| The Tale of the Laser Maze | |
|---|---|
| Season 7 , Episode 5 | |
| |
| Air date | April 16, 2000 |
| Written by | Peggy Sarlin |
| Directed by | Mark Soulard |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous The Tale of the Stone Maiden |
Next The Tale of Highway 13 |
The Tale of the Laser Maze is the Fifth episode of the Seventh Season of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, as well as the Eighty-Third episode in total.
Cast
Midnight Society Cast
- Daniel DeSanto as Tucker
- Kareem Blackwell as Quinn
- Elisha Cuthbert as Megan
- David Deveau as Andy
- Vanessa Lengies as Vange
Story Cast
- Kim Schraner as Kara Fox
- Nathalie Girard as Kara Fox's Stunt Double
- Laura Vandervoort as Ashley Fox
- Manon Desrochers as Ashley Fox's Stunt Double
- Russell Yuen as Tae Kwon Do Instructor
- Matt Holland as Drake
- Jere Gillis as Drake's Stunt Double
Intro
The night begins with Vange and Quinn gazing into each others eyes. Megan arrives and says that what they're doing looks dumb. Tucker explains that they are having a staring contest, and Andy mentions they been going it at for about ten minutes now. Suddenly Megan asks what the sound she just heard was, this throws Vange off guard and she turns her head to ask what she means.
Quinn jumps up in joy, stating that he just won and dancing with joy. Vange says it was fair because she got distracted, Quinn says he was also, but he didn't move so therefore he won. Megan tells her she's sorry but he did win, and Vange asks for another game. Quinn, says and just boasts and rubs it in her face about him being victorious. Vange whines to Tucker about it, but he apologizes to her saying Quinn is right about winning. Quinn continues to show off and dance in victory. Then Tucker tells them that winning is always a good thing, because when we get so obsessed with it, we don't see what the real game is.
Tucker sits down on the storyteller's chair. He tells them to imagine a game that you love playing, a good you're so good at that you never seem to lose. Then imagine if winning this game, really meant losing. What he means is that his story is going to be about a game where the rules are turned upside down. Where winning means losing, and losing means to keep on playing until you finally win; or lose it all!
Tucker throws in some campfire dust to make the fire more intense while he submits his story for approval for The Midnight Society. He calls his story "The Tale of the Laser Maze" and begins the story.
Story
Tucker tells the story, it's about twin sisters Kara and Ashley Fox. The two of them competed against each other in everything, most of all their favorite pastime Tae-Kwon-Do. The girls are sparring against each other at their Dojo, and Ashley wins the match. Ashley boasts about how she beat her sister, and Kara takes off furious stating she's acting like a bad winner. Their Instructor is very disappointed in them because at the end of the match, they didn't bow to each other to show respect. Their Instructor tries to make them understand that Winning isn't everything. Because everyone wins and loses sometimes. Also, that they need to learn how to respect each other and work together as a team instead of always competing against each other.
Then on their way out of the Dojo, they are continuing to argue over who is better and who will win the next time. Then suddenly, a odd slightly fancy dressed man approaches them. He seems to always be full of energy and enthusiasm, he says his name is Drake, and the girls both introduce themselves to him. Drake explains he works for a company that is the largest manufacture of adventures games in the universe. He explains that he saw their Tae-Kwon-Do match and he was most impressed with their incredible skills of strength, agility and determination. Therefore, he is offering them the opportunity to test out a new game. The girls are both intrigued, asking him what kind of game it is, Drake tells them it's a game that is the ultimate competition, it takes speed, agility and lot's of courage. Drakes warns them that it's only for the best of the best. This greatly intrigues the girls, both stating that'll beat each other. Before Drake leaves, he gives them his card instructing them where to go, and informing them that the game is called "Laser Maze".
The next day, Kara and Ashley show up to the place, but since it was empty inside, they were not sure if it's the right place. Drake informs them that they're in the right place, it's just the test for the game is very selective and they'll be the only ones testing it that day. Drake informs them unlike the regular laser tag that they've played before, they're about to take the next step and enter "The Laser Maze". Drakes gives each of them their vests and goggles. The vest has a big red core button in the middle, which fires laser from their their 3D glasses googles and to aim they just need to look. They just need to aim their laser at their opponents vest, and the first player to score three points is the winner.
Kara and Ashley are both eager to begin and Drake soon announces the game. While the game's in session, Drake seems to be on the intercom (P.A) announcing everything that happening. Ashley scores the first point, then Kara sneaks up behind her and scores her first point making them even. Also as the game is in session, Drake seems to be doing statistics on them both, for things such as speed, agility, accuracy and hand and eye coordination. Then as the game continues, Kara tries to sneak up from behind on her sister again. Ashley is quicker this time and dodges multiple shots and catches Kara off guard, scoring her second point.
Now Ashley tries sneaking up from behind on Kara, Kara leads her to corner in the wall. Then Kara ambushes her and scores her second point them even once again. Drake announces that the next point wins the game, and Kara wanders around confusing Ashley. Then Kara jumps out and scores the final point, winning the game. Then suddenly Ashley seems to dematerialize and vanish. The lights go on and Drake appears announcing Kara as the winner. Kara is pleased saying how cool the game was, and she's confused asking him where her sister went. Drake tells her she'll be back for round two, for now he wants her to answers some questions and feed back on the state of the game and how it can improve and her opinions about the state of the game. She's told her sister is doing the same thing in another room. The list of questions seems to be endless and Kara gives up and doesn't answer any of them. Instead she walks around and finds the two vital sign statistics charts for her and her sister. Hers says Alpha Unit and her sister's says Beta unit.
This creeps Kara out and she tells Drake she just wants to leave. Drake tells her she'll be back for round two soon. Then suddenly, Ashley shows up appearing from nowhere. Ashley seems out of it and just wants to play the game. Kara tells he place is just too weird and wants them just to leave. Ashley talks her into playing when she tells her that she must be afraid of not winning again. This taunts Kara into playing again and round two begins, when suddenly as Kara score her first point, her sister's head blows off! Kara watches in horror as the head says repeatedly that she is Ashley Betatron #1. Kara screams in terror, and Drake comes out stressed, complaining about faulty parts, and how his boss won't be too happy about it. It turns out that a robot clone of Ashley was created. Drake then excitingly says he might have better luck with the others. Then suddenly, four more robotic clones of Ashley show up. Kara is shocked and they score her out of the game.
Then sometime later, Kara wakes up on some machine in a very bright room. Ashley is also on one right next too her. Kara realizes she can't move a muscle and she's scared. She calls out to her sister to see if she's all right. Ashley is very tired and weak, Drake explains that since they're living beings; they're Alpha Units. When a player loses or forfeits the game, they get teleported into this room and placed onto one of the cloning machines. The machines makes robotic clones of them, which he sends back to his home planet. Drake explains that Laser Maze is the most popular game at his home plant. But the creatures from his planet can't play it because they're aren't very agile. Therefore he's been searching the galaxy, to find the perfect players to clone robotic Betatrons from and send back to his planet. Since he provides the players he's paid lot's of money for this. However, the cloning machines slowly drain the victims life force and they will eventually die. Kara is horrified and begs Drake to let them go, Drake shows no remorse and refuses, stating that it took him too long to find perfect players such as them.
Drake sends a few Betatron clones of Ashley through a portal to his plant. When suddenly one of the Ashley Betarons returns. The robot is a mess, her hair is messed and she all dirty and injured. A Supreme Commander has connected to a link on it and is communicating directly with Drake. The Supreme Commander is furious, stating that the Betaron clones of Ashley he's sent are inferior and they won't be accepting anymore of them. Therefore they demand back the money they gave to him. Drake is nervous, stating he can't because he used it all to set up the game and the make robots. The Supreme Commander tells him to either pay back the money, or come back to the planet and face them directly. The very though of this idea, sends chills down his spine.
Kara, calls out that if he won't go then to send them in his place. Drake asks her what she means, she tells him that instead of sending clones, why not send them the real players instead. Kara says they would rather go play the game themselves, then have the life drained out of them. Drake discusses the idea, with The Supreme Commander, and The Supreme Commander loves the idea of the original girls themselves being sent to play the game, and agrees to have them go and cuts off communication.
Drake is thrilled, and helps them out of the machines. Ashley comes back to her senses in a matter of minutes because she wasn't in for very long. Then just as Drake is ready to sent them through the portal, they double cross him and they both kick him into the portal instead. Then remembering what their instructor said, they agree it's time to begin working together. They use their Tae-Kwon-Do skills to fight off the Betarons and escape.
Then on their way out, they encounter Drake himself and they now have to go face to face against him in a game of Laser Maze. Drake just happens to be really good at it too, the girls work together to outsmart and defeat him and they finally work together using their Tae-Kwon-Do skills, doing a jumping kick and they score the final point, Drake collapses and seems to shut down and conk out. Drake reveals himself to have been just a robot as well. Ashley thanks her sister for saving her, and the girls apologize to each for not respecting each other earlier and finally they bow to each other in respect.
Ending
Tucker ends his story just by saying: The End. Vange tells him it was cool, everyone else is really impressed and Megan says it was good. Quinn says that from now on he'll be taking Tae-Kwon-Do and does a kick. Vange tells him she's wants a rematch for their staring contest game. Quinn says any day, she says right now and they start another staring contest. They let nothing distract them, even when Tucker tells them it's time to go. Therefore to leave, Tucker carefully pulls Vange and Andy carefully pushes Quinn while they continue their contest. Megan puts out the campfire with the red water bucket. Then she seems exasperated saying that it's gonna be a long walk home by herself.
- Although they portrayed twins in the show, in real life, Kim Schraner is actually eight years older than Laura Vandervoort.
- Russell Yuen, who portrayed The Tae-Kwon-Do Instructor, previously appeared in the show before. He first appeared in "The Tale of the Misfortune Cookie" as Mr. Chin the Cook.
- Matt Holland, who portrayed Drake, previously appeared in the show before. He first appeared in "The Tale of Oblivion" as Chadwick.
- Drake tells Kara and Ashley not to believe anything they see or hear, as "it's all part of the game." Mr. Tophat boasts a similar line during his performances in the Carnival of Doom.
