Transcript for WordGirl Makes a Mistake[]
PART 1[]
Narrator: One day, outside the city Space Museum, WordGirl and Captain Huggy Face try to stop Mr. Big from stealing-- a rocket ship?
(Scene: Outside the museum, Mr. Big and Leslie are operating a large crane with a magnet on it, trying to using it to pick up a rocket ship mounted to the roof of the museum.)
Mr. Big: Ooh, this rocket ship is going to look awfully shiny parked in my driveway!
(WordGirl and Huggy land on top of the rocket ship, and she pushes up on the magnet.)
WordGirl: (struggling) I don't-- think so!
Mr. Big: Leslie...
(He points at WordGirl. Leslie jumps out of the crane and makes her way up to the space ship with a series of acrobatic maneuvers.)
WordGirl: Huh. Nice moves, Leslie.
Leslie: Thanks. I did gymnastics as a kid. (switching to fight mode) Ayyy-yah!
(Leslie throws several wadded balls of paper at WordGirl along with her clipboard. Huggy jumps in front of WordGirl and catches them, but the clipboard knocks him down.)
WordGirl: Hey, throw whatever you want at me, it's not going to change the fact that I am dominating you in this battle. Even with your flashy ninja skills, you're no match for me.
(Meanwhile, high above them, a meteor with a reddish-yellow glow is quickly approaching the Earth. It knocks WordGirl off of the spaceship and crashes to the ground. WordGirl crawls out from under it.)
WordGirl: Well that's parsculiar.
Mr. Big: Uh-bah-bah... what... did you just say?
WordGirl: It's parsculiar.
Mr. Big: You mean, peculiar?
WordGirl: Eh-- yeah. That's what I said.
Mr. Big: Well that's not-- what I heard. (turns to townspeople who are nearby) What do you all think? Did WordGirl make a word mistake?
Townspeople: No way! Impossible!
Woman: WordGirl never makes mistakes.
Man: When it comes to words, she's flawless.
WordGirl: Yes, I am your local authorderly on vocablary.
(Everyone gasps.)
Mr. Big: Uh, WordGirl, I'm pretty sure the words are pronounced "authority" and "vocabulary".
WordGirl: (nervously) Heh-heh... that's what I said. Right, everyone?
Woman: Um... no, not really.
WordGirl: People, I'm WordGirl. Why would I mispounce a word? It's already been established that I'm lawfless.
(A man in the crowd faints.)
Woman: She means flawless.
Mr. Big: Hahaha! Hey WordGirl, maybe you should go to the library and read a book on how to say words right!
WordGirl: We'll see who's laughing when you're both in jail! Word--
(She takes off, but quickly falls back to the ground with a thud.)
WordGirl: Uhh. Word-- (she collapses in the hole)
Narrator: Yikes! This has never happened before.
(Mr. Big and Leslie drive the crane away, carrying the spaceship with them.)
Mr. Big: Adios, GerdWhirl! Enjoy the pavement!
(Huggy jumps on top of the meteorite, as WordGirl struggles to stand up.)
(A news story is broadcast.)
Announcer: The entire town is buzzing today about WordGirl's big mistake. During a battle with Mr. Big, the town superhero known for her flawless word knowledge mispronounced the words "peculiar" and "authority". She even mispronounced the word "mispronounce." (chuckles) Looks like WordGirl isn't so flawless after all. Or as WordGirl might say, lawfless. Ha ha ha. (clears throat) In totally unrelated news, a meteorite landed today in our fair city. Tests reveal that the space rock comes from the planet Lexicon, and is made of pure Lexonite.
(The broadcast is turned off. Mr. Big is standing next to Leslie in his office.)
Mr. Big: I don't get it, Leslie. WordGirl has always dominated me in the past. Both in her battle skills as well as her flawless way with words... something fishy is going on here.
Leslie: It's the meteorite, sir. It's from her home planet, Lexicon. Whenever a superhero comes into contact with a meteorite from their home planet, it takes away their superpowers... have you ever read a comic book, sir?
Mr. Big: Well no, I preferred magic tricks as a kid. (gasps) Do you know what this means? If WordGirl has no supernatural powers around Lexonite, I'm free to send a mind control device to the moon and carry out my top secret ultimate evil plan!
Leslie: Aren't you going to tell me the plan?
Mr. Big: What? Oh... no, all you need to know is that it's a matter of justice, Leslie. I've been wronged, and this plan will make things... right.
Leslie: Whatever you say.
Mr. Big: But I do need your help in coming up with a fake crime so I can lure WordGirl out, and use the Lexonite on her. Any thoughts?
Leslie: I'll come up with something. Say, I have to run a few errands. Mind if I take the rocket ship?
(The rocket ship is parked inside his office by the window.)
Mr. Big: Well, uh-- (he starts to hand her the keys, then reconsiders) --eh, uh-- no.
Narrator: Later, at the Botsford house...
(Scene: The Botsford home. Mr. Botsford and TJ are watching the news report about WordGirl.)
TJ: I just don't get it. How could WordGirl make such a huge mistake? I mean, "parsculiar"? Even I know that's not a real word!
(Becky walks in front of the TV.)
Mr. Botsford: Ha ha ha ha...
Becky: Dad, WordGirl didn't misspeak. She's a superhero-- she's flawless with her use of vocabulary. flawless, an adjective meaning perfect, never making a mistake.
Mr. Botsford: Becky, we saw it on the television. WordGirl didn't make ONE mistake, she made a whole bunch of mistakes. Why, she even mispronounced "mispronounce". Ha ha, blooper.
Becky: Yeah, I don't trust the television, they use a lot of-- fancy tricks in the editing.
Mr. Botsford: Look, I know you kiddos really look up to WordGirl, but Becky, nobody's perfect. There's nothing wrong with making a mistake.
Becky: (getting restless) You're right, there's nothing wrong with making a mistake... there must be another explanation!
Mr. Botsford: WordGirl will get over it. Mistakes make us human. The important thing is that we learn from them.
Becky: (frantically) But I didn't make a mistake and I'm not human! My flawless word knowledge is exactly what separates me from mere mortals!
Mr. Botsford: Becky-- you're taking WordGirl's mistake rather personally.
Becky: (sighs) Dad... TJ... I have something to tell you.
(Bob, who has been eating pizza, drops his slice and runs over to her.)
Becky: I've been holding this back for a long time, but it seems like a good time to tell you the truth.
(Bob stands next to her making hand gestures, trying to convince them she has lost her mind.)
Mr. Botsford: Bob, that's not very polite. So Becky, what do you have to say to us? It sounds very important.
Becky: Well... Dad... I'm WordGirl.
(Mr. Botsford and TJ stare at Becky for several seconds. Then TJ bursts out in laughter.)
TJ: Ha ha ha ha! You wish!
Mr. Botsford: No, seriously Becky, what's going on?
Becky: I AM serious. I was born on planet Lexicon, in a galaxy far away from here. One day, I crawled into the spaceship of famous Lexicon air force pilot, Captain Huggyface, and I fell asleep. Captain Huggy Face was piloting through space when I awoke and startled him. Our ship hit a meteor, and we flew off course, spinning through space. To save us both, the greatest pilot in the galaxy had to crash-land on a faraway planet-- earth. That air force captain... he is my pet monkey. (Bob waves sheepishly at them.) The one we call Bob. Cradling me in his arms, Captain Huggy Face left the spaceship. We were discovered in the woods by a young couple.
Mr. Botsford: Who?
Becky: Tim and Sally Botsford. You know, you and Mom.
Mr. Botsford: Go on.
Becky: Don't you remember this part, Dad? You adopted me.
Mr. Botsford: Rings a bell.
(In a flashback, a young Tim Botsford is seen walking through the woods with Sally behind him.)
Tim (flashback): Hey, a baby and a monkey. Who wants sandwiches?
(The flashback fades out.)
Becky: And as I grew up, I discovered my special powers and decided to become a superhero.
TJ: Uh, Becky... you forgot one little difference between you and WordGirl? WordGirl's awesome! You-- not so much.
Becky: Dad, surely you believe me?
Mr. Botsford: Aw, you'll always be my little superhero, honey. Wow, what an imagination. Now who wants sandwiches?
Narrator: Later, at WordGirl's super secret hideout...
(Scene: Inside the hideout. WordGirl is striking a punching bag, saying words as she does it.)
WordGirl: flawless-- dominate-- Peculiar-- Authority! Huggy, have you noticed that I haven't made a single word mistake since I left the city Space Museum? I still dominate with words.
(Growing tired of her obsession with getting words right, Huggy heads off to the sauna. WordGirl notices he is gone, and heads to the sauna.)
WordGirl: dominate... a verb meaning to control or command by being the strongest or the best at something. I just don't understand how it could have happened. I mean, "parsculiar"? I'm from the planet Lexicon, not the planet Garblecon. It was like some outside force blocked my superpowers and dominated me. But what could it be?
(Suddenly the alarm on the crime detecting computer goes off. WordGirl dashes over to the controls.)
WordGirl: Hello, WordGirl speaking.
(On the other end of the connection is Mr. Big, who is wearing an old lady's wig and a dress.)
Mr. Big: (in a high-pitched voice) WordGirl, please help. A big evil villain is after my sweet little kitten. He's out front-- oooh!--right now.
WordGirl: No problem, I'm on it. Where are you?
Mr. Big: I'm at twenty-two Galaxy Road, right across from the city Space Museum. Please hurry! It's my kitty, Buster. (He holds up a picture of Leslie with whiskers, cat ears and a tail.)
WordGirl: Don't worry. I'll save your kitten. (to Huggy) A small job like this will help me regain my confidence and restore my reputation. See? Look at how many big words I used in that sentence. I still got it! (grabs Huggy and takes off) Word UP!
(Mr. Big is standing in front of the Space Museum when WordGirl lands.)
WordGirl: Mr. Big? Where's the little old lady?
Mr. Big: You mean, me? (He holds out his wig and dress, and cackles.)
WordGirl: What on earth are you up to?
Mr. Big: You mean, what on moon am I up to! Oops-- don't want to give it away.
WordGirl: Give what away?
Mr. Big: My super-secret plan. So anyway, I just wanted to give you another chance to redeem yourself from when I completely dominated you with my vocabulary skills?
WordGirl: Mr. Big, it's okay to make mistakes. I mean, everyone makes mistakes. Okay?
Mr. Big: Really? Even if you're a flawless superhero?
WordGirl: Ah-- can we just get back to me arresting you for impersonating a little old lady and filing a false kitten report, please?
(Leslie hands him a case.)
Mr. Big: In a second. First, I thought you might want to know why you made all those embarrassing mistakes.
(He opens the case, revealing a red and yellow star-shaped rock.)
WordGirl: Meteorite?
Mr. Big: Not just any meteorite, it's from the planet Lexicon! Yes, the Lexonite interferes with your superpowers.
WordGirl: So it was the Lexonite that caused me to lose my superpowers? I didn't really make a mistake? Ahh! Ohh. (She begins to feel the effects of the Lexonite.) Huggy, I don't feel so good. My wees are a little kneek. Oh.
(Mr. Big clamps the Lexonite star around WordGirl's neck, and she and Huggy end up in a cage. Leslie is operating the crane, and the magnet is attached to the cage.)
Mr. Big: WordGirl, we've had a long relationship, the two of us. I've enjoyed all of our little battles. But with you out of the way, my pursuit of world domination is going to be much, much, much easier! Now I'll be able to send-- whoop! Oh-hoo, almost gave away the secret again.
Leslie: Darn it! I was so close to finding out the secret plan.
Mr. Big: WordGirl will never fly again! Wa-ha-ha-ha! Wa-ha-ha-ha! Wa-ha!
(WordGirl is lying down shivering inside the cage. Huggy puts her cape over her.)
WordGirl: Oh, Huggy. Help.
Narrator: Is Mr. Big right? Will his secret plan give him total world domination? Is this the end of WordGirl's flawless crime-fighting career? Find out in the next thrilling episode of WordGirl.
PART 2[]
Narrator: When we last saw WordGirl, she was captured while trying to stop Mr. Big and his secret plan. Now, where did we leave off? Oh yes-- I believe...
(Scene: inside Mr. Big's office. WordGirl and Huggy are in a different cage that appears to be made of Lexonite, as it is red and yellow. The door to his office flies open behind Mr. Big.)
Exposition Guy: He-e-e-elp! A chunk of Lexonite from WordGirl's home planet has taken away her super-strength and vocabulary skills. And now she's been captured by the evil Mr. Big--
(He looks over and sees Mr. Big.)
Exposition Guy: --oh. Awkward. You're not the police.
Mr. Big: No, afraid not.
Exposition Guy: You mind if I use your phone to call the police?
(Leslie chases after him, and throws him into the cage with WordGirl and Huggy.)
Narrator: Hmph. You know, if you'd just let me do my job, this wouldn't have happened.
WordGirl: (to Exposition Guy) Hi.
(Huggy chatters at him.)
Exposition Guy: Does anyone else in here feel panicked? Anyone here hate small, enclosed spaces? Or feel doomed? DOOMED? (pause) Because I don't.
WordGirl: Don't worry. Huggy and I will figure a way out of this spism-- ugh, no, that's not the right word--
(Huggy chatters at her.)
WordGirl: Right. Prison.
Mr. Big: You'll never escape, WordGirl. The entire cage has been built entirely out of Lexonite. It's an incredibly potent material, and it strips you of all your powers. I'm afraid there's only ONE way out of this jail, WordGirl. I call it... the Lock-U-Tron 3000! Hee-hee-hee-hee! Anyway, just to make it extra frustrating for you, the Lock-U-Tron 3000 will open IF you can define a word. The word is... potent! A word every superhero should know. You care to give it a try, WordGirl?
WordGirl: Uh, potent. Easy. It's when-- someone-- does something-- to somehow-- ugh, my head hurts.
(Huggy whimpers.)
WordGirl: I'm sorry, Huggy, it's the Lexonite. It's making me so-- um, what's the word I'm thinging of?
(Mr. Big cackles more.)
Mr. Big: My Lock-U-Tron 3000 will keep you tongue-tied and imprisoned forever!
WordGirl: You won't get away with this. I'll figure a way to break out of here, or my name isn't-- Word-- pshoo-- Word--
(Huggy chatters)
WordGirl: --Girl! Thank you.
Mr. Big: The word is potent. Define it, and you're free. In the meantime, I'll be carrying out my secret plan with my moon-based mind control device! Bwah-ha-ha-ha!
WordGirl: You won't get away with your evil-- oh, what's the word? It starts with an M...
Mr. Big: Mmm... milkshake?
WordGirl: No, it means an important task or job someone has to do?
Leslie: Mackerel?
WordGirl: No...
Exposition Guy: Mississippi?
WordGirl: No...
Narrator: Mission, people. The word she's trying to say is mission! An assignment or project someone is trying to finish.
Mr. Big: Well, good luck breaking out of this "spism", WordGirl! (cackles again) I slay me. It's genius, Leslie. With WordGirl out of the way, I can finally use my mind control device to get back what's rightfully MINE! To the moon!
Leslie: Do you have your space suit, sir?
Mr. Big: To the dry cleaners!
Narrator: Meanwhile, Mr. Botsford is about to start a mission of his own.
(Scene: The Botsford kitchen. Dirty dishes are stacked to the ceiling, and Mr. Botsford walks into the kitchen humming. He stops when he sees and smells the pile of dishes.)
Mr. Botsford: Great skunk! This kitchen smells like a gym sock souffle!
Mrs. Botsford: It's the dirty dishes, hon. It's Becky's turn to wash them, but she just left them in the sink.
Mr. Botsford: Well it smells quite... potent.
Mrs. Botsford: You can say that again! Ha ha ha ha! I'll just wash them myself.
Mr. Botsford: Oh, gosh no, hon. That's not fair to the rest of us-- (gags) --is it?
Mrs. Botsford: Uh... I guess not.
Mr. Botsford: You see, Becky needs to learn a lesson about responsibility.
(TJ walks by the kitchen and keels over.)
Mr. Botsford: It's not like she's off saving the world.
Narrator: If he only knew! Across town, the world was at stake, and only one hero could save us all.
(The scene cuts to the park, where the Museum Guard sits on a bench, surrounded by hungry birds.)
Museum Guard: You're my best friends.
Narrator: The OTHER end of town.
(The scene shifts to Mr. Big's skyscraper. The rocket has been mounted on top of the building and is ready to go.)
WordGirl: Potent... potent... what does it mean? I'm WordGirl, I'm fupposed to know every word! Ugh, SUPPOSED to. Errrgh!
Mr. Big: Any luck, WordGirl?
WordGirl: I'm working on it.
Mr. Big: Nothing can stop my mission to the moon! Nothing!
(Leslie walks over to him carrying their space suits, and whispers something in his ear.)
Mr. Big: Oh hrmph. Who is it?
Leslie: Todd? Your handyman? He built the Lexonite cage for you? He's here to get paid.
(Todd the handyman is standing inside the office door scratching his stomach. He looks over at them and waves.)
Mr. Big: (clearing his throat and talking to Leslie) Uh, little problemo. I kind of spent my money on the rocketship slash lunar mind control device thing-a-ma-jig...
Leslie: Well, you have to pay him.
(Mr. Big seems upset, then looks over at the cage and elbows Leslie. She walks away with a frown on her face, and Mr. Big walks over to the door.)
Mr. Big: Coming!
Todd: Hi, Mr. Big! It's me-- Handyman Todd.
Mr. Big: Hey Todd, uh, I'm off to get my checkbook. Would you mind waiting in the cage for me?
Todd: Sure thing, Mr. Big.
(Mr. Big opens the door and Todd walks in, then the door locks behind him. Todd waves at WordGirl, who stands next to him with a frown.)
WordGirl: You do realize you're now his prisoner, right?
Todd: What? Me? No. No no, I'm the handyman.
(The floor rumbles beneath them. The spaceship appears outside the office window, turns to a vertical position, then takes off.)
Todd: Maybe his checkbook's on the moon?
WordGirl: Uh... without words, I'm no longer WordGirl. I just-- I've failed my mission!
Todd: Your mission? What's your mission?
Exposition Guy: She came here to teach people words and defeat bad guys.
Todd: Thank you kindly.
Exposition Guy: You're welcome!
WordGirl: Now my vocab-- words are so like, I don't know...
Todd: I don't think a flawless vocabulary is some kind of magical superpower, WordGirl.
Exposition Guy: Maybe he's right. Anyone can have a good vocabulary. Even if you don't know what a word means, you can still figure it out using clu-u-ues.
Todd: Clues?
WordGirl: Absoleelute! Ugh-- I mean, absolutely. I can look for clues in the situation to figure out what definition makes the most sense.
Exposition Guy: It's what we regular people do-o-o.
Todd: Well let's go for it!
WordGirl: Okay-- I'm going to use clues and figure out what potent means. Okay... focus. I can do this. Here goes. Mr. Big said this cage was made out of a potent material.
(Huggy leaps and chatters.)
WordGirl: Right. And my brother always says that WordGirl is the most potent superhero alive. Interesting.
Exposition Guy: When my wife cooks her five-alarm chili, she warns me how potent the flavor is.
Todd: And the guy at the hardware store who sold me my power drill said the motor was so potent it could drill through a brick!
WordGirl: That's it! Given all these examples, potent must mean strong or powerful!
(The Lock-U-Tron 3000 disengages, unlocking the door to the cage.)
WordGirl: You were right! I still defined the word without my superpowers.
Todd: (looking through a book) Hmm-- strong and powerful. Yep, that's what potent means, alright.
WordGirl: Whoa whoa whoa, hold on. You had a dictionary this whole time?
Todd: Oh yeah. Never leave home without it. Why?
WordGirl: Uh-- forget it. Huggy, I believe we have a world to save! To the moon!
(Huggy activates the space mask on his helmet, and they take off.)
Todd: And, uh, while you're up there... would it be too much of a bother to ask Mr. Big for my paycheck?
WordGirl: Uh... I'll see what I can do. Word UP!
(They take off toward the moon. Meanwhile, inside the Botsford kitchen, Mrs. Botsford is standing on a stepladder next to the pile of dishes.)
Mr. Botsford: Whoa, it's like the leaning tower of dishes!
(Mrs. Botsford gently places her mug on top of the pile.)
Mrs. Botsford: Easy... easy...
Mr. Botsford: I tell you, Becky is in for a rude awakening when she finally decides to tackle her chores.
Mrs. Botsford: Can't I wash just one dish?
Mr. Botsford: Honey, that would defeat my whole mission... to teach Becky a lesson about responsibility!
(He pounds his fist on the counter, and the pile of dishes start to rattle.)
Mrs. Botsford: Oh... got it! (She is somehow managing to keep the pile of dishes from toppling over.)
Mr. Botsford: Nice one, honey.
Mrs. Botsford: Thanks.
Mr. Botsford: I thought the dishes were going to fall on us for a second.
(They both laugh, as Mrs. Botsford continues to hold up the stack of dishes.)
(WordGirl and Huggy continue to approach the moon. Meanwhile, on the surface, Mr. Big and Leslie are standing next to large purple ray gun.)
Mr. Big: I will now activate the mind control device. My secret mission is underway.
Leslie: Sir, will you please tell me what the secret mission you keep talking about is?
Mr. Big: Alright, it's time you knew. This secret mission is going to help me finally get back what is rightfully mine! My-- casserole dish.
Leslie: Did you say your casserole dish, sir?
Mr. Big: Yes, I loaned it to my neighbor Helen, and she's had it for like three weeks and she hasn't returned it. But with this potent machine, every person on the planet will be under my control, and I will command that Helen to return the dish to me at once! And I shall make my famous tuna casserole.
Leslie: Or, you can just ask for the dish back.
Mr. Big: Okay, now this conversation is making me uncomfortable. Please go away now.
Leslie: (looking around) Where? We're on the moon.
Mr. Big: Well, how about you go make me a sandwich? That's your mission. Oh, and uh, Leslie! Cut the crusts off.
(He stands back and looks toward the Earth.)
Mr. Big: People of Earth, your minds belong to me!
(He pulls a lever on the ray, activating it. Everyone across the globe starts chanting, "casserole!")
Mr. Big: It's working! My mission is complete!
(WordGirl and Huggy land next to him.)
WordGirl: Did someone say mission? Mission... an assignment or project someone is trying to finish. And your mission has failed. You're finished!
Mr. Big: Oh! How did you get back your powers of vocabulary?
WordGirl: I figured what the word meant, like anyone would. With clues from hearing it used. Looks like your Lock-U-Tron 3000 was no match for WordGirl! Come on, Huggy. Let's give Mr. Big a piece of our mind!
(WordGirl picks up the ray gun and throws it into the sun. Huggy slowly floats toward Mr. Big, getting ready to grab him from behind. Leslie returns.)
Leslie: Good news, Mr. Big. I just found your casserole dish. It was in the rocket.
Mr. Big: Oh, that's right. Helen returned it to me last week. Oh well, my whole mission was for-- for nothing.
(WordGirl returns.)
WordGirl: You can say that again! No matter how hard you try, you can't escape WordGirl!
Mr. Big: Or can I? Adios, my worthy foe!
(He turns around and runs into Huggy. They both start to float away. Huggy knocks the casserole dish out of Mr. Big's hand, causing it to float away. WordGirl flies up to them and drags them both back.)
Mr. Big: Noooo!
(Scene: The jail back on Earth. WordGirl is flying with the rocket, and sets it down inside the prison grounds. The doors open, revealing Mr. Big and Leslie, still in their space suits. The warden and Dr. Two-Brains walk away unimpressed. WordGirl flies down next to them.)
Mr. Big: Hey, uh, question. Do the police use a Lock-U-Tron 3000?
WordGirl: Nope, just a regular lock and key. It's just so much easier.
Mr. Big: Yeah.
WordGirl: Come on, Huggy. Let's go home. It sure has been a long day, I'm just glad it's over.
Narrator: Or is it?
WordGirl: What?
Narrator: You'll see.
(Scene: the Botsford home. Becky and Bob are standing in front of the sink, surrounded by dirty dishes. Bob chatters at her.)
Becky: I know, Bob. But even superheroes have to do the dishes.
Mr. Botsford: Well Becky, I sure hope you learned a lesson about taking care of your responsibilities on time.
Becky: Actually, I learned a lot today, Dad.
Mr. Botsford: Well then, my mission is accomplished. (He places his empty mug onto the pile.)
Becky: Uhh, these dishes are so dirty. We need a dish soap that's more-- oh no! Ahh, my head, I forgot the word...
Narrator: Really?
Becky: Kidding! Potent!
Narrator: And so, once again WordGirl saves the day by defeating Mr. Big's secret mind control mission. Now, tune in next time for another potent adventure of WordGirl!
(For the closing, the scene cuts to outside the Botsford home and zooms in on the full moon, and WordGirl and Huggy appear in front of it.)