01 - The Game Begins

Transcript by Angela

Director of Animation: Robert D. M. Smith
Writer: Sean Kelly
Director: Don McCutcheon

SCENE: Mark's bedroom (night)

Mark is playing an Ace Lightning game on his PC.

MARK: Fry, Pigface!

GAME ACE: Yes! The Amulet of Zoar!

MARK: Brilliant! The amulet!

GAME ACE: Another piece is mine!

GAME LORD FEAR: Say goodbye, Ace Lightning, you superhero scum!

Lady Illusion shoots one of her globes at him.

GAME ACE: The fight isn't over, Lord Fear. It's just begun.

COMPUTER: Access. Activate. Standby. (over and over)

On the screen there are the words:

ENTERING LEVEL 7
ENTER AT YOUR
OWN RISK!

MARK: Level 7? I've never heard of Level 7.

The Game Begins


MARK: Where did they go? What's wrong with this game?

Outside, lightning shoots Mark's satellite dish causing a power surge. Lord Fear and his minions drop out of the portal and onto Mark's roof. Mark hears their thuds. Lord Fear peeks through Mark's window.

MARK: Ahhh!

Lord Fear shrieks and drops into Mark's backyard. Mark runs out of his room.

PIGFACE: Me hungry! Me want eats!

LORD FEAR: Can't you see we're in another dimension, you imbecile? First we find our headquarters. Those are the rules.

RAT: Hey, boss! Look up there!

The amulet comes through the portal and splits into seven pieces. They all fly off.

LORD FEAR: We need those pieces to exit this dimension! Follow me!

Ace flies down from the sky.

ACE: Lord Fear. Leaving so soon? The least you could do is say hello.

The gang turns to face him.

LORD FEAR: My foolish foe, you just saved me the trouble of having to find you.

Lord Fear shoots his arm out holding Staff Head. Ace dodges and grabs his arm. Staff Head falls to the ground.

ACE: Let's talk face to face. It's so much more personal.

He yanks Lord Fear towards him. Mark watches from the window. Ace hits Pigface with a bolt, then shoots at Rat.

MARK: Just a dream.

ACE: I told you this wasn't over. Now cough up the amulet.

MARK: Okay, it's not a dream.

Lord Fear is lying on the ground and whining pitifully.

LORD FEAR: Oh, my leg! Haven't you crippled me enough?

ACE: That was an accident in another dimension a long time ago.

LORD FEAR: All right, you win, my friend. I surrender. Take the Amulet of Zoar but spare me. I'm begging! Mercy!

ACE: Why should I?

As he moves backward, he trips over Staff Head, who has snuck up behind him.

ACE: Whoa!

Lord Fear gets to his feet and shoots Ace with Staff Head.

LORD FEAR: After all our battles, you should have learned. You're no match for me! Anvil, my oversized underling, finish him off!

Anvil growls and moves towards Ace.

ANVIL: Anvil break him so he can't get up!

LORD FEAR: Yes, yes. Destroy him. Get on with it!

Anvil laughs and prepares to pound Ace.

MARK: Leave him alone!

Mark is standing at the back door.

LORD FEAR: Hm?

LADY ILLUSION: Who is that?

LORD FEAR: He could be another Lightning Knight. There might be others! Come, my evils! We must retreat and learn more about this.

Mark walks up to the weakened Ace and kneels beside him.

ACE: Look, kid, if you're going to be my sidekick, you've got to work on your timing.

Mark's parents drive up to the garage. Ace gets up and stretches.

MARK: This is insane. You're not real. I don't understand.

ACE: That makes two of us. So what do they call you?

MARK: Mark.

ACE: Well, Marcus, the next move had better be ours. Show me where to find the Carnival of Doom.

MARK: We're not going anywhere. You're hurt.

ACE: Ah, I'll power up again. I'll be fine.

Mark's parents come into the house looking for him.

FIONA: Mark! We're home!

SIMON: Mark! Are you here?

FIONA: Mark!

ACE: Is that the enemy?

MARK: No, that's just my parents. Parents! Look, Ace, would you mind just hiding back here? Behind the shed?

ACE: Hey, kid, I don't hide from anything.

MARK: Come on!

Ace follows Mark behind the shed.

SCENE: Mark's kitchen

Mark walks in through the back door.

FIONA: Mark! Are you still awake? Is anything wrong?

MARK: No, Mum. Everything's fine. Just super.

SIMON: Sorry about the hour, Mark. Had to meet everyone at the new office. You know how accountants like to talk and talk.

FIONA: And that weather out there! I thought we left all the rain behind in England. Trees are down, roads are blocked. It's total chaos out there.

MARK: I'll say.

SCENE: Outside Duff's carnival

RAT: Boss, boss! I found our hide-out!

LORD FEAR: You've done well, my flying rodent. Behold ... the new Carnival of Doom.

STAFF HEAD: The perfect place for the final battle.

LORD FEAR: Right you are, my totem of terror.

PIGFACE: Mmmm! (belches) Me smells good eats! Lots of garbage!

LORD FEAR: Is our piece of the Amulet safe?

LADY ILLUSION: Need you ask, my Lord?

She holds up the Amulet piece.

LORD FEAR: Excellent. We'll find the other pieces soon enough. Now come. Come and conquer!

Anvil smashes in the gate. Hearing the noise Duff comes out wielding a bat.

DUFF: Hey! Who's that? What's going on here?

STAFF HEAD: Enough with your quibbling questions. You will speak to Lord Fear only when spoken to.

LORD FEAR: It's all right, my steady Staff Head. Good evening. Lord Fear at your service. And permit me to introduce Lady Illusion.

DUFF: Oh, I get it. You're carnies looking for work. Well, I ain't hiring and I sure ain't hiring in the middle of the night. Now clear out of here, the two of you! Don't make me use this!

ANVIL: Smash! Anvil smash him! Grrr!

RAT: Heh, heh, heh, heh ...

LORD FEAR: No, all of you listen to me. You are never, ever to harm this gentleman here. Without my permission. Please continue, Mr ...

DUFF: Er ... er ... Duff. Duff Kent. Er ... Now that I think about it, I - I could really use some professional help. And y - you're all professionals. I - I can tell. Congratulations, you're hired.

LORD FEAR: Splendid. I trust this is the beginning of a most profitable partnership.

They both shake hands.

SCENE: Mark's bedroom (morning)

Ace flies up and enters Mark's room through the (closed) window. The window smashes and Mark falls out of bed.

ACE: Morning, Micky.

MARK: Did you ever hear of knocking?

A screen pops up as Ace surveys Mark's clothing. (Note: Power is back up to 100%) In the top left hand corner is the word 'GEEK?'

ACE: Ooh, what's with the outfit?

MARK: They're my pajamas. I sleep in them.

ACE: Well, nap time's over, kid. Get into your fighting gear. We have to find the Carnival of Doom and send Lord Fear back to prison in the Sixth Dimension. It's our mission, Marvin.

MARK: My only mission is to get through my first day of school. And it's Mark. Mark.

SIMON: (knocks on door) Mark!

MARK: See? Mark. Dad!

SIMON: Mark, who are you talking to? Is everything okay?

Ace holds the door shut with his finger to keep Mark's father from coming in.

SIMON: Mark, can I come in?

MARK: No, Dad. I'm getting dressed.

SIMON: You've got two minutes or you'll be late for school. It's your first day, remember?

MARK: How could I forget?

SIMON: (holding his shoulder) Ow! That boy's awfully strong for his age.

MARK: Look, Ace, I don't know what's going on here but ... wait, what's happened? You're like totally recharged.

ACE: Luckily, I found a new power source. I'm ready to rumble, kid. So get yourself powered up.

FIONA: (knocks on door) Mark!

MARK: (to Ace) Go on! Go on!

ACE: I'll catch you later.

He flies out the window.

FIONA: Mark! Downstairs, one minute.

SCENE: Mark's front yard

Mark comes out the front door and walks over to his father who is looking under the bonnet of his car.

MARK: Car trouble, Dad?

SIMON: The thing won't start. This battery's new, but it's completely dead! I mean, it's like someone has siphoned all the power out of it.

MARK: So that's how he did it!

SIMON: That's how who did what?

MARK: Ah, nothing, Dad. I gotta go. I don't want to be late for school.

SIMON: (yelling after him) That's how who did what?

Samantha comes up beside Mark.

SAM: So you're the one.

MARK: I am? Who told you? Wait. The one what?

SAM: The one who moved into the Anderson house. I'm Samantha, your neighbour.

MARK: Oh, hi. I'm Mark. Nice to meet you.

SAM: You're from England? That is so cool.

MARK: It is?

SAM: Yeah. So how do you like it here? I guess it's pretty different.

MARK: So far. Yeah.

SAM: Hey, Ace Lightning!

MARK: (looking around) Where?!

SAM: In your hand.

MARK: (looks down at the book in his hand) Oh, yeah. So you play?

SAM: No, but my boyfriend does. So that's why I heard all that noise from your house. You play your video games loud, huh?

MARK: Yeah. It makes it more realistic.

SAM: I know. I could hear their voices. You must have some awesome speakers.

MARK: Ah, yeah. Is that the bus?

He gets on and Sam follows.

BRETT: Samantha. Over here.

SAM: Well, it was nice meeting you.

MARK: Likewise.

Mark makes his way down the aisle.

GIRL: (slides over) Taken.

BOY IN GLASSES: Saved.

BOY: Reserved.

CHUCK: (lifting his bag out of the way) It's all yours, dude.

He knocks the boy in front on the head as he throws his bag onto the seat in front. Mark sits down.

CHUCK: Name's Chuck. Chuck Mugel. Welcome to Conestoga Hills Middle School.

WAYNE: Hey, Chucky Upchuck. You going to puke all over the new kid?

CHUCK: No, Wayne. I'm not going to barf today. I took a motion sickness pill. (To Mark) I get carsick.

MARK: This is a bus.

CHUCK: Tell that to my stomach! Last time it was like projectile, man! It just went everywhere. The windows, the seats. Kids were falling in it. They said I couldn't ride the bus anymore. But my mother? She complained to the school board. She said it was the driver's fault or the bus company or something. She's a lawyer.

MARK: Chuck, I'm going to listen to my music now.

CHUCK: Blast away, dude.

Rat watches the bus go down the road, laughing. As Mark attends his classes, Ace explores Mark's room. There's a sweet part here where he touches Mark's computer monitor and looks sad.

SCENE: School cafeteria (lunch)

CHUCK: Ace Lightning and the Carnival of Doom? Sweet game.

He sits down across from Mark.

MARK: Hello, Chuck.

CHUCK: I saw you sitting by yourself. Thought you could use some company.

MARK: So you play this game? How does it end?

CHUCK: Dude, I wish I knew! I'd give anything to finish the game. But I can never find enough pieces of the Amulet to beat Lord Fear.

Heather and another girl walk up to Mark.

HEATHER: Hi. I had a bet with my friend. Have you ever met the Queen?

MARK: Ah, no. But I met Prince William.

HEATHER: Really? (To her friend) You win.

They both walk away.

CHUCK: Girls! Anyway, you have to be at maximum power to beat Lord Fear, or else he obliterates Ace Lightning and takes over the world!

MARK: Maybe you could help me. I've got this problem. It's really bizarre, but ...

SAM: Hey, guys. Sorry to interrupt but a bunch of us are going to get some pizza after school. Do you want to come?

CHUCK: Pizza? I'm there.

SAM: Erm ... I was talking to him.

MARK: Sure. I can meet you after science class.

SAM: Great. Well ... OK. Bye.

CHUCK: Samantha Thompson hasn't talked to me since elementary school! Ha, ha! This could be the dawn of a whole new era.

MARK: Samantha? She's popular?

CHUCK: Yeah! Like the most popular girl in school. She's at the top of the popularity pyramid. Along with her boyfriend Brett.

MARK: So if they're at the top, then where are you?

WAYNE: Yo, Prince of Puke! We're finished eating here. Aren't you forgetting something?

CHUCK: Oh, Wayne. How're you doing? I'll get started right away. Sorry about that.

He gets up to clear away their plates.

MARK: What are you, Chuck? His slave or something?

CHUCK: Well, yeah. The thing is ... I'd rather do this than get beat up.

MARK: I don't know how it works here, but back home people will carry on pushing you round until you learn to stand up for yourself.

WAYNE: Yo, Brit-boy. Want to join your little buddy, Upchuck?

Wayne and his two friends surround Mark.

MARK: I don't want any trouble.

WAYNE: Then butt out.

The bell rings.

WAYNE: What a wuss.

They walk away.

MARK: Where's a superhero when you really need one?

SCENE: Science class

CHESEBOROUGH: So is electromagnetic radiation simply the flow of energy through space at the speed of light in the form of electromagnetic waves?

Chuck waves his hand in the air.

CHESEBOROUGH: Hardly. It is the flow of ...

Chuck has his hand up again.

CHESEBOROUGH: (continuing) protons, isn't it? And this ... refers to what? Mr Mugel?

CHUCK: Planck's Constant?

CHESEBOROUGH: Photons having the same energy ...

Ace is at the window.

ACE: Hey, kid. Outside. Come on.

CHESEBOROUGH: Let's ask our newest student, shall we? Mr Hollander?

MARK: Er ... could you repeat the question, sir?

CHESEBOROUGH: Tut, tut. Must have interrupted his tea time, don't you know, what?

The class laughs as the bell rings.

CHESEBOROUGH: Remember, you horrible people, there'll be a test on Monday. Mr Hollander, perhaps you'd be good enough to join us.

As Mark walks out of the classroom, Sam catches up with him.

SAM: Hey, Mark. Don't worry about Cheseborough. He picks on everybody. So are you ready to go?

MARK: Maybe another time. I've gotta see someone. I'm really sorry. Bye. I'm sorry.

He hurries down the hall.

SAM: That is so strange. He just ran off.

BRETT: You mean that English kid? He seems sort of weird, don't you think?

SAM: Well, actually he's nice. I just wonder if something's wrong.

BRETT: You know, I'm sure he's fine. Come on. Everyone's waiting.

SCENE: Mark's backyard (afternoon)

ACE: All right, kid. Let's see what you've got. Show me your powers.

MARK: I told you. I don't have any superpowers. I'm not a Lightning Knight. This is reality.

ACE: You want to talk reality, kid? All right. Here goes. Somewhere out there, Lord Fear is plotting to get my piece of the Amulet and if we don't stop him and send him back to prison in the Sixth Dimension, it is the end of the world.

MARK: But it's just a game!

ACE: A game. Er ... Look if you want to see your world taken over by superhuman scum, that's your business. But I've got a job to do and I can't do it alone.

MARK: But why me? I'm not a hero.

ACE: I'll tell you something, kid. There are all kinds of heroes out there. I mean, look at you. You went somewhere today you'd never been before. You met all kinds of strangers. Now, that took real courage. Here, catch.

MARK: What's this?

ACE: It's my piece of the Amulet. You'll need it to become a Lightning Knight. But keep it with you at all times. If it ever gets into the hands of Lord Fear ...

MARK: Yeah, I know. It's game over. Look, Ace, I'm not sure I'm ready for all this.

ACE: You never know until you try. So long, kid. I'm off to find the Carnival of Doom.

MARK: But, wait! Can't we talk about this? I mean, what am I supposed to do?

ACE: (turning around in mid-air) Just follow the code of the Lightning Knight. Do right and fear not.

MARK: (as Ace flies off) Do right and fear not.

SCENE: Haunted House (Carnival of Doom)

LORD FEAR: Our enemy approaches. The trap is set. This time there will be no mercy. This time Ace Lightning will be destroyed.

STAFF HEAD: But, your Lordship, what about the meddling mortal?

LORD FEAR: Oh, yes. Our foolish adversary has a sidekick. My lady, if you will be so kind.

Lady Illusion holds up a ball with an image of Mark in it holding Ace's Amulet piece.

LORD FEAR: He, too, must be utterly annihilated!

SCENE: Carnival of Doom

Ace flies down into the carnival.

ACE: Looks like I'll have to face this on my own.

PIGFACE: Grr!

Pigface jumps down to attack Ace and Ace fries him in mid-air.

ACE: Ha!

SCENE: Haunted House

Ace sees the Amulet piece as per Mark's game at the start of this episode.

ACE: Yes! The Amulet of Zoar! Another piece is mine.

Lady Illusion and Lord Fear pop up in front of him.

LORD FEAR: Say goodbye, Ace Lightning, you superhero scum!

Lady Illusion throws a ball at him and it explodes around him, enveloping Ace in gas. Ace trips over Staff Head.

LORD FEAR: Oh, whoops! I can't believe you fell for that!

ACE: No! Not right. This isn't how ... it's supposed ... to end ...


THE END