Ep 13. Return of the Phantoms
- October 8, 1983
The episode begins with Batman and Robin receiving an urgent message from Wonder Dog, who is staying at Wonder Woman's place. They rush over to find the Super Friends already assembled, and hear Wonder Woman's story of how she and Apache Chief were on a mission to investigate some strange goings-on at an abandoned movie studio. There, they encountered three ghosts, and were separated. Now, Wonder Dog has received a distress call from Wonder Woman, and they believe the ghosts may have something to do with it.
The Super Friends enter the movie studio, which is dark and creepy. They split up into teams to search for their missing members, and soon find themselves being attacked by ghostly figures. Aquaman and Samurai are ambushed by phantoms in scuba gear, who use their powers to knock them unconscious and drag them away. Batman and Robin face a group of ghostly gangsters, who throw various weapons at them and disappear before they can be caught. Superman and Green Lantern are confronted by a group of flying, spectral creatures that seem to drain their powers. And Wonder Dog and Wendy encounter a phantom who possesses Wendy and uses her to lure Wonder Dog into a trap.
As the Super Friends regroup, they realize that the ghosts are targeting them individually, and wonder if they are somehow using their memories against them. They decide to stick together and search for Wonder Woman and Apache Chief, who are still missing. They eventually find them trapped in a strange room, where they've been forced to relive some of their worst memories. Batman realizes that the ghosts are not actually ghosts, but rather a group of advanced holograms that have been programmed to behave like phantoms. He deduces that the studio must be a cover for a high-tech research facility, and that the holograms were designed to test the Super Friends' weaknesses.
With this new information, the Super Friends begin to unravel the mystery and track down the mastermind behind the holograms. They soon find the control room, where they are attacked by a group of armed guards. A fierce battle ensues, in which the Super Friends unleash all of their powers and abilities to defeat the guards and destroy the hologram emitters. With the threat neutralized, they are able to free Wonder Woman and Apache Chief from their captivity, and return to the Hall of Justice victorious.
In the end, the Super Friends reflect on the experience, and wonder who could have been behind such a nefarious plot. Batman suggests that they may never know, but that they must always be on their guard against those who would seek to use their weaknesses against them. The episode concludes with the Super Friends reaffirming their commitment to protect the world from all threats, no matter how unconventional or unseen.