Just like the previous arcs, we get a new intro for the next four episodes. Like the others, it mainly shows footage of the upcoming episodes. It’s once again Matrix narrating, no longer saying he lives in the games, and that he is searching for Bob, his friend. He still has no format, and calls himself a renegade lost in the web. How he says “I have no format” has a bit more passion to it than it did in the last four episodes, which sounded more sad and defeated.
We open the episode a few moments before the end of the last one as we see Captain Gavin Capacitor, aka The Crimson Binome, and his assistant Mr. Christopher, trying to avoid the CPU force of the desert system. The two are wanted binomes. They make it to the bar, where they hope to avoid the heat, but instead meet AndrAIa and Matrix. Of course, Capacitor has no clue who Matrix is, and runs off, believing he’s trying to catch him. Matrix sends Frisket on the chase.
Meanwhle, inside the prison, we see some guard binomes with a sprite with a surfboard being sentenced for deletion. This sprite is Ray Tracer, a web surfer. An interesting piece of info on his voice actor. Ray Tracer was voiced by Donal Gibson, brother of Mel Gibson. The binome guards knock him out, lock up his board, and throw him in the jail. We also see that the rest of Capacitor’s crew has been locked up, still hoping their captain can save them.
Matrix, AndrAIa, and Frisket manage to corner Capacitor and Mr. Christopher, but he freezes Frisket. He recognizes the dog, and soon learns of Matrix’s past identity, as well as everything that’s going on. Capacitor tells them that the guardians have taken his crew, and seized the Saucy Mare. Despite taking up an honest route in making money, the guardians have taken exception to it, and have been after them. AndrAIa tells the two that they have a way to get them out of the prison, and that way is Matrix.
Inside the prison, AndrAIa manages to distract the guards long enough for Frisket to attack, and for her to disable the security cameras. The security bell rings, as Matrix and Capacitor shoot into the prison. AndrAIa and Frisket manage to evade more guards. She tells Frisket to help free the ship, as she tries to shake off the guards. Meanwhile Capacitor and Matrix continue to shoot their way through. They free the crew from their cell, and free their weapons. Before they leave, Tracer asks for his freedom, but Matrix plans to leave him to die. Capacitor chastises him for it, and he shoots him free with his board.
Tracer leaves, as Matrix continues to believe he’s useless. At the docks, Frisket manages to get the ship secured. Tracer gets chased off by the guards. The ship is secured, and it seems everyone is on board. Of course, everyone except AndrAIa, who is still being chased by the CPU force. And to make things worse, guardian ships are on their way. As AndrAIa tries to fight off the CPUs, Ray Tracer notices her being cornered. He uses his board to slice their guns, and gets her out of here. He introduces himself as a web surfer.
But their introduction is cut short as they’re still being pursued by the CPUs. Tracer suggests that AndrAIa comes with him, but she tells him that her friends need her. They arrive on the ship, much to the disgust of Matrix, who still isn’t too fond of the surfer. The ships shoot at the Saucy Mare, and everyone is gunned as the ship moves, aiming to the port to the net. They manage to do decent work on taking the ships down, all while Matrix is jealous of AndrAIa and Tracer working together. The ship makes it to the portal, and the edge of beyond.
Matrix is of course not happy about Tracer being with them, and tells him to leave, despite AndrAIa’s plea to knock off his macho bravado. Matrix still believes him to be useless. The ship stops suddenly, as it appears the portal generators are damaged from the previous battle. The crew is now stranded, and still need to make it to the web. However, Tracer happens to mention that as a web surfer, he has the ability to access the web. And the episode ends with Ray Tracer promising AndrAIa that he’ll help them in the web, while Matrix has about had it, and may be ready to shoot the surfer.
“Return of the Crimson Binome” does a good job in moving the story along, as well as adding to the cast for the majority of the remaining season. Of course, the first major addition is the return of the Crimson Binome and the crew of the Saucy Mare. They were an entertaining lot in their first appearance back in season 1, so it was good to see they weren’t just frivolous characters added for pointless filler. Plus, Long John Baldry is just awesome as the Crimson Binome. He had a great powerful voice, and it really worked for Capacitor.
And of course, the major new addition to the cast is Ray Tracer. Tracer is a very charming character, as well as charismatic. He reminds me an awful lot of Mouse in those aspects. And that will actually make sense as we get further into the season. The only thing I really don’t like is the whole “love triangle” thing they’re trying to do with Tracer AndrAIa, and Matrix, but it works for some needed tension.
My only real fail to this episode is Matrix. He really comes off as an ass in this episode. And not just over the petty jealousy over AndrAIa and Tracer’s friendship. The fact that he would have left Ray Tracer to be deleted, believing him to be useless doesn’t make our beloved renegade look too good. I get the whole brooding anti-hero stuff, but you’d at least think that Matrix wouldn’t be that cruel to leave others for dead.
That issue aside, everything is getting interesting. But despite having a ship and a crew to search the web, our heroes are stranded in the edge of beyond. But can Ray Tracer really get them into the web?