Cyberswitch

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
"Cyberswitch"
Episode no.	H00616-94009
Airdate	December 18, 1996
Chief locations	Quest Compound - 70.11W, 44.21N (0 miles)
Vehicle(s)	Race's Smart Car Hoverboard
Writer(s)	Glenn Leopold
Guest roles	Rob Paulsen (Lorenzo) Frank Welker (Surd) Helene Udy (Julie / Red)
Episode sequence	The Dark Mountain <--> Undersea Urgency
Other episodes

While driving his smart car, Race and Jonny are captured and taken to Jeremiah Surd, whose insidious new invention allows him to assume control of Race's body. Can Dr. Quest be warned in time, let alone reverse the process?

Plot Summary

Act One

Jonny Quest is riding an experiment Hoverboard built by Dr. Quest around the Quest Compound with Bandit close behind. Race, buffing his car, asks if the board's still in the prototype phase, to which Jonny answers with confidence that it works fine. Suddenly, it sparks, glitches, and goes out of control into the side of Race's car. Dr. Quest is concerned, though Race shrugs and admits that accidents happen. Soon, Jessie and Hadji drive up in the Quest minivan, as Jessie was practicing for her test. To Jonny's detriment, Jessie points out the ding before strolling off with Hadji and Dr. Quest to the lighthouse to work on the VR Lab. Race surprisingly invites Jonny to drive his car, though Bandit must stay behind.

Race's smart car

Jessie's voice begins coaching Jonny on driving; Race notes that Dr. Quest synthesized it while converting the car to a "smart car". Jonny hits the edge of the Quests' private property, but before turning back, he and Race are assaulted by a helicopter. Jonny speeds away on a public road while Race prepares a rocket launcher found in the glove box. The helicopter shoots at the car's tires, but fails to pierce the armor plating. It is then revealed that Lorenzo, Jeremiah Surd's henchman, is piloting the chopper and intends to bring Race to Surd unharmed. Jonny takes the car around a semi, but another is quickly approaching in the opposite lane.

Act Two

The car takes over, pointing out that clearance is possible through maximal velocity. Jet thrusters fire and the car narrowly completes the pass on the semi before the other hits it. Race goes topside to check for the chopper, but it catches him off-guard with a quick return and fires a device which pierces the car and disables it electrically. It careens into the guard rail, and nearly falls into the sea below. Lorenzo hovers over the car and deploys a grappling hook to reel it in to the copter's cargo bay. Race and Jonny are then gassed; they wake up in a barn converted to Surd's laboratory. Surd outfits them with Questworld visors and jacks in with Jonny only able to watch. In Questworld, Surd and Race begin fighting one on one.

Surd prepares the transfer

Race is surprised to feel real pain, which Surd credits to his new neurocyberoptics program. Surd's hand forms a metallic hammer; after wailing on Race, he turns into a motorcycle and begins chasing him. Suddenly, the ground opens up into a red-walled chasm as Race struggles to hang on to the edge. He is "saved" from the spikes below by Surd, who latches onto him with metallic tentacles. Enwrapping Race in the attachments, he seemingly electrifies them and switches minds with Race. Race is horrified to wake up in Surd's body as Surd and Julia gloat. Surd declares that he must now kill the only person capable of reversing the process, which is none other than Dr. Quest.

Act Three

He departs in Race's car for the Quest Compound with Lorenzo tailing him from a safe distance in the chopper. Surd stops at a traffic light to admire and flirt a woman with flaming red hair, and the two playfully race down the road. Race uses the opportunity to try and convince Julia that Surd no longer has a need for him now that he has a working body; Julia disagrees, evoking a "loyalty" that exists between the two. Surd pulls in to the dirt road leading to the compound as Race continues to warn Julia. As she is distracted, he propels Surd's "wheelchair" so that it knocks her unconscious. Surd arrives to find a dumbfounded Jessie and Hadji, who see that the car has been trashed and find it hard to believe that Jonny has been dropped at the movies. Jonny meanwhile frees himself with Julia's remote and begins hacking into the lighthouse computer to try and warn Dr. Quest, who is in imminent danger. Benton gets the message just as Surd enters, and a scuffle breaks out.

Benton battles back

Surd puts Dr. Quest in a sleeper hold, and Bandit, Hadji, and Jessie are all repelled in their efforts to free him. After Dr. Quest gets a couple surprising hits on Race, Hadji ends the fight by clubbing Race over the head with a barrel. Dr. Quest sends a message to Jonny that things are fine as Jessie asks if the process can be reversed. Dr. Quest and Jonny then work together to download Surd's program to the Quest Compound, where he ties up Surd and jacks him in to Questworld. The reversal switch takes little time; Race wakes up in the lighthouse fatigued from the beating he took. Jonny tries to escape Surd's barn, but Julia knocks him down and holds him at gunpoint while Surd tells her he's back in his original body. Race exits the lighthouse and motions for Lorenzo, who initially buys his story that Quest is dead. When Julia tells him otherwise, Race punches him and comandeers the helicopter. Surd then messages Dr. Quest that he has about to switch minds with Jonny.

Jonny duels with Surd in Questworld, fighting with a variety of weapons before both combatants begin riding motorcyles. A crafty maneuver by Surd sends Jonny into the spiked pit. Race then lands through the roof of the barn. Lorenzo apparently stands ready to exit the chopper as Julia berates him, but he is soon flung forward by Race. Julia pushes the unconscious henchman off her and draws a gun, which Race quickly kicks away. In cyberspace, Surd prepares to initiate the transfer but is stopped when Jonny emerges from the pit with a jetpack. Jonny begins pounding Surd; Race is pleased to watch him take care of himself in reality. Just as Jonny prepares to deliver a crushing blow, Race deactivates Questworld. Later, Lorenzo, Julia, and Surd are arrested as Race regrets the damage done to his body and car. He kicks a tire, inadvertently causing it to deflate as Jessie's voice rattles off about low fluid levels.

Notes

Quotes

• Jonny - "I still don't see why you didn't let Race teach you. He's the best."
• Race - "Compliments will get you nowhere."

~

• Jessie - "Is this a ding?"
• Jonny - "Don't ask."

~

• Jessie - "Never lets me drive his car."
• Hadji - "All things come to those who wait, Jessie. But Race knows that waiting is not one of Jonny's strongpoints."

~

• Race - "Heh, Lorenzo. Still a lackey for that maniac Surd? Or has he promoted you to toadie?"

~

• Surd - "Only a game, but the pain is real—thanks to my new neurocyberoptics program. But you ain't felt nothin' yet!"

~

• Race - "But he has a strong, healthy body now. He can have any woman he wants." (Race is being modest!)
• Jonny - "Yeah, the girls are always falling for Race."

~

• Surd - "I dropped him—at the movies. He's probably glued to his seat."

~

• Race - "Hey, who clipped me in the jaw?"
• Dr. Quest - "Sorry about that Race, but I had to defend myself."
• Race - "Ow, my head!"
• Hadji - "Aha, I am regretfully responsible for the head."

~

• Race - "Whaddya know? Jonny's quicking his butt all over cyberspace."

~

• Race - "Maybe I should have let him keep my body a little longer. Like until he paid to fix my head...my jaw. And...my car.

Goofs

• Jessie and Hadji watch Race's car speed away, but in the next shot it isn't moving.
• Surd and Race must be very talented vocalists to retain their voices in different bodies. There is of course a thematic need for them to do so to illustrate the story.
• After Surd pulls in to the dirt road leading to the Quest Compound, the computer in his lab still shows him on the coastal road.
• Helene Udy is credited as voicing "Julie", while she's called "Julia" in the episode.

Trivia

• The Quest Compound is outfitted with only a dirt road, which is surprising given the wealth and size of the Quest Compound.
• Jonny hits 78 on the coastal road while fleeing the helicopter.
• Race keeps a rocket launcher handy in the glove box. Guess you can't be too prepared!
• The police seem to leave Race stranded at Surd's barn with a defunct car.
• This episode does not feature a Quest Byte.

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