Animal X: Natural Mystery Unit the Complete Season 2

Episode 13: Return to the Congo, part 1

Featured Cryptid: J'ba fofi

Our episode opens up with Marcus getting situated in his new personal quarters in Animal X HQ, followed by Marcus practicing with his katana. Bill then enters the room interrupt Marcus's training, Marcus asking Bill what he's doing here. Bill tells Marcus that he's taking Daniel and Natalie with him on a little field trip to an off-site facility located in the Pacific Northwest called "The Sanctuary" and wanted to know if he would come. Marcus then puts away his sword and agrees to go with Bill before hopping in the back of the X-copter with Daniel, Natalie, and Rodney before taking off. we then cut to the X-copter arriving at the sanctuary where they are greeted by Dr. Michelle Duffy, the head of the facility. Dr. Duffy gives Bill, Daniel, Natalie, Marcus, and Rodney a tour of the complex, explaining to them that the sanctuary is a facility where they take in sick and injured cryptids that are unable to survive in the wild. Bill tells our heroes that Duffy was one of the chief scientists behind the Honey Island project, which was an attempt to discover a new method of cryptid conservation before tragedy struck. Michelle Duffy then places her hand on Bill's shoulder, telling him that she's sorry that his brother couldn't be here to tour the facility. Bill tells her that Blake has been busy with grappling with his own demons, both literally and figuratively. as our heroes walk through the facility, they come across an area called "the nursery" where they see several keepers caring for baby cryptids including jackalope leverets, Chupacabra puppies, Mngwa cubs, Bunyip joeys, and even a baby yeti. Daniel is shocked to see so many baby cryptids, and Dr. Duffy explains that they're all orphans who lost their parents to the black dot. they've taken in so many little ones that they don't know what to do with them, a direct result of the Black Dot's and their needless slaughter of cryptids. Rodney then zips around the heads of the various baby cryptids, all the while Marcus clenches his fist, shedding a tear at seeing so many orphaned baby cryptids, a reminder of all the damage the black dot and his ex-adopted father have caused, damage that he was partially responsible for thanks to his indoctrination. Natalie asks her brother if he's okay, and Marcus tells he had no idea that the Black Dot could be this cruel, ripping babies from their mothers and leaving orphans behind. Marcus goes on to say that he can't believe he partook in the murder of innocent creatures, saying that his hands are stained with the blood of innocent cryptids. Natalie places her hand on Marcus's shoulder, telling him that it's not his fault reminding her brother that he was brainwashed into doing wrong by Domino and now he's free from the Black Dot's indoctrination and with Animal X now. Marcus then approaches the baby yeti only for the little primate to hide behind its caretaker completely terrified. Marcus sighs, realizing that he still has a long way to go before others forgive him for his actions. after that, we cut to the Congo where we see Nile punching his way through the blocked-off entrance to the lost world with his robotic arm, relieved to finally be back at the surface world followed by a bunch of giant spiders emerging from the now-reopened entrance. after that, we cut back to Animal X HQ where we see Tony packing his things before entering the vehicle hangar and heading for the X-jeep until he is stopped in his tracks by his mother. Helena asks her son where he thinks he's going, and Tony explains to her that Blake told him that there are time portals located underneath the lost world and he plans to go to the Congo so he can use these portals to go back in time and save Nina so that they can be one big happy family again. Helena tells her son that she misses Nina just as much as he does, but she's gone and he needs to move on. Tony then retaliates by telling his mother that he knows he can save her and no one's going to stop him. Tony then hops in the X-jeep and takes off followed by Helena contacting Bill to inform him that tony took off with the X-jeep. Bill tells Helena that he'll be right there before he along with Daniel, Natalie, Rodney, and Marcus hop in the X-jeep and take off while Michelle Duffy wishes them luck. We then cut to Domino's airship where Doctor Uno informs Domino that Nile's signal has come back online meaning he's still alive and in the Congo. Domino then orders Doctor Uno to send the twins to the Congo to retrieve Nile and bring him back to the airship safely. Domino then sits in his trophy room to look at a holographic image of very cryptid that took his eye: the Dingonek, promising that he will one day have the creature's head mounted on his wall as payback for taking his eye, saying that once the twins have successfully brought back Nile it'll be time to go hunting. After that, we cut to the X-copter landing in the vehicle hangar of Animal X HQ where Bill is greeted by Helena who informs our heroes that they are too late, as Tony already took off with the X-jeep. Bill asks Helena why Tony would take off with the X-jeep, and Helena informs Bill that Blake told him that there were these temporal anomalies in the Congo and that Tony took off with the hope that he could use them to go back in time to save Nina. Bill facepalms at his nephew's stubbornness and tells Helena that he wishes to have a word with his half-brother before telling Daniel, Natalie, and Marcus to go to the Congo and rescue Tony. Our heroes then board the X-copter and take off before we cut to the X-Jeep landing in the Congo rainforest where we see Tony step out of the vehicle before whipping a device out of his pocket, something he put together that can detect temporal anomalies. Tony then treks through the thick jungle, tracking the signal on his anomaly detector. However Tony is suddenly caught in a humongous spiderweb before being surrounded by giant spiders. we then cut to the X-copter landing in the Congo followed by Daniel, Natalie, Rodney, and Marcus hopping out of the vehicle. they then hear a loud scream which they recognize as Tony followed by Rodney super-speeding his way to the start of the commotion. Daniel, Natalie, and Marcus follow Rodney on foot until they come across Tony stuck in a spider's web. Marcus then cuts Tony free with his katana followed by Natalie helping Tony back up on his feet, Tony telling Natalie that he's glad to see her followed by Rodney nuzzling against Tony happy to see him again. Marcus then readies his katana, telling the others that they've got company followed by several big spiders descending from the jungle canopy to surround our heroes. Rodney hides behind Daniel frightened of the giant arachnids, however Daniel is just as terrified of the sight of spiders the size of a dog. Daniel whips out the Cryptozoologicon and learns that these Congolese giant spiders are referred to by the locals as the J'ba Fofi (Megalorachne Giganteus). these spiders are native to the lost world and their massive size is due to their underground home's higher concentration of oxygen than that of the surface world. Daniel is shocked to learn that these massive creepy-crawlies are from the lost world and wonders how they got to the surface since Helena closed off the entrance at the end of "the lost world, part 3". Natalie whips out her electric batons and tells Daniel that now's not the time to ask that question before combining her electric batons to form a bo staff while Marcus whips out his katana, Natalie telling Tony not to worry saying that she'll protect him. Natalie proceeds to electrocute the spiders with her electric bo staff stunning the colossal arachnids. meanwhile Marcus manages to pin down one of the J'ba fofi and is about to strike the creature only for Daniel to grab Marcus by the arm telling him to stop reminding him that it is against Animal X code to harm cryptids. the J-ba fofi then webs up both Daniel and Marcus. Rodney is scared and hides behind a tree while Natalie and Tony rush toward Daniel and Marcus's aid only to for them to be stopped in their tracks by more spiders, however they are saved when a mysterious figure wielding a sniper rifle kills the spiders one by one our heroes hearing the gunshot noise coming from the bushes and out steps none other than Nile. Marcus is shocked to see Nile alive, asking how this is even possible followed by Daniel telling Marcus that he must have broken through the entrance to the lost world which is how he and the spiders got out. Nile then says "hello, Marcus. long time no see" and takes advantage of their helplessness picking up the webbed-up Marcus and Daniel and carrying them over his shoulder. Natalie tries to hit Nile with her electric bo staff only for Nile to catch her weapon with his Cybernetic hand and kick her into a nearby tree before escaping with the boys. Natalie then gets back up and looks at Tony and slaps him in the face, telling him that this is all his fault. Tony apologizes to her, saying that he just wanted his sister back. Natalie calls out Tony by reminding him that the two of them grew up together, saying that he's the closest thing to a little brother that she's ever had all the while Rodney shakes his little head at the two arguing. after that, we cut to Bill and Helena visiting Blake in his prison cell followed by Bill telling his half-brother that they need to talk, asking why he told Tony about the time anomalies in the Congo. Helena tells her ex-husband that thanks to him Tony ran off into the Congo putting her son in harm's way. Blake tells the two that for so long he grieved the death of his beloved Nina, longing for his deceased daughter vowing revenge on the ones responsible for taking her from this world. but then he remembered something he encountered long ago from his expedition to the Congo: temporal anomalies, gateways through time and space, and then a thought popped into his head, one that he wished he thought of a long time ago: use the anomalies to bring back Nina. and as it turns out Tony feels the same way, and that since he is in prison he can't go to the Congo himself so he took advantage of Tony's emotions to get him to go to the Congo and bring Nina back for him. Bill tells Helena that he encountered something similar to what Blake is talking about during his expedition to the Congo. Meanwhile Helena scolds Blake for using their son as a means to an end, however Blake tells Helena that all he wants is for them to be a family again, but Helena won't have any of it saying that if he succeeded in bringing Nina from the past into the present it could created a time paradox that could forever alter the course of history. Blake tells her that he doesn't care as long as he has his daughter back. after that, we cut to Natalie and Tony trekking through the jungle until they come across the entrance to the lost world and are shocked to see it reopened. Natalie asks Tony of he thinks Nile took Daniel down there, and Tony tells Natalie that they should prioritize finding that time anomaly. Natalie rolls her eyes, telling Tony to just let it go already. Tony however doesn't listen and runs through the entrance, determined to bring back his sister. Natalie then tells Rodney to keep an eye on him and the little skyfish follows Tony through the entrance before Natalie notices a jet with the black dot logo painted on the side and decides to follow Tony and Rodney into the lost world. the jet then lands and out step none other than Cloak and Dagger who notice bootprints in the dirt recognizing them as Natalie's. after that, we cut to Natalie and Tony trekking through the jungles of the lost world until they come across a Mokele-Mbembe browsing from the tops of the trees. Tony is in amazement of the sight of a real-life dinosaur, saying that he's never seen one up-close before before snapping pictures of the creature with his phone while asking Natalie that if she thinks the time anomalies are where the dinosaurs came from. Natalie tells Tony perhaps so. Rodney then hears the screaming of Daniel and Marcus and zips off to save his human friends. Natalie and Tony both follow after Rodney before we cut to Daniel and Marcus tied up and hanging upside-down from a tree where they are greeted by Nile who tells the two that Domino is gonna pay him handsomely when he returns with the head of the traitor Marcus and an Animal X agent along with it before whipping out his knife and holding it toward Marcus's neck. the two are however saved by Rodney who chews our heroes free of their sticky web-bondage before Natalie arrives on the scene to electrocute Nile with her electric bo staff knocking out the Kenyan bounty hunter. Tony then arrives on the scene to apologize to Daniel and Marcus, telling them that it's his fault that they got stuck in this mess in the first place followed by Daniel telling Tony "none taken" before firing his grappling gun at Nile tying him up with the grappling hook cable telling him that the tabled have now turned all the while Marcus crosses his arms and stares down the captured Nile telling him that he got what he deserved for betraying him. Tony then out of nowhere tells Daniel to let him go, Daniel asking Tony if he's crazy saying that Nile is a monster who can't be trusted. Tony then approaches Nile and asks him "so let me get this straight, you've been trapped down here for a really long time. so that must mean you must know the location of the time anomalies" followed by Nile telling him "I might.." all the while Daniel asks what the heck is going on. Tony then frees Nile with a laser cutter and explains to Daniel that Nile might just be their key to finding the time anomalies meaning they're gonna have to learn to work together if it means finding the time anomalies and saving Nina, all the while Marcus and Nile both look at each other with distrust. our heroes trek through the jungle with Nile leading the way until they come across a secret cavern that they didn't notice before then enter the cavern where they come across a time portal followed by witnessing a stegosaur (Mbielu-Mbielu-Mbielu) emerge from the portal and walk off, Natalie shocked to discover that the time portal is real and that it's where the dinosaurs came from, Tony reading from the Cryptozoologicon that the prehistoric flora and fauna of the lost world are descended from time-displaced organisms who stumbled through the anomalies during the early Neogene period. our heroes are then stopped in their tracks by lost world natives who point their spears at them shouting "stop right there!" in their native tongue while Natalie whips out her electric batons, Daniel whips out his grappling gun, Nile whips out his rifle, and Marcus whips out his katana while Tony and Rodney both hide behind Natalie for protection. the natives drop their spears much to the confusion of our heroes and we then see the chief of the lost world natives tell the others that these people can be trusted in the native tongue, Natalie and Daniel glad to see the chieftain again after their encounter in "the lost world" three-parter back in season 1. the chieftain notices Tony's violet eyes and white hair recognizing him as half lost world native and Tony introduces himself to the chieftain telling him that he's Tony White, son of Doctor Helena White. the chief is shocked to hear that Helena had a son, telling the young teen that Helena is his daughter and that he is happy to know that he has a grandson. however Cloak and Dagger both arrive on the scene to confront our heroes, Nile asking the two of them who they are. the two introduce themselves as Domino's daughters and inform Nile that they were sent by Domino to rescue him. Nile then turns on our heroes with Marcus making the witty remark "I told you he couldn't be trusted!" followed by the chieftain ordering his men to not let the three of them near the portal, followed by the natives pointing their spears at Nile and the twins. Cloak laughs, saying that sticks aren't going to stop them before using her telekinesis to rip the spears out of the native's hands and point their weapons back at them. Daniel, Natalie, and Marcus then try to fight of the three villains, Daniel fighting Cloak, Natalie fighting Dagger, and Marcus fighting Nile. meanwhile Tony walks towards the portal and sees Nina on the other side before turning his head to see Daniel, Natalie, and Marcus getting pummeled by Nile and the twins. Tony begins to feel conflicted, torn between saving his real family and saving his found family (AKA the Animal X natural mystery unit). Tony then has childhood flashbacks to him and Natalie growing up together and decides to let go of Nina and save his friends, blasting the ceiling with his shock gauntlets causing a massive cave-in that forces Nile and the twins to retreat. Natalie then tells Tony that she's proud of him for making the right choice. Tony then tells her that it turns out he already had a sister this whole time: Natalie, which makes Natalie blush. Daniel then interrupts this heartfelt moment by telling the two that they need to get out of this cave before it collapses. Rodney then uses his super-speed to get Daniel, Marcus, Tony and the natives out of the cave, however Natalie accidentally gets caught in the cave-in with Daniel screaming "NOOOOO!!!!!" as the cave collapses. Rodney tries to comfort the grieving Daniel before we cut to the alive Natalie waking up in Animal X HQ where she bumps into a young Bill Kerr ending our episode on a cliffhanger.