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XL
Title card.
Production Information
Original Airdate October 4, 2000
Ep. Number 003
Prod. Code 007
Producer(s)
  • Tad Stones
  • Mark McCorkle
  • Bob Schooley
Director(s) Don MacKinnon
Story Editor(s)
Story by
Writer(s) Rick Gitelson
Studio Hana Animation Co., Ltd.
Series Continuity
Previous Gravitina
Next Little Secrets
Transcript

XL is the third episode of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. It first aired on October 4, 2000, and is the seventh episode in production.

Synopsis[]

After a series of burglaries of the latest technology, Team Lightyear discovers the burglar is XL, a prototype robot ranger who was created before XR. XL, who was reactivated by Zurg, has been seeking robotic parts in order to improve himself and take revenge on Star Command by kidnapping Commander Nebula. Team Lightyear must go stop the revenge-crazed robot and save their commander.

Plot[]

A Star Command employee working.

A Star Command technician at work.

A technician at Star Command is working on a robotics project when a loud explosion in the wall shocks her. Suddenly, a pair of mechanical arms grab one of the robotic arms. Despite the technician's pleas, the thief takes the arm. Later, a cargo bot is carrying some heavy loads when the stolen mechanical arm swipes its leg and the cargo bot topples over. The thief then breaks into another lab and grabs a mechanical arm which alerts the security bots. The thief is now revealed to be a large robot made up of various stolen parts. He then replaces one of his old arms with the larger arm he has just stolen and uses it to shoot the security bots before leaving the room, cackling.

Nebula briefs Buzz and his team on the situation, to which XR replies that they're on the case, calling Nebula his dad in the process. Nebula is annoyed and points out that XR was built by the LGMs and that he only signed the work order. But XR still continues to refer to Nebula as his dad until Buzz tells Nebula that they'll get on the case and the team drags XR away.

Whilst discussing the situation, Mira points out that there are so many robotic labs, they could never cover them all. XR agrees so Buzz plans to set a trap for the thief. When Buzz suggests something highly advanced, XR is about to make a suggestion but is cut off by Buzz, who thinks that XR is volunteering himself. XR is left shocked and says he was just going to suggest the coffee machine. But when Mira points out how proud Nebula would be, XR quickly changes his mind and Buzz begins to explain his plan.

Later on, Brent Starkisser is doing a report at Star Command and asks Buzz about 'a major robotics breakthrough'. Buzz then tells Brent that the 'groundbreaking robotics discovery' is top secret before slyly adding that he might have said too much. The report is watched by the thief who replies that Buzz had told him exactly what he needed to know. 

Brent Starkisser

Brent Starkisser live on camera.

The thief makes his way to Star Command and breaks into the robotics lab, cackling as he approaches a table with a tarpaulin covering it. The tarpaulin is lifted to reveal XR who comments on the thief's freaky appearance. But just as the thief is about to attack, Buzz, Mira and Booster arrive and prepare to arrest the thief. A long battle ensues and the thief escapes by blasting a hole in the space station. Booster is sucked into the hole but Buzz and Mira pull him off whilst XR reseals the hole. After congratulating XR, Buzz then tells his rangers that they must find the thief.

Over on Tradeworld, a conman named Crumford Lorak has just successfully conned a passerby when Mira and Booster approach him. Crumford refuses to talk, claiming that he only speaks to Buzz. Mira then uses her ghostly powers to fish around in Crumford's brain. In the end, Crumford decides to co-operate and when asked about the thefts, he explains that it's caused by a robot who is always on the lookout for bigger and better parts. When Booster asks for the thief's name, Crumford refuses until Mira threatens to fish around his brain. Crumford then says that the robot's name is XL.

Back at Star Command, XR and Buzz are searching through the computers but to no avail. Then Mira reports back to Buzz that she and Booster now know the name of the robot. Upon hearing XL's name, the LGMs look at each other nervously. After Buzz congratulates Mira and ends the communication, he quizzes the LGMs after XL but they nervously deny any knowledge. XR then discovers a file on XL, which is restricted by Nebula only. At this moment, Nebula comes along and decides that he has no choice but to open "the XL File". It is then revealed that XL was developed before XR. XR is shocked by this and assumes that XL is his big brother, before telling Nebula that families don't keep secrets like this. Nebula starts to tell XR that he is not his dad but cannot bring himself to finish the sentence. It is then revealed that the XL project was a failure due to XL's violent behavior. As a result, Nebula gave the order to deactivate XL. Nebula then reveals after the XL debacle, he decided that a robot ranger was a bad idea, which was why the LGMs slipped the authorization forms in with the vacation requests.

Meanwhile, XL is back at his lair, which is situated on an asteroid and is watching the moment that Nebula ordered his deactivation numerous times before smashing the screen and growling in anger.

Later, Nebula is running away from his desk before finally giving in. But as Nebula is about to sign a form, XL suddenly appears and Nebula demands to know how XL got in there. XL points out that Star Command's security codes are still programmed in his memory, which he gloats about, but Nebula is unimpressed. The desk tries to fight XL off but XL uses it to slam Nebula into the wall, knocking him out. XL then grabs the unconscious Nebula and carries him.

Booster and Mira have just returned from Tradeworld. Booster comments his disbelief at the fact that the thief is a former Star Command robot. Buzz decides that with the newfound knowledge who the thief is, he turns his attention to where the thief is. Suddenly, the desk appears frantically and Booster tries to translate the message but keeps getting it wrong. XR then connects himself to the desk and learns, to his horror, Nebula was kidnapped by XL. A further analysis reveals that the XL files had been hacked by XL, which infuriates XR, claiming that XL is disgracing 'the X family name'. Buzz then orders to XR to trace back to the point of enquiry and the team set out to rescue their commander.

Back at XL's lair, XL is commenting his plan for revenge to Nebula, who is now locked in a cage. But Nebula shows no sign of fear, commenting that XL wouldn't be able to pull it off. XL disagrees and gloats that he made himself better than Star Command ever could. But Nebula comments that his mind is still twisted. Suddenly, XL demonstrates a hi-tech laser system, which he intends to use to destroy Nebula, and slices a watermelon. But, Nebula still shows no sign of fear and continues to insult XL, due to the latter's anger. Suddenly, an alarm bleeps and Nebula comments that it's bad news for XL.

This is because Buzz and his team are now flying to the rescue. Booster is alarmed to see a huge asteroid heading towards them. But just as Buzz dodges it, XR discovers that the asteroid is XL's lair. XL tries to eliminate the team with numerous security systems he had stolen, including a hyper-frequency defense shield but Buzz is able to avoid them and XR helps by jamming the shield. XL is annoyed by this and Nebula points out that Buzz and his team are something that XL can never be - Space Rangers. This is the final straw for XL and he proceeds to start destroying Nebula before Buzz can get there. But Buzz and his team have already arrived. Suddenly, numerous robotic parts, which were not used in XL's new body, start attacking. Mira and Booster are trapped by a gravitational field and a net. XR asks Nebula if he's okay and Nebula replies and begrudgingly calls XR his son. Suddenly, XR is blasted by XL but XR quickly disowns XL as his brother and uses his mechanical arms to topple XL over. Nebula is impressed and retorts to XL that XR is a true space ranger, which makes XR delighted. Buzz then gets XR's head back on his body and XR then reprograms the rejected robot parts to turn XL as well as freeing Mira and Booster and stopping the lasers before they get to Nebula. After Nebula thanks XR, Buzz blasts the cage, freeing Nebula in the process.

Back at Star Command, Nebula congratulates the rangers and comments that XR has one thing that XL will never have - heart. XL is being led away by the Security bots and demands to know what Nebula had just told XR, but the bots lead XL away. Unfortunately, XR calls Nebula his dad again, which annoys Nebula. Just as Nebula walks away, XR follows whilst suggesting various father-and-son activities. Mira then wonders who turned XL back on since he had been deactivated. Buzz has a hunch, which is proven correct as the scene cuts to the exterior of Zurg Tower where Zurg's evil laughter is heard.

Characters[]

Quotes[]

  • Commander Nebula: (repeated line, whenever XR calls him "dad") "I'm not your dad!"

Opening Clips[]

Trivia[]

  • When Commander Nebula shows Buzz and XR the top secret files on XL, he refers to them as the "X-L Files". This could be a reference to the television series, The X-Files, in that the files in both shows are classified and are kept hidden by high authorities.

Errors[]

  • The writing on the door to the robotics lab is missing in one scene.
  • At one point, XL's yellow eye switches sides.

Voice Actors[]

Production Details[]

Executive Producers: Tad Stones, Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley
Director: Don MacKinnon
Story Editor: Gary Sperling
Written by: Rick Gitelson

Voice Casting and Dialogue Director: Jamie Thomason

Storyboard: Alfred Gonzales, Llyn Hunter
Timing Directors and Sheet Timing: Frank Andrina, John Ahern
Supervising Character Design: Greg Guler
Character Design: Brian Brookshier
Key Location Designers: Ken McGill, Latchezar Gouchev
Prop Designers: Tris Mast, Brian Brookshier, Tom Foxmarnick
Lead Background Paint: Donna Prince
Associate Producer: Natasha Kopp
Production Manager: Zoe Seals
Creative Consultant from Pixar: Jeff Pidgeon
Color Key Stylist: Jan Cummings
Storyboard Revisions: Alan Wright
Digital Color Correction: Donald Devine
Scanner: Adam Chase

CGI Main Title: Pixar Animation Studios

Music by: Adam Berry
Main Title Theme by: Adam Berry

Animation Production by: Hana Animation Co., Ltd

Directors: Young-Sang Yoon, Eun-Sub Hong, Kyoung Ho Lee
Backgrounds: Young-Ku Kim, Woo-Sang Yun
Camera: Chul-Kyu Lim
Animators: Jung-Tak Kim, Eun-Young Byun, Kuen-Sik Song, Sung-Chul Lee, Jung-Hee Jung, Ae-Kyoung Choi

Supervising Film Editor: John Royer
First Assistant Film Editor: Jennifer Harrison
Assistant Film Editor: Tally Paulos
Pre-Production Dialogue Editor: Monte Bramer
Track Reading: Skip Craig
Post Production Manager: Steven J. Arenas
Post Production Supervisor: Rachel Pusateri
Audio Supervisor: Victor Garcia
Post Production Coordinator: Mark Allen Bollinger
Supervising Sound Editor: Jennifer E. Mertens
Sound Effects Editors: Rick Hammel, Otis Van Osten, Kenneth D. Young
Sound Editor: Eric Hertsgaard
Supervising Music Editor: Brian F. Mars
Re-Recording Mixers: Michael Jiron, Allen Stone
Supervising Music Editor: Dominick Certo
On-line Editor: Keith Cook
Production Coordinator: Bill Turner
Script Coordinator: Dawn T. Connors
Production Associate: Sean Reed
Production Secretaries: Linda DeLizza, Jessica Farley
Talent Coordinator: David Wright III
Production Accountant: Ron J. Earhart

Produced by: Walt Disney Television Animation

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