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| "Bravelord and the Demon Monstrux" | |
|---|---|
| Series | |
| Season |
2 |
| Episode |
19 |
| Writer(s) | |
| Director | |
| Airdate | |
| Episode chronology | |
| Previous episode | |
| Next episode | |
"Bravelord and the Demon Monstrux" is the sixth episode of the second season of Back to the Future: The Animated Series, and the nineteenth episode overall. It first aired on October 10, 1992.
Brief synopsis
Verne has become a video addict. His game of choice, or addiction, is called BraveLord and Monstrux. After neglecting his duties because of the video arcade game, Doc and Clara grounded Verne to his room and doesn't want him playing video games. Jules, with help from Marty, attempt to placate Verne by using a device that would transfer the game electronically to Verne's bedroom TV screen, thus enabling him to continue to play. Unfortunately, something goes haywire with the wiring and the characters of the game come to life, while Doc is transported into the game. BraveLord, a "He-man" muscle man, ends up in Verne's bedroom while the vile Demon Monstrux ends up at Biff's house. Entering the arcade past the lava, Verne, Jules, and Marty must defeat the Demon Monstrux, get it and BraveLord back into the game and Doc back into reality.
Plot
Behind the scenes
- Not only is Verne grounded, so are the time vehicles. There is no time travel outside of 1992.
- Biff's son is introduced as a character, though he is not referred to by name. In other episodes, it is established that he is Biff Tannen Jr..
- The arcade is called "Super Mega Arcade World".
- The idea of Doc finding himself inside an electronic game had a precedent in the 1982 science fiction film, Tron.
- While the events in the episode might explained as "magic" in some storylines, the existence of metaphysical occurences is inconsistent with the rest of the BTTF universe. A plausible scientific explanation for the arrival of Demon Monstrux into Hill Valley, and for the havoc that the demon causes by making inanimate objects seem to "come alive", is that the transmitter invented by Jules is the cause of delusions. One argument in favor of the idea that Jules's invention is causing hallucinations is that each individual affected-- Biff, Marty, Jules, and Verne-- has his own separate terrors to confront until the transmitter is disconnected. The nemesis for Jules (bicycles revolving around him) is mechanical, while Verne is confronted by characters from the video game that had become his obsession.
From the episode
- "Don't use that tone with me, or I'll wash your mouth out with toothpaste!"
- —Biff, talking to his son
Dramatis personae
New continuity
New individuals
- BraveLord
- Demon Monstrux
- Biff Tannen Jr. (Not by name yet)
- Leo (owns the arcade)
- Jimmy (a kid in the arcade, bullied by Biff, Jr.; different from Jimmy, the young soldier in Brothers)
- Yars Johannsen (possibly Lars) and wife, who hired Verne to mow their lawn
New technology
- BraveLord and Monstrux