Fog on Boulder Hill

Fog on Boulder Hill
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Original Airdate:	December 12, 1985
Episode	54 of 65 in Season 1
Episode	54 of 75 overall
Previous Episode:	Patchwork Puzzle
Next Episode:	Plunder of Glowworm Grotto
Location:	Boulder Hill, Nevada

V.E.N.O.M. kidnaps Clara Simpson, a retired school teacher who used to babysit Scott. Unknown to Mrs. Simpson, their target is her car, which contains stolen 20 dollar bill printing plates. The plates were stolen by Ramsey Pugh, a former Bureau of Engraving and Printing employee, but were never recovered even though Pugh was arrested.

Plot Synopsis[]

The episode begins with Mrs. Simpson having trouble with her car and making a stop at Boulder Hill station. Here, she is recognized by Scott Trakker as her former babysitter. After a short conversation with Matt Trakker she is taken into town by Buddie Hawks, accompanied by Scott. They barely avoid a rough meeting with V.E.N.O.M. and warn Boulder Hill that trouble is at hand. The gas station goes into full defense mode and waits for the enemy. T-Bob is accidentally locked out of Boulder Hill and has to endure the battle, keeping his head low. He does, however, overhear Sly Rax talking about their objective - Mrs. Simpson's car. The battle is short and V.E.N.O.M. retreats when they realize their target is not there. T-Bob reports to Matt that V.E.N.O.M. is after Mrs. Simpson. Worried for her and Scott's safety, M.A.S.K. immediately moves out. They are too late however, as V.E.N.O.M. has already captured Mrs. Simpson and locked Scott in a junk room. As they retreat with their captive, the kitchen catches fire. Scott manages to escape thanks to Mrs. Simpson's dog, Cleopatra, and begins fighting the fire as well as he can until M.A.S.K. arrives and takes over.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Simpson is not very cooperative and refuses to tell V.E.N.O.M. anything. Sly Rax returns to her house and engages M.A.S.K. in a short, but fierce attack. To the bewilderment of Matt and his friends, Rax immediately retreats after snatching Cleopatra (which he regrets soon; the dog hates him). With Cleopatra as leverage, Miles Mayhem finally forces the information he wants out of Mrs. Simpson. Again, they make their way to Boulder Hill to get their hands on the printing plates they're after.

Matt Trakker, now certain of what V.E.N.O.M. is after, calls up T-Bob at Boulder Hill and tells him to search for the printing plates in Mrs. Simpson's car and secure them. While the little robot is at it, V.E.N.O.M. arrives. T-Bob manages to hold them off long enough for M.A.S.K. to arrive. During the battle, the printing plates are destroyed and V.E.N.O.M. retreats, with their goal in shambles.

Safety Tip[]

During a thunderstorm and power failure, Matt Trakker reminds Scott and T-Bob to always have a flashlight handy in emergencies, and to make sure it has working batteries.

M.A.S.K. agents[]

M.A.S.K. vehicles[]

M.A.S.K. stands[]

Boulder Hill

V.E.N.O.M. agents[]

V.E.N.O.M. vehicles[]

Civilians[]

Quotes[]

"Heads up, gang, you've got company with a capital 'V'."

- Buddie Hawks

"Here's something deep for them to think about!"

- Matt Trakker

"That's the last time I mind the gas station! You locked me out! I almost got blasted to bits!"

"That is easy. I will fix you up with a couple of lasers, maybe a radar probe..."

"N-not on your microchips! If I had weapons, you'd expect me to fight V.E.N.O.M.!"

- T-Bob and Bruce Sato

"All right lady, what'd you do with your new car?"

"I won't tell you a thing. Don't you ever bathe? You're filthy!"

- Sly Rax and Clara Simpson

"I must say you have a wonderful way of staying out of trouble, Scott."

"It wasn't me this time, honest!"

- Alex Sector and Scott Trakker

"I couldn't even figure out what they wanted the little old lady for, let alone her dog..."

- Buddie Hawks

Satoisms[]

"Sometimes the best defense is to avoid the battle."

"Perhaps it is not the answer we need, but the proper question."

Behind the Scenes[]

Voice Cast[]

Doug Stone as Matt Trakker, Bruce Sato and Nash Gorey
Mark Halloran as Buddie Hawks, Sly Rax and Cliff Dagger
Brendan McKane as Miles Mayhem and Alex Sector
Graeme McKenna as T-Bob and Julio Lopez
Sharon Noble as Vanessa Warfield, M.A.S.K. Computer , Clara Simpson and radio announcer
Brennan Thicke as Scott Trakker

Continuity[]

Firecracker returns for the first time since the episode A Matter Of Gravity, having apparently been rebuild at Boulder Hill.
Buddie Hawks decides to join the mission despite not having been selected by the M.A.S.K. Computer.
Julio Lopez and Matt Trakker refer to Boulder Hill headquarters as "The Bunker", which was a name used for it during early production of the toy line.
Miles Mayhem, wearing his Python mask and Outlaw uniform, commandeers Piranha during the battle at Boulder Hill.
This is the fourth of four Series One episodes, besides Caesar's Sword, Stop Motion and Dragonfire, in which V.E.N.O.M. leader Miles Mayhem's main vehicle Switchblade is not brought into action.

Conflicts[]

At 3:40, when Buddie, behind the wheel of Firecracker, says "Just what I'm thinking, Mrs. Simpson", the edge of the animation cell is visible at the bottom of the screen.
Bruce transforms Boulder Hill into defense mode, but at 4:10, in the wide angle when the steam is released, it is back in its normal gas station configuration.
At 4:42, when the Boulder Hill petrol pumps are in laser gun mode, the one on the left disappears for a few frames.
Vanessa is startled by electricity from the Boulder Hill petrol pump guns at 4:53. For a few frames, the open space between her mask is colored in with a light gray.
At about 13:35, just after Sly Rax snatches Mrs. Simpson's dog Cleopatra, Rhino is colored gray.
At 15:05, when Rax enters V.E.N.O.M.'s hiding place with Cleopatra in his hand, the neck part of his mask Stiletto has a skin color.
When M.A.S.K. is approaching Boulder Hill, ready to attack V.E.N.O.M., Scott rides in Rhino with Alex and Bruce. At about 18:20, when Scott doesn't want to get down, because he wants to see the action, a smiley can be spotted in Rhino's cabin, between Scott and Bruce.