Thunderbirds Are Go!: The Genesis Of International Rescue

Scene 6 - Fall Out

We look at the family on Tracy Island. They remain listening attentively to what Jeff has to say.

Scott:

That was when dad and the Hood split up.

John:

It was something to do with the Zero X, wasn't it?

Jeff:

The Hood wanted the power source to the Zero X to make him wealthy beyond his wildest of dreams. He wanted it all for himself. And that's when I really met the Hood for the first time. Our partnership ended then and there. The rest as they say is history.

The family falls silent.

Alan:

And... what then? I'm just trying to break the awkward silence. Something a little more positive, I hope?

Jeff:

You could say that. After that little episode, I invited Kayo and her father to come and stay with us here on Tracy Island. Because the Hood and his brother weren't exactly close, I wanted to make sure he and her daughter would be in safe hands in case the Hood struck at them.

Kayo:

But Mr Tracy was too late. I was, well, if you like... adopted to you boys. Only your father and Grandma actually knew about the truth. I don't think you would want to hear what happened. I certainly don't want to go down that road again.

Jeff:

No, Kayo. But there was one final arrival that was yet to arrive. I was to give mum a special flight on the new Fireflash aircraft that would fly from London to Chile.

We get to see footage of the Fireflash at London Airport from the episode Fireflash. The reuse of showing the Airport and takeoff plays as Jeff narrates. This then cuts to seeing Jeff and Scott riding two hoverbikes. Jeff rides on a blue one, whereas Scott flies on another. They head underneath Thunderbird 1 to head up to London Tower to control International Rescue's first assignment.

And in part for his revenge against us, the Hood planted a bomb underneath the Fireflash. If the craft touched down on a runway, it would have exploded. If she had kept in the air, the passengers and crew would have received radiation exposure. And with mum on board, I couldn't let anyone else down. And so, the Hood forced the Thunderbirds into the open. When I heard from John's report up in the satellite, I flew with Scott in Thunderbird 1. Virgil soon launched Thunderbird 2. Scott and I manned the operation from London Tower, as Virgil unloaded the remote-controlled high-speed elevator cars.

We then view back at Brains and MAX in Tracy Island.

Brains:

They were or-originally remote controlled at first, Mr T-Tracy. They were produced for this exact reason and have been of g-great service. The Elevator Cars used to have a m-master remote control and used a car-to-car infarred beam positioning system. Additional guidance fine tuning is carried out by the master c-car. Based on an art-ticulated chassis with high-velocity diesel-electric m-motors powering the forward and rear u-units. Capable of accelerating to a top speed of 180MPH within t-thirty seconds, they are fitted with high density Plasma-Mould tyres.

Alan:

Hmmm. Neat.

We see the Fireflash flying over the runway with the Elevator Cars running underneath at high speed. The iconic sequence is briefly reconstructed for the second time in Thunderbirds Are Go.

Jeff:

The question is... would International Rescue save the day? Or would the Hood get his wicked way.

Jeff, back at Tracy Island, slams the books shut dramatically.

Virgil:

It's so neat Alan, it gave us the reputation we've got today.

Gordon:

Then what about Lady Penelope? How did you get her involved?

Alan:

Awwww!

Jeff:

It's a good question, Gordon. I'll let you know. How she met Parker, how she was involved in the secret agents' underworld, and how it came to her involvement in International Rescue. I did know Lady Penelope and her family. And obviously through them, I knew Penny. Parker on the other hand was known to Penny's father because of his expertise in safe-cracking. As we all know, Parker has, shall we say, a rare talent. Therefore, a test was set up for Parker to prove whether he was successful to look after Penny under her Lord Hugh Creighton Ward's wishes. One night, Parker was breaking into a tower block on a night in the centre of London...