Trick or Threat

"**Trick or Threat**" is the thirteenth episode of Justice League Action.

## Summary

In a story for Halloween, four trick-or-treating children dressed as Justice League heroes investigate the spooky House of Mystery, but what terrors does it hold? and who is the strange cat-boy who eggs them on?

## Story

On Halloween, Cain, our storyteller, tells of the creepy House of Mystery of which he is the caretaker. He says that the House contains all sorts of terrifying things and can just appear somewhere and then vanish later taking any unfortunate visitors with it. The children in the neighbourhood, trick-or-treating, are in typical Halloween costumes, but Cain points out four dressed as superheroes (Batman, Zatanna, Constantine and Dr. Fate) and says with a crazed laugh that they will experience the terrors of the House.

As the four kid superheroes walk through the streets, they see an odd creature (a mix of boy and cat) being mugged by two older boys. The four intervene and chase off the bullies using authentic superhero moves, and the cat-boy tells them that the boys have been storing their loot in an old house. The foursome go there - it is the House of Mystery - but the door is locked, and the house appears to be empty. Following at a distance, the cat-boy is suddenly addressed again by the two bullies who ask for release, whereupon the cat-boy magically transforms them into rats, and they scurry away. At the House, Kid Batman kicks down the door and he and the other three enter but cannot see or hear anyone else.

The cat-boy follows them in and announces that they will be staying and magically closes and locks the door. He then causes them to be swept into the interior of the House where they are assailed by its unleashed terrors (vampires, werewolves, *etc.*). The desperate youngsters hit and dodge their way past the monsters and retreat to a room full of stuffed exhibits of more monsters that come alive and attack them. Screaming, they leave pushing their way through the fiends outside, flee into another room and lock the door. It is dark and has a large mirror in which they can see dim reflections of themselves as grown superheroes. Kid Zatanna feels that it is a "mirror of Truth" that shows things as they really are, and they consider that they may actually be the real Justice League.

The room lights up and the cat-boy appears and sweeps them aside before transforming into Klarion the Witch-Boy and his purring cat, Teekl. Kid Dr. Fate and the others now remember that they had seen the House earlier and had intended to ensure that no one would be trapped in it when it disappeared. Klarion tells them that he has transformed them into ten-year olds to make it easier for him to seize the Helmet of Fate from Kid Fate, and he does so. He declares that he will rule with it as 'sorcerer supreme' while the superheroes will disappear with the House at midnight. Kid Constantine hurls some red marbles at the helmet that make it hot and Klarion desperately drops it. There now follows a long scramble for the helmet with the monsters breaking in to join in. Eventually Kid Batman retrieves the helmet and gives it back to Kid Fate who in turn commands the House to release them. The four are ejected outside as the House is about to disappear and, inside, Klarion and Teekl run after them still intending to take the Helmet but find the front door locked by Kid Zatanna. At the stroke of midnight, the House is sucked up into a vortex in the sky, almost taking the kid superheroes with it.

Now that Klarion is gone, the youngsters reappear in their adult form. Constantine sees the key to the House on the ground and picks it up, keeping it as though he intends to become the new caretaker. Finally, Cain reappears and reminds us to keep an eye out for the old house and says, as he laughs fiendishly, we will always be welcome as guests.

## Notes

### Trivia

* Despite being produced and naturally is the series' first Halloween special, this episode did not air in the UK or US in October. Instead, in the UK, it aired on December 24, 2016 (Christmas Eve) and in the US, it aired on March 18, 2017.

### Cultural References

* The plot of this episode is similar to the plot of the Justice League Unlimited episode "Kid Stuff". Both involve the Justice League (Batman being included in both) being transformed into kids then having to fight an evil magical child.
* Throughout the episode, the young Constantine is constantly seen with a rock candy stick in his mouth, referencing the character's chain-smoking habit from the comic books (Constantine's smoking was omitted from the show due to its younger audience, among other aspects of his character).

## Gallery

Four Halloween mini heroesMonsters attack!Big and small togetherThey've grown up - a bit quicker than usual