Mobile Armored Podcast Show

Miles Mayhem Ends Life on Earth

• Adam Moore & PJ McNerney • Season 1 • Episode 10

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In this week's episode, it's all over for one lucky city if Miles pulls off his dastardly plan. Of course, his plan involves crashing a comet into Earth, which means it's probably over for all life on Earth if he succeeds. Is preventing an extinction level event worth 25 million dollars in gold bars? YES! JUST PAY THE MAN! 

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pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Welcome everyone. This is David Alan Boucher. We're going to bring you an evening of great smooth jazz just to help you get to sleep or maybe you've got a lover with you right now and you want to start off the evening right. Take a little Dramamine and, get ready either for the ride of your life, or just have a Peaceful night's sleep next that one night you love.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Ladies and gentlemen, it's the Mobile Armored Podcast Show. I'm using that, I'm absolutely using that in the opening this week. Alright, anyways, in three, two, boom. Welcome to the Mobile Armored Podcast Show, the podcast that opens up to reveal a jet inside. My name is Adam Moore alongside my co host and best friend PJ McNerney. PJ, how's it going?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I am doing well today. there's a degree of perverse pleasure. I'm taking in our review of this episode. We've seen some bonkers stuff from masks and venom for a while today takes the cake in so many ways.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

It is not a strong episode. To say the least I was worried about this episode of the podcast to be completely honest with you Because I mean I'm hoping there's enough stuff for us to talk about I'm hoping there's enough stuff in here to actually Be funny about because that's what we are and why people listen to us I'm speaking of Everyone listening to us, hello to our multitude of fans out there who are just loving the show. We're really exploding in a big way. I do need to, a little bit of a mea culpa. I believe in some episodes in the past, when referring to Jackhammer, I called it Razorback, which we all know is not a vehicle that is introduced until later in the series, I believe. So I want to, Apologize and give myself 12 metaphorical lashings for my insolence and ignorance. so apologies to you, and of course to you too, PJ, I really

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

You know, I should apologize back because I also missed it. So it's also my mea culpa as well for not having caught it

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

good.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

so

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

but at least we know Mark Trekker is the name of the main character.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

his son Steve

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Mark and Steve Trekker and J Bob. All right. let's dive into episode 10 of Mask. It's called Death from the Sky. Venom uses a tractor beam to steer a meteor, actually a comet, to Earth, which threatens to destroy a major city. Most of which in that log line, by the way, is untrue.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

It really is. It's a bizarre log line. yes, venom is going to use a celestial object to bring it down to earth. We're going to get into a little of the science involved here, Adam, and talk a little bit about what this could actually mean hint. And it might mean destroying more than a city.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Well, Let's dive in then. We open at an airport and we find out it's the Peaceful Nations Alliance's presidential jet is taking off from Norway. And can we just talk about this world government for a second? So there's an elected president. Is there a legislative branch? Is there a judicial branch? Are they some sort of extra national rogue state similar to mask?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I interpreted this being like, the PNA is really supposed to be the UN stand in. And that this is kind of a secretary general like thing happening,

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

yeah. And I just don't necessarily buy the UN thing because they could have just used it. So I prefer to believe that, Dwayne and the president of the PNA are all part of some sort of shadow, government entity, again, very similar to, to mask, they're just rogue.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Okay. So this is the one world government basically is what you're saying is go, which, if anyone reads about the Denver. airport conspiracy theories. There's a lot of stuff there on that. So maybe it fits in, mask is based out of Colorado. So you, you might've cracked it at them. The PNA is the one world government.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

But what I will say is that they don't seem to have a ton of money, because that jet is really a piece of crap.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

it really is.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

barely a DC 3. Not that a DC 3 was a jet, by the way. Aviation Geeks like me, please don't send, evil fan mail to me. anyways, jet is flying in the air. Suddenly radar at the tower picks up that the presidential jet is losing altitude. We see the jet from the outside and it's under the influence of some kind of pink glowing tractor beam and the president storms into the cockpit. And this president, we never know his name has a very kind of Miles Mayhem look to him. Old dude, graying mustache. But also, how about that mustard yellow suit he's wearing? That's a real statement. Well,

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

The game clue. I'm going to be wearing that suit today

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Yeah and they say that something is controlling the plane. But who could it be, PJ? I'll give you one guess.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

This actually is gonna connect back now to your theory if the PNA really is a rogue state, then this whole mask, venom, PNA thing is a private war amongst shadowy entities at this point in time. It's like, alright no wonder why the US military or any other government doesn't get involved.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Yeah, no completely. And as you pointed out, it is Venom behind this tractor beam control of the plane, and we reveal that Miles and Vanessa are on this really cool vessel, like this kind of Delta Wing esque giant submarine. And Miles says this will teach the Peaceful Nations Alliance a lesson they won't forget. And what do you think that lesson might be, PJ? Ha, ha,

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Or out of Norway. Because honestly, that is the only lesson you can have at this point in time, based on the evidence. Oh what did we do wrong? This is the lesson. Miles, fill in a little more detail. What are you upset about?

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

If you don't follow along with them, get off the team. Become one of the faceless henchmen that manned the the submarine, but by the way, speaking of the submarine, they have this amazing piece of technology, not just the submarine, but a tractor beam, a beam of energy that can shoot up into the sky and stop a plane in its tracks, let alone, as we'll learn later on the episode, a helicopter. A comet in space that is worth billions, if not trillions of dollars on its own. Why are you doing a shakedown of the PNA when you could be selling this technology?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

we have this like repeated pattern and I feel like we're going to keep seeing it where there has to be some science team that works for Venom that creates a new Not just amazing pieces of technology, but easily commercializable. We're not talking about oh, how are we gonna fit AI into our lives, No, our tractor beam could be immediately used today, and instead Miles, I don't know if he doesn't have imagination, and I don't, he's just like, meh, fuck it, I'm gonna use this to, to get a paltry sum of money. From the PNA,

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

It's like, how about this, Miles? I will give you 25 million dollars in American cash in exchange for the tractor beam. Just sign on the dotted line, and we're good to go. And then I will turn to Amazon. Here's how you can revolutionize your warehouse. I'll take a billion for that, please.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

so I'm going to put this into just perspective because I did a little inflation calculation between 85 to today, 25 million and 85 is still only about 75 million today. Which is less than most shitty startups get raised for their funding. It's effectively like, hey, I'll raise a hundred million dollars for the juice machine. This is a tractor beam! It is worth so much money!

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

So Venom fires another blast that blows up the left wing of The plane. The pilot's like, oh no, we've lost the left wing. This guy does not sound like he's an experienced pilot at all.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

There is so much wrong with this scene. Okay. You have the tractor beam on the plane, first off. Was shooting the left wing necessary? necessary. You're easily bringing it down against its will. Okay. But let's think about like how planes work, like where do planes keep their fuel? It's kept in the wings. The plane had just taken off, so those fuel tanks were nearly full. So if you blow out the wing, you risk exploding the plane. And if you wanted to explode the plane, you don't need the tractor beam.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

No, you don't.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Also, the pilot still sounds like a moron. And, from Venom's point of view, they took out the left wing, but from within the plane, it's actually the right wing or let's be using nautical terms, the starboard wing was taken out. But when the pilot looks out, he's looking out the port wing. So he's looking at, he's like, he's looking at the wrong wing and it's like, Oh no, they took out the left wing, which is just moronic. So what he should, they should have said was like, if they're using nautical terms is, Oh no, we've lost the starboard wing. And was looking at the correct side. And if he really understood the mechanics we just talked about with the wing, what he should have said was, Oh my God, they took out the starboard wing. We're on fire and we're all going to die. I'm so sorry. I didn't tell Belinda how much I love her. There's so much wrong in this one tiny instance.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

I have no, nothing to add to that. Other than I'm crying with laughter because of the entire scenario that you just

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I hate using logic to tear this stuff apart, but look, folks, this is how this stuff works.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Right there is probably enough to just turn off the episode and walk away. This has been another episode of the Mobile Armored Podcast Show. We gotta transform and head back to HQ. You next week.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

If we were sane, we would do that, but you and I, Adam, are not sane, so we press on.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Indeed we do. The president is now in a conversation over the radio with Myles and he asks who Myles is. And Myles says, a friend who could soon become your enemy if my demands are not met. And I'm thinking, look, you already shot off their left wing. So I think friendship, like that boat has passed.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Here's the thing, I'll actually believe Miles when he says I'm a friend. Because I think Miles is so fucked up in the way he treats people that he actually thinks that's A OK to do. Look at how he treats his employees. He tells Cliff Dagger what a shit he is all the time. So I think it's like, Ah, it builds character. I'll blow off the wing of a plane. Of my friend. It's fine. And

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Let's talk a little bit more about this submarine.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I hate belaboring this point, but the 25 million, like we said, is 75 million, In today's dollars So we've got to roll back the clock a bit, a tiny bit of research. At the time, the Los Angeles class was the most advanced submarine the U S had. They built it from 72 to 96, so it had a pretty long lifespan. So in 1985, a Los Angeles sub, which I think would be less complex than Venom's cool Delta wing sub cost 741 million in 1985 dollars. Okay, so Miles is asking for what, like a 30th or something like that of, The money, his sub costs in gold bars.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

He's basically asking for gas money.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

It's like, I need to buy plutonium. I can only buy it in gold bullion.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Okay, now we cut to the Tracker Mansion, where Scott and T Bob are assembling a track for toy cars. And Scott is talking to T Bob and he tells T Bob that he promised Bruce Sato, that he'd check out this new line of race cars that he's designing. So I guess now Scott is performing free labor. For Bruce's toy company. So that's a new addition to the uh, to the mythology of the world. But now we learned that Dusty gave Scott a can of high performance race car fuel to power the toy car. Okay. A couple of things here. First, what kind of idiot gives a 12 year old a can of high performance race car fuel?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I feel like, um, we should give a little science lesson on this.

squadcaster-g780_1_04-19-2024_100917:

stand by for science corner with

pj_1_04-19-2024_110917:

if a,

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

So folks, if you go to the gas station, you probably get 85, 87, maybe 92 octane, 93, something like that. So you know, race car fuel has octane that's somewhere in the 110 to 120 range. So a lot more flammable than even the highly flammable fuel you get from the gas station. And this has been given to a 12 year old.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

But then also, what kind of kid's toy car requires gasoline to run?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I don't know. This was like really bizarre. Like I like, cause even in the eighties we, it was all RC or electric. Yeah. So Bruce, is Bruce like trying to like go retro here by creating a really high powered car That requires you as a kid to put fuel into it

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

When has any child's toy car? Like maybe one of those kind of mini motorcycles. I get that. I'll talk about a kid's toy car that you drive around on a racetrack in your toy room or your bedroom or whatever has ever required. Gasoline to fuel.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

What about like if you close the door to the room of the kid that's playing with the car that requires fuel? Isn't it getting carbon monoxide poisoning at that point in time?

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Wake up, Scott. Scott, Matt's negligence has finally paid the ultimate price.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

did Dusty just give it to him just because why not? Or did Scott ask for it and Dusty was like, there you go kid. And just like, didn't know what it was for. There's many questions here. let's, okay, let me back up. I don't want to tell anyone how to parent, but I'm going to. Don't give a child. High octane racing fuel, okay? Just don't.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Well, That high octane, gasoline powered toy car races out of the playroom, and we catch up with Matt. Who's just chillin on the couch watching the news, and he's wearing tennis outfit. He's got a little shorts, little polo shirt, he's got a sweater daintily tied around his, his neck, and he's still holding the the tennis racket in his hands. And then the car comes by, and Matt just whacks it. With his racket. Sending it into the trash. Which I would like to pause there just for a second. This is a toy car. It's not like it has a thick gas tank or anything. That Matt whacks with the racket and says it's flying across the room. That could have been the end of all of them.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

He doesn't care.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

But anyways, watching the news, Matt realizes that Venom is behind the attack on the president's plane'cause Matt makes massive logic leaps all the time. Scott begs to go, but Matt tells me he's got his own problem because the toy car has raced outta the trash can and is now on its way to destroy the kitchen.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Good. I'm glad the high octane fuel car is now going into probably a gas stove.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

And uh, Scott and T Bob race after it. And then Matt gives this really self assured smile and a nod like well, occupied Scott for a while.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

A couple things in this scene. So right before they leave, like T Bob, it says something like, Oh, bless my bolts. We're in for it now. Is T Bob developing some sort of spirituality? Despite the fact he's been told he's not alive is he actually needing to Like self actualize here.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

He's got nowhere else to go. He has hit rock bottom.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

He really is. He really is because he's being told all the time also if you look at the scene Matt doesn't say a word to Scott Matt is just talking to himself Like I guess I wonder who did this and then Scott is leaning over the couch say can I help dad? Can I please dad like Matt is saying nothing to him like it is really horrible like It's a horrible horrible see and then finally tells him to get the car and Scott has t bob turn into a motorcycle in the living room and just rides out of the room So I guess Matt doesn't really care Scott is riding around his carpets on t bob again There's like that self assured look comes after he rides out like it just just Nothing. Nothing.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

And I do have to this has been on my mind for, Quite some time now about the show. And so I have to dive into it now. Anytime T Bob transforms into motorcycle mode, which first of all, it's a unicycle or a scooter, if anything, but nonetheless, motorcycle mode. It revs like it's a go kart or a, or an actual motorcycle. So either T Bob is emitting sound effects or is he powered by gasoline as well? Is there an engine inside him?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Once again, there's a carbon monoxide problem that's going on here that I don't think no one wants to talk about.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Now we get to Matt at the computer. And he asks the computer to analyze the voice of the terrorist leader. Surprise, Surprise, it's mayhem.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Does Matt really need to verify that it's Venom? He just said it was, and if it wasn't, would he not go after them?

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

selection scene. So here is the team. Bruce Sato, he gets the call. He's carrying a bunch of boxes into a room and he looks at his magic watch and he just drops all the boxes. This is like the first legitimate jerk move from Bruce.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

totally. We've seen him be pretty cool cucumber before this time. Not so much.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Next up, Alex Sector, the other half of that codependent team. He's at his vet Slash pet shop and he's holding a kitten gets the call and then he gives a little girl Kitten now. I want to note. There's no parents around. There's no other people around It's just Alex and a young girl and a kitten Whose child is this? Whose kitten is it PJ? What is going on?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

like the kids are like, mommy, daddy, a stranger just gave me a kitten. And if you actually notice it, like Alex rubs the kid's head for a little bit after he gives the kitten. I came up with three different scenarios. This could be One, the kitten belongs to the girl. And Alex is just returning the kitten to the girl. That is the most benign and it's super understandable. That kitten doesn't belong to the girl and Alex has just given a kitten from another client to that girl So there's gonna be a call later on. That's gonna be really uncomfortable

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Yeah.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

The final was like that the kitten was actually belonging to Alex what he was going to do was he was going to drown it Prior to getting the call and I was like, yeah, I'll just give it to this kid instead because We know he is not good with pets, like he I don't know if he'd be intentionally drowning it, it would just be an accident, like he overfed the fish, or gave, or he left the snake cage open or something like that, or he gave the carrot to the crocodile who was gonna starve oh, I just, I thought the kitten would swim.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Just as an aside to all our listeners, if anyone notices me laughing more than usual, it's not because I've been drinking this early in the morning. It's because I didn't have a chance to read the full rundown. And so I didn't get to see all of PJ's notes. So I'm hearing them real time along with you. And I'm trying to see through my, my tears of laughter. Well done, PJ. Well done. The third member of the team is Hondo McClain, our very favorite agent. He's coaching a basketball game and he gets the call. And for some reason, the basketball goes flying off the court and. Into Hondo's hands. So terrible basketball team for starters. But he catches the ball and then he shoots it from the sidelines. Behind the half court line, towards the basket, swish, nothing but net. First of all, it's a total flex on Hondo's

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Totally,

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

That. But also, what a dick move! might as well have just thrown the ball out of the gym. Like, how does he not get fired?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

It's really incredible. Like we've established many times Hondo is Mask's most competent agent and he competes really heavily with Buddy Hawks as having the most dickish exits, like time after time. Now if you notice the scene, like the kids are like, the ball bounces out and it's going right for his head. are amazing. He catches the ball. It's incredible. And then I really feel like he's like pissed at the team and maybe the ref. So like making that basket is real. Fuck you ref. All the kids look on in awe.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

And he just runs out of the gym.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

He really does.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Our final team member, Gloria Baker. Champion race driver, black belt in Kung Fu. Team hottie. She's in a taxi in the front seat. And she's pointing at something. And then she gets the call, and she gets out and runs away. Once again, what is up with you, Gloria? You're always in a vehicle that's moving, and then you get out and you run, which would be a slower method of getting to Boulder Hill.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

So I think she's on a date with a taxi. Driver because she's in the front seat, which is an unusual thing Like in a taxi cab usually want to keep in the back with that glass window in case they try to kill you Which Gloria can? And they do a shot of the guy like who looks pretty upset and forlorn And it's like yeah Maybe it's like he cuz he lost the fair cuz she did not pay but I'm pretty sure it's like oh that's what I heard about Gloria. Sometimes. She just runs out on the date soon

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Gloria, you can't pin her down. got eyes and that

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

will pin you down.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Indeed, she will. We cut to inside the Venom sub, First of all, it's a huge space. And there's a bunch of Venom henchmen like, very Cobra looking. They've all got their little helmets that cover their faces. Anyways, Miles is theorizing with the gang, Cliff, Sly, and Vanessa, that he can capture a comet. With his tractor beam and cause it to fall onto any target he chooses. But in order to do this, they need to steal the army's new magnetic power booster in order to make the tractor beam more powerful concerns about this. PJ

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

So many, let's do a science check here real quick.

squadcaster-g780_1_04-19-2024_100917:

stand by for science corner with

pj_1_04-19-2024_110917:

if a,

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

There's a lot of like theory that, It's possible to mine comets for like precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum. If you can control a comet, there's again, so many commercial applications you can do with that. So much scientific research. Guess what, Miles? You don't need to become a mass murderer again. We all heard about the earthquake machine. And I'm just curious, is this still connected to the 25 fucking million or is this a new ransom? I kind of hope it's a new one because it's still about that 25 million. Fuck it, man. There's probably a trillion dollars worth of gold inside that comet.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

We're back at mask HQ and Matt is briefing the uh, the, the small team of four other agents mentioning that all the attacks have been centered around the North sea. So their power supply must be nearby. Bye. We cut to Matt with his eyes closed for a long moment. And then the camera does a very dramatic push in. His eyes pop open and he says, Time to pull the plug on Venom's operation. Do you think he had his eyes closed because he was trying to think of the best clever thing to say?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I was wondering that it's like, was he tired? Was he meditating on that like statement he wanted to make? Cause it's a really weird moment.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

We go straight into the sacred masking ceremony where they all get their helmets and a strong dose of radiation, once again, pointing out that every helmet for the whole entire mask team is energized during that time. Not just the helmets for those who are present. I guess that's how Matt saves money. By not removing the helmets, just keeping them up there all the time. Anyways Mask rolls out. It's Rhino, Thunderhawk, and Firecracker. Gloria I will point out is in Thunderhawk And uh, it's just lots of shots of the people just, driving in their vehicles. This is happening, by the way, in the North Sea, and they're leaving from Boulder? Can you help me do some geography and math there?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Yeah, we should talk about this one. Like they, they drive out, they have these shots of them driving and then they like have the music continue with them arriving on scene. But once again, we've established firmly that mask is based in Colorado and this is supposed to be near Oslo, Norway. Okay. Bye. Which, just so people know, it takes about 10 hours to get there. Wherever they were driving to, I imagine they were getting to the Masked Jet, which we never see.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

As you pointed out, PJ, they do in fact arrive at the crash site of the presidential plane. And uh, they're out investigating. Even Gloria's got a metal detector, like she's at the beach.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

What the fuck are they investigating? What's the big mystery here? Like they can talk to the pilots who incorrectly identify the wing, but at the very least I'll tell them they blew off our wing and they use the tractor beam you already know about. We

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

suddenly while they're there they receive a mayday distress signal from Defense Command. Who is that? Who is Defense Command? Defense Command.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

more questions than answers in so many of these episodes. We don't know who the PNA president is. Like, who the, like,, where he comes from. Maybe the defense command is the PNA's, offensive arm?

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Sure. But they say Mayday, Venom is jamming our radio.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

My reaction is, how the fuck are you talking to us? And how would you know if someone's jamming your radio? You would just be like, hey, what's going on out there? I guess someone else's radio is getting jammed, not mine. There's like a lot of lazy writing in this episode.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

We love this show and We know y'all did your best. But did you do your best? We cut to Venom who has the plane in the tractor beam. And they've got the, that plane has the magnetic power booster that they need in the cargo hold. And this time they use a tractor beam and don't destroy the plane. Which is notable. Mask shows up. And Venom uses their number one trick to slow Mask down which is firing lasers at canyon walls that send boulders falling onto the road. Folks, we have seen this at least a dozen times so far in the series. If not more, I've lost track. But it is their number one trick. tool used to slow Mask down, and by the way, it rarely works. Thunderhawk does go barreling off the road to their doom. And so, uh, at least Matt and Gloria are gonna die together. What do you think's gonna happen, PJ?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I don't know what is going to happen.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

We'll find out after these messages.

Come on, Jeebop. Mask will be right back. Oh, boy. Back to mask.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

And we're back, and when we left you, Thunderhawk with Matt and Glory inside were tumbling to their doom to the sea below. no, don't worry, Thunderhawk can fly, PJ. And they transform in the nick of time, and they fly off. but uh, if you thought the boulders from the canyon walls were finished, Jackhammer brings more boulders running onto the road. meanwhile, Miles is in Switchblade Vanessa is holding onto a rope underneath it. Miles uses Viper to carve a hole in the plane, and then Vanessa uses Whip to grab the magnetic power booster. And then they leave. This It's not a bad plan, me say this, it's the best plan we've seen so far in this episode.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Yeah honestly, the most intelligent use of the masks This is a fairly mask light episode for an episode of mask

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Yeah.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

and Vanessa, she must have a similar death wish like Gloria does because She's holding onto this cable with a little like stand underneath All it takes is one wrong move for the wind to come whipping and she is in switchblades rotors. and also like Either the power source is light, or Vanessa is fucking strong. Cause she's holding it like a poster, underneath her arm, like whatever, I can just do this.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

The defense command plane is, about to crash. Jackhammer brings even more boulders crashing to the road. Firecracker and Rhino almost crash, which seems like Terrible navigation for both of those vehicles. How did they end up driving towards each other on a very narrow, one lane canyon road? But anyways the plane is coming towards them. Bruce uses lifter to keep the plane from crashing. However Lifter is overheating, and Bruce is really struggling, and Alex says your mask will burn up any second. Interesting.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

this episode is pretty devoid. Again, we get, we have a lot of kind of dead end world built building. Who knows if we see any payoff with the PNA or defense command or any of these things. But I mean, like, this is a new bit of info that the masks basically have this kind of limit to them and that they do overheat if they're used for too long or maybe for too high an out power output which explains stuff like in the past, why like, you know, Brad turned off Hocus Pocus when, Miles was, in that cave. But it is a bit inconsistent. In the prior episode like, Lifter was able to lift a huge ass people transporter and, quote unquote, safely crash it into the water. So I don't know exactly what's happening here, but again this and maybe the Venom snub is just some nice, tiny bit of world building we can eek out of this episode.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Another part of worldbuilding that happens is a very specific rescue technique that masks uses. It's called the Fireman's Rescue. So Matt tells everyone to use the Fireman's Rescue to save the crew of the plane. I'd like to point out that Gloria has very few lines in this episode, but one of them is to shout after Matt gives that order, Fireman's Rescue! Let me tell you what the Fireman's Rescue is, PJ. Thunderhawk drops depth charges, A Into the sea, which then sends the water flying into the sky. While Firecracker fires its rear ice beam to create this kind of ice shelf for the plane to land on. I find it very illogical and not believable at all. And yet it works. And the crew is able to slide out kind of like sledding down a hill. Sure. It looks like fun.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I like cold plunges. I do them regularly, but these crew members of this plane have just gone into the water near Oslo, Norway. Okay. So when that ice fell apart, they're either were crushed by the ice of that plane going into the sea. Or they're freezing in the waters of Norway. And Mask is not concerned at that moment to rescue them, despite the fact there are clearly huge cliffs in that scene, which are like non scalable. As far as I'm concerned, they're all dead. So Mask would have been better off just stopping Venom.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Yeah. Basically. Sacrifice the few for the many there,

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

No, wait a second. He's sacrificing them one way or another. this isn't Wrath of Khan here, man. This is like, fuck those guys.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

It's just pure negligence, which is Matt's MO.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

On brand, Matt, on brand.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Alex picks up a communication from Miles who is telling the world that the Peaceful Nations Alliance won't surrender. And so he's going to break off a piece of the Van Alden Comet and destroy a major city. And he tells the world to beg them to reconsider my offer or pay the price. There's a lot here. Can we go back into science corner for a moment, PJ?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Let's do it.

squadcaster-g780_1_04-19-2024_100917:

stand by for science corner with

pj_1_04-19-2024_110917:

if a,

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

A comet ranges from a few miles wide to tens of miles wide. the largest comet nucleus discovered to date is 80 miles wide and weighs 500 trillion tons. Comet. Which is, I think, what the Van Alden one's supposed to be because Haley came around back in 86 or something like that. Is 5 miles wide and weighs 10 billion metric tons. And just so folks know, the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs and wiped out 75 percent of all life on Earth was about six miles wide.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Seems like we're doomed, PJ.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Yeah, I don't know how accurate the tractor beam is or like how fast they're planning on bringing it in. Cause that is a factor. But given that we've seen Cliff dagger at the controls, we're dead.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

I have a question about the Peaceful Nations Alliance. Miles reveals to the world that the Peaceful Nations Alliance won't surrender. And what I'm wondering is, aren't most of the people in the world saying, who the heck is the Peaceful Nations Alliance? And why won't they surrender?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

it's like, please surrender. I don't care who you are. Are you like a role playing game group? I don't care. Like surrender. Don't let them bring a comet down on us.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Surrender to what? What do they have to surrender? As far as we know, they have Dwayne, the president in a plane.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

two incompetent pilots.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

What do they have to surrender?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

it's, one of these like misses where it's like, you're getting like this, like near miss I should say on every single count. Where, If they'd said the UN, if they had said, Oh people are aware of this organization, or if they'd given some like more stakes or background or a little bit of buildup then we could care a lot more about this, but because we're kind of like incrementally inching over in each of these different things, like each of these different details, like you get something that's just becomes nonsensical. Yeah.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Matt patches into Mask's main computer and we cut back to the mansion. And Matt calls Scott on T Bob. Which is interesting that he's finally perfected the ability to call his son via his constant companion robot. Good of you, Matt, to finally get around to that after 10 episodes.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Yeah. Yeah.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

And he asked Scott to use the computer to find out where Venom is going to use the tractor beam. And Scott's like, all right, let's do it. Couldn't Matt do that remotely?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Matt is trusting Scott with the fate of the world right now. Scott, can you uh, Jurassic park that computer over there for me, please. And just tell it to tell me where the tractor beam might be.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

It might be a little smarter for Matt to just go ahead and find a way to access that computer remotely than relying on Scott, who several times puts himself in danger and hasn't really shown to be very rational,

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

What, just because he puts high octane fuel into race cars and he tells his robot companion constantly, you're not alive,

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Look, he didn't know the high octane racing fuel was dangerous because nobody told him that.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

That's true.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

We cut to Venom on location, and they are getting ready to fire the tractor beam. Vanessa is using binoculars to search for the comet. In the middle of the day. Meanwhile, Sly is just leaning casually against the tractor beam. Just chillin having absolutely no use in this episode whatsoever.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Either he doesn't get the ramifications of what's going on and he's just hopped up on peyote or he absolutely gets the ramifications and like he is checking himself out on peyote because he's we're going to end the world.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Either way, Mask shows up. And let me set the scene for you. There's the laser. And then there's a little rustic Scandinavian house right behind it. And the first thing Matt does when he shows up. As he destroys the rustic house in the background. Like, how did he know there weren't some innocent people or hostages in there? He doesn't ask a single question. He just blows up the house.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

That's great.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

happens to be a venom base. Yes, but still.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I think Matt only likes modern homes. And in fact, he's like the idea that there was a base there was incidental. Like I think he just is going around destroying homes. was like, if there are people in there, they should die for having bad taste.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Danish modern must end and it ends here. Predictably a masked Venom battle breaks out. Torch fires at Matt, but Hondo freezes Cliff's mask, which is actually kind of cool. cliff. And while this is happening, Miles is able to actually capture the Comet. then Miles says, let's get out of here. If we can't have the power source, no one will, they run away with the comet about to crash down to earth in their exact spot.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

to give a sense of scale, like if this comet is imminently coming in uh, the asteroid that caused the dinosaurs to die created a crater 120 miles in diameter. So not only is 8 percent of Norway gone but Venom's dead. There's no way they're all getting away in time.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

I also want to point out though, is when they capture the comet in the tractor beam, it's very cool. The comet does a 180 degree turn and comes back to earth. So that's a powerful tractor beam. But I just want you to keep that 180 degree turn in mind. For when we get to a moment a little bit later in the episode. Now Firecracker as we pointed out earlier, gets hit by Piranha and goes falling off a cliff. But, don't worry, Hondo's okay. Bruce saves him, using Lifter? Wasn't Lifter out of commission just a couple moments ago?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

is it, it needs to cool down and it'll be back. Like it didn't get totally burnt out. it's like an iPhone. It has a thermal sensor on it. And if it's like beyond too much, it'll auto shut down.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

And really, Lifter is like the only mask team mask that's used in the episode.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

it is. It's super bizarre. Torches used, vipers used, whiplash is used. And lifters used multiple times. No spectrum, no aura, no blaster, no jackrabbit.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Matt uses sonic bombs. From Thunderhawk to destroy the tractor beam, not just destroy it, but to actually melt it completely. Like we have to see it melting and firing in on itself and destroying itself. And then somehow back in space, now that the tractor beam is gone, the comet Does another 180 and goes right back to its previous orbit. Which, to let you all know, is a scientific impossibility. Unless there is another force that was pulling the comet back, it is now on a collision course with Earth that cannot be stopped unless, Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis go up in a space shuttle to stop that thing from coming in. But Miles, as he's flying away, fires a missile at Firecracker, trying to destroy it. Inexplicably misses completely, and ends up destroying his own submarine.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Yeah, which was really far in the distance To point out something here. We earlier had that establishing shot where there were many venom henchmen in the submarine, right? The submarine was moving away from the battle. So presumably the henchmen were still there controlling it. And so Miles, when that submarine goes up, it goes up big, like it's a big explosion in the horizon. So he's successfully murdered his own henchmen, which means that they were either exploded, they drowned or they're freezing in the waters of Norway. Like those poor pilots mask is doing nothing to help them.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Mask saves the day but as Venom flies away, Matt says, I'll get you one day, Venom. Maybe. We'll see. We've got 65 episodes left. Let's find out. But then they're all gathered inside Rhino and they're all talking to Scott. And Scott's like, don't worry, Hondo. Bruce will get Firecracker all fixed up. And then Scott makes a joke about his supercars fueled by racing fuel them to stop. And everyone busts out laughing really hard. Really, there's nothing funny about that in particular. and that's it. That's the scene that ends the episode. Yeah.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

But again, there, I want to just point out they're having this conversation while both the venom agents and the crew of that plane are in the freezing, freezing waters. So while they're laughing, inexplicably at Scott dying, horrible deaths,

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

We cut to the more you know moment and it's Bunny and he's he's fixing up Firecracker at Boulder Hill outside when Matt pulls up. And uh, it gets very weird from this point forward. Scott asks Buddy what he knows about bicycles because he's trying to improve his bicycle. And Buddy says, bikes are vehicle, Scott, like firecracker or T Bob. Like once again, T Bob is simply a vehicle to these people. He is not alive, but Buddy continues and he says, I noticed when you followed Matt in. You were riding on the right side of the street. However When Matt pulled up, Scott got out of the car because the bicycle was in Thunderhawk's trunk. Everything about that moment is wrong. Buddy's not paying attention to anything. Scott wants to improve his bicycle? It's a bicycle. What more is there to improve upon? Unless he wants it to be fueled by race car fuel. Can you put an engine in here so I can go a hundred miles an hour? By the way, without a helmet.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

The lesson is so inexplicable, and as we're talking about it, I wonder if this, because the lesson really reflects that disjointedness of the entire episode. Maybe we're the ones looking at it wrong. Maybe we should just look at it as some kind of some David Lynchian point of view. Because it's, it is I guess the lesson, especially, it's like, he's pulling the bike out completely disassembled while buddy says, I noticed you writing in, it's like, you did. How are you on drugs?

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Alright, look. As we said, this was a pretty terrible episode of Mask on every single level. Do you have a Buddy Hawks award nomination?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I actually don't this is one of the least racist ones we've seen. The only one that even slightly occurred to me is, and again, this would be more for the writers and the voice actors would be whether. The moronic way that the pilots are talking is the way they think people in Norway talk, but that's such a really out there one. I, yeah, I don't think we got one this episode.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Yeah, they use it all up in Oz, so there is nothing left for the Buddy Hawks Award in this one. I'd say Matt's Father of the Year awards. There are plenty of nominations to go here from letting his son play with a toy car fueled by high octane race car fuel

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

To ignoring him.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

to just ignoring him, just leaving him there while he flies off to Norway. and then reaching out to him, not to check on him, or his safety, or how is he doing, or did he get something to eat, to have him help with a case. Oh, dad, thanks for calling, I got so much to tell you. Shut up. I need your help with the case. It's the only reason I'm calling.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I think he does it, he calls it a final time at the end about the firecracker getting fixed up. And Scott tries to warn him that I'm in danger. My race car is out of control. I'm concerned I might catch fire because of the high octane fuel I put in.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Yeah. they just laugh it off. But yeah, PJ, terrible episode, really, on every level, huh?

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

there's never been higher stakes. We're talking about an extinction level event, But everyone's incompetent about it, like across the board.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

I wonder if episode 11 will be any better. It's called the Magma Mole. Venom uses a mole machine to drill into the earth, which threatens Tokyo with devastating floods and an eruption. Of Mount Fuji. I don't have my hopes up.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I'm sure this is going to be a very culturally sensitive, respectful, and informative episode where, it sounds like we're going to have to travel to Japan.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Great. Bruce will be happy.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

Yeah. Yeah.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Watch him not be in the episode.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

That, that would be hilarious. and it's just T Bob dancing in, in native wear

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

Yeah. In a kimono.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

as T Bob is want to do.

adam_1_05-17-2024_095911:

We thank you all for joining us. We hope you'll join us next week, but for now this podcast has to transform and head back to HQ. I am Adam Moore.

pj_1_05-17-2024_105911:

I am PJ McNerney. Bye bye.

The mobile armored podcast show is written, produced and edited. Bye Adam Moore. And PJ McNerney.