| Synopsis |
Paul reads from Britt I's journal the entry for September 5, 1953, relating a recurring nightmare in which the first Hornet relives an experience from September 1938. Upon learning that a report that Hitler was building a "super rocket jet" in Vienna, Austria, was a hoax, Britt became involved in helping a family escape the Nazis, as the Green Hornet. He was forced to kill an inebriated German soldier he describes as less than seventeen years of age. In The City today, teenage boys with military-style weapons begin raising havoc and issuing extremist political rhetoric, under the name Supreme Liberation Front. The Reids immediately realize that the weapons must have been supplied by Johnny Dollar (no appearance). The City's top racketeers hold a summit conference, and the Green Hornet appears. However, it is crashed by the armed as usual SLF, who declare themselves in charge of all crime now. The leader, Charles, points out that they hold the mayor and will execute him later that very evening. One of the racketeers signals her similarly armed men to rush in, and amid a hail of gunfire the SLF flees, leaving a wounded member, Mickey, behind. The Hornet and Kato point out the boy's incompetence at terrorism--he had his wallet, including identification, on him--and convince him his best move is to minimize harm to his fellows by telling them where the mayor is being held. The masked men gain a neighboring rooftop and monitor a live broadcast to The City from the leader. When Charles says to the mayor, "Your bloody carcass...will be the first omen, an omen that must be brought into being NOW!" indicating he is about to execute the politician, the Hornet swings in through a window and starts fighting vigorously, thoroughly disrupting the terrorists. Despite this, Charles manages to recover his firearm and carry out his threat. Afterwards, Kato says, "You had no idea if that hook was secure, or even if the rope was long enough....and worst of all, your carelessness cost the mayor his life....I'm not letting you put that mask on again until you come to grips with your problems." |
| Notes |
1. Note that the opening sequence is a description of Britt I's nightmare years later rather than of the event itself at more or less the time it occurred. In all probability, since Britt Reid and the Green Hornet being seen in Vienna within days if not merely hours of each other would be highly suspicious and this operation is much more consistent with an American journalist rather than an American criminal becoming involved, Britt's appearance in costume is almost certainly a distortion within his dream. As the date is nearly a year before any declaration of war, let alone those on and by the USA another two full years after THAT, the extreme youth of the soldier probably does not accurately reflect the original reality either. Britt had to kill a reasonably young soldier just because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, with no war going on, but over fifteen years time his conscience made things appear even worse than they were in his nightmare. 2. Kato's final speech is indefensible, as Charles' broadcasted statement made it clear that he was only a second away from killing the mayor, and the Hornet had no time to check or test anything. Given how close the verdant vigilante came to preventing the assassination, Kato's LACK of action would seem to be what "cost the mayor his life." Yet, nothing is made of the invalidity of his comments in future plot developments, nor is there any challenge of them in letter columns. |