Episode Summary
Written
by J. Cole Weston
A
new development in Neutron-90 harvesting creates an opportunity
for more Zone Riders, but can they be handled by the Black
Widows, or even the Zone Riders?
Episode
Notes
Written
by J. Cole Weston
In
depth: Explosions jar an unzoned section of city as a Sledge
Hammer tank chases Tank on a cycle, who turns the tables on
them. Courage is pinned down in the wreckage of Rimfire and
Max is ordered to pull back. Overlord drives in on Bullwhip,
near a Zone Pod that has not yet been deployed. Tank rescues
Dirk and Hiro from the wreckage and they flee, creating a
smokescreen.
Overlord calls for the Zone Pod to detonate and the city is
zoned. Back at M.C.C., a protégé of Dr. Laurence,
Ben Franklin, has discovered a way to siphon off Neutron-90
off the suits to create more. McFarland takes courage to see
Ned Tucker, an Australian with extraordinary capabilities.
Courage has to break the news to Franklin that he won't be
the new Zone Rider. He is disappointed, but remembers there
is enough Neutron-90 for two suits.
At a briefing, M.C.C. realizes Overlord's HQ is too difficult
to break into and too well guarded. But one man might be able
to make it into Intruder's hanger. Since Overlord only thinks
there are five suits, with all five in battle another could
sneak in undetected. Dr. Laurence equips them with stun grenades
which will incapacitate the Black Widows on Intruder so they
can be captured. Attacking the Chrysler building, all five
Zone Riders attack and Overlord sends all his men to defeat
them. Ned Tucker breaks in through the sewer, but the auto
defenses are still working well! Tucker manages to reach the
hanger and sets the charges, but it alerts Overlord on Bullwhip
that there is an intruder. Bandit and four Zoners go to stop
Tucker, who is stunned by them. Bandit then reports the new
Rider to Overlord, and takes his helmet off to zone him. Ben
Franklin suits up meantime and enters the Zone.
Overlord orders the Black Widows to retreat through Central
Park, drawing the Zone Riders in to a trap, which Overlord
springs on them. Franklin enters Intruders hangar and stuns
the Zoners. Meanwhile, Overlord sets up laser barriers and
a mine field for the Zone Riders. Franklin rescues Tucker,
and they abandon the original plan and decide to steal Intruder.
Hiro is stunned in battle, and Courage is knocked out by a
missile blast by Overlord. Just then, Intruder arrives, destroying
the Zoner fortifications and allowing the other Zone Riders
to escape. When the plane is shot down, they beat a hasty
retreat from his HQ.
Back at M.C.C., McFarland is furious about the theft of the
suit. Franklin apologizes, but Courage thinks he might be
the right man for the job.
Items
Noticed: So, two new suits can be made, and we just find this
out now? It seems a tad contrived, but you've got to get new
characters somehow.
Notes:
Ben Franklin is 18 years old, and one of the second season
characters who would have received a toy. Ned Tucker would
have joined him also in a supplementary assortment which would
have included four figures total: Ben Franklin, Ned Tucker,
Crook and Rawmeat.
What do we learn?
Ned
Tucker is an Australian with a masters degree in physics,
five years in the military and a perfect score on the firing
range. Undisciplined, but a first class soldier. A combat
pilot and explosives expert.
Neutron-90
is detectable within a closed space as it gives off low levels
of energy - which is how Overlord knows when the Zone Riders
enter his bases.
Goof
ups: None apparent in this episode.
Commentary:
Thirty episodes in, we get two new Zone Riders in one episode,
which seems a little quick, but Tonka had limited time and
money to show new characters. It seems that with 65 episodes,
this would be the start of an unofficial "second season".
It seems a shame that we would never see these figures as
toys in the unseen second series of toys.
Quotable
Quotes: "Now that's what I call one big bird." -
Ned Tucker, viewing Intruder.
"I knew we should have not gone into Central Park at
night!" - Tank
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