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Recap / Knight Rider S 3 E 5 KITT Vs KARR

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Series: Knight Rider
Episode: Season 3, Episode 5
Title: "K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R."
Previous: Halloween Knight
Next: The Rotten Apples
Recapper: Scooter007

Or: "Trust Doesn't Rust II: The Wrath of KARR".

A young beachcombing couple happens upon what looks like a car buried on a beach. It turns out to be, not just any car, but KARRnote , the Knight Automated Roving Robot, KITT's Psycho Prototype (and essentially his Evil Twin) who was supposedly destroyed two years prior. But here KARR is, intact and fully operational. Not only that, but via a series of seductions, pacemaker disruptions, ATM manipulations and, eventually, outright extortion, he cons the kids into helping him in his quest for vengeance against KITT and Michael Knight.

Tropes peculiar to this episode:

  • All Your Base Are Belong to Us: KARR crashes into FLAG's semi-truck-cum-garage.
  • As You Know: "Michael, that can't be KARR! We destroyed KARR two years ago!"
  • Book Ends: Once again, KITT and KARR end up in a game of chicken, resulting in KARR ending up in an explosion that he somehow survives, unbeknownst to the heroes.
  • Continuity Nod: John Milton's first reaction upon seeing KARR's interior, saying that it looks like what George Lucas drives, recalls Michael's first reaction upon seeing KITT's interior, saying that it looks like "Darth Vader's bathroom." (Lucas of course having created Star Wars.)
  • The End... Or Is It?: After KARR is finally destroyed for good, the camera pans across the wreckage... and settles upon the main computer processor, intact and still functioning.
  • Family-Unfriendly Death: Threatened, though thankfully never carried out: KARR kidnaps the girlfriend and threatens her, first with suffocation and then by baking her like a potato, in order to coerce the boyfriend's continued cooperation.
  • Faux Affably Evil: Whilst threatening to squish Devon Miles between his front bumper and a computer console, KARR addresses him as "Mr. Miles".
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: KARR tries to invoke this trope, by invading FLAG's mobile truck unit, stealing a laser the heroes had intended to use against him, and turning this against Michael and KITT. It ends up being played straight (against KARR, that is) when KITT is equipped with a laser mirror which reflects the laser right back at KARR.
  • Lampshade Hanging: Upon first seeing KARR back in action, KITT voices the thought that likely shot through the minds of practically every thinking viewer: "But I saw him explode! YOU saw him explode!"
  • Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Granted, it was directed to Michael specifically, but KITT's declaration of "you saw him explode" when being confused as to KARR still being alive can also be directed to the audience themselves. Especially since we cut to KITT's dashboard light when he says it.
  • Motive Decay: KARR's previously established motivation (self-preservation at all costs) is still present, but is downplayed in favor of Card-Carrying Revenge.
  • No One Could Survive That!: See Lampshade Hanging, above.
  • Palette Swap: KARR's scanner light has turned yellow by this episode, matching his voice box LEDs. It's further invoked when KARR gets a paint job (white on bottom, making him look like an orca, or like Airwolf).
  • Plot Hole: As KITT points out, KARR exploded at the conclusion of his last apperance. And, apart from KITT's incredulity, absolutely no attempt is made to explain how KARR could possibly still be in one piece. note 
  • Ramming Always Works: A given for this series, what with the indestructible supercar(s) and all. This time, KARR doesn't chicken out, so ramming will have to suffice.
  • Special Effects Evolution: In "Trust Doesn't Rust", KARR's voice box was depicted as just that — just the voice box itself (and a couple of flanking lights), floating in the middle of a plain grey panel with no mock dashboard. In this episode, taking advantage that KITT's panel was updated in the Season 3 premiere, KARR was given the old Seasons 1-2 panel.
  • Unexplained Recovery: KARR, as you may have gathered from the above examples.

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