A Code of Honor

293: A Code of Honor

Preview:

Airdate

December 17, 1994

Last Aired

Date Recorded

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Recorded at

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Album

22: The Changing Times
Blackgaard Chronicles

Cassette No.

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Length

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Theme

Goodness

Genre

Blackgaard Saga

Scripture

Ephesians 2:10

Written By

Paul McCusker

Directed By

Paul McCusker

Produced By

Unknown

Executive Producer

Chuck Bolte

Post-Production

Dave Arnold

Engineer

Unknown

Music By

Library

Songs By

Unknown

Inventions Used

[[{{{invention}}}]][[Category:Episodes that use the {{{invention}}}]]

Rating

Current user rating: 95% (25 votes)

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Family Store

Siege at Jericho

A Code of Honor

Unto Us a Child Is Born

Summary

Jack Allen and Jason Whittaker come across information about a secret group lead by Whit called "The Israelites". Upon further investigation they meet with one of the members: Billy McPherson.

Plot

While going through Whit’s workroom, Jack and Jason come across an old book filled with what seems to be a handwritten code. Jason is intrigued and decides to decipher it. It is a logbook for a group that called themselves “the Israelites.” But some entries don’t make sense. Many have names with words beside them like “paint” or “clean.” Now Jack, who has picked up the book, is intrigued. He asks Connie if she recognizes any of the names in the book. At first, she says no, but then she sees the name “Emma Douglas.”

Connie remembers that Emma used to work at Whit’s End before Connie came. Jack goes to Emma. After a lot of coaxing, Emma tells Jack what she knows. She says the Israelites were a “gang” formed by Whit to do anonymous good deeds around Odyssey. Emma remembers one boy in particular: Billy MacPherson.

Jack and Jason go looking for Billy the next day. They find him working in a gas station near Connellsville. Billy is happy to talk about his involvement with the Israelites and inadvertently reveals that he hasn’t been to church much lately. Jack encourages him to go, then hands over the Israelite Chronicles. Jack feels that with all the gangs these days who do evil deeds, maybe a gang who does good deeds is an idea that needs to come around again.

Discussion Questions

1. Why did Jack feel it was so important to unravel the mystery of the Israelites?
2. Do you think Jack’s dreams meant anything?
   • Have you had dreams like Jack did?
3. Do you think a “good gang” is a good idea?
   • Why or why not?
   • Would you like to belong to a group like the Israelites?

Cast

Characters	Actors
Billy McPherson	David Buller
Connie Kendall	Katie Leigh
Emma Douglas	Flo Di Re
Jack Allen	Alan Young
Jason Whittaker	Townsend Coleman

Notes

• The idea of a “good gang” called the Israelites was first developed in the Adventures in Odyssey novels. It was based on a real-life “good gang” that secretly helped people around town.
• In this episode, Emma Douglas puts to rest a rather irritating fact hinted at in The Secret Cave of Robinwood; the idea that Whit told parents all about the Israelites while telling the kids that it was a secret, a very patronizing thing to do. Luckily for his character, Emma assures Jack that Whit 'wouldn't do that. He told me just enough to calm me down.'
• GOOF ALERT: In A Prayer for George Barclay, Whit says that George Barclay painted Emma Douglas's garage. However, in this show, Emma Douglas said that Billy McPherson was the last person to paint her garage. Billy painted it long before George could have.
• This episode is the first to mention acts of vandalism occurring in Odyssey. This aspect would be further highlighted in Album 25: Darkness Before Dawn.

Quotes

Jason Whittaker: That's dad. Never satisfied with one idea. He has to keep working at it until he's explored every nook and cranny.
Jack Allen: Something you obviously inherited. It seems to me, you spent weeks trying to build a rocket ship that would take you to...Where did you want to go?
Jason Whittaker: Ah, the planet Gilbatron in the Beakner galaxy.

---

Jack Allen: You used to play around with codes when you were young didn't you?
Jason Whittaker: Well a little. Actually you could say I still do. As a hobby.

---

Jason Whittaker: Of course I didn't expect us to get lost for an hour.
Jack Allen: It's these small back roads. You have the map, where are we going?
Jason Whittaker: I can't tell. This map only has the major roads. Watch out for that.. (Bump) Oh pot hole.

Resources

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• This Page On
  • http://www.aiohq.com/1994.htm#293%7CAIOHQ
  • http://aiolib.com/episodes.php?season=8&epmode=detailed#episode293%7C Odyssey Library
  • http://www.odysseyscoop.com/episodes/Episodes_1994.htm#AIO293%7C Odyssey Scoop
  • http://www.aiosoda.com/episodes_view.php?episode=293%7CSoda Fountain
  • http://www.whitsend.org/vault/A000000426.cfm%7CWhits End

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