Less Than Hero - Plot

Plot

Professor Farnsworth orders a supercollider from πKEA; and after assembling it, Fry and Leela are left with sore muscles. Dr. Zoidberg prescribes them "Dr. Flimflam's Miracle Cream". While returning the broken supercollider to the store, Fry and Leela are mugged, but manage to fight back. They discover they are immune to laser fire and physical attacks, a side effect of the "miracle cream"; they also gain the abilities of super strength and super speed (the tube also says they may gain the ability to command sea life, but they find they do not when Zoidberg refuses to obey them). They form a team of superheroes, the New Justice Team, taking the names "Captain Yesterday," and "Clobberella," with Bender joining them as "Super King."

Leela makes a visit to CitiHall, and procures a special one-day surface pass for her mutant parents from the sewers. Shortly after, the mayor summons the New Justice Team to deal with a criminal threat. The Museum of Natural History is going to be robbed of the Quantum Gemerald at 9 a.m. by a criminal mastermind called the Zookeeper, who uses trained animals to aid him in his crimes.

Leela, planning her day, schedules her parents' surface visit for 10 a.m. at the same museum. Her plans are ruined when the Zookeeper is an hour late for the theft. The New Justice Team foils the robbery, but the Zookeeper escapes. Leela's parents are convinced that Leela did not meet them because she is ashamed of them. They slink back to the sewers, just a moment before Leela rushes out onto the street to greet them.

Leela makes a trip to her parents' home where she apologizes. They forgive her, saying she could never disappoint them, but her guilt is too much for her to bear and she reveals her superhero identity so her parents understand why she did not meet them. Leela swears them to secrecy for their own protection, but Morris cannot hold his tongue for long and tells his friends, and the word spreads. Shortly after, Planet Express receives a call from the Zookeeper, who has kidnapped Leela's parents. He is willing to ransom them for the Quantum Gemerald, which he demands they steal for him.

The New Justice Team resolves to steal the gem. Unfortunately, they have run out of miracle cream and are forced to commit the robbery without superpowers. Fortunately, the museum guards still think The New Justice Team have superpowers, and the Gemerald is retrieved successfully. The Quantum Gemerald is given to the Zookeeper, who releases Leela's parents and escapes.

Leela and her parents resolve their issues, her parents reassuring her that, "it's natural for kids to be a little ashamed of their parents, just as it's natural for parents to be a little disappointed in their children." Bender and a morally confused Fry set off to commit a few more crimes while they still have their superhero costumes, and life returns to normal.

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