"The Ripple Effect" is the second double-length special episode and the twenty-sixth episode of the first season of Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero. It premiered on July 6, 2015.
Synopsis[]
When Penn discovers that Phyllis is trying to locate the Most Dangerous World Imaginable to bring his parents back to Middleburg, he takes matters into his own hands leading to catastrophic results, zapping him to the Least Dangerous World Imaginable.
Plot[]
The episode starts at The Odyssey, where Phyllis zaps the heroes back from their completed mission. The heroes discuss whether the substance secreted from the potato monster they fought in the mission was either slime or snout, which Phyllis, annoyed, interrupts them and kicks them out of The Odyssey. However, Penn realizes that he forgot to bring his backpack, so he goes inside The Odyssey to pick it up, but he hears Phyllis talking inside a room, so he goes inside the room, but the door is locked, so he decides to enter the room through a vent.
Penn, inside the duct, sees Phyllis talking to his parents, but, however, the vent Penn is looking through get loose, leading Penn to almost fall off the duct, grabbing the hanging vent to prevent himself from falling. However, a rat appears on the duct and hits the hanging vent with a screwdriver, causing the vent and Penn to fall inside a box. Penn tries to exit the box, but tumbles over and falls over several boxes, surprising Phyllis and his parents. Penn then gets scared by Karen growling at him, who Phyllis tells her to let him go. She then asks Penn what is he doing in her secret room, which Penn tells her he could ask her the same thing. Brock, nervous, lies to Penn by telling him they were trying to get Phyllis' secret recipe for certain food, which Phyllis tells Penn the food is a surprise for his birthday. Vonnie then tells Penn she remembers holding as a baby, knowing they wouldn't keep lying to him about their part-time jobs, but Penn tells her to stop stalling him, so she tells Phyllis to tell the truth. Phyllis tells Penn she has been trying to locate the Most Dangerous World Imaginable, where his parents are trapped. Penn, excited, tells her to zap him into that world so he can see his parents, but she tells him that he must be careful due to the dangers inside that world, but he tells her he only cares about getting his parents back. Vonnie tells him to be patient, which Penn lies saying he will be patient, crossing his fingers behind his back.
At Penn's house, Aunt Rose and Uncle Chuck are singing a lullaby to him about spraying his bed with poison for mice. Penn, confused, asks if they really sprayed his bed with poison or that was just part of the lullaby, which Uncle Chuck tells him they will answer the question in a dream. The two exit his bedroom, so Penn gets out of his bed and calls Sashi, who calls her "Hot Potato", using a walkie-talkie. Sashi, who is hiding in a bush, is scared by Boone wearing a horse mask, so she gets rid of it and then she tells Penn, calling him "Cotton Candy", to come in as she sees The Chinchilla patroling the house. Penn descends from his room to outside the house with a rope and tries to flee, but The Chinchilla catches him, but, thankfully, Sashi shoots The Chinchilla with a tranquilizer dart.
The heroes try to go to The Odyssey, but they find out the door is locked, so Sashi takes out dynamite from her backpack, but, however, Boone takes out a key and uses it to open the door. Penn wonders if Phyllis gave her the keys, which he affirms, saying he is her most responsible employee. The heroes go to the Multi-Universe Transprojector's control booth as Penn tells to his friends to zap him into the Most Dangerous World Imaginable to find his parents and zap them back afterwards, but Sashi tells him she doesn't like sending him alone, which Penn tells her and Boone he needs them to stay here in case something goes wrong. Penn sees the control booth has many buttons, so he presses a random one, activating a toaster who pops out playing cards. Penn presses another button, which activates a coffee machine with eyes inside the coffee. Penn, annoyed, repeatedly mashes many buttons, causing many party lights to turn on. Penn finally presses the right button, which activates the Multi-Universe Transprojector. Penn sees the monitors turn on, displaying the worlds, with one of them displaying text saying "MOST DANGEROUS WORLD IMAGINABLE", which Penn sees it and, thinking he will get zapped there, turns on the portal. Penn is ready to go there as Sashi tells him what he did feels wrong without Phyllis, which Penn tells her Phyllis is so cautious and that he wants his parents back, so Sashi decides to zap him in, wishing him good luck.
Penn zaps into the world, remaining as a human though, as he sees two silhouettes in the fog and thinks they are his parents, so he approaches them, but, however, the silhouettes turn out to be just teddy bear statues. Penn then sees another silhouette saying that the parents aren't here, angering Penn due to him thinking the silhouette was talking to him. Penn breaks the teddy bear statues as he goes towards the silhouette and grabs it, turning out to be a Cuteling. He then gets surrounded by other Cutelings, scared by his presence. The Cuteling he grabbed, being the mayor, commands the Cutelings to defeat Penn, being called a "big meanie giant", as he thinks Penn was invading their planet. Various Cuteling soldiers riding ducklings fire cotton balls at Penn as he tries to tell this is a misunderstanding. The Cutelings then release kittens, who surround Penn, with one of them causing Penn to trip over and accidentally crush a house, leaving dust. A Cuteling, having a birthday, blows the candles of a birthday cake, but, however, the dust from the crushed house carries the candles' flames, burning some lollipops nearby and, therefore, burning most of the Cutelings' town.
At The Odyssey, Sashi, desperate, tries to find out how the control booth works as Boone watches what is going on in the portal, booing at Penn and cheering at the Cutelings. Sashi finds out that she didn't zapped Penn to the Most Dangerous World Imaginable, but, instead, to the Least Dangerous World Imaginable, so they have to zap Penn back. Boone suggest they should press random buttons, which annoys Sashi, so he asks her if she has a better idea, which she tells him she doesn't have none. So, the two mash various buttons, accidentally activating a 15-second self-destruct countdown.
At the Least Dangerous World Imaginable, Penn is restrained on ropes by the Cutelings, who then punish him by pouring ice cream sundae on him and releasing tiny animals to devour him. Penn is about to be devoured by the tiny animals, but he gets zapped back from the world. Penn thinks Sashi and Boone freed him, but turns out to be Phyllis, who tells him he is fired from part-time hero job, much to Penn's dismay. Penn asks Phyllis if she meant he is fired or tired, which Phyllis tells the former. Phyllis tells Sashi and Boone to zap in, but Boone tells her they need Penn, so she gives him a literal pen. Sashi tells Phyllis they can't do this without Penn, which asks if she wants the balance of good and evil tiptoe towards evil, which Sashi tells her she is being dramatic. Phyllis then asks Penn to go away, saying he has no reason to be here, as she zaps Sashi and Boone in.
At Rippen's apartment, Rippen, while sleeping, recieves a call from Phil, who tells Penn has been fired from his part-time hero job and that it is his chance to win the mission, which excites Rippen. Rippen talks to his stuffed poodle Freddy about this, but he sees Principal Larry, who entered by throwing a brick at his bedroom's window.
At the Least Dangerous World Imaginable, the Cutelings are panicking as their town fall into chaos. Sashi and Boone zap in as Cutelings as Boone asks Sashi to tell the mission and she does; due to Penn's havoc, the Cutelings have been screaming so loud that causes the planet to be about to collapse, so they have to save their planet, so the Cutelings can continue their lives. Meanwhile, Rippen and Larry zap as the Cuteling mayor and the Cuteling general as Rippen asks Larry to tell the mission, which is convincing the Cutelings to abandon their planet and let it collapse.
Outside The Odyssey, Penn, saddened, is sitting on the sidewalk as he recieves a call from his parents via his MUHU, who tells him they find out about him getting fired. Penn asks them what are they eating, which Brock tells him they are eating eyeballs, saying they taste like appels mixed with "the grossest thing ever". Vonnie then asks him how is he gonna fix the mission, which he tells her he doesn't know, saying how him getting focused on finding them made him accidentally cause chaos in the Least Dangerous World Imaginable. Vonnie tells him heroes can screw up sometimes, saying how she once accidentally blew up an egg city and that it took long to fix it. Brock then tells him the point is that when he screws up, he can fix it as no one can fire him for being a hero. Vonnie then tells him that they share the name "Zero" because they failed 0 missions, essentially saying they never failed a single mission, and asks him if he wants to be known as "Penn One", which he denies it, saying it sounds awful. Brock tells him to ask himself what is he prepared to do, which Penn tells them whatever it takes before closing the call. He then looks at the Fish Stick on a Stick restaurant as the sun rises.
At the Least Dangerous World Imaginable, Rippen announces to the Cutelings that they will abandon their planet as he activates the spaceship, which was disguised as a city hall. Rippen tells them they will blast off on the spaceship and travel to Ploopiter, but the Cutelings get dissatisfied, saying Ploopiter isn't cute, so Rippen lies to them by telling them Ploopiter has puppies, flowers and a moon with a smiling face, which convinces the Cutelings. Sashi and Boone are spectating as Boone points out how this seems like a spot where Penn would do something, so they decide to fill in for him. Boone tells the Cutelings they have no idea how to stop the planet from collapsing, but the lack of such idea shouldn't stop them. He then tells the Cutelings to do something that hopefully gives them an idea and asks him who is with him, with the Cutelings cheering at him. Rippen tries to convince the Cutelings to come with him, but Sashi tells them that life is good with action, adventure and dodging fire, which Boone disapproves. Rippen tells the Cutelings he and Larry got lollipops and balloons, which convinces them enough to come inside the spaceship. Boone tries to get their attention, but he and Sashi see a lollipop falling towards them, which the two dodge. The two then see the rest of the Cutelings going inside the spaceship as the planet's crust breaks in half, revealing its magma core and leading Boone to fall off, but Sashi grabs his Cuteling antenna to prevent his fall.
Penn goes to Fish Stick on a Stick as Phil asks what does he want, calling him "Penn One", which Penn tells him he wants to apply as a part-time villain. So, Phil asks him what evil experiences did he had, which Penn tells he skipped ahead in line at the cafeteria last week and that he destroyed the Least Dangerous World Imaginable today. Phil then asks him what is his biggest weakness, which Penn tells him that, sometimes, he may be too evil. Phil accepts him, saying they had "the best interview ever", exciting Penn as he then goes to the zap platform. Phil tells him he will zap him as a Cuteling, but Penn tells him to zap him as his human self, lying to him that he will crush the planet. Phil tells him that the balance of good and evil will cause the end of life for everyone, but decides to zap him in after seeing his "evil face", wishing him "bad luck".
At the Least Dangerous World Imaginable, Larry welcomes the Cutelings to the "Adorable Airlines", the spaceship they are in, as he tells the Cutelings to make sure the puppies are properly hugged and, in case of water-landing, they can use the panda as a flotation device. Rippen interrupts Larry's speech and commands him to blast off, so Larry activates the bubble propulsion system, causing the spaceship's thrusters to shoot out bubbles, propelling the spaceship away from the planet. Meanwhile, Sashi is still holding Boone's Cuteling antenna as Penn zaps in as his human self and grabs the two and puts them on safe land, telling them they have to save the Least Dangerous World Imaginable. However, Rippen tells them it's late as Larry then says hi to him. Penn commands Sashi and Boone to get chocolate fudge as he gets the licorice thread. Rippen commands Larry to go faster, so he activates "heart power", causing the thrusters to shoot out hearts, propelling the spaceship faster. At the planet, Penn runs around the planet with the thread in his hands to enclose the planet within its licorice strings as Sashi and Boone then appear riding the chocolate fudge train, with Sashi riding the truck and Boone aiming its cannon, to shoot fudge at the ravines, covering them. Penn struggles to pull the string, so he ties the string into a lasso and throws it at the spaceship's thrusters, stopping its travel. Larry deploys glitter, causing the thrusters to shoot out glitter and propel the spaceship even faster. However, the spaceship's speed allows the strings to fully enclose the planet, preventing it from collapsing. The Cutelings see the planet has been put back together, so they descend from the string pulling the spaceship back to their planet. Penn then detaches the string pulling the spaceship off the planet, leading them to propel towards Ploopiter, much to Rippen's dismay. The Cutelings thank Penn for saving their planet, with Penn apologizing for the chaos he caused.
The heroes get zapped back as Penn apologizes to Phyllis for accidentally causing havoc in there and that he understands if she doesn't want to give him his part-time hero job back. Phyllis tells him she understands that he did it because he wanted to have his parents, with Penn thanking her and asking her to hug, but, however, Phyllis tells him he is still fired. Penn tells her he thought he will get his job back, which Phyllis tells him that, if he wants to apply, she couldn't stop her, saying she will never stop searching for his parents.
Outside The Odyssey, Old Man Middleburg is approaching the entrance, excited to be a part-time hero, but Phyllis takes out the "wanted" sign, much to his dismay, ending the episode.
Cast[]
- Thomas Middleditch as Penn Zero
- Tania Gunadi as Sashi Kobayashi
- Adam DeVine as Boone Wiseman
- Alfred Molina as Rippen
- Larry Wilmore as Principal Larry
- Sam Levine as Phyllis and Phil
- Gary Cole as Brock Zero
- Lea Thompson as Vonnie Zero
- Rosie Perez as Aunt Rose
- Lenny Venitoas Uncle Chuck
- Kate Micucci as Cuteling General
- Kumail Nanjiani as Cuteling Mayor
- Dee Bradley Baker as The Chinchilla, Karen the Bear, Cuteling Kids
- Lauren Crist as Injured Cuteling
- Jess Harnell as Old Man Middleburg, Cuteling Doctor
- Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Cuteling Kids
- Hynden Walch as Cuteling Kids
Trivia[]
- This is the second "tent pole" of four important double-length episodes that "dig a bit deeper and tell a bigger story," of the first season, the first being "North Pole Down".
- It is revealed that Phyllis has been working on finding the Most Dangerous World Imaginable in order to save Penn's parents.
- Boone reveals that he is the only one out of the three heroes that Phyllis considers responsible enough to have a key to the Odyssey.
- When the heroes try to use the MUT without Phyllis, Penn discovers that it is possible to go into another dimension with the MUT without zapping into someone else's body.
- This is the only episode where Penn doesn't zap into someone else's body.
- Penn is the first character to get fired from his part-time job, and get re-hired in the same episode.
- The Zero family name is revealed to come from the fact that the Zeroes have never failed a mission.
- Penn unofficially applies to become a part-time villain, though he is doing it to get back into the Least Dangerous World Imaginable and fix things.
- Penn uses the villain's portal in Fish Stick on a Stick, making him the first hero to use it.
- Phil gets one in "The Ripple Effect", where he hires Penn as a part-time villain, allowing him to use the villain's portal to enter TLDWI and save everyone.
- The process of becoming a part-time hero or part-time villain includes a job interview.
- According to Sam Levine, the process also involves signing something.
- When Penn is captured by the Cutelings and restrain him on ropes is a reference to the 2010 film Gulliver's Travels.
- A "ripple effect" refers to a situation in which one action or event sets in motion a subsequent series of actions or events, as well as to the series of actions or events thus caused, just as the creation of one ripple in a liquid (as by dropping an object into it) sets other ripples in motion (as when those ripples strike against an object projecting from the liquid).
The Odyssey marquee signs[]
- LEAST DANGEROUS WORLD IMAGINEABLE, CUTELING, CLOSED
- EAR MONSTER, EYEBALL, DONT QUIT; (only right half shown)
v - e - d  | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|