Episode 1-03: The Substitute
Director of Animation: Robert
D. M. Smith, Willy Ashworth
Writer: Sean Kelly
Director: Don McCutcheon
Synopsis
The Rat spies on Mark's science class and sees that Mark still has the Amulet piece. Ace sees Lord Fear outside the school and he and Lord Fear have a small confrontation. Lord Fear threatens to shoot the students coming out of school but Ace stops him. Lord Fear leaves in Duff's ice-cream truck and Ace watches the school bus drive down the road, relieved that Mark is safe for now.
Ace comes by Mark's house just as Mark gets home from school. As he comes in, he breaks the door. Worried about Mark's safety, Ace asks if Mark wants to give him back the Amulet but Mark wants to keep his promise to Ace. They are interrupted by the doorbell. It is Chuck. As Mark is trying to get Chuck to leave, Ace fries Mark's blender. When Mark comes back into the kitchen Ace tells him that they should go to the Carnival and find out what Lord Fear is up to. Mark is worried about his parents coming home and his chores but Ace convinces him to come.
At the Carnival, Ace and Mark see Lord Fear and his Evils drive off in the ice-cream truck. That night, Lord Fear abducts Mr Cheseborough from the school and lock him in a cage in the Carnival. Lady Illusion is going to infiltrate Mark's school in the guise of Mr Cheseborough.
The Rat spies on Mark's Phys Ed class playing soccer. Since Mark played at his old school, he is doing quite well. In science class, Mr Cheseborough is acting meaner than usual. When Wayne picks on Chuck and Mark defends him, Cheseborough becomes very angry and rips the corner off a desk. He sentences both Mark and Chuck to detention. Outside of class, Mark tells Chuck that he thinks something is up with Cheseborough because of the desk thing. He suspects that it has something to do with the game and he wants to go to the Carnival that afternoon to check it out. Sam and Brett join them and they think that the detention is unfair but Chuck is happy that everyone saw him stand up to Wayne. Brett asks Mark to try out for the school soccer team but Chuck reminds Mark that he's planning to go to the Carnival that afternoon.
At the Carnival, Mark and Chuck split up to look for Cheseborough. Sam sees them go off and heads over to where Duff is unveiling his latest attraction: 'The Mad Scientist', which consists of Cheseborough still in his cage. Cheseborough insists that the monsters got him and begs to be let out. The onlookers laugh and throw food at him.
While Mark searches for Cheseborough, Rat and Pigface gang up on him. Ace arrives to kick Pigface's butt and the Rat flees. Ace asks Mark if they said anything and Mark remembers that they said something about 'live bait'. Mark hurries off to find Chuck. Instead of searching for Cheseborough, Chuck has been feeding his face the whole time Mark was gone. Sam walks up and tells them that she's found Cheseborough and he's locked in a cage and doing some kind of clown act. Chuck is unconcerned, saying that he probably needed the money ('teachers are so underpaid'). Mark asks Sam why she came to the Carnival and she says that she's intrigued by the game they're playing. (Come on, we all know she's got the hots for Mark!) Mark promises to tell her about it someday.
Later, Mark tells Pete in an e-mail that he thinks Lady Illusion has taken Cheseborough's place and he and Chuck are in big trouble. Back at the Carnival, Lord Fear is sure that his plan will work and his vengeance against Ace Lightning will be complete. (He's still bitter over that leg thing! Get over it, buddy!)
Quotes
LORD FEAR: The Amulet? You're
sure?
RAT: I'm sure, I'm sure! Have I ever let you down before, LF? Oh!
Lord Fear drops him.
LORD FEAR: Repeatedly.
RAT: Boss, this joint gives me
the creeps.
STAFF HEAD: It's called a school, you vacuous vermin. It's a place where mortals
learn.
RAT: Oh, yeah? Well, it reminds me of prison in the Sixth Dimension.
MARK: Ace! Not the blender!
It's not enough you've messed my life up, you've got to wreck my house, too.
ACE: Am I missing something here? Lord Fear is the problem, not the blender.
MARK: I can't go. My parents
have rules.
ACE: Well, tell them the rules have changed.
MARK: Right. I'll just leave them a note. "Gone to save the world. Be home for
dinner."