Zero Gravity Zone
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Zero Gravity Zone" is the twenty-first episode of the French animated television series Code Lyoko. It premiered in France on January 21, 2004 and in the United States on May 17, 2004.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
Just before an official school soccer game, XANA starts nullifying gravity by creating electromagnetic fields around specific areas. Ulrich does not want to help stop XANA this time around, as he needs to impress his parents who will be attending the game. The others have to stop XANA before the entire student body is sent into orbit.
[edit] Recap
It all starts out as Ulrich is practicing soccer with the school team on the Athletic Field. He is engaged in a game of Beat the Goalie against the school's primary goalkeeper, Xavier Gosselin. When Gosselin tells Ulrich that he is ready, Ulrich pops a shot into a corner of the net that the goalie cannot reach in time. As the practice session continues, teammate Mohammed Kantaoui keeps feeding Ulrich soccer balls from the pile until none are left. Ulrich scores every on every shot, eventually wearing Gosselin down to the point where the goalie is content to lean against the post and just watch the ball fly in. Throughout the ordeal, Gosselin manages only one save, which was technically a goal since he was knocked back into the net along with the ball. When the pile of soccer balls has been exhausted, Jim terminates the practice session. He proudly says that with Ulrich on the team they will crush Lincoln Junior High in the upcoming home game. Before Ulrich leaves the field, Jim warns his star player about Lincoln's hotshot forward, Matt. As the team hits the showers, Ulrich goes to Odd and Jeremie, who are watching him practice. Odd says "We are here right now and we will be here in the game. But not for you. we just can't wait to see Sissi with her batton. Thats why we are coming!"
In the Park, Sissi is practicing her cheerleading routine with her batton. As she finishes the Kadic fight song, she tosses the batton high up into the air for bravado. She waits for it to come down, but it doesn't. Concerned, Sissi runs towards the Quad. As she runs, Yumi is walking along one the Park's pathways to get to school. As she walks, she hears electric cracklings. She stops and looks up at the pathside streetlights, which are blinking erratically. Suddenly, Yumi is picked up and screams as she levitates in the air for a few moments before being dropped back to the ground. She takes off for the Quad.
Near the arches, Sissi is hysterically telling Jeanne Le Bihan and Claire Girard that her batton never came back. Sissi's fellow females don't believe her, however, and tell Sissi that she has lost her mind. Ulrich, Odd and Jeremie overhear the conversation and believe that XANA is involved.
A scene in space shows Sissi's batton leaving Earth's atmosphere. Still spinning, it floats off towards Mars and Jupiter in the background.
In the Cafeteria, Yumi comes up to their table, beelining for Jeremie. Both say at the same time "We have to talk!"
Back in Jeremie's dorm room, the four kids are talking to Aelita about what happened to Yumi. Yumi says, "We can't take the risk. We have to go to Lyoko and deactivate the Tower!" In response, Ulrich says, "Well count me out!" Everybody is stunned. Jeremie starts yelling at Ulrich for his intransigence. He furiously shouts, "And Aelita is probably in danger and you would rather kick a ball around!!" To this, Ulrich says, "Well I said I can't go and thats that!" He leaves the room and he says he is sorry. Still livid, Jeremie says, "Sorry?! Is that all! You rather please the fans. They are more important then your friends!" Odd plays peacemaker and says, "Leave him alone Jeremie, he has his reasons. Have you ever met Ulrich's dad? If you aren't first then you are nothing in his book and since his report card is kinda disastrous the only way to please his dad is..." Odd trails off. Jeremie, catching his friend's drift, picks up again, "...when he plays soccer..." Yumi smiles and Odd says "Yeah exactly. He is playing today's game as if his life counted on it." To this Aelita, who has been quietly listening on the desktop computer, nods.
In the locker room Ulrich is sitting next to Gosselin on the long bench. Jim comes up to his team and gives a pep talk, saying that they have a chance to win today's game. Matt comes from the Lincoln team's half of the room. He and Ulrich briefly lock eyes before Matt departs for the field.
In the Park Yumi, Odd, and Jeremie are walking towards the manhole cover that will link them with Factory. Jeremie asks, "Why couldn't he have just told us?" Yumi says laughingly, "Ulrich? Tell a secret?" then Odd chimes in with, "Why worry? Ulrich is going to win the game and we are going to save the world...besides you got me don't you?" Jeremie and Yumi smile.
On the Athletic Field, the Lincoln and Kadic teams are waiting to start the game. Milly and Tamiya are on the sidelines providing televised match coverage while Sissi and the other students cheer their school on. Ulrich looks at his mother and father in the bleachers. The whistle is blown and the first half begins. Milly provides commentary as Ulrich runs down the field with the ball he passes it to a teammate. Matt maneuvers to steal the ball. He does a slide tackle and seprates the ball from the Kadic player. Matt's plan backfires, however, as the ball does not bounce to a Lincoln player. It instead goes to Ulrich, who dribbles the ball deep into Lincoln territory. The Lincoln goalie is in the basic stance, bracing himself for the incoming striker. Ulrich stops short of the goal box and rockets the ball past the diving Lincoln goalie into the right-hand corner of the net to the rapture of the Kadic cheering section.
In the Factory Yumi and Odd get transferred, scanned and virtualized into Lyoko. Aelita is waiting for them there in the Mountain Sector. The trio strikes out for the activated Tower. Hornets are there waiting for them, however. With a healthy barrage of Laser Arrows and Boomerang Fans the two Hornets are dispatched relatively quickly. Unfortunately, a new swarm is inbound on their position. Jeremie tells the two to hurry, "Or Ulrich will be finishing the game in the Stratosphere!"
Back at the Athletic Field Matt is careening downfield with the ball towards the empty Kadic net. Gosselin is nowhere to be seen. Fortunately for the Kadic goalie, Ulrich slide-tackles the ball away from Matt and takes it back downfiled. Meeting no opposition along the way, Ulrich takes the shot. He beats the helpless Lincoln goalie to score again just before halftime. Milly comments on Kadic's "commanding 2-0 lead" and gets an interview with Ulrich. The star athlete grins when asked what he thinks of Lincoln's playing. He tells Milly that since they are in the finals, they have to be good.
In the Lab, Jeremie has figured out what XANA is planning to do. By exploiting and bending the Earth's natural electromagnetism to create abnormal EM fields in certain areas of the planet's surface, the virus can nulliffy the planet's gravity and cause anyone unfortunate enough to be in those areas to float up into thin air. Concerned by the severity of this threat, Jeremie calls Ulrich.
Halftime is almost over, which is inconvenient for Ulrich who has to take the call. Since Jim won't let Ulrich take his phone onto the field, the star athlete brings a wireless earphone communicator instead. As he stands on the midfield line staring at several Lincoln players and the Lincoln goalie, Jeremie begs Ulrich to come to the Factory. Ulrich says he can't leave the game. When Jeremie cites the urgency of the threat, the whistle to begin the second half sounds. While players rush around Ulrich in a mad dash for the ball, Kadic's star strikier just stands in the middle of the field with his head down. Milly comments on this in a worried tone. Ulrich's innaction has consequences for his team. Matt has taken possession of the ball and has penetrated deep into Kadic territory. When he reaches the goal box, he unleashes a shot that sails into the upper right-hand corner of the net. Gosselin doesn't even make a grab for it. Milly laments Matt cutting Kadic's lead in half while Ulrich stands immobile. Guilty at not attempting to avert the goal, Ulrich says, "Shut up Jeremie, just...shut up" and hangs up on him. When Gosselin tosses the ball out of the net and action begins again, Matt takes possession once more. This time, Ulrich maneuvers to upset another possible goal. He yells at Matt, "I'm going to stop you!" Matt dares him to, and takes off. Ulrich, quite conflicted between the game and his friends, attempts to steal the ball but gets tackled. While Milly emotionally reports that Ulrich is down, the star athlete limps off the field. Under all the pressure, Ulrich had chosen his friends over the game and faked an injury to his knee. As Ulrich abandons the field, Jim cries after him, asking his star player why he is deserting him in a hopeless and disbelieving tone of voice. Sissi doesn't believe that Ulrich actually got injured and follows him.
Ulrich calls Jeremie to tell him he left the game. Jeremie asks for the demographic and logistical situation on campus. Ulrich says that the entire student body and faculty are at the game, with the exception of Mrs. Hertz who is working in the Science Building. Ulrich goes inside to look for Mrs. Hertz.
Back in Lyoko Yumi and Odd try a new tactic, Yumi uses her telekenisis to guard Odd and herself to fight the Hornets. By rotating a large number of medium-sized rocks around her and Odd, she gives her friend the ability to shoot at the Hornets while minimalizing the risk of being hit by enemy fire.
At the Science Building, Ulrich finds Mrs. Hertz in her classroom. One of XANA's abnormal EM fields has hit the Science Building. Ulrich and the startled Mrs. Hertz float upwards before being dropped back down. Ulrich is uninjured, but Mrs. Hertz is out cold. Ulrich shoulders his unconscious teacher and walks out into the hallway.
Jeremie attempts to launch a neutralization program, but XANA beats him to the quick.
The overhead fluorescent lights begin to flicker and go black as another loss of gravity ensues. Sissi comes flying through the hallway. Ulrich catches her and, holding Mrs. Hertz and Sissi, crawls towards the stariwell by gripping columns and storage cabinets along the way.
In the Lab, Jeremie tries his program again. But now XANA has changed targets. Jeremie watches a monitor that is scanning power output in the city and suddenly announces that XANA has just possessed 50 power sub-stations scattered throughout the central city and Kadic's neighborhood.
In Lyoko, Odd complains that he isn't hitting many Hornets. The telekenisis has tired Yumi out and Odd is running out of arrows. Too tired to continue, Yumi gives up and the stones collapse around them. The two then notice a very odd sight. Aelita is using her Creativity to create a new path to the Tower's plateau. She is moving sluggishly, apparently not concerned by time constraints. The Hornets see her and goe to terminate her. Odd shouts, "No! Aelita is too late!" One of the Hornets shoots Aelita. This breaks her concentration and causes her to lose her balance. She tumbles off her unfinished path, falling out of view into the Digital Void. The Hornets dive after her to finish their work. Odd and Yumi clasp their hands to their heads in disbelief and in unison scream "NOOOOOOOO!"
In the Lab, an equally distraught Jeremie screams, "AELITA!"
From behind Yumi and Odd, Aelita says, "Just let me know when you are finished crying." Yumi whirls around and realization hits her. She says, "You were just luring them!" and Aelita replies, "Why of course."
Jeremie then yells, "Aelita you are the greatest!!!!"
In the Science Building gravity has returned, as XANA has shifted the abnormal EM field to the sporting terrain. Ulrich hands the unconscious Mrs. Hertz to Sissi and tells her to remain in the building's foyer. Ulrich then steps outside.
On the field, Milly reports that Matt has the opportunity to tie up the game with a penalty kick. Matt has the ball positioned in front of the goal box and runs up to kick it. Just as he swings his leg, he flies up into the air and emits a startled cry. As Matt and the other players on the field float up, an equally unnerved Gosselin flies up, only to get caught in his own net. In the bleachers the startled fans are picked up by the weightlessness and float up into the air. Some lucky students manage to grab onto the edge of the stands, delaying their imminent departure from the ground. Ulrich's father manages to hold onto the bleacher's edge with one hand while his wife grips his leg. Ulrich crawls along the Science Building's wall, gripping onto the window alcoves to prevent him from sharing the same fate as his fellow students. He reaches the bleachers and tells his father to grab onto his hand. While everyone else is wrenched free of their handholds and begin their ascent, Ulrich tries to hold on to his parents. His dad says, "I'm proud of you, I really am" and lets go of him and Ulrich yells "Noo!!!"
In Lyoko. Aelita goes into the Tower and deactivates it just as Ulrich floats up as well.
After the return trip, Ulrich is back at the game, which hasn't started yet. This time, true to their word, Yumi, Odd and Jeremie are there to see him. Odd yells, "Go Ulrich, you are the champion!!" and Jeremie says, "Yeah, but which world?" and Odd says, "Why both of them, Jeremie both of them!" The game starts and Ulrich kicks the ball to his teammate. Matt slide tackles the ball away, but Ulrich collects it and dribbles it towards the Lincoln net. He unleashes a shot the episode ends.
[edit] Memorable Quotes
- Odd: Lets back Ulrich! Come on world champion!
- Jeremie: Yeah, but which world?
- Odd: Why both of them Jeremie, both of them!
- Aelita: As soon as you’re finished crying, just let me know!
- Sissi: Ulrich! Do you mind telling me exactly what's going on?
- Ulrich: Yeah, I do mind. So keep quiet!
- Aelita: Have you noticed anything strange going on in the real world?
- Odd: Oh, just the usual things. Batons that fly into the air and don't come back and Yumi's suddenly airborne.
- Claire Girard: Look, it’s the mysterious baton twirler.
- Jeanne Le Bihan: Hey, Sissi. Eat your steak and French fries fast, before they fly away.
- Jeremie: Uh, oh. (Yumi arrives) We gotta talk....
- Yumi and Jeremie: (together) right now!
[edit] Headline text
[edit] Trivia
Bold text
What was the point in this Code Lyoko Episode? A-Defiine Gracity B-What is Gravity C-What the hell are you talkin about?
It's only a one question quiz if you get it right good for you dammit now go suck five cocks
§ierra
[edit] Physics
- Logically, if you were weightless, you would not rise unless you were pushed by something. In most cartoons, this is ignored. (For the sake of the plot.)
[edit] Cinematic Notes
- Several animation errors were seen in this episode regarding the jersies of the Lincoln and Kadic's goalies. It was identified that Kadic's color was black with yellow stripes, while Lincoln's was white with black stripes. When Ulrich scores his goals against Lincoln, that school's goalie is wearing the black and yellow uniform. The next time the Lincoln goalie is onscreen, he is seen in his original uniform. When Matt takes his penalty kick, this time Gosselin (the Kadic goalie) is wearing the white and black uniform. In the next scene where he floats up into the net, the black and yellow jersey has returned to him.
[edit] Allusions to the Real World
- Lincoln Junior High School
Named in honor of Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States and abolisher of slavery as a national practice.
FOOTNOTE: The opposing school was called Lincoln Junior High only in the American broadcast. In the French version, it was named Collegé Diderot, in honor of the French Enlightenment writer and philosopher Denis Diderot. This is also an allusion to the real world.
[edit] External links
- A script for the episode in French
- PLEASE NOTE: You'll have to click on the BONUS! section on the sidebar and go to the episode "Gravite Zero."
| Preceded by: "The Robots" |
Code Lyoko episodes | Followed by: "Routine" |
