History Recap / ThunderbirdsS1E4TerrorInNewYorkCity

* ConvenientlyEmptyBuilding: The Fulmer Finance Building which falls over in the episode's climax due to the spreading geological instability triggered by the Empire State's collapse. An EvokedTrope as the police officers on the scene mention that the area has been evacuated due to the risk of that exact event.

* ImpairmentShot: In "Terror in New York City", after Virgil has crash landed Thunderbird 2 on Tracy Island, he finds himself in the sick room, seeing the blurred shapes of Scott and Jeff looking down on him.

International Rescue helps put out a vast oilfield fire. On the way out, Ned Cook, NTBS News, tries to record ''Thunderbird 1'' - and gets the film being used, wiped by the magnetic beam. While crossing the Pacific, worse is to come; the new ''USS Sentinel'', a warship capable of over 200 knots, mistakenly fires upon ''Thunderbird 2'', crippling its engines and forcing a dangerous crashlanding on Tracy Island.

** The ''USS Sentinel'' that shoots down ''Thunderbird 2'' in the opening plays a key part later by transporting ''Thunderbird 4'' to New York City.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Ned Cook comes across as somewhat antagonistic with his attempts to photograph Thunderbird 1 for a news story. He learns to appreciate International Rescue at the end.

* MilitariesAreUseless: Played straight when the USS sentinel shoots down Thunderbird 2. They don't even try to make contact with Thunderbird 2 before opening fire -- a major procedural breach. The crew attempt to set it right by transporting Gordon later, but it takes a lot longer than it would otherwise. Gordon gets quite impatient about the whole thing.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The crew of the USS Sentinel, who shoot down Thunderbird 2. However, they were just doing their duty and cease the attack the instant they find out who they're firing on. Furthermore, they help International Rescue later in the episode by transporting Thunderbird 4 to New York.
* PoorCommunicationKills: International Rescue's own secrecy comes back to bite them here, as it causes the crew of the USS Sentinel to open fire on Thunderbird 2. It's even highlighted by how they stop immediately after finding out who they're firing at.
* TakeAThirdOption: Brains determines they might be able to bring Thunderbird 4 to Cook and his cameraman via an underground stream, but with Thunderbird 2 out of action, Thunderbird 4 cannot be airlifted into position and Thunderbird 4 itself is too slow to get there in time if it went all the way by sea. The answer is to get the USS Sentinel to bring Thunderbird 4 to New York, which also serves as the US Navy apologising for their shootdown of Thunderbird 2.
* TechnologyPorn: Thunderbird 2's crash while on fire is arguably Technology Gorn.

* WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys: This episode actually provides an explanation for how International Rescue is able to get new components to maintain or repair the Thunderbird vehicles without attracting attention; components are bought from a variety of different manufacturers -presumably through various shell companies- and no one part is significant enough to clue someone in as to who and what it is going towards.

JustForFun/TheOneWith Thunderbird 2 getting shot down.

International Rescue helps put out a vast oilfield fire. On the way out, Ned Cook, NTBS News, tries to record Thunderbird 1 - and gets the film being used, wiped by the magnetic beam. While crossing the Pacific, worse is to come; the new USS Sentinel, a warship capable of over 200 knots, mistakenly fires upon Thunderbird 2, crippling its engines and forcing a dangerous crashlanding on Tracy Island.

In New York, the final stage of the plan to move the Empire State Building commences. However, previously unsuspected subsidence causes the vast tower to collapse, trapping Ned Cook and his cameraman in an underground chamber which is slowly filling with water. Without Thunderbird 2, International Rescue can't use their heavy equipment - how will they rescue the trapped men?

* AlmostOutOfOxygen: Thunderbird 4 does not make it to Ned Cook and Joe the cameraman until their air tanks are completely empty and they are starting to lose consciousness.

* AppetiteEqualsHealth: As Virgil begins to recover from the injuries he sustained in Thunderbird 2's crash, Kyrano notes that it is good to see him eating again.
* BadassInDistress: Virgil is shot down on his return to base due to a misunderstanding by the US Navy and barely survives the resulting crash landing. Most fans will be just as upset to see Thunderbird 2, the most popular craft in International Rescue's fleet, shot down in flames.

* ChekhovsGun: Two in one episode:

** As Scott and Virgil are returning to base after the opening rescue, Jeff is dictating a letter to Tin-Tin about an upcoming plan to relocate the Empire State Building. After the lengthy and striking sequence of ''Thunderbird 2'' being shot down, we see that scheme being carried out.

* ChekhovsGun: The ''USS Sentinel'' that shoots down ''Thunderbird 2'' in the opening plays a key part later by transporting ''Thunderbird 4'' to New York City.

** This quality actually saves his life and that of cameraman Joe. Even when their air tanks are empty, he pushes himself and encourages Joe to keep swimming through the effects of hypoxia to reach Thunderbird 4 before another tower collapses, the shockwave of which would pulverise their bones and liquefy their organs.

* BullyingADragon: Ned Cook has the audacity to film the ''Thunderbirds'' taking off after a rescue, despite their having been known to shoot people off the road who try to steal their secrets. However, he becomes a BullyTurnedBuddy by the end of the episode when he invites them to his show and thanks them wholeheartedly for saving his and his cameraman's lives.

* BigApplesauce: It's right there in the title. The main rescue takes place in NYC, complete with the destruction of the Empire State Building.

* BigApplesauce: It's right they're in the title. The main rescue takes place in NYC, complete with the destruction of the Empire State Building.

--> '''Ned Cook''': Nobody knows who they are, but come they do, and help they bring.

TheOneWhere Thunderbird 2 gets shot down.

* AlmostOutOfOxygen: Thunderbird 4 does not make it to Ned Cook and Joe the cameraman until their air tanks are completely empty and they are starting to lose consciousness.