What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been
General Information
Directed by	Brad Rader
Written by	Janna King Kalichman
Production Information
Series	Godzilla: The Series
Episode number	28
Air date	1/15/2000

What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been is the twenty-eighth episode of Godzilla: The Series, and is the seventh episode of season 2.

Plot

The episode opens with Godzilla defending H.E.A.T. headquarters from a giant mutated germ called Bacillus. Godzilla is seemingly able to defeat it, but a wound gained in the fight becomes infected by the bacteria, and N.I.G.E.L. is sent into the wound where it finds miniature (about N.I.G.E.L.'s size) Bacilli in Godzilla's system. Mendel Craven, who was covered in the bacteria during the fight begins to develop the same symptoms as Godzilla. Elsie Chapman decides that she can make an antibiotic for Craven, but to help Godzilla they will need to enter his body to free his cerebral cortex from the bacteria to allow his natural antibodies to properly defend against them. Nick and Monique volunteer to go inside, but while in his bloodstream they are attacked by Bacilli. They are forced to abandon the sub due to the damage they cause to it. Monique tries to abandon the mission after the loss of the sub, but Nick suggests that they ride through Godzilla's pulmonary artery and into the brain through the heart. Elsie is able to synthesize a cure with the help of Randy Hernandez, and they put it to use on Craven, but before they can record results, Bacillus (having survived the earlier battle by creating an endospore around itself) attacks the H.E.A.T. Seeker, but Craven, who is already feeling better is able to steer it away from danger. Nick and Monique are able to reach the Cerebral Cortex, and notice the bacilli are congregating on Godzilla's brain stem. Monique promptly shoots them off, while the main Bacillus heads for the New York reservoir. Elsie then uses the formula for the antibiotic to create a stronger version to destroy the Bacillus before it can contaminate the city's water. Godzilla recovers, and comes to fight it. Craven is able to deliver the antibiotic into the Bacillus during the fight, preventing it from creating an endospore and allowing Godzilla to destroy it with his atomic fire. Nick and Monique are then sneezed out as Godzilla prepares to head home.

Appearances

Trivia

• The plot is similar to The Fantastic Voyage, however as Zilla Jr. already was huge, there was no need for shrinking.
  • It also is similar to the scene in Gamera vs. Jiger where Jiger infects Gamera's lung with a larva parasite and the children use a sub to enter his lung and kill the parasite.
• Zilla Jr. is depicted with a four-chambered heart even though reptiles only have three-chambered ones.
• This is a rare example where red blood is shown onscreen, when Nick accidentally punctures through the wall of Zilla Jr's stomach and it visibly gushes blood.
• The air bubbles generated by Monique and Nick's oxygen tanks in Zilla Jr's bloodstream would realistically have caused an air embolism, which could prove fatal.