Ghosts of the Sargasso

Infobox Television episode
Title=Ghosts of the Sargasso
Series=The Venture Bros.
Season=1
Episode=6
Airdate=11 September 2004
Writer= Doc Hammer
Jackson Publick
Director= Jackson Publick


Caption = "What tipped you off? Was it the huge zipper? Was it the rubber mask?"
Production = 1-08
Guests =
Prev=Eeney, Meeney, Miney... Magic!
Next=Ice Station – Impossible!

"Ghosts of the Sargasso" is the sixth episode in the first season of "The Venture Bros."

Plot

"Somewhere over the Bermuda Triangle, 1969:" as Team Venture watches on board the X-2, test pilot Major Tom (clearly named after David Bowie's Major Tom) flies an experimental aircraft (the TVC15) designed by Jonas Venture. After Tom cryptically ends communication (the dialog is taken directly from Bowie's songs "Space Oddity" and "Ashes to Ashes"), the plane smashes into the water.

The scene changes to present day, where Brock, Dr. Venture, Hank and Dean are now on the deck of the X-2. Venture prepares to dive in a large mechanical suit in an effort to locate the wreck of the experimental aircraft (and cash in on it). Inside the suit, Venture dictates intentionally melodramatic journal entries into a handheld recorder as Brock waits to lower him via rope. Hank accidentally jostles the controls of the crane that holds the suit over the water, and Brock suffers severe rope burn on both hands trying to maintain his grip. They regain control and Venture proceeds with the dive. As night falls, the doctor begins another journal entry describing his "ingenious" invention, the metasonic locator, which will allow him to locate the wreck of Major Tom's aircraft.

Brock futilely attempts to light a cigarette with his bandaged hands as the boys sleep in bunk beds a few feet away. He spots what appears to be an ancient man of war emerging from the fog nearby and leaves the bridge to investigate. Seconds later, Hank wakes up and walks onto the deck to urinate off the side of the boat. Stealthy figures, most of which are dressed in stereotypical pirate garb, climb on board the X-2 and sever the communication wires. Brock manages to avoid detection but is unable to wield his knife due to the bandages on his hands. He disables two of the intruders and tells Hank via their communicator watches to be careful.

Dean awakens in the bottom bunk to discover a "ghost pirate" warning him to leave the boat. Before Dean can react, Brock wallops the pirate (who is really just a guy wearing a mask and glow-in-the-dark paint) with a fire extinguisher and throws him through the door onto the outside deck. Another pirate who seems to be the leader of the group emerges from the bridge with a pistol held to Dean's head. Two of the pirates take Brock to their ship as prisoner as the captain keeps Dean as hostage.

Unaware of any of these events, Venture continues exploring the ocean floor. His metasonic locator is not getting any readings, so he increases the power to the device. Far beyond Venture's sight, its waves reach the wreckage of the experimental plane; a green glow appears inside the cockpit and shoots upwards towards the surface. Intent on his instruments, Venture does not notice the giant clam in front of him until it closes around the suit, trapping him. He shouts for help, but of course communications with the ship have been lost.

Chained to the wall of the pirates' brig, Brock manages to activate his communicator watch. He establishes contact with Hank and tells him that he will have to retake the X-2. Brock assures Hank that he will talk him through the process if Hank can focus.

The pirate captain talks with Dean on the bridge, explaining that their ship has been stuck in the sargassum for years. Whenever the opportunity arises, the pirates hijack passing ships and steal their cargo, usually netting things like toys and pantyhose instead of treasure. The green glow from the experimental aircraft alights on the X-2, forming itself into a skeletal figure wearing the tattered remains of a flight suit, surrounded by supernatural flames and screaming horribly. As Hank manages to overpower several pirates, Dean and the captain argue over whether they hear anything unusual.

The screaming has visibly rattled the pirate captain, who decides to take advantage of the newly-stolen boat and leave the area. He learns Brock has the starter key The captain instructs Brock's guards via walkie-talkie to search him for the key. Stalling for time, Brock tells them that he is hiding it inside his ass.

Underwater, Venture dictates another increasingly pessimistic entry. The clam finally released its grip when the mechanical suit's legs exploded, but he is still unable to contact his crew and has been reduced to dragging himself across the ocean floor with robotic hands. Against all odds, he manages to find the wreck he was seeking.

One of Brock's guards reluctantly dons a rubber glove and begins exploring the area in question, while the other lights a cigarette. Brock tries to bum a smoke, but the pirate refuses. Grimacing with effort, Brock traps the searcher's arm inside his ass and begins spinning him around the room, finally smashing him against the other pirate. While he recomposes himself, the pirate captain asks for a report; Brock takes the opportunity to taunt him, unnerving the captain even further.

By sheer luck, the captain manages to hotwire the boat and opens the throttles. The motion abruptly yanks Venture away from the plane, but before long the suit becomes wedged between two rocks and the ship is jerked to a halt. The captain attempts to investigate the problem and finds his crew tied up. A horrible noise brings Dean and the captain to the boat's bow, where the ghoulish figure stands screaming before a cowering Hank. The captain jumps onto the specter's back, but the ghostly figure does not react at all; in fact, it does not even turn when Hank sidles away. All the ghost seems to do is stand in a menacing pose and scream loudly.

Hank uses his communicator watch to call Dr. Orpheus, who has them contact Major Tom's widow, Jeanie. Rodney, AKA Action Man, is Jeanie's new husband and interrupts the now-calmed situation, sending the ghost into a screaming fit again. Brock appears, dismembers the corpse and tosses it overboard.

Struggling to remain within the last bubble of air in the leaking suit, Venture records a final note of regret over his failure. He breaks off into a scream, however, when Tom's still-glowing, still-screaming head lands on top of his suit.

After the ending credits, the pirate captain sheepishly apologizes to Brock and asks for a ride home.

Cultural references

*Major Tom is an homage to David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and "Ashes to Ashes". The opening scene's dialogue contains excerpts of the lyrics from both songs. The name of Major Tom's test craft (TVC 15) refers to the title of another Bowie song.
*The Sargasso Sea is in reference to the first episode of "Jonny Quest", which was set in the Sargasso Sea. [cite web|url=http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=94942|author=Hal Erickson|title="The Mystery of the Lizard Men" Synopsis|date=2007-02-06|publisher=All Movie Guide]
*The idea of a fake ghost ship is an homage to "Scooby-Doo". [Season 1 DVD commentary for "Ghosts of the Sargasso"]
*The walkie-talkie that Brock uses is modeled after Batman's face.

Connections to other episodes

*This is the only episode in the first season which features the X-2. In "Return to Spider-Skull Island", Dr. Venture gives the X-2 to Jonas Jr. [Episode "Return to Spider-Skull Island"]
*In "Twenty Years to Midnight" it is revealed that Jonas Jr. hired the pirate captain as skipper of the X-2. [Episode "Twenty Years to Midnight"]

Production notes

*According to the commentary track for the DVD release, several Cartoon Network executives complained about Brock's near-constant smoking, and they insisted on one episode (this one) in which Brock doesn't smoke (which, ultimately, he does). [Season 1 DVD commentary for "Ghosts of the Sargasso"]
*One of the animation directors (Kimson Albert) gets to have a "nickname" inserted into his credits. The nickname is an unusual line or word from the preceding episode. For "Ghosts of the Sargasso" the credit reads Kimson "Re-bort" Albert.

References