Juno Steel and the Mega-Ultrabots of Cyberjustice (Part 2) is an episode of the Juno Steel series. It is the 8th Juno Steel episode of season 3, and 14th overall. It was released June 16, 2020.
Overview[]
WANTED: Six members of newly-established Aurinko Crime Family. Though we are unclear on their capabilities, suspects should be treated as if they are ARMED and DANGEROUS.
Current location unknown. Those with information leading to the capture of the suspects should immediately contact [REDACTED]
Trigger Warnings[]
- Violence and threats of violence
- Claustrophobic spaces
- Sudden loud noises
- Explosions
- Pursuit/being chased
Episode Summary[]
Still at Morpheus Maximum-Security Data inside their respective robots and surrounded by Dark Matter agents Rita, Juno and Peter get into a quarrel about Rita knowing Peter's real name. She explains that she hacked into Buddy's files, compared them to the Outer Rim criminal records and finally found Peter's full name somewhere she "really wasn't supposed to" get access. Peter calms down a bit and comes up with a plan for an escape from Morpheus Maximum-Security Data, using Dark Matters' ship.
When they enter the ship they find that it is filled with explosives and programmed to self-destruct. They are astonished how much effort Dark Matter puts into stopping the Aurinko Crime Family. Peter says that he "thought this might happen one day." But he didn't expect it would be Dark Matters. Juno points out that they seem to want them alive and that it is a bit weird that they even know their name. He further mentions that there are "no rules for Dark Matters", since they are not part of any government. When concluding they have probaly only 15 more minutes to live Peter walks off for some time by himself. Rita gets frustrated but Juno comforts her with the fact that Dark Matters tracked the bot they send after them and that it is only due to her sending the bots to Morpheus Maximum-Security that Buddy, Jet and Vespa are safe. He encourages her by believing in her ability to find a solution and Rita actually comes up with a new plan.
When Peter's robot gets captured by Dark Matters, Rita and Juno have to come up with their own solution to safe him. Rita hacks into the Dark Matter's agents' bots visual and audio receptors and makes them think they are attacked. Peter is astonished by Juno's and Rita's wits and apologizes to Rita for being rude and talking her plan down.
From this point on Rita and Peter share responsability, leadership and respect for their respective abilites. They figure out that the reason they are stuck at Morpheus Maximum-Security Data is the comms jammer and Rita explains that the Book will help them escape, if they set it free. "It’s a hacking program that thinks about a billion times faster than we do — and it’s real curious! If we can set it free and point it towards Dark Matters’ comms jammers, not even they’re gonna be able to keep it out." While doing so, they are going to make a copy of its code using the eyes of Juno's robot.
They successfully enter the room where to book is kept, but just when Rita set the programm free and Juno started scanning the code, Dark Matters Agent G's robot enters the room and starts a countdown to self-destruct. Under distress Rita acidentally gives away their plan to steal the Cure-Mother-Prime, which causes the drone to pauses its countdown long enought for Juno to finish the scan and the comms jammer to deactivate. When Agent G's robot detonates Rita, Juno and Peter are send back to their bodies.
Back at the Chart Blance Buddy finishes reading Rita's notes on their mission, clearly not being amused about Rita's "little escapade". Peter tries to defend her but Buddy tells him off. She makes Rita, June and Peter vow not to do anything like this ever again.
Rita then summarizes the evening on the Chart Blance where Jet tells her that the Ruby 7 has apparently partially fixed itself, though he does not understand how. She ponders on the thought that sometimes you don't need to know everything about a situation in order to help somebody, picking up Buddy's advice that she should trust people, that they are able to help themselves.
During family dinner Buddy and Vespa announce that they after their big heist they are planning to retire and marry. Rita is excited, Juno is touched and everybody seems to be in a good mood.
Rita comes to conclusion, that helping others just for being unable to stand their pain is selfish and something she doesn't want to do anymore. But she decides to talk to visit Peter in his room and apologize for snooping around in his past. He accepts her apology and wants to apologize in return, but Rita points out that he already apologized to her and that apologies don't always have to be trades. They have a hearfelt moment when Peter asks her, why she didn't tell anybody else and she replies that she just respected his choice. Rita invites Peter to watch a stream with her and Jet, but he declines, allegedly due to the painkilles Vespa gave him for his leg. Rita leaves the room, walks down the hallway and the narrator perspective apparently shifts.
Peter takes a call on his comms and assures an unknown person that he will make up for his delayed payments and compound interest by handing over the four items the Arinko Crime Family aquired for their big heist.
Cast and Crew[]
Cast[]
Starring
- Kate Jones as Rita
- Joshua Ilon as Juno Steel
- Noah Simes as Peter Ransom
- Chloé Cunha as Vespa Ilkay
- Alexander Stravinski as Jet Sikuliaq
- Sarah Gazdowicz as Buddy Aurinko
- Marge Dunn as Agent G
- Uncredited VA as Dark Matters Agent 1
- Uncredited VA as Dark Matters Rookie
Crew[]
- Kevin Vibert, Co-creator, Head of Operations, Lead writer
- Harley Takagi Kaner, Co-creator, Head of Episode Development, Director, Sound designer
- Kat Buckingham, Head of Merchandise and Outreach
- Alice Chuang, Head of Design
- Noah Simes, Production manager
- Ryan Vibert, Composer and performer of original music
- Promotional art by Sharon Oh
Quotes[]
NUREYEV:: I am not “laying on!” I am only asking a question, and in a tone no harsher than yours was. JUNO:: Well, I’ve known her longer, so you can quit it. NUREYEV:: This is not some frivolous disagreement, Juno. When I told you my name I said— JUNO:: I never said it was. But nobody talks to her that way. NUREYEV:: Except you, apparently! JUNO:: Well, I shouldn’t either!
RITA:: It’s just... everyone was so suspicious about you, Mista Ransom, and Mista Jet explained why but I didn’t get it, cuz it’s just a name, so I did some research and I mighta hacked the Captain’s notes on you and compared ‘em to the Outer Rim criminal records from the end of the War and then I got into a place I reeeally wasn’t supposed to so—
NUREYEV:: Is that... Agent G? JUNO:: They crawled all the way here without arms or legs?! AGENT G:: And I felt every. Excruciating. Second. (PANTING)
But sacrifice is one of the most important parts of our work at Dark Matters. Everything for the Greater Good. And so, even though I was asked to capture the Aurinkos alive... I think few would disagree with me when I say that it is a Greater Good for three galaxy-class outlaws to die here than to escape.RITA:: Me! I would! I would disagree!
NUREYEV:: Rita? May I ask you something? RITA:: Yeah? NUREYEV:: If you knew my true name all this time... why didn’t you tell anyone? RITA:: Well. I thought about it a little, I guess. But... NUREYEV:: But? RITA:: I dunno, Mista Ransom, it seems pretty simple to me. If somebody tells you what they want you to call ‘em, that’s what you call ‘em. No matter what. Cuz I mean... you know yourself better than anyone. Right?
RITA:: Do you wanna come watch a movie? Mista Jet and I were just about to watch a stream and pop some popcorn. Well, I guess we were gonna pop some corn, actually, cuz I don’t know what would happen if you popped somethin’ that’s already been popped, sounds kinda like how a black hole gets started to be honest but—
Trivia[]
- This episode was narrated by the character Rita. It was the fourth episode of season three to be told from the perspective of someone other than Juno Steel, after Juno Steel and the Man in Glass (Part 1) and (Part 2), Juno Steel and the Tools of Rust (Part 1) and (Part 2), and Juno Steel and the Shadows on the Ship (Part 1) and (Part 2).