Rage's Burning Wheel

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
"Rage's Burning Wheel"
Episode no.	H00616-94018
Airdate	August 29, 1996
Chief locations	Cape Canaveral, Florida 81.24W, 29.31N (N/A miles) Moscow, Russia 36.21E, 57.11N (7,625 miles)
Vehicle(s)	Space shuttle SR-71 Blackbird
Writer(s)	Michael Ryan Glenn Leopold
Guest roles	Jesse Douglas (Sister Carla) Michael Benyaer (Disciple #1) David Ackroyd / Michael Bell (Ezekiel Rage) Paul Eiding (Bennett) Mark Taylor (Brother James / Soldier) Nancy Travis (Captain Spencer) Helene Udy (Natasha Rastova) Frank Welker (Aide / Guard #1 / Voice)
Episode sequence	In the Realm of the Condor <--> Ndovu's Last Journey
Other episodes

Dr. Quest and Hadji board a shuttle mission to study muons, but Ezekiel Rage subverts the journey to deliver a particle payload that could completely destroy the ozone layer of the atmosphere.

Plot Summary

Teaser

The fate of Earth if B-765 is unleashed

As footage of an erupting volcano and other analytical scenes air, a scientist describes that the eruption of Mt. Pentium in the Philippines has released "Pentium molecules" that act as chlorofluorocarbons, degrading the ozone layer. The scientist elaborates that the Pentium molecule cannot be manufactured, but a substitute B-765 molecule can. Ezekiel Rage watches pensively as the scientist, Brother James, reveals that B-765 could irreparably damage the ozone layer. James further explains that the molecule can only be replicated in zero gravity. Meanwhile, at Cape Canaveral, Dr. Quest and Hadji launch on a space shuttle to see how muon-scattering is affected by zero gravity while Jessie, Jonny, and Race watch from mission control. Aboard the shuttle, the astronaut named "Reed" is secretly Ezekiel Rage.

Act One

Race, Jonny, and Jessie watch take-off

The shuttle discards main boosters and prepares for orbit; Captain Spencer tells Reed to perform some duties in the back of the shuttle. Rage takes off his helmet in the rear and rips communication wires to black out the shuttle to mission control, then commandeers the craft. Back on earth, a black news van speeds towards the launch center; a disciple of Rage pops out of the top and blasts the gate with a bazooka, heading for the auxiliary shuttle. Race runs out as the NASA guards fail to stop the van. Though he's able to cause the van to wreck, the bazooka-wielding brother successfully disables the shuttle. Mission control is then locked down as several of Rage's agents stage a coup. Race attempts to interrogate the van's driver outside, but Commander Bennett arrives and informs Race of the shuttle's hijacking. Ezekiel Rage delivers an address to the world, and Bennett reveals that he's planning to borrow a Russian shuttle—if Race will convince them to through an old flame, Natasha Rostova. As Rage coordinates with his men to land at an abandoned space station, Race pilots an SR-71 Blackbird en route to another shuttle. Jonny and Jessie meanwhile try to evade Rage's agents by going through an air vent. Race meets with Natasha, and after a slap and kiss, asks for access to a Russian shuttle. An agent of Rage then fires upon Jonny in the air vent at Cape Canaveral.

Act Two

Russian launch site

Jessie pulls Jonny to relative safety from the laser blasts, while Rage docks the shuttle at the abandoned space station. Captain Spencer engages the shuttle self-destruct card, which Dr. Quest hides under his leg. Jonny and Jessie evade their pursuer and find the NASANet computer conduit; they plan to hack open the blast doors. In space, Rage successfully synthesizes the B-765 molecule and injects it into a small globe. As he gloats, Dr. Quest taunts him, and the shuttle explodes, severing part of the space station's ring superstructure. Jonny and Jessie meanwhile cobble together a computer, which they use to hack open the doors as Race's shuttle approaches the station. Rage fills a small vial with the molecule, then floats to a docking arm with a laser rifle. Race and Natasha sneak around him, and Race engages in physical combat. Rage jumps to the dock, hoping to use the Russian shuttle to unleash the molecule; Race taunts him, revealing he had stolen the vial. As Rage reaches for his pistol, Natasha shoots him with a laser rifle. The team file back into the shuttle, as the station's orbit is decaying; Race attempts to subdue Rage, who flies away with rocket-powered boots. As the team descend in the shuttle, Rage prepares more molecule, but accidentally shatters the globe due to turbulence. As he screams, the station crashes into the ocean, and his mask floats across screen.

Notes

Quotes

Rage's mask in the ocean

• Hadji - "It was like riding the wings of Garuda."

~

• Race - "Last time I flew that contraption, we were blacked out longer than it takes a two-legged dog to go fetch."

~

• Spencer - "You really did your homework, Doc. There's a lot to remember about this baby."
• Dr. Quest - "I have both he fortune and misfortune of an excellent memory."
• Rage - "Then perhaps you will remember me."
• Dr. Quest - "Ezekiel Rage?!"
• Rage - "In the flesh."

~

• Race - "Ezekiel Rage?! That guy's like a burr in a boot. Just won't stay gone."

~

• Rage - "And he shall speak from on high, bringing the word of extermination to the damnable. May the death of the world be on each and every one of you! Judgment day has come! The sky shall open unto the fearsome fire, burning the guilty in their own wickedness!"

~

• Jonny - "All day is not needed when only a moment will suffice."
• Jessie - "You've been hanging around Hadji too long."

~

• Rage - "The Book of Rage speaks of many ways to die."

~

• Jonny - "'Open Sesame' is the password? Who's the genius; Ali Baba?"

~

• Race - "Yo 'Zeke, your mama never teach you to lock the back door?"

Goofs

• Disciple is spelled "Diciple" in the credits.
• Natasha Rostova's last name is spelled "Rastova" in the credits.

Trivia

• This episode does not feature a Quest Byte.
• Hadji references Garuda, a mythological creature in Buddhism and Hinduism on which other divinities fly.
• Natasha Rostova is a character in Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.
• NASA was allowed to store some retired SR-71 Blackbirds, making Race's use of one plausible.
• The "Moscow, Russia" subtitles are in red, probably a producer sight-gag referencing communism.
• The globe Rage plans to spread the molecule with is reminiscent of the globes Hugo Drax plans to use to spread nerve gas across the earth in the James Bond film Moonraker.

Cel

A cel from this episode appeared on Ebay for auction.

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