Behind the couch, Andy hides from a furious Quinn - having taken some sick leave from school, Quinn lost his mother's note, so forged a new one, whose handwriting Andy carelessly noted to resemble Quinn's, resulting in detention. He now has a tale of the importance of friendship, and the dangers of betrayal. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, he calls this story "The Tale of the Wisdom Glass."
In Game City, Allan Price browses the stock, and flings video game cases into a basket held by shopkeeper Phil. Nearby, Jimmy Miller peers at a game. Phil gruffly tells him to move on. He bemoans Jimmy’s "type" to Allan, who indignantly claims Jimmy to be his brother, and crossly tells him to call Mr Price for an authorisation of the purchase.
Jimmy shows Allan Wisdom Game: the Ultimate Journey of Knowledge, which is well beyond his budget. Allan offers to buy it for him. However, a suddenly less servile Phil then returns: as Allan has already blown his allowance, Mr Price won't authorise payment. Phil spitefully orders him out, but fails to notice Allan still to be holding Wisdom Game.
At the limousine, Allan offers Jimmy a lift. Inside, he hands Jimmy the game; puts down the refused transaction to a misunderstanding, and suggests they go to Jimmy’s house to try out the game. In Jimmy’s bedroom, while Jimmy installs the game disc, Allan examines a hockey stick - while Jimmy goes to many games, Allan's father is always too busy.
The game connects to the internet. On entry of their names, the screen announces a Wisdom Game card tournament, to be held tomorrow, with up to ten thousand dollars to be won. With a beep, the printer churns out a copy of the screen.
Next day, chauffeur Trevor parks the limbo by a field of corn. The boys approach a wooden hut. Inside, stairs lead down to a darkened hallway. At two rows of tables, figures in brightly coloured hooded robes and blank white masks play cards.
A woman in a flowing white gown drifts towards a mounted glass ball. She turns to the boys - revealing a face which, in place of eyes, holds only blank skin. In the spherical Wisdom Glass, the Keeper checks their names. In the ball's swirling vapours, the two names glow red. The furious Keeper turns to Allan and Jimmy. Across her eyes, the blank membranes have lifted, revealing eyes which gleam almost entirely red.
The Guards march Allan and Jimmy to a darkened expanse. Before them, high above, a spotlight reveals a figure in a blank bronze mask, black robes, and judge's wig. This is no game - Allan and Jimmy, on charge of stealing Wisdom, are here to defend themselves. To the boys' right, further illumination reveals a seated, blank-masked, bright-robed jury.
Judge Day summons the defence counsel. From behind Allan and Jimmy pops a yellow-clad, purple-hooded Jester. He beams in asinine enthusiasm. The Judge calls for the Wisdom Glass.
The Keeper floats across the courtroom, and announces indisputable proof of guilt. In a spotlight by the Judge’s bench, flanked by two Guards, sits Phil the shopkeeper. He points accusingly to Jimmy. A panicked Allan accuses Jimmy of having stolen the game. The Judge consults a higher power. The Wisdom Glass says... it's time for lunch.
Back in the cage, Allan admits to having stolen the game in revenge for the shopkeeper making him look foolish. A top student, Allan can't afford a criminal record. For pleading guilty, he tells Jimmy to name his price. In honour of Allan having stood up for him, Jimmy agrees.
In the courtroom, Jimmy pleads guilty. Allan is free to go. The Judge consults the glass globe. For the crime of stealing Wisdom, Jimmy is to be immediately... EXECUTED. In a corner of the courtroom, the blade of a guillotine is raised. Two Guards seize Jimmy and march him towards it.
Back in the limo, Trevor asks where Jimmy is. Allan shortly explains them to have had a fight. Trevor holds up two tickets for tonight’s hockey game. Allan hurries back to the courtroom.
Jimmy is forced onto the bench of the guillotine. The executioner forces down his head. The blade is raised. The Court Jester covers his eyes. With Jimmy’s head in place, Allan sprints into the courtroom. The Judge accepts Allan’s confession, and has Jimmy released - and now orders Allan's execution. Two Guards seize Allan. Jimmy takes the Wisdom Glass, and threatens to smash it. With the Wisdom Glass as hostage, Jimmy and Allan back away, and flee.
Pursued down the hallway, Jimmy rolls the Glass across the hall. Allan and Jimmy take their leave. The Court Jester catches the Wisdom Glass, only to clumsily drop and break it.
Back in the limo, Allan and Jimmy yell for Trevor to get moving. Trevor turns. His face is covered by the golden mask of Judge Day. He bangs his gavel. Each car door locks. He laughs maniacally.
Quinn solemnly announces the end. From behind the sofa, a white flag lifts. As Tucker holds Quinn back, Andy meekly explains to have arranged for Quinn’s mother to explain the situation to the principal.
This episode provides examples of:
- Blind Justice: The Keeper, whose eyes are covered by blank membranes of skin, acts as a prosecutor.
- Cloudcuckoolander: The Court Jester. Apart from flippant verse and whimsical buffoonery, he’s surreally indifferent to his role in this bizarre realm.
- Court Jester: The Jester, who seems to make no distinction between a royal court and a legal one.
- Crapsaccharine World: A computer game comes to life, in the colourful form of medieval, 1800s and playing card archetypes - who adhere rigidly to bizarre rules, and are quite happy to chop off young boys’ heads.
- Denser and Wackier: Played for Horror. Allan and Jimmy find themselves trapped in a realm where whimsically attired adults rigidly enforce whimsically bizarre rules.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Well, more like lethal buffoonery has standards, but the Court Jester, despite indifference to Jimmy’s imminent fate, covers his eyes against the anticipated beheading.
- Fog Feet: The Keeper glides spectrally along.
- Interclass Friendship: Allan Price, son of a wealthy lawyer, finds a kindred spirit in not-as-well-off Jimmy Miller.
- Judicial Wig: Judge Day (who's a judge) wears a long, white wig.
- Lonely Rich Kid: When Jimmy mentions going to hockey games with his dad, Allan mentions his own father to be too busy to go to games.
- Motifs: A combination, mainly of Fairytale Motifs and Playing Card Motifs. In a remote field, a hut leads down to a living embodiment of a computer game, where a Crystal Ball presides over subjects in cartoonishly bright hooded robes. The Guards are robed and painted in Ace of Club motif; a lethally bonkers Court Jester evokes the Joker (not that one), and traditional judicial imagery is personified with the Keeper and Judge Day.
- Nice Guy: Trevor readily holds Jimmy and Allan’s hockey tickets, and seems supportive of his young charge having made a friend.
- Not with Them for the Money: A platonic example: on request to take the rap for Allan, Jimmy contemptuously rejects offer of wealth - but lauds the way Allan stood up for him.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Keeper, when riled.
- Servile Snarker: Trevor, slightly.
- This Cannot Be!: Played for Horror. A young boy is stunned to find that these costumed weirdos really do seem to want to chop off his head.
- Tragic Mistake: Had Allan been honest from the beginning that the theft was a mistake and that Jimmy had nothing to do with it, it's possible that he would've gotten off lightly but the fact that they both lied (Allan to save himself, and Jimmy to back up Allan's lie) is what ultimately dooms them.
- Wham Shot: Trevor the limo driver is revealed to (somehow) also be the Judge, who takes Allan and Jimmy back to have their sentences carried out.
