| Double Reverse | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode 8 | |
| |
| Air date | 23. September, 1995 |
| Written by | Henry Gilroy |
| Episode guide | |
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Double Reverse is the eight episode of The Mask: The Animated Series.
Summary[]
The Mask fighting his new enemy
A reverse therapy treatment helps Stanley deprive the Mask of its power by acting like the Mask in his normal state, but when a criminal called Kablamus, capable of exploding and surviving, arrives in the city, Stanley must get the powerless Mask to work once again.
Plot[]
Walter's bank robbery gets foiled when the Mask lures him to the dock and throws him into the sea, inadvertently causing a ship to sink. Later that day, Stanley consults his therapist, Dr. Arthur Neuman, about his problems in life: his friend Charlie constantly abuses him, he can't get a girlfriend and his car can't work properly. He even talks about the Mask to Dr. Neuman, but Dr. Neuman doesn't think the Mask is real, only a figment of Stanley's imagination. However, he does believe that the Mask is an embodiment of Stanley's repressed feelings; essentially, Stanley's inner child, so he recommends Stanley to act on those feelings instead of repressing them. He calls this method "reverse psychology". Stanley's first attempt to get in touch with his inner child and act like the Mask would do fails and he embarrasses himself in front of everyone in the bank.
Meanwhile, a disgruntled children's entertainer called Joe Blow is tired of children constantly berating him for his fragile balloons, which is why he has worked to create an unbreakable balloon. Unfortunately, his first prototype for such a balloon ends up destroying the balloon factory he works at. During the explosion, Joe falls into a vat of chemicals that gives him the same properties of a balloon, making him unbreakable. He can now inflate himself and survive his own explosions. With his new powers, he calls himself "Kablamus, the Exploding Man" and intends to bring his form of entertaiment to a whole new generation of children.
Meanwhile, Stanley gets called to the bank president's office. He believes he will get fired for his antics, only to learn from the president that clients actually like his new wacky self, which is why Stanley will be promoted to bank executive manager and given a higher rank than that of Charlie. Amazed that his new wacky self has produced positive results, Stanley continues to act like the Mask and even scores a date with a female co-worker called Violet. When he talks to Dr. Neuman about the changes in his life, however, Dr. Neuman finds Stanley's newfound confidence too wacky and unbearable, advising him to tone it down, but Stanley refuses.
When he returns home, Stanley decides that he no longer needs the Mask to improve his life anymore. Suddenly, the news report that Kablamus is causing explosions all over Edge City, so Stanley decides that the Mask must intervene. Unfortunately, the Mask falls off Stanley's face when he tries to fight Kablamus and Stanley realizes that the Mask can only work if it unleashes Stanley's repressed feelings and now that Stanley is acting like the Mask without actually wearing the Mask, then he has no powers. The only way to restore the Mask's powers and save Edge City is for Stanley to repress his feelings again, even if that means giving away the things he gained through his wacky self.
Unfortunately, even after turning away the promotion at his workplace and cleaning the entrance to Mrs. Peenman's apartment, Stanley can't get the Mask to work again, so he decides to talk to Dr. Neuman, whose office gets attacked by Kablamus, who was inspired into becoming a supervillain by Neuman's work on reverse psychology. It's only when Stanley willingly humilliates himself in front of Kablamus that the Mask regains its power and Stanley can wear it. Kablamus plans to destroy the city by detonating a plutonium charge, knowing that he will be the only survivor, but the Mask switches his charge with a popcorn tank. When Kablamus inflates himself and tries to cause another explosion, the Mask forcibly installs a pressure valve that completely removes the air Kablamus was using to inflate himself.
As Kablamus is arrested, Stanley willingly gives up the promotion and loses his date with Violet. Even so, Stanley is confident that he will get the things he wants just by being himself and takes comfort on the fact that he is secretly a superhero.