Checkmate
“Checkmate” is episode #331 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written by Paul McCusker and Phil Lollar, and originally aired on September 16, 1995.
Summary
The Israelites clean up the Bones of Rath hideout, Lucy Cunningham-Schultz is kidnapped and pressed for information by Jellyfish, and Glossman finally succeeds in shutting down Whit's End.
Plot
Evil still abounds in Odyssey. Dr. Blackgaard is livid that Whit’s End hasn’t been completely evacuated and that the employees are still allowed inside. He blasts Philip Glossman for his incompetence and demands that he gets the place completely closed down. He finishes by telling Mr. Glossman not to fail him again. Meanwhile, Jason has restructured the Israelites in order to spy more aggressively on the Bones of Rath. He wants the Bones to know that the Israelites aren’t predictable, by having Billy and Sam go to the Bones’s hideout and clean it. Butch has informed the Israelites that the Bones will be bowling that night, so the Israelites should hit the hideout then. To keep tabs on the Bones, Lucy follows them to the bowling alley. Rodney sees Lucy and decides to take matters into his own hands. He is annoyed that Jellyfish has taken over the Bones so effectively. He lures Lucy to the Bones’s new hideout in a cave where he hopes to get information from her about the Israelites.
While this is going on, Eugene continues his work in the Imagination Station. He’s searching through Odyssey’s history for information about the Underground Railroad tunnel. In the Imagination Station, Eugene is just about to find out an important piece of the puzzle about the mineral from Reverend Andrew Jamison (see “The Underground Railroad”) when the power suddenly goes down. Eugene comes out of the Station and finds that Whit’s End is being attacked by the Bones of Rath.
Later, during the cleanup, Jason and Sam realize that Butch either got his information wrong, or he has double-crossed them. (They later discover that it is the latter, after Butch was beaten up by the Bones, he opted to spy on the Israelites. For his own protection, Jason gets Butch out of town.) Sam and Jason also realize that Lucy is missing. Jellyfish is furious that Rodney brought Lucy to the Bones’s new hideout, but Rodney persuades Jellyfish that he can get some useful information from her. Fortunately, Richard Maxwell intercedes and saves Lucy.
But that doesn’t help Whit’s End. Claiming that it’s for the public’s safety, Glossman throws everybody out, leaving Blackgaard to gloat that Whit’s End is finally, truly, his.
- This plot section is too short and should be expanded. »
Discussion Questions
- Was Jason right in believing that the Israelites should be more aggressive against the Bones?
- Why or why not?
- Should Lucy have followed Rodney and Rusty to the Bones’s new hideout? Explain.
- Do you think Butch should be blamed for his decision to tell on the Israelites?
- Why or why not?
Cast
Heard in episode
Mentioned in episode
| Character | Mentioned By |
|---|---|
| Edwin Blackgaard | Regis Blackgaard |
| Tom Riley | Philip Glossman |
| Brian Evans | Billy McPherson |
| Professor Bovril | Eugene Meltsner |
Notes
Parents: This series, known as “Darkness Before Dawn” gets extremely intense in places, and is therefore not recommended for younger listeners.
- Trivia
- This is the first episode in Darkness Before Dawn that is given a parental warning.
- In this episode's summary from The Complete Guide, Phil Lollar writes that "for his safety, Jason gets Butch out of town." This isn't mentioned or hinted at in the actual episode, though it can be considered canon since Lollar is a co-writer for this episode.
- This episode features the first mention of a cell phone on the program, with Jason telling Lucy to contact him on his "cellular phone."
- The moldy pork rinds that Sam and Billy encounter at the Bones of Rath's abandoned hideout may very likely be leftovers from Rodney, whose mother has a well-documented fondness for them that may have been genetically passed down.
- Allusions
- Dr. Blackgaard's line to Glossman about using small words so that he (Glossman) could understand is a reference to a similar line in the Rob Reiner film "The Princess Bride."
- Main article: List of Princess Bride references
Quotes
Jellyfish: What’s going on? What’s happenin'?
Richard Maxwell: Don’t you know? It’s a rescue.
Jellyfish: Who is that? Who are you?
Richard Maxwell: Don’t get all bent out of shape. It's just... me.
Lucy Cunningham-Schultz: Richard?
Jellyfish: Maxwell!
Eugene Meltsner: Assistance!
Jason Whittaker: Eugene, that's heavy! Why didn't you ask for help?
Eugene Meltsner: I believe I just did!
Regis Blackgaard: You're not here to think, Glossman! You're here to do as you're told! Now listen carefully. I'll speak slowly and use small words so you'll be sure to understand. I need free reign of Whit's End and its surrounding grounds.
Connie Kendall: Well, is there anything I can do?
Eugene Meltsner: Oh! Uh, as a matter of fact, there is.
Connie Kendall: What?
Eugene Meltsner: Pray for me, Connie. I would be most grateful.
Connie Kendall: Yeah, sure! Nice to have you ask...
Jellyfish: And now a message for the Israelites and all their friends at Whit's End!
Connie Kendall: What?
Jason Whittaker: Connie, get down! Now!
Richard Maxwell: You should really have one of these on hand for protection. I got mine on sale at the Electric Palace.
Regis Blackgaard: Check and mate! Congratulations, Glossman! It's about time you did your job correctly.
Regis Blackgaard: For so long I have awaited this day... Whit's End is mine!
Reverend Andrew Jamison: The salve used on William is a strange mixture of molds, fungus and a mineral derived from the ground in this area. When we dug the tunnel, we found an abundant sampling of the mineral. By itself, it seems to serve no purpose at all.
Eugene Meltsner: Hmm. Does this mineral have a name?
Reverend Andrew Jamison: Well the locals call it <garbled speech> One". I guess <more garbled speech>.
Eugene Meltsner: What? What's going on? <Reverend Andrew is completely unintelligible; the Imagination Station is beginning to short circuit> A power loss? No! Not when I'm so close!
Resources
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