From Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ===== Jerry learns he has a library fine from 1971, for the book Tropic of Cancer. Jerry is convinced he returned the book, as he remembers the girl he was with that day, Sherry Becker, and her orange dress. Jerry goes down to the library to sort it out, bringing along Kramer. Jerry learns from the librarian that his "case" has been turned over to the library investigations officer, Lt. Bookman. George arrives at the library, and suspects that the homeless man on the steps outside is Mr. Heyman, a physical education teacher at Jerry and George's high school who always deliberately mispronounced his last name as "Can't-Stand-Ya". George reported Heyman for giving him a wedgie, which got him fired. Kramer flirts with the librarian, Marion, starting a forbidden love affair with her. Bookman and Jerry argue in his apartment about whether Jerry returned the book or not. Jerry looks up Sherry Becker as a witness to his returning the book. He finds that she has a broader body type than he remembered, and has differing recollections of that day. She remembers that she wore a purple dress, not an orange one, and that the book they read to each other was Tropic of Capricorn, not Tropic of Cancer. Jerry then remembers that the book he returned to the library was Tropic of Capricorn and he actually loaned Tropic of Cancer to George. Kramer and Marion are caught by Bookman cavorting in the library after hours. Elaine is concerned when a co- worker forgets to ask her what she wants for lunch, and it sets her to worry that Mr. Lippman is planning to fire her. Her fears are aggravated when Mr. Lippman asks to see her in his office. After she sees Kramer crying over Marion's poetry, she takes some of it, hoping to impress Lippman with a new literary find. George confronts the man outside the library. When George jogs his memory by saying "Can't-Stand-Ya", Heyman gives him an atomic wedgie. Jerry asks George about the book. George remembers that he received his original wedgie from Heyman minutes after borrowing the book, and could not find it afterwards. Jerry reluctantly pays Mr. Bookman, who subjects Jerry to another lecture. Elaine says that Mr. Lippman did not like Marion's poetry. Heyman is seen in an alleyway, muttering "Can't-Stand-Ya, Can't-Stand-Ya", with the dilapidated long-lost copy of Tropic of Cancer lying next to him. ===== Dr Jack McKee is a successful surgeon at a leading hospital. He and his wife, Anne, have all the trappings of success, although Jack works such long hours that he rarely has time to see their son and has become somewhat emotionally dead to his wife. His "bedside manner" with his patients, in many cases seriously ill, is also lacking. The decorum in the operating theater is very casual and the chatter between him and his partner, Dr. Murray Kaplan, not particularly professional. (When a patient with a chest scar mentions her husband wants to know if it will go away, Jack responds that she should tell him that she is just like a "Playboy centerfold, because she has the staple marks to prove it.") Returning home from a charity event, Jack has a coughing fit. His wife is shocked when he coughs up blood all over her and the car. In an examination, Jack has a sample of a growth removed from his throat. The biopsy comes back positive for cancer. His time spent with another cold, impersonal surgeon in this examination is the beginning of his transformation. Further tests and disappointments are blended with scenes of other patients' grace and empathy towards each other and a much better view of the delays and missteps of their doctors and medical support personnel. As Jack experiences life as a patient, he gains a clearer understanding of the emotional void hospitals, some doctors, and his own colleagues can display. He befriends June Ellis, a fellow cancer patient who has an inoperable brain tumor. She gets him to promise to never lie or mislead a patient again. Jack begins to bark at the medical establishment. Jack and June take off to see a Native American show, but the pace is too much for her. His wife, meanwhile, struggles to understand Jack's relationship with June. Jack's radiation treatment does not stop the cancer on his vocal cords. His despair ends in a confrontation with Dr. Leslie Abbott, the surgeon treating him whom he provokes in a heated discussion. Jack asks a colleague he has previously ridiculed, Dr. Eli Bloomfield, to perform his needed surgery. Jack apologizes for his and Murray's insulting behavior, to which Eli replies with a smile, "Well, Jack, I've always wanted to slit your throat, and now I've got the chance." Eli's bedside manner is a perfect example for Jack. Jack's cancer is treated and cured, but June dies. The experience changes Jack forever. When he returns to work, he begins to teach new medical interns about the importance of showing compassion and sensitivity towards their patients, which in turn will make them better doctors. Jack puts the interns in patient gowns, assigns them various illnesses and orders all the tests for them to "feel" the experience that they will soon put their patients through. ===== Set in 1998, six years after an apocalyptic nuclear war, a group of five U.S. Army deserters take refuge from acid rain in a seemingly abandoned laboratory complex in the ruins of Los Angeles. They soon discover that the lab was a top-secret government research center, where a hideous (if rather fickle) genetically-engineered monster still lurks. ===== The experimental North American X-15 program at Edwards Air Force Base involves test pilots: civilian Matt Powell (David McLean), Lt. Col. Lee Brandon (Charles Bronson) and Maj. Ernest Wilde (Ralph Taeger). The cutting edge high- speed program is ramrodded by project chief Tom Deparma (James Gregory) and US Air Force Col. Craig Brewster (Kenneth Tobey). As the test pilots prepare for the planned launch of the rocket-powered aircraft from a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress mother ship, they experience emotional and physical problems, which they share with their wives and sweethearts. Test after test results in setbacks, including a near disaster when an engine explodes during a ground test and engulfs the X-15 and its pilot in flames, but finally the X-15 begins to set records in speed and altitude for a piloted aircraft. When the X-15 "flames out" on a high altitude run, after guiding the X-15 to a safe landing, saving Powell's life, Lt. Col. Brandon, flying a chase aircraft, is killed in a crash. Powell himself takes the X-15 into outer space for the final test. ===== ===== Killashandra Ree has spent ten years studying music and training to be a vocal soloist, anticipating interstellar celebrity. After a final exam she learns that a flaw in her voice will prevent her from singing lead. She dreads a life limited to choral work and supporting operatic roles so she plans to exit both school and home planet discreetly. At the spaceport she meets a vital older man who uses perfect pitch, and his occupational experience as a "crystal singer" on Ballybran, to identify an incoming space shuttle on the verge of explosion. He treats her to a whirlwind romance and the experience of her home planet in ways entirely unknown to her, but sincerely warns her against the high-status, high-income occupation that makes such a vacation possible for him. Further, one of its occupational hazards leaves him in a coma, but Killashandra determines to accompany his return home under life support, and to investigate membership in the Heptite Guild of crystal singers for herself. The crystalline rock of Ballybran, when skilfully cut, is essential to advanced power and communications systems at the heart of interstellar civilization. Only the Guild "singers" can mine crystal: locate it, and cut it with voice-controlled machinery. Killashandra's ability to sing perfect pitch meets one qualification, she knows, and she passes other qualifying exams in the staging area on Ballybran's moon. Travel to Ballybran itself, however, is forbidden to all but its resident singers and supporting population, about 30,000 people. The moon-side orientation program secretly explains why: a native spore soon invades the human body and causes genetic mutations. Some newcomers will die of the initial infection and many will adapt only partly, with a mix of permanent symptoms such as vastly increased visual acuity along with complete deafness. Those who adapt fully to symbiotic life may become singers; other survivors must join the staff. The symbiont maintains its host, perhaps for hundreds of years, but only on Ballybran; only the fully adapted singers can safely depart, and only briefly. Full adaptation brings remarkable benefits, including increased sensory perception, rapid tissue regeneration and a vastly prolonged life expectancy, but it renders all hosts sterile, and eventually causes severe memory loss, paranoia and dementia. Even after full adaptation with the symbiont, mining Ballybran crystal is a dangerous occupation. Beside the risks associated with other mining operations, there are frequent storms with high winds that may cause crystal deposits to resonate: "sonic storms" that may impair the symbiont and drive the singer mad. The Guild provides life support for physically disabled or insane members, many aspects of the industry are highly centralized, and everyone begins with big debts. Yet singers in the field are solo adventurers who establish private claims, work them in secret, and sometimes amass great fortunes. Killashandra and thirty others accept the personal risks and make the commitment. The story follows her and her classmates in a general education program, awaiting infection. When her own adaptation is unusually rapid and easy, she advances alone to rapid acquaintance with the rules and customs, transport and cutting equipment, emergency procedures, commercial values, and some of the planet-bound specialists. She is especially sensitive to "black crystal", the rarest and most valuable variety. Partly for that talent, the Guild Master Lanzecki becomes her mentor (but soon her lover as well). Before any of her classmates learns to fly or to cut, she is in the field. She is first to find the unknown claim of a black crystal miner recently destroyed in a crash, and she cuts some of it adequately. Killashandra's rapid adaptation and training have isolated her from the other newcomers and her continued success has fostered jealousy, she sees even in her closest friends among the former classmates. So she accepts an assignment offered by Lanzecki, to install "her" set of crystals in a recently settled planetary system. The cost of a black crystal set is high, even on the planetary scale, which has made its acquisition politically controversial and its installation a celebrity event. Killashandra must not only complete the technical installation but also represent the Guild in a public performance not unlike her one-time aspiration. She succeeds on both counts. ===== While at a party in the south of France, Nicole Diver, a woman with many emotional issues, sees her husband, Dr. Dick Diver, take an interest in an American movie starlet, Rosemary Hoyt. Jealousy gets the better of Nicole. The story flashes back to how Dick and Nicole met. He was a distinguished psychiatrist who made the classic mistake of falling in love with a patient, Nicole Warren. He marries her despite warnings from his mentor, Dr. Dohmler, that it will ruin Dick's career. Dick spends the next years of his life abandoning his work to indulge wife Nicole's many whims, leading a hedonistic life, paid for by Nicole's sophisticated sister, Baby. By the time he realizes the error of his ways and attempts to resume his career, it is Nicole who has found a new lover, and she wants a divorce. ===== The player begins in the Barrow from Zork I armed only with the trusty brass lantern and the elvish sword of great antiquity from before. The objective of the game is not initially clear. The Wizard of Frobozz is soon introduced. The wizard was once a respected enchanter, but when his powers began to fade he was exiled by Lord Dimwit Flathead. Now bordering on senility, the wizard is still a force to be reckoned with. The player's goal in the wizard's realm is to avoid his capricious tricks and to learn to control his magic. Like its predecessor, Zork II is essentially a treasure hunt. Unlike the previous game, the ten treasures are tied together by a crude plot. Finding the treasures does not end the game, nor are all the treasures needed to finish the game. Instead, the adventurer must figure out a way to use the treasures in order to reach the game's finale. ===== The player begins at the bottom of the Endless Stair from Zork II. Zork III is less of a straightforward treasure hunt than previous installments. Instead, the player—in the role of the same "adventurer" played in Zork I and Zork II—must demonstrate worthiness to assume the role of the Dungeon Master. The player must get past the Guardians of Zork, with the complete garb of the Dungeon Master, and then endure a final test. The player must be wearing the amulet (found at the bottom of the lake), the cloak and hood (received when the player chooses to look under the hood of the vanquished opponent in the Land of Shadow rather than deal the final blow), the staff (received from the man at the Cliff for helping him retrieve the chest of valuables; attacking the man in any way or trying to take the valuables from him inevitably breaks the staff), the strange key (found in the Key Room when the player uses the grue repellent (from Zork II) to get past the dark places), the royal ring (retrieved from the Royal Museum by using the gold machine to travel back to the year 776 GUE), and the black book (found in the Royal Puzzle). Unlike Zork I and Zork II, there is a time-sensitive event: an earthquake which is randomly triggered about 130 turns into gameplay. The player must retrieve the key before the earthquake (when the Aqueduct is broken, leaving no escape route from the Key Room) and can't complete the Royal Puzzle or retrieve the ring until after the earthquake (when the unopenable Great Door breaks). Also unlike the previous two Zork games, the lantern is of little relevance. It is needed only to walk through the dark areas of the Junction, Creepy Crawl and Foggy Room at the beginning of the game (often done after completing the Land of Shadow, Cliff, and Flathead Ocean—saying "Hello, Sailor" to the Viking yields an invisibility vial—tasks). Another light source, the torch from the Scenic Vista, is used to retrieve the repellent from Zork II and deposit it in the Damp Passage via the teleportation table to provide a light source for the return journey after retrieving the key. Once the player has all the items, they must give the waybread to the elderly man in the Engravings Room, who reveals himself as the Dungeon Master once fed, to find the doorway leading to the final hallway. Here the "elvish sword of great antiquity" is used to block the beam in the Beam Room. Next the adventurer must get through the Guardians of Zork. This can either be accomplished by using the complicated Mirror Box or by simply drinking the invisibility potion in the vial from the Flathead Ocean. When the player knocks on the Dungeon Master's door he will only open it if the player is fully equipped (see above). He then tells the adventurer that he will obey their commands and follow them to help solve the final puzzle. The corridors lead to a parapet which overlooks the fiery cells. Reading the book here reveals a map of "The Dungeon and Treasury of Zork" which has 8 cells, one of which with a bronze door that leads to the Treasury of Zork. The eight positions of the dial in the parapet correspond to the 8 cells. The adventurer must use trial and error at this point to summon the cell with the bronze door and have the dungeon master return it to its original position by replacing it with any other cell. The key will now unlock the door revealing the Treasury of Zork, which contains the wealth of the Great Underground Empire as well as a controlling share in FrobozzCo International. After this victorious discovery, the Dungeon Master appears and transforms the player into a duplicate of himself, signifying the player's succession to his position. Steve Meretzky said in 1984 that "the worst bug that ever got out was in Zork III"; having the sword during the last puzzle makes the game unwinnable. "We call things like that our 'fatal errors'; we caught that one relatively early on", he said. ===== V.H. Adderly (Rekert) is a secret agent for an organization known as the I.S.I (International Security and Intelligence). Before the series begins, an enemy agent, Victor Barinov, crushes Adderly's left hand with a medieval mace during an interrogation in East Germany. Adderly loses the use of the hand, and since he is no longer considered useful as an active agent, he is reassigned to the I.S.I.'s tiny Department of Miscellaneous Affairs, located in a small basement office. This is meant to be a sort of "good service" reward for Adderly, as his supposedly cushy Miscellaneous Affairs job is mostly concerned with mundane in-house administrative paperwork. During the series, Adderly consistently finds ways to use his vague, non-specific status as a representative of "Miscellaneous Affairs" to actively investigate anything the I.S.I. has overlooked, and regularly goes above and beyond his mundane duties to uncover and neutralize dread plots that the larger organization has failed to investigate.Terrace, Vincent (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2007 (Volume 1). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. . Miscellaneous Affairs is officially run by Melville Greenspan (Welsh), a man fastidiously devoted to bureaucracy and unwilling to allow Adderly the freedom to pursue his outside interests. The only other departmental staff member is Mona Ellerby (Seatle), Greenspan's over-qualified secretary who is addicted to adventure and romance novels. Greenspan's superior is Major Jonathan B. Clack (Pogue), who is in charge of the I.S.I. as a whole, and is responsible for Adderly's reassignment from active field operations to Miscellaneous Affairs. Through the course of the 44-episode run, Adderly repeatedly demonstrates his ability to perform the duties of an active field agent, even saving the life of Major Clack himself. This only confirms to Clack that Adderly is an important asset at his current post. It is implied that Clack may have created the Department of Miscellaneous Affairs to allow Adderly the freedom and flexibility to pursue various cases which the I.S.I. couldn't normally handle. ===== Kaname and Misako's marriage is drifting towards separation and divorce, and Misako has taken a lover, Aso, with Kaname's approval. Their young son, Hiroshi, does not yet know anything about their plans. Both are procrastinating over their decision. Kaname realizes that he is fascinated by his father-in-law's obsessions with the bunraku theater and with young mistress, O-hisa. Misako's father is a traditionalist who attempts to keep the couple engaged in the arts of Japan in order to purge the negative influence from the West. ===== The play revolves around the lives of three women who are living in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Rhonda has recently split with her boyfriend, Billie is married, and Judy is considered a "fag hag" by the other two as she often unknowingly dates men who turn out to be homosexual. ===== The story starts with Jon having an astral dream. He is transported through time with the help of one of his soul mates, Lea and other level nines, into the Macro perspective life. He first finds himself in a field naked—and with both legs. He had lost one leg in the Vietnam War, and used a prosthesis ever since. He runs, and eventually encounters a beautiful woman, Lea. Lea explains that she is Jon's soul twin (his mate will be a beautiful brunette called Carol) and that he has been brought forward to the year 2150 where life is easy, sunny and enriching. He later learns he has to attain a level 3 of Macro perspective for him to be able to stay in 2150. She takes him to a group of buildings around a lake, and connects his soul to a new, whole, adult body based on his body in 1976 that the members of the Macro Society had produced for him to inhabit while his soul was in 2150. He is given a chance to meet a group of people who will act as his family in 2150. He is also introduced to a computer system that exists to help people increase their awareness by answering questions and showing personal information, such as their past lives and the macro philosophy. Any question he has is answered by the computer while he sits in a chair - as everything anyone may need is freely granted to the macro-men and macro-women, who don magnificent untiring bodies, superhuman intelligence and unfailing love and tolerance. His best friend and roommate, Karl, thinks Jon is having an escapist fantasy during REM sleep. He worries about Jon, but they arrange a bet: if possible, Jon will attempt to learn some of the Macro Powers practiced by the people in 2150, and demonstrate them in 1976. Over the next days, Jon is able to attain Macro Contact with a partner in his group; this has unlocked some of his Macro powers. He convinces Karl of their reality when he levitates his dream journal around their apartment. Jon discovers that he can see auras as well. Jon decides to use the powers he learns in 2150 to improve the world in 1976. He selects a woman he finds in the student union, Neda. He uses his powers to persuade her mother to let her move into an apartment in his building, and then he uses his ability to see auras (as well as the pressure points to stimulate change in the phenotype as well as regeneration) to change her appearance to match the personality he sees within her. Karl and Neda eventually fall in love and get married. Later, in 1976, Jon interrupts a couple of motorcycle thugs (who had previously raped and killed 2 female students on the campus) while they intend to rape a teenage girl. Using his powers, Jon attacks them, knocks them down, and helps the girl to leave. Then Jon heals the thugs and takes them back to his apartment building, where he places them in an empty apartment. He uses a post-hypnotic suggestion to prevent them from leaving. The result of all this is that he is unable to make it to 2150 that night, because he was selfish in the use of his powers. He must resolve this problem before he can return to 2150. Working with Neda, Jon instructs the motorcycle thugs in Macro philosophy, and eventually releases them when they have changed. This results in Jon returning to 2150, awakening with a level 2 awareness level. Jon and his partner-mate Carol (in 2150) decide to go to Micro Island, a location where micro-men go on living their wild and hopeless lives under two dictators and where souls desiring a micro life in 2150 can be born to experience and study it. People from the Macro society often go to Micro Island as benevolent missionaries and tutors of Macro philosophy, though they know that micro-men are aggressive and may kill them. Jon and his mate Carol are welcomed by the leaders of Micro Island, two former Macro society members who regressed from their awareness levels and decided to use their powers for control and their own self-interest. They take Carol as a hostage to compel Jon to give them the secrets of Macro knowledge. During this time of mental torture, Jon learns that in a past life he helped stone someone to death and he must face his Karmic debt, allowing the Micro- islanders to stone him just as they did to Carol so everything will be settled, and they will find peace in "loving acceptance". Back in 1976, Jon realizes that he has learned all he can in this lifetime, so he chooses to evolate and dies by leaving his body in his sleep. Category:1976 American novels Category:American philosophical novels Category:Utopian novels Category:American science fiction novels Category:1976 science fiction novels Category:Novels about time travel Category:Warner Books books Category:Novels set in the 22nd century ===== With eight hours before the minefield is destroyed, Sisko's fleet engages the Dominion fleet defending DS9. Sisko orders Federation fighters to engage the Cardassian warships, hoping the less disciplined Cardassians will break formation and create a hole in the Dominion lines. Aboard DS9, Dukat sees through Sisko's ruse; he deliberately allows some of his ships to open a hole in the formation to set a trap for the Federation fleet. Aware that Dukat is setting a trap, Sisko nonetheless orders his ships forward, desperate to reach the station. Meanwhile, Dukat's aide Damar arrests Kira, Sisko's son Jake, and Rom's wife Leeta, correctly surmising they are part of a conspiracy against Dominion rule. The visiting Changeling, attempting to break Odo's bond with the "solids" and return him to his own people, tells Odo of Kira's arrest. As the Federation fleet becomes overwhelmed, a Klingon fleet arrives and flanks the Dominion. They clear a path for the Defiant, though the rest of the allied ships are unable to follow. Rom's brother Quark and Dukat's daughter Ziyal free Jake, Kira, Rom, and Leeta from jail. Kira are Rom set off to sabotage the station's weapons. They are cornered by Dominion soldiers, but are rescued by Odo and his security team. Rom disables the weapons, but too late to prevent the destruction of the minefield. Sisko orders the Defiant into the wormhole, where they encounter a massive Dominion fleet. As Sisko prepares for a desperate suicide mission, he receives a vision from the Bajoran Prophets, the powerful aliens who live in the wormhole, who are upset that he intends to sacrifice himself before fulfilling their purposes. Sisko pleads with them to help the Bajorans, who created a religion around them. The Prophets cause the Dominion ships to vanish, but warn Sisko that a penance will be exacted. The Defiant exits the wormhole and fires on the station, which cannot respond due to Rom's sabotage. Meanwhile, the Klingons and the Federation have outflanked the Dominion fleet, with 200 ships heading for Deep Space Nine. The Dominion evacuates, but Ziyal refuses to leave, telling her father that she helped Kira and her friends escape. Damar overhears her confession and shoots her as an enemy of the state. Dukat collapses in grief. By the time Sisko arrives on the station, Dukat is in a holding cell, sobbing over the loss of his daughter. As he is escorted to the infirmary, he returns Captain Sisko's baseball. ===== The storyline of Sky Commanders comprises the daily adventures of a multi-national group of soldiers and mountaineering specialists from all over the world who battle the evil General Lucas Plague and his goon squad of villainous mercenaries and miscreants, "The Raiders", whose aim is to seize control of the planet. The series is set on a new continent deep in the South Pacific which was created by the emergence to the surface world of a new and powerful, unstable radioactive element called Phaeta Seven. This lethal energy source can only be stabilized for containment by exposure to temperatures of 200 degrees below zero. It is known that whoever can control the element and harness its enormous power would be the ruler of the world; a goal that the amoral General Plague wants strongly. It is up to General Mike Summit and his highly trained soldiers to stop him. Complicating the Sky Commanders' objective of stopping the criminal ambitions of the Raiders is the fact the new continent (collectively referred to in the series as "The High Frontier") is routinely beset by sporadic, unstable and highly dangerous weather conditions and environmental hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, cave-ins, whirlpools, etc. There is also the need for monthly shipments of fresh supplies, new advanced technology and weapon systems. Constant attack by the scheming and underhanded Raiders and the aforementioned environmental dangers make the Sky Commanders's mission only that much more dangerous. Travel throughout the new continent is only possible by means of high-altitude flight, or by using Laser Cables: a specialized version of a rappelling cord emitted from combat backpacks worn by both Raider and Sky Commander. When used, the cables shoot out from the combat backpacks in the form of energy beams. When contact is made with a solid object, the Laser Cable solidifies into a solid metal cable line upon which travel is possible. Phaeta Seven, the radioactive element that both sides fight to control, came from the deepest subterranean recesses of Earth itself, and it has brought with it, on its rise to the surface of Earth, not only the new continent itself but also a wild and voracious, bizarre menagerie of utterly horrific creatures to inhabit it. These lifeforms are either the products of long-term mutative exposure to Phaeta Seven's radiation or were just naturally brought about the way that they are. Occasional violent encounters with these monstrosities is yet another danger waiting for both sides of this battle for the future freedom or enslavement of the world. ===== A sword is forged by a blacksmith, who then shows it to his young son, Conan, as he tells him of the "Riddle of Steel", an aphorism on the importance of the metal to their people, the Cimmerians. One day, the Cimmerians are massacred by a band of raiders led by Thulsa Doom; Conan's father is killed by dogs, and his sword is taken by Doom to decapitate Conan's mother, aided by Doom's entrancing gaze. The children are taken into slavery and then chained to work a large mill, the Wheel of Pain. Conan survives into adulthood, becoming a massive, muscular man. His master eventually trains him to be a gladiator; after winning countless fights and receiving training and education in the East, Conan is freed. He is soon chased by wild dogs and seeks refuge in an Atlantean colonist warrior's tomb, where he retrieves an ancient sword. Conan wanders the world, encountering a prophetic witch in a hut and then befriends Subotai, a Hyrkanian thief and archer. Following the witch's advice, Conan and Subotai go to the city of Zamora to seek out Doom. There, they meet Valeria, a female brigand. They raid the Tower of Serpents, stealing jewels and other valuables from a shrine, slaying a giant snake in the process. After escaping with their loot, the thieves celebrate, and Conan has sex with Valeria. The city guards capture the trio and bring them to King Osric, who requests they rescue his daughter, Princess Yasimina—now a zealot in Doom's cult—for a handsome reward. Subotai and Valeria refuse to take up the quest; Conan, however, motivated by his hatred for Doom and his desire for vengeance, sets off alone to the villain's Temple of Set. Disguised as a priest, Conan infiltrates the temple, but he is discovered, captured, and tortured. Doom lectures him on the power of flesh, which he demonstrates by hypnotically enticing a girl to leap to her death. He then orders for Conan to be crucified on the Tree of Woe. The barbarian is on the verge of death when he is discovered by Subotai and brought to Akiro, the Wizard of the Mounds, who lives on a burial site for warriors and kings. The wizard summons spirits to heal Conan and warns that they will "extract a heavy toll", which Valeria is willing to pay. These spirits also try to abduct Conan, but he is restored to health after Valeria and Subotai fend them off. Subotai and Valeria agree to help Conan complete Osric's quest and infiltrate the Temple of Set. As the cult indulges in a cannibalistic orgy, the thieves attack and flee with the princess, but Conan is unable to engage Doom, who has magically transformed into a large snake and slithered away. Valeria is mortally wounded by Doom after he shoots a stiffened snake at her. She dies in Conan's arms, acknowledging the price of the "toll" forewarned by the wizard in exchange for Conan's life, and is cremated at the Mounds, where Conan prepares with Subotai and the wizard to battle Doom. Conan asks Crom, the god of his people, to grant him revenge. By using booby traps and exploiting the terrain, they manage to slay Doom's warriors when they arrive. Just when Rexor is about to overcome Conan, Valeria reappears for a brief moment as a Valkyrie to save him from the mortal blow. After losing his men, Doom shoots a stiffened snake at the princess, but Subotai blocks the shot with his shield and the villain flees to his temple. The battle ends with Conan having recovered his father's sword from his enemies, a sword splintered by his own hand in battle. Conan sneaks back to the temple where Doom is addressing the members of his cult. He confronts Doom, who receives him with open arms and attempts to mesmerize him, but the barbarian resists and uses his father's broken sword to behead his nemesis. After the disillusioned cultists disperse, Conan burns down the temple and returns the princess to Osric. In the epilogue it is revealed that Conan returned the daughter back to King Osric and then continued journeying throughout the west. Conan fights in numerous wars and conflicts, with people fearing him and honoring him. After many years of fighting he becomes a King to the people.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTEXLA-D-kQ ===== Shatter (Stuart Whitman) is a hitman contracted to kill a dictator in a certain African country. He completes his assignment and returns to Hong Kong to collect his fee, only to learn that he himself is the next target of the assassination because he was intended to be used as a scapegoat by his client for a larger political agenda. Being pursued by various government agencies and gangsters, Shatter seeks help from a master martial artist Tai Pah (Lung Ti) and promise to share half of his fee in exchange for Tai Pah's protection and assistance to recovering his fee. ===== Elantris was once a place of magic, and the immortal Elantrians were gods in the eyes of people, with the divine ability to create and heal with a mere wave of a hand. Anyone in Arelon had the potential to become an Elantrian through a magical transformation known as the Shaod. But ten years ago, a cataclysm known as the Reod somehow destroyed the magic of Elantris, the inhabitants of the city became "cursed," and the city was sealed off from society. Anyone affected by the Shaod is now thrown into Elantris to stay there forever, still immortal, but cursed with unquenchable hunger and unhealable pain. The book focuses on three principal characters whose stories intertwine. Much of the book occurs in groupings of three chapters, one for each of the three main characters. The majority of the story takes places within the country of Arelon. ===== Masaru Aso is the laboratory assistant of geneticist Doctor Mochizuki. He is used in one of Mochizuki's experiments related to the creation of the Neo Organism, enabling him to transform into the grasshopper- like Kamen Rider ZO. He flees to the mountains and lapses into a two-year coma before he is awakened by a telepathic call to protect Hiroshi Mochizuki, the doctor's son. After an attempt to discover the meaning of his transformation at Mochizuki Genetics, Masaru senses that Hiroshi is in danger and saves the boy from Doras as ZO. Masaru then reveals himself to Reiko and her karate class. ZO battles Koumori Man (created by Doras) to cover Hiroshi and Reiko's escape, but they are sucked into a pocket dimension by Kumo Woman (which was also created by Doras). ZO saves them and kills Kumo Woman; Koumori Man snatches Hiroshi, with ZO in pursuit. After he saves Hiroshi, Masaru tells Seikichi (Hiroshi's grandfather) that Mochizuki used him in his experiments. Refusing to believe it, Hiroshi runs off. Masaru finds him and fixes his watch, recognizing the melody which awakened him as he helps Hiroshi cope with the revelation. Koumori Man assumes Mochizuki's form to lure Hiroshi away, and Doras knocks Masaru unconscious. Masaru awakens when a grasshopper shows him where Hiroshi has been taken. Making his way to a complex, ZO kills Koumori Man. He finds Hiroshi and Dr. Mochizuki, learning that the geneticist was the one who woke him up and that the Neo Organism has been acting independently to become a perfect being. When ZO tries to fight Doras, he is absorbed by the Neo Organism and Doras uses Hiroshi to force Mochizuki to complete its evolution. The music from Hiroshi's watch keeps Doras at bay as ZO escapes from the monster, and Mochizuki sacrifices himself to destroy the pool (the Neo Organism's life source). The complex self-destructs as ZO and Hiroshi escape. Leaving the boy with Seikichi, Masaru leaves for parts unknown. ===== When Nicky (John Cassavetes) calls Mikey (Peter Falk) yet again to bail him out of trouble—this time a contract on his life for money he stole from his mob boss—Mikey, as always, shows up to help. Overcoming the obstacles of Nicky's paranoia and blind fear, Mikey gets him out of the hotel where he has holed up, and starts to help him plan his escape, but Nicky keeps changing the plan, and a hit man is hot on their trail. As they try to make their escape, the two friends have to confront issues of betrayal, regret, and the value of friendship versus self-preservation. ===== Diana Emerson (Hillary Brooke) visits the book section of Klopper's Department store looking for a copy of Dark Safari by the famed explorer Cuddleford. She tells the clerk, Buzz Johnson (Bud Abbott), that she will pay $2,500 for a map that is inside the book. Buzz's friend and co-worker, Stanley Livington (Lou Costello), an armchair explorer, has read the book and says he is familiar with a map in it. Buzz brings Stanley to Diana's home to draw the map, but when he overhears Diana offer Clyde Beatty $20,000 to lead an expedition to capture a legendary giant ape, Buzz realizes that the map is worth considerably more than $2,500. Buzz asks for more money and for he and Stanley to join the safari. They travel to the Congo with Diana's team of explorers, including Harry (Joe Besser), 'Boots' Wilson (Buddy Baer), 'Grappler' McCoy (Max Baer) and Gunner (Shemp Howard), a nearsighted professional hunter. When he learns that the expedition's true goal is not the giant ape but a fortune in diamonds, Buzz renegotiates their deal again. However, it turns out that the map in the book that Stanley is familiar with is a map he drew himself of the route to his job at Klopper's. However, Stanley's memory of details in the book bring the party to the region Diana is interested in. A cannibal tribe sets a trail of diamonds to lure Buzz and Stanley and capture them. The boys are rescued by a grateful gorilla (Charles Gemora) who Stanley had inadvertently rescued from one of Frank Buck's traps. The cannibal chief offers Diana diamonds in exchange for Stanley ("Chief have sweet tooth for little fat man," explains his translator). Stanley flees, while Buzz recovers the diamonds and hides them. While pursuing Stanley, the expeditionary team and the cannibals are frightened away by the giant ape whose existence had been dismissed as myth. The friendly gorilla, meanwhile, recovers the diamonds before Buzz can. Distraught over the loss of his treasure, Buzz abandons Stanley in the jungle. Some time later, back in the United States, Stanley appears prosperous and owns his own skyscraper. Buzz works as the elevator operator. It turns out that Stanley's partner is the gorilla who had recovered the diamonds. ===== Moose Flanagan and his family composed of father Cam, mother Helen, and sister Natalie move from Santa Monica to Alcatraz Island in 1935. The move was caused by Cam's new job as an electrician and guard at Alcatraz prison. The Flanagans pretend that Natalie, who is sixteen and has autism, is only ten in hopes of gaining her admission to the Esther P. Marinoff School, an off-island school for children with mental illness directed by a Mr. Purdy. This lie is encouraged by Moose's mother, who believes that the Marinoff School is Natalie's only hope for a cure and wants to avoid sending Natalie to a mental institution. Due to his parents' hectic work schedules, Moose is left with almost full responsibility of Natalie, while also trying to fit in at his new off-island school. Natalie is accepted into the Esther P. Marinoff School, but is sent back home almost immediately, because she's having trouble adjusting. Moose's mother and Natalie's new psychologist, Mrs. Kelly, push Moose into take full care of Natalie and to take her everywhere he goes to help improve her social skills. Moose becomes friends with the warden's daughter, Piper, a girl he clearly likes, who regularly gets into trouble in her attempts to earn money to get off of Alcatraz. Piper talks him into being part of her money-making schemes, like having inmates on the island do laundry for the kids at school. When the scheme flops and the Warden receives word of it, the children are punished and have to find a new way to spend their time. In an attempt to gain acceptance, Moose hangs around the prisoners' rec center in hopes of finding a stray baseball for use in games with the other kids. Moose eventually notices his older sister Natalie developing a relationship with convict 105, also known as Onion, who is trusted and able to roam freely because his sentence is almost up. Onion knows Moose has been looking for a baseball and gives him one. Scared of his sister hanging out with a convict, Moose is only reassured because of his confidence that she will be re-accepted to the Marinoff School. Moose and his family's hopes are crushed when the school rejects Natalie. Desperate to help Natalie, Moose decides to take a risk, with the help of Piper, and writes a letter to the infamous criminal Al Capone, who works in Alcatraz's laundry. The letter asks Capone to pull any strings he has to help Moose's family get his sister back into school. Within days, Natalie is accepted into a new branch of the Esther P. Marinoff School for older children. The next day Moose is getting ready for the day when he finds a note in the sleeve of his shirt with the word "done" underlined. ===== Eloise Larkin (Shaye Cogan) and her fiancé Arthur's (James Alexander) plans to attend the rehearsal of a play are jeopardized because no one will babysit her obnoxious kid brother Donald (David Stollery). Eloise phones the Cosman Employent Agency, where Mr. Dinkle and Jack (Abbott and Costello) just happen to be seeking work. Jack flirts with Cosman employee Polly (Dorothy Ford), but he is thwarted by the arrival of her boyfriend, a towering police officer (Buddy Baer). Polly sends Dinkle and Jack to babysit, but an attempt to lull the boy to sleep by reading the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk (Jack's "favorite novel") aloud fails when Jack stumbles over the larger words. Bemused by Jack, Donald reads the story instead — a role-reversal made complete when Jack falls asleep as Donald reads. In his slumber, Jack dreams that he is the young Jack of the fairy tale. In his dream, Jack learns that a Giant (Buddy Baer), who lives in a castle in the sky, has taken all of the kingdom's food as well as the crown jewels. The dire situation obliges the kingdom's princess to marry a Prince (James Alexander) from a neighboring kingdom whom she has never met. Jack must also make sacrifices. His mother sends him to sell the last family possession, their beloved cow "Henry", to the local butcher, Mr. Dinklepuss. Along the way Jack meets The Prince, disguised as a troubador, who is kidnapped by the Giant soon afterward. The unscrupulous Dinklepuss pays Jack five "magic" beans for the cow. Upon returning home, Jack learns that the Giant has also kidnapped The Princess (Shaye Cogan) and Henry. Undeterred by his mother's disappointment over the beans, Jack plants them and a gigantic beanstalk grows overnight. He decides to climb the beanstalk to rescue everyone from the Giant's clutches and retrieve "Nellie", the golden-egg laying hen that the Giant previously stole from Jack's family. Upon learning of Nellie's existence, Dinklepuss joins Jack on the adventure. When they reach the top of the beanstalk Jack and Dinklepuss are captured by the Giant and imprisoned with the prince and princess. The princess falls for the troubador after he serenades her, only to later learn this is the same prince she was betrothed. After the Giant releases Dinklepuss and Jack from the dungeon in order to toil around his castle, they befriend his housekeeper, Polly, who helps them escape over the castle wall along with the royal prisoners, Nellie and some of the Giant's stolen gems (pilfered by the greedy Dinklepuss). They flee down the beanstalk with the Giant in pursuit, as Polly escapes the castle behind him, astride Henry. During the descent, Dinklepuss loses Nellie (who falls into the arms of Jack's mother) and then the gems, which rain down upon the impoverished townsfolk below. Once all are on the ground, Jack chops down the beanstalk, sending the Giant falling to his death. The villagers rejoice over their liberation by dancing around the hole the Giant made from his fall while amusingly singing "He Never Looked Better in his Life". Just before being rewarded by the King for heroism, Jack is rudely awakened from his dream by Donald, who breaks a vase over Jack's head just as Eloise and Arthur return home. Jack's angry outburst over Donald's behavior results in a second blow to the head from Dinkle, which returns Jack to his dream state. After greeting the others as their storybook counterparts, Jack walks off into the night with the bravado of "Jack the Giant-Killer". ===== In the early 1960s, a three- girl "Greek chorus"—Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon—introduce the film, warning the audience that some horror is coming their way ("Prologue: Little Shop of Horrors"). Seymour Krelborn and his colleague, Audrey, work at Mushnik's Flower Shop in a run-down, rough neighborhood in New York City referred to as "Skid Row". They lament that they cannot escape the neighborhood ("Skid Row (Downtown)"). Struggling from a lack of customers, Mr. Mushnik decides to close the store, but Audrey suggests he may have more success by displaying an unusual plant that Seymour owns. Immediately attracting a customer, Seymour explains he bought the plant—which he dubbed "Audrey II"—from a Chinese flower shop during a solar eclipse ("Da-Doo"). Attracting business to Mushnik's shop, the plant soon starts to wither. Seymour accidentally pricks his finger, and discovers that Audrey II needs human blood to thrive ("Grow for Me"). Audrey II begins to grow rapidly and Seymour becomes a local celebrity. Meanwhile Audrey suffers at the hands of her abusive sadistic boyfriend, Orin Scrivello; however, she has feelings for Seymour and secretly dreams of running off with him to the suburbs ("Somewhere That's Green"). Seymour continues to feed Audrey II his own blood, draining his energy ("Some Fun Now"). Seymour soon attempts to ask Audrey out, but she turns him down because she has a date with Orin, who is revealed to be a dentist ("Dentist!"). After Seymour closes up shop, Audrey II begins to talk to Seymour, demanding more blood than Seymour can give. The plant proposes that Seymour murder someone in exchange for fame and fortune, as well as the ability to woo Audrey; Seymour initially refuses, but eventually agrees after witnessing Orin beating Audrey ("Feed Me (Git It!)"). After Orin finishes with his masochistic patient, Arthur Denton, who had requested "a long, slow, root canal", Seymour draws a revolver on Orin, but cannot bring himself to use it. Orin, who abuses nitrous oxide, puts on a type of venturi mask to receive a constant flow of the gas, but breaks the valve, and Seymour watches as he asphyxiates. Seymour dismembers Orin's body and feeds it to Audrey II, which has grown to enormous size, but is unknowingly witnessed by Mushnik, who flees in fear. Audrey, feeling guilty over Orin's disappearance, is comforted by Seymour and the two admit their feelings for each other ("Suddenly, Seymour"). That night, Mushnik confronts Seymour about Orin's death and holds Seymour at gunpoint, blackmailing him into turning the plant over and leaving town. With no choice, Seymour begins to tell him how to care for Audrey II but before he can reveal the secret, the plant swallows Mushnik whole ("Suppertime"). Despite widespread success, Seymour worries about Audrey II's growth and unbridled appetite ("The Meek Shall Inherit"). Offered money and a contract for a botany TV show, Seymour becomes overwhelmed and decides to escape Skid Row with Audrey using money coming the next day, and leaving the plant to starve. After Audrey accepts Seymour's marriage proposal, Audrey II catches Seymour leaving and demands another meal: Seymour agrees, but insists on meat from a butcher. While Seymour is gone, the plant telephones Audrey, coaxes her into the shop, and then tries to eat her ("Suppertime II"). Seymour, returning in time to save Audrey, escapes the store with her. Explaining that he fed the plant to become successful and win Audrey's heart, Seymour discovers she has always loved him ("Suddenly, Seymour" (reprise)). Approached by an executive named Patrick Martin from a botanical company, Seymour is offered a contract to breed Audrey II and sell the saplings worldwide. Horrified by the idea, Seymour drives Martin away and realizes he must destroy Audrey II for the sake of humanity. Returning to the shop, Seymour learns that Audrey II is actually an alien from outer space ("Mean Green Mother from Outer Space"). Audrey II traps Seymour and destroys the shop, but he grabs an exposed electrical cable and electrocutes it, resulting in an explosion. Leaving the destroyed shop, Seymour safely reunites with Audrey. The two wed and move to the suburbs. As they arrive at their new home, which is the one seen in Audrey's dreams, a smiling Audrey II bud can be seen among the flowers in their front yard. ===== Unease and suspicion divide a small village following violence and death. Matthew Cortez is physically involved in the investigation, finding his spiritual problems have a greater depth of reality. Only in the final disastrous confrontation in a ruined Mithraic temple does he, at last, glimpse the possibility of peace. The book was described by Antonia Fraser as an "honest and enterprising attempt to interweave the eternal and immortal longings of youth into the texture of a contemporary story". ===== A shy and timid man who lives with his mother buys a plant he thinks talked to him. His loneliness is very apparent in the way he tries to turn the plant into a friend. Well, the plant is carnivorous and can talk with a woman's sexy voice. Henry, the protagonist, now has two joys in life. One is being a voyeur (he is much too shy to actually talk to a girl) and the other is his new plant friend. Soon he discovers the plant likes bugs (and then frogs and dogs and cats but he draws the line at elephants). Eventually the plant wants to try a delicious woman, like in the pictures Henry has hanging in his room. One day, Henry's mother breaks into his room thinking to confront him with a woman and all she can find are Henry and the plant. But soon the plant eats her and discovers that women are really tasty. When detective O'Columbus shows up, the plant discovers she does not like eating men, just women. Eventually the plant experiences urges and Henry finds a male specimen. The male eats men while the female eats women. One woman is willing to end Henry's life of virginity but accidentally gets eaten. Henry is broken and tries to kill himself while the plants get passionate with one another. Henry is too clumsy to succeed and changes his mind when he sees all of the little baby plants. ===== While Jay and Silent Bob deal outside RST Video, Randal Graves calls the cops on them. The duo leaves and ends up smoking marijuana with Walt Flanagan's dog (Flanagan and Steve Dave are practicing strip comic book trivia at the time). The dog gets a "stoner boner" and chases them around New Jersey after Silent Bob pokes it. By the time the dog calms down, it is dawn. Jay and Bob then decide to go to the Eden Prairie Mall for an Orange Julius. ===== The true story of stockbroker William Griffith Wilson, a World War I veteran whose small drinking problem becomes a serious addiction after he loses his fortune in the stock market collapse of 1929. Wilson's career and his domestic life are in tatters when he meets Robert Holbrook Smith, also struggling with a drinking problem. The duo found a support group that becomes the nucleus for the society Alcoholics Anonymous. ===== Five-year-old Dennis Mitchell is a constant source of mischief, especially to his retired next-door neighbor George Wilson. George pretends to be asleep to avoid Dennis, who mistakes this for illness and shoots an aspirin into George’s mouth with a slingshot. Dennis’ parents Henry and Alice try to discipline him as they get ready for work, and leave him with his friend Joey at the home of their classmate Margaret, whom the boys dislike. As the three children fix up an abandoned treehouse in the woods, itinerant criminal Switchblade Sam arrives in town. Vacuuming up paint in the garage, Dennis inadvertently shoots a glob of paint onto George’s barbecue grill; tasting the paint, George suspects Dennis. The Mitchells leave Dennis with teenage babysitter Polly, who invites her boyfriend Mickey over. Sneaking outside, Dennis pranks Polly and Mickey by ringing the doorbell and hiding until they tape a thumbtack to the doorbell. George investigates the vacuum in the Mitchells’ garage and accidentally shoots himself with a golf ball. Hoping to confront the Mitchells, he pricks his thumb on the tack; mistaking him for the prankster, Polly and Mickey douse him in water and flour. Switchblade Sam commits a string of robberies throughout town, and is noticed by the Chief of Police. Bringing the sleeping George an apology card, Dennis plays with George’s dentures and loses the two front teeth, replacing them with Chiclets just before George has his picture taken for the local newspaper. Alice and Henry both leave on business trips, but are unable to find anyone willing to babysit Dennis. George’s wife Martha agrees to let Dennis stay with them, happy to treat him as the child they never had. George is infuriated by falling in Dennis' spilled bath water, and discovering Dennis has replaced his nasal spray with mouthwash and his mouthwash with toilet cleaner. Dennis lets his dog Ruff inside the Wilsons’ house, leading George to mistake Ruff for Martha in the dark. In the attic, Dennis' carelessness causes George to slip on mothballs and nearly crushes him with a canoe. George has been chosen to host his garden club’s “Summer Floraganza”, having spent almost forty years growing a rare orchid that will finally bloom that night. During the party, Dennis opens the garage door, which upends the entire table of refreshments, and is sent inside. While the Wilsons and their guests await the flower’s nocturnal display, Switchblade Sam robs the house, stealing George’s collection of antique coins. Dennis alerts the party, distracting everyone from the brief blooming of the flower, which then dies. Furious, George severely scolds Dennis, who flees to the woods and is caught by Switchblade Sam. Dennis’ parents arrive home to learn he has disappeared, prompting a town-wide search, and even a guilt-ridden George sets out to find him after realizing that Dennis was telling the truth about the robbery. Switchblade Sam prepares to leave town with Dennis as an unsuspecting hostage. Showing Sam the proper way to tie him up, Dennis handcuffs his captor, loses the key, and unintentionally bludgeons him and sets him on fire. Just as Dennis discovers George’s stolen coins and realizes Sam is a thief, Sam attempts to stab Dennis but is snared in a rope caught by a passing train. The next morning, Dennis returns home with the captured Sam, to the relief of George and the entire neighborhood. Sam is arrested, and Dennis naïvely returns his switchblade, but the police car door closes on Sam’s hand (and ends up breaking his wrist) and he drops the knife down the drain before being driven away. Dennis and George make amends, and Alice mentions that she can bring Dennis to work with her as her office now has a daycare center. George insists he would be happy to watch Dennis himself, just as Dennis accidentally flings a flaming marshmallow onto George's forehead. During the credits, Dennis gets his mother's condescending coworker Andrea caught in the office photocopier. ===== It is the year 2133, and Earth was devastated by a nuclear war decades earlier. A team from PAX is conducting a survey of central California. PAX is a science-based society dedicated to restoring civilization and peace to the world. Returning to PAX headquarters, the team is attacked by a group of militaristic mutants known as the Kreeg. After a struggle, the PAX team manages to escape in a hyperloop subsurface shuttle, a vehicle that can travel between settlements via tubes, built during the early 1990s before the final conflict of the 20th century. One of the team, Pater Kimbridge (Rai Tasco), is severely wounded. To save his life he requires a bioplastic prosthesis to repair the damaged pulmonary artery sheared away by a Kreeg rifle shot. PAX Team 21, led by Dylan Hunt (John Saxon), with members Baylok (Christopher Cary), Isiah (Ted Cassidy reprising his role from Genesis II), and Harper-Smythe (Janet Margolin) tries to locate a missing doctor, Jonathan Connor (Jim Antonio), the only surgeon who can perform the delicate surgery in time. Their search leads the team to the Confederacy of Ruth, a society of latter-day Amazons, where women are dominant and men are enslaved. As a ruse, Harper-Smythe binds Hunt and enters the Confederacy's territory with him as her "property". Once there, she meets Marg (Diana Muldaur), the leader of the women, who claims Dylan as her own property. Harper-Smythe makes her way to a nearby farm and meets a woman who explains how the society operates (and how there are fewer and fewer children). While captive, Hunt learns that the men (referred to as "Dinks") are subjugated by a drug in their food. Despite his efforts, he soon succumbs to the effects of the drug. Harper-Smythe arrives at the village in time to reclaim her "property" by challenging and defeating Marg. When Harper-Smythe is unable to find Connor in the village, Marg invites her to see Marg's newcomer Dinks. Connor comes forward with an antidote for the drug and Hunt recovers. Connor, Hunt and Harper-Smythe decide that she should swap Hunt for Connor, allowing the doctor to return to PAX. Marg agrees to the exchange and Connor and Harper-Smythe leave for PAX after first distributing the antidote in the Dink food supply. That evening, free of the influence of the drug, Hunt seduces Marg. In the morning, a small party of Kreeg arrive and demand the secret to making men compliant. Hunt leads the un- drugged men in overpowering the invaders. They learn the men in the other households were equally successful in fending off the Kreeg. As a result, the women's council decides to suspend the drug treatment program on their males. Kimbridge soon recovers from the operation. ===== The staff and customers of the cafe get an extra "jolt" with their coffee when a commitment-shy man has a public fight with his angry ex-girlfriend, instigating a series of revelations about the eavesdropping couples nearby and their own "unusual" relationships; filled with eccentric personal conversations, confrontational arguments, imaginary visions, and connections between various characters. ===== Kook's Tour was conceived by Moe Howard's son-in-law, frequent Three Stooges collaborator Norman Maurer, as a weekly television series that would have mixed the Stooges' brand of farce comedy with a documentary travelogue format. The concept of the series was that, after 50 years of comic mayhem, the Stooges (Moe, Larry Fine and Joe DeRita) have retired and are traveling the world with their dog, Moose, motor home, and motor boat (which is transported from place to place via a cargo plane). The 52-minute pilot film for the series saw the Stooges exploring the wilderness of the western United States, including areas of Wyoming and Idaho. In the meantime, Larry keeps getting snubbed when trying to catch a fish and getting a picture of a deer. At the end of the pilot film, Larry, in frustration, throws his hat into the water and fish bite on the fishing hooks attached to it. Larry starts to get excited about catching some fish, but Curly Joe counts the fish and says "One for me, one for Moe, and one for....Moose!" The epilogue shows Moe sitting in an office, discussing the trip and stating that their next destination for the second episode (which was ultimately never produced) was Japan. (Moe makes no reference to Larry's stroke, so it's unknown if this scene was filmed before or after Larry's stroke). ===== Mr. Quincy Magoo (Leslie Nielsen), a wealthy but extremely near-sightedness canned vegetable factory owner, goes to the museum to attend a party. While there, Waldo (Matt Keeslar), Mr. Magoo's nephew, spies a woman named Stacey Sampanahoditra (Jennifer Garner), on whom he develops a crush. Later that night, jewel thieves Luanne LeSeur (Kelly Lynch) and Bob Morgan (Nick Chinlund) steal the museum's beautiful ruby "The Star of Kuristan" and escape on a boat to Austin Cloquet (Malcolm McDowell), Bob's boss. Meanwhile, Mr. Magoo and his dog Angus go fishing in the same area as the jewel thieves' boat. Luanne picks a fight with Bob and in the scuffle, they lose the ruby which lands in Mr. Magoo's boat unbeknownst to Magoo. Bob goes after the ruby but fails by falling onto the paddle wheel of a paddle boat. At the museum, the curator and Stacey send two agents: Gustav Anders of the CIA (Ernie Hudson) and Chuck Stupak of the FBI (Stephen Tobolowsky) to track down the ruby and spy on Mr. Magoo whom they believe stole the ruby. Stacey mentions she was invited to the opera where the Magoos go that night. Anders and Stupak also visit the opera to look for Mr. Magoo who is in the show. At the opera Mr. Magoo meets Luanne who pretends to be a magazine reporter named Prunella Pagliachi. She wishes Mr. Magoo luck at the opera, who immediately takes a liking to her. Stupak sneaks on the stage and fails to find any clue about Mr. Magoo with Mr. Magoo accidentally hitting Stupak with a big tool. The next morning, Luanne tricks Mr. Magoo into taking her to his house with an injured ankle. Stupak finds a notebook with Luanne's fingerprints on it and realizes who Mr. Magoo is with. He and Anders go to Mr. Magoo's house where Stupak sneaks in looking for the ruby. Mr. Magoo and Luanne arrive at the house and Stupak hides from them. Bob sneaks into Mr. Magoo's house and finds the ruby. Upon being caught in the act, he steals Mr. Magoo's prized Studebaker with the Magoos and Luanne chasing after him in Magoo's Eggplant-mobile. Bob loses them and brings the ruby to Austin. Austin plans an auction for his criminal friends from around the world and shows them the ruby. Mr. Magoo disguises himself as Ortega Peru, a thief from Brazil who never goes anywhere and joins the auction which is taking place in a communal indoor pool. However, he is discovered when the fake tattoo on his chest is washed away by the water. Luanne breaks up the auction, steals the ruby, and escapes on a snow mobile away from the lair. The government arrests Austin and his friends while Mr. Magoo gives chase on an ironing board and winds up in the middle of a women's skiing competition. Waldo and Angus sneak out of the lair, catch up with Magoo, and track down the ruby. Angus sees Luanne in disguise as an old woman and spills her purse which gives Mr. Magoo and Waldo a clue about where Luanne is going. The Magoos follow Luanne to Brazil where Waldo spies on the real Ortega (Miguel Ferrer) and his friends. Mr. Magoo steals a bride dress from Ortega's girlfriend Rosita (Monique Rusu) and is led to the wedding. Mr. Magoo steals the ruby from Ortega and finds himself being chased by Peru's men, the government agents and Luanne. Magoo then is trapped on a raft just before it goes over a waterfall but manages to invert the raft like a parachute so he can gently float to safety. He and Waldo return the ruby to the museum with the government arresting Ortega, Luanne and the people from Brazil. Mr. Magoo and Angus go home after returning the ruby back to the museum. ===== In the year 2021, the Moon is in the process of being colonized, and this new frontier is attracting a diverse human population to lunar settlements like Moon City, Farside 5, and others. Two denizens of this rough-and-tumble lunar society are the notorious millionaire J. J. Hubbard and former-astronaut-turned-satellite- salvager Bill Kemp, the first man to set foot on Mars. He left Space Corporation because he wants to explore space, while his former employer only wants to operate commercial passenger flights to and from Mars and Venus. When Hubbard hears about a small 6000-tonne asteroid made of pure "ceramic" sapphire that is in a low lunar orbit, he hires Kemp to capture it with Kemp's old Moon 02 space ferry. Kemp is to transport it down to the surface of the lunar farside, even though doing so would be against Space Corporation law. Kemp, however, has little choice because he learns from Hubbard that his flight license will soon be revoked due to protests from Space Corporation. Hubbard also reveals that he plans to use the giant sapphire for building much improved rocket engine thermal insulators, profiting from the need for even more powerful rockets to colonize Mercury and the moons of Jupiter. A young woman named Clementine arrives looking for her brother, a miner working a distant patch of moonscape at Spectacle Crater on the lunar farside. Unfortunately, the trip from Moon City on the nearside would take six days by a lunar vehicle. Since Kemp can go there much more quickly using Moon 02, she convinces him to help her learn if her brother is still alive. The terrain around his camp is not suitable, so Kemp and Clementine land and travel the remaining distance using a lunar transport buggy. The two discover that Clementine's brother is dead, and that he was murdered for his discovery: a large vein of nickel that would have made him a rich man. They are shot at by some of Hubbard's men, who have followed them to the camp. Kemp takes them out one by one. Hubbard was unhappy to learn that Kemp was leaving to assist Clementine, because Hubbard was responsible for Clementine's brother's death. Hubbard needed the claim to be abandoned, so he could to take control of it and use it as the isolated landing site for the sapphire asteroid. Hubbard blackmails Kemp into completing the asteroid job by threatening his and Clementine's lives. Kemp kills the millionaire and some of his men in a shoot out and strands the rest on the asteroid, as it collides with the Moon. Because Clementine is her brother's next of kin, Kemp informs her that she now has legal ownership of the nickel vein and soon the "crashed" sapphire asteroid, making her a very wealthy woman. ===== In an animated sequence, a plane flying through the Bukuvu region in the heart of Central Africa crashes. A child on board the plane, George, disappears into the jungle and is raised by a sapient, talking gorilla named Ape. Twenty-five years later, George, who enjoys swinging on vines to move about but has a habit of crashing into trees, has grown to be King of the Jungle. Ursula Stanhope, a San Francisco heiress, tours Burundi with local guide Kwame and a trio of porters. Ursula is tracked down and joined by her fiancé, Lyle Van De Groot, with two poachers named Max and Thor. Kwame tells the group of the "White Ape", a local legend of a superhuman primate that rules the jungle. The next day, Lyle, insistent on taking Ursula home as soon as possible, goes into the jungle with her to find the White Ape and they are attacked by a lion. Lyle knocks himself out trying to flee while Ursula is saved by George. George takes Ursula to his tree house home and cares for her, introducing her to Shep, an African bush elephant that acts like George's dog, and Tookie, a toco toucan. George is smitten with Ursula and attempts to woo her; Ursula reciprocates his attraction, and her time spent with George makes her no longer wish to return home. Lyle, Max and Thor find the treehouse and Lyle confronts Ursula and George. Max and Thor make to shoot Shep for his ivory, and Ape shouts at Shep to run. Everyone is stunned by the sight of a talking ape and Max and Thor decide to tranquilize and capture him. George runs to stop them and is accidentally shot by Lyle, who thought his gun was a novelty lighter. Lyle and the poachers are imprisoned and Lyle is identified as the shooter by the porters; Max and Thor are released and resolve to capture Ape to make a fortune in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Ursula takes George home to get medical help for his wound and to see the human world he belongs in. While Ursula is at work, George explores San Francisco and uses his vine-swinging to rescue a paraglider that got tangled in the Bay Bridge. Ursula, uninterested in marrying Lyle, admits the truth to her parents, but her overbearing mother Beatrice objects. At a party intended to celebrate Ursula's engagement, Beatrice takes George aside and coldly tells him she will not let Ursula's engagement fall apart, and refuses to let George be with her. In Africa, Max and Thor capture Ape, who manages to order Tookie to find George before he falls unconscious. Tookie flies to San Francisco and George returns to the jungle, leaving Ursula in the night. While Ursula's parents comfort her, she realizes she loves George and goes to find him, much to Beatrice's dismay but to her father's approval. Ape tricks the poachers into circling the jungle and returning to the treehouse where George confronts and fights them, eventually incapacitating them with a little help from Ursula and his animal friends. However, Lyle arrives: the narrator explains that Lyle escaped prison, joined a cult, and is now an ordained minister. Lyle has the mercenaries he brought with him subdue George and takes Ursula to the nearby Ape River, where he has a boat waiting to escape while he performs a marriage ceremony. However, the river is a harsh series of rapids that hurtle the two into danger. George escapes the mercenaries and performs a big swing to reach Ursula and Lyle, only to crash into a massive tree. However, the tree falls over the river and he pulls Ursula to safety. Lyle ends up in a cave and, believing he is still sharing the boat with Ursula, proclaims them wedded; he lights his lighter and beholds that he just married himself to a gorilla. George and Ursula fall in love with each other and marry, Ursula moving into George's treehouse. Some years later, the two are raising a son, George Jr., who they present to the animals from atop Pride Rock. In a mid-credits scene, Ape reveals he has become a famous entertainer in Las Vegas, using Max and Thor as stuntmen. ===== In the future, criminals convicted of capital offenses are forced to donate all of their organs to medicine, so that their body parts can be used to save lives and thus repay society for their crimes. However, high demand for organs has inspired lawmakers to lower the bar for execution further and further over time. The protagonist of the story, certain that he will be convicted of a capital crime, but feeling that the punishment is unfair, escapes from prison and decides to do something really worth dying for. He vandalizes the organ harvesting facility, destroying a large amount of equipment and harvested organs, but when he is recaptured and brought to trial, this crime does not even appear on the charge sheet, as the prosecution is already confident of securing a conviction on his original offense: repeated traffic violations. ===== During the previous series' installment, Mukai, a member of a group known as "Those from the Distant Land", stole the seal belonging to the demon Orochi. Taking advantage of this situation, Ash Crimson attacked Chizuru Kagura in her weakened state and stole the Yata Mirror from her, draining her powers in the process. During The King of Fighters XI, a new tournament is established, in which both established fighters and newcomers participate. "Those from the Past" are hosts of the tournament; they consist of a weapons expert named Shion and a dimension manipulator named Magaki, who serve as the respective sub and final bosses of the game. Following their defeat, Magaki tries to steal Orochi's power, but instead ends up being murdered by his own ally. ===== Frank Castle becomes an officer in the NYPD SWAT team after leaving the U.S. Marine Corps. Rather than falling victim to a gangland slaying, Castle's wife and children are instead killed when caught in the middle of a battle between the Avengers, the X-Men, and a group of Brood and other aliens in Central Park. Castle arrives to find his family dead, and Daredevil berating Cyclops and Captain America for their carelessness. As Castle grieves, none of the heroes are willing to admit their fault in the deaths, until finally Cyclops attempts to apologize. Enraged, Castle opens fire on the assembled heroes, killing Cyclops, Hawkeye, and Shadowcat. He is then attacked and wounded by Wolverine, and only survives due to the intervention of Colossus. After recovering from his injuries, Castle is put on trial for triple-homicide. His attorney is Matt Murdock, who recognizes Castle as the man who rescued him from a gang of ruffians when they were both boys (the two characters did not know each other as children in the normal Marvel universe). Despite Murdock's defense, Castle is sentenced to life imprisonment. When the prison van taking him to jail stops, Castle finds himself at the mountain mansion of a rich but hideously disfigured old man named Kesselring. Kesselring introduces Castle to his associates, other disfigured and brain-damaged individuals, who reveal that they were maimed in the crossfire of superhero/supervillain battles. They will provide Castle with all the resources he will need if he will destroy every superhuman on earth. Thirsting for revenge, Castle agrees and becomes the Punisher. With the help of Microchip, a former member of the US Air Force whose legs were pulled off by Doctor Octopus, the Punisher sets about his mission. He begins by trapping Spider-Man and Venom in the sewers and killing them while they are fighting one another. The Hulk is killed after his latest rampage, while his alter-ego Bruce Banner is recovering in an alleyway, located by Castle using a dart-gun tracking transmitter. Castle is captured and jailed on several occasions, but is broken out each time by Kesselring. During these periods he is visited by Murdock, who pleads for Castle to stop the slaughter. He kills Doctor Doom, then lures the various mutant super-teams to the moon and wipes them out with one of Doom's nuclear missiles. The Fantastic Four and the Avengers are also disposed of. Wolverine and Captain America are killed in one-on-one confrontations. Castle eventually exterminates nearly all of the Marvel Universe, including Ghost Rider, Black Panther, and Nick Fury among others. Growing weary of all the killings, Castle tells Kesselring that he never expects to hear from him again once his assignment is complete. Kesselring tells him that the Punisher's crusade will never be complete, as a new generation of heroes will inevitably rise, and must be halted. When Kesselring pulls a gun, the Punisher kills him. He then tells Kesselring's associates that their need for vengeance has made them bitter and pathetic, leaving with the threat of killing them all if any of them try to contact him. He then leaves to complete his assignment by killing Daredevil. After a battle, Castle is wounded after falling off a roof. Daredevil tells Castle that he does not need to live through his pain, and begs for him to let it go. Not listening, Castle fatally stabs Daredevil through the chest. Before he dies, Daredevil removes his mask and Castle is shocked to see the face of Matt Murdock, who tells him that "there's always a man behind the mask" with his dying breath. Realizing he has become the very thing he swore to destroy, the Punisher makes one final kill: himself. ===== Mohanlal plays the double role of 75-year-old Suranadu Kunju and his son Papoyi. Kunju thinks that the heartbeat of earth is in soil (Agriculture) and not in any other vocation. His beliefs on land and agrarianism is good but his value system that farmers and farming are more important and better than anything else is preposterous. He denies his sons an to pursue their interests and wants them to be successful in agriculture. Which leads to frequent sarcastic quarrels between Kunju and his three sons. Also when he decides to marry off his daughter to an odd looking but farming enthusiast instead of an educated handsome Docctor makes them feel that the father is destroying and spoiling their lives with his ideals, stubbornness and high handedness. Kunju had swindled a large portion of land (5 Acres) - which should have been inherited by his sister Eechamma (Bindu Panicker) - by discreetly altering his Father's Will with the crooked assistance of the Family advocate. The deceit is revealed to Eechamma - years later - by a severely ailing and remorseful Mullassery Sreedharan (V. K. Sreeraman) (the old advocate). Eechamma decides to get back her rightful share through proper leagal channel as her financial situation is in a bad position compared to Kunju. The presence of a villainous brother in law to his sister's son JCB (he drives a JCB played by Kalabhavan Mani) adds a twist as he interferes in the family property dispute. All said and done the sister doesn't want evil to her brother and her younger son the mute also doesn't want. Papoyi tries to save things but never has luck ultimately he tries and prevents many a bad scene but cannot prevent his youngest brother being killed and Kunju kills the villainous brother in law Perumal (Salim Ghouse) who does the evil deed and gives the family property keys to sister and the patriarch stick to Papoyi after the death of his youngest kid Ponnan. ===== Janet Gaynor North Dakota farm girl Esther Victoria Blodgett yearns to become a Hollywood actress. Although her aunt and father discourage such thoughts, Esther's grandmother gives Esther her savings to follow her dream. Esther goes to Hollywood and tries to land a job as an extra, but so many others have had the same idea that the casting agency has stopped accepting applications. Esther is told that her chances of becoming a star are one in 100,000. She befriends a new resident at her boarding house, assistant director Danny McGuire, himself out of work. When Danny and Esther go to a concert to celebrate Danny's employment, Esther has her first encounter with Norman Maine, an actor she admires greatly. Norman has been a major star for years, but his alcoholism has sent his career into a downward spiral. Danny gets Esther a one-time waitressing job at a fancy Hollywood party. While serving hors d’œuvres, she catches Norman's eye. He gets his longtime producer and good friend, Oliver Niles, to give her a screen test. Impressed, Oliver gives her a new name ("Vicki Lester") and a contract. She practices her few lines for her first tiny role. When the studio has trouble finding a female lead for Norman's current film, entitled The Enchanted Hour, Norman persuades Oliver to cast Esther. The film makes her an overnight success, even as viewers continue to lose interest in Norman. Norman proposes to Esther; she accepts when he promises to give up drinking. They elope without publicity, much to press agent Matt Libby's disgust, and enjoy a trailer-camping honeymoon in the mountains. When they return, Esther's popularity continues to skyrocket, while Norman realizes his own career is over, despite Oliver's attempts to help him. Norman stays sober for a while, but his frustration over his situation finally pushes him over the edge and he starts drinking again. When Esther wins the industry's top award (the Academy Award for Best Actress), he interrupts her acceptance speech by drunkenly demanding three awards for the worst acting of the year and accidentally slapping her when he dramatically swings his arms back. A stay at a sanatorium seems to cure Norman's increasingly disruptive alcoholism, but a chance encounter with Libby gives the press agent an opportunity to vent his long- concealed contempt. Norman goes on a four-day drinking binge and winds up arrested for drunk driving. In court, the judge sentences him to 90 days of incarceration, but Esther pleads with the judge to put Norman under her care. The judge, who is impressed with Esther's acting success, suspends Norman's sentence and puts Norman's custody into Esther's hands. Esther decides to give up her career to devote herself to his rehabilitation. After Norman overhears her discussing her plan with Oliver, he drowns himself in the Pacific Ocean. Shattered, Esther decides to quit and go home. Showing up soon afterward is her grandmother, who has heard Esther is quitting. Her grandmother tells her of a letter Norman sent her when they got married. The letter stated how proud he was of Esther and how much he loved her. Because of her grandmother's words, and the reminder of Norman's deep love, Esther is convinced to stay in show business. At the premiere of her next film at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, when Esther is asked to say a few words into the microphone to her many fans listening across the world, she announces, "Hello, everybody. This is Mrs. Norman Maine." ===== Esther Blodgett is a talented aspiring singer with a band, and Norman Maine is a former matinee idol with a career in the early stages of decline. When he arrives intoxicated at a function at the Shrine Auditorium, the studio publicist Matt Libby attempts to keep him offstage. After an angry exchange, Norman rushes away and bursts onto a stage where an orchestra is performing. Blodgett takes him by the hand and pretends he is part of the act, thereby turning a potentially embarrassing and disruptive moment into an opportunity for the audience to greet Norman with applause. Realizing that Esther has saved him from public humiliation, Norman thanks her and draws a heart on the wall with her lipstick. He invites her to dinner, and later watches her perform in an after-hours club while recognizing her impressive talent. He urges her to follow her dream and convinces her she can break into movies. Esther is surprised that someone of Norman's stature sees something special in her. He offers her a screen test and advises her to "sleep on it," promising to call her the next day. Esther tells Danny McGuire, her bandmate, that she's quitting their upcoming gig to pursue movies in L.A. Thinking she is crazy, he tries to talk her out of it, but Esther is determined. Norman is called away early in the morning to filming and then falls ill. He attempts to get a message to Esther but cannot remember her address. When she doesn't hear from him, she suspects he was insincere. Not disheartened, she takes jobs as a carhop and TV commercial singer to make ends meet, convinced she can make it, with or without Norman. Garland in a shot from the film's trailer Norman tries to find Esther, who's had to move from her apartment. Then he hears her singing on a television commercial and tracks her down. Studio head Oliver Niles believes Esther is just a passing fancy for the actor, but casts her in a small film role. The studio arbitrarily changes her name to Vicki Lester, which she finds out when she tries to pick up her paycheck. When Norman finally gets Niles to hear "Vicki" sing, he is impressed and she is cast in an important musical film, making her a huge success. Her relationship with Norman flourishes, and they wed. As Vicki's career continues to flourish, Norman finds himself unemployed and going downhill fast—an alcoholic in a tough new film business which doesn't put up with it. Norman arrives, late and drunk, in the middle of Vicki's Oscar acceptance speech. He interrupts her speech, rambling and pacing back and forth in front of her. While begging for work from the assembled and embarrassed Hollywood community, he accidentally strikes Vicki in the face. Vicki continues working and tells Oliver that Norman has entered a sanitarium. After supporting him for so long, she worries about the effect of Norman's alcoholism on her, while acknowledging that he's trying very hard to overcome his addiction. Niles is amenable to offering Norman work, a gesture for which Vicki is grateful, thinking this may be just the boost her husband needs. At the racetrack, Norman runs into Libby, who taunts him and accuses him of living on Vicki's earnings. The resulting fight prompts Norman to go on a drinking binge; he is eventually arrested for being drunk and disorderly and receives ninety days in the city jail. Vicki bails him out and brings him home, where they are joined by Niles. Norman goes to bed but overhears Vicki telling Niles she will give up her career to take care of him. He also hears Oliver say that Norman ruined his own career with his drinking. Finally realizing what he's done to himself, Vicki, his career, and the people around him, Norman leaves his bed, tells Vicki cheerfully that he is going to go for a swim, walks into the ocean—and drowns himself. At Norman's funeral, Vicki is mobbed by reporters and insensitive fans. Despondent, Vicki becomes a recluse and refuses to see anyone. Finally, her old bandmate Danny convinces her she needs to attend a charity function because she constitutes the only good work Norman did and which he died trying to save. At the Shrine Auditorium, she notices the heart Norman drew on the wall on the night they met and for a moment seems to lose her composure. When she arrives on stage, the emcee tells her the event is being broadcast worldwide and asks her to say a few words to her fans. She says, "Hello, everybody. This is Mrs. Norman Maine," which prompts the crowd into a standing ovation. ===== John Norman Howard, a famous and self-destructive singer/songwriter rock star, arrives late for a concert. He is drunk, sings a couple of songs, and walks off stage. John's entourage, including his manager Brian, takes him to a bar where Esther Hoffman is singing. One of John's fans finds him there and starts a fight. Esther grabs John and helps him escape out a back door. They go to Esther's, but she invites him to come back for breakfast. Over breakfast (pepperoni pizza), she agrees to go to a concert with him. After arriving by helicopter, John rides a motorbike around the stage, snags a cable and crashes off the front of the stage. John is taken away by ambulance and his entourage leave in the helicopter; forgetting Esther. Afterwards, John is resting at home by his pool. A radio DJ, Bebe Jesus, hovers over the pool in a helicopter and invites John to his studio. John gets angry and shoots at the helicopter. Bebe Jesus then threatens to never play John's songs. Later, John goes to the radio station with a case of whiskey to make peace with Bebe Jesus. The disc jockey does not accept John's apology and calls John an alcoholic over the air. Esther happens to be at the radio station at the same time, taping a commercial. John takes Esther to his mansion and writes her name on the wall with a can of spray paint. There, they make love, have a bubble bath together, and he listens to her playing his piano. She thinks no one would be able to sing to the tune she has written, but he makes up some lyrics and starts singing. At his next concert, John gets Esther on stage to sing. Although the audience boos when she starts to sing, she wins them over. Later, she tells John she wants them to get married. John replies that he's no good for her, but she persists, and they marry. John takes Esther to a plot of land he has out west where they build a simple house. She wants a tour co-starring with him, but he thinks she should do the tour on her own. Esther's career takes off, eclipsing his. John returns to the studio thinking of restarting his career. He's told by Bobbie that the band has gone on without him and have renamed themselves. To save face, John asks Bobbie to tell them that he's found some new artists to work with and wishes them luck. At home alone, John begins to write a new song. As he sings, he is constantly interrupted by the telephone. Someone asks for Esther and wants to know whether he is her secretary. When Esther returns home, she wants to find out how it went with the band and John tells her it didn't work out. He changes the subject to find out about Esther's day and goes through the messages he's taken for her, one of which is that she's up for a Grammy Award. At the Grammy Awards, Esther wins for best female performance. While she is giving her acceptance speech, John arrives late, drunk and makes a scene. Later, Esther tries to talk Brian into giving John a last chance. John is writing songs again but in a different way. Brian calls on John and likes the new songs, but suggests John release some of his old hits along with the new songs. However, John wants to go with the new work only, so he turns down the offer. Back at his LA mansion, John finds Quentin, a magazine writer, swimming half-naked in his swimming pool. She says she would do anything to get an exclusive interview. Initially he thinks it's with him, but she confirms it's an interview with Esther that she wants. When Esther arrives soon after, she finds them in bed together. Quentin tries to interview Esther, but John tells Quentin to get out. Esther and John fight with another, him telling her “I love you” and she “I hate you”, until Esther confesses that she does love him. They return to their small home out west, where they have been happiest. One day, John wakes early and tells Esther he's going to pick up Brian from the airport. Esther asks him to hurry back. John leaves the house with a beer in hand and drives off in his flashy sports car. He leaves playing his track “Watch Closely Now” but gets bored and puts on one of Esther's songs. He continues to drink his beer, while driving too fast and recklessly. In the next scene, a police dispatch is discussing an accident. The shell of a red sports car is on its side. A helicopter lands at the scene and Esther and Brian run out towards John, whose dead body is covered by a blanket. Esther asks for another blanket and cleans his face. She lies down on John and while crying she asks him what is she supposed to do without him. He is taken away in an ambulance. Back at the LA mansion, Esther hears John's voice calling out for someone to answer the telephone. But she discovers it's just a tape of the old songwriting session during which the telephone had interrupted his singing. She cries on the step in the now empty house, saying that he was a liar and he wasn't supposed to leave her. The final scene is what seems to be a memorial concert for John. Esther walks out and is introduced as Esther Hoffman-Howard. The audience raises candles as a tribute to her late husband. She sings the song John wrote for her “With One More Look at You” and then ends with his famous track, “Watch Closely Now”, done in her own style. At the last beat of the song, Esther spreads her arms wide and looks up to the heavens. ===== The film follows the book What Do You Care What Other People Think? fairly closely in terms of the stories told. The film starts in 1924 with Richard and his father Melville walking through the woods where Melville shows his scientific inspiration for Richard. In 1934, Richard and Arline are in high school and their romantic relationship starts. The story then jumps to his college years and Arline getting sick with lymphatic tuberculosis. It continues to his move west to Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where Arline follows him later to a hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she dies. The film ends with Feynman crying at the sight of the red dress Arline had pointed out. ===== The short begins with a title card disclaimer that reads: "Any resemblance between the characters in this picture and any persons, living or dead, is a miracle." In the fictional country of Moronika, three munitions manufacturers — Messrs. Ixnay (Richard Fiske), Onay (Dick Curtis), and Amscray (Don Beddoe) — are upset over their lack of profits due to the country's king, Herman the Sixth and Seven-Eights, pursuing a policy of peace instead of war. They decide to oust the king, implement a dictatorship, and go about finding someone stupid enough to be a figurehead leader. Ixnay volunteers the three wallpaper hangers simultaneously working in his dining room: The Stooges. Ixnay, Onay, and Amscray meet with Moe Hailstone, Curly Gallstone, and Larry Pebble and tell them of their offer to run Moronika. Moe is instituted as the leader (the Adolf Hitler role), with Curly as Field Marshal "Gallstone" (representing Hermann Göring while also mimicking Benito Mussolini), and Larry as Minister of Propaganda Pebble (a representation of Joseph Goebbels). After his takeover, Hailstone proceeds to give a speech to the masses, cuing Larry to display signs reading "CHEERS", "APPLAUSE", and, accidentally, "HISS." However, the daughter (Lorna Gray) of the overthrown king pays Hailstone a visit, going by the name Mattie Herring (a spoof of World War I spy Mata Hari). The Stooges eventually suspect her of being a spy and sentence her to execution, but she escapes. Larry then saws the corners off a square table to be ready for a round-table meeting. A ballerina enters and tells them the delegates have arrived. In the meeting, Moe tells the delegates that his country Moronika demands more land concessions from its neighbors, leading the delegates to start arguing with him. Curly manages to silence the delegates by knocking them out with golf balls, but after the meeting, a large mob led by the king and Mattie Herring advance on the palace. The trio quickly abdicates, inadvertently flee into a lion's den, and are chased and eaten offscreen, concluding the film. ===== Ching Hing-lung (Jackie Chan) is a youngster, living in a remote village with his grandfather, kung fu master Ching Pang-fei (James Tien). Lung does not take his training seriously enough, he gambles, and he gets into fights which lead him to display the skills his grandfather has told him he must keep secret. Lung briefly finds employment selling coffins, working for an unscrupulous proprietor (Dean Shek), who even stoops to selling second-hand coffins. Lung is fired when he accidentally traps his boss in one of the coffins. After making his escape, he runs into three thugs he'd beaten up earlier, who ask him to teach them kung fu. Lung meets their sifu, Tee Cha (Lee Kwan), the unskilled leader of the Everything Clan. Master Tee offers Lung a lucrative job training his students and fighting against the top fighters from rival schools. This boosts the reputation of the school and of the scheming Master Tee. However, Lung makes the mistake of naming the school under the Ying Yee clan name. This comes to the attention of evil kung fu master Yam Tin-fa (Yam Sai-kwoon), who finds and kills Lung's grandfather. But, Lung eventually takes revenge for his grandfather's murder after undergoing rigorous training from The Unicorn (Chan Wai-lau). ===== The film begins with footage from Asahi Shimbun's special expedition to the Yamato wreckage in 1999. The narrative then shifts to the present on 6 April 2005, where a woman, Makiko Uchida, is visiting the Yamato Museum in Kure, Hiroshima. She is looking for a boat to take her to the site where the Yamato sank, to honor the crew on the 60th anniversary of the ship's last battle. Katsumi Kamio, a survivor who is now a fisherman, agrees to take her after he discovers she was an adopted daughter of Petty Officer First Class Mamoru Uchida, a fellow crewman and close friend who he thought went down with the ship. As Uchida, Kamio, and his teenage apprentice, Atsushi, travel to the site on his fishing boat, the narrative shifts between the present and Kamio's memories of his service as an air defense crewman aboard the warship during the Second World War. In the spring of 1944, Kamio and other cadets, many of whom are only teenagers, are assigned to the Yamato and are subjected to harsh training and discipline at the hands of Petty Officers Uchida, Moriwaki, and Karaki, who have served on the vessel since it was launched in 1941. In October 1944, the Yamato sails as part of a large Japanese fleet to engage American forces at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. During the battle, the Yamato sustains several hits, killing or injuring several crew. Yamato and the surviving ships return to Japan for repairs, while Uchida (who lost his left eye in the battle) is sent to a hospital to recover. In March 1945, the crew hear rumors of a planned mission against the expected invasion of Okinawa and are given a few days of shore leave. During this time, Kamio returns home and learns that his mother died protecting his girlfriend, Taeko Nozaki, during an air raid on Kure. Taeko confesses her love for Kamio when he explains that he must go to Okinawa and gives him a special amulet for protection. Uchida uses the shore leave to escape the hospital and rejoin the crew. Meanwhile, IJN representative Vice- Admiral Ryūnosuke Kusaka arrives and briefs the admiral-in-charge of Yamato, Vice-Admiral Seiichi Itō, and the other senior officers, of the details of Operation Ten-Go. It will almost certainly be a suicide mission - and with no air cover, the entire Japanese force will be extremely vulnerable to Allied attacks, making it unlikely that they will even reach Okinawa. Fights break out among the crew as some believe the mission is futile, but an officer convinces them that the Yamato, as Japan's last operational battleship, must make every effort to defend the nation. On the morning of April 7, the Yamato and its escorts assume battle stations after Task Force 58 detects it on the way to Okinawa and sends its strike planes to intercept. The crew opens fire with their anti-aircraft weapons as the planes appear. However, the sheer number of US aircraft overwhelm the defenses and the Yamato takes heavy damage from multiple bombs and torpedo hits. Kamio, Uchida, and Moriwaki continue to man a portside AA battery after strafing runs and bomb strikes kill much of the crew, including Karaki. After being told the ship is crippled and sinking, Admiral Itō and Captain Kōsaku Aruga give the order to abandon ship, although both choose to stay behind. Uchida and Moriwaki throw Kamio overboard despite his wish to stay with them to the end. The radioman attempts to call for support but water starts flooding the ship, which eventually capsizes and explodes after its aft magazine detonates. The Yamato's remaining escorts start rescuing the survivors, but Kamio fails to save his friend Tetsuya Nishi despite promising his mother that he would look after him. Moriwaki ties Kamio to be hoisted aboard a rescue vessel and swims away to drown himself. The film flashes forward to the present day; the old Kamio has a heart attack, but Makiko and Atsushi revive him. He also discusses what happened to him during the final months of the war. He recounts that after the sinking, he went and told Nishi's mother that her son had died "a hero's death." Kamio expresses his grief that, despite risking his life in battle, he was ultimately unable to protect anyone he loved - Taeko died of radiation poisoning after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, where she had been conscripted to work at a munitions plant. However, she was able to see him before she died and suggested Asukamaru as the name for his boat. They arrive at the sinking coordinates the following day, where they hold a small ceremony. Makiko scatters Uchida's ashes and Kamio gives her a dagger that Uchida asked him to keep during the battle. The dagger was Uchida's most prized possession; Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto gave it to him when the Yamato was his flagship. The three head back to Japan after the ceremony. The end credits show Makiko laying flowers at a memorial for those who died in the battle. ===== In Tokyo, he is a Chinese computer graphic artist seeking to enrich his exposure while she is a Japanese painter struggling to recover from a broken relationship. This is the simplest and sweetest of the three stories, starting with hidden mutual attraction and ending in their first meeting. This is also the only one of the three stories with a "sub-plot" (a really glorified use of the term) of his friendship with two other art students, both girls, one Chinese and one Japanese. In Taipei, she is a local girl suffering from a broken heart and he is a Japanese visitor she asks in the middle of the night to help putting up a wall unit. This is the only story with a scene of brief libido drive which, however, quickly subsides. The rest of the story is on his helping her by asking her ex-boyfriend whether there is a chance of getting back together. Among the three, this is the story that plays most on the language barrier thing, with some absolutely hilarious scenes resulting. In Shanghai, he is a Japanese student renting a room from her mother. She probably has a crush on him at first sight but keeps it deeply hidden when she sees how devoted he is to his girlfriend. But when he gets a postcard from the girlfriend ending their relationship, her attraction to him intensifies, although she never reveals it. This is the most poignant of the three stories. Romance aside, this story also takes a quick jab at the maddening scene of urban development of Shanghai. ===== The early phases of the comic have Frohman excitedly arriving in City 17. Eventually he takes a job at the Combine's headquarters, the Citadel, under a Combine Elite named Mr. Henderson. As most of his human colleagues become Combine soldiers, he realizes that Henderson has no immediate intention to do the same for him, citing his incompetence. Demanding to become one with the Combine, Frohman willingly sets off to Nova Prospekt, an alien security and detention installation, for invasive surgery to convert him. Meanwhile, he selects Ravenholm as a residence where he can commute to and from City 17, but lacks proper transport with which to get there. After a failed attempt to reach Ravenholm using Dr. Isaac Kleiner's teleporter leaves him stuck in a Counter- Strike: Source server for a week, he seeks Ravenholm by foot instead. Traveling through City 17's canals, Frohman arrives, badly injured and dazed, at Black Mesa East, the headquarters of the human resistance, where he is welcomed as a helper. His stay there is cut short because he causes trouble in the base, and also irritatingly overuses the gravity gun. He is fooled into leaving the base, and finally heads toward and reaches Ravenholm. On Frohman's arrival, Ravenholm is depicted as a peaceful, bright, and cheerful place devoid of any Combine elements, but "terrorized" by Father Grigori. After adjusting, Gordon becomes accustomed to the town, but unintentionally discloses the town's location to Dr. Breen, who immediately orders his forces to "bomb the shit out of them". The town is fired on with headcrabs, killing many and turning others into zombies. Frohman himself is attacked by a headcrab and turns into a zombie too, yet retains his free will; and after a while his headcrab dies of malnutrition, which is attributed to his lack of intelligence. With Father Grigori's help, Frohman escapes Ravenholm, now the zombie-infested nightmare seen when Freeman visits it in the game, and presses on to Nova Prospekt. After surviving several more hazards, he reaches the coast. Here, after passing the final resistance base and an Antlion-infested beach, Frohman encounters an Antlion Guard, which is killed by a Vortigaunt, an alien race helping the humans in the game. This allows Frohman to retrieve bugbait from the dead creature, with which he can control the Antlions. Frohman, accompanied by several bugbait-controlled Antlions, eventually reaches Nova Prospekt, only to be turned away as he does not have an appointment. He gives up and returns to City 17 in the following strip, as Gordon Freeman finally arrives in the city, linking the comic's time frame with the start of Half-Life 2. He is then drafted into the resistance after failing to disrupt its operations, and unintentionally signals the start of the resistance's uprising after one of his Antlions accidentally kills a Combine police officer. During the fighting, he accompanies Freeman himself and mingles with resistance members, aids the Combine in the capture of Alyx Vance, one of Freeman's allies, and reunites with Norman Frohman, his long- lost assassin twin brother, only to promptly witness his death at the hands of a Strider, a large tripodal assault synth. Following this, Gordon returns to the Citadel, unwillingly aiding Freeman in his journey up the Citadel and influencing the plot of the game. As Freeman is pursuing Dr. Breen to his teleporter, Frohman is about to kill Freeman—but he pauses to come up with the perfect one-liner for the occasion, causing him to run out of time; Dr. Breen's teleporter explodes and Frohman is flung off the Citadel peak by the explosion. Dr. Breen also survives, having fallen from the Citadel onto a pile of dead Combine soldiers. However, Frohman falls right onto Breen, killing him. Gordon himself is only seriously injured. Baffled by his ability to survive, he realizes through a flashback that he has been under "Buddha Mode", a cheat code which prevents his health points from dropping below one throughout the comic's duration. Frohman inadvertently turns off the mode, and even spoils an opportunity to be rescued by a group of Vortigaunts, as both Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance are at the start of Episode One. In the end, Frohman dies unceremoniously, while survivors of the City 17 uprising find him dead. ===== Be More Chill is written in the first person, from the perspective of high school student Jeremy Heere. Jeremy is considered a loser by his popular peers; the popular girls have no interest in him, and he is constantly bullied. Jeremy's best friend is the music-loving Michael Mell. They sit together at lunch and talk about Jeremy's attempts at wooing his longtime crush, Christine Caniglia. Jeremy is tired of being a loser and hopes to find a way to change this. His main goal in life is to get Christine to notice him, and maybe eventually start dating her. Jeremy plans to implement his plans as he and Christine both practice for their school play, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. His advances are slow-going at first. Michael tells Jeremy that he's vaguely heard of a pill that can improve your life; he thinks it's called a "script" and he suspects his brother used one to get a high SAT score. Rich Goranski is a short-statured, but well-built part of the popular teen group that bullies Jeremy. He finds Jeremy at a school Halloween party and tells him about the SQUIP. A "SQUIP" (Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor) is a supercomputer in the form of a grey oblong pill made by Sony that can communicate directly with your brain after being swallowed. Jeremy decides to search for this "SQUIP." The pill is used to become cooler and comes with different avatar voices such as Sean Connery, Keanu Reeves, a "sexy anime female", etc. Jeremy purchases the pill in the back of a Payless Shoe Store, in hopes of transforming himself from a klutzy loser to a member of the social elite to gain the attention of Christine. The pill does just that: it instructs him on how to dress, act, talk, and generally comport himself through each day. He quickly gains the attention of Chloe, one of the most popular girls in the school, as well as Brooke, who Jeremy skips class to make out with. Rich stops bullying Jeremy, saying that it was his own SQUIP who was telling him to in order to be cooler. Jeremy also slowly gains the attention of Christine, as he advances through the social ranks of Middle Borough High School. However, this does come with a price: neglecting his friendship with Michael. Jeremy's SQUIP tells him that Michael is beyond his help and will never be cool, but Jeremy demands that his SQUIP helps Michael. It obliges. Later Michael and Jeremy attend a house party, where Jeremy is forced to hook up with Chloe Valentine, and Rich starts acting deranged. The next morning, Jeremy is woken up to the news that Rich had burned down the house from the previous night and is in the hospital. The SQUIP comes up with the ultimate foolproof plan to get Christine to fall for Jeremy during the school play. Halfway through the play, after Jeremy's character is "revived" by Christine's, the plan comes into play. Jeremy begins by saying how he's praying for Rich to recover, and how Christine inspired him to join the play. He then professes his love for Christine and asks her to go out with him. Christine, staying in character, is angry at him for disrupting the play, but they continue out the rest of the scene awkwardly. Jeremy tries asking his SQUIP for advice on what to do next and to continue helping him remember his lines, but it does not respond. The drama teacher and play director, Mr. Reyes, then kicks Jeremy out for breaking character. Michael comes across a distraught Jeremy who confesses he acquired a SQUIP that has been influencing him for the last few months. Michael reveals he knew what SQUIPs really were the entire time, and told Jeremy a fake name because he knew that Jeremy would want one if he knew. The SQUIP returns, apologizing to Jeremy for what he's done, asking to be deactivated as he is apparently faulty, and recommending Jeremy get a new model when it is released. He says that Mountain Dew Code Red will deactivate him. Before he does this, they come up with the idea to do a "data dump", or recall everything in Jeremy's head since the time of him being into Christine, in hopes that she will understand his feelings and why he did what he did. The implication is that the novel itself is the product of this "data dump" and becomes the in-universe book intended for Christine. ===== Wealthy restaurateur Harvey Howard (Bing Crosby), a self-made man, widower, and owner of Harvey Howard Smokehouses, decides to go back to college at the age of 51 and earn a bachelor's degree. He faces opposition from his snobbish grown children, as well as a generation gap between himself and his much-younger fellow students. The first day in school he finds that just convincing older students, faculty, and administrators that he is serious is a humorous task. He enrolls and receives freshman rooming, and is up front about his determination to be "just another freshman". He's assigned a quad rooming arrangement, which sets precedent for the upcoming years. Dealing with the student press, the dorm adviser, and making that first toast with sauerkraut juice to seal their bond to complete their four years together. The president's welcoming speech sets the tone for the effort facing the freshman class. Harvey has to convince the physical ed coach that he has what it takes to compete by doing ten plus one pull ups to the cheers of his fellow younger frosh, only to collapse on his face upon finishing his set. Another frosh challenge is the bonfire that must exceed the height of the prior years. Harvey meets the French professor, Helen Gauthier when removing a supporting wooden box from under her porch. The bonfire's total height comes up a foot short, Harvey climbs to the summit and deposits his three-foot chair, a very brave and daunting achievement. Having two brilliant roommates and jock Gil Sparrow (Fabian), the academic rigors are always fuel for comedy and camaraderie. Science Professor Thayer, is haphazard, and suffers numerous comedic moments, chemicals that take on a life of their own, pairs of wires that should never be brought near each other during a storm, zap, and improving one's skating skills except on thin ice. Sophomore year again has Harvey being berated by his children, the school's beat reporter is there to welcome him and puts up with the snobby kids. Harvey is off to meet his last year's roommates and the requisite toast to success. He is asked to join their fraternity and has the usual hazing period to endure, polishing shoes, washing floors and the most challenging, dressing in drag and getting a retired colonel to sign his dance card at a costume ball. The elderly southern gentleman is suffering a gout attack and his social climbing children are attending the same event. While dancing with his son, he so discombobulates him that his dress is torn in half, and while having it fixed in the ladies lounge he floors his daughter. Back on the floor, Harvey bribes the band leader to play "Dixie", the colonel stands, Harvey pounces into his arms dancing the length of the floor, deposits the sputtering colonel on his easy chair has him autograph his dance card, throws his wig into his lap and rushes the exit. The rest of the year is full of great football by Gil, academic pressure and more antics by Prof. Thayer. Junior year starts with Harvey arriving in a red Mercedes convertible, and meeting the group at a Harvey Howard Smokehouse for a toast of goat milk, which only T.J. Padmanagham likes. The Smokehouse maitre D' at Harvey Howard's, super-snob Burdick doesn't like one bit of this. His first task is to rudely challenge the group to order their meals which is fine with Harvey who orders Harvey Burgers with special sauce for the lot. Burdick sneers back that it's too early for the special sauce, Navy Brat, Bob Bannerman chimes in with "... it's later than you think". The burgers arrive and are dry, carbonized and inedible. Harvey, who stands behind all burgers served in his Smokehouses, calls Burdick over to "take them back", Burdick challenges Harvey to do better, which he does. Burdick watching Harvey jump to it at the grill catches Harvey Howard's full name and faints. Burdick completes eating a burger prepared by Harvey and becomes a transformed Harvey employee, hilarious. Over the summer prior to junior year, Harvey had hired Professor Gauthier to tutor him at Nag's Head. His children in turn complain to the college and it appears that Gauthier has to resign to save face. The students protest and the president delays any action until the next spring. For senior year, Harvey arrives in a taxi. The group gathers and toast their final year. Both Harvey and Gil are still hitting the books hard, with some success. The year features hay rides, phone booth body jams, and a smooth procession towards graduation. Harvey is in denial about his love of Professor Gauthier, and she coyly asks him if he would like to marry her. He stammers, but the gauntlet is cast. Harvey is the Class of 1960 valedictorian and his speech covers all the bases: why he challenged himself to find a greater purpose and put up with the struggle, and his growing admiration and acceptance of the accomplishments of his adult children and his friends. He concludes with a final challenge to the graduate: never quit, never say something like "I could no sooner do that, than I could fly." At this moment Harvey is hoisted above the audience on cables to fly around the auditorium. A wink to Professor Gauthier, a smile to all, the end. ===== The story of Alichino focuses on Tsugiri, a sorrowful Kusabi. Although he was born to slay the alichino, he is set back by his miserable past. As a child, he was feared and hated by the townspeople because the alichino were so attracted to him that they seduced and killed many people to lure him out. One horrible day, his mother was murdered and he was beaten almost to death. Fortunately, he was saved, but his memory of his childhood was hidden away. Now as a young man, Tsugiri must fight the alichino and try to save the fragile hearts of those around him. Eventually it is revealed that Tsugiri is the "Bond"; a mysterious being with an incredibly pure soul, making him practically irresistible to alichino. His guardian, Enju, is kidnapped because of this, forcing Tsugiri and Ryoko to go on a quest to save him. Along the way, some of the mysteries of Ryoko and Myobi's relationship are revealed, as well as Ryoko's connection with Enju's kidnapper, Matsulika. Unfortunately Alichino has been put on an indefinite hiatus, due to the writer breaking her hand in 2001, leaving people to wonder if the series will be continued, and when. It has since been confirmed in the third Alichino tankoubon that there will be a fourth and that it will probably be the last; however, as of 2005, the author was still writing the Japanese version. ===== In a prologue filled with genealogical detail, Amphitryon outlines the ancestral history of Herakles' and Lycus' families. Lycus is ruling Thebes unlawfully and is about to kill Amphitryon, and—because Megara is the daughter of the lawful king Creon—Herakles' wife Megara and their children. Herakles cannot help his family, for he is in Hades engaged in the last of his twelve labours: bringing back the monster Cerberus who guards the gates there. The family has taken refuge at the altar of Zeus; they are forbidden to enter their palace and are watched too closely to escape. The Chorus sympathize with them and encourage them, but, being old men, are unable to help. Lycus comes to ask how long they are going to try to prolong their lives by clinging to the altar. He claims that Herakles has been killed in Hades and will never help them. He justifies the proposed slaughter, claiming that Herakles' children will attempt to avenge their grandfather, Creon, by killing Lycus when they grow up. He depreciates the deeds of Herakles, calling him a coward for using a bow instead of a spear. Amphitryon, point by point, argues the other side and asks permission for them to go into exile. Lycus declares that he is through with words and orders his men to bring logs, stack them around the altar, and burn the suppliants alive. Megara refuses to be burned alive: that is a coward's death. She has given up hope for Herakles' return and gets permission from Lycus to dress the children in robes of death to face their executioners. The old men of the Chorus have stoutly defended Herakles' family, but, because of their age, can do little more than disagree with Lycus and sing in praise of Herakles' famous labours. Megara returns with the children, dressed for death. She tells of the kingdoms Herakles had planned to give each of them and of the brides she intended them to marry. As Amphitryon laments the futility of the life he has lived, Megara catches sight of Herakles approaching. When Herakles hears the story of Creon's overthrow and Lycus' plan to kill Megara and the children, he resolves upon revenge. He tells them the reason for his long absence is that in addition to bringing Cerberus back from Hades and imprisoning him, he also brought back Theseus, who is now on his way to his home in Athens. With the children clinging to his robes, he goes into the palace with Megara. Lycus returns and, impatient at finding only Amphitryon ready, storms into the palace to get the others. He is met inside by Herakles, and killed. The Chorus sing a joyful song of celebration, but it is interrupted by the appearance of Iris and Madness, hovering over the house. Iris announces that she has come to make Herakles kill his own children by driving him mad. Hera, Zeus' wife, is behind the plan: she has hated Herakles since birth because Zeus was his father. She also resents his god-like strength and wants to humble him. A Messenger reports that when the fit of madness fell on Herakles, he believed he had to kill Eurystheus, the king who assigned his labours. Moving from room to room, he fancied that he was going from country to country. When Amphitryon tried to stop him, he thought it was Eurystheus, and his own children those of Eurystheus. In his madness he killed his three sons and his wife. When he threatened Amphitryon, Athena struck him and he fell asleep. The palace doors are opened to reveal Herakles, now asleep and tied to a pillar, surrounded by the bodies of his wife and children. When he wakes up, Amphitryon tells him what he has done; in his shame he wants to commit suicide. Theseus, king of Athens, whom Herakles had freed from Hades, arrives; he has heard that Lycus had overthrown Creon and desires to help overthrow Lycus. When he hears what Herakles has done, he asks him to uncover his head. Friendship, Theseus says, is greater than any fear he has of pollution from someone guilty of kindred bloodshed. Herakles, not easily comforted, says he can be welcome to no man; it would be better for him to commit suicide. Theseus offers him hospitality in Athens and half his wealth. He argues that even the gods commit evil acts, such as forbidden marriages, yet continue to live on Olympus and face out their crimes. Why shouldn't Herakles? Herakles vehemently denies this line of argument: such stories of the gods, he says, are merely the inventions of poets. A deity, if really such, can have no desires. Finally convinced that it would be cowardly to commit suicide, he resolves to go to Athens with Theseus. The law forbids him to remain in Thebes or even attend the funeral of his wife and children. He asks his father to bury his dead, and, leaning on Theseus, leaves. ===== A young and naive Englishman, John Truscott (Hugh Dancy), goes to the British colony of Sarawak, Borneo, to try to apply his father's work to the Iban society. There he meets his boss Henry Bullard (Bob Hoskins) and his wife Aggie Bullard (Brenda Blethyn). John tries to civilize the area, building schools and providing education for the Iban people. He is met with unfamiliar local customs. Selima (Jessica Alba) becomes his "sleeping dictionary", who sleeps with him and teaches him the language and the habits of the locals. John is sent up river where a sickness is affecting the Yakata tribe. He and Selima travel inland. John witnesses a nearby mining operation run by Europeans. He notices that the Yakata have rice – which has been given to them by the miners – and he guesses correctly that the miners have poisoned the rice in order to get rid of the Yakata. Knowing that they will exact vengeance, John tells the Yakata what has happened. The Yakata wipe out the miners. Despite their intents, the two find themselves falling into a forbidden love. John is eager to marry Selima despite the longhouse not allowing it. When John tells Henry about his plans to marry her, they lock Selima up. Selima then agrees to marry in the longhouse and they part ways. Bullard threatens to send him to trial for the death of the European miners. He makes a deal with John. John has to give up Selima, and go to Britain for a year's vacation and to meet the Bullards' daughter Cecilia. Another local British official, Neville Shipperly (Noah Taylor), a boorish drunk and a man who despises the locals, is jealous of John because he had planned to win Cecilia as his own. A year later, John is seen marrying Cecilia. He still struggles to get over his past with his sleeping dictionary. With Cecilia, he decides the best thing to do is go back to Sarawak to continue his work there. Returning to Sarawak, Cecilia notices John's desire for Selima with his constant distance from her. Cecilia demands to know more about Selima and John replies by saying that she is married to Belansai and that the couple have a baby together. While at the lake collecting rocks for research, John sees Selima with a baby. He believes the child to be his and asks Famous to arrange a meeting with the pair. Soon back at the house, Selima walks in, unaware that John is there. John begs to see his son and soon Selima walks away not before John can stop them. Here, John meets his son Mandar for the first time. When Belansai hears news that John is spending time with his wife, he sneaks in to try to kill John but only manages to hurt him with a razor. The next morning, Henry reveals to John his past about his own 'sleeping dictionary', which resulted in the birth of another child: Selima. When Belansai is caught for trying to kill an officer, he is sentenced to be hanged. Selima is not happy that Belansai will be killed as he's been a good father to Mandar. Not wanting to kill Belansai, a friend of his, John goes through with announcing Belansai's hanging as he had no other option. Later that night, Selima tries to break Belansai out, not knowing John is already there. When she walks over to the jail cell, she sees John breaking Belansai out and handing him a gun. As Belansai escapes, John asks Selima to meet him at the dock so they can escape on the boat. Selima tells him he won't come as they'll catch him. John turns to Selima and says "Then I'll tell them I'd rather have you than a country... or a language... or a history". They embrace as the rain is pouring behind them. The next day, since the people of the Longhouse have turned on Selima, she is forced to become the sleeping dictionary for Neville. Later Cecilia announces she is pregnant, shocking John. That night, Selima bashes Neville on the head, knocking him out, because he has attempted to attack her and force her. She grabs the baby and runs from the house, heading for the docks. Although John still has plans to be with Selima and their son, he begins writing a note but stops as Cecilia catches him. The couple then talk about John's love for Selima and how Cecilia wants John to be happy. Aggie is not happy that Cecilia and Henry have allowed both John and Selima to run away together because she never left Henry's sight, fearing he'd go with his sleeping dictionary. She encourages Neville to go after them. With the help of Famous and the Yakata, John searches for Selima as she's left believing that John didn't come to the place of arrangement. They reunite as Neville comes through with a gun. He tells them to cuff themselves around the bamboos and tells them of his plans to kill John, Selima and their baby. They're then rescued by the Yakata, who kill Neville. At the end, they decide to live together and migrate with the Yakata. ===== In 1940s Mendocino County, Henry 'Hopper' Nash is a small town boy who has been drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps and is about to serve overseas. He is close friends with Nicky, who is also about to be deployed. They have approximately six weeks before shipping out. Henry and Nicky work together at the bowling alley setting pins, buffing lanes, and working the front counter. Henry sees Caddie Winger at the movie theater taking tickets. He is immediately smitten and conspires with a younger boy to give her flowers. Caddie comes to the soda shop where Henry and Nicky are hanging out. Henry jumps over the counter and pretends that he is working. He follows Caddie to her home and discovers that she lives in an elaborate mansion. He assumes that she is a "Gatsby girl" and is therefore rich. As it turns out, Caddie lives there because her mother is a maid. Later, Henry sees Caddie working at the library. He attempts to get her name but she rebuffs him. At the soda shop, Caddie sets Henry up with one of her friends. Henry meets the others at the skating rink and pretends that he knows how to skate. He ends up crashing but in doing so is able to steal some time with Caddie. She agrees to go on a date with Henry and the two quickly become an item. Meanwhile, Nicky's girlfriend, Sally Kaiser, is pregnant with his child. He attempts to get $150 from Henry for an abortion. Henry asks Caddie, whom he assumes can easily afford it. Caddie, in an effort to avoid letting Henry down, attempts to steal a pearl necklace from Alice, a young woman who lives at the house at which Caddie resides. She is caught and confesses the reason she needs the necklace. She ends up borrowing the money from Alice. Sally has the abortion and Henry berates Nicky for not being there for his girlfriend. This causes a brief rift that is mended when each realizes that they need each other in order to handle the difficult transition they are about to make. The film closes as the boys prepare to get on the train taking them away to the war. They wait for the train to go by before racing after it and jumping on. ===== This drama follows Ned Hanlan (Nicolas Cage), who is known to be a Canadian competitive rowing champion. Ned Hanlan is adopted by a gambler named Bill, who promotes the boy on the sculling circuit for his own monetary gain. As a young man, Ned is very trouble-prone but does not lack the fierce determination needed in his attempt to become a formidable athlete. In this attempt, a businessman named Knox assumes control of Hanlan's career who backs Ned for his own personal gain and discards him when this gain is no longer in sight. Through Knox, Ned meets and falls for the niece of the businessman, Margaret (Cynthia Dale). Hanlan's professional success is capped by his marriage to Margaret. ===== The story, set in the Heian period, depicts the conflict between Korean painter Yoshihide (Nakadai) and his Japanese patron, the cruel and egotistical Lord Horikawa (Nakamura). Horikawa demands that Yoshihide decorate the walls of his new temple with an image of Buddha, but Yoshihide refuses, insisting that he cannot paint what he does not see. In Horikawa's realm, Yoshihide can see nothing but the suffering of peasants. He creates several gruesome images that appear to have some sort of magical power. (For example, a painting of a man killed by Horikawa's soldiers at the beginning of the film gives off the stench of a rotting corpse.) These all appall Horikawa, and he demands that the paintings be destroyed. Ultimately, Yoshihide asks that he be allowed to portray hell on a screen for the wall of the temple, and Horikawa agrees. Yoshihide asks for one thing to be in the centre of his painting: a burning carriage with Horikawa in it. Horikawa agrees to this, but to provide a model for the scene, he has Yoshihide's daughter, Yoshika (played by Yoko Naito), chained in the carriage. Yoshihide watches in horror as his daughter is burned alive, before going on to paint his masterpiece. Before the completed screen is unveiled, Yoshihide hangs himself. When Horikawa looks at the screen, he is horrified to see himself portrayed in hell. The climax of the film is slightly vague, but the audience is led to believe that Horikawa becomes trapped in his own private hell through the power of the portrait. ===== J. Fred Buzhardt inadvertently reveals the existence of a taping system to the Watergate Committee minority counsel. After the committee's majority counsel discovers the information, Alexander Butterfield is interviewed and confirms the taping system's existence. Four days after the Yom Kippur War, Ted Agnew resigns. Nixon turns over the tapes after the resignations of Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus. Later at his Key Biscayne home, Nixon holds his "I'm not a crook" press conference. St. Clair is hired as Nixon's defense lawyer. ===== Linda Condon is about a wealthy woman—the eponymous heroine—who never learns to have, let alone show, any emotions or, as the narrator puts it, to "lose herself". Although she does not do anybody any harm, in the course of the novel Linda is likened to Siberia, described by her husband as a "woman of alabaster", and calls herself "the most sterile woman alive". Married at 18, she sees herself "in a place of little importance" and at the same time "bound on a journey with a hidden destination". Linda Condon is dedicated to Carl Van Vechten. ===== Badenheim is a primarily Jewish resort town in Austria that hosts a yearly arts festival, organized by Dr. Pappenheim. Slowly, the Nazi regime, represented by the "Sanitation Department", begins shutting down the town and preparing to move its residents to Eastern Europe. The citizens begin blaming each other and losing their minds. Despite impending doom, others remain optimistic and refuse to see the coming Holocaust. ===== George and Susan go shopping for wedding invitations and George insists on buying the cheapest brand in the store. They run into Kramer, who misremembers Susan's name, prompting Susan to decide he can no longer be an usher at the wedding. She also declines Elaine's demand to be an usher, not wanting any female ushers. Kramer visits a bank which offers anyone $100 if they are not greeted with a "hello". Upon being greeted with "hey" instead of "hello", he demands $100. After consulting with the other employees, all of whom use various non- hello greetings, the manager compromises by giving Kramer $20. Jerry absentmindedly walks in front of a car and is saved by a woman named Jeannie Steinman, who is just like him. He falls in love, and after dating for a while, proposes marriage to her. Almost immediately after her acceptance, Jerry no longer thinks Jeannie is his type, and regrets the proposal. George admits that he does not want to marry Susan, but is unwilling to go through the fight which will ensue if he calls the wedding off. Angry at Susan for not allowing them to be ushers, Elaine suggests George smoke (since Susan hates smoking) and Kramer suggests he offend her by asking she sign a prenuptial agreement. The smoking makes George sick, and Susan unreservedly agrees to sign the prenuptial agreement. Disregarding George's suggestion to use glue for the wedding invitations since the adhesive in the envelopes takes a lot of moisture to work, Susan keeps licking envelopes until she passes out. George returns to his apartment, finds that Susan has collapsed, and takes her to the hospital. After the examination, a doctor informs George that Susan is dead from licking the envelopes, since the adhesive is toxic. George, Jerry, and Elaine seem puzzled by their own lack of emotional response to her death. The tables have turned since Jerry is now unhappily engaged and George, with the death of Susan, is not. George calls Marisa Tomei, tells her his fiancée has died, and asks her on a date. She hangs up on him. ===== The protagonist of "The Tactful Saboteur" is saboteur extraordinary Jorj X. McKie, an employee of the Bureau of Sabotage (or BuSab). BuSab is a government agency responsible for conducting dirty tricks "in lieu of red tape" to help slow down and regulate the vast galaxy-spanning bureaucracy of the ConSentiency (under BuSab rules the Secretary of the agency retains his position until he himself is sabotaged). Tasked with finding missing saboteur Napoleon Bildoon, McKie attempts to penetrate the secrets of the Pan-Spechi, a race divided into groups of five "crèche mates", only one of whom possess ego-awareness at a time. In so doing he runs afoul of the "Tax Watchers" organization, which is adamantly opposed to the existence of BuSab. ===== The Elephant Man opens with Frederick Treves, an up-and-coming surgeon, meeting his new employer Francis Carr-Gomm, the administrator of the London Hospital. Ross, the manager of a freak show, invites a crowd on Whitechapel Road to come view John Merrick, the Elephant Man. Treves happens upon the freak show and is intrigued by Merrick's disorder. He insists that he must study Merrick further; Ross agrees, for a fee. Ross then gives a lecture on Merrick's anatomy, making Merrick stand on display while Treves describes his condition to the audience. The freak show travels to Brussels after being driven out of London by the police. Merrick tries to converse with three freak show "pinheads", or people suffering from microcephaly and mental retardation. The "pinheads" go onstage to sing "We Are the Queens of the Congo", but the police will not allow Merrick to perform, because they consider his condition "indecent". Ross decides that Merrick is more trouble than he is worth, steals his savings, and sends him back to London. When Merrick arrives in London, his appearance incites a crowd to riot. The train's conductor and a policeman are able to fetch Treves to calm the situation. Treves takes Merrick to the London Hospital and interviews a woman, Nurse Sandwich, for the position of Merrick's caretaker. Sandwich assures Treves that she has cared for lepers in Africa and is quite prepared for anything. However, when she sees Merrick taking a bath, she bolts from the room and refuses to take the job. Bishop How visits Merrick and declares him a "true Christian in the rough". He tells Treves he would like to educate Merrick in religion. Carr-Gomm argues with Bishop How about the importance of science versus the importance of religion. Carr-Gomm announces that, due to a letter he had printed in The Times, the people of London have donated enough money to allow Merrick to live at the hospital for life. Treves tells Gomm that he is glad Merrick now has a place where he can stay without being stared at, and is determined that Merrick should lead a normal life. When two attendants, Will and Snork, are caught peeking into Merrick's room, Will is fired and Snork is given a severe warning. Treves believes that it is important to enforce these rules, but Merrick worries what will happen to Will and his family. Merrick grew up in the workhouses, and wishes that no one had to suffer that fate. Treves says that it is just the way things are. John Merrick has a visitor by the name of Madge Kendal, an actress who came across Carr-Gromm's section in the newspaper. When Mrs. Kendal meets Merrick, she requires all of her self-control in order to disguise her horror at Merrick’s appearance. After several minutes of strained conversation. Mrs. Kendal mentions Romeo and Juliet. Merrick amazes Mrs. Kendal with his thoughtful and sensitive views on Romeo and the nature of love. Mrs. Kendal says that she will bring some of her friends to meet Merrick, then shakes his hand and tells him how truly pleased she is to meet him. Merrick dissolves into tears as Treves tells Mrs. Kendal that it is the first time a woman has ever shaken his hand. Mrs. Kendal's high society friends visit Merrick and bring him gifts while he builds a model of St. Phillip's church, having to work with his one good hand. He tells Mrs. Kendal that St. Phillip’s Church is an imitation of grace, and his model is therefore an imitation of an imitation. When Treves comments that all of humanity is a mere illusion of heaven, Merrick says that God should have used both hands. Merrick's new friends--Bishop How, Gomm, the Duchess, Princess Alexandra, Treves, and Mrs. Kendal--all comment upon how, in different ways, they see themselves reflected in him. However, Treves notes that Merrick’s condition is worsening with time. Merrick tells Mrs. Kendal that he needs a mistress and suggests that he would like her to do that for him. Mrs. Kendal listens compassionately, but she tells Merrick that it is unlikely that he will ever have a mistress. Merrick admits that he has never even seen a naked woman. Mrs. Kendal is flattered by his show of trust in her, and she realizes that she has come to trust him. She undresses and allows him to see her naked body. Treves enters and is shocked, sending Mrs. Kendal away. Ross comes to the hospital to ask Merrick to rejoin the freak show. Ross's health has drastically worsened, and he tells Merrick that without help he is doomed to a painful death. He tries to convince Merrick to charge the society members who visit him. Merrick refuses to help Ross, finally standing up to him after suffering years of abuse at his hands. Ross makes one final pathetic plea to Merrick, who refuses him, saying that's just the way things are. Merrick asks Treves what he believes about God and heaven. Then he confronts Treves, criticizing what he did to Mrs. Kendal and the rigid standards by which he judges everybody. Treves realizes that he has been too harsh with Merrick and tells him that although he will write to Mrs. Kendal, he does not believe she will return. After Merrick leaves the room, Treves says that it is because he does not want her to see Merrick die. Treves has a nightmare that he has been put on display while Merrick delivers a lecture about his terrifying normality, his rigidity, and the acts of cruelty he can commit upon others "for their own good". Carr-Gomm and Treves discuss Merrick's impending death. Treves displays frustration at the fact that the more normal Merrick pretends to be, the worse his condition becomes. He confronts Bishop How, telling him that he believes Merrick’s faith is merely another attempt to emulate others. It comes out that the real source of his frustrations is the chaos of the world around him, with his patients seemingly doing everything they can to shorten their own lives. No matter how hard he tries he cannot help them, just as he cannot help Merrick. He finally begs for the bishop to help him. Merrick finishes his model of the church. As usual, he goes to sleep while sitting, a posture which he must adopt due to the weight of his head. As he sleeps he sees visions of the pinheads, now singing that they are the Queens of the Cosmos. They lay him down to sleep normally, and he dies. Snork discovers his body and runs out screaming that the Elephant Man is dead. In the final scene, Carr-Gomm reads a letter he has written to The Times, outlining Merrick’s stay at the hospital, his death and his plans for the remaining funds donated for Merrick's care. When he asks Treves if he has anything else to add, a distressed Treves says he does not and leaves. As Carr-Gomm finishes the letter Treves rushes back in, saying that he’s thought of something. Carr-Gomm tells the doctor that it is too late: it is done. Broadway production, 1979: * Philip Anglim as John Merrick * JoAnne Belanger as Orderly (understudy), Princess Alexandra (understudy), Pinhead (understudy), Countess (understudy), Miss Sandwich (understudy) * Richard Clarke as Francis Carr-Gomm, Conductor * Kevin Conway as Frederick Treves, Belgian Policeman * Dennis Creaghan as Orderly, London Policeman (understudy), Lord John (understudy), Will (understudy), Earl (understudy), Pinhead Manager (understudy) * Michael Goldschlager as Cellist (standby) * Cordis Heard as Miss Sandwich, Princess Alexandra, Pinhead, Countess, Mrs. Kendal (understudy) * David Heiss as Cellist * I. M. Hobson as Bishop Walsham How, Ross, Snork * John Neville- Andrews as Pinhead Manager, London Policeman, Lord John, Will, Earl, Frederick Treves (understudy), Belgian Policeman (understudy) * Carole Shelley as Pinhead, Mrs. Kendal * Jack Wetherall as John Merrick (standby) ===== The film opens with Middle Eastern terrorists breaking into a secure area, to obtain a certain solution. The terrorists have a man on the inside, who betrays his fellow officers and aids the terrorists. The base is destroyed as the terrorists leave the area. Lenny Slater is in all sorts of trouble with his college football team, when he and the quarterback, Bruce McGuinness have words during practice. Meanwhile, the terrorists have dispatched their vehicle on a highway and obtained a new means of transport. After practice is broken up, Slater chases after Jenny who was doing sprint training next to the football field. Slater engages her in a flirty conversation, trying his best to convince her to let him take her to the homecoming dance. Jenny says yes to Slater's offer of a date if they survive the terrorists. The bus is en route to the same water and power plant, as a field excursion. As the other students file off the bus, Slater is left by himself. He notes a couple of men who sport machine guns, and watches them, as they perform some type of liquid extraction in their van. Inside the plant, Jenny and Slater stick together; Jenny accepts his offer, the pair then notices they get the go ahead for the school trip. The rest of the students and the professor are ordered to the hostage area. Slater and Jenny are forced to evade numerous attacks on them, as they run and hide in various locations around the plant, meanwhile the military start to gather around the perimeter. The pair shouts out to the military but instead get shot at by a terrorist, which starts a shooting frenzy between the military and the terrorists. In the plant, the hunt continues for the two missing teenagers, Slater and Jenny, who take it upon themselves to try to foil the attack on the water supply. Jenny creates a distraction, as Slater is able to grab the terrorists, as Jenny uses her athletic speed to get to the small bomb in time and throw it off the water supply entry. Slater then grabs the VX solution, which he saw being extracted earlier when he was left on the bus. Slater and Jenny rejoin the hostages as McGuinness also helps, as they overthrow the few remaining terrorists. The party survives, despite McGuinness getting injured from a shot in the shoulder. The military arrive, arrest the terrorists and save Santa Monica. ===== The game's plot revolves around a child named Andy (Guthy in the European game, mostly referred to on screen as "Toy Commander"), who gets new army-themed toys for Christmas, and neglects his childhood favorites. The toys, led by Huggy Bear, Andy's childhood teddy bear, rebel and try to destroy the new toys. Each boss in the game has taken over a specific area of the house, serving as one of Huggy Bear's Generals. ===== At an amusement park "Cave of Horrors" spook show, a man is stabbed to death with a knife. Left behind at the crime scene are a gold-plated name tag, a note from an unknown source asking the victim to meet him there and a piece of Cryotron transistor wire. Reporter Kirioka (Kōji Tsuruta), who has a background in science, Detective Kobayashi (Akihiko Hirata), a childhood friend of the reporter, and a slew of other police officers led by Captain Onosaki (Yoshio Tsuchiya) begin investigating... and end up involved with an even stranger case than they could have ever imagined. Clues lead them to the Military-Land Cabaret, a nightclub that serves drinks like "Hand Grenades" and "Missiles," has waitresses dressed in cute little sailor uniforms and a gold- painted dancer as the evening's entertainment. The club is owned by a man named Onishi (Seizaburo Kawazu), who is rumored to run an illegal narcotics smuggling ring out of his establishment and has a few dark secrets in his closet. Something that went down fourteen years earlier right as Japan was about ready to surrender to Allied Forces during WWII that's about to come back to haunt both him and the others who were involved. As it turns out, Onishi, along with the man found dead at the funhouse (a former sergeant) and two others; former intelligence agent Takashi and Construction Corp. foreman Taki (Sachio Sakai), were all military men 14 years earlier. They had been assigned to help protect scientist/electrical engineer Dr. Kajuro Nikki's (Takamaru Sasaki) top secret experiments in creating electronic weaponry. Instead, the men decided to throw out the doctor's experiment and fill the crates with stolen gold bars. The only opposition they faced was from Lance Corporal Tsudo (Tadao Nakamaru), who insisted the gold belonged to the people of his country. Onishi and the others stabbed Tsudo, shot Dr. Nikki, and barely made it out of the cave before it's blown up with dynamite. They returned there a year later, only to discover that both men's corpses and the gold were missing. Both Tsudo (now using the alias Goro Nakamoto) and Nikki (confined to a wheelchair and missing both legs) live quietly in seclusion on a remote farm located near an active volcano. Over the years, Nikki has perfected a transportation device capable of moving matter from one place to another in a matter of seconds. Unbeknownst to the good doctor, a (rightfully) bitter and vengeful Tsudo is secretly using his contraption to leap back and forth from his desired locations to get revenge on Onishi and the others; easily eluding the police in the process. Tsudo sends the gold dog tags as sort of a death sentence, sends audio tapes or notes to each of the men informing them when he plans on killing them and stabs each with a bayonet. They trace Tsudo to a desolate farm, but can prove nothing. The police find Nikki there, and his machines, but still no proof. Tsudo disappears. Meanwhile, one of the gangsters, Taki, is killed while in police protection. The gangster leader, Onishi, hides in a remote coastal village, but Sudo somehow knew he would and has a transmitter machine delivered there. Tsudo appears and stabs Onishi with a bayonet. The police give chase. Tsudo makes it to his hidden transmitter and starts the process. However, back at the ranch, a nearby volcano erupts. The tremors damage the house, shutting down the receiver. Tsudo dissolves amid moans of agony into oblivion. ===== Somewhere in Western-Central Europe in the 1860s, a trio of grave robbers, led by a man named Lynch (Herbert Fux), deliver a corpse to Baron Frankenstein (Joseph Cotten) and his assistant Dr. Marshall (Paul Müller), for obvious reanimation purposes. Baron Frankenstein's daughter Tania (Rosalba Neri) arrives from school, having completed her studies in medicine, and is greeted by her father and his young servant, the handsome but mildly intellectually disabled Thomas (Marino Masé). Tania reveals to her father that she has always understood his work with "animal transplants" to be a cover for his work reanimating corpses, and that she intends to follow in his footsteps and help him in his work. The next day, Frankenstein, Tania, and Marshall witness the execution of a criminal who is hanged down a well, Frankenstein and Marshall both have an eye toward harvesting the criminal's body for their experimentation. Law enforcement agent Captain Harris (Mickey Hargitay) arrives to harass Lynch at the hanging. Harris claims to be on to Lynch's grave robbing. That evening, having harvested salient body parts, Frankenstein and Marshall successfully reanimate a gruesome giant corpse with a scarred, misshapen head (Peter Whiteman) as Tania secretly watches. Almost instantly, however, this monster bear-hugs Frankenstein to death - breaking his back - then walks out of the castle. Tania and Marshall report the murder to Harris, but claim that it was a burglar. Harris points out that according to their description, the burglar would be over seven feet tall. The monster, roaming the countryside, comes across a couple having sex out in the open, and after scaring away the man, picks up the woman, who screams and then faints. The monster then carries her later body and drops it into a river, and when the body is later found by two men, the monster kills one by breaking his neck. After Harris questions Lynch, and Lynch refuses Tania's offer for more grave- robbing work, the monster breaks into Lynch's home while he is having sex with a local whore, and kills Lynch by beating him to death. The monster then kills a local farmer and his wife, and Lynch's two grave-robbing friends. Tania then goads Marshall into admitting harboring romantic feelings for her. She responds to his affections, but says that while Marshall's body is old, she finds the body of Thomas young and attractive. The "solution" to this situation will be to transplant Marshall's brilliant brain into the brain- damaged Thomas's young healthy body. To accomplish this, Tania seduces Thomas into having sex while Marshall secretly watches, and Marshall kills him with a pillow during their lovemaking. Tania then successfully transplants Marshall's brain into Thomas' body. Thomas now speaks with Marshall's voice and his body has become inhumanly strong as well. Meanwhile, Frankenstein's monster has continued to terrorize the town, and the local villagers, having had enough, arrive with torches and pitchforks before following the monster to the castle. In the chaos, the monster returns, knocks down Harris, and has a fight with Marshall/Thomas, who cuts off his arm. When the monster bear-hugs Marshall/Thomas, Tania stabs him in the back with a sword, and Marshall/Thomas kills him by puncturing his head open with a metal hand tool. The monster is defeated, but Tania has made it clear that she has no allegiance to Marshall. The villagers storm into the castle and set it aflame in the hopes of killing the monster. Harris arrives with Thomas's sister Julia (Renate Kasché) to see Tania and Marshall/Thomas naked and enjoying post-fight sexual intercourse as the castle burns beside them. However, during their lovemaking, Marshall/Thomas begins to choke Tania as the flames consume them. ===== The Isle of Glass is a novel in which the elven hero works against civil war, and heads on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. ===== While on a ski trip, Fry begins to feel nostalgic for 20th century Christmases. To cheer him up, the rest of the Planet Express staff decide to decorate for what is now called Xmas, which includes cutting down an Xmas tree (which are now palm trees, since pine trees are extinct). Fry's moping about his first Xmas without his family unknowingly agitates Leela, who has not felt happy about Xmas since she was an orphan, and storms off in tears. When the others call him out on his mistake, Fry goes to buy a present to cheer Leela up. They warn him to be back before sundown, or else he will be killed by a murderous robotic Santa Claus. In the year 2801, The Friendly Robot Company developed a robotic version of St. Nick himself to determine who has been naughty and who has been nice. Unfortunately, due to a programming error, the jolly robotic saint soon turned into a mad murderer when his standards were set too high. Thus, he will kill anyone who has been naughty, which, by his standards is essentially everybody. Meanwhile, Bender volunteers at a homeless robot shelter, albeit stealing some food from there. He befriends several homeless robots and goes on a robbery spree with them. Fry buys Leela a parrot, which escapes. Leela heads out to rescue Fry before Robot Santa arrives. After pursuing the parrot to the top of a tall building, Fry is saved from plunging to his death by Leela and the two reconcile in the song "Love Will Find A Way". Unfortunately, Fry and Leela's safety is short-lived, as sundown finally comes and the robotic Santa Claus makes his appearance and attacks the two friends, who seek solace in their loneliness and begin to fall in love with each other. Fry and Leela take refuge in the Planet Express building after being saved by Bender and his homeless robot friends, but Santa breaks in through the chimney and claims that they "all have been very naughty", apart from Dr. Zoidberg, whom he gifts a pogo stick. Thanks to some quick thinking by Zoidberg, who uses the pogo stick to cut the wires to the Christmas lights, which then electrocutes Santa, the crew manage to force Santa back into the chimney, where an explosion blows he and his mechanical reindeer sky high. During Xmas dinner, Fry gives a toast on the importance of togetherness at Xmas. Everyone celebrates by singing "Santa Claus Is Gunning You Down". The professor, nude, wishes the viewers "Merry XMas, everyone!" ===== Amy and Leela drag Fry and Bender to the gym because they are badly out of shape, and Dr. Zoidberg tags along. Fry luxuriates in the coed steam room with Leela and Amy, only to be told that it's the women's steam room. Leela and Amy make fun of Fry's genitals, and what poor women in the 20th century had to put up with before genetic engineering. Meanwhile, Zoidberg is behaving erratically and aggressively, and even displays his head fin. He runs berserk through the gym. Back at the laboratory, Professor Farnsworth examines a restrained Zoidberg, and determines that it is mating season for Zoidberg's species. The crew flies to Zoidberg's home planet, Decapod 10,arriving 19 hours before the mating frenzy. After a short tour of his "old scuttling grounds", and the stadium where the ceremony of Claw-Plach takes place, Zoidberg sets up a mound on the beach and begins trying to attract a mate. He is rejected by numerous Decapodian women, especially Edna, an old high school classmate and former crush, leaving him very depressed, as all the other males except him have attracted mates. Fry begins teaching Zoidberg how to win Edna's heart using human romance techniques. Zoidberg struggles to understand how this could work but he eventually gets the idea, and, using his new-found techniques, successfully woos Edna to go on a date. While at a restaurant, Leela reveals to Edna that Fry is responsible for the change in Zoidberg, and the words he is using.. Under the pretext of discussing Zoidberg, Edna invites Fry to her apartment and begins an unsuccessful attempt at seducing him, pinning him down. Zoidberg walks in, witnesses this, and challenges Fry to Claw-Plach, a ritual fight to the death. In the Claw-Plach arena, Fry is about to defeat Zoidberg, but cannot bring himself to kill his friend. A still incensed Zoidberg cuts Fry's arm off with his claw to teach him a lesson, prompting an astounded Fry to retaliate, proceeding to beat Zoidberg with his severed arm. After more fighting, Fry and Zoidberg look up to discover the entire Decapodian audience has left – including Edna, who has decided to mate with the king. Once every Decapodian is underwater, masses of eggs float to the surface after the mating frenzy of the species. However, it is revealed that Decapodians die after mating, and so Zoidberg's life has been spared by his failure to secure a mate. He apologizes to Fry for attempting to kill him, and the two make amends. On the Planet Express ship on the way home, Zoidberg attaches Fry's severed arm, but puts it on the same side as the other arm. Fry asks Zoidberg to give it another try. As the ship heads towards earth, Fry can be heard screaming "My leg!", to which Zoidberg replies "Alright, third times a charm". ===== Amy buys a car at Malfunctioning Eddie's Rocket-car Emporium, and Fry joins her on a road trip to Mercury that leads to a long wait for a tow truck after they run out of gas. Then, she and Fry begin a romantic relationship after having sex on the return trip. Meanwhile, Bender refuses to get the recommended safety features installed on his rear end and is warned that it could explode at any time. With Valentine's Day approaching, Bender decides to start a computer dating service. Fry worries that his new relationship with Amy is becoming too serious, so he asks Leela to come with them on a picnic to Europa they had planned. When she refuses, Fry asks Dr. Zoidberg to come with them. Zoidberg joins them, but when Fry asks him to drive, he accidentally pulls the wheel off, crashing the car. Fry wakes up to find Zoidberg telling him that his body was badly damaged in the crash. Fry, in shock, discovers his head was grafted onto Amy's shoulder in order to be kept alive. After returning to Earth, Fry breaks up with an unwilling Amy, and she makes Valentine's Day plans with another man. Fry, Amy, and Amy's date wind up at the restaurant Elzar's, where all the people who applied to Bender's dating service—including Leela—are with their dates. All these dates are flops, however; Bender merely rounded up a bunch of strangers from the bus station, and they all leave for the bus ride home. Amy hits it off with her date, and she is about to leave with him—and Fry's unwilling head. Luckily for Fry, Leela spots him across the room and comes over to save him. Leela tricks Amy's boyfriend into talking about his job in bank regulation, and he soon winds up talking very boringly, distracting him from leaving with Amy. Fry quietly thanks Leela for the assistance. The next day, Zoidberg reattaches Fry's head to his now-repaired body, and everything returns to normal. Some of the nerves in Fry's neck were apparently rewired so that Fry's left leg hits him every time he touches his neck. As a result, Fry accidentally kicks Bender, and the robot's rear end explodes. ===== While visiting the Past-o-rama theme park, Fry runs over a robot with an uncanny resemblance to Bender. They bring him back to the Planet Express building, where Professor Farnsworth repairs him. The robot's name is Flexo, and like Bender, he is a bending unit. The only physical difference between the two is that Flexo has a goatee. Bender and Flexo hit it off, but Flexo soon begins to grate on the nerves of Fry, who suspects him of being evil, despite his behavior being similar to Bender's. The Professor reveals an atom of the fictional element Jumbonium, which the crew is to deliver to the Miss Universe pageant, to be held on Tova 9. Due to the value of the atom, the Professor hires Flexo as additional security. Leela assigns Fry, Bender, and Flexo shifts guarding the atom, but when Fry's shift comes up he falls asleep due to staying up during all of Flexo's shift, and the atom is stolen. Fry not only suspects Flexo, but believes he has disguised himself as Bender. After Bender re-establishes his identity, Fry, Leela, and Bender head off to inform pageant host Bob Barker's head of the theft. They burst into the contest in pursuit of Flexo, and he and Bender start to fight. At the end of the fight, Bender's chest cavity door is knocked open, revealing the atom. Flexo tells the rest of the crew that he had seen Bender steal the atom and left to inform Bob Barker. With the atom recovered, and Flexo accidentally imprisoned for Bender's crime due to Bob Barker's disinterest in his identity, the pageant concludes with a giant paramecium (from Vega 4) being crowned Miss Universe, only after Leela is mistakenly crowned first due to a miscommunication from judge Zapp Brannigan. ===== At the morning Planet Express meeting, the crew discovers Hermes has been assimilated by the Brain Slugs. To avoid Hermes' slack-jawed stare and being assimilated themselves, the rest of the staff takes off for the movies. While watching All My Circuits, The Movie, Bender picks a fight with a robot that turns out to be the Ultimate Robot Fighting champion The Masked Unit. The Masked Unit trips on Bender's oil- soaked popcorn, and is knocked out by the fall. Coincidentally, the commissioner of Ultimate Robot Fighting, Abner Doubledeal, is at the movie, and hires Bender on the spot. After training with Leela, Bender has his first fight against a chainsaw-equipped robot called The Clearcutter. Seemingly by a stroke of luck, Bender defeats his opponent, causing The Clearcutter to explode into a pile of parts. However, Bender runs into the robot backstage, and the commissioner reveals that Ultimate Robot Fighting is fixed, and that the most popular robot always wins. Bender is shocked at first, but then celebrates the fact that he is popular. Bender spurns further training from Leela, and proceeds to win several fights, but eventually, his popularity wanes, and he is told that he can either take a dive in his new role as 'The Gender Bender', or be killed by his giant opponent, Destructor. Bender asks Leela for help, but she initially refuses. When she discovers that Destructor is being trained by Arcturan kung-fu Master Fnog, she changes her mind. The misogynist Fnog had ruined Leela's dream of competing in the Arcturan Kung-fu junior championships years ago, and Leela still holds a grudge. Bender tries to fight Destructor, but takes a merciless beating in the ring. He begs Fry to throw in the towel, but sees that Fry now has a Brain Slug on his head. Meanwhile, Leela discovers that Destructor is being controlled remotely (using motion capture and virtual reality) by Fnog, hidden beneath the ring. They proceed to fight, but just as Fnog is winning, Leela grabs his fist and forces it into the floor; when Destructor copies this move, his fist smashes through the canvas and knocks Fnog out. Destructor collapses on top of Bender, pinning him and winning the match. The flattened Bender receives a Bed Bath & Beyond discount card, and Fry and Leela roll him up and carry him home. Fry's Brain Slug is found on the arena floor, having starved to death. ===== In Kansas City, 1933, police lieutenant Speer goes to a diner for coffee. Two men arrive, looking for a former cop turned private eye named Mike Murphy. Speer and Murphy were good friends, until the latter left the force. The men pounce on Murphy, the minute he arrives. Speer ignores them, until a goon causes him to spill his coffee. Both goons are thrown through the front door. Murphy sarcastically thanks Speer for saving his life. The two rivals have eyes for Murphy's secretary Addy. She loves both and proves it when, after tenderly kissing Murphy goodbye, she goes on a date with Speer. Murphy has a new romantic interest, a rich socialite named Caroline Howley, but finds himself unable to commit. Speer and Addy go to a boxing match at which the mob boss Leon Coll is present. Murphy's partner Diehl Swift is also there, and seems to be in cahoots with Primo Pitt and his gang. Swift is in possession of a suitcase whose contents are supposed to be the accounting records of Coll's operations. The ledgers are the target of both Pitt's gang and Coll's gang. Coll's financial records are actually in the possession of his bookkeeper, who met and colluded with Swift earlier at the Club where black singer Ginny Lee is the star attraction. Swift leaves the boxing ring, tailed by Speer and Addy, and is confronted by Pitt and his thugs at his apartment with Ginny, who is taken hostage. She manages to escape but Swift is killed during a struggle with Pitt. A thug opens the suitcase, but it is empty. He picks up Swift's body and throws it out the window, where it lands on the roof of Speer's parked car (which is occupied by the horrified Addy, who waits while Speer goes to investigate in the apartment). Murphy vows revenge on Pitt for killing his partner. He asks Speer for assistance and they form an alliance. After meeting with Murphy at a movie, Ginny is confronted by Pitt's thugs outside the theater. As she tries to escape, she is hit by a car and seriously injured. After Murphy shows Addy the 'laundry' which contains the missing financial records, two goons shoot holes through his apartment door. He hits them with a baseball bat when they charge in, and runs. A huge gun fight between Coll's men and Pitt's men breaks out on the street below. Murphy hides as the rival thugs battle it out, with Lieutenant Speer watching until one puts a round through Speer's car windshield. Speer pulls out a 12-gauge shotgun, walks up the street, and finishes the fight. Murphy and Speer vow to avenge Ginny and also to rescue Caroline, who has been kidnapped by Pitt's gang to force Murphy to hand over the missing records. A final showdown with Pitt and his gang occurs in a warehouse. In a high class bordello, Speer and Murphy rescue Caroline. Coll shows up holding Addy at gunpoint and demands his records. Murphy hands over the books in exchange for Addy, but the suitcase is booby-trapped; Coll's car is blown up with him in it. The movie ends with Speer, Addy, Murphy, and Caroline double-dating at the Club, listening to Ginny sing and enjoying themselves - until Murphy's smart mouth provokes a brawl with some of the other patrons. ===== The Professor bears good news to the Planet Express crew: several years ago he tried to log onto AOL, and it has finally connected. He sends the crew into the Internet for fun. While playing the video game Death Factory III, Leela meets another cyclops, but Fry blasts his virtual form before she can find out who he is and where he comes from. The crew is sent on a mission to deliver popcorn to Cineplex 14. However, the other cyclops recorded her screen name beforehand and sends her a video message. Leela abandons the delivery, and heads off to the coordinates provided. The cyclops introduces himself as Alcazar, sole survivor of the destruction of the planet Cyclopia. He shows Leela some of the capital city's landmarks, including the sacred Forbidden Valley, before bringing her to the castle where he lives. He says Cyclopia was destroyed by a missile launched by the blind mole people of Subterra 3. Before the destruction, Cyclopia's smartest scientist sent away a baby who Leela concludes must have been her. Alcazar was employed as a pool cleaner and was spared from the chaos while fishing out a dead possum. Leela decides it is her duty to help rebuild the Cyclopian civilization, primarily by procreating with Alcazar. While Bender loots everything of value, Fry, feeling suspicious of Alcazar, tries to investigate the Forbidden Valley, only to stumble into a trap door leading to a dungeon. Now that Leela is committed to Alcazar for the good of their race, he becomes abusive to her, demanding she carry out menial work and humiliating her in front of his friends. Fry tries to convince Leela to dump Alcazar; he almost persuades her when Alcazar proposes marriage. Flattered, Leela accepts. Leela refuses Fry's entreaties to let him out of the dungeon. Instead he escapes, and he and Bender break into the Forbidden Valley. They discover four other castles, identical except that the decorations depict different species. They return and interrupt Leela's wedding, bringing with them four women, each of a different species, and each scheduled to be married to Alcazar on the same day as Leela. Alcazar, flustered, involuntarily reveals his true nature as a shape-shifting, cricket- like alien. After the women beat him into submission, he explains that he played with their emotions in order to fulfill his needs to have them scrub his castles, and that he had to stage all the weddings on one day because tuxedos that change shape are expensive to rent. Leela leaves with the rest of the Planet Express crew. The Professor tells Leela she will have plenty of years to search for her true home while paying for the popcorn shipment she destroyed, but Leela disconsolately wonders "How many planets could there be?" as she looks out at a vast, starry space. ===== Professor Farnsworth receives word from Mars University that they are revoking his professorship. When he arrives before the university's professors, he discovers his crew is actually throwing him a surprise party celebrating his 150th birthday. After he sees a short film summarizing his life, Farnsworth becomes concerned with his own mortality, and decides he needs to name a successor. The Planet Express staff each expects one of them will be named, but Farnsworth reveals that his successor will be a 12-year-old clone of himself, Cubert Farnsworth. Cubert decides that being an inventor is not an appealing career choice. He makes cutting remarks about Farnsworth and his inventions, which include a time travel machine and a translator which turns words into an incomprehensible, dead language (French). A depressed Farnsworth makes a recording telling his crew that he has been lying about his age; he is actually 160, the age when robots from the Sunset Squad take people away, never to be seen again. Under cover of a thunderstorm, a Grim Reaper-like hooded robot arrives and takes Farnsworth away in a hearse-type hover car. The crew set off to rescue Farnsworth, and find the Near-Death Star, the Sunset Squad's base of operations. The crew sneak in with Fry dressed up as Farnsworth, with Cubert on his back posing as a hump to make him look "old", carrying a jar full of Cubert's blood as a DNA sample. They locate the professor, who is unconscious and hooked to a life-support system. The robots discover the crew, who then race back to the Planet Express Ship, Farnsworth in tow. As they reach the landing pad Cubert is knocked unconscious, but they make it onto the ship in one piece. When the ship takes off, the robots open fire, damaging the engines. A reawakened Cubert announces that he knows how to fix the engines, and the crew make their escape. Safely back on Earth, Cubert tells Farnsworth that he has decided to follow in his footsteps. ===== Hermes is excited because the Central Bureaucracy is conducting an inspection the next day, and he expects to be promoted to a Grade 35 bureaucrat. Leela hosts a poker game with her former co-workers from the cryogenics lab at the office that night. Bender is caught cheating and takes refuge in Hermes’ office. The other players find him, and savagely beat him, trashing the office in the process. The mess costs Hermes his promotion, and the inspector, Morgan Proctor, places Hermes on paid vacation, making him feel dejected. Morgan appoints herself acting Planet Express head-bureaucrat. Doctor Zoidberg suggests Hermes and his wife LaBarbara take a trip to Spa 5, the sauna planet which gives him a bucket of krill for every patient he sends there. Morgan, who has a fetish for men who aren't "neat freaks", begins a secret affair with Fry for his messy instincts. Fry is promoted to Executive Delivery Boy, and no longer goes on actual deliveries. After Bender discovers the illicit affair and tries to blackmail them, Morgan downloads his personality and intelligence to a floppy disk, turning him into a mindless drone. She then sends the disk off to the Central Bureaucracy for filing. Hermes discovers Spa 5 is actually a forced labor camp, and begins to use his natural managerial skills to reorganize the camp for efficiency, to the torment of his fellow workers. The rest of the Planet Express staff infiltrate the Central Bureaucracy in order to recover Bender’s mind. After bypassing several employees and security systems, the crew learns that Bender's brain is in one of an enormous pile of pneumatic tube capsules. Hermes, who has regained his love of bureaucracy, and LaBarbara return from Spa 5. In a musical number, he sorts and files everything in the pile of tubes with amazing speed, finding the disk with Bender’s brain in the last tube. He is restored to his original rank of Grade 36 by Number 1.0, the head of the Central Bureaucracy, but immediately demoted to Grade 38 for finishing two seconds early, since bureaucrats should not finish early. Because Morgan is still in charge of Planet Express, she fires Fry for exposing their affair. However, Hermes exposes a mistake she made on her high school prom date papers, having stamped them only four times instead of the standard five. Number 1.0 promotes Hermes to Grade 37 for this, and in turn, orders his assistants to get the papers needed to have Morgan taken away. The Professor re-hires Hermes, but at severely reduced pay in order to pay back the damage done to the office and the Bureaucracy; Hermes does the same to Fry in turn, then cheerfully cuts everyone else's pay as well. ===== A bureaucratic mix-up results in Hermes receiving a "mandatory fishing license" instead of a pet license for Nibbler. The crew takes the Planet Express Ship to the center of the Atlantic Ocean, and starts fishing. After failing to catch anything, a bored Bender fashions a large fish hook and attaches it to the ship's unbreakable diamond filament tether. Sunset comes, and the crew is ready to head back to New New York. Bender begins to haul in his line, but he has caught a colossal-mouth bass. The bass dives, dragging the ship to the bottom of the ocean before the hook slips loose. The Planet Express Ship survives its trek to the bottom, but its engines will not work underwater. Professor Farnsworth conveniently has an anti-pressure suppository which Fry uses to go help forage for food with Bender and Dr. Zoidberg. Separated from them, Fry sees a mermaid; but when he returns to the ship, no one believes him. That night, the mermaid, Umbriel, lures Fry out of the ship, and they leave to explore the wonders of the ocean bottom. The next morning, the crew finishes modifying the ship to return to the surface, but finds Fry missing. They set off following Zoidberg's underwater sense of smell to track him, and find the legendary lost city of Atlanta. There, they find a civilization of merpeople who speak Southern American English. A documentary (narrated by Donovan) explains that Atlanta moved offshore in an effort to boost tourism but eventually sank to the bottom of the ocean under the weight of its own overdevelopment, and everyone who chose to stay in the city evolved into merpeople. When Bender points out that it would take millions of years for humans to evolve into merpeople, and questions how the people of Atlanta could've done so in less than a thousand years, Umbriel explains that the evolution process was greatly sped up due to the leaking caffeine from the Coca-Cola bottling plant. Ready to leave, the crew heads back to the ship. Fry announces he is going to stay in Atlanta to be with Umbriel, shocking the crew. Fry settles in to enjoy his life with Umbriel, but abandons her out of disgust after she explains sexual intercourse between merpeople. As he runs to try and catch up with his friends, the Planet Express ship leaves without him. Seeing that Bender's hook is still attached to the tether, Fry grabs hold and is dragged behind the ship. The colossal- mouth bass returns, and is hooked when it swallows Fry whole. The bass stays caught, and Fry returns to the surface with the rest of the crew. ===== The film opens with a scene of a woman having sex with an apparently female angel. No explanation is given in the film. The back of the DVD cover says the Angel of Death impregnates a mortal woman, causing the dead to come alive. The next shot is of seventeen months later as Susan works her way through a mostly abandoned town on foot. She encounters some of the living dead, including one who gave up his arm to research. Though they seem somewhat bewildered and eager to please, she catches one zombie stealing gas from her car. She chases him and puts a bullet through his gas canister. It explodes dousing the zombie in flames. Susan returns to her car leaves town. Outside of town, her car runs out of gas. She then finds herself surrounded by zombies to force her from her car. A preacher claims her car for the service of the Lord and drives off after the zombies refill the gas tank. After walking on foot for a while, another car pulls up. The driver offers her a ride. She holds him at gun point and holds a mirror under his nose. When he doesn't exhale warm moist air, she determines him to be a zombie. She takes the car from him (he doesn't put up a fight) and drives for a while, listening to an announcer discussing the current situation on the radio. He doesn't have much information. Arriving in a new town, she encounters some living people who direct her to a safe house to stay the night (After giving her the mirror test). While staying there, she encounters Mary, a dead woman pretending to be alive, they shower together. Mary tells Susan that she poisoned herself so she can be beautiful forever. Susan, trusts Mary enough to share the bedroom together. Susan sleeps while Mary plays the harmonium. Susan has a dream where she walks in a graveyard and performs fellatio on her sidearm. At this point the house is attacked by militant zombies (excited by the Preacher who stole Susan's car). This group of Zombies believes these are the end times and God will return once humanity is all dead. They are intent on converting living humans into their way of, uh, metabolism. Waking up surprised, Susan accidentally shoots Mary in the head, destroying Mary's hope of being beautiful forever. The owner of the house, who looks like the woman from the intro but isn't, is shot in the back at close range with a shotgun. She was pregnant but her wound aborts the baby out the front. Susan watches as the newly dead mother begins to nurse the newly dead fetus. Susan escapes and encounters the preacher who stole her car. She threatens him while he tries to convince her that death is better than life. Susan gives him the mirror test and discovers that he is still alive. Another shot to the face from Susan and the preacher is now one of the undead. Susan gets her car and her food back and arrives at the apartment of her boyfriend. He's also killed himself but is up and about. The bathtub is filled with his blood. Her boyfriend has lost his mind. He kept hearing the phone ringing and hearing the dead talking to him (including a cremated mother and a sister who never even knew how to use a phone.) They can't have sex because he has no blood pressure (his blood is in the bathtub after all), so they have intercourse using her gun as a strap-on. He slips poison into her milk. He wants her to be dead and beautiful forever. She tries to induce vomiting, but he stops her. Before she dies, she manages to throw him out the window, breaking most of his bones (and destroying his hope of being young and beautiful forever). The last sequence of the film is a montage switching back and forth between the preacher making splints for her boyfriend and Susan putting tears in her eyes from the faucet so she can mourn her own death. ===== Every Mother's Day, robots made in Mom's Friendly Robot Company factories around the world give gifts, money, and cards to the owner of the corporation, Mom. Despite extensively promoting the holiday, Mom actually hates the day and is in an even more bitter mood this year, remembering a romantic affair that had ended 70 years prior. Such doomed romance had been with a younger Professor Hubert Farnsworth, then an employee of Mom's Friendly Robot Company. When Mom insisted that the Professor's latest design, a children's toy named Q.T. McWhiskers, be changed to an eight-foot- tall death machine to be sold on the intergalactic arms market, the Professor, enraged, stormed out of the room, and they had not seen each other since. In revenge, Mom attempts to become the "supreme overlord of Earth" for this Mother's Day, ordering the entire robot population of the planet to rebel and overthrow humanity through a control that transmits to every robot's antenna. Wishing to end the robot rebellion and save humanity, Mom's three sons, Walt, Larry, and Igner, cooperate with the Planet Express crew to obtain the robot control Mom keeps in her bra. Their plan is to bring Mom to her rustic cabin near New New York, have the Professor seduce her, remove her bra, and use the control to end the rebellion. When the Professor and Mom do meet at the cabin, however, their love is rekindled, and they erupt into sex. Amidst this, everyone else comes in to escape the robots, who have made their way to the cabin. In order for their romantic evening not to be interrupted, Mom decides to finally call off the rebellion. Mom dumps the Professor after learning of the initial plot. Life is then returned to normal. ===== When the Planet Express crew lands on a planet in search for a fast food restaurant, they find that it abounds in a delicious edible life- form, which they call "Popplers". The highly addictive "Popplers" soon inspire a new business venture for the crew. Unfortunately, after Popplers become an incredibly popular food item and the organization MEAT (Mankind for Ethical Animal Treatment) begins to protest against them, it is learned that they are the larval stage of the Omicronian race, and that the planet where they came from is one of the nursery planets of the Omicronians. Leela, the first to discover this when a Poppler awakens in her hands, leads the charge to stop the eating of Popplers. This mostly fails, partly due to Bender's subversive actions. The warlike natives of Omicron Persei 8, led by Lrrr, arrive to seek justice for humans devouring billions of their young. The Omicronians demand that they be allowed to eat the same number of Earthlings as "Popplers" which were eaten. Since there are fewer humans on Earth than the number of Popplers that were eaten, and since Lrrr filled up on nuts during the negotiations, the Omicronians choose instead to eat the first Earthling to eat their young: Leela. In order to fool the Omicronians, Zapp Brannigan brings a female orangutan dressed and styled as Leela. The Omicronians are initially fooled because they have difficulty recognizing individual humans; however, hippie Free Waterfall Junior exposes the sham to protect "one of Mother Earth's most precious creatures". After realizing the trick, and after Ndnd eats the orangutan, Lrrr demands the real Leela. With Leela in Lrrr's mouth, the small Omicronian, Jrrr, whom Leela had been nannying since birth, arrives. Jrrr jumps into Leela's mouth and convinces the Omicronians that it is wrong to eat other intelligent life out of revenge. The Omicronians leave, but not before Lrrr devours Waterfall Junior. The amount of drugs in Waterfall's system leads to Lrrr becoming stoned. The episode ends with the Planet Express Crew eating a smorgasbord buffet of unintelligent animals, including a suckling pig and a dolphin who wasted all his money on instant-lottery tickets. ===== Professor Farnsworth shows the crew his new invention, the Fing- Longer, a glove with a long rod meant to be used as an extension of the pointer-finger. He demonstrates it by activating the What-if machine, a device that allows the user to view a simulation of a hypothetical scenario after the user asks it a 'what-if' question. ===== Fry and Bender enlist in the Earth Army to take advantage of the 5% military discount to buy Big Pink (ham-flavoured chewing gum). Within seconds of their enlistment, Earth declares war on Spheron I, a planet that commanding general Zapp Brannigan describes as devoid of any natural resources and possessing no strategic value. Concerned for her friends' safety, Leela attempts to enlist, but she is unable to do so with the Army's men-only policy. Leela sneaks aboard the Nimbus disguised as a man under the name of Lee Lemon, and Brannigan finds himself attracted to this new soldier. Leela takes additional advantage of her disguise to coax Fry into revealing his romantic inclinations, and Fry freely admits that he has a crush on Leela. The troops are deployed to Spheron I and discover that the enemy is a race of sentient, ball-like creatures. During a battle, a bomb is thrown, Bender opens his chest plate and throws himself on it, absorbing the explosion yet leaving him in critical condition. After the battle, Brannigan sentences Fry to become Kif's assistant for being a war coward, while Bender, now a hero, is treated at a field hospital. As the soldiers regroup at camp, Richard Nixon's Head sends Bender, now an officer, and Henry Kissinger's Head to negotiate with the Spheron leaders. Leela overhears Nixon and Brannigan discussing the true plan: while Bender was recovering, Nixon had a bomb implanted inside him; the weapon will detonate with enough force to destroy the entire planet when Bender says his most used word, "ass". Leela and Fry steal a helicopter (after beating up Brannigan for it) and fly to the negotiating hall; in the process, Leela reveals her identity. Fry is amazed, while Brannigan is merely pleased that his attraction to "Lee Lemon" was in fact heterosexual. Fry stops Bender from accidentally activating the bomb. Bender then threatens to active the bomb in order to coerce the Brain Balls to surrender. The spheres surrender the planet, incidentally revealing that Spheron I is actually their home world, and then bounce into space and disappear. Back at Planet Express, Professor Farnsworth and Zoidberg try to remove the bomb from Bender's body, unsuccessfully. Instead, they reset the bomb's trigger, taking it from the list of words least said by him. Despite Bender's pleas, the crew refuses to tell him the new trigger word but during the rolling of the credits Bender correctly guesses "antiquing". After a boom and flash, Bender states that he is "alright". ===== As part of his late uncle Vladimir's last will, Bender must spend the night in his family's sinister old castle near Thermostadt, the capital of the Robo- Hungarian Empire, in order to inherit it. However, the castle's holographic "robot ghosts" cause him to flee out into the night, where he is run over by a mysterious non-hover car. After returning to New New York, Bender begins to experience nightmares and blackouts, and believes that the car has followed him home. In the city, mysterious tire tracks are discovered at places where Bender has been. Worried, he seeks "professional help" from a coin-operated Gypsy Bot machine. It informs him that he was run over by a "werecar", the robotic equivalent of a werewolf, and has thus become one himself. He is cursed to keep running people over and eventually kill his best friend. The only thing that can lift the curse is the destruction of the original werecar. That night, Bender indeed turns into a sedan and goes after Leela. This angers Fry, who takes it as a sign that Bender does not consider him to be his best friend. After narrowly surviving Bender's nocturnal rampage, the crew returns to the village near Vladimir's castle. From there, they follow a trail of various bizarre werecars, until they ultimately find the original werecar: Project Satan, a demonic car built a thousand years earlier from parts of the most evil cars in history. Bender once again transforms, and this time goes after Fry, which overjoys him as he sees it as proof that he is Bender's best friend after all. Project Satan accidentally drives into a large furnace, destroying himself and lifting the curse. A back to normal Bender grieves upon apparently killing Fry, but is relieved when Fry emerges from his compartment alive and admits he is grateful for their friendship. However, Bender strangles Fry for taking his last beer. ===== To entertain themselves, Fry and Bender fly off with the Planet Express Ship. The ship is anchored to the building using an unbreakable diamond tether. As the ship is piloted on a round-the-world joyride, the building is dragged behind it, smashing into a number of landmarks. Professor Farnsworth has Hermes fire Fry and Bender for taking the ship, and Leela for leaving the keys in the ship knowing of their stupidity. Leela re-implants her and Fry's old career chips, but she mixes them up. Fry is hired for Leela's old cryogenics counselor job, Leela is forced to be a delivery boy, and Bender has the arm and the career chip from the prime minister of Norway. In the lab, Fry finds that Pauly Shore is frozen in a tube and thaws him out. Shore explains he was supposed to be thawed out in Hollywood for the 1000-year anniversary screening of Jury Duty II. When Fry goes to greet the next thawed person, he is shocked to find that it is his old girlfriend, Michelle, who froze herself back in the year 2000 after her life fell apart. Fry introduces Michelle to the world of the year 3000, but she has problems adapting to the future. She convinces Fry to join her as she re- freezes herself for another thousand years. They awake in a post-apocalyptic wasteland with a green, polluted sky. They join a society of feral children armed with heavy weaponry. Though initially content to be a member of the society, at Michelle's nagging Fry challenges the leader of the society. Fry and the teen wage a Deathboarding street battle amongst freeways and armored cars battling one another with machine guns. Their battle is prematurely ended when the children are picked up for Hebrew school by their mother in an armored SUV. Confused by this new world and tired of Michelle's nagging, Fry leaves her and wanders through the desolate wilderness on his own. Fry spots signs of a city on the horizon. When he arrives, he finds himself standing in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. The Planet Express ship lands in the street, and the crew leaps out, glad to have found Fry. They explain to Fry that he and Michelle were actually only frozen for two days. The desolate wasteland is not a post-apocalyptic New York in the year 4000, but Los Angeles in the year 3000. Fry was in Pauly Shore's tube, and when the delivery crew discovered en route to Hollywood that Pauly Shore was not in the tube, they tossed it into a ditch. A limousine passes by, revealing that Michelle is now in a relationship with Pauly. As the Planet Express ship flies home, Fry asks The Professor if he can have his job back. The Professor, after being reminded by Bender of what happened earlier in the episode, drops Fry through a trap door instead.Pratt, Douglas. (2004). "Doug Pratt's DVD: Movies, Television, Music, Art, Adult, and More!, Volume 1". Retrieved August 18, 2015. ===== In the early phase of the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, a small US Army intelligence and reconnaissance squad (selected for their high IQs) is sent to occupy a deserted chateau near the German lines to gather information on the enemy's movements. Losses from an earlier patrol has reduced the squad to just six men: Sgt. Knott, Miller, Avakian, Shutzer, Wilkins and Mundy. On their way to the chateau, the men discover the frozen corpses of a German and an American in a standing embrace, seemingly arranged by the Germans as a grim joke. Settling into their temporary home, they soon discover they are not alone. A group of German soldiers has occupied a position nearby. While out on patrol, Knott, Miller and Shutzer see a trio of German soldiers aiming their weapons at them, but the Germans then vanish without shooting. The Germans, clearly more skilled and experienced than the young GIs, soon leave calling cards, start a snowball fight one evening and offer a Christmas truce. At first, the Americans think the Germans are taunting them, but it eventually becomes clear that the Germans wish to talk to them. Shutzer speaks enough German to communicate with them, and they are revealed to be a small group of teenagers led by an aging officer. Having survived the Russian front and sensing that the end of the war is imminent, the Germans say that they wish to surrender. However, they ask that the Americans pretend that the Germans were captured in combat in order to protect their families from possible retribution for their desertion. The Americans agree, but keep the plan from Wilkins, who has been mentally unstable since learning of the death of his child back home. The two groups meet and proceed to fire their weapons into the air as planned. However, Wilkins hears the shooting and thinks that the engagement is real. Arriving at the scene, Wilkins opens fire at the Germans who, thinking they have been tricked, immediately shoot back. The situation immediately goes out of control and Knott's squad shoots all the Germans, but Mundy is fatally wounded and Shutzer is shot but survives. Mundy's final words are to beg the others not to tell Wilkins that the skirmish was intended to be fake. The squad's superior officer arrives, reprimanding them for their conduct, before taking Shutzer back for treatment (they later receive word that he died in the hospital). Left alone again, the four remaining soldiers quietly reflect as they try to celebrate Christmas and clean Mundy's body in a bathtub. Knott makes a $100 bet with the despondent Wilkins that he will survive the war. The squad is soon forced to flee as the Germans attack the area in strength. Carrying Mundy's corpse, the men disguise themselves as medics and escape back to American lines. When there, Knott is informed that Wilkins has been recommended for the Bronze Star and transferred to the motor pool, while the rest of the squad will be sent into the front lines to fight as regular infantry. An epilogue screen tells that after the war, Avakian was married, Miller disappeared and Wilkins sent Knott $10 with a blank Christmas card each year for ten years to pay Knott for having lost their bet. ===== At Angel Investigations, Cordelia is painfully reminded of the unfortunate state of her life. Her acting career is not advancing and she lives in a dank, dirty apartment where the utilities do not work well and cockroaches roam freely. When she goes home to a floor covered in roaches, she flees to move in with Angel. Meanwhile, Doyle is in debt to some demons and one comes to collect, or to kill Doyle as a message to others if he cannot pay. Doyle manages to escape and stops by Angel's place the next morning. Angel wants Cordelia out of his apartment, so agrees to help Doyle deal with his demon trouble if he will help Cordelia find an apartment. Doyle and Cordelia go apartment hunting. After many failed attempts, Cordelia finds the perfect apartment. Telling Doyle that the unsightly wall that needs removing adds to its perfection, Cordelia immediately closes the deal. In the meantime, Angel waits at Doyle's apartment until the demon, Griff, shows up. Griff explains that his boss no longer cares about the money, but needs to make an example of Doyle by having him killed. Angel placates him and promises Doyle will pay. Meanwhile, Cordelia has discovered that the apartment is haunted when the music plays by itself. She pluckily tries to scare the ghost away. Angel and Doyle stop by and realize there really is a ghost. They carry Cordelia, struggling, out the door, promising to help her perform an exorcism. Angel does not understand why Cordelia is fighting so hard to keep the apartment. She explains that she feels she is being punished with an awful life because of how nasty she was when she was younger. If she can get a nice apartment, then it shows that she will stop being punished. The team researches the building's history for a clue to the ghost's identity. The evidence points to Maude Pearson, builder, owner and first resident of the Pearson Arms building. While Doyle goes to pick up the arcane supplies for the exorcism, Angel finds out from Detective Kate Lockley that Maude Pearson died suddenly of a heart attack, and her son, with whom she was fighting because she disapproved of his fiancée, vanished afterwards. It seems clear to Angel: the son killed his mother, then skipped town with his girlfriend. Angel then learns that while there have never been any murders reported in the apartment, there has been a long string of suicides there. The ghost lures Cordelia back to the apartment by imitating Angel's own voice, and Angel and Doyle, realizing what's happened, rush to the apartment. At the apartment, Cordelia is being attacked by Maude and begins to reach the point of emotional collapse under Maude's spate of abuse, targeting Cordelia's feelings of worthlessness. Doyle and Angel arrive just in time to rescue Cordelia, whom the ghost has hung by the neck with the chandelier string. They begin the exorcism without Cordelia, who is a sobbing wreck due to Maude tormenting her, but a cyclone of flying debris prevents them from completing the ritual. When the three try to leave, the door suddenly opens to reveal three demons with large guns, determined to kill Doyle. A brawl ensues, while Maude telekinetically pulls Cordelia back into the bedroom to continue torturing her. However, when Maude calls Cordelia a bitch, it reminds Cordelia of her former reputation, and she begins to fight back. She screams at Maude, causing the ghost to temporarily vanish, and then Cordelia proceeds to start to obliterate the disliked apartment wall. As Angel snaps Griff's neck, the hole Cordelia has made in the wall exposes a rotting skeleton and the presence of a second ghost. In a mystical flashback, the team learns that Maude Pearson prevented her son Dennis from leaving with his fiancée by bricking him alive into this wall. Upon completion, Maude suffered a heart attack and died. She screams, as the ghost of her son Dennis attacks, dispersing and banishing his mother's ghost forever. In the coda, order restored, Angel reminds Doyle that he'll need to reveal his background at some point. Meanwhile, Cordelia, who has found her "inner bitch" again, now feels comfortable speaking with her Sunnydale friends about her exciting life in Los Angeles. She admits she has a roommate, but claims she "never sees him." Hearing himself mentioned, the ghost, whom Cordelia affectionately calls Phantom Dennis, gently makes his presence known. ===== Detective Kate Lockley struggles unsuccessfully to locate mob boss Anthony Papazian, also known as "Little Tony." She goes to Angel Investigations and offers Angel the job of finding Little Tony. He agrees, and she instructs him to withdraw to safety after he calls her with Little Tony's location because she doesn't want to get him killed. Kate’s father, Trevor Lockley, comes to the police station. This is a surprise to Kate, but her father didn't intend to see her there. Both clearly uncomfortable, she tells him she'll say a few words at his retirement party his friends are throwing at The Blue Bar in a few days. Angel's phone call interrupts their conversation; he has located Little Tony on a pier in San Pedro. Though Kate told him to get out of there, Angel sees a yacht coming to pick up Little Tony and takes matters into his own hands. He pretends to be a tourist who thinks the boat is going to Catalina, then takes out Little Tony's two goons just in time for the police to arrive and catch Little Tony before he takes off. Kate lectures Angel for not leaving when she told him to, even though Papazian was getting away. Papazian's Wolfram & Hart lawyer, Lee Mercer, comes to the station and petitions to have Little Tony transferred to another facility, claiming that his client was mistreated and abused by the police and by an "as yet unnamed assailant" possibly working with Kate. Meanwhile, at Angel Investigations, Cordelia congratulates Angel on completing such a straightforward job, but Angel thinks Little Tony is planning something. Doyle reports that Angel's intuition for evil is spot on: Little Tony "is" planning something. Kate heads to The Blue Bar after work, where a number of fellow officers and even her father congratulate her on finally apprehending Little Tony. Not long after, her co-worker Harlan comes by their table to show her a memo about a mandatory "sensitivity training" seminar that they are all required to attend because of the way she treated Little Tony. The next day at the station, the seminar begins. Allen Lloyd meets with Lee Mercer and reports their plan will yield results after just one more session. Meanwhile, Angel interrogates Allen, who hits him with the talking stick. Running into the precinct, Kate calls forlornly for her father, who is no longer there, then stares around at her coworkers, all pacing, gesticulating, shouting, weeping. Kind-hearted Heath, wishing to establish parity among the inmates, lets them all loose. Similarly, cops all around are demonstrating signs of their newfound sensitivity with muggers, fender benders, and more. Cordelia and Doyle meet Angel outside the precinct when, sensing their distress about the situation, Angel smiles a big smile, holds open his arms and sing-songs, "O-ka-ay, I think someone needs a hu-ug," and firmly embraces them both. Having been cursed by the talking stick when Allen hit him with it, he refuses to follow Cordelia's order to "get all vampy" to rescue Kate because he knows it makes them uncomfortable. As the three of them try to get into the locked station, Kate waits for a response to the messages she's left on her father’s answering machine, begging him to talk to her. Out of his cell, Little Tony collects an impromptu gang and breaks into the precinct armory. Just as he finds Kate, the AI team arrives. While Angel and Kate try to "reach" Little Tony, Cordelia and Doyle urge Angel to stop talking and fight. Later, Little Tony calls Mercer, who tells him that the Senior Partners will no longer represent his interests due to "more pressing matters" that the firm must attend to. While they talk, Mercer views a precinct surveillance tape and freezes it on Angel, unmistakable in his black leather coat. At the precinct the next morning, the cops resume their taciturnity with a vengeance. Angel checks in with Kate, and they both say that they don't remember much about events of the night before. Trevor walks away and Kate sits carefully in her chair, holding herself stiffly against the pain. ===== At a party in Cordelia's new apartment, Angel is feeling awkward around the women who are interested in him there. Meanwhile, a man standing watch at an ice factory hears spooky voices crying from inside the coffin-sized crate he's guarding. Believing there is someone alive and suffering inside, he breaks open the box, then stands staring in shock at its contents. Angel offers Wesley a staff position at Angel Investigations, a move which Cordelia heartily approves. However, Cordelia suddenly receives a graphic vision of a man being burned alive from the inside at an ice factory. Since it is still daytime, Wesley drives Angel to the scene. Inside the facility, Angel finds the incinerated corpse as well as the crate he was guarding, now containing only ice. Hearing a noise from another section of the factory, Angel discovers the presence of a humanoid demon named Tae, who reveals that he is from another dimension, sent to bring back the vicious demon, a "vessel of pure rage," which has escaped from his realm into an unsuspecting L.A. Angel finds an envelope containing an invoice for Jericho Ice and a large amount of cash. Angel is surprised by the sudden appearance of an attractive female demon who effortlessly knocks him out of the way and scorches his arm. Receiving a call on her cell phone, the demon leaves hastily, pulling up her hood and climbing into her vehicle. Angel gives chase and calls Cordelia to describe the demon's appearance so she and Wesley can begin their research. Angel follows her to an art gallery but she sets museum security after him. In a storage room at the back of the gallery, the demon stands staring into space, then turns when Angel comes in behind her. She orders him to leave but at that moment, wind and lightning and thunder spring from nowhere. A swirling portal forms, the shrieking coming from it seeming to draw rapidly closer. A naked humanoid girl drops out of the portal and hits the floor hard. As Angel pulls over a tarp to cover her, he gets a brief but clear glimpse of the girl's smooth forehead and of the raised ridges running along her upper spine. At that moment, Tae and his all-male team break into the room armed with kama weapons. The female demon and Angel battle furiously, but Tae abducts the newly arrived girl and drives away with her. Looking helplessly after the speeding vehicle, Angel asks the female demon what will happen to the girl and learns that she will be "unmade." The male demons take the frightened girl to their base where, without further ado, they use a special clamping tool to cut out the raised ridges extending down from the girl's nape to between her shoulder blades. Gone breathless with fear, the girl screams in agony at the first cut. Back at Angel's apartment, he brings his wary guest a bandage for the shallow cut on her arm while she drapes her cardigan over a railing and takes a look around. In response to her challenge that vampires are known killers, Angel tells her he was cursed, then evades her skeptical theory that he's been "cursed to help people," focusing the inquiry on her situation instead. The exotically beautiful demon accepts Angel's invitation to tell her story and introduces herself as Jhiera, a princess from the Oden Tal dimension, dedicated to helping other female refugees escape her home world to the relative safety of L.A. Jhiera tells Angel that for the women of Oden Tal, the personality is located in an area of the body called the "ko," the source of their desires and passions. At this, Jhiera turns her back to Angel and shows him the raised ridges running for several inches along her spine. Angel, who found Jhiera attractive at first sight, is now deeply aroused by her nearness and bends his head closer to her vulnerable neck. Resisting his own desires, he listens as Jhiera tells him that the men of her dimension control the women by cutting out the ko, thus removing their "physical and sexual power," their volition. "We leave behind dreaming," she tells him bleakly. Feeling herself at the center of his intense predator's focus, Jhiera begins to circle Angel as she explains that young women of Oden Tal must learn to control the raw power of their maturing ko, to which men of this world respond involuntarily. She tells him of her own struggle, with the help of the frozen water, to contain the "heat under her skin." Jhiera proceeds to demonstrate her power to arouse them both, as well as her iron control of that power. Angel, fighting on several levels for self- control, moves a few steps away and asks pointedly about the incinerated corpse at the ice factory, and about the other four men crisped to death over the past year. Jhiera grows defensive of her manifesto and starts to storm off, but Angel blocks her path. Her power flashes to the surface and they are almost irresistibly drawn to each other--a connection lethal to Angel--until Jhiera damps the intensity of her radiant heat. Telling him again to stay out of her way, she escapes, leaving him wrung out, barely able to stand. While Angel and Jhiera fight Tae's team at the art gallery, Wesley continues his research and discovers that the men of this demon species are called the Vigories of Oden Tal. Reading from an ancient volume, he tells Cordelia that the Vigories are said to be fierce warriors, and "the women live enslaved to them." Also learning that the Vigories are herbivores and must eat half their weight in partially rotted vegetation each day, Cordelia and Wesley leave the office to go looking for compost. They find Tae's team headquartered in a large plant nursery and overhear a briefing about their plans to capture Princess Jhiera, cut her and take her back to Oden Tal to signal the end of all rebellion. Jhiera, meanwhile, returns to the sanctuary she has created at the Palm Ridge Spa, where the other young women are being kept, rendered safe by lying in whirlpool tubs filled with ice. Jhiera informs the spa's proprietor, Mars, that this sanctuary has been compromised and the girls must be moved to another, safer location. However, unaware that Tae is right on her tail, Jhiera tells Mars they will leave the following day. In the meantime, unable to raise their boss by cell phone, Cordelia and Wesley barely escape detection at the Vigories' base and return to Angel's apartment both to locate him and seek his help. They find him, apparently unharmed and unconcerned, just emerging from the shower. Upon hearing their report that Tae's group plans an assault on an undisclosed location that recently started receiving large shipments of ice, Angel remembers the address listed on the invoice he lifted from Wilkers' office. Grimly determined to get there first, Angel gathers his team and heads to the Palm Ridge Spa. Arriving at the spa, Angel leaves Cordelia and Wesley (who falls down getting out of the car) to act as lookouts. Angel brushes past Mars and, finding Jhiera with the still-somnolent girls, tells her that Tae is closer behind than she thinks. At that moment, Cordelia frantically rushes in to report Tae's approach. While Cordelia and Wesley are still rousing the girls and trying to get them moving toward the back exit, Tae and his team burst in. Cordy and Wes continue with the evacuation, while Jhiera and Angel engage Tae and his men in battle. The two demons manage to hold their own until Wesley and Cordelia, returning to the fight after securing the girls, are suddenly taken hostage. When presented with Tae's ultimatum to hand over the refugees or see the humans die, Jhiera, hardly hesitating, says, "Then they die." As she wheels for the exit, Cordelia and Wesley seize the initiative and break away from their captors, who seem momentarily stunned at the failure of their ploy. Outside, Jhiera makes her way towards the cab of the truck loaded with crates of ice-packed refugee girls. She is just steps away from freedom when two of the Vigories grab her from behind and restrain her for Tae, making sure that her ko is exposed. Jhiera's nemesis holds up the cutting tool and prepares to mutilate the Princess of Oden Tal to bring her under immediate control. Appearing out of nowhere, Angel grabs Tae in a headlock and, giving him a couple of demonstrative squeezes, threatens to snap their leader's neck unless the Vigories holding Jhiera release her. As soon as they do, Angel tells Jhiera to get the girls to safety. Giving Angel a slight nod, she climbs into the cab of the truck and drives away. As soon as Jhiera is out of sight, Angel releases Tae and tells him to go back to Oden Tal, morphing into vamp face to let the Vigories know he can make good on his promise of mayhem if they continue their war in this dimension. The next day, Angel arrives in the office first and squeezes a bag of whole coffee beans to test Cordelia's theory that he can effectively grind the coffee with his "vampire strength." The bag bursts, scattering coffee beans everywhere, just as Cordelia and Wesley come in the front door. Wesley immediately slips and falls, then starts to sweep the beans up with his bare hands, apologizing distractedly for making a mess. In what appears to be a natural segue for him, Wesley also apologizes, as he carefully regains his feet, for being taken hostage by Tae's men. Angel tries to reassure his friend and compliments him on a job well done, which prompts Wesley, in turn, to express his sincere regard for Angel. Cordelia is just teasing Wesley for turning groveling into an art, when Jhiera walks in. Cordelia opens verbal fire on the warrior demon, asking if they can offer her anything, such as a couple of hostages to let die. Angel firmly shows Jhiera into his office and closes the door. After ascertaining that the other women are safe, away from the city, Angel again tells Jhiera that he'll stop her if she crosses the line and endangers people of his world while trying to protect people from hers. The sexual and political tension thick between them, Jhiera looks at Angel, then agrees with his terms. She hesitates, clearly torn, clearly having found a "desirable mate," and Angel grows even more breathless. With the harsh discipline of an abnegation as rigid and as necessary as Angel's, Jhiera turns toward the door, away from the object of her desire. As she walks away from him, Angel sees what he has already inescapably sensed-- Jhiera's ko glows red hot. Raging desire at war with self-preservation, Angel stands desperately immobile until She is out of range. ===== In a flashback to Galway, Ireland, 1753, Angel - at that point, still human and known as "Liam" - is fighting with his father. Enraged by his son's chronic recklessness and current mocking demeanor, Liam's father slaps his son in the face, shouting that he'll always be a layabout and a scoundrel. In the present, Angel is fighting a demon that is dressed like a homeless person on the train tracks in an L.A. subway tunnel. As Detective Kate Lockley arrives on the scene, the demon clutches its chest, sinks to the ground and expires. Forced again to deal with L.A.'s dark side and Angel's place in it, Kate ironically wonders whether she should call the coroner or Hazardous Materials, while Angel tries to convince her not to report the supernatural aspects of this case. Later, as an officer interviews the Blue Circle courier who pulled the emergency cord after allegedly being attacked by "your average Joe-stink homeless guy," Angel's instincts are immediately aroused when he spots Kate's dad, retired police detective Trevor Lockley, take a package from the crime scene. At Angel Investigations, Angel identifies the demon in one of Wesley's reference books as a Kwaini demon, an inherently non-violent race. Angel visits Kate at the precinct, but as he explains that something must have set off the Kwaini demon in the subway, Kate interrupts, preferring that he say "evil thing" instead of "demon." He is unable to convince Kate that the demon she saw dead in the subway is not an evil evil thing. Kate is reluctant to admit that his news means that this case is not as routine as they initially believed. The AI team splits up to pursue their two leads. Angel, suspicious that the Blue Circle courier was on a train during his shift, follows him to an apartment building, where Trevor Lockley opens the door to the courier's knock and shoves a brown-wrapped package into the man's hands. Once the courier leaves, Angel confronts Trevor about the exchange, theorizing Trevor was returning the parcel he removed from the crime scene that morning. Intending to discover who Trevor is working for, Angel gives Kate's father a chance to come clean so they can take care of the problem without further police involvement. Taking umbrage at Angel's angry implication that he cares nothing for his daughter, Trevor tells Angel that he can't possibly interpret a father's actions, and slams the door in his face. After locating the Kwaini's body in the subway tunnel, Wesley performs an autopsy which reveals the demon was on drugs, and attacked the train because someone on board had more of the drug. In Galway, Liam tearfully bids goodbye to his mother and younger sister, and exchanges more harsh words with his father. Making his way back to the pub, Liam spends the remainder of the day carousing wildly. An elegantly dressed Darla watches in fascination as a very drunk Liam brawls with beautiful abandon, besting several men in quick succession. That night, luring the vulnerable young man into a dark alley with promises of exotic experiences and places, Darla sires Liam, first biting him, then drawing her own blood for him to drink in turn. That night, Liam rises from his grave and is greeted by Darla. She watches as he morphs and kills his first human. Liam adopts the vampiric name 'Angelus' when his younger sister sees him coming home and mistakes him for an angel. Angelus subsequently kills nearly the entire population of his village, including his sister, mother, and father, but leaving a few alive so that they will spread the vampire's reputation. Two men in suits visit Trevor Lockley to make sure he hasn't said anything to his daughter. Angel arrives to warn Trevor of the danger in which he's involved, but before he can convince Mr. Lockley to invite him inside, the men in suits reveal themselves as vampires and kill Trevor. Kate arrives and finds her father dead. She trails the vampires to the demon drug lord's base, then stakes the vampire who killed her father. Angel shows up and helps her fight and kill the remaining vampires and finally chops off the head of the lead demon. Kate walks away, saying that her father was human, and Angel doesn't know anything about that. Back in Angel's past, Darla finds that Angelus has killed all of his family. She reminds him that even though his father is dead, his memory will always haunt him. Kate visits her father's grave while Angel watches from the safety of the shadows. ===== Marina is a mermaid who is in love with Prince Justin, a human prince from a kingdom on the shore. Marina saves Justin when he almost drowns after a chase from a giant Cyclops and a shipwreck attack from a three-headed sea serpent. She then makes a deal with Hedwig the sea witch to become human temporarily to try to win Justin's love. Justin and Marina become close but Justin thinks that Princess Cecily, a human princess, was the one who saved him from drowning and therefore he gets engaged to her. Justin eventually remembers that Marina was the one who saved his life but by then Marina becomes a mermaid again. The two continue to secretly meet and try to find a way to be together while dealing with Hedwig's plans to take over the kingdom and Cecily's attempts to get Justin to marry her. Marina and Justin are aided by their underwater friends Winnie the seahorse, Bobo the tropical fish, and Ridley the sea otter. They are also aided by the wizard Anselm and by Chauncey, Justin's page. ===== Picking up where "Five by Five" left off, Angel takes Faith to his apartment. In a brief, violent vision, Faith charges at Angel with a knife and cuts up his face. When Angel comes up to get food to feed Faith, Wesley argues about giving Faith another chance, and Cordelia gets Angel to sign several checks to fund her vacation, so she can be gone for as long as Faith is around. Downstairs, Faith confesses to Angel that she is haunted by visions of her violent past in Sunnydale. Angel talks to Faith about redemption, saying she has to make amends for her crimes, no matter how hard it is. Faith tells Angel how worried she is about making up for everything she's done, and in process reveals that Buffy has a new boyfriend, which upsets Angel. Meanwhile, Wesley plays darts at a bar, and encounters Weatherby, a member of the Watchers' Council's Special Operations team on the hunt for Faith. The council members give Wesley an opportunity to come back to the Council if he's willing to turn in Faith. They give him a syringe that, if injected, will sedate Faith and let them take her back to England. Wesley agrees on the condition that Angel is left unharmed, to which the team reluctantly agrees. At Wolfram & Hart, Lindsey MacDonald, Lilah Morgan and Lee Mercer, all upset that Faith has teamed up with Angel, hire a demon to have her killed. The demon sneaks into Angel's apartment and attacks. Faith kills it with a knife, and then is frightened by the sight of the demon's blood on her hands. Without warning, Buffy arrives at Angel's place and is shocked to find Angel hugging Faith. Buffy is determined to turn Faith in to the police, but Angel objects and the two come to blows. Buffy hits Angel and when he hits her back, she is in utter shock. Wesley arrives with the news that the Council is looking for Faith. The two Slayers escape to the roof, where they argue about everything that has happened. Though Faith is genuinely sorry for what she has done, Buffy is unwilling to forgive her. One of the Council members attacks Buffy and Faith as another hovers above the roof in a helicopter. Inside the apartment, Wesley stabs Weatherby with the syringe while Angel runs upstairs and as the two Slayers seek cover against their attackers, Angel bursts through the roof skylight and gets inside the helicopter. Detective Kate Lockley, guided by Lindsey's information, arrests Angel for harboring the fugitive Faith. When Angel and Kate, with Wesley and Buffy in tow, arrive at the police station, they are surprised to see Faith is voluntarily confessing to her crimes. Later, Buffy admits to Angel how hard it was for her to see Faith with him. Angel counters by saying it was not about Buffy, it was about saving Faith's soul. Buffy proceeds to explain that she had come because he was in danger, but Angel knows that she was merely using this as an excuse to get revenge on Faith, which she does not deny. Buffy lashes out by telling Angel she has someone else in her life, and unlike her relationship with Angel, she can trust her new boyfriend. In response, a furious Angel launches a tirade against Buffy, reminding her that, while it's great that she has moved on, he himself cannot and has no one to share his pain, climaxing when he informs Buffy that they lead their own separate lives now and that she has no right to just show up with her "great new life" and tell him how to do things before harshly ordering her to go back to Sunnydale. Buffy complies after a slight hesitation, complaining that "Faith wins again". As soon as she is gone Angel regrets his harsh words and decides to head to Sunnydale to make his own amends. Meanwhile, Faith manages to find peace in her jail cell. ===== A girl named Alonna Gunn walks down the street, followed by a group of vampires. When the vampires turn around, Alonna's brother Charles Gunn and many others are there, armed and ready for a fight. Several are killed on both sides and in the end the vampires run off leaving the humans to deal with the wounded. Cordelia, Wesley and Angel meet prospective client David Nabbit at a party, who explains he is being blackmailed by Lenny Edwards for going to a demonic brothel called Madam Dorion's. Angel tracks down Lenny Edwards, and makes him promise he will hand over the incriminating photos the following night. Gunn, after receiving news that a vampire is nearby, witnesses Angel intimidating Edwards from afar, and plots to kill Angel. David pays Angel Investigations with a very large check, and promises more when the job is done. The next night, Angel meets with Lenny, who brought the photos and a demon security guard. Angel kills the demon and gets away with the photos. However, he gets staked in the chest by a couple of the human gang members. He is chased and forced to run through a gauntlet of vampire killing weapons. When confronted by Gunn and the others, Angel saves Alonna's life from one of the traps and tries to explain that he is fighting for good. Cordelia dresses Angel's wounds while they look at the graphic pictures that were being held for blackmail. Angel's still in pain, but goes off to find the nest of vampires before the gang of kids find it. Gunn questions Angel and his motivations for supposedly helping them. The vampires throw smoke bombs into the humans' hideaway, forcing them to escape to the surface. Covered in heavy clothes and wearing gas masks, the vampires capture several of the teen gang members, including Alonna. Angel offers his assistance to Gunn and the others, but Gunn refuses and locks Angel in a meat locker. Angel tries to punch his way out of the locker, only to have Cordelia and Wesley open the door for him. Searching for the vampire's lair, Gunn finds a newly undead Alonna, but at first can't bring himself to kill what used to be his sister. When she offers to make her brother a vampire, he stakes her. Angel kills the vampire gang leader and arranges a truce with the rest of the group: he'll allow them to live if they leave town and never return. Cordelia considers getting involved with David for his money, but ends up talking herself out of it. Angel tells Gunn he may need his help in the future. ===== Wesley continues to try to decipher the text of The Prophecies of Aberjian (part of which is the Shanshu Prophecy). When he deciphers the crucial word "shanshu" as "death", he surmises that means Angel will die. The lawyers at Wolfram & Hart call forth a warrior of the underworld named Vocah to perform a Raising. Vocah learns that the scroll containing the prophecy is in Angel's possession and sets off to retrieve it. Cordelia has a vision that sends Angel on his way to help a homeless woman fighting a slime demon. Kate arrives on the scene after Angel has defeated it, and declares she is determined to rid the city of vampires. The next morning, Wesley and Cordelia discuss Angel's ability to change and grow, and Cordelia decides he needs a hobby. Vocah, after killing the Oracles of The Powers That Be, follows Cordelia, and inundates her with hundreds upon hundreds of visions; she collapses to the ground in agony. Angel reads up on the scrolls while the cloaked figure makes his way into the apartment. Angel locks the scroll away, and then leaves after getting a call about Cordelia. At the hospital, Cordelia is suffering, and the doctors are unable to save her. Angel is horrified by what is happening to his friend. Wesley returns to the apartment just in time to see a bomb was left in place of the scroll. Angel approaches the office building just as it explodes into a fiery blaze. Angel searches through the wreckage and finds that Wesley is still alive but badly hurt. Kate confronts Angel, but with his friends in serious condition, he's not in the mood to take any of her hostile attitude toward him and after telling her that he's more than happy to oblige if she wants to be enemies, goes with Wesley to the hospital. Angel goes to see Cordelia, now in a catatonic state. He promises her that he's going to help her, then notices a symbol on Cordelia's hand, and goes to the Oracles for help. He finds them dead, but the spirit of the female Oracle gives him instruction. He needs the scrolls, specifically the words of Anatole, to save Cordelia. She points him in the direction of Wolfram & Hart. Angel is now on a mission, but won't make the mistake of leaving his friends unprotected again and asks Gunn to stand guard at the hospital while he goes to hunt down Vocah. Vocah reads from the scrolls while sacrificing five vampires that are chained to a large cage. Angel watches as the Wolfram & Hart lawyers leave to attend the Raising ritual. Angel crashes the party and goes into a battle with Vocah. Lindsey picks up where Vocah left off and continues the ritual. His chanting kills the five vampires chained to the cage and then Holland orders the cage removed. In the end, Angel kills Vocah, and then faces Lindsey for the scroll. Lindsey tells Angel that the key to defeating the vampire with a soul is to cut off his connections to the Powers That Be and starts to burn the scroll. However rather than let Cordelia's only hope burn, Angel cuts off Lindsey's right hand and retrieves the scroll. Wesley reads the words of Anatole and Cordelia is released from Vocah's curse. After seeing so many visions, Cordelia realizes how many people out there need their help and she and Angel vow to help them. At her apartment (and the temporary headquarters for Angel Investigations), Cordelia feeds Wesley and Angel, showing them her new, kinder side. Wesley discovers that the prophecy means that Angel will become human once he has fulfilled his duties. The lawyers go check on the cage, and Lilah looks inside, revealing a terrified Darla. ===== The individual members of Angel Investigations are called to action. Cordelia, Wesley and Angel meet at a gym to stop some demons attempting a human sacrifice. Meanwhile Lilah visits Lindsey's office where Darla is listening to classical music. She can feel Angel nearby, and Lindsey wants revenge against him. Back at Cordelia's apartment, which is their new base of operations after their offices were blown up last episode, the gang tries to figure out what Wolfram & Hart might have been trying to raise. Cordelia suddenly has a vision about a Prio Motu demon. At Wesley's suggestion they go to Caritas, a demon karaoke bar and safe haven, to find Wesley's demon informant Merl, who knows where to find the Prio Motu. Lorne, called the Host, is introduced. He is described by Wesley as an Anagogic demon who can see into the hearts and read the future of those who sing. The Host tries to convince Angel to do a number, but Angel refuses. Angel finds the Prio Motu demon along with a pregnant woman, Jo. He kills the demon, only to have Jo tearfully inform him that the demon was her protector - mentioning something called the tribunal. Angel tries to offer help, but she runs away from him. Back at the apartment, Cordelia and Wesley's attempts at comfort only make things worse. Angel, feeling guilty for having killed an innocent fighting on his own side, declares that he intends to take over the dead demon's mission, telling Wesley and Cordelia to find out what the Tribunal is. Angel tracks down Merl and roughs him up. The demon tells him there is a price on Jo, or more specifically, her baby - a daughter who is supposed to become someone powerful and important to the side of good. The price is tempting, but with the Prio Motu defending her, no one could get to her. Angel picks up what Merl knows about where the Prio Motu would have been living and leaves. Angel finds Gunn hunting vampires in a bad part of town and asks for help in finding the Prio Motu demon's hideout. They find the hideout and an important looking talisman. Angel asks Gunn to deliver the talisman to Wesley and Cordelia, leaving him to wait for Jo. When she appears Angel offers his help, and she tells him all she wants is to protect her unborn daughter. When he persists she asks him to help her find the "Coat of Arms" which might convince the tribunal to call off whatever they're doing- the talisman Angel had just given to Gunn. When he confesses he already found it and sent it off to his friends, she tells him in exasperation to stop helping and turns to leave, only to find a demon coming through her door. Angel kills it, and they escape through the tunnels. Jo compares the tribunal to a court, and says the dead Prio Motu was going to be her champion. More demons attack, and the two are separated. Angel arrives at the house, Gunn having already delivered the Coat of Arms and left, but Jo never showed. He and Cordelia talk about how they got cocky - treating the news that Angel had a chance to become human as if it meant the fight was over. Wesley interrupts with more information about the Tribunal, including the fact that it's a fight to the death. To get more information, Angel is forced to sing karaoke in front of the Host. He sings "Mandy", for which the Host tells him the Trial will be wherever Jo is - though he offers no conclusive answer to whether or not Angel will be able to save her. As he sets off to find her, the trial begins and with no Champion and no Coat of Arms, Jo is told her life is forfeit, but Angel arrives in time and throws down the Coat of Arms, declaring himself her champion. In the ensuing fight Angel is stabbed, and the Tribunal declares his opponent to have won, but Angel pulls out the sword and cuts off the other champion's head. The Tribunal grants Jo and her daughter protection until the child comes of age. Angel returns to Cordelia's apartment and removes the board they had been keeping track of their kills on. Wesley agrees that keeping score was a mistake - it's a job, not a race. Angel goes to visit Faith, now serving a long prison term, and they talk about redemption. ===== The story follows the adventures of a fictional "Cyrus Spitama", an Achaemenid Persian diplomat of the 6th-5th century BCE who travels the known world comparing the political and religious beliefs of various empires, kingdoms and republics of the time. Over the course of his life, he meets many influential philosophical figures of his time, including Zoroaster, Socrates, Anaxagoras, the Buddha, Mahavira, Lao Tsu, and Confucius. Though vehemently identifying himself as a Persian and speaking disparagingly of the Greeks, he is half-Greek himself - having had a formidable Greek mother. Cyrus, who is the grandson of Zoroaster and who survives his murder, grows up at the Achaemenid court as a quasi- noble, and becomes a close friend of his schoolmate Xerxes. Because of Cyrus' talent for languages, the Achaemenid King, Darius I, sends him as an ambassador to certain kingdoms in India, and in fact as a spy gathering information for Darius' intended invasion and conquest of the Gangetic Plain. Cyrus becomes interested in the many religious theories he encounters there, but being a worldly courtier fails to be impressed with the Buddha and his concept of Nirvana. After coming to power, Cyrus' former schoolmate, now King Xerxes I, sends Cyrus to China, where he spends several years as a captive and "honored guest" in several of the warring states of the Middle Kingdom, and spends a great deal of time with Confucius - who unlike the Buddha, seeks "To rectify the world rather than withdraw from it". Upon returning home, Cyrus witnesses the defeat of Xerxes and the end of the Greco-Persian wars. Cyrus then goes into retirement, but is called upon by Xerxes' successor, Artaxerxes I, to serve as ambassador to Athens and witness to the secret peace treaty between Pericles and himself. The story is related in the first person as recalled to his Greek great-nephew Democritus. Cyrus's recollection is said to be motivated in part by his desire to set the record straight following the publication by Herodotus of an account of the Greco-Persian wars. ===== Two American children are abducted by criminals searching for military plans stolen by their father. James Bond attempts to protect them by masquerading as a young Mexican thief and joining the gang. They journey through a Mexico and eventually arrive at the Caribbean island Lagrimas Negras. They will be kept there for the rest of their lives unless they complete 'La Avenida de Muerte'. ===== The book starts with a prologue on Lagrimas Negras (black tears), an island haven for criminals in the Caribbean. The boss, El Huracán, informs his lunch guests that one of them has broken the rule against contacting the outside world. Robert King is tricked into confessing, then made to run La Avenida de Muerte (The Avenue of Death), a deadly obstacle course. He is killed by a jaguar less than halfway through. Following the events in Double or Die, James Bond travels to Mexico with his Aunt Charmian, who is visiting the ruined Mayan city of Palenque. In the fishing village of Tres Hermanas, Angel Corona, a young Mexican pickpocket who closely resembles James, steals Charmian's bag. James chases and corners him. Corona is subdued and soon arrested by the local police. While Jack Stone, an American flying ace and friend of Charmian's flies Charmian to Palenque (as a storm is on the way and she has to leave that night). James is left in Tres Hermanas with Stone's children, where he quickly finds problems: Stone's daughter, Precious, is a spoiled, self-centered girl about the same age as James, while her younger brother, Jack Junior or JJ, is immature and annoying. During a devastating hurricane, some gangsters led by a Mrs. Theda Glass enter the Stone house and steal the safe. James knocks one of the gunmen, Manny, out of the window, the youngsters hid from the gangsters and the storm in an underground ice house. After the storm, James takes the Stone children to town in Jack Stone's Duesenberg, which is wrecked by a sudden flood. JJ is nearly killed but is rescued by Garcia, James's sailor friend. When JJ and Precious are captured by the remaining four robbers, James passes himself off as Angel Corona to join the gang and Garcia tags along. The names of the other criminals are Strabo, 'Whatzat' (real name Charlie Moore) and Sakata. The Japanese gangster Sakata befriends James and teaches him jiu- jitsu. Mrs. Glass takes the group to an old oil field in order to get tools and explosives to open the safe. She tells Precious the full story: Jack Stone had lost money after the end of the war and had become a smuggler to regain money; one of his clients was an ex-U.S Navy officer who had stolen some important documents about the U.S. Navy's Pacific fleet, which Stone managed to steal after abandoning the officer. Sakata had been sent to steal the plans, which would be very valuable to the Japanese in the event of a war. However, the documents are not in the safe, so presumably Stone had not removed them from his plane. Whatzat attacks James and drowns to death, and Garcia attempts to take JJ to Veracruz for treatment but is killed by Strabo. James learns from Mrs. Glass that Whatzat name was Charlie Moore. When JJ's injured leg becomes severely infected, Sakata, prompted by James, leaves the gang and takes JJ to the hospital in Vera Cruz. Mrs. Glass and Strabo make a new plan to flee to Lagrimas Negras and sell the documents to the ruler of the island, El Huracán. James and Precious escape and camp out for a while. Precious has undergone a change in character; she is no longer rude and self- centered, and even develops affections for James, which she expresses by waiting for him to fall asleep and then kissing him. Then Manny shows up in a car. He is very sick, as he has had brain damage following his fall at the Stone Mansion. He slips in and out of confusion. Finally, James and Precious knock him out of the car as he sleeps and escape. They head for Pelanque, but are unable to stop Mrs Glass escaping with the documents, though Strabo is killed by army ants. The Pelanque Ruins are mentioned in the chapter titled "Pelanque" where James and Precious fall asleep in the tall tower. Mrs. Glass goes to Lagrimas Negras alone. James and Precious follow on a ship. Manny follows them and gives chase. He is killed by El Huracán's guards and James and Precious are employed as servants on Lagrimas Negras. James discovers that when the guests of Lagrimas Negras run out of money, they are forced to work as slaves on El Huracán's farm. James also hears that running La Avenida de Muerte is the only way to get off Lagrimas Negras, though no one has ever survived it. Precious steals a map of the obstacle course from a bathroom she is cleaning and she and James start training. They trick El Huracán into letting them run the course which he does reluctantly, as he was hoping James would stay on as his successor. James and Precious successfully traverse many obstacles, helped by their advance knowledge. Finally they reach a massive water tank containing a vicious crocodile that will almost certainly kill them, as there is no way out. However, James has left some explosives in the maintenance tunnel and blows out the wall. He is knocked unconscious by the landing. He wakes up on a rock with Precious, who passionately kisses him while they wait to be collected. El Huracán keeps his promise to release them and the book ends with James and Precious leaving Lagrimas Negras with Jack Stone. They share a private moment watching the sunset, during which Precious admits to James that she loves him (despite her understanding that he must return to Britain after the events of the story). ===== In 1836 in southern California near Santa Barbara shortly after California became part of the United States, American settlers and the U.S. government discriminate against the Mexican landowners and frequently take their land by force or legal skullduggery. Wealthy Latino ranchers whose land and wealth are at risk decide to misdirect a U.S. government ship carrying gold so that it will be wrecked and plundered. To prevent themselves from being caught, they plan to massacre the local Chumash Indians. The hero is the now-estranged adoptive son Finley (Tom Laughlin), a master swordsman and gunfighter, who tries to prevent this while still saving his family. ===== On New Year's Eve, high school juniors Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) meet at a ski lodge party during winter break. The two are called upon to sing a duet together for karaoke ("Start of Something New"). Returning to school after break, Troy sees Gabriella in his homeroom. She explains that she has just moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and transferred to East High School over the break. As Troy shows Gabriella around the school, Drama Club President and East High's designated "Ice Princess" Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) assumes that Gabriella is interested in auditioning for the school musical, Twinkle Town. Wanting to eliminate competition, Sharpay has Scholastic Decathlon Captain and Chem Club president Taylor McKessie (Monique Coleman) investigate Gabriella's past academic achievements to recruit Gabriella for the Scholastic Decathlon. As a result, Taylor and Gabriella became friends over their shared interests. During basketball practice, Troy is distracted by thoughts of Gabriella and the idea that he might enjoy singing in addition to basketball ("Get'cha Head in the Game"). Gabriella and Troy go to the musical auditions where Sharpay and her twin brother Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel) perform ("What I've Been Looking For"). However, Troy and Gabriella are too shy to audition. When Gabriella gains the confidence to step forward once the auditions are unofficially declared "over", Troy offers to sing with her. However, drama teacher Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed) tells them they are too late and leaves. Kelsi Nielsen (Olesya Rulin), the musical's composer, trips and drops her music all over the stage. Troy and Gabriella rush to help her and sing together as Kelsi plays on the piano ("What I've Been Looking For (Reprise)"). Overhearing their performance, Ms. Darbus gives them a callback audition. When the callback list gets posted, Sharpay discovers that she has competition for the lead role, while the Wildcats basketball team is shocked that Troy has auditioned. After finding out that Troy can do activities outside his clique, other students confess their secret passions and talents ("Stick to the Status Quo"). This alarms Taylor and Troy's best friend Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu). Taylor and Chad come up with a plan to divert Troy and Gabriella from singing in the musical so they can focus on their upcoming competitions. In the locker room, Troy is tricked by his teammates into saying that Gabriella is not needed. Gabriella watches this via a hidden webcam that the scholastic decathlon team has set up. Upset by Troy's betrayal ("When There Was Me and You"), Gabriella decides to not audition for the musical. Troy, confused by Gabriella's decision, is unable to concentrate on the game, while Gabriella is low in spirits. Realizing their mistake, Chad and the basketball team tell Troy what happened and offer to support him in the callbacks. Taylor also explains to Gabriella but she doesn't believe Taylor's claims. That evening Troy goes to Gabriella's house, and they reconcile, determined to audition for the musical. Overhearing Gabriella and Troy rehearse, Sharpay asks Ms. Darbus to move the callbacks so they start at the same time as both Troy's basketball championship game and Gabriella's scholastic decathlon competition. Kelsi overhears the conversation, and the basketball and decathlon teams make a plan together. On the day of the competitions, Taylor and Gabriella use the school's computers to delay the championship game by hacking the power in the gym and causing a chemical reaction that forces an evacuation during the decathlon. Troy and Gabriella rush to the auditorium as Sharpay and Ryan finish their callback song ("Bop to the Top"). After Gabriella and Troy successfully perform their song ("Breaking Free"), Ms. Darbus gives them the lead roles, making Sharpay and Ryan understudies. Both teams win their respective competitions, and the entire school gathers in the gym to celebrate ("We're All In This Together"). Chad asks Taylor out, and Sharpay makes peace with Gabriella. In a post-credits scene, Zeke Baylor (Chris Warren Jr.) paces alone in the gym, when Sharpay runs in, declaring that the cookies he had given her that she had initially rejected are "genius." She hugs him, and he says he will make her a crème brûlée. Zeke smiles in victory. ===== An international consortium of scientists, operating as Project Inner Space in Tanganyika, Africa, is trying to tap into the Earth's geothermal energy by drilling a very deep hole down to the Earth's core. The scientists are foiled by an extremely dense layer of material. To penetrate the barrier and reach the magma below, they intend to detonate an atomic device at the bottom of the hole. The leader of the project, Dr. Stephen Sorenson (Dana Andrews), who is secretly dying of cancer, believes that the atomic device will burn its way through the barrier, but the project's chief geologist, Dr. Ted Rampion (Kieron Moore), is convinced that the lower layers of the crust have been weakened by decades of underground nuclear tests, and that the detonation could produce a massive crack that would threaten the very existence of Earth. The atomic device is used and Rampion's fears prove justified, as the crust of the Earth develops an enormous crack that progresses rapidly along a fault line, causing earthquakes and tidal waves along its path. Rampion warns a committee of world leaders that the crack is capable of extending beyond the fault, and that should it encircle the Earth, causing the land masses to split, the oceans would be sucked in, generating steam at high enough of a pressure to rip the Earth apart. Sorenson meanwhile discovers that there was a huge reservoir of hydrogen underground, which turned the small conventional atomic explosion into a huge thermonuclear one that was millions of times more powerful. Another atomic device, lowered into the magma chamber of an island volcano in the path of the crack, is used in the hope of stopping the crack, but it only reverses the crack's direction. Eventually the crack approaches its starting point at the test site, and a huge chunk of the planet outlined by the crack is expected to be thrown out into space. Sorenson remains at the underground control center to record the event, despite pleas by his wife Maggie to evacuate with the rest of the project staff. She and Rampion barely escape the test site in time to observe the fiery birth of a second moon. Its release stops the crack, and the Earth survives. ===== Jack Leary and his younger brother Dylan start over in Oakland, California in 1972 following the death of their mother Elizabeth. The boys live with their father John, who entertains late-night horror film audiences as Midnight Shriek host-commentator "Al Gory." John has a drinking problem that disrupts the smooth running of the household. Some parental duties fall to Jack, who takes Dylan to his first day of preschool. One of the Learys' neighbors, a young man named Norman Strick, who walks with a cane due to a car accident as a teen, is an anti-social neo-Nazi who feels the neighborhood is going downhill. Jack has a love affair with his classmate Karen Morris. Jack's friend and next door neighbor Dexter, who comes from a broken home with his grandparents, begins suffering a downward spiral after his grandmother died while becoming acquainted with Norman. On Halloween, having given Dexter a Nazi costume, Norman approaches John to ask for a donation for a racially prejudiced candidate. During an airing of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, a drunken John interrupts the movie and mimics the racially charged beliefs of Norman while naming the candidate. The next day, Jack is woken when Norman's golden retriever Cheyenne dies on their front lawn from poisoning, John apologizes for his actions on television while giving his condolences despite Norman refusing to shake his hand. Backlash from John's previous actions on his show jeopardizes his job and endangers Jack's relationship with Karen. Taking out his anger on Dylan and leaving him with Dexter, Jack learns that his brother was taken by Norman. Jack calls the police as he and John are extremely worried until Dylan is found in a nearby forest a few days later and taken to the hospital, traumatized by the ordeal of being left to die in the wilderness to the point of being rendered mute. Three days later, bringing Dylan home with Norman not seen for days, John begins getting agitated to the point of taking out his frustration at the Strick home with a bat, terrorizing the Stricks for their son's whereabouts before destroying Norman's beloved T-Bird. Fearing for his current state of mind, John lets his in-laws take the boys to their home in Los Angeles as he decides to shape up. Jack sneaks back to Oakland and falls asleep watching The Wolf Man. By the time John arrives home, Norman cuts the power as he sneaks into the house. Stirred awake by the outage, Jack is aware that someone intruded but accidentally knocks John out with a bat. Found by Norman, Jack runs upstairs and out the bathroom window to a branch of a nearby tree with Norman in pursuit as John regains consciousness. However, chased up to the higher point of the tree, Jack watches Norman losing his grip and falling into the backyard behind the Leary house where he is mauled to death by the neighbor's Doberman Pinschers. Soon after, as Norman's parents move away, Dylan returns home while John gets his job back with his show now airing more comical horror films like Abbott and Costello. One afternoon, the neighborhood children all appear and ask if John will play one of his monster games with them as usual. After his experiences with Norman, John tells the children he won't play the monster game anymore. When they ask him why, John sees Dexter smoking a cigarette while realizing he's going down a dark path. John looks to the children that there are real monsters out there, but he promises to play a better game with them. Later finding Jack playing his mother's lullaby on the piano while getting Dylan to say the lullaby's title, John tries to comfort his son when he breaks down crying. As John gives Jack and himself closure, the two embrace Dylan after he says the title of Elizabeth's lullaby: "Jack the Bear." The next day, with their lives beginning to return to normal, John watches his sons playing in the front yard. ===== ===== The game starts as Gnome looks through telescope in his House. He suddenly spots a planet moving towards his home planet. He goes to his airship Polokonzerva and flies to the Planet. He lands on the planet and after some adventures he finds an engine room of the planet. He changes planet's course so it narrowly misses Home Planet. Gnome then returns home as cheering is heard. ===== The Post Headquarters building, where Capt. Nathan Brittles (John Wayne) was quartered in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, is located at Goulding's Trading Post near Monument Valley. () On the verge of his retirement at Fort Starke in 1876, a one-troop cavalry post, aging 43-year cavalry veteran US Cavalry Captain Nathan Cutting Brittles (John Wayne) is given one last mission: to take his troop and deal with a breakout from the reservation by the Cheyenne and Arapaho following the defeat of George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.http://www.tcm.turner.com/tcmdb/title/89881/She-Wore-a-Yellow- Ribbon/articles.html Brittles' task is complicated by being forced at the same time to deliver his commanding officer's wife and niece, Abby Allshard (Mildred Natwick) and Olivia Dandridge (Joanne Dru), to an eastbound stage and by the need to avoid a new Indian war. His troop officers, 1st Lt. Flint Cohill (John Agar) and 2nd Lt. Ross Pennell (Harry Carey, Jr.), meanwhile vie for the affections of Miss Dandridge while uneasily anticipating the retirement of their captain and mentor. Assisting him with his mission is Capt. Brittles' chief scout, Sgt. Tyree (Ben Johnson), a one-time Confederate captain of cavalry; his first sergeant, Quincannon (Victor McLaglen); and Maj. Allshard (George O'Brien), Brittles' long-time friend and commanding officer. After apparently failing in both missions, Brittles returns with the troop to Fort Starke to retire. His lieutenants continue the mission in the field, joined by Brittles after "quitting the post and the Army". Unwilling to see more lives needlessly taken, Brittles takes it upon himself to try to make peace with his old friend Chief Pony That Walks (Chief John Big Tree). When that too fails, he devises a risky stratagem to avoid a bloody war by stampeding the Indians' horses out of their camp, forcing the renegades to return to their reservation. The film ends with Brittles being recalled to duty as Chief of Scouts with the rank of Lt. Colonel (a U.S. War Department order endorsed, he is pleased to see, by Gens. Phil Sheridan and William Tecumseh Sherman, and by President Ulysses S. Grant). Miss Dandridge and Lt. Cohill become engaged. The film ends with the troop of cavalry trotting down the road on patrol. ===== After the American Civil War, highly respected veteran Captain Kirby York (Wayne) is expected to replace the outgoing commander at Fort Apache, an isolated U.S. cavalry post. York had commanded his own regiment during the Civil War and was well-qualified to assume permanent command. To the surprise and disappointment of the company, command of the regiment was given to Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday (Fonda). Thursday, a West Point graduate, was a general during the Civil War. Despite his Civil War combat record, Lieutenant Colonel Thursday is an arrogant and egocentric officer who lacks experience dealing with Native Americans, and in particular local tribes with their unique cultures and traditions. Accompanying widower Thursday is his daughter, Philadelphia (Shirley Temple). She becomes attracted to Second Lieutenant Michael Shannon O'Rourke (John Agar), the son of Sergeant Major Michael O'Rourke (Ward Bond). The elder O'Rourke was a recipient of the Medal of Honor as a major with the Irish Brigade during the Civil War, entitling his son to enter West Point and become an officer. However, the class-conscious Thursday forbids his daughter to see someone whom he does not consider a gentleman. When unrest arises among the Apache, led by Cochise (Miguel Inclan), Thursday ignores York's advice to treat the tribes with honor and to remedy problems on the reservation caused by corrupt Indian agent Silas Meacham (Grant Withers). Thursday's inability to deal with Meacham effectively, due to his rigid interpretation of Army regulations stating that Meacham is an agent of the United States government, so entitled to Army protection (despite his own personal contempt for the man), coupled with Thursday's prejudicial and arrogant ignorance regarding the Apache, drives the Indians to rebel. Eager for glory and recognition, Thursday orders his regiment into battle on Cochise's terms, a direct charge into the hills, despite York's urgent warnings that such a move would be suicidal. Thursday relieves York and orders him to stay back, replacing him with Captain Sam Collingwood (George O'Brien). Following Thursday's orders, York spares the younger O'Rourke from battle. Thursday's command is nearly wiped out, but a few soldiers manage to escape back to the ridge where Captain York is positioned. Thursday himself survives, but then returns to die with the last of his trapped men. Cochise spares York and the rest of the detachment because he knows York to be an honorable man. Subsequently, now Lieutenant Colonel Kirby York commands the regiment. Meeting with correspondents, he introduces Lt. O'Rourke, now married to Philadelphia Thursday. A reporter asks Colonel York if he has seen the famous painting depicting "Thursday's Charge". York, about to command a new and arduous campaign to bring in the Apaches, while believing that Thursday was a poor tactician who led a foolhardy and suicidal charge, says it is completely accurate and then reminds the reporters that the soldiers will never be forgotten as long as the regiment lives. ===== Joining the Horror family is a group of societal outcasts who shun the light of day and avoid mainstream society: spectral apparition, Polychrome; amphibious spitfire, Starfish; pyrokinetic swordsman, Firelion; reptilian, Komodo; streetwise animal-human chimera, Raccoon; the silent undead gunslinger, Gunwitch. They live in or frequent Doc Horror's underground sanctuary called the Tomb, both home and fortress to the group, as they battle the criminal underworld and various supernatural threats which often rear up in nearby Pacific City. Doc Horror's chief nemeses are the Crim, a parasitic species of extradimensional conquerors who ravaged his home world before he and Eve escaped to Earth. They have aligned themselves with the insidious Narn K Corporation, a powerful bioengineering firm specializing in controversial experimentation and covert weapons development, and have been busy producing animal-human hybrids and synthetic soldiers for use in warfare and ultimately global invasion. Aside from the Narn K and the Crim, Horror and his crew have encountered everything from wish-granting demon lanterns and vampire street gangs to hillbilly swamp witches and robotic mobster hitmen. The hallmark of the Eisner-Award Nominated, Nocturnals Black Planet miniseries is Brereton's moody, gothic style realized by hand painted art in every panel. The storytelling and visual imagery draws its influences from an eclectic mix of sources, including gangster films, science fiction, Lovecraftian creatures, and film noir. Brereton's supernatural art made a fan of rocker/filmmaker Rob Zombie, who tapped Brereton to paint an interior illustration for his multi- platinum Hellbilly Deluxe album. Zombie also wrote the introduction to Nocturnals: The Witching Hour one-shot. The Nocturnals were seen in various appearances from 1994 through 2002. IN 2003 Nocturnals: A Midnight Companion" was published by Green Ronin as a sourcebook and guide, which won three gaming industry awards(ENnies) for that year. Olympian Publishing, collected the first of two oversize hardcover volumes, followed by the second collected volume from Image Comics in 2009. ===== The Guardian World lies in another dimension, and its inhabitants are charged with guarding and controlling magical forces. To this end, the inhabitants possess varying levels of magical power which allows them to change shape, destroy objects, suspend time, or call up elemental beings to do their bidding. The source of power in the Guardian World is the Throne of Yord, a mysterious painting watched over by the Elders, who train Neutralizers to tend the Throne and make sure it is kept safe. One of these Neutralizers (Kagetsu) has stolen the Throne and taken it to Earth for an unknown purpose, causing the Elders to send two different teams to Earth to reclaim the Throne—for if the Throne is away for too long or is destroyed, the Guardian World will be undone. ===== When Nathan (Neil Patrick Harris), a doctor, loses a patient on the operating table, he decides that being a doctor isn't meant for him, and he wants to give it up. He decides to take a vacation to his hometown, and stay with his father (Hugh Thompson). While volunteering at the local grade school, he meets Charlie (Angus T. Jones), a young boy who has also lost his mother, and Meghan (Rebecca Gayheart), Charlie's teacher. Charlie and his father have also just arrived in town, to work at estates doing chores. Nathan, searching for the shoes he gave his mother the Christmas she died (Even though in the "17 years later" epilogue of The Christmas Shoes he left them on her grave and walked away), learns that Charlie now has them. And Meghan, wanting to buy a house for those in need, may not be able to. Soon after his arrival, Nathan learns that Charlie is ailing from an irregular heart defect, and Meghan has cirrhosis of the liver, and will die unless she has a transplant. In the end, it is Charlie who saves her life, by giving her his liver. As a dying wish, he asks Nathan, whom he calls coach, to give her the shoes. And Robert (Rob Lowe), Meghan's friend, buys the house for her. In honor of Charlie, Meghan names the house after him. ===== In the future, mankind has rapidly advanced in technology, to the point where colonies orbiting Earth and Mars are constructed. However, political and economical strife have led to a recession that has affected the colonies the hardest. To deal with these issues, the multitude of Earth governments have united under the banner of the United Community of Earth (UCE). The attempted reorganization instead causes the formation of rebel forces, such as White Fang and the United Lunar Empire Gigano. To counter this, the UCE establishes a special task force, the Londo Bell, to eradicate them and similar groups. During the same time frame, the UCE began the development of a new energy source called "E2", created in response to the global energy crisis affecting the Earth-orbiting colonies. Though powerful, E2 is also highly volatile, with many of the rebelling forces seeking to steal it for their own purposes. This leads to a worldwide war against the opposing groups, with the Londo Bell being sent out to stop them from stealing. The player assumes the role of a squad member working for the Londo Bell, teaming up with others to destroy those that seek to steal E2. In one mission, the Londo Bell destroys a shuttle fleet led by Char Aznable, carrying surplus amounts of E2. Undeterred, Aznable flees to the colonies orbiting Mars as the Londo Bell pursue him. A climactic battle ensues that leads to the destruction of the E2 energy and Aznable's defeat. However, using the refugee ship incident, hardliner Duke Dermail seizes power within the UCE government, replacing the pacifist Relena Peacecraft and foreshadowing the coming of a new war. ===== A.C.E.2 is not a direct sequel to its predecessor, as it involves its own original plot, as well as covering events that already happened in A.C.E., albeit differently. This is not an unusual occurrence, as Banpresto has done this with most entries in the Super Robot Wars franchise; most of the games in that series are not connected by an established continuity (exceptions include the Super Robot Wars Alpha games and the titles in the Super Robot Wars classic timeline), with remakes or updates abounding. However, there are some links back to A.C.E. in the sequel. The Ark series, including the main character's Gunark, use as their power source the super-volatile substance E2, which was introduced in the first game. Additionally, most of the A.C.E. original enemies return, this time with a backstory, while in A.C.E. they were simply there to add to the challenge. ===== Retired New York Police detective Joe Leland is visiting the 40-story office headquarters of the Klaxon Oil Corporation in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve, where his daughter Stephanie Leland Gennaro works. While he is waiting for his daughter's Christmas party to end, a group of German Autumn–era terrorists take over the skyscraper. The gang is led by the brutal Anton "Little Tony the Red" Gruber. Joe had known about Gruber through a counter- terrorism conference he had attended years prior. Barefoot, Leland slips away and manages to remain undetected in the gigantic office complex. Aided outside only by Los Angeles Police sergeant Al Powell and armed with only his police- issue pistol, Leland fights off the terrorists one by one in an attempt to save the 74 hostages, and his daughter and grandchildren. The terrorists plan to steal documents that will publicly expose the Klaxon corporation's dealings with Chile's junta. They also intend to deprive Klaxon of the proceeds of the corrupt deal by dumping $6,000,000 in cash out of the tower's windows. Leland not only believes their claims, but also that his daughter is involved. Leland kills eleven of the terrorists, but in the end he fails to save his daughter, who falls to her death with Gruber after he was shot by Leland. Blaming Klaxon for the terrorist attack, Leland throws the cash out of the window himself. As Leland is leaving the building, the last terrorist Karl, who was presumed dead earlier, returns and starts a shooting rampage, killing the police chief Dwayne Robinson in the process, before Powell finally kills him. Thus Leland is left bitter and broken from the night's events. ===== Ralph "Papa" Thorson (Steve McQueen) is a modern-day bounty hunter based in Los Angeles who hunts down and captures criminals who have skipped on their bail to bring them back for a 20% of the reward to his bail bondsman employer. It is revealed in the opening text that Thorson has apprehended more than 5,000 criminals and bail jumpers and life is just getting complicated for him. In the opening scene, Thorson arrives in a small town in Illinois where despite being a terrible driver of cars (a running joke used throughout the film), he captures fugitive Tommy Price (LeVar Burton) for fleeing on his bail. Next, Thorson drives to Houston where he is to bring in a dangerous punk, named Billie Joe, whose kinfolk include Sheriff Strong, a corrupt redneck lawman who warns Thorson not to get involved. Papa ignores him and ends up in a violent fight with the fugitive, who is so huge, even a beanbag stun gun barely stops him. Thorson drives both Tommy Price and Billie Joe back to Los Angeles where he collects his $1,800 reward for bringing them back. However, Thorson vouches for Price, and thus soon after becomes one of his many acquaintances who hang out at Thorson's house. At home, Thorson is revealed to be an old-fashioned guy who has a love of antiques and classical music, drives a 1950s convertible and keeps an antique gasoline pump in his house. His schoolteacher girlfriend Dotty (Kathryn Harrold) is pregnant and would like "Papa" to be there for her when the baby is born, but his work continually keeps him on the road. Thorson works for elderly and veteran bail bondsman Ritchie Blumenthal (Eli Wallach) who sends him out on dangerous assignments to chase down fugitives in all parts of the USA. However, Thorson himself is pursued by a psychotic killer who was one of Thorson's former convicts, Rocco Mason (Tracey Walter) who begins stalking Thorson at his home and begins following Dotty around as well. Thorson's adventures continue when he is sent to rural Nebraska to bring back two fugitives, called the Branch Brothers. He flies out to Nebraska, rents a fancy 1979 Pontiac Trans Am car and drives to the Branch farmhouse where the two psycho brothers steal his car and try to kill him with dynamite. Thorson commandeers a combine machine and chases after the two Branch Brothers through a cornfield which ends when a stick of dynamite dropped by them blows up their car, but they both survive. Thorson arrives back at the local airport to deliver back the destroyed Trans Am and bring the Branch Brothers on the plane back to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Rocco Mason begins terrorizing Dotty at her workplace which leads Thorson to try to protect her, but she instead tries to make him give up his bounty hunter way of life and to take her to a Lamaze class. Thorson grows tired of it and Dotty threatens to leave him due to his uncertain feelings towards being there for her. When Thorson's police friend Captain Spota (Richard Venture) commits suicide after he is investigated for dealing illegal drugs from the Department's evidence rooms, Thorson goes into a further decline. Blumenthal next sends Thorson to Chicago to pick up fugitive Bernardo (Thomas Rosales Jr.) a dangerous ex-con which leads to a long chase sequence as Thorson and Bernardo exchange gunfire with each other at an apartment building. Thorson chases Bernardo on foot through the streets and to an elevated train where Thorson is forced to climb on the roof of the train to avoid getting shot at. The chase leads to the Marina City complex where they both steal cars and chase each other to the top level the parking garage, where the psychotic fugitive drives off the edge and plunges several stories into the Chicago River to his apparent doom. After returning to Los Angeles that evening, Thorson learns from Price that Dotty has been kidnapped by Rocco Mason and is holding her at the high school where she teaches. Thorson arrives when Mason attempts to kill him with an M-16 assault rifle. Unarmed after being deprived of his weapon, Thorson lures Mason into one classroom where he floods the room with flammable gas where once Mason opens fire, the sparks ignites the gas and blows up the room with Mason in it. Having dealt with Mason, Thorson immediately needs to rush Dotty to the hospital when she begins to go into labor. Despite being a terrible driver, he manages to get to the hospital where he collapses, exhausted, in the lobby. He comes to in the final scene to walk back outside where Dotty has given birth and he holds his new baby. ===== The novel cuts between Walter Toland, a former police officer, and Baal Curran, an angst- ridden teenage girl. Both are playing Killobyte from their own home, hooked to the network through a telephone modem. Walter notices Baal's name on a list and initially assumes she is a man. Indeed, each of them first poses as the other sex. Walter is learning the game as he goes, having neglected to read the instruction manual. He narrowly survives attacks by gunslingers, snakes, and runaway vehicles. Each time he destroys an enemy, he receives a point, and a door to a new setting appears. Eventually he must solve a more complicated problem when he finds himself in a women's prison, evading execution and a possible mole. In the meantime, Baal enters a fantasy setting in which a knight must rescue a princess from an evil sorcerer in a castle guarded by a dragon. She first goes through the adventure as the knight and fails. When she tries again, this time in the role of the princess, Walter has entered the setting as the sorcerer. He captures Baal under the ruse that he is the hero, but when she makes sexual advances at him, he tells her the truth, too honourable to take advantage of her even if it is only within a game. They begin telling each other about their real lives. In his days as a cop, he had an affair with a battered woman he was protecting, and the jealous husband ran him down with a car, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. He still has sexual feelings but is unable to perform. Baal, a plain girl despite her voluptuous appearance in the game, has type I diabetes and is depressed from having recently broken up with her boyfriend, who couldn't handle her disease. She pursued the game as a way of flirting with suicide. They discover that he may be capable of sex within the game, but they are interrupted by a hacker who has infiltrated the software. Calling himself Phreak, the hacker targets specific individuals and locks them in the game so that he can harass them. Walter receives an error message every time he attempts to return to the real world. Aided by his police training, he remains calm and talks to Phreak, even though he knows his real body is in danger of eventual dehydration. Baal temporarily quits the game after agreeing to meet Walter later in the game's next section, where they would use signals to identify each other, since they would have a different appearance. After unsuccessfully trying to get the police involved, she contacts the game's company, who want Walter to stay in the game as bait so that they can capture Phreak, who has eluded authorities for years. They give Baal a patch that will lock Phreak in the game along with Walter, so that they can force him to give the code that will free Walter. We learn that Phreak is a 15-year-old boy whose father was part of a snake handling sect and died of a rattlesnake bite. The mother eventually died, and Phreak is convinced that she was also killed by snakes, which he believes lurk in the shadows waiting to pounce on him. He lives in his aunt's house, secretly using his own telephone line to hack into games, but he avoids experiencing the games directly for fear of being traced, despite the temptations of online sex. Baal reenters the game world. Unfortunately, the next section is especially violent and unpredictable, modelled after Beirut. She poses as an Israeli spy, he as a Druze, and after several dangerous adventures they find each other, but not before Phreak catches up with them. Baal successfully sets the patch on Phreak, locking him in the game, though he has now locked her inside as well. They all end up in a prison together, and Walter tries to force the information out of Phreak, while Baal makes motions to seduce him, but he resists their methods. Walter bombs the prison, causing their virtual deaths (so that they will no longer be imprisoned when they reappear). Walter believes that if his character dies again, he will die for real, for the electric shocks are interfering with his pacemaker and causing heart palpitations. Baal, meanwhile, is in danger of insulin shock if she does not exit the game soon. Phreak is traumatised by the game's simulated death and is terrified of experiencing it again, but he will not volunteer that information to Walter, whom he decides to kill. They all end up in a special section called Potpourri, which mixes elements of various other sections. Baal is able to track the approximate locations of Walter and Phreak. Walter and Baal decide they are in love and want to marry if they manage to survive their current ordeal and meet in the real world. They chase Phreak across Potpourri, evading various obstacles he places in their path. Baal goes into insulin shock and her game body becomes still. Walter finally corners Phreak on a train and threatens to encase him in a box with snakes. Phreak finally relents. Baal wakes up in a hospital, recovering from the insulin shock. She tries calling Walter, whose number she has memorised, but she gets no answer. She has her ex-boyfriend drive her across the country, and it gives him a chance to assuage his guilty conscience as he is comforted that she has found love again. Phreak has manipulated police records so that there is a phony arrest warrant on Walter, but the friends he met in Killobyte show up and refute the charges. A small party is held where Walter and Baal meet face-to- face at last. ===== Maciste arrives on an island only to find it rocked by a catastrophic volcanic eruption...and sinking. The survivors board Maciste's raft, and he pilots it toward a nearby yet unknown island. The group gets captured by a tribe led by Queen Amoa. Her people are under continuous attack by another tribe on the island—a tribe of savage headhunters. Maciste and his survivors decide to help her, so he and some of his friends set out to find Amoa's father. They travel to a ruined castle occupied by the headhunters—which used to be a great city of gold—and find Amoa's father, now blind, imprisoned alone in one of the dungeon rooms by the headhunters. Meanwhile, the leader of the headhunters captures Amoa and decides to marry her by compelling her father to give his blessing. A large battle erupts at Queen Amoa's village when the headhunters attack. During the fight, the headhunter leader abducts Queen Amoa. Maciste pursues them, saves Amoa, and fights and defeats the wily leader of the headhunters. Having saved the day, Maciste rides away on his raft with Amoa in his arms. ===== A novel of Scottish country life, in the dialect of Aberdeen. A story of humble life, centering in two saintly personalities, a dignified and pious Scottish peasant, and his daughter. A vein of mysticism runs through the story, and mesmerism and electro-biology are introduced. ===== In the distant future on a terraformed Mars, Daric discovers that he is a clone of a former Emperor of Earth named Darius. Daric is kidnapped by Kay-Tee agents in an attempt to bring him to earth to open Darius' complex that was sealed long ago. He escapes and begins a journey that takes him to an asteroid, Triton and Pluto's moon Charon.Cassada, Jackie. "Ceres Storm (Book Review)." Library Journal 125.19 (15 Nov. 2000): 100."CERES STORM (Book Review)." Publishers Weekly 247, no. 44 (October 30, 2000): 52.Sallis, James. "BOOKS." Fantasy & Science Fiction 101.2 (Aug. 2001): 43. ===== The story is centered upon three main characters: Andrew, a poor, scholarly, godly man; Dawtie, a simple servant girl who cares for animals; and Alexa, the landlord's daughter and the landlord himself. ===== The book tells the story of a young boy named Diamond. He is a very sweet little boy who makes joy everywhere he goes. He fights despair and gloom and brings peace to his family. One night, as he is trying to sleep, Diamond repeatedly plugs up a hole in the loft (also his bedroom) wall to stop the wind from blowing in. However, he soon finds out that this is stopping the North Wind from seeing through her window. Diamond befriends her, and North Wind lets him fly with her, taking him on several adventures. Though the North Wind does good deeds and helps people, she also does seemingly terrible things. On one of her assignments, she must sink a ship. Yet everything she does that seems bad leads to something good. The North Wind seems to be a representation of Pain and Death working according to God's will for something good. ===== The film is set in Italy in 1922. Two friends returning from the First World War, Rocchetti and Gavazza, join the Fascist Party in Milan. While the latter is an opportunist, the former is a Roman Catholic who is persuaded by his friend to join the party, and is convinced by the revolutionary program issued in Piazza San Sepolcro. In October, the two friends join a group of Fascists marching to Rome to take, but during the trip Rocchetti, seeing the behaviour of the fascist officials and the forces which help the party, gradually gives up his hopes about the fascist revolutionary program. When Rocchetti finally tries to escape, he is beaten almost to death. Gavazza saves him, and runs away with his friend. However, the March on Rome is made, and the two friends cannot help but watch in silence as the political change happens. The last scene of the movie shows King Victor Emmanuel III watching from the balcony of the Quirinal Palace the fascists. He then turns to Grand Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel and tells him that he is willing to "test the fascists for some months". ===== The first series starred Pauline Quirke as Faith Addis, a teacher, and Warren Clarke as her long- suffering husband Brian, as they encountered various misfortunes and difficulties in adjusting to their new rural lifestyle, which is not helped by their uncooperative children's attitude to moving to a new location. The series was generally light in tone, although took a tragic turn following Brian's death in a road accident in series three. In 2003 the Addis family leave the farm for good. They are replaced by the Brewer family. Matt Brewer (Ian Kelsey) is Brian's cousin. He leaves the big city with his young new wife Frankie (Angela Griffin) and his three children from his first marriage to move to Devon to take over the farm. Two years later the Brewer family moved back to the city and were replaced by Jackie (Denise Welch), Tony Murphy (Ricky Tomlinson), and their wayward daughter Emma (Zara Dawson), who owned the local pub. The final series was broadcast in 2005. ===== In the story a man is executed for driving a car in a futuristic London where environmental correctness has run rampant. The citizens suffer under the Dark Green totalitarian regime where the party prohibits alcohol, cars, tobacco and all other luxury goods that contribute to the pollution of the planet. People who do not follow the rules of the government are executed or brought to the Dark Green Re-education Centre in Mid-Wales where they perform various duties such as dusting off leaves day after day, cleaning out badger setts and nursing cattle. The main character of the story, Arnold Watney, intrigues against the Dark Green government and puts up secret resistance against it by owning a car (which is called Mabel the Morris Minor and hidden under a sheet in his lounge at home), smoking cigarettes and drinking his home-brew beer. While watching the execution of a car driver (Dr Stone), Watney realises how dangerous his violations of the Dark Green laws are. Therefore, he secretly dumps his beloved Morris Minor into a pond and confesses his drinking and smoking habits to the Dark Green Cell, who sends him to the Re-education Centre. After three weeks of re-educational treatment, the Dark Greens are overthrown. Besides Watney, many other people have hidden their cars. However, it turns out that the news of the overthrow has only been a clever strategy of the Dark Green government to rouse cars from their hiding places. The owners of the cars have to bear the consequences of their disobedience and "up and down the country" people are killed by the government. ===== Amy has been receiving phone calls for a year, where the caller stammers and then hangs up. The calls are from Kif, who is in love with Amy but is too nervous to speak. Zapp realizes that Amy and Leela know each other, and asks the two of them to go on a double date with him and Kif. Leela agrees as a favor to Amy, and they go to a restaurant aboard a space liner. Kif uses Zapp's characteristically boorish pick-up lines, offending Amy. To prevent her and Leela from leaving, Kif sings karaoke. Amy is touched by this, but Zapp pushes Kif off the stage and sings to Leela, causing the passengers and crew of the ship to flee the restaurant in terror. Zapp crashes the ship into the planet Amazonia, where the Amazonians, a race of giant, muscular, tribal women, capture them. Fry and Bender travel to Amazonia to rescue their friends but are also captured. They are taken to the Amazonians' leader, observing Amazonian society along the way. Fry, Zapp, and Bender ridicule female values, which makes Leela and Amy appreciate how good life would be without men. When the Amazonians ask what the purpose of men is, Amy explains, and the Amazonians realize that what she is describing is snu-snu, something they have heard of, but never experienced. The leader of the Amazonians is the Femputer, a giant computer (voiced by Bea Arthur). Bender is spared for not possessing male anatomy, but Zapp, Fry, and Kif are sentenced by the Femputer to death by snu-snu—a fate that both excites and horrifies them—and are repeatedly snu- snued by Amazonians. Before being taken away, Kif tells Amy that he was the one who kept calling her and hanging up, that the offensive pick-up lines were not his own words, and that he loves her. Amy resolves to save him. Leela and Amy convince Bender to reprogram the Femputer. He discovers that the Femputer is actually a computer operated by a fembot, who created the Amazonian society because her home planet was extremely chauvinistic. Amy rescues Kif; the Amazonians chase after them, cornering them in the Femputer's chamber. By this time, however, Bender and the fembot have become romantic. They order the Amazonians to release their captives and bring gold. The crew returns to Earth where Fry and Zapp receive treatment for their crushed pelvises. Bender has a pile of gold bricks, and Kif and Amy are a couple. They all agree that Amazonia was their best mission ever. ===== While making a pit stop at an interstellar truck stop, Fry buys and eats a decaying egg salad sandwich from a vending machine in the restroom. Upon returning to Earth, Fry and Bender are assigned the task of fixing the plasma fusion boiler, which promptly explodes. Bender is not damaged, but Fry is impaled by a large pipe. Despite the severity of the injury, Fry's damaged body repairs itself in seconds, and the subsequent medical examination reveals to the crew that Fry is infested with microscopic worms from the egg salad sandwich. To eliminate the infestation, Professor Farnsworth makes miniature robotic versions of the crew, except for Fry and Leela. Because the worms know all that Fry knows and would thus defend themselves if Fry knew about the mission, Leela is assigned to distract Fry, who is not told what is happening. Controlling the micro- droids using virtual reality gear, the crew board a miniature Planet Express ship, and enter Fry's ear. Throughout the travel, the crew discover that the worms are drastically improving Fry's intelligence, health, and fitness. The crew make their way into Fry's bowel, and fight their way to the pelvic splanchnic ganglion, intending to cause a massive bowel movement to expel the worm society. Meanwhile, Leela is enchanted by the now intelligent and muscular Fry. Fry reveals that he loves Leela but only recently was he able to articulate his thoughts. Leela realizes that the worms are responsible for the new, improved Fry, and sets out to stop the Professor. Her micro-droid reaches the nerve, and hacks the rest of the micro-droid crew to pieces with an axe. The Professor tells her that the worms will burrow so deep into Fry's body, he will be stuck with them forever, but Leela reasons that Fry is better off with the worms. Fry is informed of what has been happening, but is more interested in romancing Leela than clearing the worms out of his body. Although the two share a romantic evening at Leela's apartment--made more powerful when Fry composes Leela a sonnet on the complex musical instrument the Holophonor-- Leela tells Fry that she loves the new him. Worried, Fry tells her that he needs to find out something, leaves, and, using his own micro-droid, enters his own body. Fry confronts the worm leader and engages him in a sword fight after asking the worms to leave so he can learn if Leela loves him or just what they have made of him; he eventually coerces the worms into leaving by threatening to kill himself by destroying the medulla oblongata. With the worms gone, Fry returns to Leela's apartment and explains to her about the worms, and his decision to dispose of them. His awkward attempts at being romantic end when he mentions his previous relationship with Amy, and Leela kicks him out of her apartment. Back at his apartment, Fry begins to re-learn the Holophonor, and creates a crude image of Leela. ===== The series begins in 82 BC when Julius Caesar is 18 years old. He is out in the town with his daughter Julia (who in real history was not yet born) when news comes that Lucius Cornelius Sulla is just outside the city walls and intends to take the city with his army. The guards sent with the news post death lists on the senate door. When he sees his father-in-law's name he rushes to his house to try to help him escape. Pompey arrests him and takes him to Sulla. Caesar's mother, Aurelia, asks Sulla to show him mercy; out of respect for her, he promises to let Caesar live if he divorces his wife, Cornelia but Caesar refuses. Sulla lets him go but orders Pompey to kill him and bring his heart to him. Pompey follows Caesar and tells him to leave Rome, which he does. Pompey buys a swine's heart from the market and tells Sulla that the heart is Caesar's. Caesar is captured by pirates who intend to ransom him for money. When the Romans crew sent with the message of the ransom don't return, the pirates plan to kill him. Caesar bargains to fight one of them for an extra day and wins, then has a seizure and the pirates believe him worthless, deciding to throw him in the sea; just in time the Roman boat returns with the money and they let Caesar go. Back in Rome, Sulla dies of a heart-attack and Caesar is allowed to return home. While he was gone Cornelia became very ill and Julia befriended the young daughter of Caesar's rival Marcus Porcius Cato, Portia, her brother Marcus and their cousin Brutus. When Cornelia dies from her illness, Caesar swears at her funeral that he will make Rome a better place. Around this time the same pirates who held him captive cut off the grain supply. The senate send Pompey to deal with the problem after Caesar convinced them that he will not take the city with his army like Sulla did. Several years later Pompey returns to Rome and Caesar has achieved the consulship. On the day of Pompey's triumph Julia, Portia and Marcus decide to go and Portia insists on dragging Brutus along with them. At the triumph, Caesar has another seizure but is aided by Calpurnia, daughter of a wealthy man in Rome. At Pompey's welcome home party, while Pompey gets on well with Julia, Caesar notices Calpurnia who he doesn't remember from their encounter before. Caesar swears to his mother that he will make a name for himself. Julia realizes that her father needs an alliance and offers to marry Pompey in order to obtain his legions. Pompey agrees and he marries Julia. In marrying her, he agrees to allow Caesar to take his legions to Gaul, despite the fact that the senate wished to send Cassius. Calpurnia tells Caesar that she knows about his "falling sickness" and he confesses that it shames him. Before he goes to Gaul, Caesar marries Calpurnia and the two of them remain in contact through letters. While sacking a town in Gaul, Caesar comes across a strong-willed warrior who refuses to give in to the Romans attacking his home. He tells Caesar his name is Vercingetorix. Caesar asks him why he is willing to die for something that will be destroyed no matter what, and the warrior replies "because it is mine". Admiring his strength of will, Caesar lets him go, giving him a horse. However, later on, the same warrior chief summons a huge army to fight Caesar's legions at the Battle of Alesia. Outnumbered and surrounded, Caesar's army nevertheless emerges victorious. Meanwhile, in Rome Julia dies in childbirth, and Pompey begins to turn against Caesar who he fears is becoming too powerful. He allies with Cato to attack Caesar politically. Caesar sends Mark Antony to talk to the Senate, but this makes the situation worse. Pompey begins planning to attack Caesar before he can march to Rome, but is too late. Caesar makes his way back to Rome and crosses the river Rubicon with his army. Pompey, Cato and Brutus immediately decide to leave to regroup their own troops in Greece. Upon his return to Rome Caesar is made dictator. He then catches up with and defeats Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus, who then flees to Egypt. After the battle Caesar pardons the captured soldiers of Pompey, including Brutus to whom he says that if anyone wants peace they shall have it. Pompey arrives in Alexandria and is immediately killed by the regent for the boy king Ptolemy XIII in Egypt. When Caesar arrives he is given Pompey's head as a gift but is not pleased to know of Pompey's death. Then Cleopatra VII meets and seduces Caesar, and before he leaves he installs her as rightful Queen of Egypt over her brother Ptolemy. Going on to Utica to find Cato and his son, Caesar wins the Battle of Thapsus. Upon hearing of his allies' loss Cato, who didn't fight in the battle, commits suicide by falling on his sword. With the Civil War over, Caesar returns to Rome with his new ally Cleopatra and their son Caesarion. This disturbs several of the senators, who plot against Caesar thinking he wants to become King. Cassius, the principal mover of the plot, convinces his brother-in-law Brutus, who was spared earlier by Caesar, to join them and end Caesar's reign as Dictator. Calpurnia has a dream about Caesar's death and begs him not to attend the Senate that day but he ignores her advice. When he takes his seat on the Ides of March, the plotting senators mob Caesar, stab him several times and then flee from the building. Calpurnia learns of the plot from Brutus's wife Portia and rushes to the Senate to find him dying alone on the floor. ===== Concerned by pink spots on his chest, Bertie goes to see E. Jimpson Murgatroyd, the Harley Street doctor recommended by his friend Tipton Plimsoll (who himself saw Murgatroyd for spots in Full Moon). On the way, Bertie sees Vanessa Cook, a headstrong girl he once proposed to but no longer wants to marry, leading a protest march. She is with her fiancé Orlo J. Porter, an acquaintance of Bertie's. Orlo and Vanessa are unable to marry since Vanessa's father, the trustee of Orlo's inheritance, refuses to give Orlo his inheritance because Orlo is a communist. Bertie finds Major Plank (who was told that Bertie is a thief called Alpine Joe in Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves) in the doctor's waiting room, though Plank does not recognize Bertie. Murgatroyd tells Bertie that the spots will go away, but recommends that Bertie get fresh air and exercise in the country. Bertie's Aunt Dahlia is going to Eggesford Hall, the home of her friend Colonel James Briscoe in the town of Maiden Eggesford in Somerset, near the seaside resort of Bridmouth-on-Sea, and gets a cottage called Wee Nooke for Bertie there. Jeeves is disappointed that they must cancel their upcoming trip to New York, but has the consolation that he will see his aunt in Maiden Eggesford. At Maiden Eggesford, Bertie walks to Eggesford Hall, but goes to Eggesford Court, the home of Vanessa's father Mr. Cook, by mistake. Seeing a black cat with white fur on its chest and nose, Bertie pets it and moves to hold it. Cook sees this and thinks Bertie is stealing the cat. After he threatens Bertie with a hunting crop, Plank, who is Cook's guest, advises Bertie to leave, which he hastily does. Jeeves informs Bertie that Cook's horse Potato Chip and Briscoe's horse Simla will soon compete in a race at Bridmouth-on-Sea, and to perform well, Potato Chip must be near this stray cat that it recently befriended. Vanessa urges Orlo to demand his inheritance from Cook. When Orlo refuses, she ends the engagement and decides she will marry Bertie. Bertie doesn't want to marry her, but is too polite to turn her down. Aunt Dahlia has bet on Simla's victory in the race, and arranged for poacher Herbert "Billy" Graham (a joking reference to evangelist Billy Graham) to kidnap the cat to sabotage Potato Chip. Graham brings the cat to Bertie's cottage, but Bertie pays Graham to return the cat to avoid trouble. After suggesting that Orlo approach Cook about his inheritance after Cook is mellowed by a good dinner, Jeeves goes to visit his aunt, Mrs. Pigott. Plank remembers that Bertie is Alpine Joe, and he and Cook suspect Bertie of stealing the cat. Graham fails to return the cat, so Bertie tries to return it himself. Carrying the cat up to Eggesford Court, Bertie trips and loses it. The cat ultimately goes back to Bertie's cottage. Orlo is unable to convince Cook to give him his inheritance, yet Vanessa is happy that Orlo confronted her father anyway, and they elope. At his cottage, Bertie is accosted by Cook and Plank, who believe that Vanessa wants to marry Bertie. Bertie hands over a letter from Orlo proving that Orlo and Vanessa eloped. Cook is apologetic to Bertie, until the cat wanders in. Thinking Bertie stole the cat, Cook and Plank tie him up. Cook brings the cat back to Potato Chip while Plank leaves to fetch the police. Jeeves appears and unties Bertie. Plank returns and initially thinks Jeeves is a policeman called Inspector Witherspoon (from Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves), but Jeeves denies this. Pretending to be Bertie's solicitor, Jeeves convinces Plank that he is mistaken about Bertie, since Bertie, having ample wealth, has no reason to be a thief like Alpine Joe. Jeeves realized that the stray cat actually belongs to his aunt. Bertie and Jeeves make a deal with Cook to lend him the cat until the race is over and not press charges for tying Bertie up, in exchange for Cook paying Mrs. Pigott a fee and giving Orlo his inheritance. Bertie and Jeeves go to New York, which Bertie finds much calmer and quieter than Maiden Eggesford. In a letter, Aunt Dahlia's husband Tom Travers writes that the race was awarded to Briscoe's Simla after Cook's cat ran across the racecourse and startled Simla. Bertie is pleased for his aunt. However, he attributes the tranquility of his and Jeeves's stay in New York to their distance from aunts, particularly Aunt Dahlia, who, though genial, has a lax moral code. The trouble with aunts, Bertie tells Jeeves, is that they are not gentlemen. ===== Springfield Elementary School holds a school fair, where Lisa purchases a caricature of herself drawn at a carnival booth. She is horrified at the unflattering drawing and the reaction of the surrounding crowd, and feels she is unattractive. Homer wins the fair's raffle, with the grand prize being a ride in the Duff Blimp. He later sees on TV that Laramie Cigarettes is sponsoring this year's "Little Miss Springfield" pageant, and decides to enter Lisa to boost her self-esteem. The entry fee for the pageant is $250, so he sells his Duff Blimp ticket to Barney to raise the funds needed. Homer excitedly tells Lisa about the pageant, but she is reluctant until Marge tells her that Homer sold his Duff Blimp ticket to pay the entry fee. Realizing her father's sacrifice, she enters the pageant. At the pageant's registration, Lisa meets a formidable competitor named Amber Dempsey, a blonde girl who uses eyelash implants from Paraguay to make herself look cuter. In preparation for the pageant, Lisa receives makeovers at the beauty parlor, training from Bart, and encouragement from her family. The day of the pageant arrives, and onstage Lisa explains her aim to make Springfield a better place, and her talent is a jazzy medley of "America the Beautiful" and "Proud Mary", while Amber wins the crowd's adoration by batting her large eyelashes. After Krusty the Clown's interview segment, Amber is announced as the winner with Lisa the runner-up. At Amber's first official appearance, a thunderstorm creates a lightning bolt which strikes her metal scepter. She is hospitalized for her injuries, and Lisa is crowned Little Miss Springfield. One of Little Miss Springfield's duties as spokesperson for pageant sponsor Laramie Cigarettes, is to lure a younger demographic into smoking. Instead, Lisa protests against the dangers of cigarettes at her appearances, and also vows to target the corruption of Mayor Quimby. Quimby and the Laramie officials look for a way to dethrone and silence Lisa. They find a technical error on her entry form: Homer wrote "OK" underneath the instruction "Do not write in this space". As Amber is recrowned Little Miss Springfield, Homer is upset that he cost Lisa her title, but Lisa reminds Homer that he entered her in the pageant to help her self-esteem, and thanks him because it worked. Homer requests that she remember it "the next time I wreck your life", to which Lisa gladly agrees and embraces him. ===== It's Xmas again, and everyone is locking down for the arrival of Robot Santa. The Professor sends the crew to deliver children's letters directly to Santa at his fortress on Neptune. After reading some of the letters, begging Santa not to wreak havoc on the writers, Fry decides it's time to bring Christmas back to the way it was in the past. They land at Jolly Junction, Neptune, and enlist the aid of a pair of Neptunians in sneaking into the fortress. The crew confronts Santa, and Leela presents him with what she believes to be a logical paradox intended to destroy him. Unfortunately, Santa proves immune to paradox, and he takes off after them with a missile launcher. The crew escapes the fortress, and is about to leave in the ship, but Santa grabs the engine and prevents the ship from taking off. The heat from the engine melts the ice under Santa's feet, and he sinks in the ice, which refreezes around him. With Santa frozen in ice, Bender takes over, and toy- making resumes in Jolly Junction. Bender heads to New New York, where he gets a less than welcome reception from citizens expecting Santa. While taking a beer break, Bender is arrested and put on trial for Santa's crimes against humanity. Bender is found guilty and sentenced to execution by magnetic dismemberment. Fry and Leela rush back to Neptune to bring in the real Santa to prove Bender's innocence. They carve Santa out in a large block of ice, but the ice melts due to pollution from the toy factory, and Santa is freed. Fry and Leela escape in the ship, but Santa rides on the ship back to Earth. The Planet Express crew tries one last attempt to save Bender, with all of them pretending to be Santa and Zoidberg pretending to be Jesus. Their effort fails, and the execution device is activated. Moments later, the real Robot Santa bursts through the wall. He rescues Bender and the two go on a proper Xmas rampage. As the Planet Express crew huddle in fear of their lives, Fry concludes he has somewhat succeeded in bringing back the old spirit of Christmas, even if it is fear that is bringing people together instead of love. At the end of the spree of destruction, Santa tells Bender that if he tries a stunt like that again, he will kill him, and pushes Bender off the sleigh amid the burning buildings. ===== The first half of the story, found in Mike at Wrykyn, introduces Michael "Mike" Jackson. Mike is the youngest son of a renowned cricketing family. Mike's eldest brother Joe is a successful first-class player, while another brother, Bob, is on the verge of his school team. When Mike arrives at Wrykyn himself, his cricketing talent and love of adventure bring him success and trouble in equal measure. The second part, also known as Enter Psmith or Mike and Psmith, takes place two years later. Mike, due to poor academic reports, is withdrawn from Wrykyn by his father and sent to a smaller school called Sedleigh. On arrival at Sedleigh, he meets the eccentric Rupert Psmith, another new arrival who has arrived from Eton. The two become friends and decide not to play cricket, instead participating in other school activities. ===== The episode opens in the mid-1970s, where a young Yancy Fry is jealous of his newborn brother Philip, and copies him in anything he can. In the year 3000, Philip J. Fry is getting fed up with his bad luck in a horse rally. A flashback shows Fry discovering a seven-leaf clover, which grants him extraordinary luck and allows him to beat his brother in any contest, from basketball to breakdancing. Fry sets off, with Leela and Bender, to find his clover in the ruins of Old New York and makes his way to his old house. Back in the 1980s, a teenage Fry hides the seven-leaf clover inside his Ronco record vault in his copy of The Breakfast Club soundtrack. In the year 3000, Fry finds and opens the safe, only to discover the clover is missing. He concludes that Yancy must have stolen it. They happen across a statue of whom they believe to be Yancy, with the seven-leaf clover in his lapel. The inscription, "Philip J. Fry - The Original Martian", angers Fry because he believes Yancy stole his name and his dream. Professor Farnsworth pulls up a biographical movie about "Philip J. Fry", where the crew learns that he was a millionaire, rock star, astronaut, and is now buried with the seven-leaf clover in Orbiting Meadows National Cemetery, a graveyard orbiting Earth. A furious Fry sets off to rob Philip J. Fry's grave and recover the clover. The story jumps back to the early 21st century, where an adult Yancy is rummaging through his missing brother's music to find something to play at his wedding. Yancy discovers the seven-leaf clover and takes it. Fry, Leela and Bender reach the grave site and start digging, but Fry knocks loose some moss that is covering part of an inscription on the tombstone. The story jumps back to Yancy, who is discussing naming his newborn son with his wife. Yancy reveals he misses his brother, and gives Fry's clover to his newborn son and names him Philip J. Fry. The inscription on the tomb reads "Here Lies Philip J. Fry, named for his uncle, to carry on his spirit." Bender finds the clover, but an emotionally touched Fry returns it to his nephew's grave. ===== After an overly dramatic takeoff results in an inelegant crash onto the streets of the New New York, the crew discovers that the Planet Express ship's essential L-unit has been straightened. After discovering that other objects in the office have been bent, suspicion naturally turns to Bender. The bent objects include Professor Farnsworth, who is bent forward at a right angle so he always faces the ground. Offering to fix the Professor, Bender bends Farnsworth backward at a right angle. The crew plays the security tape from the night before, which shows Bender "sleep-bending". The Professor sends Bender away to satisfy his psychological need for bending; throughout the episode, the Professor annoys the rest of the crew with his uplifting personality and fascination of looking up at the sky now that he is bent backwards. Bender gets hired at a bending plant as a scab worker during a strike, and discovers that Flexo, who was sent to prison in Bender's place in a previous episode, is also employed as a scab. Also working at the factory is a buxom blue-collar beauty of a fembot named Angleyne. Bender quickly develops an affection for Angleyne, and they begin dating. Their relationship goes well, until Bender discovers that Angleyne and Flexo are a divorced couple on friendly terms, and that they may still be affectionate. In an attempt to discover Angleyne's true feelings, Bender disguises himself as Flexo, and meets her at an orbital nightclub. While there, Bender flashes the wad of cash he has made as a strikebreaker, which angers the members of the Robot Mafia who are present. Bender (as Flexo) succeeds in seducing Angleyne, but when she discovers his identity, Bender rushes off to kill Flexo. Bender arrives at the bending plant where Flexo is working the night shift, and starts a fight. Meanwhile, in the crane control booth, the Robot Mafia moves an unbendable girder into position above Bender and Flexo. Because they do not know that Bender was disguised as Flexo, the Robot Mafia wants Flexo dead for Bender's monetary indiscretions. The girder is dropped on top of Flexo, crushing him. Angleyne confesses that she still loves Flexo, and Bender decides that her happiness is more important than his, and resolves to save Flexo by bending the unbendable girder. After a mighty struggle, he frees Flexo, earning Angleyne's appreciation, but not her love. Having satisfied his need for bending, Bender returns to his job at Planet Express. ===== It is New Year's Day of 2006, more than a year after the events of Night Watch. Anton Gorodetsky, the protagonist of the first film, finds himself in the middle of an approaching conflict between the Light and Dark Others, who are still bound with an uneasy truce. Anton is still a Night Watch operative, now working with his trainee and romantic interest, Svetlana. As his son Yegor has now become a Dark Other, Anton is forced to secretly destroy evidence of Yegor's attacks on normal people, which violates the treaty, leaving the Night Watch unable to sentence Yegor. To redeem for his previous mistake, an attempt to use a witch's service to kill the unborn Yegor (shown in the beginning of the first film), Anton seeks the legendary Chalk of Fate, a magical chalk that could rewrite history, which was once Tamerlane's property and one of the main reasons for his numerous military successes. Meanwhile, Zavulon, the leader of the Dark Others and their Day Watch, is waiting for Yegor's birthday. At the birthday, Yegor would become a Great Other and acquire the power that would allow the Dark Others to break the treaty (which is only supported because the Others fear that the two sides will destroy each other). Zavulon's gratitude to Anton for covering Yegor's violations of the treaty doesn't stop him and the Day Watch from attempting to frame Anton for murder and bring him in front of the Inquisition. They succeed, despite the efforts made by Gesser, the head of the Night Watch, to protect Anton from the Dark Others by putting him in Olga's body. While in her body, Svetlana confesses that she loves Anton to the person she thinks is Olga, which pushes their relationship forward. This happens despite Svetlana's initial anger at Anton for not telling her that he was in Olga's body. Anton obtains the Chalk of Fate from its hiding place in a Central Asian cafe in Moscow and uses it to summon Yegor. They initially get on well, but Yegor is resentful when Anton refuses his request to patch things up with Yegor's mother. Anton puts his large coat on Yegor, who seems to be cold, and leaves to order food. At this time, Svetlana rings Anton's mobile, which he left in the pocket of the coat, and Yegor, angry at her intrusion into his relationship with his absentee father, yells at her, "He has a family. Don't call again." He smashes the phone and leaves with the chalk, which he takes to Zavulon. Zavulon cannot use or touch the Chalk, because doing so would be a direct violation of the treaty, so he has Yegor give it to his minion/lover Alisia to do with as she wishes, although it is implied that Zavulon knows what she will do with it. Yegor's birthday party begins soon after that; the guests are Dark Others (some of them are Russian pop stars), although Anton makes his way to the party as Yegor's father to expose the real perpetrator of the murder he has been charged with - his vampire neighbor, Kostya's father. He is unable, however, to avert a disaster: as Svetlana rushes to the party to find Anton, Yegor confronts her. She tries to avoid a conflict but Yegor repeatedly challenges her and expresses resentment at her relationship with his father; Svetlana accidentally strikes Yegor and spills a drop of his blood, which Zavulon interprets as a violation of the Treaty and thus uses as a pretense to declare all-out war on the Light Others. Yegor, now a Great Other, unleashes an apocalypse upon Moscow, killing most of the guests and blinding Svetlana. The city is nearly destroyed, starting with the Ostankino Tower; a fierce battle between the Light and Dark Others follows, with few survivors on either side. In the midst of the chaos, Anton, who survives, finds Alisia who is trying to revive her dead lover, Kostya, but without success. She cannot revive him because her actions did not cause his death. The scene implies the user of the Chalk can only change decisions that he or she made, not anyone else's. Anton convinces Alisia to give him the Chalk so that he can prevent the destruction of Moscow and the deaths of scores of Others, but is almost immediately caught by a panicked Svetlana and an enraged Yegor. The two Great Others fight for Anton, but nearly kill him in the process. Saved at the last minute by Gesser, Anton runs through the ruins of Moscow to the house where he, fourteen years ago, made his visit to the witch -- the visit that caused the entire sequence of events, starting Anton's own initiation into the Night Watch. Anton writes NO (нет; pronounced nyet) on a wall in this house. Moscow reverts to its normal, undemolished state and the film returns to 1992 and the first scene of Night Watch. In the epilogue, as a result of the Chalk's influence, Anton rethinks his deal with the witch, and therefore never inadvertently agrees to harm his wife's unborn child, who would have been Yegor. He walks out of the house and into the street, where he meets Svetlana. Zavulon and Gesser watch them from a park bench, eager to see if Anton will recognize Svetlana, despite now having never met her because of the rewriting of history. Gesser's prediction turns out to be accurate; despite not knowing how or why, Anton recognizes Svetlana and they walk off together, implicitly striking up a less harried relationship than the one they have/had in the first film. ===== Ordered by his father to find a bride, Prince Ludwig (Lui), a flamboyant former collector of female corpses, travels the land with his loyal and soft-hearted servant Wilhelm. ===== Leela is entering Nibbler in a pet show on Earth. After hearing that the top prize is $500 and a year's supply of dog food, Bender and Zoidberg also enter. After a series of tests, the Hypnotoad wins by hypnotizing the judges. Nibbler is crowned the "dumbest pet in show" while Bender and Zoidberg the "whooping terrier" win second prize, much to Bender's disappointment. Later, the Planet Express staff discusses an ominous trail of destroyed planets leading toward Earth. Nibbler begins gibbering worriedly and runs away. Tracking Nibbler to an alley, Leela is inexplicably attacked by giant floating brains and sees Nibbler, who has donned a uniform and is piloting a tiny flying saucer as he regretfully prepares to leave Earth. When the brains continue to attack Leela, Nibbler has a change of heart and rescues Leela, letting her on his ship. As they fly away from Earth, Nibbler explains to Leela telepathically that he is a Nibblonian ambassador sent to observe humans in secret. The next morning, brains start sending blue beams at buildings, and Fry discovers that all the citizens of New New York have been rendered stupid, except himself. Meanwhile, Nibbler and Leela travel to the planet Eternium, at the exact center of the universe. There, in the Hall of Forever, a Nibblonian council tells Leela of the threat of the Brainspawn, the giant brains that have invaded Earth and are attempting to wipe out all thought in the universe. While the Nibblonians have been fighting them since the beginning of the universe, they are powerless against the Brainspawns' powers of stupidity. Fry is the only being in the universe immune to the Brainspawns' mental attack, and is the only one capable of combating them and their leader. They explain to her that once she re-enters the Earth's atmosphere, she will become too dumb to remember, so they write the information on a note and pin it to her clothing. Leela arrives on Earth to tell Fry of his mission, but he takes the note, blows his nose on it, and throws it into a burning fireplace. Leela has retained just enough of her intelligence to remember the Nibblonians' message. Fry seeks the leader of the brains at the New New York Public Library, reasoning that a leader of big brains would be a big nerd and would go to a library. Fry discovers that thinking hurts the brains, but the brain leader traps Fry and Leela in a mental realm based on Moby-Dick. Fry and Leela pursue the giant brain through The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and gain help from Captain Ahab, Queequeg, and Tom Sawyer, and into Pride and Prejudice. Fry breaks free of the illusion, and quickly writes a story in which he is crushed to death by a bookcase, one riddled with "plot holes and spelling errors". In accordance with the story, the giant brain announces it is leaving Earth "for no raisin" (Fry's misspelling of "reason"), and the people of Earth regain their intelligence. Other than the Nibblonians, Fry is the only other one to have any recollection of the event, and no one believes his story. Nibbler returns to his undercover position observing Earth as Leela's adorable pet. ===== The prestigious bridal magazine Confetti, owned by the arrogant, suave Antoni Clarke (Jimmy Carr) and managed by the long-suffering, uptight chief editor Vivienne (Felicity Montagu), is holding a competition to see who can hold the most original wedding, with the winners being presented with a new house and a cover shoot for the magazine. Three couples and their proposals are selected to participate: Sam and Matt (Jessica Stevenson and Martin Freeman), a middle class couple of old-fashioned romantics who have elected to hold their wedding in the style of Busby Berkeley musicals of the 1930s and 1940s, despite the fact that Sam can barely hold a tune; Isabelle and Josef (Meredith MacNeill and Stephen Mangan), a pair of hyper-competitive professional tennis players holding a tennis-themed wedding; and Joanna and Michael (Olivia Colman and Robert Webb), a naturist couple who intend to hold their wedding entirely naked. All three weddings are planned using the services of Gregory and Archie (Vincent Franklin and Jason Watkins), wedding planners and partners in both business and love. The film follows their planning, and the various crises that each couple faces over the three-month planning period. As well as learning to sing and dance, Sam and Matt must contend with Sam's dominating mother (Alison Steadman) and attention-seeking sister (Sarah Hadland), who appear intent on hijacking the proceedings and constantly browbeat and undermine the shy and easily cowed Sam such as preventing her from inviting her beloved but estranged Sam's father (Ron Cook), much to Matt's growing irritation. The couple must also deal with Matt's oldest friend and best man Snoopy (Marc Wootton), a musician who nurses a bitter resentment towards Sam for coming between him and Matt that he expresses in not-so-subtle lyrics that he intends to sing at the wedding. Despite the constant support and encouragement the couple receive from Archie and Gregory, the gradual tension eventually builds to a bitter argument between Matt and Sam's mother and sister which sees him kicked out of the house where he is staying with them; this prompts Sam, however, to finally stand up for herself and put her mother and sister in place. Isabelle and Josef, meanwhile, are intensely determined to win, owing to unexplained financial difficulties. Suspicious and competitive, they become increasingly paranoid that the competition is being 'fixed' against them in favour of Matt and Sam, eventually resorting to the extreme measure of having Isabelle's nose – and her extremely large nostrils – altered by plastic surgery (with the result being that the nose she ends up with is much longer than her original one). In the process, however, they find themselves combating their own anxieties; Josef, in particular, finds himself confronting his jealousy over Isabelle's friendship with their tennis coach, Jesus (Jesús de Miguel), and insecurity over his largely finished tennis career and that he will not be able to be a worthy husband to Isabelle. Joanna and Michael, however, find their plans challenged at every turn by Vivienne, who has no intention of putting a naked couple on the front of the magazine should they win. Michael, an experienced naturist, angrily resists Vivienne's efforts to make him dress up for the wedding, but Joanna, a recent convert and still insecure about revealing her body to strangers, finds herself of mixed minds about the issue. The pressure of the magazine and the tension between the two becomes so great that it briefly looks like the marriage will not even take place at all. The big day finally arrives, amid much jitters and anxiety on all sides. All three weddings go off largely without a hitch, although Michael and Joanna raise eyebrows when, in defiance of Vivienne's rulings, they bare all (literally) in their wedding service. The winners are soon decided – Matt and Sam, which prompts a display of sour grapes on part of Josef and Isabelle. The movie then briefly glimpses at the three couples a few months later, all of whom are adjusting to married life relatively happily. ===== After a disastrous attempt at stand-up comedy, Dr. Zoidberg informs the crew that his uncle, Harold Zoid, was a star in the silent hologram era. Zoidberg writes to his uncle, asking for help with his comedy act. The washed-up Harold Zoid sees this as an opportunity to restart his career. The crew sets off for Hollywood. While taking a bus tour of movie stars' homes, Bender leaves the tour, and scams his way into employment as Calculon's water heater. Shortly afterward, Zoidberg meets his uncle in a restaurant. Harold Zoid tells him to give up comedy, because he would be perfect for drama, and he needs Zoidberg to finance a drama to the tune of a million dollars. As Zoidberg is practically broke, Bender tells Calculon that he can star in the movie if he provides the production money. Calculon initially refuses on account of disliking the font, but after learning Harold Zoid wrote the script, and getting a guarantee from Bender that he will win an Oscar, he accepts. The film, The Magnificent Three, is a story about a son (the Vice-President of Earth) not wanting to follow in his father's (the President of Earth) footsteps. Due to Harold Zoid's inexperience with drama and outdated directorial style, the movie is terrible, and at the premiere, the entire audience walks out. Furious, Calculon threatens to kill Bender, Zoidberg, and Harold Zoid if they do not get him an Oscar. They all agree to rig the awards. Meanwhile, Leela and Fry crash their ship in the La Brea Tar Pits on the way to the premiere. When the awards reach the Best Actor award, Dr. Zoidberg tosses presenter Billy Crystal off the stage and takes his place. In place of the fifth nominee, he substitutes Calculon. But when he sees his uncle's depression at being a has-been, Zoidberg announces him as the winner. In his acceptance speech, Harold Zoid says his nephew's gesture has made him realize that the award itself is secondary to the knowledge that someone, even if only one person, still respects him as a filmmaker. Calculon, somewhat chastened by this speech, decides not to kill him or the others. Fry and Leela finally escape from the tar pits and are allowed to enter the after party when the skeleton they are dragging is recognized as that of Sylvester Stallone. ===== Leela is invited to a reunion at her old orphanarium. She initially dreads seeing the people who made fun of her eye as a kid, but she decides rubbing her success in their faces would be very satisfying. Leela attempts to wave her impressive lifestyle in the other orphans' faces, but they quickly resume making fun of her eye. But Adlai Atkins (voiced by guest star Tom Kenny), the only other success story from the orphanarium, shoos them away. Adlai, now a phaser eye surgeon, offers to rework Leela's face to make her look normal, and she jumps at the chance, in spite of Fry's objections. Meanwhile, Bender adopts twelve orphans for the $100-a-week-per-child government stipend. The operation is a success, and Leela adapts to her new, normal-looking life. Adlai asks the two-eyed Leela out, which causes Fry to exhibit signs of jealousy. In short order, Adlai tells Leela that he is ready to settle down and have kids. A receptive Leela suggests that they should adopt, and Adlai agrees. They go to Bender, who is now selling the twelve children because the government stipends are not a good get-rich-quick scheme. Leela wants to adopt Sally (voiced by guest star Nicole St. John), a girl with an ear on her forehead and a tail. Adlai objects, and then suggests that the child have an operation to remove the ear and make her "acceptable". Leela, horribly offended, finally realizes that she was better off abnormal and physically threatens Adlai into removing her prosthetic eye. Bender, having been arrested by child services for "child cruelty, child endangerment, depriving children of food, selling children as food and misrepresenting the weight of livestock", returns the orphans to the orphanarium (which is subsequently named after him, though later episodes do not reflect this). After the children give Bender a drawing of him and the orphans, Bender expresses distaste for it and crumbles it up and throws it in his chest as the orphans sadly walk off. Bender then sneakily pulls the drawing back out, smooths it out, and places it on the inside of his chest door with a magnet. The children notice this and mob him with hugs. ===== Mike Jackson, cricketer and scion of a cricketing clan, finds his dreams of studying and playing at Cambridge upset by news of his father's financial troubles, and must instead take a job with the "New Asiatic Bank". On arrival there, Mike finds his friend Psmith is also a new employee, and together they strive to make the best of their position, and perhaps squeeze in a little cricket from time to time. ===== The episode opens on a girl fleeing down a street from a shadowy figure. She stumbles, allowing the pursuer to catch up. The man holds her and runs a finger with a metal claw over it down her cheek, carving a cross into it. Once finished, he bites her and drains her of blood. The camera's view moves over the figure's head and it looks very much like Angel, who is jerked from sleep in a cold sweat. Meanwhile, detective Kate examines the body and comments, "it's the same guy". The next morning, Cordelia is practicing talking to clients when Wesley enters with their mail and inquires if Cordelia or Angel have noticed anything sinister going on, but Cordelia has nothing for him and tells him he's brought in the wrong mail. Wesley notices something that seems familiar and frightening on the front page of the newspaper he has brought. Angel comes in, cranky about her looking up a license plate. Cordelia suggests Angel try asking Kate for the favor. Angel, distracted, tries to leave by the front door and almost bursts into flame. After he leaves, Angel goes to the police station to talk to Kate and notices the crime scene photos, which call up haunting images of his dreams. After that, Wesley confronts Cordelia about the fact that the recent murders match Angel's MO. Cordelia is skeptical until Angel himself admits it might be him, dreaming. They chain him to his bed to test the theory. That night, instead of dreaming about a current murder, he dreams about his past when he had just turned a vampire named Penn. He realizes the killer is Penn and resolves to tell Kate, despite Wesley's objections. Angel goes to Kate and talks to her in private. He asks Kate if she trusts him, and gives her a sketch of the vampire's face and a clue about who and where he'll strike next. On his way out, he steals a police radio so he and Wesley can intercept Penn before the police confront him. Kate's task force find Penn in the act and force him into an abandoned warehouse. Kate goes in alone to capture him, while Angel and Wesley drive to the building and Angel sneaks in. Kate finds and shoots Penn, but he gets up and attacks her until Angel interrupts. Penn expects Angel to be on his side until Angel attacks him. Penn escapes and Kate is confused. Afterward, Angel confronts her and tells her to leave Penn to him because she doesn't know what she's dealing with. Penn confronts Cordelia in their offices. Cordelia surmises his identity and has him cornered with Angel until Wesley walks in and Penn uses him as a hostage. After he escapes, a montage follows Penn planning his next attack, Kate researching and Angel wandering the streets looking for him. Angel ends up at Kate's apartment, where she reveals she now knows about vampires and particularly his past. She mentions Penn's previous visits to Los Angeles, which Angel takes as a clue. Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley use his previous visits to find Penn's lair in an oft-remodeled hotel/apartment building. Angel and Wesley go there and find photos of school buses, along with schedules for such buses. It appears Penn's next target will be a bus of schoolchildren. Kate is prepping her task force for apprehending Penn when he reveals that he's in the room and attacks them all, then captures Kate. Penn drags Kate to the sewer and Angel intervenes, revealing that he had known that the schoolchildren were a decoy. They fight until Penn has Angel in a lock with Kate holding an oversized piece of wood. She jabs it through both of them, missing Angel's heart but killing Penn. Angel says, "You missed." Kate replies, "No, I didn't." Afterward on a rooftop, Cordelia tells Angel she had a vision, but he is worried about his nature, because he enjoyed the dreams of hunting and killing. She tells him his actions count, not his dark internal issues, though she promises to stake him if he becomes a problem. ===== Cordelia goes out with her friends Serena and Emily, for an evening with the man Cordelia has been seeing, famous photographer, Wilson Christopher. Meanwhile, Wesley and Angel fight a demon after being notified of its presence by one of Cordelia's visions. At Club La Brea, Cordelia and Wilson talk, seeming to make a genuine connection. Wilson takes Cordelia home, and he spends the night there. The Phantom Dennis registers his displeasure by changing the lights and music that Cordelia selects. She wakes the next morning to an empty bed, but she find that in the night, she has grown--in a matter of hours--very pregnant. Angel and Wesley are alarmed by her absence so break into the apartment. They find the pregnant Cordelia in bed. After discovering that the phone number Wilson gave to Cordelia is no longer in service, Angel instructs Wesley to take her for an ultrasound to see exactly what it is they are dealing with, while he goes to hunt down "daddy." Starting his search at the club where Cordelia went, Angel gains the bartender's (Josh Randall) reluctant trust and obtains information about Cordelia's "friend" Serena, who turns out to be the ringleader of a group of attractive young women hooking up with Wilson's group of well-heeled guys. When he gets to her apartment, Angel discovers that Serena is also heavily pregnant. Meanwhile, in the clinic exam room, the doctor counts seven heartbeats and, trying to conceal his agitation under a professional demeanor, orders an amniocentesis. However, the syringe containing the amniotic fluid cracks and the spilled fluid quickly eats through the floor. Dr. Wasserman and the nurse flee in terror. At Serena's, Angel sits with her, asking questions that could give him some clue to Wilson's current whereabouts. Serena explains that she gets dates for Wilson and a few others, and they ask her for girls who have no family and few friends in the city. She also mentions that the money the guys use literally smells. Simultaneously, Serena and Cordelia double over in pain. Fading in and out of coherence, she tells Wesley that the babies are not human, and are trying to communicate with her. After Cordelia falls asleep, Wesley and Angel confer. Angel searches the Yellow Pages for a cigar and gun club where Serena says the men hang out. As they walk past the kitchen, they see Cordelia drinking pig's blood directly from one of Angel's jars, without her registering how strange it is. Finding Wilson down on the shooting range at his gun club, Angel confronts him about Cordelia. Angel sees Wilson is not a demon, but correctly guesses that the men act as surrogates for a demon in exchange for success in their careers and sex with the women. The rest of the guys show up, and Wilson shoots Angel, but Angel fights back and forces Wilson to talk. Wesley, in the meantime, discovers that Cordelia carries the spawn of a Haxil demon. When he shows her its picture and tries to comfort her, however, Cordelia bashes Wesley unconscious with the heavy reference book. Under the demon's telepathic thrall, she fiercely protects its young. The sound of Angel's phone ringing brings Wesley groggily back to consciousness. He answers and it is Angel, calling from a phone booth while manually extracting the bullets from his own torso. Frantic, Wesley tells Angel that Cordelia has left, but Angel says he knows where she's going. Comparing notes, the two men determine that the spawn can't survive if the psychic umbilical the Haxil maintains with each of the hosts is severed. Listening to Wesley's catalogue of the Haxil beast's many strengths and few weaknesses, Angel suddenly has an idea and asks Wes if he can shoot straight. Meanwhile, Cordelia and many other women impregnated by the demon gather at an old refinery fronting the entrance to the cave where the demon resides. Dressing each other in flowing white gowns, the women slowly climb into a waist-deep pool of odoriferous liquid and stand in a circle, waiting. Wesley arrives and, reverting to Watcher mode, tries to scold Cordelia and the others out of the pool, but is interrupted by the thunderous appearance of the gigantic Haxil demon emerging from its lair. Sentient and English-speaking, the towering Haxil is about to remove Wesley and begin delivering its spawn when Angel cockily appears, rolling a huge white tank, his gift for "the baby shower," down the ramp in front of him. Hefting the tank, Angel whirls and launches it at the Haxil, who reflexively catches it. Before the Haxil can react to the liquid nitrogen label now visible, Wesley shoots a hole in the tank. The tank falls and sprays the escaping vapor over the demon, freezing it solid. In the tub, the women cry out as the spawn they've been carrying disappear with the broken psychic link. Cordelia climbs out, grabs a block and tackle from its anchor near his head, and swings the heavy missile directly at the frozen Haxil, shattering it to coldly smoking smithereens. Two days later, Cordelia returns to the office, looking svelte and fabulous once more. She teases the boys mercilessly, then surprises and touches them both by growing sincere, letting them know how grateful she is to have two people she trusts with her life. ===== The story begins with Psmith accompanying his fellow Cambridge student Mike to New York on a cricketing tour. Through high spirits and force of personality, Psmith takes charge of a minor periodical, and becomes embroiled in a scandal involving slum landlords, boxing and gangsters – the story displays a strong social conscience, rare in Wodehouse's generally light-hearted works. ===== Screenshot of Mae West performing her burlesque dance in front of men Tira (Mae West) shimmies and sings in the sideshow of Big Bill Barton's Wonder Show, while her current boyfriend, pickpocket "Slick" (Ralf Harolde), relieves her distracted audience of their valuables for Big Bill (Edward Arnold). One of the rich customers, Ernest Brown, arranges a private rendezvous, during which Slick barges in and attempts to run a badger game on the customer. The customer threatens to call the cops, so Slick whacks him over the head with a bottle. Mistakenly thinking he has killed the man, Slick flees, but is caught and jailed. Fearing that Slick will implicate her, Tira asks Big Bill for a loan to retain her lawyer, Bennie Pinkowitz (Gregory Ratoff). He agrees on condition that she does her lion taming act, which includes putting her head into the mouth of one of the beasts, promising her that it will get her (and him) to the "Big Show". It does. (West did some of her own stunts, including riding an elephant into the ring.) Tira's fame takes her to New York City, where wealthy Kirk Lawrence (Kent Taylor) is smitten, despite being engaged to snobbish socialite Alicia Hatton (Gertrude Michael). He showers her with expensive gifts. Kirk's friend and even richer cousin, Jack Clayton (Cary Grant), goes to see Tira to ask her to leave Kirk and his fiancée alone. He ends up falling for her himself. Tira and Jack’s romance leads to a wedding engagement. Tira tells Big Bill she is quitting to get married. Unwilling to lose his prize act, he has Slick, recently released from prison, sneak into Tira's penthouse suite, where Jack finds him in his robe. As a result, Jack breaks off the engagement. Tira sues Jack for breach of promise. The defense tries to use her past relationships to discredit her, but the judge allows her to cross examine the witnesses herself and in doing so she wins over not only the judge and jury, but also Jack. Jack agrees to give her a big settlement check. When he goes to see her, Tira tears up the check, and the two reconcile. ===== While at Big Apple Bank to open a retirement fund, Fry and Bender become involved in a holdup. The criminally insane robot Roberto hands them bags of cash for their trouble, and after he runs off, Fry and Bender are charged for their role in the robbery. At the trial, Roberto surreptitiously threatens to kill Fry should Fry testify against him. After pleading insanity on the advice of their lawyer, Fry was going to be sent to a human asylum, and Bender to a robot asylum; yet since the human asylum is overcrowded (as poverty had been deemed a mental illness by the Judge), both Fry and Bender are sent to the HAL Institute for Criminally Insane Robots. Once there, Fry undergoes a torturous physical examination, to Bender's enjoyment. To make matters worse, the doctors refuse to acknowledge that Fry is human, due to their logic that, if Fry is a patient in a robot asylum, he must be a robot, completely disregarding that he is a biological life form. Fry is roomed with car salesman Malfunctioning Eddie, who is undergoing treatment for his condition of exploding when surprised or shocked. Fry perseveres, surviving on food coughed up by a sick vending machine robot. When Fry thinks he is going to be released, Malfunctioning Eddie gets released instead, and Fry gets a new roommate: the insane bank robber Roberto, who was captured after robbing the same bank again. The day after suffering a complete mental breakdown, Fry is released, having been "cured" of his delusion of humanity, causing him to think he is a robot. Roberto, fed up with life in the asylum, breaks out and takes Bender with him. Back at the Planet Express building, Fry attempts to discover his function as a robot. He has no success as a "foodmotron" since no one wishes to eat the sandwiches from his "compartment" (the crotch of his pants), nor as a calculator since he cannot identify a plus sign, nor as a toolbot since he cannot unscrew a bolt with his bare fingers (even after he puts oil in his armpits). Fed up with Fry's attempts at proving he is a robot, Leela passionately kisses Fry in order to remind him of his humanity, but it fails to work. A newly escaped Roberto decides to rob the Big Apple Bank a third time, and Bender takes him back to the Planet Express building to hide out after nearly getting caught. The New New York police surround the building, and Roberto takes the staff hostage, including Bender who is now convinced that Roberto is a maniac. After waking up from a drunken stupor induced by "refueling" with alcohol, Fry, now convinced that he is a battle droid, takes on Roberto, who jumps out a window after stabbing a can of oil in Fry's chest pocket (thereby "proving" to Roberto he really is a robot and thus a battle droid). Roberto is apprehended by the police. Fry, seeing that he was cut and bleeding after Roberto threw the knife at him before jumping, overcomes his delusions completely. The Planet Express crew praise him for his bravery, with Leela giving him a kiss on the cheek, and Bender tells Fry that he has the heart of a robot inside, just like the severed human heart Bender has in his own body, which he shows to everyone, much to their disgust. ===== Fry gets a free Volkswagen microbus, excavated from the ruins of Old New York. He pushes it back to the Planet Express office, and has to fuel it with whale oil, which replaced gasoline. While opening a barrel of oil, Bender becomes caught by the opener's magnet and is horribly damaged. Bender is rushed to a hospital, where the doctor informs him that he will never move again. He falls into a depression, but revives upon finding out that Beck's disembodied head is in the next bed, having checked in to get a mannequin body attached. Beck loans Bender a pair of neck-mounted robotic arms, which Bender uses to scrape across his mangled chest, and invites him to join Beck's tour as a washboard player. Fry, Leela, Amy, and Dr. Zoidberg pile into Fry's microbus to follow Beck and Bender on tour. During a stop at a laundromat, their money is destroyed in a washing machine, forcing them to live in the vehicle and scavenge for food. However, Zoidberg begins to cough up beautiful blue pearls, which Leela and Amy string together to sell as necklaces. While on tour, Bender is insulted by the treatment of other broken robots and writes a song about them. Together with Beck, he decides to put on a benefit concert in San Francisco to help others like himself. Fry and the crew catch up with Bender, who is relaxing in a San Francisco hotel. Bender miraculously regains the ability to move on his own, much to everyone's shock, but decides to fake being broken in order to keep his music career going. The concert goes on as planned, but when the time comes for Bender to perform his song, he cannot restrain himself and begins dancing around the stage. Having been found out, Bender runs off with the oversized benefit check in Fry's microbus. Bender, pursued by an irate Beck, drives the microbus into the San Francisco Bay. Beck catches Bender and recovers the check, but forgives him since Bender has done so much for broken robots. The crew begins to row the microbus back to New New York, and Bender wades after them with a magnet stuck to his head so that he can have one last taste of being a folk singer. ===== Representatives from the Globetrotter homeworld land in Central Park and challenge Earth's honor on the basketball court, for no apparent reason. Professor Farnsworth accepts the Globetrotters' challenge, resolving to create a team of mutant atomic supermen to take them on. When he completes his work, he is left with a team of mutant infants which necessitates the Professor sending the crew to gather chronitons to accelerate their growth. Bender's objection that the particles in question were responsible for the destruction of an entire civilization is ignored. All the while, Fry is trying to woo an unreceptive Leela. The crew returns with the chronitons, and the mutants' growth is successfully accelerated. The game proceeds, with Farnsworth's team of mutants maintaining a lead over the Globetrotters. But at the start of the second half, time begins inexplicably jumping forward. The Professor calls a timeout during which one of the atomic supermen is killed and Fry joins the team. Although the Earth team holds a substantial lead, and there are only two minutes left in the game, the Globetrotters win an overwhelming victory during a time skip. The Professor formulates a theory that the crew's collection of chronitons has destabilized space-time, and will lead to the premature destruction of the universe. With the assistance of the Globetrotters' leader, Ethan "Bubblegum" Tate, Farnsworth builds a "bad ass gravity pump". With the pump, they intend to reposition stars around the source of the problem, thus diverting the time skips to the empty side of the universe. The time skips worked in their favor, with Richard Nixon's Head granting them "all the money on Earth" to build the "bad ass gravity pump" and attach it to the ship. Once they finish moving the required number of stars, Fry begins romancing Leela again, but just as she's refusing him, time skips yet again—to their wedding. Then, as Leela accuses Fry of tricking her into marriage, time skips straight to their divorce. This leaves Fry wondering what he did to win her over. Meanwhile, the time skips are only getting worse, with peoples' entire lives being lived out in only a few seconds. Meanwhile, Bender tries to persuade Tate to let him join the Globetrotters, but Tate tells Bender the hard truth that he will never be "funky enough" to join the team, causing him to break down in tears. With the assistance of the other Globetrotters (the greatest scientific minds in the universe), a new plan is devised. The Planet Express crew will use one of Professor Farnsworth's doomsday devices to implode the nebula, creating a black hole which will prevent the further release of chronitons. Fry and Leela have an amicable conversation where Fry apologizes for his actions and agrees that Leela will probably never feel the same way he does about her. Bender releases the doomsday device and Leela, feeling bad for breaking Fry's heart, allows Fry to pilot the ship to safety. As they leave, Fry notices that during one of the time skips, he had spelled out the message "I LOVE YOU, LEELA" with stars, but the message is destroyed by the implosion before Leela can see it. Fry stares sadly out into space while Bender whistles a slow, sad version of Sweet Georgia Brown. ===== After the crew sees an episode of The Scary Door, Fry decides to do all the things he always wanted to do, and the Planet Express crew obliges. After demolishing a planet, visiting the edge of the universe, and riding a dinosaur, one of his few remaining fantasies is to date a celebrity. Fry and Leela venture into the Internet to visit nappster.com and download a celebrity's personality. Fry downloads the personality of Lucy Liu into a blank robot, which begins projecting an image of her. Fry and the Liu-bot begin dating, aided by her being programmed to like Fry. The other Planet Express employees, concerned about his relationship, show him the standard middle-school film that predicts the destruction of civilization if humans date robots. Unfortunately, Fry ignores the movie, and keeps making out with his Liu-bot. Bender, offended by the concept of competing with humans for the attention of female robots, sets off with Leela and Zoidberg to shut down Nappster. In the Nappster building, a broken sign eventually reveals that the company is actually "Kidnappster". Breaking into the back room, Bender discovers that Nappster has been kidnapping the heads of celebrities and making illegal copies of them. Leela grabs the real Lucy Liu's head, and the four take off. The Nappster CFO loads a backup disk of Liu, and creates a horde of Liu-bots ordered to kill. Leela and the others, running from the robot horde, duck into a movie theater, where Fry is seeing a movie with his Liu-bot. Everyone ducks into the projection room. Zoidberg discovers a five-ton bag of popping corn, and sends it pouring onto the robots on the theater floor. The robots eat their way out from under the corn and start shooting popcorn kernels from their mouths at the room. Fry's Liu-bot points the projector at the other robots, and the heat causes the popcorn to pop, bursting the robots. At the request of the real Lucy Liu, Fry blanks his now-damaged robot in order to protect her image. A hypocritical Bender begins dating Liu's head much to Fry's anger. ===== Working in a remote Welsh mining town, a rogue scientist, Professor Mathers (Edward Mulhare), discovers a process that affects the speed of evolutionary mutation. Mathers suffers guilt for his role in developing a super-destructive atomic bomb, and hopes his new discovery will better the human race. A disgruntled miner, Gwyllm Griffiths (David McCallum), volunteers for an experiment that will enable the professor to create a being with enhanced mental capabilities. As a man sent forward equal to 20,000 years of evolution, Gwyllm soon begins growing an overdeveloped cortex and a sixth finger on each hand. When the mutation process begins to operate independently of the professor's influence, Gwyllm takes control of the experiment. Now equal to 1 million years of evolution, and equipped with superior intelligence and powers of mind, such as telekinesis, that are capable of great destruction, Gwyllm seeks vengeance on the mining town he loathes. Before he acts on his thoughts, Gwyllm holds back. He has "evolved beyond hatred or revenge, or even the desire for power," and instead longs for "when the mind will cast off the hamperings of the flesh and become all thought and no matter – a vortex of pure intelligence in space." He enlists the help of his girlfriend, Cathy Evans (Jill Haworth), to operate the machine to push his evolution even further forward. Instead, out of love for him, Cathy reverses the process at the last second, bringing Gwyllm back to his former self. But, the out-of-control reversal is too much for Gwyllm, and he slowly succumbs to the adverse effects while Cathy comforts him. ===== Dummyland is a fictional world inhabited only by living crash dummies. Many make a living testing cars, just like the real ones. The story begins with crash dummy professor Dr. Zub has creating a new "uncrashable" prototype armor called the Torso 9000 and is testing it with the help of crash dummy Ted. Unfortunately the initial trial run goes awry and Ted's head is severed from his body. The following night however, Ted is accidentally replaced with the head of the evil Junkman, who can now harness the power of the Torso 9000 and manages to break free from the Crash Test facility. Plotting to destroy the crash dummies, the Junkman sets up his base near an abandoned scrap heap and creates an army of killing machines out of spare car parts. When a valuable disc of information on the Torso 9000 is stolen, and finally Dr. Zub himself is kidnapped, heroes Slick & Spin step in to save the day. ===== Mink Snopes, on trial for murder, waits for his successful cousin Flem to show up and use his power and influence to save him from prison. Flem doesn’t appear, and Mink spends his entire prison sentence waiting until he is free and can murder Flem. Flem knows that Mink will kill him once he is free, so he arranges for Mink to attempt an escape and his sentence is increased. However, after thirty-eight years, Mink is finally released. With the money he has upon release, he buys a cheap gun, finds his way to Jefferson, and kills Flem. Gavin Stevens, one of the narrators, and an intellectual and idealist, was in love with Flem's wife, Eula Varner, who committed suicide before the events of this novel. Partly because of his feelings for Eula, Stevens loves and idealizes Eula's (and presumably Flem's) daughter, Linda. After Flem is killed, Steven comes to realize that Linda intentionally helped Mink find and kill Flem, as revenge for what she perceives as Flem's role in her mother's suicide. This shakes Stevens's perception of Linda as pure and innocent. After Flem dies, the townspeople of Jefferson come to realize that his death changed almost nothing, as more and more Snopes family members are appearing and establishing themselves in Jefferson. ===== Magic Knight has been sent to the Castle of Spriteland by the King of Ibsisima in order to find a special present for Princess Germintrude. If Magic Knight is successful in his quest, he may have proved himself worthy of joining the famous "Polygon Table", a reference to the mythical Round Table from the legends of King Arthur. ===== On June 13, at a top-secret government laboratory in rural California, a weaponized version of influenza, called Project Blue, is accidentally released. A U.S. Army soldier, Charlie Campion, escapes the lab and travels across the country, unintentionally spreading the virus. On June 17, Campion crashes his car into a gas station in Arnette, Texas where Stu Redman and some friends are gathered. As Campion dies, he warns Redman that he had been pursued by a "Dark Man". The next day, the U.S. military arrives to quarantine the town. The townspeople are taken to a CDC facility in Vermont. All but Stu succumb to the superflu, which kills 99.4% of the world's population in two weeks. The scattered survivors include would-be rock star Larry Underwood, deaf mute Nick Andros, Frannie Goldsmith and her unborn child, her teenaged neighbor Harold Lauder, imprisoned criminal Lloyd Henreid, and "Trashcan Man", a mentally ill arsonist and scavenger. The survivors begin having visions, either from kindly Mother Abagail or from the demonic Randall Flagg. The dreams counsel the survivors to either travel to Nebraska to meet Abagail, or to Las Vegas to join Flagg. Lloyd is freed from prison by Flagg in exchange for becoming his second in command. Trashcan Man destroys fuel tanks across the Midwest and is directed to Las Vegas. Larry escapes New York City with a mysterious woman named Nadine Cross. Despite their mutual attraction, Nadine is unable to consummate a relationship with Larry because of her visions of Flagg, who commands her to join him; she leaves Larry to travel on her own. After escaping the CDC facility, Stu gathers a group of survivors, including Frannie, Harold, and former college professor Glen Bateman. They are joined by various other immune survivors. Harold is consumed with jealousy over Stu's leadership of the group and his growing relationship with Frannie, on whom Harold has an unrequited crush. Nick barely escapes an attempt on his life in Shoyo, Arkansas, and makes his way across the Mid-South, meeting Tom Cullen, a mentally challenged man, in a small town in Oklahoma. The two men travel into Kansas, and encounter Julie Lawry, a vicious girl who vows to kill them when they refuse to let her join them. Nick and Tom then meet Ralph Brentner, and the three head west together. Nick's group reaches Abagail's farm in Hemingford Home, Nebraska. She warns that a great conflict is imminent and they must travel to Boulder, Colorado. The survivors form a community called the Boulder Free Zone and begin restoring civilization. Flagg sets up an autocratic regime in Las Vegas, with the intent of defeating the Boulder survivors using salvaged nuclear weapons. Harold's resentment toward Stu and Frannie intensifies, causing him to be seduced by Nadine and join forces with Flagg. Abagail, convinced that she has fallen into the sin of pride, leaves Boulder to walk in the wilderness in an act of atonement. Three Boulder survivors are chosen by the Free Zone Committee to infiltrate Las Vegas as spies: Tom, Dayna Jurgens, and Judge Farris. Glen hypnotizes Tom to follow a specific set of instructions, including that he leave Las Vegas at the next full moon. Harold and Nadine plant a bomb in Frannie and Stu's home, planning to set it off during a meeting of the Free Zone Committee. A weakened Abagail returns to town and gives a psychic warning to the council members. The warning allows most of the council to escape the explosion, but Nick and a few others are killed. Before she passes away, Abagail tells Stu, Larry, Glen, Ralph, and Frannie that the men must travel to Las Vegas to confront Flagg. When Nadine and Harold flee Boulder, Flagg causes Harold to be crippled in a motorcycle accident. Nadine leaves him in a ravine, and he kills himself with a gun the next day. Flagg calls Nadine to him. She tries to escape, but Flagg forces himself on her. Nadine is catatonic following the attack by Flagg, and her hair has turned white. Flagg's men intercept Judge Farris, who is accidentally killed before he can be tortured. Upon returning to Las Vegas, Flagg finds Dayna, whom he plans to torture for information, but she kills herself before Flagg can extract anything useful. Tom leaves Las Vegas when the moon is full, but Julie Lawry recognizes him; she tries to alert Flagg, but Tom escapes into the desert and hides from Flagg and his men. A crazed Nadine taunts Flagg and commits suicide with the baby he conceived in her. With winter approaching, Stu, Larry, Glen, and Ralph leave Boulder to set out on their quest. Stu breaks his leg when he falls in a dry riverbed, and must be left behind with Glen's dog, Kojak. The remaining three are captured by Flagg's forces, and Glen is separated from Larry and Ralph. Flagg orders Lloyd to kill Glen after he taunts Flagg. As Larry and Ralph endure a show trial on Fremont Street, Flagg uses his powers to silence a dissenter, striking him with a ball of energy. Trashcan Man arrives towing a stolen nuclear weapon with an ATV, and Flagg orders Lloyd to kill him. Flagg is unable to stop the energy ball from transforming into a spectral hand, the Hand of God, and it detonates the nuclear bomb as the voice of Abagail declares that God's promise has been kept, and she welcomes Larry and Ralph into heaven. Las Vegas is destroyed, and Flagg is apparently killed along with his followers. Stu is rescued by Tom, who takes him to a nearby cabin to set his leg as winter arrives. However, Stu has contracted the flu. In a dream, Nick comes to Tom and tells him which medicine to give Stu. Stu recovers from the infection, and the two of them return to Boulder. Stu finds that Frannie has given birth to a daughter. The baby, whom she has named Abagail, is healthy and immune to the superflu. Lucy reveals that she is pregnant with Larry's child. Assured that the immune survivors can safely reproduce, the inhabitants of Boulder set to work rebuilding the world. ===== Gray Evans, a movie star, is losing his grip on reality, unable to adjust to his own celebrity, and addicted to romantic fantasies about idealistic love and his once simple life. With his celebrity marriage to the beautiful actress Mia already strained by jealousy and frustration after only a year together, Gray is looking for escape. An avid photographer, his voyeuristic nature leads him to a local video store, where an encounter with the video clerk's wife Jane leads to a dangerous obsession over what he imagines to be an ideal love. Gray falls further over the edge, as his conceptions of love and reality are further blurred by the similarities between Jane and his ex-girlfriend Shana to the point where obsession becomes delusion. Gray's life is further complicated by the realities of his own celebrity, an obsessive fan and the need for him to create his public persona as a successful man with a successful marriage. Profession, obsession, and delusion twist together beyond repair when Gray pulls the video clerk, an ambitious screenwriter, into his world by offering to make a movie with him. Their relationship succeeds in bringing him closer to Jane but takes away any last hold on reality, as his fantasy leads to destruction. The layered narrative swings around on itself, taking us on a journey through love, madness and paranoia all the while holding on to a darkly comic view of its own absurd world of crazy Russian bodyguards, loyal assistants, playboy producers and true celebrity.https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808515512/details ===== Linghu Chong, Yue Lingshan and members of the Mount Hua Sect are planning to retire from the jianghu (martial artists' community). They learn that Dongfang Bubai has seized control of the Sun Moon Holy Cult and is secretly plotting with some Japanese rōnin to rebel against the Ming Empire and dominate China. Dongfang Bubai had castrated himself in order to master the skills in the Sunflower Manual, and his appearance has become more feminine, even though he is now a formidable martial artist. Linghu Chong meets Dongfang Bubai by chance without knowing his true identity, mistakes him for a beautiful young woman, and falls in love with "her". Dongfang Bubai knocks out Linghu Chong while he is not looking and imprisons him in an underground dungeon. In the dungeon, by coincidence, Linghu Chong meets Ren Woxing, Ren Yingying's father and the former leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult. They escape from captivity together. One night, while Linghu Chong is distracted by Dongfang Bubai's lover Shishi, Dongfang tracks down his Mount Hua Sect fellows and kills them. Linghu Chong brings Yue Lingshan, Ren Yingying, Ren Woxing and Xiang Wentian with him to confront Dongfang Bubai at Black Woods Cliff. In the ensuing battle, Dongfang Bubai apparently dies after refusing Linghu Chong's help and falling off the cliff. Ren Woxing regains control of the cult and starts killing the traitors who defected to Dongfang Bubai. Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan secretly escape with help from Xiang Wentian and Ren Yingying because they know that Ren Woxing cannot tolerate them. ===== It starred Sharon, Lois and Bram and two new characters C.C. Copycat, a sarcastic blue feline played by Dwayne Adams, and Ella Acapella, a young female elephant, played by Tikka Sherman. The show mocked the life of an actual television station. It included many skits and musical bits with Sharon, Lois & Bram acting as many different characters. Along with Ella Acapella and C.C. Copycat, Sharon, Lois & Bram operate a fictional TV station called Skinnamarink TV. The name comes from the song Skidamarink which closed the trio's original program, The Elephant Show. The wraparounds involved the Big Red Button which did various things to the studio and the group. ===== The Chunhyangga is composed of seven parts: # Yi Mongryong and Chunhyang's first meeting at Gwang Hanru. # Mongryong and Chunhyang's love. # Mongryong and Chunhyang's parting. # Byeon's tyranny and Chunhyang's imprisonment. # Mongryong wins first place in a state examination and meets Chunhyang again. # Byeon is punished and Mongryong and Chunhyang live a long and happy life. # Mongyong is married to Chunhyang. ===== Heungbuga is also called Bak taryung (Gourd Song). Poor but good-hearted younger brother Heungbu cares for a swallow's broken leg, and the swallow repays Heungbu's kindness. The swallow brings a gourd seed to Heungbu, who plants the seed. The gourd yields fruit containing treasure. Upon hearing this, Heungbu's older brother, the nasty and greedy Nolbu, becomes jealous, and he breaks a swallow's leg intentionally. After that Nolbu, too, gets a gourd seed; however this time the fruit contains goblins. ===== The basic plot of Jeokbyeokga is from the 14th century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. It starts when characters Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei take an oath by blood to become brothers at Dowon. The last part is Liu Bei and Guan Yu's episode of Red Cliff. The highlights of Jeokbyeokga include 'the Sorrow of the Military,' 'Fire of Red Cliff,' 'Bird Song,' and 'Jangseung Song' which don't exist in the original version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Those come from deoneum which have been slowly made over a long period of time by the singers of pansori.The story of korean traditional music, Sungjae-Lee In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the military is only used to redound the glory of the main admiral character and hero; however, in Jeokbyeokga, the military part stands out. Especially Sin Jae-hyo's Jeokbyeokga version made this part more prominent. Korean traditions encyclopedia Pansori is a performance in which a soloist leads a long story. In order to keep audience's interest, the singer should make proper humorous expressions. The humorous aspects of military are found in Jeokbyeokga, which are not shown in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The Jeokbyeokga altered the consistent grand and sublime atmosphere, adding the humorous expressions. ===== The Dragon King of the Southern Sea is suffering from an ailment that can be cured only with the liver of a rabbit. The king thereupon summons all the ministers to look for the liver of a rabbit on the ground. The terrapin volunteers his service to journey to a forest and return with a rabbit. The terrapin succeeds in doing this by luring the rabbit with the wonderful prospects of living in the palace. The rabbit, after discovering his danger at the palace, coaxes the king into allowing him to return to the forest by explaining that his liver was so much in demand that it finally became necessary to conceal it in a secret place and that he had, therefore, come without it. Upon hearing this, the Dragon King of the Southern Sea grants the rabbit permission to go back to the forest with the terrapin after the rabbit promises that he will return with his liver. Once in the forest, the rabbit ridicules the king's and terrapin's stupidity and is never seen again. But the rabbit is also actually quite moved by the terrapin's faithfulness to the king. ===== ===== The story opens with Nansal returning from boarding school to her family. The family of five lives in a yurt and lives off of their livestock, which include sheep, goats, and cattle. Nansal's father is worried about his family's survival because of the wolves that have been attacking their herd. While Nansal is out collecting dung, she stumbles across a cave in which she finds a black and white dog. She brings the dog home and names it "Zochor" (Spot). Her father is worried, knowing that wolves live in caves and may follow its scent and kill their livestock. The father departs for town on his motorbike, to sell the pelts of the sheep killed by wolves. He instructs his wife to get rid of the dog before he is home. Nansal is sent out to graze the herd, but she is distracted and gets lost. The mother is distraught when the herd comes back without Nansal and goes out looking for her. Meanwhile, Nansal finds refuge in the yurt of an elderly woman. The old lady feeds Nansal and gives her shelter while a storm passes. It is here that Nansal hears the story of the Cave of the Yellow Dog. In this story, a yellow dog is trapped in a cave with no exit by a man to cure his daughter's illness. The mother finds Nansal soon after and takes her home. Zochor is still with the family when the father returns home. He is upset but still gives gifts to his wife and children nonetheless, including a plastic ladle and a flashlight (torch). The father tries to sell Zochor to some wolf hunters, but Nansal tells them she found him in a cave and the deal falls through. It is time for the family to move on. They pack up all of their belongings and the yurt and load them onto carts to be pulled by their cattle. The three children are put onto the wagons, with Nansal watching her younger brother. Zochor is tied to a stake so he cannot follow them. Nansal is distracted by Zochor and does not watch her brother. Her brother escapes. The family travels several miles until they realize that their son is not with them. The father turns back immediately and rushes back on his horse. Meanwhile, their son is stumbling slowly towards a flock of vultures. He ventures near a stream, while moving further and further from Zochor. When the son is right next to the flock, Zochor breaks free and scares them away. This is witnessed by the father who, in gratitude for protecting his son from harm, accepts Zochor into the family. In the final scene, the family's wagons travel down the road, with Zochor in the wagon with Nansal and a truck driving down the road blaring reminders to vote in the upcoming elections. ===== The novel follows the surreal misadventures of an unnamed protagonist who makes a living as a commercial writer. He is compelled to return to the Dolphin Hotel, a seedy establishment where he once stayed with a woman he loved, despite the fact he never even knew her real name. She has since disappeared without a trace and the Dolphin Hotel has been purchased by a large corporation and converted into a slick, fashionable, Western-style hotel. The protagonist experiences dreams in which this woman and the Sheep Man—a strange individual dressed in an old sheep skin who speaks in unpunctuated tattoo—appear to him and lead him to uncover two mysteries. The first is metaphysical in nature—how to survive the unsurvivable. The second is the murder of a call girl in which an old school friend of the protagonist, now a famous film actor, is involved circumstantially. Along the way, the protagonist meets a clairvoyant and troubled thirteen-year-old girl, her equally troubled parents, a one-armed poet, and a sympathetic receptionist who shares some of his disturbingly real visions. ===== Adopting the stylized alter-ego, Henry 'Hank' Chinaski, a character used in previous novels, this book relates his experiences of working with a director, finding financial backing, losing financial backing, writing the screenplay and finally completing the film, Barfly. The seemingly preposterous exchanges and occurrences within these pages leave the reader with the conviction that Hank Chinaski's life was truly stranger than fiction. ===== Tutankhensetamun was an impulsive but kindhearted young Egyptian Pharaoh who lived a luxurious but short life. He died because back in Ancient Egypt he saved a friend of his from being smashed by rocks from a collapsing temple, so he himself was crushed to death. He carries the mighty Sceptre of Was, and the circumstances of his death are unknown at first. In the 21st century, 12-year-old Cleo Carter accidentally witnesses his awakening after a bolt of lightning hits the mummified body of Tut that is on display at the local museum. She with her anthropomorphic cat Luxor must now help Tut to find his way around in the modern world. During the whole series Set with his demons is trying to destroy Tut and gain possession of his sceptre of Was to become the ruler of all. To deal with that Tut and his new friends have their schedules full, plus there is one or the other problem with ancient scrolls, squeamish gods, silly teenagers and a bored out living mummy who doesn't want to spend its days in a sarcophagus... ===== Ryker (Lazenby), a former mercenary, comes out of retirement to take part in the overthrow of an African dictator. He travels to London to meet former war comrade Jesse Jones (Ben Carruthers), and his associates Freddy Bradshaw (Robin Hunter) and Temple Smith (Alan Barnes). After helping fellow mercenaries test and ship weapons to South Africa, Ryker begins to have ethical concerns about his involvement. He eventually distances himself from the others, and rents a flat in London. He falls into hippie culture, and begins dating a girl named Chrissie (Chrissie Townson). Jesse tracks down Ryker. Explaining that the operation is not producing the profits he expected, he tries to convince Ryker to return. Ryker declines, but develops a plan with Jesse to thwart the operation and take the money for themselves. They succeed and escape with Bradshaw's car. A weapons dealer named Rawlings (Edward Judd) pursues them. Jesse discovers that their "take" is somewhat less than the amount of cash they supposedly embezzled. Ryker reveals that his real plan was to sabotage the gun running operation, not to take all the money. Jesse assaults Ryker; Ryker, now a pacifist, refuses to defend himself. Ryker is eventually forced to break Jesse's ankle to end his assault. As Ryker bundles Jesse into a car to seek medical treatment, Rawlings shoots them down with rifle fire. ===== The novel tells the story of two cousins, Jean Taconnat and Marcel Lornans, travelling from Cette, France, to Oran, Algeria, with the purpose of enlisting in the 5th regiment of the Chasseurs D'Afrique. Sailing to Oran aboard the Argelès, they meet Clovis Dardentor, a wealthy industrialist. Jean and Marcel, whose desire to travel to Africa arises from their pursuit of financial independence, find out that Clovis --an unmarried man, with no family-- has left no heirs to his fortune. Yet Marcel, well- versed in the Law, knows that any person who were to save Clovis' life either from a fight, from drowning, or from a fire, would have to be adopted by Clovis. The cousins come to a plan: They will find a way to save Clovis' life, so that he will indeed be legally required to adopt them. Clovis saves the cousins' lives: Marcel is saved from a fire, and Jean is saved from drowning. Eventually, while Jean continues to look for the opportunity to save Clovis' life, Marcel falls in love with Louise Elissane, the prospective daughter-in- law of one of Clovis' acquaintances, the unpleasant Desirandelle family. Louise becomes a key character in the novel, for it is she who saves Clovis Dardentor's life. In the end, Louise is adopted by Clovis, and marries Marcel. ===== Alvin Johnson (Nick Cannon) is an extremely intelligent nerd skilled in designing car engines. He has also taken up a job as a pool cleaner, to raise money to buy a crankshaft to build an engine for a scholarship project that will ensure him a full ride to the school of his choice. Alvin has always dreamed of hanging out with the popular kids, especially Paris Morgan (Christina Milian), a beautiful, popular black cheerleader dating NBA star Dru Hilton (Elimu Nelson). When Paris crashes her mother's expensive SUV during an argument with Dru, Alvin agrees to repair the car using the money he had earned for his project, jeopardizing his scholarship opportunity, in which Paris pays him back by giving him a $1,500 makeover. After a few missteps, Alvin begins to ingratiate himself with the popular crowd. He and Paris grow closer as she shares with him her secret love of music and he shares with her that he knows how to build car engines. Paris begins to develop feelings for Alvin and at the end of their two-week dating period, she tries to hint that she would like to kiss him. However, Alvin misinterprets her and goes along with their original plan of a public break up at school. Even after the break up, Alvin continues to grow in popularity, alienating his former nerdy friends and dating Paris's friends. Paris is unhappy to realize how shallow and vapid her friends are, and by extension, Alvin. Tired of him constantly ditching them in favor of the Popular kids, Alvin's friends confront him on the matter, during which Alvin's sister Aretha overhears. She comes to the conclusion that Alvin paid Paris to date her, She tells their parents who attempt to talk to Alvin, but blows them off. At the end of the year on Senior Ditch Day, Paris asks Alvin to hang out as real friends, but a newly egotistical Alvin insults her. They argue and storm off from each other. Dru is also at the party to reconcile with Paris and is unimpressed that she has been dating Alvin. In an attempt to win Dru back, Paris admits her deal with Alvin to the school, returning Alvin back to mediocrity. Now back to being unpopular, Alvin finally realizes he does not have the crankshaft for his project. Alvin's father Clarence (Steve Harvey) pays for the crankshaft, telling Alvin that they will work out a plan later to pay him back while also explaining to Alvin that he'd supported his sudden transformation because he wanted Alvin to have the same experiences he did while he was in high school, seeing as he was one of the most popular guys at his school. He also admits that he didn't have Alvin's brains or potential but he's always been proud of his son. With this confidence restored, Alvin builds an engine with the part his dad bought. Alvin's friends push the broken car they had been working on into the garage. They congratulate him on a job well done on completing the engine but are still angry with him for blowing them off. Alvin sees that their car needs a new engine so he installs the one he just built to restore their car, telling them to let him have it sometime within that next week so he can present it to the scholarship committee. Alvin's friends forgive him. Together, they all attend a school basketball game where Alvin stands up for his nerd friends against the basketball players. Alvin finally redeems himself in front of everyone and his friends become friendly with the popular crowd. Alvin leaves the gymnasium, and as Paris follows him out, she is stopped by Dru. Paris blows him off and chases after Alvin. They finally kiss and agree to date. In a deleted scene, 6 months have passed by and it is shown that Alvin & Paris are attending an open mic night. It is revealed that Alvin got into Princeton while Paris decided to pursue her dreams of being an R&B; singer. ===== A lewd old lady claiming to be Mother Goose (Hal Smith) has been put on trial for obscenity due to telling the "true versions" of famous fairy tales. Her evidence is presented as a collection of pornographic animated shorts, those of Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and Little Red Riding Hood. ===== Joseph Amadeus von Dracula, known as Pepito to his friends, is a trumpet player in 1930s Havana who spends his time away from the bandstand dabbling in quasi-terrorist plots to overthrow the Cuban government of dictator, Gerardo Machado. He is unaware that he is really a vampire, and that his uncle Werner Amadeus von Dracula, the son of Count Dracula, has been using him as a test subject for a formula that negates the usually fatal effects of sunlight. A Chicago-based crime syndicate and a group of vampires with members from several countries in Europe have both learned of the formula and wish to possess it for different reasons—the Chicago group to suppress it and thus maintain their monopoly on indoor, artificial beach resorts, and the Europeans to market it as "Vampisol." When Pepito learns of his true heritage (and his uncle's wish to give the formula away to vampires everywhere) he becomes the target of a multi-pronged manhunt, leading all parties involved on a wild chase through some of the seediest neighborhoods of Havana. At the film's climax, Pepito and his girlfriend Lola find themselves cornered by the Chicago vampire cartel, led by vampire mobster Johnny Terrori. He tells Pepito to have some O positive blood as his last drink, the blood type which vampires consider to be the most delicious. However, when he spits it out in disgust, Terrori realizes that Pepito's dislike of drinking blood, the fact that he was harmed by a lead bullet earlier (vampires can only be harmed by silver bullets), and that he is completely impervious to sunlight (it instantly kills vampires) means that Pepito has stopped being a vampire. Terrori loses interest in the Vampisol formula, realizing that its effect is to turn vampires into humans. However, the leader of the European vampires suggests a deal with his counterparts from Chicago, whereby they can encourage vampires to take small amounts of Vampisol in the summer and visit the mobsters' artificial beaches in the winter. Both groups believe that they are going to make a fortune from Vampisol but, as a final resolution, Pepito sings instructions on how to prepare the formula over the radio to vampires worldwide, instructing them to use it sparingly to avoid becoming human. The Vampisol formula becomes financially worthless and both vampire cartels find themselves defeated. At the very end of the film a vampire addresses the audience and says, "Be careful, because that guy next to you on the beach... might just be a vampire!" ===== The play is set in Antioch, about two millennia ago, where Simon Peter calls on four students of the Cherintos Academy - John, Mark, Matthew and Luke, the writers of the New Testament - to write four "books" about the life of Jesus. The play tells the story of Jesus in a manner very different from that of the New Testament, with many subversions of plot. For example, in the play, Peter is portrayed as a negative character, violent, misogynistic and accused of killing Jesus. Additionally, Mary Magdalene is shown as performing oral sex on Jesus while washing his feet, while the Last Supper is shown as a violent gathering in which Peter kills all of the other apostles. ===== ===== An inexperienced young actress is invited to play a role in a film based on Dostoevsky's novel Demons. The film director, a Czech immigrant in Paris, takes over her life, and in a short time she is unable to draw the line between acting and reality. She winds up playing a real-life role posing as the dead wife of another Czech immigrant, who is manipulated by the filmmaker into committing a political assassination. ===== Arthur Bishop (Charles Bronson) is a "mechanic" (a top assassin). He works exclusively for a secret international organization that has very strict rules. Bishop regularly listens to classical music, has an art collection, and is a connoisseur of fine wines. However, he is forced to live alone - he cannot show emotions or trust people. Bishop is under constant emotional pressure, so much so that he is prescribed anti-depressants for depression. One day he is temporarily hospitalized after he loses consciousness due to the stress. Bishop pays a call girl (Jill Ireland) to have a simulated romantic social and sexual relationship, including her writing fake love letters to him. When Bishop is assigned one of the organization's heads, "Big Harry" McKenna (Keenan Wynn), he shoots at Big Harry while making him think that the shots are being fired by a hidden sniper. Harry, who Bishop knows has a weak heart, runs up a steep incline, which triggers a heart attack. Bishop then finishes Harry off by smothering him. At Big Harry's funeral, Bishop runs into Harry's narcissistic, ruthless and ambitious son Steve (Jan-Michael Vincent). Steve is intrigued by Bishop and seeks to find out more about him. Bishop is also intrigued, as he realizes that Steve has a personality suited for being a hit man, and plays along. As part of his training, Bishop teaches Steve that "every person has a weakness, and that once this weakness is found, the target is easy to kill." However, Bishop failed to get his superiors' prior consent for the arrangement. Following a messy assassination conducted by Bishop and Steve, the organization warns Bishop that his irresponsible choice to involve Steve has been interpreted as selfish behavior. The organization then gives Bishop an urgent mission, this time in Italy. Once again, Bishop involves Steve in the new plan, but just before they leave Bishop happens to find among Steve's belongings a file containing information about Bishop. This file is very similar to the files Bishop prepared for his targets. Nevertheless, Bishop allows Steve to go with him to Italy. In Italy, Bishop and Steve approach a boat where their intended victim is supposed to be, but it becomes apparent that this was a trap and they are the real targets. Bishop and Steve are ambushed, but they manage to kill all their would-be assassins. His apprenticeship apparently complete, Steve shares a celebratory bottle of wine with Bishop, having coated the latter's glass with brucine, a colorless and deadly alkaloid. When Bishop realizes that he has been poisoned, he asks Steve if it was because Bishop had killed Steve's father. Steve responds that he had not realized his father was murdered. Steve taunts Bishop, saying "You said every man has his jelly spot. Yours was you just couldn't cut it alone." Steve goes on to reveal that he was not acting on orders to kill Bishop. Steve returns to Bishop's home to pick up the Ford Mustang he had left there. He finds a note affixed to the rear-view mirror, which reads: "Steve, if you read this it means I didn't make it back. It also means you've broken a filament controlling a 13-second delay trigger. End of game. Bang! You're dead." As Steve frantically reaches for the door handle, the car explodes. ===== The English village of Wall lies near a stone wall that borders the magical kingdom of Stormhold. A guard prevents anyone from crossing. Dunstan Thorne tricks the guard and crosses over the wall to a marketplace. He meets an enslaved princess named Una, who offers him a glass snowdrop in exchange for a kiss. Nine months later, the Wall Guard delivers a baby to Dunstan, saying the baby's name is Tristan. Eighteen years later, the dying King of Stormhold throws a ruby into the sky, decreeing that his successor will be the first of his fratricidal sons to recover it. The gem hits a star, and it falls out of the sky, landing in Stormhold. The remaining princes, Primus, Septimus and Tertius, independently search for the stone. In Wall, Tristan sees the falling star and vows to retrieve it for the object of his infatuation, Victoria, in return for her hand in marriage. Tristan learns that his mother is from beyond the wall, and receives a Babylon candle that she left for him, which can take the user to any desired location. Tristan lights it and is transported to the fallen star, personified as a beautiful woman named Yvaine. He chains her to take her to Victoria. Three ancient witch sisters resolve to eat the fallen star's heart to recover their youth and replenish their powers. Their leader, Lamia, eats the remnants of an earlier star's heart, and sets off to find Yvaine. She conjures up a wayside inn as a trap. Yvaine becomes tired, so Tristan chains her to a tree and promises to bring food. In his absence, a unicorn releases her, but unwittingly takes her to Lamia's inn. Tristan discovers Yvaine gone, but the stars whisper that she is in danger, telling him to get on a passing coach, which happens to be Primus'. They stop at the inn, interrupting Lamia's attempt to kill Yvaine. Lamia kills Primus, but Tristan and Yvaine use the Babylon candle to escape into the clouds, where they are captured by pirates in a flying ship. The leader, Captain Shakespeare, befriends Tristan and Yvaine, teaching Tristan how to fence and Yvaine how to dance. Septimus discovers that as the last surviving son (having poisoned Tertius earlier), he needs only find the stone to claim the throne. He learns it is in the possession of the fallen star and realizes that the heart of a star grants immortality. After leaving Captain Shakespeare's ship, Tristan and Yvaine confess their love for one another and spend the night together at an inn at the marketplace. Come morning, Tristan leaves Yvaine sleeping and goes to Wall with a lock of her hair, to tell Victoria he will not marry her, having fallen in love with Yvaine. When the lock turns to stardust, he realizes Yvaine will die if she crosses the wall, and rushes back to save her. Yvaine finds Tristan gone, and–thinking he has abandoned her for Victoria–despondently walks toward the wall. Una notices Yvaine walking to her doom and takes the reins of Ditchwater Sal’s caravan to stop her. Lamia kills Sal, and captures Una and Yvaine, taking them to the witches' manor. Septimus and Tristan both pursue Lamia, agreeing to work together for the time being. Barging into the castle, Septimus recognizes Una as his long-lost sister and she informs Tristan that she is his mother. Septimus and Tristan kill two of the witches, but Lamia uses a voodoo doll to kill Septimus. Lamia is about to finish Tristan off, when she appears to break down over the loss of her sisters. Lamia frees Yvaine, but her feigned defeat was a ruse, and she tries to kill them both. As Tristan and Yvaine embrace, their love allows her to shine once again, vaporising Lamia. Tristan retrieves the stone from Yvaine. Una explains that, as her son, Tristan is the last male heir of Stormhold. He becomes king with Yvaine as his queen while Dunstan and Una are reunited. After eighty years of ruling Stormhold, they use a Babylon candle to ascend to the sky, where they live together as stars. ===== Peter Parker has recently experienced a lot of misery in his life: his best friend Harry Osborn has become a junkie, his close friend Captain George Stacy died in his arms, and Gwen Stacy – Peter's girlfriend – wrongly blamed Spider-Man for her father's death. He has a fatal thought: for Peter Parker to live, Spider-Man must die! Peter has been working on a serum to terminate his spider powers ever since he got them, and decides to take it. He then falls into a troubled sleep in which he fights all his enemies, while enduring excruciating side pains. The dream ends with George Stacy's spirit imploring Peter to keep protecting New York as Spider-Man, stating that his powers are both a blessing and a curse. When he wakes up, Peter notices a ghastly thing: he has grown four extra arms. The serum has increased his spider powers rather than nullifying them. After rejecting an invitation to a movie from Gwen, and a late-night photo assignment from the Daily Bugle, Peter, as Spider-Man, calls Dr. Curt Connors for help, who offers him his summer house as refuge. Elsewhere, Michael Morbius is found stranded in the ocean by a boat and taken aboard, only for numerous passengers to then mysteriously disappear. When the crew confronts him, Morbius attacks them and flees. As night falls and the crew goes to sleep, Morbius, now resembling a vampire, returns and feeds on their blood, but is overwhelmed by guilt and attempts to kill himself by jumping into the ocean. He washes ashore and stumbles upon Connors' summer house, which he enters before falling asleep. Meanwhile, Spider-Man is working on a cure for his condition in Connors' lab in the lower levels of the house and, frustrated, smashes a test tube. Morbius is awakened by the noise and attacks Spider-Man. As the two fight, Connors arrives and the stress of being attacked by Morbius causes him to transform into the Lizard. Morbius and the Lizard fight over who will kill Spider-Man. Morbius manages to bite the Lizard before escaping. An enzyme in Morbius' blood allows Connors to temporarily regain control of his mind, and he joins forces with Spider-Man to track down Morbius, believing that his blood can help cure them both. Meanwhile, Morbius reflects on how he became a vampire following a failed experiment that he, his fiancée, Martine Bancroft, and his assistant worked on to cure Morbius' rare blood disease; he killed his assistant before jumping into the ocean, not wanting to hurt Martine. As Spider-Man and the Lizard search for Morbius, Gwen and Aunt May worry about Peter, as they haven't heard from him in a while, and J. Jonah Jameson reveals to Robbie Robertson that the Daily Bugle is facing financial problems. Eventually, Spider-Man and the Lizard find Morbius and defeat him, but the vampire ends up falling into the river and disappears. Nonetheless, Spider-Man managed to retrieve a blood sample from him, which he uses to cure both himself and the Lizard. ===== Fenn is the head of Kay's, the most unruly house in Eckleton. He tries to keep order, but is hindered by Mr Kay, who is demanding and critical of Fenn. Fenn is a skilled cricketer and admired by the members of his house for almost single- handedly getting his house's cricket team into the finals of the inter-house cricket cup. Mr Kay is uninterested in the cup and keeps Fenn from playing for part of the final match after Fenn argued with him. This results in a loss for Kay's, which upsets the members of the house. Mr Kay oversees a school concert at the end of the term, and Fenn is one of the performers. He plays a lively song which causes the students, especially the members of Kay's, to loudly stamp their feet, angering Mr Kay. He tries to restore order, but the students continue stamping and abruptly start leaving after Fenn has finished playing. The concert is prematurely brought to an end. The incident increases Mr Kay's disapproval of Fenn. Fenn expects there will be more trouble between him and Mr Kay next term. During the summer holidays, Fenn plays cricket while his friends Kennedy and Jimmy Silver, who are both members of Blackburn's House, go to an army-style camp. An unpleasant member of Kay's named Walton makes trouble at the camp. They all return to school when the next term starts. Kennedy enjoys being a prefect in Blackburn's House, which is much more unified than Kay's. He is dismayed to learn he has been appointed the head of Kay's in place of Fenn, due to Mr Kay's disapproval of Fenn. The members of Kay's, already disorderly, resent Kennedy taking Fenn's place, and make Kennedy's task of keeping order even harder. Fenn and Kennedy are both irritated by the situation, and they have a falling-out. Walton is the leading troublemaker in Kay's, and Kennedy decides the only way to stop him is by winning a fight against him. They follow the rules of boxing and Jimmy acts as timekeeper, but Walton cheats by injuring Kennedy with an illegal hit. Jimmy tries to stop the fight, but Kennedy perseveres, and defeats Walton. His victory makes Kay's less rebellious, though the house is still as unruly as when Fenn was the head of the house. Fenn sneaks out to the nearby town's theatre to see a show written by his older brother. Spotting Mr Kay and two other masters in the audience, he tries to return to school unseen, but gets lost. A stranger in town steals his pocket watch and he loses his prefect's cap before he finally makes it back to Eckleton at night. He sees Mr Kay, who is hunting a burglar, and pretends he is also awake because of the burglar. Fenn is concerned about being expelled for going to town without permission if the cap is found, since the cap has his name in it. Jimmy helps Fenn and Kennedy reconcile. Fenn's cap is returned to him by the Headmaster, but he is not in trouble since the cap was found among the objects taken by the burglars, who have been caught. Kennedy and Fenn, now friends again, work together to bring order to their house. Mr Kay leaves the school and a more pleasant schoolmaster, Mr Dencroft, becomes the new housemaster. Under the leadership of Kennedy and Fenn, their house, now called Dencroft's, does much better in sports than before. Dencroft's narrowly loses to Blackburn's in the inter-house rugby cup, but manages to score the most points overall in a series of races and other contests to win the sports' cup. Kennedy remarks that this is the first trophy Dencroft's has won, and Jimmy says that it will not be the last. ===== The novel is narrated by Jeremy Garnet, an author and old friend of Ukridge. Seeing Ukridge for the first time in years, with a new wife in tow, Garnet finds himself dragged along on holiday to Ukridge's new chicken farm in Dorset. The novel intertwines Garnet's difficult wooing of a girl living nearby with the struggles of the farm, which are exacerbated by Ukridge's bizarre business ideas and methods. ===== The plot, or storyline, is the rendering and ordering of the events and actions of a story. Starting with the initiating event, then the rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and ending possibly with a resolution. Plot consists of action and reaction, also referred to as stimulus and response and has a beginning, a middle, and an ending. The climax of the novel consists of a single action- packed sentence in which the conflict (problem) of the novel is resolved. This sentence comes towards the end of the novel. The main part of the action should come before the climax. Plot also has a mid-level structure: scene and sequel. A scene is a unit of drama—where the action occurs. Then, after a transition of some sort, comes the sequel—an emotional reaction and regrouping, an aftermath. ===== Silvestro Ferrauto is a Sicilian working as a typesetter in Milan, who beset by strange feelings of hopelessness, decides to visit Sicily after receiving a letter from his father which reveals that the father has abandoned Ferrauto's mother. Ferrauto has not visited Sicily since leaving at the age of 15 and ends up on the train to Sicily apparently without conscious thought. Ferrauto then has various conversations with a number of Sicilians on the way to, and in, Sicily. His return to Sicily and his new understanding of his mother from an adult point of view seems to calm his hopelessness. In a drunken state he seems to have a conversation with his dead brother, or at the age he was when he was alive. The novel closes with his father sobbing in the kitchen whilst the mother scrubs his feet. ===== Roland Crane, a wealthy map collector and dilettante archaeologist, is visited by Polly Gould, a cousin of an army friend who has disappeared. She is obsessed with locating a map of Ireland, torn down the middle, that her cousin discovered just before he vanished. This same map had formerly been in the possession of Roland and his family, and transported them into a strange alternate dimension. Polly believes the map holds the key to recovering her cousin, and that Roland can help her find it. Roland reluctantly agrees to help. The two travel to Ireland and begin their search, soon learning that someone else, a mysterious and sinister man, also seeks the map. The mystery deepens when they witness the apparent abduction of another man by a strange "eye" in the sky. Finally they are offered the map at an enormous price by an old man who speaks of having used it to travel to another place, full of both treasure and terror. He fears to go back himself, as his son-in-law was trapped there. Accepting the challenge, Roland and Polly buy and follow the map, and when they reach the place corresponding to the tear in the map, they are transported into the alternate dimension hinted at. Though this novel bears some thematic similarities to Bulmer's later Keys to the Dimensions series, it is otherwise unrelated. ===== Having accidentally travelled through time, astronaut Joseph Reardon lands on Earth in the year 2148 A.D. to find it a desolate realm. He meets Andro, a mutated human stricken with a disfiguring disease for which there is no cure. Andro is one of the few survivors of a biological disaster brought on by an ambitious scientist named Bertram Cabot Jr., who isolated and developed a viral symbiont from an interstellar microbe. Cabot's symbiont physically altered the human race, precluding the ability to reproduce, and turned much of Earth's landscape into a barren wasteland. Andro laments that there is no hope for mankind to survive after the last of his generation die off. But Reardon claims there is hope, and decides to see if he can return to his own time, taking Andro with him to show others what the future will be and to prevent the disastrous outcome. However, while making the return journey through the time rift, Reardon suddenly feels himself slowly dying and mysteriously vanishes, possibly from the stress brought about by making the journey twice in one day. He manages to tell Andro to kill Cabot if he has no other way to stop him, to save billions of lives at the cost of one. The deformed Andro can project himself as a normal human using hypnotic suggestion, and uses this ability to begin searching for some way to stop Cabot's work, even if it means his assassination. It soon becomes clear that Andro has arrived on Earth prematurely: Bertram Cabot Jr. has not been born yet, and his parents, Noelle Anderson and Bertram Cabot Sr., are only about to be married. Andro, in the guise of a normal human of the time, attempts without success to convince Cabot that he should not marry Noelle. Andro himself begins to fall in love with Noelle. While planning to shoot Cabot during the couple's wedding ceremony with a revolver obtained from Reardon, Andro hesitates and is in turn assaulted by Cabot and his wedding party, revealing his true appearance in the process. Andro flees, but Noelle follows him. He explains his mission, and Noelle confesses that she has fallen in love with Andro. She convinces him to take her with him to the future, thereby avoiding any possibility that she and Cabot will have a child. But unfortunately, the flow of time has been altered through Andro and Noelle's actions: because Bertram Cabot Jr. was never born, the symbiont that made Andro's mutated existence possible never existed, meaning that Andro was also never born. Andro disappears just as the ship arrives in 2148 A.D., leaving Noelle, weeping, to face the future alone. ===== Star crossed lovers Anurag and Prerna fall in love with each other, only for fate to time and again separate them. Komolika and Rishabh Bajaj are vital catalysts in the story. Over a span of eighty years in the show, the story revolves around Anurag, Prerna, and their children Prem, Sneha, and eventually their grandchildren. ===== As with the other songs on The Wall, "The Show Must Go On" tells a segment of the story of Pink, the story's protagonist. This song leads into "In the Flesh", where the show is performed by Pink as he begins to mentally unravel and hallucinate that he is a fascist dictator. ===== Richard Lieberman, the scientist in charge of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, gives a press conference with his colleagues Jock Galvin, Dave, Matt and Nancy, and their boss, Michael Eldridge, to present their new virtual imagery simulator VIRGIL, which Eldgridge claims will greatly aid in their research. Reporter Maggie Chin asks about the possibility of an eruption, which Rick dismisses as a remote possibility. After an earthquake triggers a tsunami on one of the park's lakes, Maggie interviews Kenneth "Ken" Wylie on TV about his new book on volcanoes. Rick is upset by Ken's appearance and it is revealed that the two are brothers-in-law. Rick and Ken later argue, with Rick accusing Ken of creating a mass panic in order to sell his book. The undersecretary of FEMA, Wendy Reiss, visits and asks Rick about the worst-case scenario if Yellowstone does release a "super eruption". He shows her a simulation, revealing the devastating results of an ashfall across the US should the volcano ever erupt. After a hydrothermal event at the Norris Geyser Basin and more questions from the press, Rick's team runs a simulation of possible eruptions on VIRGIL. They learn that even a moderate eruption could potentially destabilize the rest of the magma chamber under Yellowstone and trigger a super eruption. After more seismic events, the park is closed. Maggie comes to Yellowstone anyway, and Rick sends Matt to give her a tour of the park. They discover tremors near Norris, indicating that an eruption of unknown scale is imminent. An email about the expected eruption leaks to the press, causing a national panic. FEMA schedules a press conference in Washington, DC, at which Rick is pressured into saying that the eruption will not be large. While Rick is flying back from the conference, his colleagues in the field office finish plugging in the latest data for the eruption. They discover that the top of the magma chamber alone has more than enough eruptable magma to destabilize the chamber and trigger a super eruption. The volcano erupts violently, severely damaging the field office and injuring Jock. Matt investigates the eruption and contacts Dave about it to inform Rick. Jock flies the helicopter while Nancy and Matt flee in their truck, but the resulting pyroclastic flow overtakes and kills them. Rick contacts Dave, another team member who left before the eruption to set up a backup office in a hotel in Boseman. Meanwhile, the vent is blowing ash east across the US and across major commercial air routes, prompting FEMA to clear American airspace and take other protective measures. Rick's plane flies directly into the ash cloud, damaging the engines, and they make an emergency landing in Cheyenne. Rick and Ken decide to go to the FEMA office in Denver but are caught under the ashfall and decide to look for a nearby military installation instead. The motel roof collapses due to heavy ashfall after more caldera vents open, killing Dave. Rick and Ken manage to reach the military installation safely. Rick makes contact with FEMA and determines that the vents are going to merge into one massive caldera in an eruption on the scale of the Huckleberry Ridge Eruption, the largest in Yellowstone's history. Government officials try to come up with a plan to save the 25 million people trapped by the ashfall, but Rick convinces them that they cannot possibly hope to do so; the ash will make it impossible for planes to safely evacuate people or drop supplies. Instead, following his advice, FEMA creates the "Walk to Life" program, telling people to walk through the ash to safety. One week after the eruption starts, the ground above the magma chamber begins to fall into the empty space left by the ejected magma, signalling the end of the eruption. However, the lingering atmospheric effects causes a volcanic winter to occur. Much of the US has been rendered uninhabitable. The Walk to Life program saves 7.3 million of the 25 million people trapped by the ash, including Rick and Ken, who manage to walk out of the ashfall. ===== Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Monica (Courteney Cox) are woken up too early in the morning by Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler's (Matthew Perry) chick and duck, as the maturing chick has just begun crowing. Later, as Rachel returns with her shopping and complains to the others about the situation, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) urges the boys to get rid of their birds as they should not be living in an apartment. As Phoebe leaves for her doctor's appointment to get her brother Frank (Giovanni Ribisi) and his older wife Alice's (Debra Jo Rupp) embryo transferred into her uterus, Monica and Joey enter having an argument after Joey boasts that he and Chandler know more about Rachel and her than vice versa. Chandler backs Joey up, and the two correctly identify the contents of Rachel's shopping bag. Monica suggests a trivia contest to see who knows more about whom: the men or the women. They place a $100 bet on the outcome and Ross (David Schwimmer) puts together some questions and plays as host. Meanwhile, Phoebe learns that the doctor will implant five of Frank and Alice's embryos into her uterus, which only has a 25% chance of success. She offers to do this as many times as possible for them, but is concerned when the two reveal that they are paying $16,000, which is all of their savings, for the single IVF procedure, and is helpless to influence the results. The trivia game begins, with various facts about the characters being revealed such as Joey's space-cowboy imaginary friend (Maurice) and Rachel's actual favorite movie (Weekend at Bernie's). A nine-all score leads to a lightning round. Monica raises the stakes: If the women win, Joey and Chandler must give up their birds. Chandler rebuts by suggesting Rachel and Monica give up their apartment to them, which Monica immediately agrees to without consulting Rachel. The girls lose the lightning round because they cannot identify Chandler's job, and the boys win. As the four pack up their respective apartments—Rachel, in particular, displeased about having to switch—Phoebe returns home and takes a pregnancy test, though it is too soon for a result, so she sits in the apartment for several days waiting for another result. Later with packing complete, Rachel finally refuses to move as Frank and Alice come by with another pregnancy test. The boys and the girls begin to argue along with Ross, which is cut short when Phoebe emerges from the bathroom and joyfully announces she is pregnant, the mood turning to one of celebration. The tag scene shows Rachel and Monica horrified at having to deal with living in Chandler and Joey's cramped and dirty apartment, while the boys are content to live in the girls' large apartment. ===== The novel begins in a near future world of ray guns and robots, but ends up marching all over time. Khamushkei the Undying, a horror out of space, destroyed an ancient civilization on earth, but ended up locked away in a Time Vault. After seven millennia, the vaults seals are giving way, and five average citizens are caught up in a race to reseal the vault - even though they know it will cost one of them her life. ===== The film opens with a dead body in a strange looking room. We then meet Agnes White, who is a waitress at a gay bar living in a run-down motel in rural Oklahoma. Unable to move on from the disappearance of her son some years previously, she engages in drug and alcohol binges with her lesbian friend, R.C. Lately, she has been plagued by silent telephone calls that she believes are being made by her abusive ex-husband, Jerry Goss, who has recently been released from prison. One night, R.C. introduces Agnes to Peter Evans, a drifter who says he is a recently discharged soldier. Agnes and Peter reach out to each other out of loneliness, and start a relationship after Jerry visits Agnes. He convinces her that he was the subject of biological testing by the U.S. government while he was in the military, and says the anonymous phone calls she has been receiving were made by government agents in anticipation of his arrival. After they have sex, Peter tells Agnes that their room has become infested by bugs sent there by the government as part of their experiments. Peter's movements and behavior become more erratic as he fights the bugs, invisible to the audience, that he claims are infesting his body. Agnes soon joins in this behavior. R.C tries to convince Agnes to leave Peter, and mentions that a man named Dr. Sweet is looking for him, but is sent away by Agnes after Peter has an episode. Over time, they isolate themselves from the outside world, sealing themselves in their room and covering it with flypaper and aluminum foil and lighting it with the glow from bug zappers. Peter, believing that a colony of microscopic bugs was implanted in one of his teeth, tears it out of his head. Using a child's microscope, he says he sees the bugs in the remains of the crushed tooth, as does Agnes. A Dr. Sweet arrives, and tells Agnes that Peter has escaped while under treatment at a mental institution and that delusions about insects are a known symptom of Peter's mental illness. Peter kills Sweet, telling Agnes that he was a robot sent by the government. Together, Peter and Agnes elaborate upon Peter's beliefs in a conspiracy, including that Agnes' son was kidnapped by the government to lead her and Peter to meeting and that each of them is infected with bugs that are meant to mate with one another and take over the world. In order to prevent this, Agnes and Peter douse each other in gasoline and set themselves on fire. In the end credits, the audience sees the toys in Agnes and Peter's room completely intact, with no sign of the aluminium foil, and opening shot of the film with the body of Dr. Sweet, in the room covered with foil but undamaged by fire. Which shot, if any, shows "reality" is left unclear. ===== It is the 1920s, a time of great chaos in China. Poverty was rampant in many regions, forcing many people to seek their fortune in the fabled Southern region known collectively as Nanyang. The story begins with three young men from the Fujian province. A poor oyster collecter named Chen Xia (Terence Cao) wishes to marry his childhood sweetheart, Hong Dou (Cynthia Koh), but struggles to make ends meet. The son of a wealthy tea plantation owner, Jia Fu (Xie Shaoguang) is a wastrel. Lazy and childish, the only saving grace to his character is his thoughtless generosity. In his naivete he loses his inheritance and is left with nothing but the support of his industrious wife, Ju (Ivy Lee). After Tian's (Chunyu Shanshan) father dies on the trip to Nanyang, his widowed mother and his two siblings are forced to live a life of scavenging for food in the wilderness. After his sister is killed and his brother goes missing, he is hired by a rich merchant. His new employer is cruel and his meekness makes him an easy target for bullying, but he finds himself attracted to the man's second wife, Hai Yan (Yvonne Lim). Despite the disparity between their situations and personalities, they each find themselves making the trip to the port of Singapore in Nanyang all with the same purpose: To seek a way out of their circumstances and a better future. ===== A group of scientists, who are testing the radiation levels of the New Mexico desert, are killed by a deformed mutant Pluto with a pickaxe. Retired detective Bob Carter and his wife Ethel are traveling from Cleveland, Ohio to San Diego, California through the desert for their wedding anniversary. With them are their children: Lynn, Brenda, and Bobby; Lynn's husband Doug Bukowski; Lynn and Doug's baby daughter Catherine; and the family's pet German Shepherds, Beauty and Beast. They stop at a gas station where an elderly attendant tells them of a different route through the hills. Not long after taking the supposed short-cut, their tires are punctured by a hidden spike strip. Doug and Bob go look for help, while the rest of the family stays behind. Beauty escapes from the trailer and, when Bobby chases her into the hills, he finds her mutilated corpse. Frightened, he runs and falls off the hill, knocking himself unconscious as a young female mutant Ruby protects him from her brother Goggle who murdered Beauty. Doug heads towards the interstate and finds a huge crater filled with numerous abandoned cars and other items. Back at the gas station that night, Bob finds news clippings detailing various disappearances in the area after recent nuclear testings at a mining town by the US government that caused the mutants' deformities. Horrified, he confronts the hysterical attendant who commits suicide in an outhouse. Bob attempts to flee in an abandoned car but is subdued by the mutant leader Papa Jupiter. After Bobby is found by Brenda, they head back to the trailer until Doug returns, where the former encounters Jupiter and escapes from him. While Bobby confesses his story to the family, Jupiter's sons Pluto and Lizard infiltrate the trailer and attack Brenda, who stays with the baby while the other mutants use a distraction of immolating Bob to a tree, who dies shortly after the family extinguish the fire. When Lynn and Ethel return to the trailer, Lizard attacks and molests Lynn while pointing a gun at Catherine’s head. Lynn attempts to stab Lizard but Lizard shoots her and Ethel before abducting Catherine and escapes with Pluto. Doug and Bobby return to discover the carnage and find Brenda crying while Lynn and Ethel die shortly afterwards. Goggle, who is watching the family from afar, is killed by Beast. The next morning Doug, along with Beast, set out to rescue Catherine. He comes across an abandoned nuclear testing village through the miner town's cave system and is knocked unconscious by Big Mama. Awakening in an ice box, he escapes and encounters Big Brain who reveals the mutants' origins to him and sends Pluto to attack Doug. Doug manages to gain the upper hand and kills Pluto with his own axe before killing another mutant Cyst. After ordering Lizard to kill Catherine, Big Brain is mauled to death by Beast while Ruby manages to take the baby from Lizard and escapes through the hills. At the trailer, Brenda and Bobby are attacked by Papa Jupiter as the siblings lure him towards the trailer and arrange an explosive trap, which destroys the vehicle along with the mutant. Doug catches up with Ruby but Lizard attacks them before pursuing Ruby until Doug manages to defeat him with Cyst's shotgun. Ruby then gives Doug his daughter back. Lizard, still alive, aims the shotgun at Doug but Ruby tackles Lizard off a cliff, sending them both falling to their deaths. Bobby and Brenda find Jupiter wounded from their trap and Brenda finishes him off with a pickaxe before the siblings are reunited with Doug, Catherine, and Beast. As the survivors of the Carter family embrace, an unknown mutant watches them through binoculars from the hills. ===== Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu is a story revolving around a secret war that has been going on below the public's eye since 1947 and a group of people involved in the war, either directly or indirectly. The main protagonist is a young high school student named Naoyuki Asaba who, on the last day of summer break, sneaks into the school at night to swim in secret. However, upon arrival at the pool, he meets the mysterious Kana Iriya, who is there for the same reason. However, she doesn't know how to swim, so Naoyuki offers to teach her how to swim. During this private lesson, a group of people show up in search of Kana and take her back to the nearby air force base where she is staying. The next day, Naoyuki is surprised to find that Kana joins his class as the new term begins. Eventually, both of them take a liking to each other and Naoyuki even gets her to join the school newspaper club. Little does Naoyuki know that Kana is in fact an expert fighter pilot engaged in a war between humans and aliens that has been going on since the Kenneth Arnold incident on June 24, 1947. The whole world's fate rests in the hands of Kana Iriya and if she can ultimately hold off the invasion in the final battle. ===== The story is set in China during the Ming dynasty, and revolves around two protagonists – Nip Fung (Wind) and Bou Ging-wan (Cloud) – who learn martial arts in their early years and grow up to become legendary fighters in the jianghu (martial artists' community). As the story progresses, more characters are introduced in new story arcs. The first story arc is about the origins of Wind and Cloud. When they were still boys, they were accepted into the martial arts clan Tin- ha-wui (Under Heaven Society) by its chief, Hung-ba (Lord Conqueror), who tutors them in martial arts for a secret motive. Conqueror was once told by a Buddhist prophet that he would rise to power in the jianghu with the help of "Wind and Cloud". When Conqueror reaches the pinnacle of his achievements, the second half of the prophecy is revealed: that Conqueror's rise is attributed to Wind and Cloud, but they are also destined to bring about his downfall. Conqueror plots to turn Wind and Cloud against each other. The rest of the story arc tells of the adventures of Wind and Cloud after they escape from Under Heaven Society. They gradually improve their skills, acquire powerful weapons, and befriend other prominent jianghu figures, as well as meeting their respective romantic interests. Wind and Cloud eventually return to confront Hung-ba and defeat him, fulfilling the prophecy. Juet-mou-san (Lord Godless), a formidable Japanese warrior, brings his family and followers to China to cause trouble and becomes a menace to the Chinese jianghu. Godless captures the top "kongwu" martial artists and takes over the Imperial Palace as well. He also captures "Nameless" to force him to reveal the secret "ManKimKwanChong", which is the pinnacle of the swordsplay in the martial arts world. Wind and Cloud embark on different adventures to find ways to counter the invasion. Wind masters a powerful skill to overcome Godless but enters a demonic trance in the process and loses his sanity; Cloud becomes the pupil of "Nameless" and taught to release his potential. The fight ends up with Godless losing his "Invincible Armor" protection with Cloud finding the one weak spot in his arm pit. Godless retreats to Japan, but the trio of Nameless, Wind and Cloud pursue him to find the emperor of China and other captives and also to remove the threat of Godless. In Japan, they meet Japan's emperor Tin-wong (Heavenly Emperor), who offers to help them defeat Godless. In the penultimate battle, Nameless defeats Godless but Godless releases his fellow disciple, Fist God, who almost defeats everyone but is finally defeated by Wind and Cloud. In a twist of fate, Tin-Wong makes his move to kill everyone, including his "allies" from China. Godless is killed by his own son, who betrayed his father to follow Tin-Wong. However, the Chinese contingent escapes but Wind is captured by Heartless and Ting-Wong, who reveals his plan to go to China to steal the Dragon Bones, the spiritual foundation of the Chinese empire, which would mean China would fall to him. Tin-Wong drugs Wind, who is already unstable from his demonic trance state and turns him into his slave. In the final battle, Tin-Wong manages to find the dragon bones but is thwarted by Cloud and his allies from possessing it, with Wind running off with the dragon bones, which has a mystical calming effect on him. Cloud and Nameless then defeat Tin-wong, whose "Perfect strike" technique is defeated by Nameless. The emperor puts a bounty on Wind for running off with the dragon bones, and in the heat of battle, a dragon bone fragment is lodged into Wind's forehead, slowly turning him into the "Kei Lun Demon". In the final showdown, Cloud manages to dislodge the bone fragment and save Wind, and sacrifices himself to save both Wind and his wife from falling off the mountain. ===== In Egypt, Andoheb travels to the Hill of the Seven Jackals in answer to the royal summons of the High Priest of Karnak. The dying priest of the sect explains the story of Kharis to Andoheb, involving sacred tana leaves that can restore life to the dead Princess Ananka. His penalty upon being discovered is to be buried alive, without a tongue, and the tana leaves are buried with him. During the cycle of the full moon, the fluid from the brew of three tana leaves is to be administered to the creature to keep him alive. Should despoilers enter the tomb of the Princess, a fluid of nine leaves will restore movement to the monster. Meanwhile in 1940, down on his luck archaeologist Steve Banning and his sidekick, Babe Jenson, discover the remnants of a broken vase in a Cairo bazaar. Banning is convinced it is an authentic ancient Egyptian relic, and his interpretation of the hieroglyphs on the piece lead him to believe it contains clues to the location of the Princess Ananka's tomb. With the support of the eminent Dr. Petrie (Charles Trowbridge) of the Cairo Museum, but against the wishes of Andoheb, who is also employed by the museum, Banning seeks funds for his expedition. Banning and Jenson meet an American magician, Solvani (Cecil Kellaway), who agrees to fund their quest. His daughter Marta is not as convinced, thanks to a prior visit from Andoheb, who brands the two young archeologists as frauds. The expedition departs in search of the Hill of the Seven Jackals, with the Solvanis tagging along. In their explorations, they stumble upon the tomb of Kharis, finding the mummy along with the tana leaves, but find nothing to indicate the existence of Ananka's tomb. Andoheb appears to Dr. Petrie in the mummy's cave and has the surprised scientist feel the creature's pulse. After administering the tana brew from nine leaves, the monster quickly dispatches Petrie and escapes with Andoheb, through a secret passageway, to the temple on the other side of the mountain. The creature continues his periodic marauding about the camp, killing an Egyptian overseer and eventually attacking Solvani and kidnapping Marta. Banning and Jenson set out to track Kharis down, with Jenson going around the mountain and Banning attempting to follow the secret passage they have discovered inside the tomb. Andoheb has plans of his own. Enthralled by Marta's beauty, he plans to inject himself and his captive with tana fluid, making them both immortal. Jenson arrives in the nick of time, and guns down Andoheb outside of the temple, while Banning attempts to rescue the girl. However, Kharis appears on the scene and Banning's bullets have no effect on the immortal being. Marta overheard Adoheb tell the secret of the tana fluid and tells Banning and Jenson that Kharis must not be allowed to drink any more of the serum. When the creature raises the tana serum to his lips, Jenson shoots the container from his grasp. Dropping to the floor, Kharis attempts to ingest the spilled life-giving liquid. Banning seizes the opportunity to overturn a brazier onto the monster, engulfing it in flames. The ending has the members of the expedition heading happily back to the United States with the mummy of Ananka, and the spoils of her tomb. ===== Having rescued his friend Gimbal from a self-inflicted white- out spell, the Magic Knight finds himself transported into the far future aboard the starship USS Pisces. Magic Knight must find a way back to his own time, with the help of the Tyme Guardians, before he is apprehended by the Paradox Police. On board the USS Pisces, the Magic Knight is first not recognized at all by the crew of the ship, and must create an ID Card, which he receives a template of from Derby IV, the ship's main computer. After getting his ID completed, he then takes command of the ship, first arriving at Starbase 1 to refuel the ship. After refueling, the Magic Knight collects the pieces of the Golden Sundial from Monopole, Retreat and Outpost. Returning to the ship with all the pieces of the sundial, he discovers that a time machine has appeared inside the USS Pisces to take him back to his own time. ===== The film begins in Kuvukiland, a kingdom somewhere in Southern Africa. Mr. Bones arrives as a baby, the sole survivor of an airplane crash that happens nearby. He grows older and becomes the bone-throwing prophesier for the kingdom. King Tsonga, ruler of Kuvukiland, longs for a male child to be heir to the throne. After having seventeen children, all of them girls, he gives up hope, until he remembers fathering a boy decades before in Sun City. He immediately sends Mr. Bones to find the future prince. At the same time golf star Vince "The Prince" Lee, along with his coach, The Wild Boar, arrives in Sun City for a golf tournament. A local casino owner, Zach Devlin, places a huge bet on Vince Lee winning the tournament, but just before it begins, Wild Boar is injured in a freak accident when a passing plane drops a wild boar on him. He quickly recovers, but is held against his will in a local hospital. Without his coach, Vince Lee plays terribly, until he meets the eccentric Mr. Bones, who believes him to be the actual prince, and gives him a lucky streak. Vince nearly wins the game until Mr. Bones remembers his mission and stops a perfect putt. Vince retires in disgrace, but meets a local singer, Laleti, afterwards, whom he is stricken with. Mr. Bones notices this, and by impersonating her, he kidnaps Vince. The next day, Wild Boar manages to escape from the hospital and goes on a search for Vince, along with Laleti and her mother. Enraged by Vince Lee's performance, and by the fact that everyone had gone missing, the casino owner mounts a search for them in a helicopter, along with two of his henchmen. After a series of comical mishaps, they all meet near Kuvukiland. Mr. Bones introduces Vince to King Tsonga, but after discovering that Vince is terrified of animals, King Tsonga disowns him, and prepares to die. The casino owner quickly locates Vince and Laleti, and attempts to kill them both, but Vince escapes. He finds Laleti tied to a tree with a lion about to eat her, and overcoming his fear, he chases the lion away. King Tsonga sees this, and decides that he doesn't want to die. Soon after, the casino owner reappears, but Mr. Bones, with the help of an elephant, causes the helicopter to crash. King Tsonga proclaims that Vince is his son, but asks Mr. Bones to throw his prophecy bones once more just to be sure. As Mr. Bones does this, Wild Boar arrives upon the scene, and it is confirmed that he is the actual prince. The film closes with Mr. Bones, King Tsonga, and Wild Boar watching from Kuvukiland as Vince Lee, now married to Laleti, wins the Masters golf tournament. ===== While inquiring into the murder of an administrator at a government research facility, a U.S. senator is confronted with paranoia, secrecy, and intimidation. He ultimately learns the cause: An unusual security device that is used to monitor its employees. The Outer Band Individuated Teletracer (known by the acronym O.B.I.T.)O.B.I.T. review is so pervasive and invasive that no one can escape its prying eye, at any time within . It is even deemed addictive by some of its operators. After a missing administrator is found and reveals his knowledge of O.B.I.T., its sinister, unearthly origins and purpose become apparent; the device is, in actuality, an alien invention that was designed to demoralize and desensitize the human race in preparation for invasion. During government hearings, Lomax, one of the project's administrators, reveals himself to be an alien, proudly warning onlookers as to the horrific impact O.B.I.T. will have on mankind. As he speaks, a nearby O.B.I.T. machine shows Lomax in his true alien form. ===== Granville Place in 1924, with 'Riceyman Steps' leading up to Granville Square. The story takes place in 1919–1920, just after the First World War, and is divided into five parts. It deals with the final year in the life of its main character, Henry Earlforward, a miser with a slight limp, who keeps a second-hand bookshop in the Clerkenwell area of London, at Riceyman Steps. Henry harbours a secret passion for Violet Arb, a widow who inherits a neighbouring confectionery shop. When Henry tries to woo Violet, the widow realizes that they share the same charwoman and maid servant in the simple, loyal Elsie Sprickett. When Elsie’s boyfriend, the shell-shocked war veteran Joe, loses self-control and runs after Violet with a carving-knife at her shop, Henry gallantly intervenes after Violet approaches Henry for help. Violet, who sees in Henry a financially secure future, finally decides to marry him after a short courtship. Joe, meanwhile, disappears after writing a letter to Elsie that he will come for her when he has recovered from his traumatic disorder. Henry's parsimony drives the married couple into an increasingly wretched existence. He is aghast, for example, when Violet spends fourteen pounds vacuuming his dusty shop as a wedding present. He begins eating less and less, even forgoing meat for cheese, and refuses to go to the hospital to treat his undernourishment when the doctor and his wife insist that he does. All the while Elsie stands devoted to the couple, despite having problems of her own—she pines secretly for Joe, and pilfers food to binge eat at night. Their lives—in which Henry’s passion for money and his obstinacy finally consume himself and his wife—are contrasted to that of their loyal maid servant Elsie Sprickett, and it is the latter, despite her extreme poverty, who brings life and a future to the bittersweet tale. ===== Young Ralph Pendrel of New York City has written a fine essay on the reading of history. The essay so impresses a distant English relative that he bequeaths an 18th-century London house to Ralph. Pendrel goes to London and explores the house thoroughly. He feels himself going back in time as soon as he crosses the threshold. He finds a portrait of a remote ancestor, also named Ralph Pendrel. The portrait comes alive and the two men meet. Later, the modern-day Pendrel goes to the U.S. ambassador in London and tries to tell him of these strange occurrences. He then returns to the mysterious house, steps across the threshold, and finds himself in the early 19th century. At this dramatic juncture, the part of the novel that James wrote in 1900 breaks off. James resumed the novel in 1914 with scenes of Ralph meeting his ancestor's relatives, as he has taken the other's place. He finds that he is engaged to one of those relatives, Molly Midmore, but realizes that he is attracted to her sister Nan. He also meets Molly's mother and unpleasant brother, and Nan's suitor, Sir Cantopher Bland. The novel breaks off completely here. James left extensive notes on how the novel would continue: Nan would eventually realize that Ralph is actually a time-traveller from the future; she would sacrifice her own happiness to help him return to his own time and to Aurora Coyne, a woman who had previously rejected Ralph but would now accept him. ===== Nicole (Melissa Joan Hart) and Chase (Adrian Grenier) live next door to each other. Although they have different personalities, they plot a scheme to date each other in order to attract the interest and jealousy of their respective romantic prey. But in the midst of planning a gala centennial celebration, Nicole and Chase find that they are attracted to each other. ===== A man staggers into a police station to report a murder. When the desk sergeant asks who was murdered, he answers: "I was." That man is Professor Dexter Cornell (Dennis Quaid), who then sits down to video-tape his account. Thirty-six hours previously, Cornell is on campus. He is a college professor, was once a promising writer, made his name and is secure in his tenure, but he has spent the last four years going through the motions and playing it safe. "Publish or perish" is the contrasting rule of university politics and Cornell helps his friend Hal Petersham (Daniel Stern) with his first book. While Cornell is in his office, a promising student, Nick Lang (Robert Knepper), jumps off a building right outside his office window in an apparent suicide. This, coupled with the depressing Christmas season, unseasonably hot weather, and a pending divorce from his estranged wife Gail (Jane Kaczmarek) who he suspects was having an affair with Lang, leads Cornell to seek out the local bars for a night of heavy drinking. There he meets admiring student Sydney Fuller (Meg Ryan) and they proceed to get drunk. The next morning, Cornell, feeling his sickness is more than just a hangover, stops by the campus medical clinic for a checkup. After running some tests, they discover that he has been poisoned and has 36 hours to live. An incredulous Cornell staggers out to try to make sense of it all. Aided by Fuller, whom he kidnaps by super-gluing himself to her arm, he attempts to recreate the events of the previous night hoping to discover who could have murdered him. The list of suspects includes his wife, who is also the victim of a murder, which the police make half-hearted efforts to pin on Cornell. It is learned that Lang was not a suicide but was also murdered. Cornell also suspects Lang's mentor; the wealthy widow Mrs. Fitzwaring (Charlotte Rampling). Bernard (Christopher Neame) the Fitzwarings' chauffeur and Graham Corey (Jay Patterson), a jealous co-worker. In a subplot, it is explained that Lang's college tuition was being payed for by Fitzwaring; despite having shot Lang's father years ago in self defense after he broke in to her home and killed her husband. Lang's death however is a harsh blow to both Fitzwaring and her irresponsible daughter; Cookie. Who in a drunken rant, reveals to her mother's alarm, her and Lang's sexual escapades. Later, after a skirmish with Bernard results in Cookie's unfortunate death, Fitzwaring finally reveals to Cornell that Lang was her son from a previous marriage she walked away from to marry her wealthy late husband, without actually finalising the divorce with her former spouse. But when the jilted lover later brought this revelation to the late Mr Fitzwaring. He threatened to cut her off from their daughter, forcing Fitzwaring to shoot both men to silence them. Now with both her son and daughter dead. Fitzwarring ends her own life through suicide. In the end, at the police station, Cornell has solved the crime. His friend Hal had read and was so impressed by Nick Lang's manuscript that he decided to kill Nick and steal the novel for himself. However, this involved killing anyone who knew that Nick was the original author, including Dexter and his wife, who was in possession of a copy Nick had given her. The tragic irony for Dexter however was that due to weariness, he instead gave Nick's novel a pass without ever having read it. Hal however shows no remorse, callously stating it was Dexter's own fault that he believed he had. Yet, had Hal bothered to warn Dexter immediately after learning this, Dexter may have had a chance. After a scuffle, Dexter shoots Hal who then falls out his office window. Dexter resigns himself to his fate. ===== Stuart Conway (Sean Astin) has developed a hand-held, cellphone-like time travel device called 'Slipstream' that allows the user to travel back in time 10 minutes by interfacing with a cellphone system regional antenna. At first, he uses the device primarily to try, albeit unsuccessfully, to arrange a date with a female bank clerk. The final time he tries to use the device, a group of bank robbers commanded by Winston Briggs (Vinnie Jones) rush into the bank and demand the money from the vault. At the time, FBI agent Sarah Tanner (Ivana Miličević) and her male partner Jake (Kevin Otto) are in the bank tracking Stuart. Tanner initiates a gunfight against Jake's advice. Both agents are armed with pistols, while the criminals are wielding automatic weapons. By the end of the fight, Jake is shot and killed because he chased the criminals outside the bank. During the fight, Stuart had been shot in the chest by a stray bullet. Before he dies, Stuart takes Sarah and himself back in time to before the bank robbery, and Sarah unsuccessfully tries to foil the heist. Unfortunately, Briggs takes the Slipstream device as a souvenir. Stuart and Sarah realize it's only a matter of time before Briggs and his cronies discover the true potential of the device. What follows is a high-speed car chase of the criminals, a hijacking of a bus, a highway shootout, and a shootout in and downing of a commercial airliner. Near the end, as a passenger in the falling airplane, Stuart is able to reverse the entire sequence of events because, being airborne, he has access to many cellphone relay systems and therefore is not restricted to the 10-minute limit. Stuart rewinds time to just before the bank robbery, taking Sarah with him, but Briggs grabs on as well and is rewinded too. This time Briggs decides not to rob the bank as he knows what will happen and that all of his men will die and he and his men leave without anyone being the wiser. This time Stuart is able to get a date with the teller by being himself and escapes using the Slipstream device from the bank when he is about to be arrested. Sarah is relieved that her partner is alive again and decides to let Stuart go as she knows he's harmless. The movie ends with Stuart having fun using the Slipstream device. =====