Matrix, AndrAIa and Frisket land in a system protected by sprites that look and act like superheroes, one of whom resembles Bob. There, the visiting Sprites try to help figure out the conflict between the Hero Selective and the Spectrals.
This episode has examples of
- Big "NO!": The Head Spectral when trying to prevent Powerlock from crashing the system.
- Big Red Button: "With a press of this button, the entire system crashes."
- Bittersweet Ending: The system is saved, the viruses are dealt with, and the Hero Selective and Spectrals mend fences, but not without Rob dying first.
- Blackmail: Spectrals don't have the ability to reboot, so a few volunteered to be converted into the Hero Selective in order to win the games. The heroes eventually tired of this, however, and wished to return to their Spectral forms. When denied this (on the grounds that they had become barbarians seduced by flesh), the heroes refused to participate in games and allowed sectors to be nullified so that their demand would be met.
- Both Sides Have a Point: The Hero Selective argue that they have the right to return to their old formats and shouldn't be ostracized by their former bretheren for doing what was needed to save the system from games. The Spectrals retort that defending the system should be their top priority and that they're the only ones who can do it, which Pixel admits are logical points. The situation drives a brief wedge between Matrix and AndrAIa, as each sympathizes with one side more than the other.
- Cigar Chomper: Powerlock always has one in his mouth.
- Divide and Conquer: The viruses exploit the division between the Hero Selective and Spectrals and seek to make it worse. Rob recognizes this during the big fight and urges the Head Spectral to team up for the good of the system.
- Due to the Dead: After Rob vanishes.AndrAIa: He wasn't Bob.
Matrix: No, but he was a friend. - Everyone Has Standards:
- For all his past growling at Bob, Frisket is noticeably disappointed when AndrAIa points out that Rob isn't the Guardian.
- Matrix is more sympathetic to the Hero Selective than AndrAIa is, but he has no interest in their hunts and scoffs at the damage they allow to happen to the system.
- The Hero Selective let the User win games in order to force the Spectrals to play ball, but Rob insists they'd never let permanent harm come to the system.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: At the Principle Office, the others find Frisket growling at Powerlock and trying to bite him. When Powerlock offers his cover story, a suspicious Matrix tells Frisket to give the area a good sniff. He only starts growling at Powerlock. Matrix lampshades how Frisket could always sniff out a virus.
- Face Death with Dignity:Rob: System out of danger?
Matrix: Yes.
Rob: Good. Where I go, I go alone. [dies] - Foreshadowing: In her opening narration, AndrAIa mentions that with each failure to find Mainframe, Matrix grows more despondent, and may give up soon.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: The button that could crash the entire system is labeled "Do Not Press."
- Freudian Slip: While arguing with AndrAIa, Matrix accidentally refers to Rob as "Bob."
- Feud Episode: Matrix and AndrAIa, due to taking sides.AndrAIa: Bob wouldn't stop the Spectrals from protecting the system.
Matrix: I thought you weren't taking sides.
AndrAIa: I wasn't. Until now.
Matrix: (belligerently) Then why don't you go to 'em?
AndrAIa: Maybe I will! I find this place stifling.
Matrix: Fine!
AndrAIa Fine! - Heartbroken Badass: Giga-Girl cries after Rob dies.
- Heroic Vow: After the day is saved, Pixel and the Head Spectral promise to resolve the ongoing conflict in honor of Rob's memory.Head Spectral: There will be peace. If not now, then I promise by the next generation.
- He's Dead, Jim: After Rob's body vanishes, Giga-Girl (being the McCoy stand-in) sadly tells Matrix, "He's deleted, Slim."
- Hypocritical Humor: AndrAIa releasing the captured Spectrals prompts Matrix to remark, "And you call me impulsive."
- Mistaken Identity: Matrix mistakes Robert Cursor for Bob.
- Nothing Is Scarier: We don't see Powerlock's true form, but the absolutely monstrous noises and Pixel's aghast reaction indicates something horrible.
- Not So Stoic: Pixel is visibly shocked when Rob gets crushed by the rubble.
- The Power of Trust:
- Though not the friend that Matrix lost, Rob says he can be one to trust. Matrix believes him.
- Rob's argument to the Head Spectral is that they have to trust each other in order to save the system.
- The Reveal: There are two viruses, one posing as a Spectral and the other being Powerlock.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Matrix takes out Powerlock after Rob gets crushed by rubble.
- Rubber Man: Email's power.
- Self-Duplication: Copy Girl's power, of course.
- Shout-Out:
- This episode is one big homage to Star Trek, with Rob Cursor (The Bob lookalike) speaking like a parody of William Shatner to start with. It was written by D.C. Fontana, who also wrote for Star Trek.
- The Hero Selective resemble certain DC and Marvel heroes.
- Significant Double Casting: Bob-lookalike Rob is voiced by Ian James Corlett, who would take over voicing Bob this season.
- Taking the Bullet: When a piece of rubble is about to land on Matrix, Rob pushes Matrix out of the way, getting crushed and deleted.
- Trigger-Happy: The Spectral second-in-command is a little too eager to destroy the Hero Selective and the visitors Matrix, AndrAIa, and Frisket. When the Head Spectral calls him out on his behavior, Matrix expose him as one of the viruses.
- Witch with a Capital "B": Powerlock refers to AndrAIa as such. Matrix is displeased.
