This week in Nerdvana… Konnie calls all nerds to the courtyard looking very dashing dressed up as… I’m not even going to try to type out all the words and names she used, but her dragon’s name is Nerdlicious. Of course, it’s time for the cosplay Nerd War and Kenny is very excited about that since it IS his area of expertise. Since the blue team won the last Nerd War, they get to choose between being super heroes or super villains and of course, they choose villains. Matt is very disappointed. Villains get to have all the fun and have crazy back stories, but heroes are just all “Johnny American Hero Rah-Rah Jocks”… Oh really? Johnny American Hero Rah-Rah Jocks? Really??? I’M American and… well… Hmmm… I see your point, Matt. Moving on! 😉
Thinking that Red vs. Blue sounds a bit rubbish, (I think these guys would disagree), Konnie also sets each team to the task of coming up with a team name then dismisses them all to their War Rooms. In said War Rooms, the nerds are in total nerdgasm mode again because each one has been filled with a plethora of costume-making goodies. They have three hours to prepare and even with the short amount of time available, Karen, in the heroes’ fortress, would like to have a go at creating a puppet to use as her character – a dinosaur recruited by their rag-tag team of time traveling heroes. As soon as Karen has established her role, the rest of the reds spring into action with Kenny and Kerry doing what they do best – creating costumes – while Matt and Curtis get to work on the plot. Meanwhile, in the villains’ lair, the blues are hatching their plot for world domination and the destruction of a detrimental democracy by their dastardly and determined brilliant minds. Back to the reds – Karen is working her magic with a block of upholstery foam, which she can turn into almost anything. Oh! And can her dinosaur have a ray gun? Of course! While Kenny is getting excited by the prospect of capes, Mark with the blues is declaring – NO CAPES! Then Ryan starts comparing cosplay to how atoms form molecules… Oookay… Actually his explanation makes sense and I’ve never formally studies physics, but yeah, atoms bond together to form molecules just like story-telling bonds together to form cosplay. Totally makes sense!
So… Ryan is really taking the lead in this Nerd War for the blues. Surprise! Ryan isn’t just a physics nerd – he’s creative! He’s actually written a novel. Hey! So have I and ya’ll can read a bit of it here until I raise the money to self-publish through Kickstarter. #ShamelessSelfPromotion! 😉 Roaming over to the reds, they are still working as a very cohesive unit. Karen’s dinosaur is coming together quite nicely and the rest of the team is getting a lot done. Bouncing back to the blues, what are they doing? They are still just standin’ there and they are still just talkin’ and five minutes from now when you ask me again “what are they doing”… That quote/joke isn’t going to make sense unless you’ve watched Red vs. Blue as much as I have, but it IS relevant because they have been talk talk talking this whole time. Yasmeen just wants to wear black and say mean things, man! And I’m thinking, come on, blues, this is a Nerd War and you’ve got costumes to make – LET’S GO!
While the blues are yammering on about their plots and plans, the reds are working so efficiently that Kenny has time to slap on a cockroach costume to do a little spying on the blue team. This little stunt is NOT as well received by the blues as it was by Curtis. They are pretty sure Kenny got a real good look at their white board and Yasmeen is NOT amused. This means war! Yes! You’re in the middle of a Nerd War maybe you should get work on those costumes now, eh? Nooope! Instead, Yasmeen grabs a can of something and sets a course for the heroes’ lair for a little retaliation action. After chasing her around for a bit, Kerry steps in and realizes – omg – it’s glue. Yasmeen has been attacking the reds with spray adhesive, which I can tell you from personal experience is NOT fun to get all over yourself. (But the wings for my parrot costume were awesome). After returning to her own War Room, Yasmeen and the blues buckle down then it’s time for this Nerd War.
On the lawn, Konnie calls all nerds to join her and judging from the look on her face when they take their places on their respective stages, she is pleased. Before bringing in the judges, Konnie asks for the team names. The reds shall hereby be known as the Defenders of Time and the blues have chosen the Extremely Valiant Independence League – I’m calling them Team EVIL for short. No way am I typing all that out every time I want to refer to the blue team and you’re lucky I’m not calling you the DoTs, red team! 😉 So, without further ado, Konnie brings out the judges. Make up and prosthetic artist, Charlie (female) Hounslow, TV costume designer, Howard Burden and internet cosplay sensation, Tabitha Lyons. Dunno who they are? You know how to use Google – Look them up! Since Team EVIL won the last Nerd War, they go first and instead of staging an interaction, they introduce their characters and communicate their premise through them and end it by beckoning all to join their cause – taking down the heroes that have done nothing, but fail humanity. And the Defenders of Time are seriously impressed with Ryan’s performance – they didn’t think he had it in him! The judges bestow some compliments then the Defenders take their turn. As is the fashion, they introduce their characters then perform their skit and I have to say – CLEVER! Ryan is confused by the logistics of their time travel device – a roll of duct tape! If a boot can be a port key in Harry Potter, I see no reason why a roll of duct tape can’t be charmed into becoming a time travel device. 😉
After the judges deliberate, it’s make your mind up time. Charlie’s up first – her point goes to the Defenders of Time and Howard serves his point up to Team EVIL so it’s all down the British cosplay queen, Tabitha. Karen’s desire to be and ability to create a puppet turns out to be a huge advantage because Tabitha loved Veraciraptor so much that she awards her point to the Defenders, winning them this Nerd War. In addition to safety they win a kingdom of candy and while they enjoy their sweet victory, Team EVIL laments their loss in their bedroom. Ryan blames it on Yasmeen for being distracting, she blames the loss on the fact that they spent an hour and a half on the story – they didn’t make up a skit. They should have spent more time on a script. Talk soon turns to the Nerd Off and Mark is certain that the other team is going to vote him into it. The group consensus is that it will be either Mark or Ryan and moving over the Defenders enjoying their candy – they agree – Mark or Ryan, but Emily… She’s kind of tempting too because she has a variety of skills. Kenny thinks she’s hiding something. So… While Ryan and Mark leave the rest of Team EVIL to get some fresh air, Emily proposes to Yasmeen and Hannah that the ladies protect themselves. She’s certain that the other team won’t vote for any of them. Yasmeen and Hannah see this as a very manipulative move, but they agree that they don’t want to be put into the Nerd Off.
To the Throne Room! Konnie reveals Team Evil’s vote first – Ryan. He’s hurt by the betrayal, but he’s so proud of his team and figures that it was a self-protection move. Emily confirms this and reveals the plan she hatched when he and Mark left the three ladies alone together. Looking back, Hannah and Yasmeen regret their decision to go along with Emily’s idea. When Konnie reveals the Defenders of Time’s vote Emily is shocked that the avatar on the screen is hers. Everyone was positive it would be Mark since he’s one of their strongest players and she’s in a real pinch now since she’s been pitted against their team’s other stronger player. So Emily and Ryan bend a knee then it’s time to choose their quiz categories. The four choices for the quiz bowl are 80’s Sci-Fi, British Kings and Queens, Geek TV and Harry Potter. Ryan chooses Geek TV for Emily, which she’s not happy about because she doesn’t even own a TV, and Emily chooses British Kings and Queens for Ryan. And then it’s time to pick study partners…
Ryan is given first choice and he wants Mark, but Mark suggests he ask Matt instead because he has a history degree from Cambridge. When asked if he accepts being Ryan’s study partner, his answer is a resounding “NO”. Whaaat??? Ryan is not happy, he would have rather worked with Mark, but he’s forced to choose another so he asks if Matt wants to help him. Matt accepts, but he tells us that his plan to “help” Ryan involves helping him right out the door. Kenny can’t believe Matt’s going to help Ryan, but Matt points out again to us that his reasons are devious. When it’s Emily’s turn she asks for suggestions and Mark speaks up – if it’s 80’s and geeks, he can do it. Ooohhh, Kenny see’s how it is… Mark just said no to Ryan, but offered himself up to Emily? Kenny asks the question – Is there something going on between those two??? Hmmm??? lol The nerds are dismissed and Emily is distraught – she stand no chance against Ryan. She might as well give up now. Even with two hours of study time with Mark doesn’t give her the slightest bit of hope, but she doesn’t know what we know – That Matt is on a mission: Operation Destroy Ryan!
Back in Nerdvana, the foursome gets to work studying. Mark is starting Emily off on the basics – Star Trek. Emily is so glad to have his help. With Ryan, Matt isn’t give him the wrong answers, but he is cramming his head full of useless information. Ryan is happy to have his help too. If he only knew! In the living room, the rest of the nerds talk about the Nerd Off players. The Defenders of Time are shocked that they chose one of their strongest players to go in the Nerd Off and Hannah isn’t shy about letting them know that they regret their decision. She and Yasmeen didn’t realize how devious Emily is. Kerry thinks the rest of Team Evil is being very catty and it’s very clear who they want to win and it’s not Emily. Hannah confirms – they do want Ryan to stay. Meanwhile, Matt is still filling Ryan’s head with nonsense and Mark and Emily are not wasting a second of study time. Not one second at all. Even when Emily needs to take a break to have a wee, Mark is right outside the door coaching her on Star Trek: Voyagers.
Time for the Nerd Off! Konnie welcomes the players to the Nerd Bowl and for some reason the Quick Fire round is all that’s aired – it’s like the Wild Card round didn’t even happen. I guess there was just too much going on in Nerdvana drama-wise, what with all the treachery and studying through the bathroom door. Ryan goes first and as Mark so aptly puts it – He’s wasting time by not passing on questions he doesn’t know the answers to. Ryan finishes with only five points, but Emily is still worried. She only needs six points to win, but she’s still worried!? As her round starts, Ryan can’t believe she was worried because she’s spittin’ out correct answer right and left, passing immediately on questions she doesn’t know the answers to. When her time is up, she has answered six questions correctly – the winning question is about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and my fav turtle is the correct answer! Gotta love the party dude! It’s sad for Ryan, but he takes the loss in good spirits – #BringBackKraknor! After everyone reassembles back in the Nerdvana, Yasmeen confronts Emily with Hannah – they want to win as a team so she’s going to need to be less devious, but from here on out, Yasmeen trusts no one! Mwah ha ha ha ha ha!
Thanks for reading ya’ll! There is more nerdy action on my new page at Your Reality Recaps dedicated to all things nerdy. Check it out! All of my blogs are there plus the podcasts I’ve done with some of the cast members from season two of the US version. If you’re watching BB17 – We can feed your addiction and there’s plenty more reality TV awesomeness around here. And if you’re interested – I’ve posted three “chapters” of my book here. (No, I will not shut up about it!). I’ve gotten some GREAT feedback from people that have been sent the whole thing and I’m really excited to get started with my Kickstarter! I’m just having some trouble motivating artists to work with me sooo… If you know anyone looking to work with a brilliant sci-fi/fantasy writer that can draw better than me – send ‘em my way! I love you all. Until next time – Stay Nerdy! And be sure to check out Xander’s Top 3 moments when he posts them!
