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Giovanni Zatara

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Real Identity: Giovanni Zatara
Appearances (Episodes): #SweetJustice Part 1, #IllusionsOfGrandeur, #Abracadabrapalooza, #HappyBirthdayZee, #MultipliciZee, and #OneEnchantedEvening
Appearances (Graphic Novels): Ghosting
Powers/Skills: Magic
Voiced By: Phil LaMarr

Giovanni Zatara is a famous magician and the father of Zee Zatara. When his magical powers manifested, Zatara's grandfather Luigi Zatara handed down family heirloom. It was a book that would teach him everything he needed to know about magic. On one of Zee Zatara's earliest birthdays, her mother declared she had enough. Giovanni Zatara pleaded with her. She stated it was the last time and she walked out on them. Zee Zatara sat quietly at the table with her birthday cake. He lied her mother had to be somewhere then tried to cheer her up by promising an amazing celebration. She perked up. He declared every birthday from then on would be her best birthday ever. Giovanni and Zee Zatara traveled the country in their recreation vehicle performing their magic act at small venues like country fairs, kid's birthdays, and senior retirement homes. Most lacked a stage. Still, they tried to get their act off the ground. Sometimes they made mistakes like her falling out of the disappearing cabinet or the fake legs falling off in the sawing in half act. Despite that or the crowds being small, they were happy because they were together.

Before each act, Giovanni Zatara would get out his deck of cards and say "Across the land... Across the sea..." then turn the ace of spades then "Together out hearts...will always be." The card he picked and gave to her would always be the two of hearts. Their act wasn't the greatest and they didn't have much money but they always had each other. Zee Zatara never wanted anything to change. He kept his powers a secret from her so she wouldn't feel inadequate. One morning, her magical powers finally manifested but she know what it was and hid it from her father. Zee Zatara thought she was losing her mind. While sitting at park table, her arm suddenly got super long and punched her dad while he read the newspaper. While she got ready in the RV, a mustache and beard manifested on her face. The beard only got longer. She quickly wrapped a cloth around it. He was none the wiser.

During practice, she noticed he was using the saw upside down and gestured to him. He chuckled and admitted he was planning to wait until dinner but he couldn't hold back anymore. He announced they got into Abracadabrapalooza, the biggest magic showcase in the country. It was the big break they were waiting for. He got out his phone and confirmed the booking. She became worried she would ruin everything if she performed with him. The fake legs prop stood up and kicked her from behind. Before the showcase, Giovanni Zatara did his usual card trick but she interrupted him and told him she changed and couldn't be part of the act anymore. He understood and promised he would never make her do anything she didn't want to do. He left the dressing room. She burst into tears. Suddenly, her powers went out of control and moved everything around. The mirror cracked then the ceiling then the couch burst and the lights around the mirror turned on and off then shattered. The items in the room swirled around her then she levitated. She curled up in a ball.

Giovanni Zatara knew something was wrong and called to her but the door was locked. He rammed it open and was shocked. He pulled out his wand and cast a backwards spell. Everything returned to normal. He was proud she had magical powers like him and revealed he kept them a secret so he couldn't hurt her feelings. He conjured a trunk with a top hat, wand, and the family book. He explained it belonged to his grandfather gave it to him when he got his powers. The book was now her book. She was surprised everything that happened to her was real magic. He promised the book would teach her everything she needed to know to control it. He instructed her to repeat after him. She did and she automatically read all of chapter one. Things instantly became clearer to her. He assured her the change could be a very good thing then admitted he always needed her for their show. She agreed. They hugged. Their performance was a success. A booking agent in the crowd was impressed and got them their first official tour. They traveled the country and steadily improved their act.

After some time, they booked a residency at a casino in Metropolis. She began attending Metropolis High School. One first day of school, she stepped out of her father's black limo but Mr. Zatara popped out of the sun roof and told her she forgot her backpack. Suddenly, the bag was in Zee Zatara's hands as she entered the school. Barbara Gordon wiped her eyes in confusion. At end of another successful performance, Zatara magically appeared on stage and thanked the audience then asked for a round of applause for his daughter. Zee Zatara smiled and did a curtsy. Zatara performed his last trick, a disappearing act. After she stepped into a cabinet, Zatara cast a spell. The cabinet levitated off the stage. When it was opened, she was gone. The audience applauded. She exited a portal backstage. On the night of, Giovanni Zatara surprised Zee with a cake he made for her birthday. She wondered if he was under the spell, too. He was confused.

Zee admitted she got angry and carried away and now her friends were birthday zombies. She started to cry. He told her there was no need to cry and joked her tears were getting on the cake he worked really hard on. She laughed and cheered up then admitted it was because she insisted on making such a big deal about her stupid birthday. He admitted it maybe partially his fault and asked her if she remembered. Zatara remembered her mother walked out on them on her birthday when she was just a child. Supergirl started cutting into the window glass with her heat vision. Giovanni Zatara told her only she could fix things and conjured the little chest she kept under her bed. She remembered it from her battle with Fuseli. He admitted he didn't want to tell her truth like this but revealed she inherited light magic from him but got dark magic from her mother and the chest was hers. She realized the dark magic was fueled by negative emotions like anger. The other Super Hero Girls burst into the hall. He conjured a force field to keep them at bay. Eventually, the girls began to overwhelm the force field with their attacks. Lantern made a meat grinder construct and finally broke it. He caught up and was relieved to see everything was okay and back to normal.

Zee Zatara prepared to binge watch all 24 episodes of the new season of Making It Wayne that just dropped. She was amused by Bruce Wayne's antics but Giovanni Zatara teleported into her bedroom with his arms crossed. He inquired if she had forgotten something. She realized he forgot to put cookies in the oven. He revealed it was time for her weekly magic chapter in her spellbook. He conjured the spellbook, a pen, and notepad then reminded her the rule was studying before TV. She claimed if she didn't watch all 24 episodes immediately then social media would spoil everything. He suggested she just stay off social media until she saw the whole season. She was amused. He levitated the study materials to her and gave her until that night to transcribe the chapter then walked out. He soon returned because he thought he heard more than one voice in her room. There was just her, unaware he was looking at a duplicate. He apologized. They both mistakenly bid him good night. She quickly hid again in her hamper. He paused then left the bedroom.

Giovanni and Zee Zatara watched "Lost Luggage Found Love" together. After eating a nacho, he began to cry. It so happened to coincide with a bit romantic moment about the lead character Jake admitting his heart was racing from falling in love. Zatara told her he had something in his eye and he was fine. She realized her father never dated after her mother left them. She was worried he was so lonely for years and schemed about doing some matchmaking on his behalf. She chose her unwitting art teacher June Moone. In class, she pretended to be sick. Moone walked Zatara to her locker. Zatara asked her if she minded helping with her books. She gave Moone a tall stack of textbooks. She saw her father coming around the corner and guided Moone from behind so they would bump into each other. He apologized and helped her up. He asked Zee how she was feeling. She blurted out she was great then quickly pretended her stomach was sore then told Moone her father was a magician. She was intrigued.

Zee implored him to do a trick because she loved magic. He obliged and used a coin to perform a sleight of hand and produced a rabbit. Moone clapped and asked how he did that. He was eager to get his daughter home, fed, and put to bed. She got an idea and on a shaky premise both liked to eat, reserved them a table at Chez Romantique at 7:00. He started to get what she was doing but she pretended to faint. While Giovanni Zatara got ready for his date and put on a red scarf, Zee Zatara talked to Karen Beecher on her phone. Beecher admitted she was impressed. However, Zatara was just getting warmed up. Beecher already knew that. She was going to follow along incognito. They both felt awkward as a violinist played at their table. Zee Zatara was at another table incognito and conjured a giant ham. It landed on their table but some candles were disrupted and it caught fire. Moone threw her cup of water on it but Giovanni Zatara got wet, too. Zee Zatara hid behind her menu.

They went to see a movie after they had dinner. They grazed hands while putting down their popcorn at the same time. From the row behind them, Zee Zatara cast a spell that combined their popcorn into one big bag. Not knowing what happened, he reached for more popcorn and grabbed Moone's hand by mistake. He tried to explain himself but everyone else shushed him. He slinked in his chair. The date ended at the Metropolis Pier. While they looked out at the bay, Zee Zatara hid behind a cart and cast a wind spell to trip her father up and get him closer to Moone for a kiss. She pushed him away but he was so unbalanced, he went over the rails into the water. She heard the splash and looked in horror at her mistake. Zee Zatara cringed and hid. Still soaking wet, he walked June Moone home at the end of their date. He remarked it certainly was eventful. She agreed. After some silence, she bid him good night. They shook hands. In some bushes nearby, Zee Zatara was elated and thought the date was a success.

The next night, she rushed back to the casino to talk to him about Moone. He told her he appreciated her attempt at matchmaking but she just wasn't for him. She was surprised he wasn't heartbroken and mused they should move on to the fact that an evil sorceress was using Moone in a plot to get to him but didn't know what her name was. He knew she was talking about Enchantress, a deadly mystical parasite who likely possessed Moone and an old enemy of his. He was suddenly attacked by a siphoning spell and lost his magic to Enchantress. He believed she had a personal belonging of his to cast it. Zee realized the scarf she left at school wrapped around a bouquet of flowers as the ultimate romantic gesture had backfired. Enchantress implored him to come out and say hi. He ordered his daughter to stay put while he went to the roof. He attempted diplomacy but she wasn't interested in talking rationally and zapped him. Zatanna intervened. She almost slipped he was her dad. Enchantress was amused and cast a glyph using her magic and his.

Zatanna put up a magic shield but Zatara told her Enchantress was formidable even without his magic. She saw the scarf wrapped around Enchantress' left wrist and offered a proposal. Though skeptical, Enchantress inquired what she could offer in return. Zatanna offered up her own magic, too, to spare his life. She laughed, took her hand, and started to drain her magic. Zatanna apologized to him for meddling in his life but told him he always taught her to look out for the people she loved but got she got carried away. He told her it was okay. She teased that wasn't all he taught her then blasted Enchantress back. Enchantress soon realized Zatanna did a sleight of hand and stole the scarf off her. He gained his magic back. Together, they cast a spell backwards. Enchantress was enveloped in it and vanished in an explosion. Moone returned and fell out of the sky. He flew after her and caught her. Moone awoke and shrieked then asked if Enchantress was gone. He told her she was. Moone mused that was a plus.

They both got flustered and he put her down on the roof. She asked if he could keep the whole thing about her being possessed by an evil sorceress a secret since she was up for tenure next year. He promised her secret was safe. She was relieved. After an awkward silence, she bid him goodbye and walked to the elevator. Zatanna cleared her throat. He crossed his arms. The next day, they watched one of his favorite action movies. However, he cried again. She wanted to know the truth. He admitted it wasn't the movies, it was her nachos. He found the cayenne, spicy pepper, and paprika dreadful. She gasped then they both chuckled and laughed.

Giovanni Zatara was one of the victims of Cheetah when she was in possession of the Mask of Dolos. He disappeared in the middle of a disappearing act routine with Zee Zatara. He was later restored to normal at a Lexcorp construction site.