The Mantis-Eye Experiment

Summary

Brock and the O.S.I. launch a bold and bizarre surveillance mission against one of the Council of 13's top members. But the mission takes a turn for the worse when Doc and Billy get caught up in the super-villain crossfire.

Capsule & Notes

We start out at the funeral of Boggles The Clue Clown. Monseñor is giving his eulogy. In the crowd are many high ranking Guild members. Red Mantle and Dragoon are there. Councilman 1, a robotic sounding fellow, pokes his head towards them, stating that Sovereign has called an emergency meeting to replace Councilman 4. Red Mantle angrily tells off Councilman 1, saying he had a name and it was Boggles. Councilman 1 apologizes, saying he knew that they were close. Dragoon corrects him, saying that he never really cared for Boggles much. Red Mantle angrily tells them both to go hang out with Captain Sunshine and Wonderboy, who are also present at the funeral, though not sitting with everyone else.

Captain Sunshine is far more broken up about Boggles than anyone else in the crowd. Wonderboy ponders who they're going to fight and Sunshine says that he's sure Boggles has one more trick up his sleeve.

Episode Notes & Speculation

A quick Captain Sunshine refresher: he's a sort of hybrid between Superman and Batman, though the Batman part of his persona is on display here. If Boggles is the Joker to his Batman, then it stands to reason that one cannot exist without the other. This is perhaps why Captain Sunshine is more upset about Boggles than anyone else. While the other councilmen have merely lost a colleague (one that at least some of them didn't care for) Captain Sunshine has potentially lost his reason for existing. He is defined by Boggles and without him he has no purpose.

Granted, both Captain Sunshine and Batman often fight other bad guys, but the Joker is the mirror image of Batman. He's the adversary that he needs the most. In the world of Batman, and certainly in the world of Venture Bros. a hero is nothing without his arch-nemesis.

While Boggles may not have a trick up his sleeve, OSI does. Inside an above ground grave near the funeral Brock, Shoreleave and Snoopy are watching the funeral and snapping photos of everyone attending. Brock comments that it's a little too convenient that the one guy Monstroso identified dropped dead.

At the funeral Monseñor reads Boggles' final riddle, dedicated to Captain Sunshine. What kind of jack won't help you fix a flat or score a royal flush or plug your phone in? The answer may surprise you. Wonderboy figures the answer out pretty quickly but Captain Sunshine seems baffled. And then...

Red Mantle shouts "too soon!" and Boggles' henchmen push him back into his coffin and lower him into the ground. Captain Sunshine jumps on the coffin, wailing in sadness. Wonderboy has to pull him off it. Red Mantle sadly kneels next to the hole and moves some dirt into it by putting his hand on the ground. Magic! Inside Brock and Shoreleave try to ID him from the silhouette photos but... well he's not there (original Red Mantle and Dragoon are, of course). No two-headed looking lady. Hmm.

Councilman 1 approaches Red Mantle and Dragoon and asks if they are done grieving yet.

RED MANTLE
You again? Good god man, have you no humanity left in you whatsoever?!

DRAGOON
This is why you have no friends, Vendata.

Opening credits logo.

Episode Notes

Here are Vendata's two files. Everything in them is spoken in the episode, aside from some extra info on Venture Industries research.

We're at the OSI hover-quarters now. Snoopy is looking over Vendata's file. He started henching in the last 70s and rose to prominence in the 80s, however he's been mostly inactive since 1998. He's also a dead ringer for Councilman 1. Hunter explains that getting to Vendata is the way to get to the Guild. He looks up Vendata's older, more classified information. His original name is Venturion and he was built by Venture Industries in 1976. The project was abandoned after the subject tried to strangle young Rusty, however. We've all been there.

And how exactly do they get to Vendata? Well, turns out he's recently posted a personal on Guildslist, looking to make a 'meaningful connection.' That's their in, a classic honey trap. Unfortunately nobody currently in the room (Brock, Shoreleave, Headshot, Amber Gold, Snoopy and Hunter) is suitable to be used as bait. We're going to need someone more Vendata's speed.

At the meeting of the Council of Thirteen, Sovereign is introducing the newest member of the Council. He's the new Councilman 4, replacing Boggles. Sovereign hastily ends the meeting but is interrupted before he can fully do so.

COUNCILMAN 9
Wait, is that it? First new member in like fifteen years. Shouldn't we celebrate or something?

COUNCILMAN 5
Yes! Take the new guy out, welcome him to the team.

SOVEREIGN
There will be no celebration. Anonymity is essential to the business of this committee.

RED MANTLE
Oh, please, whom are we trying to kid? We all know who we really are and the new guy, that's clearly Phage, look at his his head for god sakes!

SOVEREIGN
Councilman 3 and 8, I'm willing to overlook your indiscretion at the Clue Clown's funeral, but I will tolerate no further violations of Council Code. Meeting adjourned!

Sovereign's display turns off and the rest of the councilmen turn off their own screens. Councilman 5 pops back in.

COUNCILMAN 5
You guys still here?

RED MANTLE
Alright, where are we doing this?

COUNCILMAN 7
Why don't you all just swing by my club tonight? Drinks on the house!

Councilmen 11 and 6 say that they can't make it, and Councilman 12 says that he's on the moon. Councilman 1 (Vendata) likewise says he can't make it. Dragoon and Councilman 5 mock him, with Vendata saying he's just having dinner with a friend. He has to leave since he's programmed for strict punctuality. The rest of the councilmen decide to just meet at the club at 9pm since they're all so spread out anyway.

Episode Notes

This episode is obviously the big reveal of the Council of Thirteen, though there are still a few question marks about them here and there. And yes, the councilmen are coming out of chambers with different numbers than their designation. Don't worry about that!

They exit their chamber and we see eight of them. Yes, Phage is the new Councilman 4. Dr. Z is Councilman 5, as was fairly obvious. Also Councilman 12 wasn't on the moon. Red Mantle tells him that he's going with them tonight.

Episode Notes

The Council of Thirteen was first introduced in season three's "Shadowman 9: In The Cradle of Destiny". They were mostly forgotten until season four when they popped up again in "The Revenge Society" which is when Red Mantle (Councilman 3) and Dragoon (Councilman 8) were exposed and kidnapped (and subsequently sewn together) by Phantom Limb. While Red Mantle and Dragoon became semi-regular characters after that, the council didn't appear again until "Pomp & Circuitry".

While "Shadowman 9" introduced them as "The Council of 13" we only actually ever see eleven councilmen in that episode, and only six of them speak. We also see a flashback to a Guild party at Phantom Limb's house where only ten distinct heads can be seen, accounting for all the heads seen in the interrogation scene save for Councilman 11, though probably due to an animation error the heads are inconsistent even between the two shots they appear in.

It should be noted that in many cases the silhouettes used for the Council in this episode belong to various background characters used throughout the series. This was done mostly as a cost and time saving measure (no need to design a new head) and not necessarily with the intent of putting focus on these characters later on. For example Councilman 11 is the silhouette of a common background character named Mommy Longlegs. Amusingly in "Shadowman 9" she appears at the Cocoon construction site when a bunch of villains show up to help rebuild it, while also simultaneously being at the Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend's crucible. Councilman 2 is named Wild Fop, and his most notable scene in the series was previously a non-speaking role in the Guild video Dr. Orpheus watches at the beginning of "Fallen Arches" back in season two.

The two biggest mystery councilmen are still Councilman 11 and Councilman 10. Councilman 11 speaks for the first time in this episode (voiced by Paget Brewster) but is credited only as 'Councilman 11'. Councilman 10 is shown multiple times (he's the guy with the insect themed armor) but he never speaks and is never spoken to or named.

We're outside Chairman Wao's Chow House. Inside a disguised OSI van Brock is briefing Ghost Robot along with Shoreleave, Headshot and Snoopy. Ghost Robot has been disguised to look like a Guild member named Galaticon. With fingers and everything. Looks good.

After confirming that Ghost Robot knows who he's supposed to be posing as and that he has his wire installed (he comes with one built in) he's on his way. Headshot asks where he should go to get a headshot... not that kind of mission. Shoreleave gets a little sassy with him and Headshot who says that he's tired of Shoreleave's schtick. Anyway he's with Amber. Shoreleave asks him if Amber is sure about that, which causes Brock to quickly suggest that maybe Headshot should go check out that ridge that's really far away. Hmm.

Anyway the Council is riding in Councilman 9's 'Doom Buggy'. His name is Steppenwolf. The rest of the councilmen who said they'd go to Councilman 7's club are with them. Phage compliment's Steppenwolf's car, with Steppenwolf noting he built it back in 1966. Not exactly street legal. That gets Red Mantle thinking back upon those times when he and Boggles would race each other on the weekends. He in his Mantlemobile and Boggles in his Clue Car.

DRAGOON
Hey, who was that one fellow? What's his name? With the mustache?

RED MANTLE
Oh that narrows it down.

DRAGOON
No, no, you know the one. He had a dog whom he taught to drive. And it would taunt and snicker at us!

RED MANTLE
What? No, you senile old fool, you're thinking of the Wacky Races!

DRAGOON
Yes, yes, they could get quite wacky at times. Oh! We should get a dog!

Inside Chairman Wao's Ghost Robot and Vendata are sitting at a table looking at the menu.

VENDATA
You look different from your photographs.

GHOST ROBOT
Are you disappointed?

VENDATA
Ambivalent. Merely recalibrating expectations. [Beat] There.

It's a lot funnier when you can hear their robot deliveries. Yuk yuk. Anyway, they converse a little, with Vendata admitting that he has difficulty connecting with people and his co-workers razz him about it. Ghost Robot asks him to talk about his co-workers. Subtle. They are just about to order, except that Ghost Robot doesn't actually eat. And Vendata only eats a specially formulated enzyme paste. They decide that they should just go somewhere else.

Brock, who has been listening in, tells Ghost Robot to abort, but it's not clear if he can hear him or not. Vendata offers to give a ride in his car and Ghost Robot gives a thumbs up (which he is very proud of) to Brock in the van.

It's night now, clearly an hour or so later (at least). Vendata arrives in a pretty nondescript place, still tailed by the OSI van. Brock and Shoreleave ponder why Vendata has taken Ghost Robot here at all. Brock suggests it could be a hit, to which Headshot decides that he should be the only one doing the killing. Brock doesn't want Headshot going anywhere and tells Snoopy to put up the cloak. However his finger slips and the van cloaks into an ice cream truck followed by a number of other rather obvious objects. Before Vendata sees it Snoopy manages to get it cloaked into a large rock.

They approach the only building in the area, which is just a small concrete structure. There's a bouncer standing outside of it. He checks the IDs of Vendata and "Galacticus" and then welcomes them to Don Hell's. It'a a nightclub. Vendata and Ghost Robot head into the elevator and Snoopy loses the signal. They're underground.

BROCK
So you're tellin' me that we just sent our unarmed, civilian informant into an underground next of super-villains and we're deaf, dumb and blind up here!?!

It's a nightclub.

Commercial.

Brock and Shoreleave are now at the Venture Compound. Specifically the garage near HankCo. Brock is looking through his old stuff and he's dressed as Yeti Mummy. He finds a costume for Shoreleave.

SHORELEAVE
So what'd you kill all these guys?

BROCK
Most, yeah. Some of 'em just dropped their shit and ran.

SHORELEAVE
[Looking at his COSTUME] Who was this chief?

BROCK
I don't know, I was too busy road hauling him to catch his name. Unless it was "Wait, wait, please stop, man!"

Brock makes a call for two Guild IDs. One for Yeti Mummy and one for... The Fruit Bat. Shoreleave's suggestion.

SHORELEAVE
No, wait, I'm... Conquistadorable!

Brock tells him to hurry up, but they're interrupted by Sgt. Hatred, who has come to see who exactly is snooping in the garage. He rolls into the garage but once he realizes it's just Brock and Shoreleave he lowers his weapon. At this point Shoreleave shoots him with a tazer, which knocks him out cold. Brock chides Shoreleave, who just says that Hatred started him. Plus this is a secret mission anyway, and he would have just crashed the party.

At this point Dr. Venture comes into the garage, glass of wine in hand, naturally assuming that there's an actual party. Brock makes up a terrible story that he's just grabbing some of his old stuff and that he has to return the Yeti Mummy costume to the shop. Doc doesn't really believe him, but Brock won't yield. Plus the costume shop closes in like ten minutes! They quickly drive away. Doc smiles to himself. He's probably going to try something.

At the club a waitress brings all the council members in attendance their drinks. Dragoon has foolishly ordered a light beer to go along with Red Mantle's scotch, which of course will cause them to never be sicker. Dragoon suggests that Red Mantle drink his first. Councilman 7 and proprietor of the club, Don Hell, joins them. After some quick greetings they turn their attention to Vendata and "Galaticon" who are sitting across the club. Vendata looks pretty bored. Don Hell comments that Galaticon is in the club ever week picking up a new John. Hmm.

Over at their table, Ghost Robot is talking Vendata's ear off, though he doesn't seem to understand that Vendata is not overly interested. Ghost Robot is complaining about CHiPs when Vendata is hit in the face with a lime slice. He quickly excuses himself so he can go say hello to them, telling Ghost Robot to stay put.

Upstairs at the club entrance the bouncer is making St. Cloud wait in line. He's the only one in line (aside from Pei). He tells the bouncer that he should be let in, but the bouncer tells him that the club is full. Brock and Shoreleave (disguised) walk up a second later and show their Guild IDs to the bouncer.

He lets them in. St. Cloud asks why they get to go in.

Down in the club Brock tells Shoreleave that he's going to look for Ghost Robot. Shoreleave is to stay near the door in case things get weird... er. Over at the bar he meets a woman named Verpertina. They have a brief conversation before she perhaps realizes that she's not Shoreleave's type. Another villain at the bar eyes Shoreleave suspiciously.

We're now outside Conjectural Technologies. Doc, dressed as a clown, has picked up Billy, who is dressed as a Cowboy. Doc asks if Pete is coming but Billy says that he's still mixing the "Jacket" single.

Back in Don Hell's, Brock has found Ghost Robot. He sadly reports that his date is not going well. Brock says that doesn't matter, but he does need to know where Vendata is. Oh, he's by his co-workers. Over on the opposite side of the club Vendata is cordially greeting the council members, though he says that he doesn't want to leave Galaticon for too long. Dragoon points out that his "friend" has found himself another "friend".

DR. Z
That yeti mummy is oddly familiar.

DON HELL
Twenty bucks says Galaticon gets him down to the bathroom in less than five minutes. Guy's into bears!

Vendata looks upset.

In the OSI van Headshot is complaining that his two talents are being wasted on this mission. Sniping and being extra-handsome. Snoopy is not impressed. Just then the real Galaticon drives by the van/rock. Headshot grabs his sniper rifle and ponders the shot a little but is interrupted by Dr. Venture crashing into the van. He wasn't wearing his real glasses.

Billy asks if this is the right location to which Doc replies that he actually just followed Brock. They walk up to the concrete structure, though they are on the wrong side of it. Doc boosts Billy to look through the grate to see what's inside. It's just a big elevator shaft. Just then the bouncer comes up behind them, gun pointed at them. Billy falls into Doc's arms and nervously asks if this is the costume party.

The bouncer laughs, noting that he couldn't even see Doc's lips move. Doc is about to correct him until Billy takes over and they decide to go with the whole ventriloquist ploy. It seems to work as the bouncer smiles at Billy's joke (and claim that they're performing).

Down in the club Shoreleave spits out his appletini when he sees the actual Galaticon. He tells Brock. Time to go. Shoreleave attempts to run interference on Galaticon but he's cut off by Sunsational and his fleet of planet-themed henchmen (or maybe his family, it's hard to tell). Before he can get through them Galaticon has gone up the stairs. Brock and Ghost Robot quickly run the opposite way, into the bathroom.

Back on the opposite side of the club:

DON HELL
And they're off! Sorry, Vendata, I just calls 'em like I see 'em.

[VENDATA walks away silently]

BOUNCER Sorry to bother ya, boss, but, uh, Dr. Venture just walked in with a one-eyed midget pretending to be a ventriloquist act.

DON HELL
Well, gentlemen, it's been swell, but I must run. Boss is always on the clock, you know? But uh, [laughs] be sure you stick around for the show.

Over on the opposite side Galaticon (the real one) is smoking.

RED MANTLE
Wow! He is fast.

Vendata barges into the club's bathroom looking for Galaticon. He pushes open a stall and...

Vendata quickly closes the door but Brock, not knowing what else to do, kicks the stall door into Vendata, pushing him into the uninals and disabling him.

Downstairs Shoreleave gets word from Brock that it's really time to go. This time. The man (wearing a squid suit) next to him grabs his hand as he's about to leave, saying that he's been watching him all night. He comments that he liked Shoreleave's costume more when it belonged to Sri Lanken Devil Bird. Shoreleave tries to deflect, saying that they probably have the same tailor.

FLYING SQUID
Sri Lanken Devil Bird was a good friend of mine, and they never found his body, and you ain't him. So just who. Are. You.

BROCK
There a problem here?

[BROCK is dressed as VENDATA. GHOST ROBOT is wearing the YETI MUMMY COSTUME behind him]

FLYING SQUID
Uh no, no problem at all, sorry!

Episode Notes

Here's where a pretty big callback pays off. Sri Lanken Devil Bird actually appeared in season three. Specifically he had a decent sized role in "The Doctor Is Sin", the second episode of season three. He attempted to attack the Venture Compound but was subsequently taken care of by Brock. Earlier in this episode Brock notes that he road hauled the previous owner of Shoreleave's new costume. Here's the payoff:

The two screengrabs on the right are from "The Doctor Is Sin", showing Sri Lanken Devil Bird (then unnamed) as well as Brock road hauling him.

Thanks to a-c-moore on reddit for seeing this (or at least being first to post it).

Flying Squid books it and the group attempts to leave when the music cuts out and we hear Don Hell's voice. He tells everyone not to leave because the party is just getting started! It's time to give a warm welcome to tonight's entertainment!

Apparently Doc and Billy have agreed to play Wheel of Torture. That seems unlikely, but okay! Brock starts to go towards the stage when Shoreleave grabs him, saying that it's not their mission to save Doc. Brock tells Shoreleave and Ghost Robot to leave. He can do this on his own.

SHORELEAVE
What? Commit suicide? Blow your cover and start an inter-agency war? I know he's your old sugar daddy but is he really worth it?

Don Hell plays up the crowd a little, describing the methods of torture on the wheel:

DON HELL
The human piñata? Five pains of Li Si?

DRAGOON
Oh, oh! Ass to ass!!

RED MANTLE
Oh dear. I'm not with him.

DON HELL
Wrong night, Dragoon.

Meanwhile Flying Squid is making a phone call. He tells whomever is on the other end that they have to get down to the club right now. They won't believe what's going on!

Meanwhile the waitresses are handing out tokens with each torture to the guests. This isn't good. However, above everyone Shoreleave is climbing down the cable that's holding up the massive disco ball. He starts to laser through the same cable. Don Hell spins the wheel. Acid dip. A Guild member has the winning chip but Brock elbows him in the head before anyone hears him and steals his chip. Winner!

Brock goes up on stage. Doc and Billy are suspended over a barrel of acid.

DR. VENTURE
No! The metal murder man from my nightmares! He was real!

THE MONARCH
What the fuck is going on here!? That man you are illegally holding is my arch! Thanks for the tip, Squid. Honey!

DR. MRS. THE MONARCH
[Reading a GUILD HANDBOOK] Guild of Calamitous Intent bylaws, article 97D, no villain may arch previously claimed nemesis without first consulting the primary arch of said nemesis.

DR. PHAGE
Except, the articles of collusion, paragraph C, stipulate that in the event of a team-up, the team's right to arch supersedes that of the primary. Just studies this for the council exam.

DR. MRS. THE MONARCH
[Flips through GUILD HANDBOOK] Buuuut, not without offering the primary arch first right of refusal to participate in, and/or lead, said team-up.

DR. PHAGE
She's, uhh... she's right.

DON HELL
Alright, alright, looks like the show is over.

Everyone starts to leave the club. Shoreleave, unsuccessful in cutting the cable, goes back up to cable. Brock goes to leave with everyone else when he's confronted by an extremely damaged Vendata. He's asking for his wife. Brock tells him that he hasn't seen her and leaves. Vendata, talking to nobody in particular, mentions that the plane is going down.

Brock joins Shoreleave and Ghost Robot in the elevator. Shoreleave asks Brock if he's going to make him save Doc from the Monarch now. Brock says that it's okay, because what's he going to do anyway? He's the Monarch.

THE MONARCH
Well, well, well, Venture, looks like I finally got you right where I-

Roll end credits.

SOVEREIGN
And so in acknowledgment of your expertise and extensive history of service to this Guild I hereby invite you to join this esteemed Council of Thirteen.

DR. MRS. THE MONARCH
Ummm, can I have a day to think about it? I should really, probably talk about this with my husband.

Oh, but she (and Sovereign) are being watched by someone else. It's The Revenge Society! Dr. Killinger walks into the room with more popcorn asking what he missed.