Firewall

Nitcentral's Bulletin Brash Reflections: ReBoot: Season Three: Firewall

Inside a game cube, Cyrus is saved by self-declared, "Matrix...Enzo Matrix...", becoming a new ally in the fight against the user--and Megabyte. Meanwhile, Mouse, Dot, and Phong race against time to prepare a Firewall to hold Megabyte and Hexadecimal captive within G-Prime.
By Hugh Mowen on Tuesday, May 25, 1999 - 6:20 am:

When the game cube is landing we see a long overhead shot of Mainframe. Enzo and Andraia start out high over Foating Point go past the principal Office and enter the game cube. What were they doing over Floating Point? At this point in the series they are trapped in the office by Megabytes forces. If it is a elaborate ruse to get by the ABC.s they wasted their time. none were visible


By D. Stuart, the ReBoot moderator on Sunday, June 20, 1999 - 8:50 pm:

Hugh old boy (sorry, I could not resist), you seemed to have already indicated one of my many "nit-picks" that may be found within this episode. All is forgiven. My "nit-picks" are as numerically proceeds:
1) After Enzo Matrix lunges a snowball into the Santa Claus user's face, Santa's eyes and nose astoundingly remain visible. Further still, the snowball is no longer in sight by the next glimpse we have of Santa's face.
2) I am unaware as to whether or not the creators/writers intended for this, but Megabyte's German-speaking, Dr. Frankstein-like scientist apparently acknowledges Megabyte with a Nazi salute.
3) Dot Matrix and the others arrive at the test facility by taking an elevator. However, I had not noticed any basement levels listed on the floors the elevator visits. Almost all elevators include the option of reaching the basement level.
4) There is reference to the film The Indian in the Cupboard during the game (i.e., the cupboard and consequently the Indian).
5) The Fargo-derived Binome is protesting against Enzo Matrix. Did Enzo Matrix not prove himself to this particular Binome in the previous episode?
6) The protesting Binomes were already separated by the Penelope Pitstop user's car from one angle. When it is switched to another angle, the Binomes are again separating from the car's intrusion. Either Binomes enjoy repeating their actions or someone at editing allowed this one to slip by him/her.
7) There is an O.J. Simpson reference as represented by a white Ford Bronco being pursued by nearly a myriad of police cars.
8) There is a Jurassic Park reference as represented by a skeletal T-Rex attacking Cyrus and his car.
9) Where are Enzo Matrix, Megabyte, the Binomes, and Megabyte minions during the erection of the firewall in a scene in which it is displayed as constructing itself near the Principal Office, a location at which the absent characters in question ought to be residing?


By Mark Morgan on Sunday, June 20, 1999 - 10:45 pm:

Yes--what happened to Megabyte blocking Enzo from entering the game? And while we're at it--why isn't Mouse going into the game with them now that the icon hack she's worked has proven itself? Dot's overprotectiveness is slipping.

There is a Die Hard 2 reference when Enzo sticks the doll in the plane wing to keep it from launching.


By Biff B on Tuesday, August 10, 1999 - 8:14 pm:

D. Stuart, Regarding nit #2, I think the doctor/scientist is more of a parody of Dr. Strangelove, who had one arm that would spring into the Nazi salute without conscious thought.


By Matthew Patterson (Mpatterson) on Thursday, August 12, 1999 - 2:39 pm:

I love tha Bond parodies! I was laughing all through the title sequence! (And I'm glad they finally got rid of the monobreast on Dot.)


By Mike Konczewski on Friday, August 13, 1999 - 6:31 am:

Matthew, you're not kidding about Dot; in the opening sequence she was EXTREMELY anatomically correct!

References:

Bond--obviously. Most of the refs were to "Thunderball" (opening credits, title, and themesong. The car ejector seat was from "Goldfinger." The ski chase was from "For Your Eyes Only," while Santa's escape was similar to Bond's escape in "View to a Kill."

"Wacky Races" cartoon--the user was Penelope Pitstop, Cyrus was Dick Dastardly, Frisket was Muttley.

Pixar Studios--the lamp that chased Andraia was a ref to "Luxor Jr", an early Pixar short. The room was a tribute to "Toy Story."


By Peter Stoller on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 9:35 pm:

Did anyone notice the "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" reference at the end of the title sequence?
(Zoom-in on a metallic face through rising flames, in this case it's Megabyte instead of a terminator endoskull.)


By Peter Stoller on Sunday, February 03, 2002 - 12:28 pm:

Regarding D. Stuart's nits:

1) The User's eyes, moustache and mouth remain Visible despite the snowball covering his face for the comic effect of seeing his reaction to the presence of Enzo and AndrAIa. ReBoot is, after all, a cartoon.

2) Indeed it's intentional that Herr Doctor acts like some former Nazi who can't break old habits; he oughtright calls Megabyte "mein fuhrer"!

3) The elevator does list basement levels, P1 and P2, basement parking. "Ship" can be seen parked in the background.

9) The characters are grouped on a ring of parkland at the perimeter of the Principal Office that forms the inner border of each wedge-shaped sector of Mainframe. They're right on the border of Getty Prime, the sector dominated by Megabyte.

My own observations:

When the User has skied off the cliff there's an unsteadiness to the tracking shot that follows his fall, simulating the unsteadiness of a real telephoto lens tracking shot.

Fantastic title sequence, all of which has been commented on higher on this page.

Like most viral binomes, Herr Doctor wears a viral "standard" icon next to a larger square Megabyte icon. In at least one shot his square icon is larger and his standard icon is missing.

Glitch disappears from Enzo's forearm when he reboots.

Herbie the Love Bug is among the toys on the floor where the non-playing binomes run for cover.

Enzo attracts the wooden T-rex skeleton away from Cyrus but takes no action to defend himself! He's lucky that Frisket quickly takes action to stop the T-rex.

The toy Dodge Viper's tachometer ranges up to 14,000 rpm(!) The speedometer is labeled "Mach" and ranges up to 3.0.

Cyrus flies "Little Nellie" from "You Only Live Twice" (or was it "Thunderball"?)

Just what did Megabyte plan to use Hexadecimal's power for before the firewall was erected, and how would he have used it? This was never explained.

"Yes, yes, yes. Yes, rather good, isn't it?" --Megabyte


By Peter Stoller on Sunday, February 03, 2002 - 12:33 pm:

Megabyte probably intended to use Hexadecimal's power to penetrate the Principal Office's shield.


By Butch Brookshier on Sunday, February 03, 2002 - 10:17 pm:

Re: Little Nellie, That was "You Only Live Twice".


By Merat on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 9:01 pm:

Ok, I just got the first Season 3 DVD today. During the opening sequence Dot appears to have...um...how can I put this...the standard human reproductive equipment. Not a nit really, just an observation....


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