Teaser : Action Man feels as though Doctor X is reading his mind as he tries to solve a kidnapping mystery and finds himself out-guessed at every turn. The action hero is able to enlist Raid's help, but he still has to overcome the skullmen !
Review done by: Raymond Blakey
We open in Paris where a convenient News Reporter explains that security around the city has been tightened for the latest “World Peace Summit†or something like that. Basically this episode’s excuse to get all the world leaders in one place so Doctor X can kidnap them.
Sure enough he pulls it off and then puts the President of the United States up for ransom (she bares no small resemblance to Hillary Clinton). Meanwhile at Action base X’s ransom demand comes over the TV while AM and the gang are exercising. This whole thing causes Action Man a strange sense of Déjà vu which isn’t quite the same as his usual memory flashes
If Image appears small ,click to enlarge
So the team arrives in Paris in their SWAT gear. This was of course one of many outfits that one of the Action Man figures was sold in. Specifically, this was the outfit set that also included Raid. They never made a version for Natalie to wear, yet she is wearing one here. Of course they never made a Knuck figure at all, so I guess it’s a moot point.
If Image appears small ,click to enlarge
The team tries a direct frontal approach to get into the building where X has the hostages and as AM is setting the timer on the bomb he has a memory flash. But, it is an odd one since it is a memory flash of the same place he is already in. Knuck brings him out of it just in time to toss the bomb before it explodes in his face.
Note : Below we see a new variation of Action Mans main Uniform, As you can see he has a light shade of blue stripe around his collar and sleeves
This is only the first of many failures on Action Man’s part to rescue the hostages. He makes several attempts and most of them fail, because X seems to know what he is thinking. What we discover is that X DOES know what he is thinking. Ursula is seen reading off exactly what AM is going to do in each rescue attempt. Plus AM is having one major memory flash after another and seems to really start doubting himself and is quite con fused as to how X is anticipating him
The Action Team only succeeds in finally finding and rescuing the hostages once Action Man starts improvising instead of following a set plan. It is in the final confrontation with Doctor X that AM finds out, via yet another memory flash, that he was the one that created the perfect plan for Doctor X, back when Action Man was a Skullman.
Below you see the episodes "New Uniforms so we can sell another version of Action Man" outfits. It's some S.W.A.T. Gear and looks pretty cool
Below we see the first of many Flashbacks in this episode
It is in the live action segment at the end of the episode that the most important facts are revealed. Action Man apparently went to “Skull School†to be trained as a Skullman and work under Doctor X at some point in his lost past.
He also had a love affair with Ursula, but he can’t remember how important his love affair with her was. Was she just a passing fancy or the love of his life?
Finale Thoughts : A very well done episode to be honest. But Considering the “importance†of the pieces of AM’s past that are revealed, it wasn’t the most exciting way of giving that information
Below you see the 2nd set of Flashbacks that Action Man has in this episode
The whole thing was a sort of by the numbers cat and mouse chase between the Action Force team and X, on top of a Hostage plan by Doctor X. Doctor X, plan this time is more realistic than other ones that he has had , this time his scheme is simple ----taking world leaders randomly hostage.
Finally I have to mention Action Man’s version of the Baroness, Ursula. Possibly the love of AM’s life before he lost his memory, of course he’s done a LOT better since then with Natalie though. Anyway Ursual is great and a wonderful edition to the Action Mans Mythos
Below is the 3rd flashback that Action Man has in this episode
She possesses a lot of charm and interesting qualities that make her the probally the 2nd most interesting character in the entire ACTION MAN MYTHOS
Below you see the 4th Flashback Action Man has in this episode
All in all and important episode for the information it conveyed.
