Knight of the Juggernaut, Part 2
Nitcentral's Bulletin Brash Reflections:
Knight Rider:
Season 4:
Knight of the Juggernaut, Part 2
Knight of the Juggernaut, Part 2
Needing to find a place to hide the FLAG semi and KITT's shell, Bonnie and Michael enlist the "Street Avenger," whose real name is Reginald "RC3" Curtis III and store the vehicles in a garage. RC3 calls in his street crew to do the body work on KITT while Bonnie works to rebuild, and even improve upon, KITT's systems. Nordstrom and his goons are planning to use the fake Devon and the battering ram to steal the Cernium 116 isotope via a subway smash. Michael meets with Jennifer Knight (who thinks Michael is too much like Garthe - looking to create action where there is none) and tenders his resignation - but if Devon really isn't what he appears to be, he will still try to stop him. Later, Michael tracks down Marta. She tells Michael she isn't really Dr. Quinlan's assistant - Nordstrom has been paying her to play the role. Nordstrom himself has a laser-altered appearance and is really an international terrorist who plans to use Dr. Quinlan to turn the isotope into a devastating weapon. Michael is able to break into Nordstrom's office and finds evidence which leads him to believe the real Devon is still alive. Marta tells Michael that Nordstrom and his men are planning a meeting at the "Foundry," a designer/manufacturer of anti-assault machinery. Nordstrom and his men get the battering ram ready and head out with the fake Devon. Michael is able to reach the Foundry and find out where they are headed, but he needs help - KITT. With some new refinements (including enhanced maneuverability and a mysterious "C" button) to offset the destroyed molecular bonded shell, Michael rolls out in KITT. Meanwhile, Jennifer Knight is suspicious of Devon when he orders all security at the laboratory to be moved to the upper levels and then cuts the elevator wires. Jennifer is caught by Devon, who reveals he is not the real Devon but a fake. Nordstrom and his men ram through the subway wall and steal the isotope, but leave the real Devon to die as a scapegoat with Jennifer as a time bomb ticks away. Needing to reach the lab faster, Michael engages KITT's new "Super Pursuit Mode" to gain an incredible increase in speed, then engages an emergency breaking system to stop KITT in front of the building. Michael disarms the bomb and saves Devon and Jennifer, then gives chase to find Nordstrom and the battering ram at a local airport. Michael is able to destroy the battering ram using some of KITT's new abilities, and stops KITT in front of the plane - Nordstom has no choice but to surrender...he has Dr. Quinlan, but the police are on their way, and the isotope will destabilize very soon. Towards the end of the episode, Jennifer congradulates Michael and tells him she is proud that he holds the name "Knight." Devon thanks RC3 for all his help and gives him a job with the Foundation. And Michael finally gets to press a mysterious "C" button on KITT's dash...transforming KITT into a convertible.
THOUGHTS:
-Very nicely done! Good wrap-up to part 1, some great fun with Super Pursuit Mode (SPM) and the Emergency Braking System (EBS), and of course KITT as a convertible (C Mode).
-Of course, the creators got the full use out of SPM and EBS in this episode. Three times!
New features on KITT:
+Super Pursuit Mode (Panels open up on KITT's shell, allowing for better air flow and a 40% increase in speed).
+Emergency Braking System (More panels open up, this time quickly bringing KITT to a stop from SPM).
+Convertible Mode
+Camera
Favorite Quote:
"I'm offering a lot. Everything that's important to me...every thing I believe in."
-Michael to Jennifer Knight, after telling her he will resign if he's wrong about Devon (fake Devon).
NITS:
-In "Junk Yard Dog" it took the Foundation's best scientists and mechanics a few days to fix KITT, and they didn't add any special features. In this episode, RC3 and his crew repair KITT in only a day, plus RC3 adds C Mode and Bonnie adds SPM and EBS!
-How can KITT fit all the stuff for SPM and EBS and still be able to go into C Mode?
-When Nordstrom and his men head out in the battering ram to steal the isotope, why do they smash through the warehouse wall rather than opening the large garage door behind them?
-Whenever KITT is in SPM and there is a shot showing Michael from the front, you can see that KITT's rear spoiler is still in it's original position (it rises up to reveal the rockets during SPM).
-KITT is flat during the turbo boost over the airstrip hangar.
-At the end of the episode, just after Michael engages C Mode, he puts his arm on KITT's window. In the very next shot, as he wonders who to thank for the new mode, his arm is in his lap.
-KITT's scanner is not on during the "purple haze drive" fadeout.
By Mike Ram on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 11:07 pm: Correction: the scanner is on, but of course the SPM scanner is so thin that you can barely see the red light!