Superman: The Animated Series: Difference between revisions

* [[All Girls Want Bad Boys]]: Lana Lang explains to Lex that she ''likes'' dangerous men, [[Subverted Trope|except it turns out she only likes dangerous men because she could never snag nice guy Clark Kent]].

* [[All the Myriad Ways]]: Brave New Metropolis

* [[Amnesiac Dissonance]]: When Metallo surfaces after being lost at sea in his premier episode he has forgotten who and what he is. He is christened "Steelman" by the pair of children who find him and is (briefly) a hero, rescuing a truck driver from a flaming wreck. However, he recovers his memory at the end of the day and resumes his vendetta against Superman.

* [[Amusing Alien]]: Mr. Mxyzptlk.

* [[Broken Pedestal]]: The writers explained that they wanted Jimmy Olsen to be a member of the resistance in "Brave New World," and explicitly wanted it to be ''him'' who began throwing rocks at Superman, because they felt that nothing would better demonstrate Superman's fall from grace than losing the adoration of his biggest fan.

* [[Brought Down to Normal]]: Several episodes revolve around Superman losing his powers, either through the lack of a yellow sun or [[Powers As Programs|when they are stolen]].

* [[Bury Your Gays]]: [[Inverted]] (That is, if [[Hide Your Lesbians|you managed to notice it at all]]). Maggie Sawyer is blown out of her car during an attack by Intergang and the next shot has her badly burned and motionless beneath a crushing pile of rubble, ''without'' [[Eye Awaken|moving her eyes]] or [[Finger-Twitching Revival|her fingers]]. Dan Turpin even calls the attackers "murderers" as he screams at them, so everything seems to be indicating that she [[Killed Off for Real|is really dead]]...[[Not Quite Dead|except she is alive]], and she returns later on in this and future episodes. The intent of the trope, to hide or eliminate homosexuality in a work, is then reversed, as her subsequent recovery in the hospital features the very first appearance of a woman the credits and DVD commentary identify as Toby Raines, her partner in the comics.

* [[The Cape]]: The original, and most would say still the best.

** Karkull. He and his minions were pretty much straight out of a [[Cthulhu Mythos|Lovecraft story]] and compare quite blatantly to Nyarlathotep.

** Unity. Not the first or the last time the DCAU would go to the Lovecraft well, but probably one of the freakiest.

* [[Eureka Moment]]:

** In "Target," Lois Lane realizes the identity of her stalker when she is told to relax and watch some TV, [[Spotting the Thread|which makes her recognize the lie that she had been given earlier]].

* [[Fantastic Nature Reserve]]: Supes and Lobo were put in one by a [[The Collector|collector]] of [[Last of His Kind]] species. Superman is forced to keep one in his Fortress of Solitude because some of the beings don't have homes.

* [[Fantastic Racism]]: Most of Superman's enemies hate him for personal and direct reasons, but General Hardcastle dislikes and distrusts him solely because he is an alien, with a history and motivation that can not be trusted.

* [[Fiery Redhead]]: Volcana, [[Playing With Fire|literally]]. Also, Maxima and Orion.

* [[Fighting for Survival]]: Various times, notably with Turpin and [[The Professor|Professor Hamilton]]

* [[Hard Head]]: Averted. When Earl Garver is knocked out in "Two's a Crowd" his doctor explains that he has a serious concussion and will be unconcious for hours, if not days, and might even be comatose. The police have to bring in the mind-absorbing Parasite in order to get the required information before Garver's bomb explodes.

* [[Heel Realization]]: You can actually see Bizarro's heart break when he sees Superman saving Lois Lane and recognizes that he himself is ''not'' Superman.

* [[Heroic Comedic Sociopath]]: Lobo. Since the show is intended for kids he's not allowed to do anything truly horrific, and comes across as mostly [[Played for Laughs]] instead.

* [[Hide Your Lesbians]]: Maggie Sawyer is an imported character from the Superman comics, first appearing in the 1980's, and has been an out-lesbian since 1988. However, [[Animation Age Ghetto|this could not be explicitly stated in a kids show]] and the closest they get to covering this point is in ''Apokolips...Now!'' when she is visited in the hospital by a woman who comforts her throughout both parts of the episode. The woman is unnamed in the show, but DVD commentary and the credits reveal that she is Toby Raines, Maggie's long-time girlfriend in the comics, and was included as a reference to their relationship.

* [[Homage]]: The diner scene in "New Kids in Town" is taken directly from ''[[Terminator|Terminator 2: Judgement Day]]''. Except that Brainiac wears pants (hey, it is a family show).

* [[Hometown Nickname]]: Lois calls Clark "Smallville".

* ~Hulk's Cooldown Hug Corollary~: The episode with Lois' pet chimp, [[Attack of the 50 Foot Whatever|which had become gigantic]].

* [[Human Aliens]]: Kryptonians, of course, as well as the [[New Gods]] (Apart from the Parademons and a few of the ruling class).

* [[Humongous Mecha]]: Superman's first battle is against the Lexo-Suit 5000, a combat machine which, at this point, is regarded as the most powerful weapon on the planet.

* [[If I Wanted You Dead]]: Lex Luthor explains to Lois in "Target" that, if he were ''really'' behind the most recent attempts on her life, he would never have left such a blatant trail that would lead back to himself.

* [[I Gave My Word]]:

'''Lois Lane:''' ...you're a sick man, Kent.<br />

'''Clark Kent:''' You asked. }}

* [[Secret Identity Identity]]: Clark Kent makes it pretty apparent that he is the "real" identity, whereas Superman is the costume; when Pa Kent is unconcerned that Clark has "died," since he can just pick a new name, Clark explains that he ''is'' Clark, he could never stop being who he is.

* [[Sense Loss Sadness]]: Metallo.

* [[Shock and Awe]]: Livewire gains electric powers [[Lightning Can Do Anything|after being struck by lightning]].

* [[Shooting Superman]]: Obviously, and he regularly points it out.

** In the third episode, Martha Kent tells Clark, "I don't want anyone thinking you're like [[Batman the Animated Series|that nut in Gotham City]]."

** In "My Girl," Lex Luthor is overheard explaining to his henchman that he wants him in [[The Flash|Central City]] by that night.

** Toyman in "Obsession".

* [[Starfish Aliens]]: Including Starro itself in one brief scene. Unity is one of the strangest.

* [[Super Rug Pull]]: Superman tries it on Darkseid.

* [[Super Speed]]: Superman himself, and he even has a race with the [[Flash]] in one episode to see who has the title of "Fastest Man Alive."

{{quote| Darkseid: "I am many things Kal-El, but here I am god."}}

* [[Unusual Euphemism]]: Shoot my monkey.

* [[Villainesses Want Heroes]]: Maxima to Superman. And then she met [[All Girls Want Bad Boys|Lobo]].

* [[Villainous Breakdown]]: When Superman manages to stop his machine and return the sunlight to its normal hue, the usually [[Affably Evil]] Luminus goes into a full-on rage and tries to beat Supes to death with his bare hands before Superman's powers return. He is not fast enough.