Episode - 1-07 (9th in Broadcast Order)
First Aired - September 18, 2004
Race Bannon has defeated a crew of Snakemen aboard their plane. He retrieves the "top secret formula" they stole and destroys the plane with a grenade as he parachutes to safety. However, the wing of the out-of-control plane hits him and knocks him out. His limp body lands in a neighborhood where young children are playing. The wind catches his parachute and begins dragging his body along the ground. The plane itself crashes near the Venture compound and the canister of formula Race was carrying hits Hank on the head. After investigating the crash site, Brock and the boys find Race near death. With his last breath, he tells them that the canister contains "Goliath Serum," and that it must be protected at all costs. He hands them an old film about the serum then dies, with his bowels releasing.
Meanwhile, Dr. Venture, Billy Quizboy, and Pete White have been invited to the Impossible Industries Arctic base by their old college professor, Richard Impossible, to participate in a scientific think tank sponsored by the United Nations. Impossible gives the trio a set of jumpsuits that fit their form and have a variety of other features. Before they can begin work, they must each provide a urine sample as part of mandatory drug testing. Venture, knowing that he will fail due to the excessive "diet pills" he takes, Venture brought a sample from his sons, but spills it in the bathroom. He manages to get a reprieve to provide the sample later, then meets Sally Impossible, Richard's wife. Richard is clearly unhappy by the fact the Sally has left her room.
Brock and the boys watch a film about the Goliath Serum, developed by Richard Impossible. The serum destabilizes living matter until it explodes violently. The film contends that the serum was never tested on humans, but signs of exposure would include increased appetite, rapid growth of facial hair, and flushing cheeks. Brock and Dean look at Hank, who is gulping down popcorn with flushed cheeks, realize that he has been exposed. Brock calms everyone down and explains that they're going to find help.
Richard continues to pester Venture about his urine sample. Finally, Sally stops by Venture's office with her own clean urine sample. The two flirt, with Sally admitting that she is frustrated with the base and wants to run away with an exciting man. She moves in to kiss Venture, when her skin turns invisible, revealing her muscles beneath. Venture screams and flees, stumbling upon Sally's Brother, Cody, who (painfully) bursts into flames when exposed to oxygen and her cousin, Ned, who is mentally challenged with (literal) extremely thick skin. Sally explains that their afflictions are the result of an accident. Richard overhears with an elongated ear, then casually enters the room to offer Venture a ride in a flying car. Richard explains his justification for what he is about to do, but Rusty can't hear due to the high winds. Richard dumps Venture in the middle of the arctic, where his Impossible jumpsuit shatters into pieces (not meant for the extreme cold.)
Venture, naked, hallucinating, and suffering from hypothermia, wanders through the snow looking for shelter. When he is about to be attacked by a polar bear, Brock jumps in and kills the bear with his knife. He skins it and gives the fur to Venture to keep him warm. Brock admits that they stumbled onto Venture by accident while heading to Impossible's lab. They arrive at the lab, but Richard tells them that killing Hank is the only way to stop the reaction.
Sally, Billy, and White prevent Richard from shooting Hank and insist on trying to find an antidote. Cody and Ned tie Richard up with his own extended body parts while the others get to work. They come up with a treatment just as Hank gets to the final stage, uncontrollable hiccups. They administer the treatment to Hank, whose symptoms immediately stop. The team celebrates, but Richard, who has untangled himself, sniffs the treatment beaker and tells them all they did was mix up some ranch dressing. He explains that the Goliath Serum must not work on humans as to why Hank's symptoms stopped. The Ventures sneak off while Sally argues with Richard.
In the post credits Stinger, Richard looks at Venture's urine sample under a microscope while Sally cries. Richard states that Venture appears to be pregnant, puzzling him. Sally, hearing this, begins crying harder.
Tropes:
- Ambiguous Situation: Did the scientists actually create a cure for the Goliath Serum, or does it really just not work on humans because it was allegedly never tested on them? Considering Hank was experiencing the side effects of the serum though, it's likely the former. And as Sally points out, Richard was likely too arrogant to acknowledge that Rusty was able to accomplish what Richard couldn't. It's also possible that the symptoms are the only parts that happen to humans before wearing off, or that it could have always been cured by ranch dressing. (Also, when has ranch dressing ever been orange?)
- Blessed with Suck: All of the Impossible family members except for Richard.
- Carcass Sleeping Bag: Rusty is stranded naked in the arctic after being booted out by Prof. Impossible. Brock shows up just as he is about to be attacked by a polar bear and skins the bear with incredible speed to keep the Doc warm. In this case, it's partly residual body heat from the bear (its skin is shown to be steaming) and partly just the benefit of a fur coat.
- Corrupted Character Copy: The Impossibles are parodies of the Fantastic Four, with similar (but less useful) powers and significantly more dysfunctional team dynamics.
- Richard is a darker version of Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards. Complete with the same stretching powers and the name.
- Sally is the Invisible Woman, but only her skin turns invisible.
- Cody is the Human Torch, though he can't control the flames and can still feel them.
- Ned is a mentally challenged version of the Thing, with severe callouses instead of rock-hard skin.
- Drugs Are Bad: Richard apparently believes this, hence the mandatory testing for all employees.
- Fake Crossover: Race Bannon, of Jonny Quest fame, appears in the Venture universe as an O.S.I. agent. note
- Final Speech: Race warning Brock about the Goliath Serum.
- Go Through Me: Brock and Rusty stand between Hank and Richard, who's trying to shoot Hank before he explodes.Richard: Oh, what, like that would stop me from shooting? [But... he doesn't shoot.]
- Going Commando: Rusty admits that he's not wearing underwear beneath his Impossi-suit. Turns out to have been a bad idea when the suit shatters in the freezing temperatures.
- Mercy Kill: Hank has Brock agree to kill him if there's no way to prevent the Goliath Serum from making him explode. Disturbingly, Brock has already figured out exactly how he'd do it (Neck Snap while Hank is asleep).
- Nemean Skinning: Brock does this to a polar bear to make a coat for Rusty.
- No Dead Body Poops: Averted and lampshaded. When Race dies, he craps himself, much to the disgust of Hank and Dean.Brock: Yeah, that's the part they don't show you on TV.
- Sequential Symptom Syndrome: Hank displays the symptoms of Goliath Serum poisoning as they watch the filmstrip describing them.
- Shout-Out
- The Impossibles are Corrupted Character Copies of the Fantastic Four, and Richard's flying car greatly resembles the Fantasticar.
- The title of the episode is based on the movie Ice Station Zebra.
- The scene where the children investigate Race Bannon's body is similar to the Lord of the Flies scene involving a dead pilot.
- Wham Line: "Dr. Venture is...pregnant?"
- Why Am I Ticking?: There is no actual ticking, but the Goliath Serum turns living things into a time bomb.
