The Mantis-Eye Experiment

Summary

The Monarch launches his first attack on his new arch nemesis, the other Dr. Venture. But Jonas has the formidable defenses of Spider-Skull Island on his side, as well as his own Team Venture, and the expert advice of a trio of O.S.I. "butterfly specialists." It will take a loose reading of the Guild handbook, an insertion team of his three best henchmen, and all the diabolical chicanery The Monarch can muster to even the playing field.

Capsule

Above the ocean and in front of Spider-Skull Island the Cocoon speeds towards an unknown fate. Inside the Monarch barks orders to his faithful henchmen. Charge the lightning cannon! Time to show (this) Dr. Venture the true power of the Cocoon!

On Spider-Skull Island Jonas, Sally, the Captain and Ned all observe the approaching fortress:

Jonas Jr.: Well, team, looks like I've got myself a costumed arch-enemy. Not quite sure what the flying pine cone is all about but I'll give Mr. Evergreen a run for his money!
Ned: For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow! [continues]
Jonas Jr.: No time for inappropriate, baffling sing-song, Neddy. Venture-team, assemble Ventronic!

All four of them lower into the floor and give the go-ahead when they're secure in their portion of Ventronic. Ned's looks suspiciously like a pre-school classroom. The portions of Ventronic shoot out of Spider-Skull Island. Sally is the legs, the Captain is the right arm and Ned is the other arm, though it's actually a clown head, so I guess he designed it himself. Oh, and J.J. is the torso and head. Go Ventronic!

[Dr. Girlfriend at the Monarch stare at their screen in disbelief]
The Monarch: What the fuck is that thing?!
Dr. Girlfriend: Uhh, I think it's a giant robot with an ice cream cone for one of its arms. I think.
The Monarch: Fire the lightning cannon!! Aim for the head, I want to be able to smell the burning flesh of that little Venture abomination.
[the lightning cannon fires at Ventronic, which shrugs it off easily]
The Monarch: Aww, the lightning cannon sucks! Who loaded it with robot food?!

The Cocoon takes evasive action in an attempt to get away, however the Captain strikes the Cocoon using the arm he's riding it with a very high speed. We get a shot of the Captain pushed back in his seat by the tremendous force as Ventronic's energy sword is just about to connect with the Cocoon and then-

Opening credits.

Inside the control room the Cocoon is in shambles. Fires are everywhere and systems are non-responsive. The Monarch looks upset but then snaps out of it and tells 24 to hail Venture on the big screen. He's patched through to J.J.'s display inside Ventronic.

The Monarch: [spins around in his chair] You have one minute to surrender your big... robot thing. If you refuse, we will open fire!
Jonas Jr.: How about this? I'll give you twenty seconds to kiss your wife for the last time, then I finish you off, Mr. Evergreen.
The Monarch: I- [pauses] I'm the Monarch.
Jonas Jr.: Ohh, so the flying pine cone is a-
The Monarch: Cocoon. Okay, I'll be right back. [signs off] He didn't go for it. I even did that cool spin thing.
Dr. Girlfriend: It's a bit of a cliche.
The Monarch: Alright, I have another idea. [patches through to J.J. again] I'm trying to arch here! This isn't how it's done! Honestly, what are you doing you retard?!
Ned: No, no word!
Jonas Jr.: Yes it is, Ned.
The Monarch: Did he just cut me off?
Jonas Jr.: Retard is a hateful word. We don't use those slurs.
The Monarch: I'm your arch enemy. I'm not going to use 'bungling boobs' or 'meddling kids', it's not my style! That guy needs to get a thicker skin.
Jonas Jr.: Thicker skin? Poor Ned has skin that's three inches thick. Now how do you think that makes him feel?
The Monarch: Itchy? I don't know, just keep it cat and mouse, not cat and missile.
Jonas Jr.: So it's a game? We fake fight? That's ridiculous.
The Monarch: No, we sharpen our claws. It's like fencing. It's about the art of the fight.
Jonas Jr.: Good, well I'm about to deliver my killing stroke. Then what?
Dr. Girlfriend: Then the Guild steps up their game. You throw a rock, they throw a knife. You throw a knife and they come to your house when you're sleeping and murder your family.
The Monarch: Look, Dr. Venture, [whispers] I love saying that [back to normal] you call the Guild and you get the damn rulebook. I'll be waiting! One false move and I'll destroy you. Utterly! Off screen! [the feed shuts off] How'd that look? Did they see the fire?
Dr. Girlfriend: I don't think we're fooling anybody. We have to come up with something soon or it is over.
The Monarch: You didn't marry a fool. Believe me, no Venture will take down the Monarch! Engineering, restore impulse power! Henchmen 21 and 24, front and center!
Dr. Girlfriend: And henchman number one.
The Monarch: And henchman number one. [the henchmen go before the Monarch] I want you three to execute a dark s-7 maneuver. On the double!
Henchmen: Yes, Monarch! [they leave]
Dr. Girlfriend: I gotta ask this. Is there a reason you always use 21 and 24?
The Monarch: I know it sounds crazy, but they both have that rare blend of expendable and invulnerable that makes for a perfect henchman.

Walking down the hallways of the Cocoon 21 and 24 attempt to figure out what exactly a 'dark s-7 maneuver' is. Number 1 explains that the 'dark' prefix indicates that it's stealth maneuver and is about to explain the rest when 21 interrupts him, informing him that he and 24 work as a duo.

At Guild HQ Watch and Ward are on a call with Jonas Jr., who has apparently called to complain about the Monarch. Ward notes that if he's unhappy with his placement it's not really their problem. The Guild is antagonist relations only.

Jonas Jr.: Well who handles the good guys?
Watch: Woah! I think the less hurtful term is 'protagonist'.
Jonas Jr.: Oh, yes, sorry. Who handles the protagonists?
Ward: What are you, serious? OSI! Duh.
Jonas Jr.: Can you patch me through?
Ward: Oh, sure, just let me get my red phone hotline!
Watch: Oh I'll shine the OSI signal!
Ward: No, no, no, if we really believe and click our heels they'll magically-
Jonas Jr.: Okay, okay, I get it. [he signs off]
Ward: Noobie. Did you see his creepy little body?
Watch: Oh my god, when you were a kid did you ever make GI Joe hump Rainbow Brite?
Ward: Yeah...
Watch: He's what their kid would have looked like!

In the Cocoon the Monarch notes that Ventronic is retreating. He orders they Cocoon to follow them but Dr. Girlfriend overrides his order. The Monarch sadly questions her, and she notes that they barely have enough power to stay afloat and none of their weapons are functional. The Monarch leans in from his throne to hers as close as he can get.

The Monarch: Do you trust me?
Dr. Girlfriend: Y- kind of.
The Monarch: Well it's now or never. You have to trust me! FOLLOW THEM!!
Henchman: Incoming from Venture.
The Monarch: Perfect! Bring him up on the big screen!
Jonas Jr.: Monarch, you have been bested, now cease this non-
Ned: Butterfly! Hehe!! Pretty!
Jonas Jr.: Thank you, Ned. I'll handle this. Sorry, we like to let Ned make his own decisions.
The Monarch: Then I hope he decides to kiss his leathery ass good bye! You have played right into my trap and now you die! Fire the lightning cannon!!

He ducks down and motions to Dr. Girlfriend, who doesn't look very excited, to turn off the screen. She does and he steps down and instructs the henchmen to jettison the lightning cannon, adjust the navigation angle and finally to cut all external power.

From outside the Cocoon Ventronic hilariously sees the lightning cannon fall off, the Cocoon tilts over slightly and finally powers down. Jonas starts giving a speech about how the Monarch's hate consumes him and it's the downfall of some. Let that be a lesson to you, Captain.

Pirate Captain: Well I guess I shouldn't finish that giant cocoon I was working on- Okay, I was a pirate, I get it! Look, if you can't get over my pirate past we'll never move forward!
Sally: Boys, the Monarch is retreating. Now isn't the time for this.
Jonas Jr.: Agreed! Back to Spider-Skull Island! We will reformulate our methods there.
Pirate Captain: Sure, let's ignore the pirate. He used to be bad!
Jonas Jr.: Ventronic, take us home!
Pirate Captain: I know you can hear me.

Inside the Cocoon the Monarch instructs them to fly back to the lair. They need to make some modifications. The Monarch begins to take apart one of the thrones when Dr. Girlfriend asks him what he's planning. The Monarch again asks her if she trusts him, and she gives another muddled response.

In his office at Spider-Skull Island, J.J. calls up OSI. A man answers but when J.J. requests that he connect him to the office of arch-relations the guy on the phone notes that he's called OSI Dry Cleaning. J.J. is perplexed but the guy reassures him that he's ironing a shirt and hangs up. Just then the Captain enters and informs Jonas Jr. that someone is knocking at the front door. J.J. wasn't aware they even had a front door, or as to why someone would be knocking at it since they live on an isolated island.

They answer the door where two men in sunglasses and dark suits stand. They ask the Captain if he's Jonas Venture Jr., but when he says he isn't they shoot him with a tranquilizer dart. J.J. notes that he was standing here the entire time. They didn't see him. They ask again if he's Jonas Jr.

Jonas Jr.M: I am. To whom are the dead men I'm speaking?
Mr. Doe: That's a joke.
Mr. Cardholder: A regular cutup.
Mr. Doe: They should give him a reality show.
Mr. Cardholder: I'd watch it.
Mr. Doe: I'd watch it twice.
Mr. Cardholder: Even if Flava-flav was in it.
Mr. Doe: My name is Mr. Doe, and this is my associate Mr. Cardholder.
Mr. Cardholder: Sorry about putting your man down.
Mr. Doe: Precautionary.
Mr. Cardholder: A harmless tranquilizer dart. You understand.
Jonas Jr.: Judging from your shoot first, ask questions later tactics, I'll just assume you men are with the OSI.
Mr. Doe: OSI? Never heard of it.
Mr. Cardholder: Dr. Venture, you know that the OSI denies any knowledge of the Guild of Calamitous Intent.
Jonas Jr.: I never mentioned the Guild.
Mr. Cardholder: Nope. But I did.
Mr. Doe: We were just passing by and heard that you have a butterfly problem.
Mr. Cardholder: And you see, me and my associate here are amateur lepidopterists.
Jonas Jr.: Yooooooou... want to see my stamp collection?
Mr. Doe: Only if we were philatelists.
Mr. Cardholder: Which we aren't. Mister smart guy.

Meanwhile in Spider-Skull's hanger the oddly scattered remains of Ventronic reveal their secret cargo: 21 and 24. And Number 1. 21 complains that his ears have popped and 1 tells him to perform the Valsalva maneuver, which it turns out is a name for the yawning thing you do to fixed popped ears. 21 points out that 1 will be the guy who doesn't come back. He's the guy who shows up and nobody's seen him before and he's all professional, and then he kicks off. Oh yeah, this guy is toast.

The Captain, meanwhile, finally wakes up from his tranq-induced slumber. As he's pulling himself up Sally walks by and asks if he's okay. The Captain shrugs her off and starts to berate her, saying that she thinks he's a disappointment and the pirate can't do anything for himself. He ends his tirade by calling her a bitch. Sally questions what's gotten into our favorite Captain and he reveals the secrets of tranquilizer to her. Sally leaves before he can yell at her more and he shouts after her to bring him a fucking sandwich.

Meanwhile back in J.J.'s office he and the OSI agents are discussing the Monarch. The agents note that he's killed his last five arches, which sounds like a violation. The agents recommend pinning the Monarch to a piece of cardboard, so to speak. To help out they've invited a specialist. Just then Ned runs in to tell J.J. something and Mr. Cardholder attempts to tranq him. The dart of course bounces right off Ned, who laughs happily. Cardholder notes that his eyes are probably as squishy as everyone else but Doe points out that Ned is daffy, as they say. Just then Brock walks in. The exterminator has arrived.

The Captain rushes in quickly after with a rubber tube tied around his arm. He yells that he's not supposed to be in here and Cardholder shoots him right in the bicep. The Captain gives out a happy groan and then falls to the ground with a large tranquilizer-induced smile on his face.

Commercial.

Brock: I see, so you just want to kill the Monarch. Okay.
Jonas Jr.: That seems like the sporting thing to do.
Brock: You wanna, what, shoot him? And all his men and his wife? You could steal his cattle too, maybe burn his village down.
Jonas Jr.: Well it's an antiquated system! I mean my father did this fake arch-enemy nonsense in the 60s. Maybe my brother is good with his namby-pamby guy-chases-you-around-in-a-costume business, but I'm not.
Brock: Hey no disrespect, Jonas, but it isn't so easy. These guys like their system. It's what they do. You take that away and you are looking at a bunch of pissed off nutbags with ray guns and giant, I don't know, a giant octopus slash tank with laser eyes.
Mr. Cardholder: I've seen one of those.
Mr. Doe: I like the cut of this guy's jib.
Mr. Cardholder: I like the cut of his hair.

J.J. agrees and suggest that, in order to do this right, they need to put on a big, elaborate show. That way everyone is happy. Except the Monarch.

In what appears to be the Cocoon a henchman has just secured a chair to the ground. The Monarch sits in it and notes that he might fall off, telling the henchman to secure it better using glue or nails or something. Dr. Girlfriend walks in holding a Guild manual.

The Monarch: Give me the news!
Dr. Girlfriend: "If protagonist aggression exceeds level eight-"
The Monarch: I think trying to actually kill me is at least that.
Dr. Girlfriend: "-the antagonist, in the case of survival or escape, is granted extended vengeance. This includes Guild-sanctioned immediate relatives."
The Monarch: So... all I've got to do is stay alive and- and Rusty Venture is mine?!
Dr. Girlfriend: That's what it says. Dr. Venture is a Guild-sanctioned rela- WOAH [she sits down but her chair falls over]
The Monarch: Finally!! Vengeance is mine!!! [he looks over at Dr. Girlfriend] Hey which one of you idiots broke my wife?

21 and 24, uh, and 1 are underwater swimming towards a sewage pipe. 1 stops to check out the pipe as 21 and 24 surface. 1 follows shortly and asks what's up. They're both freezing and have decided to take their own path.

Henchman 1: That tunnel down there leads to the main room. Take a deep breath, I'm not sure how long it is.
Henchman 24: No way, I got freaked out when I had to do that playing Tomb Raider.
Henchman 21: Oh and she did that creepy drowning contortion thing. That was grizzly! Yeah, no way.
Henchman 1: What? We have to. This is how we get to the main room to complete the Dark S-7 maneuver. [21 and 24 ignore him and get out of the water] Okay, fine, I'll go ahead alone. [he takes a deep breath]
Henchman 24: Going alone. This is why you new guys always die. You just can't smell a cliche coming.
Henchman 21: Dude, you are way too into this. Seriously. What kind of douche would blindly swim an underwater tunnel?
Henchman 1: Then what?
Henchman 21: Yeah, how about going that way?
Henchman 1: [pulling out some kind of tracking device] It's hardly the best route.
Henchman 21: Hands up, who peed in the water? [he and 24 raise their hands and then start to leave]
Henchman 1: Well, I guess we could go that way...

Jonas Jr., meanwhile, has unveiled Scaramantula's secret weapon to Brock and the agents. A huge 60's style death ray!

Brock: Aww no fuckin' way! Late 60's ultra death ray! She's amazing! Saddle operated with Doom-code gearing. Freakin' gorgeous.
Mr. Cardholder: If I were a woman I'd marry it.
Mr. Doe: And I'd jeopardize our friendship by nailing your hot wife.
Brock: Gyroscopic positioning?
Jonas Jr.: At six points!
Brock: Sick, tight.
Jonas Jr.: And get this: it comes up out of the top of the skull!
Brock: That's how it's done!

The henchmen, meanwhile, have made it to the museum, which was apparently their target. 1 fiddles with some wires in a wall as 21 and 24 talk about the museum when 1 asks for an extra tool. 21 and 24 confess they never wear their utility belts because they're dorky. Like fanny packs for henchmen. Plus 21 says it makes him look fat. Henchman 1 comments that it's funny they think he's going to die. 21 and 24 then go off on all the ways Henchman 1 could die hilariously. 1 continues to insist that he's not going to die. Just then he finishes up.

Henchman 1: Okay, done. Easy-peasy. So now you know what the Dark S-7 maneuver is.
Henchman 24: We do?

In the Cocoon the Monarch comments that he's getting pretty good at rebuilding it. Dr. Girlfriend notes that it looks good as long as you don't turn your head. Just then the Monarch gets a call from Henchman 1 who notes that the Dark S-7 maneuver has been completed. The Monarch is shocked, as always, and compliments 'those idiots'. The Monarch commands them to 'raise the Capricorn device' and bring Jonas Jr. up on the... tiny TV screen they just wheeled in front of his throne...

Jonas Jr. gets the call from the Monarch as he is sitting in the death ray's control saddle.

The Monarch: [evil laugh] Thought you got rid of me?
Jonas Jr.: On the contrary, my dear Monarch, I was hoping to hear from you.
The Monarch: And were you hoping that I was racing my newly revamped flying Cocoon towards your island?! [laughs]
Brock: [looking at a console] Uhh, he's about twenty miles off shore. He is really humming! I didn't even know that thing could move like that.
The Monarch: Good bye, Dr. Venture!! You might want to make a list of questions for your father!! [lengthy menacing, evil laugh] [he signs off]
The Monarch: You get that?
Dr. Girlfriend: It was kinda vague.
The Monarch: Well, his father's dead... so you know, he could ask him stuff because he'll be joining him in hell- aww!! I should have said the hell part! That would have been cool.
Dr. Girlfriend: Yeah, that would have been the way to go. That, and then the menacing laugh.

Jonas Jr.: So the butterfly falls wittingly into the Spider-Skull's web!
Mr. Cardholder: Hmm, nope.
Mr. Doe: Just a bit confusing.
Mr. Cardholder: Good try though.
Jonas Jr.: [sighs] It's my first try at it. Though I'm starting to see the allure of all this.
Brock: So I guess you want to shoot it yourself?
Jonas Jr.: Of course!
Brock: Well do you have any death ray experience? I mean those things can kick.
Jonas Jr.: Is the great Brock Samson jealous of my super-sweet death ray?
Brock: Kinda.
Jonas Jr.: Tough tiddlywinks! Fire her up!!

Inside the museum the henchmen are walking when Henchman 1 notices that the floor in front of them is laser tripwired. He suggests taking another route but 21 and 24 insist that they would rather not die and are instead going to cross the floor.

Henchman 21: You still don't get it. 24 and I have been on, like, a thousand missions. We've been shot at, dipped in acid...
Henchman 24: Brock Samson hit me with a car. Drove right into my kidney. Here I am!
Henchman 21: Yeah, we can walk across this floor and nothing would hit us. But then like this huge log would swing down and take your head off.
Henchman 24: Hey, here; what's your name?
Henchman 1: Henchman number 1.
Henchman 24: See, you are nameless.
Henchman 1: I'm Scott Hall. My name is Scott Hall. Okay?
Henchman 24: Nooo, won't help.
Henchman 21: Yeah, now it's just pathos. So you're dying in my lap and I'm all "Scott! Scott don't you quit on us! Don't you dare!!"
Henchman 24: You just made your unavoidable death more pathetic.
Henchman 21: [pause] Fuck it. Nothing's gonna happen to me.

21 and 24 walk past 1 and onto the tripwired floor. Henchman 1 pauses for a second as they walk past him and finally decides to follow. Inevitably the alarm goes off.

Henchman 1: Oh, come on!!

Meanwhile in the death ray room, the ray has now raised through the skull of Spider-Skull Island and all the equipment is buzzing loudly (plus I assume wind is now blowing into the newly sunroofed room). Brock notes that the Cocoon is now only six miles away. Cardholder is alerted of an intruder in the museum. Doe ponders who would put a museum on a hidden island fortress.

Brock: Jonas, there's an intruder in the museum!
Jonas Jr.: What? Zapruder films in the museum?
Brock: No! There's someone in the museum!
Jonas Jr.: Can't be, we're closed on the weekends!
Brock: I'll check it out unless you feel like letting me shoot that thing!
Jonas Jr.: No chance, Samson.

In the museum Henchman 1 is puzzling over his radar tracking GPS thing when Brock runs into the room. 1 quickly fires his grappling cannon and escapes to a catwalk above. Brock rushes to a ladder to pursue him. Unseen behind him 21 and 24 are posing with some replicas of the original Team Venture. When Brock is safely out of sight they both unfreeze.

Henchman 24: I've always wanted to try this but the opportunity never comes up!
Henchman 21: Yeah, poor guy missed out on like the greatest cliche in deception. Yeah, but then getting killed by Brock, it's a glorious way for a henchman to go.
Pirate Captain: You guys are henchmen, aye?
[the Captain is sitting on a fake pirate set in the museum]
Henchman 24: Ahh! Jeeze, you're real!
Pirate Captain: Used to be. Say, uh, you gents don't carry dart guns, do ya?
Henchman 21: Yeah, tranquilizers. You gonna rat us out?
Pirate Captain: Not you give me a hit of dart.
Henchman 21: You want to be shot with a tranquilizer dart?
Pirate Captain: I have the dart monkey on me back! Just one, man, after this one I'm going straight! I just need that one last dart! Just one more. [continues to whisper]
Henchman 24: Okay... dude. You know this is creepy.
Pirate Captain: Right in the neck if you don't mind.
[21 and 24 shoot him in the neck]
Pirate Captain: [moans] Yeees! Ohh, it's like getting sucked off by an angel! A sweet angel with a tranquilizer. [he falls over, asleep]

Meanwhile 1 continues to run from Brock. He's doing fairly well for himself but Brock's pursuit knows no bounds. At the same time the showdown between Cocoon and death ray continues. The Cocoon moves in on Spider-Skull Island as the death ray charges, waiting for its target to come into proper range. Steady... steady... almost... In the meantime 1 throws one of those weird ropes with two balls on the end. Brock catches it and throws it back. It connects with his neck and knocks him over. Dr. Girlfriend and the Monarch scream 'NOW!!' just as the death ray fires a massive but slow moving blast. Brock grabs 1 by the head and punches him multiple times. The beam connects with the Cocoon, which explodes in a fiery explosion.

Roll end credits.

21 and 24 sit outside of Spider-Skull Island on one of the docks connected to the spider legs.

Henchman 21: Soo, I guess we're retired again.
Henchman 24: Ohh, I'm gonna have to move back in with my dad. So humiliating.
[21's communicator rings]
Henchman 21: He- hello?
The Monarch: 21 and 24! Prepare for pickup at drop point alpha 7.
Henchman 21: Monarch? Monarch!? We thought you died!
The Monarch: What? That midget shot his cannon into a cloud. How do you not know that? You dinks are the ones who installed the video surveillance patch.
Henchman 21: We did? Oh. That's what the Dark S-7 maneuver is?
The Monarch: [now shown to be in a replica of the Cocoon's command station built inside his house] [sighs] I hate that you're my best men. Honestly. Wai- what happened to Henchman 1?
Henchman 21: Death by Samson.
The Monarch: [walking near a tiny, flaming replica of the Cocoon in front of a TV camera and lighting] Perfect! We shall avenge his death! We raid the Venture Compound at dawn!
Henchman 21: Sweet! Over and out.
Henchman 24: Sooo, we saved the day?
Henchman 21: Yeah, I think so. [stands up] Aw, dude! Tell me you know where drop point alpha-7 is!

Notes

• MSN's episode listing revealed this earliest, however it was incorrectly written as 'The Lepidopteriot'. As Jackson noted:

  Next week's episode is actually titled "The Lepidopterists," and always has been. NOT "The Lepidopteriot." Not sure how that one got screwed up, but I've seen it listed incorrectly in a number of places.

• The title of this episode, 'The Lepidopterists', means a person (or in this case persons) who catches/collects/studies/observes butterflies (and also moths and such). Obviously in this case it was an OSI code word, but you get the idea I'm sure.
  
  
• Ventronic is of course, as should be obvious to anyone who is in their 20s or 30s (and possibly some younger) is a parody of Voltron, an animated series from the 80s where (essentially) some kids flew around in gigantic robot lions which defended their kingdom from giant evil monsters. Of course the lions alone were not enough so they could join together to form a huge robot. The sequence in the show is modeled after the 'form Voltron' sequence seen in every episode.
  
  
• Watch notes that J.J. is what the spawn of G.I. Joe action figures (which were around three inches tall back in the 80s) and Rainbow Brite who was taller but had a very large head. Yeah.
  
  
• Josh Geller pointed out something I found to be highly amusing in the comments:

  "Doe" and "Cardholder" are names you used to find on credit card ads.

  So if you were curious as to the origins of Mr. Doe and Mr. Cardholder's names, well, there you go.
  
  
• Doe and Cardholder mention that if J.J. had a reality show they would watch it (twice), even if Flavor Flav was in it. Flavor Flav (or 'Flava Flav' if you want to write it phonetically) is of course a rapper (a member of Public Enemy) but is more recently famous for being on The Surreal Life and then later his own reality show Flavor of Love (both on VH1) in which he tried to find love.
  
  
• Amazingly enough the Valsalva maneuver, as suggested by 1 to alive 21's popped ears, is actually the name for that. Learn something new every day.
  
  
• This episode is the first time we've been given any sort of insight into both the Guild relationship with the OSI as well as how the OSI deals with 'protagonists' that counter the Guild's representatives.
  
  The former is of course a classic government state of denial. They refuse to acknowledge the Guild exists (officially) but are plenty willing to talk about it. Also the fact remains to be seen as to weather or not OSI is simply unable to get rid of the Guild or views it as a sort of necessary evil that they need to keep around (Brock's speech about the Guild members needing their 'system' is possible evidence of that).
  
  Likewise OSI's relationship with 'protagonists' seems shaky at best. Whereas it's clear that as a Guild member you are allowed to select an arch without the arch conceding (as is the case with Dr. Venture, who selected neither the Monarch nor Sgt. Hatred), as we saw in the events of Fallen Arches, Guild-sanctioned arches (such as Dr. Venture or the Triad) are also able to hold a casting call of sorts to select their own villain. So the selection process can clearly work both ways, however the Guild itself doesn't actually deal with or govern the 'protagonists' outside of the initial selection process (if even then).
  
  OSI seems to be more hands off in the matter. They only come to Jonas Jr. after he requests help and they realize he is being arched by a rogue (and dangerous) villain. Both the Guild and OSI are clearly upset about the Monarch murdering his last five arches, which shows that there is at least some understanding and perhaps even a written law between the two of how to deal with things.
  
  If I may venture a guess (and this is entirely speculation on my part), it's almost as if the Guild is sanctioned by OSI in order to keep costumed crazies in check as best as possible. Note that in at least the case of Dr. Venture, he has been assigned an OSI bodyguard. Is there a reason for that, outside of the fact that Dr. Venture would be unable to keep himself alive without one? It just so happens that a man who may stumble his way into being killed by a Guild member (even if said member doesn't intend to do so) is assigned a bodyguard by OSI? It's not like Dr. Venture needs to have an eye kept on him since few (if any) of his experiments will end up being super dangerous.
  
  Again, speculation on my part (apologies for that if it's not what you came for) but it's at least worth noting the Guild and OSI share some sort of understanding with each other, if nothing else.
  
  
• 24 mentions 'Speedy' to Henchman 1, which is a callback to Dia de los Dangerous!, the first official episode of the series. In case you've forgotten, Speedy was the eager-to-please young henchman in that episode who was so eager to earn his wings (which is something that seems to have been thrown out since as every Monarch henchman has wings) that he went head to head with Brock Samson and lost his life as a result. We'll miss you, Speedy.
  
  
• J.J. mistakenly mishears 'Zapruder films in the museum' when Brock is shouting at him in the death ray room. The Zapruder film is a famous home movie taken during president John F. Kennedy's assassination. And while it's not the only film or photograph taken at the time of the assassination, it remains the most complete visual recording of those events.
  
  
• Before the Cocoon explodes, the Monarch shouts 'Ready the Capricorn device!' which is a possible reference to Capricorn One, a movie about a Mars landing hoax. Thanks to 'Crimson' in the comments for that tidbit.