invisibility
From Homestar Runner Wiki
| Strong Bad Email #41 |
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Tandy 400 is dead and gone. BEHOLD! Da Compy 386! A spectacle of graphics and sound! Meanwhile, Strong Bad discovers being invisible really isn't worth it.
Cast (in order of appearance): Strong Bad, Bubs, Homestar Runner, Strong Mad
Places: Computer Room, Bubs' Concession Stand, The Field, Strong Bad's Basement
Computer: Compy 386
Date: September 9, 2002
Running Time: 1:47
Page Title: The Last Stand(y) of the Tandy 400.
Contents |
Transcript
STRONG BAD: {off-screen} I'm hooome!
{He walks to the Tandy 400 and sits in front of it.}
STRONG BAD: Okay, let's see here. Don't need this anymore.
{Strong Bad removes the post-it on the screen that says "DORKS!" on it with an angry face with sharp teeth below.}
STRONG BAD: And don't need this anymore!
{Strong Bad knocks the Tandy off the table and onto the floor.}
STRONG BAD: For behold...
{Strong Bad places the Compy on the desk, as a harp plays.}
STRONG BAD: The 386. A spectacle of graphics and sound!
{A tune is played and the "386 Version 1.5" logo appears on the screen.}
STRONG BAD: Okay, let's get to checking! {types "strongbad_email.exe" to bring up the email, which reads:}
strong bad,
what would you do if you were
invisable for one day????
sin studly17
STRONG BAD: {typing} Well dumb name, this is something I've often thought about myself. And I came to the conclusion that... {clears screen, continues typing} I don't really think being visible prevents me from doing whatever I want to do. So I'd probably just do the kinda stuff I normally do.
{Cut to an invisible Strong Bad stealing boxes of Swiss Cake Rolls from Bubs' Concession Stand.}
STRONG BAD: {voice-over} You know, like, steal stuff...
{Bubs turns around to find the Swiss Cake Rolls boxes floating away.}
BUBS: My chocolates! Come back, chocolates! I didn't mean what I said...
{Cut to Homestar Runner standing in the field.}
STRONG BAD: {voice-over} ...punch stuff...
HOMESTAR RUNNER: Marzipan is late.
{The boxes of rolls float up to Homestar.}
HOMESTAR RUNNER: Oh, hey, guys!
{A punching noise is heard and Homestar doubles over. The boxes float off.}
HOMESTAR RUNNER: Ooh! Owww! Those things are bad for you.
{Cut to Invisible Strong Bad eating the Swiss Cake Rolls on his couch in front of the TV. Family Feud is on.}
STRONG BAD: {voice-over} ...eat stuff...and at the same time...watch stuff...
{The "Family Feud" strike buzzer is heard from the TV.}
INVISIBLE STRONG BAD: Pwa ha ha ha! Survey says, you're an idiot!
{Strong Mad enters the room and walks in front of where Invisible Strong Bad is sitting.}
INVISIBLE STRONG BAD: Oh, hey, man. Look, I'm sitting here, I'm just invisible, okay?
{Strong Mad looks confused and looks around for the source of the voice, while Invisible Strong Bad waves the swiss cake roll around him}
INVISIBLE STRONG BAD:Hey! Brain-for-brains! I'm right here! The floating Swiss Cake Roll is talking to you! Hey, now what the...NONONONO...
{Strong Mad gets angry, jumps up, and sits on the couch where Invisible Strong Bad is sitting.}
INVISIBLE STRONG BAD: WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!
{Cut back to the computer with Strong Bad}
STRONG BAD: Ugh! {typing} Nevermind. Being invisible is not worth a face full of Strong Mad butt. {stops typing} Ugh. {resumes typing} I feel like I need to take a shower. I dunno when the last time he washed that singlet was. {stops typing} Anyways. Remember, kids! Take your vitamins, pretend you're hilarious, and always, always, e-mail Strong Bad.
{The Paper comes down. The screen eventually fades out and cuts to the Tandy 400 sitting in a trash can.}
Easter Eggs
- At the end of it, the screen will fade to the Tandy in the trash. You can click on the contrast buttons to see some funny last words.
- Why, Strong Bad, why?
- Remember the duck pond?
- I thought we were a team.
- Whatever, man. I can make it on my own.
- 386? more like three eighty SUCKS!
- Tell the printer I'll miss her
- Yeah? Well someone on eBay loves me.
- There's flies in me. It tickles.
- My mind is going. I can feel it. [x5]
- Fine, I'm gonna start giving away secrets.
- Have you clicked on the 'O' in Message Bored?
- Justin Bailey ****** ******
- Oh jeez. I think this is really it.
- gasp.
- wheez.
- cough.
- (blank screen) [x2]
- end of line.
Fun Facts
Trivia
- This is the first appearance of the Compy 386, but it won't be the last appearance of the Tandy 400.
- The Compy makes The Geddup Noise when it is dragged onto the table.
- This is the first time the file to check Strong Bad's email is "strongbad_email.exe".
Goofs
- If you look at the Tandy's screen when it's in the garbage, you'll notice that the crack in the glass isn't there.
- When Strong Bad knocks the Tandy off the desk, a piece of Strong Bad's reflection from the computer screen can be seen on the wall.
- In one frame, as the Tandy is flying off the desk, the contrast dials are completely gone.
- While Invisible Strong Bad is stealing the Swiss Cake Rolls, at one point while he's walking offscreen, the cake rolls suddenly disappear, although he hasn't finished walking out of the camera's view.
Glitches
- If you try to change the contrast on Tandy when Strong Bad's reflection appears, the reflection is not changed.
- In addition, in the reflection in Tandy, you'll see that Strong Bad's red mask base is cut just before the edge of the screen, but not the black shape in the front. You'll see it better with the green contrast being set on.
- Strangely, when Strong Bad sits down at the Tandy, we see his reflection but it blocks the little green lines on the screen. In real life this wouldn't happen, nor does it happen in any other email.
Inside References
- One of the 'last words' is a hint to click on the 'O' in Message Bored. The "Message Bored" it is referring to is the Strong Bad's Message Bored, an old, official forum that used to be on the site (now, only the banner from the top is still around.) Clicking on the "O" brings you to 3 hidden games.
- "Remember the duck pond?" is a reference to duck pond.
Real-World References
- The line "My mind is going. I can feel it." is a reference to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- The line "Justin Bailey ****** ******" refers to a cheat code for the game Metroid, which caused the heroine Samus Aran to be dressed in a skimpier outfit than her normal armored suit when you input it as your continue password.
- The buzzer sound and the line "Survey Says" is a reference to Family Feud.
- "End of line" is a quote from the Walt Disney movie Tron. The sinister Master Control Program always ended conversations with his minions by saying "End of line."
- At the end of the email when Strong Bad says "Take your vitamins, pretend you're hilarious, and always, always, e-mail Strong Bad." is a parody of the way Hulk Hogan used to tell fans to "train, say your prayers, and take your vitamins" in the '80s.
- eBay is a popular online auction website, where you can find just about anything for sale.
Fast Forward
- This email is later mentioned in personal favorites.
- The phrase "I can make it on my own" is used as the motto of Li'l Brudder.
- The Tandy comes back from the dead in ghosts.
DVD Version
- Unlike the email version, you have to click on a hidden Strong Bad head icon to access the Tandy 400's last words, as opposed to just waiting.
- As well, there are minor differences in the egg. The egg is now a video, with sound effects of the flies buzzing, blips when the Tandy changes text, and inability to cycle through the text manually. When the Tandy says "My mind is going, I can feel it," it flashes on the screen a few times before switching over to the next block of text. As well, when "End of Line" appears, the text slowly fades away into nothingness.
- The DVD version features hidden creators' commentary. To access it, switch your DVD player's audio language selection while watching.
Commentary Transcript
(Commentary by: Matt Chapman, Mike Chapman)
MATT: Strong Bad's returning from vacation, Mike! This is the first break we really took after we'd started doing the Strong Bad Emails every week, huh?
MIKE: Mmm-hm. Couple weeks.
MATT: Where'd you go on your vacation?
MIKE: I went to Bald Head Island in North Carolina.
MATT: Did you?
MIKE: Mmm-hm. The beach.
MATT: I guess I went to Marco Island, Florida, I would assume. {pause} So, here comes the 386! Just—
MIKE: Yeah, new computer! Uh, he hasn't updated since then.
MATT: Yeah. Should we do that?
MIKE: Maybe someday. I've thought about giving him a laptop named Lappy.
MATT: {laughs} That sounds pretty good.
MIKE: Maybe we'll do that someday.
MATT: The Lappy 486?
MIKE: Uh-huh.
MATT: I like that song Bubs is singing to himself. I love how personified the Swiss Cake Rolls are.
MIKE: Yeah, no one, no one seems to have a problem with the floating Swiss Cake Rolls.
MATT: Yeah.
MIKE: It's like, so common.
MATT: Bubs had been in some kind of domestic dispute with them earlier. Homestar was... y'know, maybe going to meet them up at the club later. I like the, like, butt, the sweaty butt imprint that Strong Bad's leaving on the couch there. Here comes Graw Mad! Look out! He doesn't know what's going on! Uh-oh, Strong Bad! Ohhh, man.
MIKE: So did that really happen?
MATT: What?
MIKE: All of that stuff?
MATT: No.
MIKE: Oh.
MATT: That was all, I think—
MIKE: Like a dream sequence?
MATT: We draw—there's a fine line. Sometimes, it's really happening, and sometimes it's just hypothetical.
MIKE: I think that one was hypothetical.
MATT: I think we leave the best—the more gray we leave it, the better. Thanks everyone.
Fun Facts
- This commentary serves as very effective foreshadowing to the emails virus and animal (which had not been made at the time the commentary was recorded), since the Lappy 486 has indeed replaced the Compy.
- Matt calling Strong Mad "Graw Mad" is probably a reference to the facts (though the email may not have been made at the time of the commentary recording).
- The Brothers Chaps visited Bald Head Island and Marco Island, two small towns on the East Coast of the United States.
