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Tom: Joel what's up with that Makoto kid using electricity? I thought that went out in the 40s.
Joel: Well you see my red friend, science fiction has always used the latest developments to fuel their plots. First it was steam power with big machines, followed by electricity. Then we had movies using glands and horemones like Eegah and the Unearthly. Remember them?
Tom: {shivers} and how.
Joel: With WWII there was radiation (that lasted a while) which birthed Godzillia. In the sixties we had space movies and shows like Star Trek. More recently there was computers and robots, then mutants followed by genetics. Today science fiction reflects breakthroughs in quantum mechanics and biotechnology.
Tom: Right, I understand that, but why did they have Makoto go back? We use electricity constantly so what's so mysterious about it?
Joel: The writer was clearly influenced by discoveries about the electron and other leptons. How they form shells and move from one shell to another, their size, how they are connected to magnitism. Electrons are a part of quantum mechanics after all. Besides, how can you go to another dimention using genetics?
Tom: Yeah, I see what you mean. And I guess electricity does offer more familiarity than mesons or Mu particles. But didn't Sliders do something similiar but didn't need to explain it in normal terms?
Joel: Perhaps, but the focus of Wanderers is not jumping from dimention to dimention, but actually living in another world. Remember, you can't expect a high school to have the equiment necessary to make or even use those exotic particles.
Tom: So basically we're talking about an old technology in a new way for the sake of plot. I think I can live with that.
Crow {just entering}: Ahem, let me say I already knew about what you were talking about and used that knowledge to build this! Joel if you'll please.
{Joel wheels out a large complicated device made of generators, canisters with radiation symbols or biohazard stickers, pieces of a steam engine, parts of an Enterprise model, electronic boards, and what appears to be the Autobot Bumblebee.}
Crow: I figure if using the science of one era can send them to El Hazard, using all of them could get us back to earth. This baby is made of horomonally enhanced, genetically designed and altered brain matter connected to high speed computers in a radiated steam bath. The whole thing is controlled and maintained by robotics and is hooked up to the Satilite of Love for communications.
Tom: All right, let's see if this works!
{Joel flicks a switch. There's an explosion filling the room with smoke. Sound FX from half a dozen SF series and movies. In moments the smoke clears, four figures are covered in soot, Joel, Tom, Crow and...}
Mihoshi: {cough chough} Ooooooooo what happened?? Kiyone? Tenchi? Ryoko! {see's a damaged Crow} Ahhhh!!! A SPIDER!! Wahhhhh! {runs away}
Tom: Great, Crow, not only does your stupid machine work in reverse, you brought one of the most brain-dead, unhelpful characters in anime here!
Crow: {angerly} Spider?! Come back here you ditz! {to Tom} At least I got the company right. {begins to chase Mihoshi}
Joel {holding Crow back}: Sorry pal. Gypsy will have to take care of her. Right now we got Anime Side!
{room begins to shake and alarms go off}
{As they go down the tunnel} Bumblebee: ohhh what happened? Optiums?
Notes, the idea for this skit was inspired by Danielle at http://members.tripod.com/~Danielle_Landgren/anime/nanami.html. I took her idea of Crow building a device like Makoto's and ran with it. Credit where credit's due. BTW, the bit about the history of sci-fi is true. I learned it in a college class about science fiction.
The Enchanting Princess