Mr. Big's Big Plan

Narrator: Just another typical day in the city. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and WordGirl is about to go head-to-head with yet another evil villain.

(Scene: A park-like area, where Amazing Rope Guy has lassoed a statue of a bison.)

WordGirl: Unleash that statue, Amazing Rope Guy! I’m taking you in!

Amazing Rope Guy: Oh no you’re not! I’m taking you AND monkey face DOWN! (He jumps and swings his rope around, then throws it at them. It lands well short.)

WordGirl: That’s it?

Amazing Rope Guy: Well-- yeah.

WordGirl: I have to say… not so amazing! (She uses super-speed to wrap the rope around him. Officer Jim shows up to arrest him, and takes him away. The mayor walks up to WordGirl.)

Mayor: Good work, WordGirl! (reads from a card) For saving our fair town, I present to you the key to the city!

WordGirl: Thanks! (lifts up her cape, where other keys are hanging.) My twenty-seventh key.

Mayor: WordGirl, I need to ask you something very important.

WordGirl: Shoot!

Mayor: (reading) At my victory party, can we serve pasta instead of salad?

WordGirl: Huh?

Mayor: Lettuce sticks in my teeth!

(The mayor’s assistant comes up behind him and hands him a new card.)

Mayor: Uhh, oops, I’m sorry. Here we go. Can I count on your vote in the upcoming election?

WordGirl: Umm, I’m too young to vote!

Mayor: Oh. Too bad. I need all the help I can get to beat the guy running against me.

WordGirl: Who’s your  opponent ?

Mayor: My--

WordGirl:  Opponent . You know, the person running against you.

Mayor: Oh. (shuffles through his cards) That would be-- uh--

(A car passes by with a woman speaking through a megaphone.)

Voice on mic: Ahem! Excuse me. Mr. Big, vote for Mr. Big, he’ll make big, big changes… (WordGirl gasps)

Narrator: Meanwhile, in a spacious penthouse office, Mr. Big hatches his evil plan!

Mr. Big: Soon the whole city will be under my control! No one will be able to stop me, once I’m crowned mayor! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Assistant: Um, mayors don’t wear crowns.

Mr. Big: Oh, they will.

Assistant: About the big debate tonight?

Mr. Big: (pulls out a device from his suit) Right! Thanks to my ultimate, number one evil mind control device, everyone who sees me tonight will vote for me!

Assistant: Actually sir, batteries are dead. New ones haven’t come in yet.

Mr. Big: Fine. Then we’ll just have to use the ultimate number two evil mind--

Assistant: Uh, sorry… batteries!

Mr. Big: Ultimate number three?

Assistant: No…

Mr. Big: Five?

Assistant: Yeah, we’re out.

Mr. Big: Well, that’s absurd! I can’t face voters without my mind control device!

Assistant: I’ll cancel the debate.

Mr. Big: No! Maybe I’ll try to win this one without mind control. You know, by giving the people of the city exactly what they want! Ha ha, Mwah-ha-ha!

Narrator: Now that’s diabolical!

Mr. Big: You better believe it!

Narrator: Later, at the debate…

Scoops: I’ve never covered an election for the Daily Rag before. Unless you count the one for hall monitor.

Becky: (looking over at Mr. Big and his assistant) Hmm, something’s fishy here.

Mr. Botsford: That’s my new cologne!

Becky: No, not that. I just don’t trust Mr. Big at all!

Scoops: He looks okay to me!

Mr. Botsford: You’re right. I’m voting for him.

Becky: You don’t understand. Mr. Big likes to use mind control to get what he wants! I’m afraid he’s gonna use it to try to win the election.

Mr. Botsford: You’re right. I am not voting for him! Maybe.

Becky: Dad, you’re gonna have to  decide  sooner or later.

Mayor: Ladies and Gentlemen, re-elect me and I will continue to do a great job for the city. I’ll clean up the schools, build more libraries, and improve the parks! Thank you!

Mr. Botsford: I’ve  decided ! He’s got my vote.

Mr. Big: Greetings, fair citizens! How would you like to live in the greatest city in the whole wide world, without leaving your front door? (The crowd whispers amongst themselves.) Well, if you want this city to be number one, vote for me, your number one candidate, Mr. Big!

Mr. Botsford: I’ve  decided ! He’s got my vote.

Becky: Dad!

Mr. Big: I want to give you exactly what you want. You sir, what do you want?

Man #1: New schools?

Mr. Big: Done!

Man #2: I don’t want new schools!

Mr. Big: Done!

Becky: But he just promised new schools!

Woman #1: I want a pony.

Mr. Big: Done!

Mr. Botsford: I want a new juicer!

Mr. Big: Done!

Becky: Dad, Mr. Big is trying to buy your vote!

Mr. Botsford: You’re right! I’m voting for the mayor! (to Mr. Big) Can I still get my juicer?

Mr. Big: Done!

Man #3: A flying skateboard!

Scoops: My own newspaper!

(Bob points at his empty bowl of popcorn.)

Mr. Big: Done, done, done! (His assistant is busy writing down notes.)

Becky: Mr. Big, just how do you expect to make good on all your promises?

Mayor: Yeah!

Mr. Big: Please! This is no time for debate.

Becky: Huh?

Mr. Big: (in a lofty voice) Anything-- is possible-- if we all work-- together! (The crowd applauds and starts chanting “Mr. Big! Mr. Big!”)

(The assistant says something to one of Mr. Big's bodyguards, and they both head backstage.)

Becky: Hmm… that looks a little suspicious!

Mr. Big: Finally, as a token of the great things to come, I’ve installed a giant TV in the downtown square. Everyone likes TV, right?

(Scene cuts to the town square, where the mayor appears on the screen.)

Mayor: I love TV!

(The crowd cheers.)

Becky: (to Bob) Come on, we’ve got work to do! (grabs Bob and walks off) Word UP!

(back stage)

Mr. Big: Victory! Soon the city will be mine! Wa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

(WordGirl appears)

WordGirl: Stop right there!

Mr. Big: WordGirl! Captain Hairy Face! Get them!

(The bodyguards move toward them. WordGirl ties them up with the curtain rope.)

WordGirl: Now, Huggy! (Huggy drops a sandbag attached to the other end of the rope, lifting them up in the air.)

WordGirl: Hold it! I know just what you’re up to, Mr. Big! That’s a mind control device, isn’t it? You’re using it to make people vote for you! (Points to a large covered object that he is pushing along.)

Mr. Big: Mind control?! Why, I’m insulted!

WordGirl: (pulling the cover away) A-HA! Just as I-- Gummy Yummies?

Mr. Big: Top of the line Gummy Yummies! Imported. (Huggy reaches for it, but Mr. BIg pushes him away.) Hm-nm! Sorry, Mr. Big voters only! (wheels it onto the stage) Free Gummy-Yummies for everyone!

(Everyone in the crowd cheers, then starts cheering “Mr. Big! Mr. Big!”)

(This is followed by a montage of scenes where Mr. Big is addressing different groups. In the park, he is standing on a park bench, speaking to a group of kids.)

Mr. Big: And I promise everyone in the city free ice cream for life!

(Then at another rally, he is talking to another group of people. The pile of notes being taken by his assistant keeps growing.)

Mr. Big: And their very own statue… made of cheese! (Dr. Two-Brains is seen as one of the onlookers, applauding.)

(Finally, Mr. Big appears on TV, speaking to another group. His assistant’s pile of notes has grown so large that she can barely be seen.)

Mr. Big: X-ray vision! (cheering)

(Becky and Bob are sitting at home watching the broadcast. Huggy says something.)

Becky: I know! I’m frustrated too. Of course I think he has something evil planned, but I can’t arrest him. It’s not like he’s using mind control… yet!

(A field reporter then joins the broadcast.)

Reporter: Today’s a big day as voters race to the polls to make their fateful  decision . Will they re-elect the town’s mayor, or his  opponent , Mr. Big?

Woman: I want a train set with floating tracks, actual size.

Woman 2: I want a purple polka-dot poodle.

Mr. Big: Done, and done!

Assistant: Mr. Big, please stop making promises until I can catch up!

Mr. Big: Please, we have this election won!

Assistant: Actually, we’ve gotten a little behind on our promises, and some of the voters are turning against us!

Mr. Big: Impossible!

Assistant: But Mr. Big--

(WordGirl lands beside Mr. Big)

WordGirl: People, listen to me! Mr. Big is an evil businessman! He’s making a lot of false promises just so you’ll vote for him! Then he’s gonna carry out some sort of evil plan.

Woman 2: What evil plan?

WordGirl: Uh, I’m not sure. He won’t tell me. But I’m sure he has one!

Man on Horse: Well, I don’t know! Mr. Big seems okay to me!

Woman 3: WordGirl’s right! We can’t trust him!

(A crowd gathers around these two, arguing their own opinions.)

Mayor: The voting polls are now open! (Everyone rushes the door.)

Mr. Botsford: (thinking to himself) Hmm-- the mayor. No, no no no, Mr. Big. No, the mayor! I wish I could  decide !

Reporter: What an exciting election! The results are in, and it’s a tie! Only one citizen has yet to cast his vote! (Mr. Botsford walks up to a voting booth.)

Mr. Botsford: Hmm, the mayor. No, Mr. Big. The mayor. Mr. Big…

Reporter: Mr. Tim Botsford! The entire fate of this town hinges on your vote! (Mr Botsford gulps, then waves at the camera.) Every citizen in town is counting on you! Waiting… watching… you chew your nails?

Mr. Botsford: I can’t  decide !

WordGirl: Listen to me, Dad! Uh, da-da-da, Mr. Botsford! You’ve got to vote for the mayor!

Mr. Botsford: W-why?

WordGirl: Because Mr. Big is up to no good! He’ll ruin the city!

Mr. Botsford: Are you sure?

WordGirl: Trust me, I’m a superhero! We know these things.

Mr. Botsford: Oh! Well, if you say so, WordGirl. You’ve never let me down before. I’m going to vote for-- (his eyes suddenly turn into purple, pulsating rings) Mr. Big. (walks up to the voting booth)

WordGirl: (gasps) Mind control! (She turns around, and sees Mr. Big holding one of his devices.)

Mr. Big: Yes! I’m tired of trying to win the old-fashioned way!

Assistant: Plus the new batteries came express mail this morning!

Mr. Botsford: (in a robotic voice) Press here for Mr. Big…

Narrator: Is this the end of our fair city as we know it? And the beginning of Mr. Big’s big bad plan? Is Mr. Botsford really going to vote for Mr. Big and his big bad plan? Can we drag this moment out any longer?

(Huggy jumps onto Mr. Big, grabs the controller, and switches off the device.)

Mr. Botsford: (regaining his senses) Ooh! Where do I vote for the mayor? Oh, here!

(Before he can press the button for the mayor, Mr. Big’s assistant has retrieved the remote, and switches the mind control back on.)

Mr. Botsford: Mr. Big!

(WordGirl and the assistant fight over the device, causing Mr. Botsford to switch back and forth several times. The remote gets away from both of them, and Mr. Big catches it. However, before he can press the button, metal covers slam down over all of the voting booths.)

Mr. Botsford: What just happened?

Worker: Sorry, polls closed.

WordGirl: But it’s a tie!

Worker: Not my problem, sister.

Mayor: A tie? What do we do in a tie?

Narrator: Um, why is everyone looking at me? Oh, I have the rule book! Right. In case of tie, town law says that everyone in the city has to vote again!

Mr. Botsford: It does?

Mr. Big: You mean I have to go through this whole thing AGAIN?

Narrator: That’s what it says here.

Assistant: More-- buying-- people-- stuff-- (she collapses from exhaustion)

Mr. Big: Well, forget that! This time I’ll just use my mind control device to get every vote in the city!

WordGirl: Right! And then you’ll finally be able to carry out your evil plan!

Mr. Big: Yes! Finally, every citizen will have to dress like a giant fuzzy, squishy bunny-bunny!

WordGirl: Umm… what?

Assistant: That’s the plan? It’s a little-- weird.

Mr. Big: I gave everyone else what they wanted, now I want a squishy bunny city! And with mind control, I’m going to get it! Ha-ha-ha!

WordGirl: Um, Huggy, did you get all that? (The camera pans up to Huggy, who has been holding a TV camera pointed at Mr. Big, broadcasting his evil plan to the crowd of townspeople watching on the big screen he placed in the town square.)

Mr. Big: Ohhh-- rats. Hello! (He starts to run off, but WordGirl ties him up.)

WordGirl: Looks like this election is all wrapped up! Ha-ha. Yeah.

Narrator: And so, the mayor beats his  opponent . WordGirl saves the city from another evil villain, and Mr. Botsford makes a  decision  to brush his teeth in public. Eww! Be sure to join us next week for another exciting episode of-- WordGirl!