Changes: The Trap of Michael Chain

Latest revision as of 15:51, 19 September 2020

The Trap of Michael Chain
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General Information
Original broadcast	November 18, 2003
Series	F-Zero: GP Legend
Details
Season	1
Episode number	7
Production number	7
Overall number	7
Episode Guide
Previous episode	[[Chain Reaction]]
Next episode	[[The Secret Within]]

Three racers had mysteriously gone missing. After Rick achieved his first place win and saved a millionaire's life, he, Lucy, and the Arrows had been invited to a party at the rich guy's mansion. Will they be caught in the same net the racers fallen into? This aired on the FoxBox on October 30, 2004.

Plot[]

While waiting for a coffee at Falcon House, Rick listens in to a news broadcast reporting the disappearance of yet another F-Zero pilot, the third one so far. His coffee is delivered by Dream, a new employee at the café; she's a huge fan of Rick and watches all his races with her boyfriend. She wishes him the best for the Mute City Grand Prix, though Burt tells him to be cautious, what with all the kidnappings.

Rick does superb during the Grand Prix and is in first place, closely followed by the King Meteor, piloted by Super Arrow. Determined to win, Super Arrow begins spinning his machine, preparing to ram the Dragon Bird right in the rear... He spots this just in time and boosts ahead, leaving the King Meteor to crash right into a wall. He stills makes second place, while the crowd goes wild for Rick's victory, Dream and her boyfriend among them.

The Platoon gather to celebrate, and notice he pushed himself extra hard this race, and they want to know why. Jack believes he was trying to impress some hot babe, while EAD thinks it's something he'd rather do. Dr. Stewart theorizes he wanted to goad out whoever's been kidnapping racers. "Whatever happens, happens, I guess," Rick answers, and takes off.

On the highway home, Dream and her boyfriend pass Rick in their expensive vintage car, Rick saying it's an antique. But are surrounded by a swarm of uncouth hooligans just as they take the exit. They lead the two of them to the lakeside park and begin banging up their car, dragging the two of them out to rough them up. However, a heroic figure appears just in time...

It's Super Arrow!

He is the representative of justice and all things good, and he is here to kick their keisters! His dramatic entrance is dampened slightly when he falls off the car roof and onto his bum, requiring his wife Mrs. Arrow to tell him what a great hero he is to boost his confidence. The punks decide these two will be more fun beating the snot out of, and the supposed heroes scream in fright.

It's a good thing Rick was following after, or else there'd be no one to save these weirdos. They might have some nasty looking steel pipes, but Rick has the skills to dodge all of their attacks and down each of them in a single blow. And once everyone's tush has scraped the tarmac, the punks deem it wise to make a run for it. Super Arrow's owl critiques his master's skills, while Dream thanks Rick and introduces him to Truman, her boyfriend.

Rick tells this to the guys back at headquarters, and knowing they're racers, Truman has invited them all to dinner at his place; they're honored for Dream's birthday, though Lucy is the only one to accept. Super Arrow and Mrs. Arrow are invited as well, and Rick wonders what's the deal with them. Dr. Stewart explains they're a duo of whack jobs who think they're superheroes; they're the ones that put the "zero" in F-Zero.

Truman's place is mighty swank indeed, an elaborate mansion staffed by its own servants. He tells them he only met Dream a mere few weeks ago, by accident: he had been injured and left for dead on the streets of Mute City when his car flipped over at a corner, when Dream appeared to revive him. She stayed with him by his hospital bed, and the two have been together since. He calls her his Dream come true.

Lucy and Mrs. Arrow are keen to hear Dream's side of it - is she in it for the money? She says no; she wishes only to be with the man she loves, and she needs no other reason. Super Arrow barks that as a superhero he inclines he has a surprise for a certain someone downstairs. Truman hesitates though he does proceed after he looks out a window.

Truman invites everyone to the other room to show them something, though Dream is excluded. Super Arrow, being a world class detective, believes it to be a gift for Dream... but it is instead a dank basement with a couple of sofas. The racers pile onto them, expecting something exciting.

They're instead trapped behind a laser grid, walling them in! Truman finally owns up: he's the one who's been kidnapping racers and it was because the leader of the Bloody Chain, Michael Chain, asked him to.

He had wanted out of their gang out of concern for Dream, but Michael Chain had one last errand for him...and this was it. Having done that, he's free to marry Dream and live in this swank-ass house without fear! Rick and company tell him he's an idiot for believing that, he's only landed his sweetheart in grave peril. Truman scoffs and is like, just you watch, I'm gonna go up there and my girlfriend's gonna be just fine. You'll see!

He returns to the dining room and finds Dream being held hostage. His servants are in with the Bloody Chain, and were holding Dream to ensure Truman did his part. Showing them his accomplishment, he unties Dream and the two embrace, both more than a little frightened. Meanwhile, Jody pays a visit to Director Tanaka, who's hyperventilating over his impending report to the chief on the missing pilots. He's buzzed to come in, and that's when he really goes to pieces... He composes himself just before entering the door, only to end up giving his report to a bust of the chief. The Commissioner points him to a visitor, the Mute City mayor, whose daughter came to Mute City three weeks ago to meet her boyfriend, but hasn't been seen since. What's worse, she isn't marrying the man he's chosen for her, and he comes to Tanaka and the chief fearing Rick and Lucy have been kidnapped, since their machines are missing and they haven't shown up to work, he suspects they're missing like those other three racers! He hands him a photograph in the hopes of tracking Dream down, though.

Following up on the chief's order, the Galaxy Mobile Platoon begin trawling the city to find the man's daughter, as well as Rick and Lucy. Jack visits the Falcon House after closing hours and finds Burt, asking him if he's seen the girl in the photo. He glares hard at it. Truman opens up to his love, telling her the lengths he's gone to and how he wishes to spend all his days with her. Dream is shocked and a little disgusted with this. She doesn't care for his great mansion or his fat wallet, she loves him for how kindly he's treated her, and if this is the sort of thing he does to keep his riches, she wants nothing to do with him. The flashback with Michael Chain is implied to be their first encounter, and he tracked Truman down because of his ties with Rick and company. All talk of his debt to the gang is dropped, fearing he's being disowned by his family once they hear about this ordeal.

Down below, the kidnapped racers try to figure out how to escape their prison. Super Arrow's fantasy has a faded white border around it to imply it's a dream before the reveal as he was shocked from the laser gates: Super Arrow suddenly has a totally kickass sword, so brilliant and sharp its blade can slice right through the lasers, destroying them! Everyone is saved! His wife loves him! He's won the respect and admiration of others!

Unfortunately, it was just a dream. Getting electrocuted gets very exhausting, you know.Rick suggests Super Arrow use his owl to fly through the lasers. That's a great idea! It flies straight into the lasers. But was shocked.

Outside, the Bloody Chain members of the household guard the exits, waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive.

A secret wall opens up in the basement and Dream and Truman enter, disabling the laser grid. Two gangsters enter from the staircase, but Truman blocks their passage, calling for the racers to make their escape! This noble gesture is nullified when Rick just sucker punches them anyway. The group exit the building only to find an imposing figure waiting for them: Michael Chain! He's most upset with his underling's betrayal, and confesses he's been capturing racers so the prize money will be easier to acquire; but if they've escaped, he might as well give them seven lashings with his chain. Rick dodges his swings, the chain tearing through the mansion's pillars, but a smack to the gob sends him to the ground. He quickly rises, now packing heat and preparing to pump them full of lead. Super Arrow sics Zukk on him, blinding Chain long enough for Rick to deliver a flying kick to his chin. Defeated, Michael and the Bloody Chain make their getaway, vowing to reclaim the debt someday.

Truman collapses to his knees: he's lost everything he owns, and everything he loves. Dream is still there for him, though, and believes if they work hard to earn what they need, the two of them will still have a future. A future where they can spend all their days together. That's enough to give him the strength to embrace her once more.

But hang on, there's still that business with president of the Catherine Consortium! It's a total non-issue though: he shows up, happy to have found her daughter, but Dream says she's marrying Truman. Fair enough, no argument there. The two go and get married.

The ending is replaced entirely with a split screen of race footage and shots from the wedding while Rick gives a resolution through narration: the captured pilots were released, Dream and Truman got married a few months later, and they spent their honeymoon at the F-Zero races, right at the finish line, editing a shot of them to be in a gown and suit.

Events[]

This is when we see Michael Chain and the Wild Boar for the first time.
This is also the debut of the Arrows as well as his fellow owl, Zukk.
Rick achieves his first place win!
We also see a first appearance of the Commissioner, aka the Chief or the Big Cheese; he does make a few short cameos throughout the series.
Dream may have been an employee of the Falcon House, but it was irrelevant throughout the series.

Characters[]

Villains[]

Michael Chain
Truman and his servants