is his insistence that he isn't the right person to deal with the situation. So long as Khan isn't threatening the Earth or using his ring in a way that contravenes Corps policy — which he isn't — it's a matter of global and interstellar commerce and Paul has no jurisdiction nor stake.
- Uriah Gambit: Lord Protector Paul, upon returning home, finds that one of his subordinates was considering using long range "scouting" to dispose of soldiers who would spread rumours about Paul's disappearance.
