We begin with the opening titles of the series. A massive sense of build up and excitement begins right from the very instant of the start. An AP Films logo appears on the screen as the series' theme tune commences. The picture then changes to form the announcement of "Filmed In SUPERMARIONATION". This then fades into blackness and we are revealed to, from left to right of the camera, Dr. Venus and Steve Zodiac. Both sit on their separate Jetmobiles on some form of a balcony and a wall behind them. In the centre between them, a pipe emits its whispering smoke. Steve turns to Venus.
Steve Zodiac:
Ok, Venus?
Dr. Venus:
Ok, Steve.
Steve Zodiac:
Right. Let's go.
Their Jetmobiles both simultaneously rise up and fly towards the left of the screen. We are presented to the rear of a mighty space rocket, designated from its fin as the "XL5". Its gigantic chemical booster rockets at the back of the ship dwarf Steve and Dr. Venus. The woman flies to the right hand side of the craft before Steve flies on his Jetmobile to the left hand side of the rocket. He passes the fin marking the craft of its title. Dr. Venus and Colonel Zodiac run above the long craft to reach to the front of the ship. A hatch is opened at the top of the craft, which allows Dr. Venus, followed by Steve Zodiac, to touch down inside. Another immense sense of build up and excitement begins to ramp up. We cut back to the rear of the ship and then to the view of the front of the gigantic ship looking down at us. The ship on its launch ramp, which will blast the craft along its slide, begins to blast.
In its rear, we see the revolving clockwise control tower of Space City, the headquarters of the ship's operational base. Smaller sections of the site appear in the background before the blast explodes. KABOOM! It begins sending the craft along the slide. We see various different views of the craft blasting away, from a long shot of the craft running along the track, to following the ship from a bird's eye view, and a close up shot from its behind. The rocket itself blasts its own motors. KABOOM! KABOOM! The end of the ramp nears. The track runs upwards, stopping which will allow the craft to soar into orbit. Below the end of the track lies a deep cliff drop down onto a rocky, solitary space. Fireball XL5 runs up the ramp and shoots off into the sky, as the ramp flies away to be rid of.
We see Steve Zodiac piloting his ship at the controls, manning the ship's wheel. The camera follows Fireball XL5 blasting into the sky. This then transitions to us seeing the control cabin. We see the backs of Steve Zodiac and his co-pilot, Robert the Robot. The glass shield surrounding the cabin shows the blue sky which transitions to show the eerie blackness of space. We then see Fireball XL5 zooming towards the camera when flying in space, zooming just above us. The italics of "Steve Zodiac in" appear, before we get to see Fireball XL5 zooming from above us deeper into space. Finally, the logo of the series comes zooming in with "Fireball" and then "XL5". The copyright details for the series then appear below the logo.
After the titles, the first sight we open up to is the cold, emptiness of vast space. This holds for a little while, until we see a golden, streak missile zooming from the top right of the screen zooming down to the bottom left of the camera. Its firepower quickly zooms the craft down and down. We then quickly see another, much larger rocket ship chasing after it. Dramatic, high-stakes music plays. The blasting rocket continues to plummet down and down on its doomed target. The ship quickly intercepting the rocket is none other than Fireball XL5! We cut inside to see the crew inside; Steve Zodiac and Robert the Robot.
Steve Zodiac:
Quickly, Robert! Fire Interceptor Missile!
Robert the Robot:
RRRROOGGGGEEEERRRRRRR, FFFFIIIIRRREEEEE IIINNNTTEERRRCCCEPPTTOORRRRR MMMMIIISSSILLLLEEEEE!!!!!!!!
As the planet Earth below prepares for its imminent destruction from the charging missile, Fireball XL5 continues to desperately intercept the missile and save the Earth. A hatch extends from the ship, revealing a set of missiles.
Steve Zodiac:
We've gotta hurry! The Earth is gonna be hit, any moment now.
Fireball XL5 keeps closing in as the missile approaches the Earth!
Full power, Robert! We need a direct hit!
The rocket missile begins to enter the Earth's atmosphere and gravitational pull.
Firing in 5...4...
The missile arrives in Earth's gravitational pull.
3...2...
Steve looks nervously at his console.
1! Zero and go!
Fireball's rocket fires. BAM! KABOOM! KABOOM! POW! The rocket was destroyed, and the Earth was safe.
Phew. Just in the nick of time. Well, time to be getting back to Space City now, Robert. Steer her course, Robert. We are now on our way home.
Dr. Venus enters the control room. The doors with "XL5" on them slide open and she comes in.
Robert The Robot:
OONNN OOOURRRRR WWWAAAYYYY HHHOOMMMMEEEE!!!!! OOONNN OOOUUURRRR WWWAAAAYYYYY HHHHOOOMMMEEEE!!!!!
Dr. Venus:
How did the test run go, Steve?
Steve Zodiac:
Oh, fine Venus. Just fine. We got it dead on target.
Dr. Venus:
I would imagine that the Commander and Professor will be impressed that our interceptor missiles are operating perfectly as they should be. It is always good to test out our facilities when we have the time to ensure they're all in good working order.
Steve Zodiac:
That's right, Venus. You never know when we're gonna need these things in the future. And we don't want to find that when we wanna use it, we find that something like our missile interceptors are on the blink. I will report to Space City that the test run was a success and that we are headed back to base...
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Fireball XL5: The Incredible Space Adventure Of Fireball XL5
Non-FictionBy the 2060s, space travel had become an easy feat for man to explore the universe he lives in and understand more about it. The Earth's representative force for space travel is the World Space Patrol, an advanced complex based in the Pacific, which...
