Conclusions (Strange Days at Blake Holsey High)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Conclusions | |
|---|---|
| Season 4 | |
 |
|
| Strange Days at Blake Holsey High | |
| Episode Details | Season 4 Episode 40, 41, 42 Production No. - 4x01, 4x02, 4x03 |
| Writer(s) | Jim Rapsas and Jeff F. King |
| Director | Jeff F. King |
| Original Airdate | January 28, 2006 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| “Inquiry” | “N/A” |
Conclusions is the series finale movie of Strange Days at Blake Holsey High.
When aired on Jetix UK, the movie is split into three episodes, with no pre-teaser segments or opening credits for parts two and three, with over 10 minutes cut from the movie (confirmed cuts are the scene where Josie explains to Lucas and Victor about being a clone; the scene Josie has with Avenir about him being her father and Josie's subsequent wandering around the school and meeting and hugging Prof Z). The opening credits were the same as those of other seasons with Josie's speech, rather than the soft music shown on the movie. Although a modified end credits sequence was shown, no bloopers from the movie end credits were shown.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Blake Holsey High, or "Black Hole High" as its students affectionately refer to it, is a co-ed preparatory school in an unspecified location just north of New York City. The school is funded by Victor Pearson, the director of nearby Pearadyne Labs. Throughout the series, it is revealed that Victor lost his wife Sarah in a disastrous experiment, and since then, has devoted his life to finding her again. His experiments are somehow responsible for strange phenomena at Blake Holsey High, which typically involve a student acquiring a strange new ability or encountering a problem that must be solved through scientific reasoning.
Victor's son Vaughn attends Blake Holsey High, where his father asks him to spy on the Science Club for him. Victor suspects the members of the Science Club have information he needs to successfully complete his experiments, and he has no qualms about using his own son to get it. Vaughn, however, befriends the members of the Science Club, and soon joins in their quest to discover the truth about the strange happenings at Blake Holsey, which ultimately point back to his father. As more time passes, Vaughn realizes he cannot trust Victor, and there is more to his past than his father has told him.
The Science Club is led by the cool and sometimes overly lenient Professor Noel Zachary, who replaced Professor Middleton after he disappeared. Professor Zachary, or "Z" as he is called by his students, helps his students apply their knowledge of science to solving the mysteries they frequently face. The Science Club includes misfit Josie Trent, math and science whiz Corrine Baxter, conspiracy theorist Lucas Randall, musician Marshall Wheeler, and after much effort to gain their trust, Vaughn Pearson. This trust is often lost as the Science Club learns more about Vaughn's father and the accident at Pearadyne Labs.
Throughout the series, the Science Club begins to piece together the mystery of the accident. On October 4, 1987, Victor and Sarah performed a time-travel experiment that went awry, thrusting Sarah out of the present, and leaving Victor alone to raise their son Vaughn. The explosion at Pearadyne Labs somehow created a wormhole in the office of Professor Z at Blake Holsey, which emits a flowing purple energy capable of affecting the students at the school. Its effects are often tied to students' emotions and express scientific principles they recently learned about.
The Science Club discovers that the wormhole is a vortex that opens a gateway to different points in time. They use the wormhole (albeit unintentionally) several times to travel to key points in the history of the Blake Holsey High. These events are interconnected and altering them has potentially disastrous results. Josie ironically provides the source of power for Victor's experiment in one such excursion into the past - a floating metal object called a Chi Ball. This ball contains unlimited potential energy and is a key part of Victor's plans. When she travels back again to steal the ball from Victor and prevent the accident at Pearadyne, she returns to a bleak present, where she is alone in a deserted Blake Holsey High.
[edit] Plot Synopsis
The movie begins one year after the disappearance of Josie. The Science Club meets to discuss their search for her, which has so far yielded no results. Lucas wants to use the wormhole to search for her in the past, but Professor Z is hesitant because he fears losing another student. Lucas then blames Vaughn for his father's role in Josie's disappearance. Principal Durst arrives to announce that Corrine has been named valedictorian, but their joy is short lived, because she is followed by Mr. Avenir, who has his own announcement. Blake Holsey High is to be closed after graduation.
In the hallway, Corrine speaks to Vaughn about his father and learns he has lost his fortune and driven Perradyne into bankruptcy. He even used his wife's portion of their estate to fund his experiments, which have now driven him mad. Vaughn has lost his mother, his father, and now Josie, so he cannot feel any worse. Meanwhile, his father retrieves a message capsule that crashes on the estate. It is the same type of capsule the Science Club discovered a year and a half earlier that contained a message from Vaughn's mother. The capsule operates on biometrics, and though Victor can access the timer, he cannot access the message within it.
Lucas defies Professor Z's instructions and intends to break into his office to access the wormhole. He is stopped by the Janitor, who tells him that if he believes he is powerless, then he will be. Time then freezes and the Janitor is visited by the alternate Josie. She does not understand why he has not acted yet, since Victor is in ruins and Avenir's plan is nearing success. The Janitor reminds her they are bound not to interfere and all things happen for a reason. The alternate Josie echoes this sentiment and disappears.
Inside Z's office, Lucas reasons that he can use the wormhole to bring Josie home if he concentrates and uses the power of thought to control it. He waits through the night without any result. He receives a phone call from Marshall, who now attends another school. Marshall has heard about the closing of Blake Holsey High and is worried about his friends in the Science Club. Lucas tries to hide the budding relationship between Corrine and Vaughn from Marshall to spare his feelings, but Marshall admits he knows they are becoming closer and is happy for them.
Midway through the call the gravity sensor activates, indicating the wormhole is about to open. Josie appears through the vortex, dressed in her usual school uniform. Lucas is overjoyed to see her, but she flatly tells him he cannot tell the others she has returned. She has to see Victor immediately, and Lucas must ensure that Vaughn is not taken in by Mr. Avenir. She instructs him to wait two hours, then come look for her at Victor's mansion if she has not returned by then. Vaughn meets with Mr. Avenir to discuss keeping the school open. He offers to use his trust to buy the property if he has to. As Lucas eavesdrops outside the door, Mr. Avenir reveals that he has come from the future to stop Victor, but he needs Vaughn's help.
Josie walks into Victor's office as he tries to open the capsule. Their reunion is tense, and Victor tells her she has done nothing but cause trouble for him. She tells him she is there to help and that the capsule operates on biometrics keyed to specific people. She touches the device and the side panel opens, revealing a holographic image of the numbers "04 04 05." Victor asks what the numbers mean, and Lucas walks in and tells him it is the date Josie disappeared. Josie asks if Lucas knows what the device does, and he tells her she does and instructs her to enter the numbers in the keypad, which she hesitantly does.
The panel turns over and reveals the slot for the pendant to be placed. Lucas explains they need the pendant Vaughn's mother gave him to access the message inside. Victor remembers Vaughn asking for the pendant last year, and realizes he needed it to access another message capsule. Josie asks where the pendant is, and Lucas tells them it is gone - it was sent back with the previous capsule. Victor wonders why Josie is so uninformed about the capsule when it is clearly designed for her to access. She confesses she doesn't have the answers and that it seems the only one who does is Josie Trent.
Lucas tells Josie that Vaughn has allied himself with Vaughn. She says she needs to speak to someone, and Lucas guesses the Janitor. She says he won't tell them anything, not after what she's done, so she must speak to someone else. Back at Blake Holsey High, Principal Durst walks past Professor Z's office, where a strange light seems to radiating inside. Vaughn continues his conversation with Mr. Avenir, who tells him that the technology to travel to the future has not been developed yet, and that he needs the device Victor is working on to do it. Mr. Avenir asks Vaughn to get the Chi Ball for him so they can travel to the future and rescue his mother. Vaughn agrees, but only if he helps him find Josie.
Vaughn tells Corrine about his meeting with Mr. Avenir. Corrine is worried that Mr. Avenir's offer is too convenient and that he shouldn't be so willing to help him. Vaughn tells her it is his only chance to find his mother and he has to take it. Professor Z goes into his office, where he confronts Lucas about using the wormhole. Lucas tries to explain, but Z only listens when Josie walks in and reveals herself to be Josie's clone. She explains she thought she could take Josie's place and access the message capsule, but that requires knowledge only the real Josie possesses.
Lucas asks if Josie's clone knows where Josie is. She tells him it is complicated, that she is in an alternate timeline. Z is excited, because Josie's clone has confirmed his theory for understanding the wormhole. Every time a person uses it to travel into the past, they create a separate universe. Josie is trapped in the one she created after stealing the Chi Ball from Victor in 1987. The Janitor comes in and tells them she cannot be removed from this universe without creating a paradox. Josie has left the timeline altogether and the only way to bring her back is to replace her in that universe with Josie's clone.
Lucas objects, but Josie's clone offers to take her place. At Victor's mansion, Victor confronts Vaughn about the message capsule they found last year. He counters that Victor has been lying to him his entire life. After they leave the room, Corrine sneaks in and steals the Chi Ball, as Vaughn watches in the shadows. In Z's office, Josie's clone says goodbye, and the Janitor seems upset to lose his Josie. She activates her watch and disappears, reappearing in the alternate universe where the real Josie is trapped. She tells Josie not to be afraid.
The two Josie's talk, and Josie's clone explains how the real Josie altered the timeline by stealing the Chi Ball from Victor. She tells her that the timeline she left still exists. Josie's clone reveals that after she was created, she was sent to the future and trained as an observer - a time traveller sent to prevent people from manipulating the timeline for their own purposes. She tells Josie the Janitor is an observer of observers from farther in the time line anyone can imagine. Sarah Pearson is also an observer, sent to ensure that Victor acquires the Chi Ball and develop time travel technology.
Sarah was sent to prevent Mr. Avenir from stealing the Chi Ball from Victor and altering the timeline but matters were complicated when she fell in love with Victor. Josie wishes the Chi Ball never existed and Victor never performed his experiments. Josie's clone tells her she's seen the timeline where Victor loses, and it is far worse than the alternate universe Josie is currently trapped in. She asks if Josie has found Sarah's pendant, which Josie did while searching the school. Josie's clone explains that in this timeline, Sarah realized something was wrong and left the pendant for Josie to find. Josie's clone tells Josie that once she arrives in her own universe, her path will be clear. She reminds Josie that everything happens for a reason, and she must stay in the alternate timeline.
Vaughn confronts Corrine about stealing the Chi Ball. Corrine explains that she is tired of the damage the ball is doing to the people she cares about. Vaughn says giving the ball to Mr. Avenir is his only chance to find his mother and takes it from her. The next day preparations for graduation begin, and Josie appears in Professor Z's office. She is greeted by Mr. Avenir, who tells her he is her father and wants her to join him in his quest for ultimate power. He has replayed this scene many times over, but each time Josie refuses him. She leaves in tears, and Mr. Avenir says that it will be Vaughn who helps him.
Josie passes Z in the hallway on her way to call her mother. She leaves a message telling her she needs to talk to her about her father, then breaks down in Z's arms. In the science lab, Z reveals that he never knew his father either, and when he finally met him, he was disappointed by the man he turned out to be. He commends Josie for her courage and tells her she can face Mr. Avenir. Outside the school, Lucas and Corrine talk and they are joined by Marshall, who has come to see them graduate. Professor Z comes out and tells them there is someone who wants to see them. Josie walks out behind them, and the Science Club is reunited again.
Josie hugs Lucas and thanks him for never giving up on her. She betrays her usual style of solving a problem solo and tells her friends she needs them to defeat Mr. Avenir. Vaughn tells Mr. Avenir he has the Chi Ball, and Mr. Avenir tells him to meet him in the science lab at 3:05 pm. The Science Club arrives at Victor's office, where Josie uses Sarah's pendant to activate the message in the capsule. A hologram of Sarah appears and explains that Josie must not interfere with Mr. Avenir's plan to open a portal in Z's office, because if she acts too soon, he will execute his plan in another timeline, and she acts too late, he will have acquired ultimate power.
Sarah tells them that the paladium lining in the floor of Z's office with open the portal, and Lucas realizes this is why Mr. Avenir had it installed in 1879. Sarah tells Victor that he must activate his device when Mr. Avenir opens the portal. It will be the only time he is vulnerable, and even though Victor doesn't have the Chi Ball to fully power his device, it will be enough to destabalize the portal and allow Josie to defeat him. She tells Josie that if they are to succeed, Josie must act alone. She then tells them to place the device outside so that it can return to her. It will allow her to help when she is needed.
Josie meets Mr. Avenir in the the science lab. He tells her that only she and Vaughn can access the true power of the Chi Ball, because having a parent from the future has given them a unique genetic makeup not of this world. Josie asks if her mother knew who Mr. Avenir really was, and he says he regrets deceiving her. He tried to persuade her to betray Victor, but she was weak and could not do it. Josie asks Mr. Avenir to set his plans aside and get to know her, but he refuses. He only wants to defeat Victor and obtain the power of the portal.
Vaughn enters the science lab, and Mr. Avenir tells him to hold out the Chi Ball and close his eyes. A metal lattice emerges from the floor, unfolding like a tesseract. He tells Vaughn to push the Chi Ball into the center of the portal, and at the same time, Victor begins activating his device. Josie reaches out and tries to push the Chi Ball out of the portal. He tells her Mr. Avenir is the enemy they have been fighting and that his father is the one meant to have the ball. She is too late though, and the portal fully opens. A figure in black emerges and Mr. Avenir runs into the portal.
The portal disappears, and the Chi Ball falls to the floor. The figure in black pulls back her hood and reveals she is Vaughn's mother. The Janitor comes in after they leave and takes the Chi Ball. At graduation, Corrine gives her valedictorian speech and reminisces about the friendships they have made there. After the ceremony, the Science Club discusses their plans for the summer. Professor Z is going to look for a new job, Corrine is going to backpack through Europe, Marshall offers to join Corrine, Vaughn is going to spend time with his parents, and Lucas is going to stay at Blake Holsey and search for a way to bring Josie's Clone back.
Josie says she is going to spend time with her mother and learn more about her father. She is also going to take summer school classes since she missed the last year. Vaughn tells her that his parents are considering buying a new property and building a new school, so he might see her there. The Science Club says their goodbyes, and Josie and Vaughn approach each other for a kiss, but walk away before they do. The Janitor walks up to Josie and tells her that it is not possible for him to go home, but he is proud of her saving them all. She asks if there is anything she can do, and he asks for a ride to the bus station.
Josie tells the Janitor there is a rumor a new Black Holsey high will be opened, and the Janitor says they will probably need a janitor there. Josie's mother arrives and they hug. The Janitor smiles as he looks on, and the school pulses with the purple wormhole energy.
[edit] True Identities Revealed
[edit] Victor Pearson
Frequently cast as the villain, Victor is in fact "one of the good guys." He was destined to acquire the Qui gong Ball and use it to develop the technology to travel through time safely and responsibly. Although he had lied to Vaughn about his mother and their research, he finally reveals that he was only respecting her wishes. His experiments since the accident have all been part of an attempt to bring her home.
[edit] Sarah Lynch
An observer from the future, sent to ensure Victor acquired the Qui gong Ball and fulfilled his destiny. Along the way she fell in love with Victor and gave birth to Vaughn. The explosion at Pearadyne Labs in 1987 thrust her into a far distant future in an alternate timeline. She is able to return once Mr. Avenir has been defeated.
[edit] Josie 2
Josie's clone created in season one, who was brought to the future and trained as an observer like Sarah. She was sent to the present to ensure Avenir did not defeat Victor and obtain the Qi gong Ball for himself. Though she chose to remain trapped forever in a timeline caused by the real Josie after her attempt to steal the floating ball from Victor proves to be the wrong choice after all.
[edit] The Janitor
An observer of observers from the distant future. He is beyond what anyone can imagine and works with the alternate Josie to fulfill her mission. He is bound not to interfere directly, although he frequently provides guidance to ensure the timeline follows its correct path.
[edit] Mr. Avenir
A time-traveller from the future who seeks to use the Qui gong Ball to obtain ultimate power. He travelled to 1879 and directed the construction of Blake Holsey High, ensuring he would be able open a portal in the present that he needs for his plans to succeed. He also attempted to persuade Josie's mother to betray Victor and sabotage his experiments, but she was unwilling. He was still with her long enough to father Josie, whom he asks to join him in his quest for power.
[edit] Mysteries Solved
[edit] The Wormhole
The wormhole is a vortex into different points in the past. Each time a person travels through it, he creates an alternate copy of the past, in effect generating an infinite number of universes that represents an infinite number of quantum possibilities. Before Josie was lost, the wormhole had brought travellers back to the present as it originally was because no changes were affected in the timeline. However, when Josie travels to 1987 and steals the Qui gong Ball from Victor, she creates an alternate timeline where Victor never performed his experiment at Pearadyne, and so the present she returns to is radically different.
[edit] Chiral DNA
Near the end of the series, Vaughn and Josie learn they both share a unique genetic trait - their DNA rotates left, not right like most other people. This genetic quirk is the result of each of them having a parent from the future. Their enhanced genetic structure enables them to access the true energy stored within the Qui gong Ball. Mr. Avenir seeks to use this ability to access the energy himself and gain ultimate power over space and time.
[edit] The Qi gong Ball
The Qi gong Ball is an unlimited source of energy trapped in a single point in space. Victor was able to use the Qi gong Ball to open the wormhole into the past, but he did not have the necessary technology to open one into the future. His wife Sarah was thrown into the future without direction as a result. As well, the Science Club of the "Black Hole" High school suspects that it is the cause of all the strange stuff that happens at their school. The Qi gong ball was introduced in the first season, although not apparent at that time it was an extremely important episode when Victor obtained the Qi gong ball.
[edit] Time Travel
In the future, time travel has become a common technology, but there are those who seek to use it to manipulate the timeline for their own advantage. Observers are sent from the future when this happens to ensure that the timeline follows its natural course. They are bound not to interfere directly, but can intervene indirectly to encourage others to act appropriately. Victor's experiments are a natural part of the timeline and lead to the development of safe time travel technology.
