Let's Be Heroes

[The episode begins with K.O. looking through his Pow Card collection, sitting in the back seat of the car.]

K.O.: Hmm, Mr. Gar is level eleven, so he's way past Sparko's level three. But Sparko has that really cool power move, so—

Carol: Ready to go, K.O.?

K.O.: Oh. Yeah, Mom.

Carol: I know coming to work with your mom isn't too cool for a boy your age, but your babysitter's fighting the Flu this week.

K.O.: Again? The Flu doesn't stand a chance against Judy! She's like the toughest fighter in the neighborhood!

[Judy beats up the Flu, sending it flying to land on the car's windshield.]

Carol: See? Yuck.

[The Flu gets wiped off the windshield.]

Judy: Sorry, Carol!

Carol: Go get 'em, hon!

Carol: We better get out of here before things turn really ugly! Destination, K.O.?

K.O.: Lakewood. Plaza. Turbo!

[''Tires squeal, as the scene cuts to a bird's eye view of Lakewood Plaza Turbo. Animals are squeaking and chirping. The title card appears.'']

K.O.: [''Looks outside, big-eyed. Then proceeds to shake his head.''] Oh, can't get distracted. Got to brush up on my facts in case I meet some real heroes!

Carol: If you train hard enough K.O., you can be one, too!

K.O.: [Looks up from his Pow Card book] Huh? [Slightly sorrowful] You're just saying that 'cause you're my mom...

Carol: Ha! Maybe. But remember this, K.O. You don't start out as a hero. You become one.

K.O.: [Shocked] I can become a hero? [Imagines his potential future] But where do I begin? Will I wake up as a hero one day? Do I get a cool transformation sequence? Or maybe I just need a change of clothes. Or maybe I need... [Looks at Mr. Gar's card] less clothes?

Carol: Everyone in that binder of yours came from humble beginnings, K.O. I mean, even Mr. Gar had to work hard to become the hero he is today.

K.O.: I don't know about that. I bet he was always level eleven.

Carol: Mm, not when I first met him.

K.O.: [Shocked] You know Mr. Gar?

Carol: Of course. He runs the whole plaza. It's kind of hard to miss him. Look, there he is now.

[K.O. looks at the sky and gasps; a flying car drops down from the sky and Mr. Gar comes out.]

Mr. Gar: Employees!

Enid and Rad: Yes, sir, Mr. Gar, sir!

Mr. Gar: We got a stack of last month's magazines to throw out...

K.O.: [In awe] He's just too cool.

Mr. Gar: ...in the front! Step on it, people! Let's go, go, go!

[Enid and Rad race out to do their duty.]

Mr. Gar: Mondays, am I right?

Carol: [Clears throat] Morning, Gar.

[Mr. Gar is literally petrified of Carol's presence.]

Mr. Gar: Uh, uh, morning, Carol, and, uh, Carol's offspring.

K.O.: It was nice to meet you! Wow! Maybe if I hang around here long enough, Mr. Gar's heroness will rub off on me.

Carol: Eh, you could try that, but I'd rather stick to the classic methods.

[''They enter the Fitness Dojo. Three women gasp at her son.'']

Ginger: Carol! Don't tell me that's your boy!

Carol: K.O., you remember Gertie, Ginger, and Gladys, don't you?

[One of the three women hugs K.O.]

Gertie: Aww!

K.O.: Of course. How could I forget my mom's best students?

[The women laugh, and K.O. drops to the floor.]

K.O.: Guess what! I'm going to become a hero!

Gladys: Aww! K.O., you're too much.

Carol: Okay, we're set to begin, class.

[The women still adore K.O.]

Carol: Class! [sighs]

K.O.: Ha, ha, ha! Me!

[Carol destroys her last plank.]

Carol: Oh, no! My last plank! Darn it! K.O., I'm gonna need you to go down to the bodega and fetch me some more planks. A-and get a little something for yourself. [Kisses K.O.]

K.O.: Okay.

[Carol pushes him out and closes the door.]

K.O.: [Thinking] My first heroic quest. [Talking] You picked the right hero for the job, Mommy.

[K.O. repeatedly blows raspberries while he goes down to Mr. Gar's bodega.]

K.O.: [Shocked at the many heroes that are present] Whoa! So many heroes! [Gasps; as he says each name, he shows the corresponding Pow Card.] Sparko, Shy Ninja!

[''Shy Ninja vanishes with smoke. Nick Army and Joff the Shaolin Monk exit the bodega.'']

Nick Army: Just picked up some nukes, handful of 'nades...

K.O.: Nick Army and Joff the Shaolin Monk!

Nick Army: ...never did anything.

K.O.This is the most beautiful day of my life. [''Laughs and drops the Pow Cards as he runs; he picks them up as he runs back. He reads the poster on the front door of the bodega''] "Everything you need to be a hero." This is it. This is how I become a hero. [The screen pauses for a moment.] It's time! Haha! L-L-L-Lazer Sword! [Attempts to play with the sword] F-F-F-Flame gauntlets! B-B-B-Bottom towel! Ba-chu-chu-chu— Whoa!

[He creates a mess; Rad enters.]

Radicles: Oh, great. I spent the last four hours pretending to clean the store, and now I got to do it for real?

K.O.: Oh, hi, there, [Reading] Rad. What a rad name.

Rad: [Scoffs] Yeah, it's short for Radicles. Back on my home planet, it's a really cool and rare name, too.

K.O.: Whoa! You're an alien?

Rad: Yeah.

K.O.: I'm K.O. Say, um, can you show me where the lightning nachos are?

[Scene cuts to K.O. longing to eat the nachos; Rad pours a fluid electrified by lightning.]

Rad: So, you're choosing the path of the hero, huh? I'm pretty heroic myself. Level 2, if you must know. [Eats a chip; gets shocked by electricity]

K.O.: Well, anyway, thanks for your help, Rad. I better check out—

Rad: Oh, so you need photographic evidence of my righteous feats?

K.O.: Not now. I believe you—

Rad: If you insist. [Show photos] Here's one of me doing my famous power belly flop on a bad guy. And here's me getting the drop on the Chip Damage. Don't worry. We're cool now. [Accidentally shows a photo of a kitten] And here's me—

K.O.: Aww, who's the kitty?

Rad: Aah! Uh, uh, she's nobody! It's nothing! [Rad exits, racing away.]

K.O.: What a cool guy.

[K.O. walks toward Enid, who is scanning items on the counter.]

Enid: That'll be twenty technos. Have a... day. Welcome to Gar's, how may I—

Pird: Do you have any gum?!

Enid: [Sighs] Yes.

Pird: Oh. Okay!

[The customer exits offscreen; Enid groans in irritation.]

K.O.: Hi, there. My name's K.O. How are you?

Enid: Uh, Enid. And, uh, well, I'm here.

K.O.: Yeah, here! It's gotta be so much fun coming here every day.

Enid: I take it you've never worked in customer service.

K.O.: Nope. I'm a little kid. But I can imagine it— rubbing elbows with the bravest and toughest heroes. [Sighs] You must be exhausted from all that making a difference.

Enid: Yeah, that's it.

K.O.: You know, once I buy this stuff, [Places products on counter] I'll be a hero myself. My mom's gonna be so proud of me.

Enid: Hopefully proud enough to foot the huge bill you just racked up.

K.O.: Oh, right. [Gets credit card] The pin is my birthday! Ch-ch-ch-ch-cha! [Operates number pad] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Enid: Congrats, kid.

K.O.: Thanks, Enid! I'll see you around!

Enid: Bye. Have a... nice day. [Chuckles] Nice.

K.O.: After minutes of hard work and dedication, I achieved my dream. I am a hero!

[''K.O. tries to exit the bodega; the doors shut. K.O. tries to activate the sensor, the doors open, and he exits.'']

K.O.: Everything's coming up K.O.!

[The people scream in terror.]

Mega Football Baby: It's the Boxman!

[''The bodega shuts down. The doors crush one of the posters.'']

Brandon: Hey! Aw, man. It took me like an hour to paint that. This better not be another one of Gar's drills.

A Real Magic Skeleton: Nah, those are Tuesdays. It's got to be a Boxman bot. Want to help me shoot the chaos?

[''A magic portal opens in the sky, as a Boxman Box falls from it. The box hits the pavement, and the walls collapse to reveal a robot.'']

Darrell: I am Darrell, and I've come to destroy! [Starts shooting lasers, laughs maniacally.]

K.O.: [Waving] Hi Darrell, I'm K.O.! Nice to— [Ducks, dodging one of Darrell's lasers.]

[Several people run away from Darrell's lasers.]

Darrell: That's right! Run away, Lakewood Losers!

[Doorbell rings]

Rad: [Sighs] Another Boxman robot.

Enid: K.O. don't have at him, he's evil... and a total nerd.

K.O.: Evil? I have to do something!

Enid: Whoa, hold up, you don't stand a chance against that thing.

Rad: I think he's got it.

Enid: What, you think K.O. can beat him?

Rad: Oh. Oh, no, no, no. I meant Darrell's got it. [Chuckles] That kid's gonna get wrecked.

K.O.: Ha! Don't let appearances fool you. Witness the power of a true hero! [Jumps up into the sky.]

Darrell: What the? [Spikes appear on his knuckles, as he goes in for a punch.]

K.O.: Aah!

[K.O. and Darrell's fists collide.]

Darrell: [Chuckles] Not bad! Where'd you get those sweet threads? The convenience store?

K.O.: Yes! In fact, I did. And I got this, too! [Pulls out the laser sword.]

[''K.O. runs towards Darrell, dodging his laser beams. K.O. jumps up and cuts Darrell's arm off with a laser from the sword.'']

Darrell: Aah! No way!

K.O.: You were wrong to underestimate the power of a hero, Darrell. [Runs up and headbutts Darrell.]

[Darrell skids across the pavement.]

K.O.: And now you're really going to get it! [Throws off his cape.]

Darrell: [''Groans, as K.O.'s cape land on him. He pulls the cape off.''] Give it up already!

K.O.: I'll never give up, I can feel the willpower of everyone in the plaza coursing through me! [K.O.'s flame gauntlets activate.] Enough power for one final move! Get ready to feel 10,000 strikes of sweet justice, Darrell!

[Darrell begins to tremble in fear.]

K.O.: Ultra-flaming-evil-pulverizing-punch! Ha!

A Real Magic Skeleton: Kid. Hey, kid. Snap out of it. Come on, kid. [Begins smacking K.O. across the face.] Kid, come on. Kid?

K.O.: [Shakes his head, mumbling as he wakes up.] What-- What happened?

A Real Magic Skeleton: Geez, where to I start with this? Well, okay. See that robot over there with the cannon and the big fist? [Pointing to Darrell.] Well, first, you tried to block his punch. But he just knocked your flame gauntlets in your face, which knocked you out. As you fell back, you tripped over your beach towel, and fell butt-first into your lightning nachos which shocked you backwards into this here wall. Actually pretty funny.

K.O.: [Blushing.] Th- That's what really happened?

A Real Magic Skeleton: I recorded the whole thing if you want to check it out.

[''The phone begins to play sounds of K.O. screaming and grunting, followed by splattering sounds. K.O. screams some more, and whirling sounds play.'']

K.O.: I can't believe it... [He sinks to the ground.] That fight felt so intense, but it wasn't real, just like my big dream. I thought I'd already become a hero, but all I did was wear stuff and get my butt kicked. Who am I kidding I'm not even close to being there yet...

Enid: [Shaking Radicles, trying to wake him up.] Get off the ground, you stupid meatloaf.

[A whistle is heard in the distance, it is revealed to be Gar that was whistling.]

Enid: Ha!

Darrell: What the?

Gar: [''Engines revving. He drops down on Darrell from the sky, causing an explosion, decapitating Darrell.''] Hmm. [He kicks Darrell's head toward Boxman's factory.]

Darrell: Aah!

[The crosswalk sign turns green, and gives off a ding.]

Mr. Gar: You two, get this mess cleaned up.

Rad and Enid: Yes, sir!

Mr. Gar: Mondays, am I right?

Rad: Man, Mr. Gar's pretty cool, but, like, how'd he even get up there?

Enid: He's level eleven, dude, now come on.

K.O.: [Thinking] ''I want to be a great hero. How do I become one? Will I wake up as a hero one day? Will I transform into one? No. That's not right. I can't become a hero right away, so I'm gonna learn how by working here at Lakewood Plaza Turbo one step at a time.''

Rad: [Chuckles] Yo, Enid, check out the squirt. Nice face, right?

K.O.: [Whimpering, sniffling]

Rad: [Laughing]

Enid: Ah, I don't know, I could get used to it.