While investigating a series of kidnappings, Solo and Kuryakin encounter Captain Shark who is creating a modern day Noah's Ark with the intention of repopulating the world in the event of a nuclear holocaust.
Acts:
- "Of Shoelaces and Ships"
- "A Foggy Day"
- "One...Two... Button My Shoe"
- "Three...Four... Shut the Door"
Tropes:
- Angst? What Angst?: Most of the "survivors" seem to have bought into Shark's apocalyptic predictions with great equanimity; they don't seem to miss the world they believe is about to be destroyed.
- Anti-Villain: Captain Shark is surprisingly sympathetic. Sure, he's kidnapping people, sinking ships, and spreading terror on the high seas, but his intentions of saving people from an impending nuclear war and even reuniting them with their families are hard to find fault with. Meanwhile, he has inspired genuine loyalty from his crew, and appears to be quite charming during the dinner scene.
- Apocalyptic Logistics: Shark's plan suffers from this, badly. Though he does try to collect people with diverse skills, it seems unlikely they'll be able to support a livable society. (How useful is it, really, to have a piano tuner or a piano player in a world that is not going to be able to manufacture any more pianos?)
- Cloudcuckoolander: Elsa. While she's relatively bright and quick on her feet, she definitely has her quirks. Memorably, she has to feed her pet bird Sam before going to help Napoleon in the final act.
- Cozy Catastrophe: Invoked. Shark makes life on the ship as comfortable as possible for his captives, with good food, the presence of their families, and a chance to pursue their vocations without financial worries. He seems to think they'll be able to maintain this same standard of living indefinitely, even After the End.
- Dumb Blonde: Elsa subverts this. She might seem a bit like an air-head, but she proves both to have a relatively cool head while helping Napoleon in the final act and a shrewd understanding of her fellows aboard Captain Shark's vessel.
- Hairpin Lockpick: Solo borrow's Elsa's hairpin to break into the munitions room.
- Henpecked Husband: Harry Barnman doesn't entirely appreciate his wife's overly-solicitous ways.
- Ironic Nursery Tune: Solo quotes an old counting rhyme
twice, both times in dark circumstances: once while he is being whipped, and once in reference to Shark's belief in imminent nuclear war. - It Has Been an Honor: Between the ostensible villains, nonetheless! As he prepares to go down with his sinking ship, Captain Shark tells Mister Morgan that "you're the finest exec I've ever sailed with".
- Manly Tears: A few from Mister Morgan near the end as he prepares to abandon ship without his Captain.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Elsa gives a pretty good one to the rest of the passengers, claiming that they're just running away from their daily lives and troubles by throwing their lots in with Captain Shark.
- Running Gag: One involving Elsa, Illya, and her slamming the latter with doors at the most inopportune moments.
- A Taste of the Lash: The punishment aboard Captain Shark's vessel for, (presumably) among other things, disrespect, is ten lashes. Napoleon finds this out the hard way.
- Through His Stomach: Elsa just loves feeding others, be it her husband, Illya, or her pet bird.
