Rediscovery EP: The Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note

[The Ancient Warrior]

Author's Note: This is one of the episodes of my independent project, Legends: The Rediscovery.  More information on the project can be found by following this link.

Episode 104px]

The camera swerves through a thick rainforest, and after multiple turns, it eventually stops in front of an ancient temple.  The eyes of giant stone head next to the temple gate light up red as he begins to speak:
"LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE!"
The show's logo forms as two halves of a Pendant of Life come in from the sides of the screen and merge; the show's name appears above the logo as the camera pans across the entire temple.
"With your guide, Kirk Fogg! And here he is NOW!"

On this final word, Kirk emerges from a thick patch of jungle plants and shrubs, then runs into the foreground and up a wide set of steps to greet the crowd. "Thank you! Thank you very much! Nice to see you! Thank you, Olmec! Welcome to Legends of the Hidden Temple.  The rooms are filled with lost treasures that are protected by mysterious Mayan Temple Guards.  Only Olmec knows the legend behind each of the treasures of his temple.  Which one are we gonna hear about today?"

Faint orange lights underneath Olmec turn on, and the camera cuts to a close-up of him as he replies:
"The Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note."

"Ooh, the Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note!" Kirk says in response as the camera cuts back to him, "Well, the adventure is set, and one of these six teams will have a chance to retrieve the Written Note.  Will it be:
"Dylan and Melissa of the Red Jaguars?" the camera pans to each team in order, their first names briefly appearing at the bottom of the screen?
"Chase and Renee of the Blue Barracudas,
"Raymond and Katie of the Green Monkeys,
"Miguel and Nicole of the Orange Iguanas,
"Corey and Jocelyn of the Purple Parrots,
"Or Brent and Alexis of the Silver Snakes?"

"They'll have to pass some physical and mental tests," says Kirk, "but in the end, only one team will earn the right to enter Olmec's Temple.  But first, they have to cross the Moat, and here's how they'll have to do it today?
"Each team is standing in front of a balance beam.  When I say 'Go,' one player from each team will get up onto the balance beam and try to walk to the other side, but if they fall in, they gotta go back and start walking across over again."
"As soon as the second player steps out onto the deck, it's his job to run over here and hit the gong." He hits the top button on the Red Jaguars' gong? which lights up red? to demonstrate. "The first four teams to hit their gongs will be going on to the Steps of Knowledge! Hey teams: Are you ready?"
The players all cheer and shout in response.
"Olmec, are you ready?" asks Kirk.
"You better believe it!" Olmec replies.
"All right!" Kirk shouts in response. "On your mark, get set, GO!"

On ?Go,? the first players on each team (boys for the Green Monkeys, Orange Iguanas and Silver Snakes; girls for the other three teams) step onto the balance beams and start to make their way across the Moat, and after a while, the Blue Barracuda, Green Monkey and Silver Snake gain a significant lead over the other teams.  However, eighteen seconds into the round, the male Green Monkey loses his balance and falls off the beam into the drink. ?This isn?t easy? they gotta keep their balance on the balance beams and make it across!? Around the same time, however, the first players on the Blue Barracudas, Purple Parrots and Silver Snakes make it across, prompting their partners to start to cross.  The Red Jaguars are a little further behind, along with the Orange Iguanas, but it doesn?t take much longer for them to get their first players across.
?I think we got our first team!? Kirk declares as the boy on the Blue Barracudas moves along the balance beam quickly, beating out the other, more cautious players.  Thirty-seven seconds into the challenge, he gets off the balance beam and rings his team?s gong. ?Yes, it?s the Blue Barracudas! And here come the other teams!? The male Purple Parrot and the female Silver Snake make it across after a little more than forty seconds of the challenge; the Parrot bangs his team?s gong a moment sooner than the Snake. ?We still need one more?? a fourth gong sound is heard. ?That?s it! We got our four teams right here!?
The camera switches to the Green Monkeys celebrating around their lit-up gong; Kirk high-fives them when he runs onscreen. ?Green Monkeys blazed across first, no problem at all! They?re going on to the Steps of Knowledge, and so are the Orange Iguanas?? Kirk holds for applause as the camera briefly shows each winning team? ?and the Purple Parrots? and the Silver Snakes! The Red Jaguars and the Blue Barracudas gave it a great effort too.  We got a nice gift for them and here?s what it is.? Dylan, Melissa, Chase and Renee will each be receiving a $50 U.S. Savings Bond provided by Starkist Tuna.

[The Ancient Warrior]

When the camera cuts away from the consolation prize, Kirk and the four remaining teams are at the top of the Steps of Knowledge. "As the quest continues," explains Kirk, "it's now time for Olmec to tell us about the Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note.  But pay attention, because your knowledge of the legend can bring you a step closer to the Temple."
Olmec begins to tell the legend:

"One of the largest and deadliest wars in history was World War I, sometimes called the Great War.  Seventy million men fought and 15 million were killed in the war, which all began with the assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.  The countries of Europe took sides and formed alliances which plunged into conflict, but the United States tried their best to stay out of it.  However, resisting the urge to battle became quite difficult; legend has it that one day, a secretary knocked on the door to the Oval Office?
" 'Mr. President, sir?'
" 'Yes, what is it?'
" 'We just got word of another one: the German U-boats just sank the Lusitania.'
" 'Those horrid, inconsiderate, inhumane? Why would they even go after that? It's not even a battleship, just an ocean liner!'
" 'The bigger the target, the bigger the reaction, sir.'
"Woodrow Wilson buried his face in his hands; it seemed like Germany was trying to drag the U.S. into the war for a long time, but he didn't want to give in.  About a year later, the German Foreign Secretary, Arthur Zimmermann, sent a coded telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico, but it was intercepted and deciphered.  Woodrow was outraged.
" 'They want to ally with Mexico and try to steal land from us for them? It's bad enough that they were killing our men? we might as well fight and put them in their place!'
"When the Zimmermann Note went public, the U.S. was in an uproar.  They soon entered the war, Mexico stayed out of it, and Germany and its allies lost.  Legend has it, after the war, the telegram was locked away, but the handwritten, uncoded draft of it vanished? until now.  Your quest is to retrieve the Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note and bring it back here."

"Thank you Olmec," Kirk replies once Olmec finishes telling the legend, "but where is the Written Draft?"
Olmec says in response:
"The Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note can be found in the Central Dock." The camera zooms in on a telegram attached to the front wall in the Central Dock, then segues back to Kirk.

"Teams," Kirk begins, "in a minute, Olmec's gonna ask you a question.  If you think you know the answer, stomp down on the ancient marking in front of you.  If you're right, you're gonna move down to the next level, but if you're wrong or run out of time, I'm gonna give the other teams a chance to answer." Kirk starts walking down the steps at this point, then turns around to face the teams. "The first two teams to make it to the bottom level will be one step closer to Olmec's Temple.  Olmec, we?re now ready for your first question."

Olmec begins:
?The Zimmermann Note dispatched during which of these wars: The Civil War???
Raymond hits the marking first: ?World War I.?
?Correct,? says Olmec in response.
?Nice job, Green Monkeys, step down!? Kirk declares, and the Green Monkeys move down to the second step. ?Next question.?
Olmec?s second question is this:
?Was the Zimmermann Note delivered as a: Telegram, Letter or E-mail??
Corey buzzes in: ?Telegram.?
?Correct.?
?Purple Parrots, step down!? encourages Kirk, and the Purple Parrots join the Green Monkeys on the second step. ?It?s a stompin? match! Olmec, next question.?
Olmec asks:
?Was the Zimmermann Note a proposal from Germany to ally with: Japan, Mexico or India??
As Olmec is providing the third choice, Raymond stomps in: ?Mexico.?
?That is correct,? replies Olmec.
?All right, just like that, the Green Monkeys are now one step away from the Temple Games!? Kirk announces as the Green Monkeys move down again, this time to the penultimate level. ?We?re looking for two teams.  Next question, Mr. Olmec.?
Olmec now asks:
?World War I began when which of these nobles was assassinated: Tsar Nicholas???
Corey cuts off Olmec this time, then both Parrots speak into his microphone: ?Franz Ferdinand.?
?That is correct.?
?Whoo, Purple Parrots now one step away from the Temple Games!? remarks Kirk as the Purple Parrots once again follow the Green Monkeys down a step. ?Orange Iguanas, Silver Snakes, still plenty of time.  Next question.?
Olmec asks:
?When the Zimmermann Note was intercepted, did the U.S.: Enter the war, Lend support to Mexico or Plan t???
Nicole interrupts Olmec with a stomp: ?Um? They entered the war???
?Correct.?
?Orange Iguanas on the board!? Kirk shouts as the Orange Iguanas move down to the second step. ?Silver Snakes can still get in this.  Next question, Olmec!?
Olmec then asks:
?According to our legend, did the Note promise Mexico: Financial support, American territory or New firearms??
After a moment, Raymond stomps in: ?Some American land? er, territories.?
?That is correct!? shouts Olmec, and the Green Monkeys jump down onto the bottom step and high-five each other multiple times.
?We got our first team going on to the Temple Games!? Kirk declares. ?It?s the Green Monkeys!? We?re still looking for one more team, who?s it gonna be? Olmec, continue.?
Olmec does so by asking:
?During World War I, Germany was infamous for sinking many boats with their submarines.  Were these submarines known as: S-boats, T-boats or U-boats??
Nicole hesitantly rings in: ?Uh? U-boats???
?That is correct.?
?Orange Iguanas just joined the Purple Parrots and now THEY?RE one step away from the Temple Games!? Kirk explains as the Orange Iguanas walk down onto the third step. ?Who?s gonna join the Green Monkeys? Next question.?
Olmec asks:
?Germany sank the Lusitania in our legend.  Which of these types of ships was the Lusitania: An ocean liner, A battleship or???
Corey gongs in: ?An? ocean liner.?
?THAT IS CORRECT!? Olmec bellows, allowing the Purple Parrots to join the Green Monkeys on the bottommost step.  Before the teams start to celebrate with one another, though, Kirk reappears in front of the camera showing the steps and runs up the bottom step between the two teams.
?We got our two teams for the Temple Games,? Kirk says as he turns around to face the camera and the team players start celebrating, ?and they?re the Green Monkeys and the Purple Parrots! Orange Iguanas, Silver Snakes, c?mon down here.? The Silver Snakes walk down two levels to join Kirk and the Orange Iguanas. ?You guys gave it a great effort too, it was a tough match.  Here?s what we?ve got for you??
Dee reads the consolation prize:
?Look at the entertaining fun you?ll have when you strap on Moon Shoes! Super excitement is yours when you bounce higher than ever! Don?t leave earth without Moon Shoes, from Big Time Toys!?
The camera then cuts away from the consolation prize and back to the Steps of Knowledge, on which only the Green Monkeys, Purple Parrots and Kirk are still present. ?We?ll see these two teams playing for the right to enter Olmec?s Temple,? announces Kirk, ?right after this!? The camera pans out over the Moat and zooms in on one of the balance beams.  Then, the show?s logo reforms and the camera fades to black for the commercial.

[The Ancient Warrior]

When the camera fades back in from the commercials, the show?s titlecard is displayed over a shot of some jungle plants in the foreground of the Bamboo Forest.  The pendant splits, the title shrinks into the distance and shortly after, the camera segues to Kirk and the two remaining teams standing in front of the Pit of Despair.
?Welcome back to Legends!? says Kirk to the camera. ?Now the glory goes to the fastest and the strongest, so let?s talk to our team players.? He turns camera-left to talk to the boy on the Green Monkeys, a slightly overweight kid with short, light brown hair and hazel eyes. ?On the Green Monkeys, we have Raymond.  How old are you??
?Twelve.?
?And I heard you like skateboarding and writing, but you?re also a retro video gamer?? Tell me about that.?
?Um? well,? Raymond explains, ?my parents have a lot of old games I like to play.?
?What?s your favorite??
?Probably? either Pac-Man or Mega Man 2.?
?Sounds good,? Kirk remarks before moving further to the left of the screen to talk to Raymond?s partner, a hazel-eyed girl with curly strawberry blond hair clinging to her shoulders. ?And also on the Green Monkeys? Katie, how old are you??
?I?m twelve years old.?
?And it says here you like to skate and you raise kittens,? Kirk reads from the index card in his hand.
?Yes sir.?
?How many cats do you have??
?Six,? explains Katie. ?One of my cats had a few kittens so we?re taking care of them too.? She smiles.
?This is a good Green Monkeys team,? Kirk comments. ?Let?s hear it for ?em!? Katie and Raymond high-five while the audience applauds for them.  Then, Kirk goes to the right side of the camera frame to interview the male Purple Parrot, a slightly-taller-than-average brunet with green eyes. ?And on the Purple Parrots, we have Corey.  How old are you?? He holds the microphone up to Corey?s mouth.
?Thirteen.?
?And it says you run track and field, but you wanna be a mechanic? Tell me about that.?
?Well,? explains Corey, ?I learned a little about working on cars from my dad? he shows me stuff like that and lets me help him with his car.?
?Sounds cool,? Kirk comments.  He then goes to the far right of the screen to talk to Corey?s deeply-tanned partner, a brown-eyed girl with straight dark hair braided into a ponytail. ?And Jocelyn, how old are you??
?Eleven,? says Jocelyn in response.
?And it says here you?re good at math and science but you?re also into Japanese comics,? he reads. ?Tell me about that.?
?Well,? she explains, ?my brother got me into this kinds of comics and they?re awesome? I like? Bleach, One Piece? stuff like that.?
?They sound creative,? remarks Kirk. ?Let?s hear it for the Purple Parrots!? The audience applauds once more for the Purple Parrots, and Jocelyn and Corey clap with them.

"All right, you ready to play?" asks Kirk.
"YEAH!" reply the teams.
"Okay, go get ready for the Temple Games," Kirk says, pointing in different directions; Katie and Jocelyn walk offscreen in one direction, Raymond and Corey in another. "In the Temple Games, each team is competing to win?" he opens a pouch and pulls out a small gold medallion to show to the camera? "Pendants of Life.  The winning team will need those Pendants to protect themselves from the DREADED Temple Guards as they make their way through the Temple.  There are three Temple Games.  Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #1."

Olmec begins:
"World War I began when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, but soon, most of Europe got involved because the countries were provoked one at a time.  In this game, you're going to reenact this.  When Kirk gives the signal, put a rock between your legs, grab the trapeze, swing out over the grid and drop the rock into the grid.  Then, swing back, grab another rock and try again.  Each rock represents an attack, and each hole is a different country in Europe.
"The first player to bring all of Europe into the war by dropping a rock in all nine holes in the grid? or the player that's provoked the most countries in 60 seconds? wins."
"Don't try this at home," Kirk comments as the camera segues to him amidst the equipment. "Let's put 60 seconds on the clock." A countdown clock appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen, and Kirk dashes off to the side. "On your marks, get set, GO!"
On ?Go,? the girls swing out over the 3?3 grids with the balls they already had placed between their feet, and on her first try, Katie successfully drops a ball in the grid, in the upper-right corner.  On the other hand, Jocelyn fails to make the grid and is forced to try again. ?Green Monkeys scored, but can Purple Parrots come back?? On the next attempt, both girls score in different sections of the grid (Green dead center, Purple in the upper-left corner).  Jocelyn then scores in the bottom-right corner on the next turn, while Katie?s ball falls a little short of the grid (:44). ?Purple Parrots doing good so far? they?re both doing good so far!? Not too long after, however, Katie claims the upper-left corner on her grid, while Jocelyn fails to score on the same attempt (:37).
?I think it?s gonna come down to the last one? what do you think?? Kirk remarks almost halfway into the game, right before both players fail to score.  The next ball to land in either grid is dropped by Jocelyn, but into the bottom-right hole, with 25 seconds to go.  Her next attempt, however, results in the bottom-left hole of the grid receiving a ball, but Katie claims top-center on her board with fifteen seconds left. ?They?re both doing great, this is tough!? Katie scores again in the bottom-right corner of the grid with ten seconds to go, and then lands a second ball in the upper-left corner after that.  Jocelyn, in the meantime, fails to score again, and when the clock reaches zero, a pattern of ceiling spotlights flashes to indicate that the game is over, and Kirk runs onscreen to declare a winner.
?All right, that?s it!? he announces. ?Time?s up, let?s see how they did! C?mon over here!? Katie and Jocelyn make their way over to where Kirk is to watch as he counts up the scores. ?It looks like Jocelyn got three?? he gestures to the Purple Parrots? grid? ?but Katie?? the camera switches to the Green Monkeys? grid? ?got five! She and the Green Monkeys get a half a Pendant of Life!? The audience cheers for a few seconds, and Katie and Kirk high-five before he goes over to where Jocelyn is. ?Purple Parrots can catch up in the next game, it?s worth a half-Pendant.  Olmec, tell us about it.?

Olmec continues:
"During the war, the United States and its allies fought large armies led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy and the Ottoman Empire.  In this game, you will only have to take down one soldier from each of those countries.  When Kirk gives the signal, load your slingshot and shoot a cannonball at one of the soldiers sitting on the wall.  Then, load another cannonball in the slingshot and shoot again.
"The first player to knock down all four soldiers? or the player that knocks over the most soldiers in 60 seconds? wins."
"This means war," Kirk remarks as the camera transitions over to him. "Let's set the clock for 60 seconds." The countdown clock appears onscreen in the bottom-right corner, and a green half-Pendant appears in the upper-left corner as Kirk dashes out of the boys' way. "On your mark, get set, GO!"
It takes a few seconds for the boys to get used to firing with the slingshots, but about eight seconds into the round, they each knock down one of their respective targets.  The next couple of shots by Corey miss, but Raymond knocks down the second-from-left target with 46 seconds to go. ?Green Monkeys on a roll! Can the Purple Parrots catch up?? The increased amount of negative space actually makes it harder for the boys to score again, but eventually Corey knocks over the second of his targets with 26 seconds on the clock. ?It?s tied up now! These are good teams? close teams!? However, from that point on, it?s difficult for either player to score again. Raymond launches a ball at his leftmost target with a few seconds left, causing it to lean back before standing up again. ?Ohh, so close! I thought he had that one!? Not too long after, the clock hits zero, the ceiling spotlights flash and the clock and half-Pendant disappear as Kirk reappears onscreen, calling the boys over.
?All right, time?s up!? he calls. ?And when time ended, it looks like the Green Monkeys got two soldiers, the Purple Parrots got two soldiers! It?s a tie? they each get the half-Pendant!? The audience applauds again, and Raymond and Corey high-five while they do. ?So it?s Green Monkeys have a full Pendant, Purple Parrots a half, but the next game is worth a full Pendant.  It?s the third and final game.  Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #3.?

Olmec narrates:
"Germany tried to keep the United States from getting involved in the war, but even before the Zimmermann Note was found, it was tempting to join to stop the Germans from mercilessly sinking ships.  In this game, you and your partner will have to sink three of the enemy ships.  One of you is suspended in a sack.  When Kirk gives the signal, swing your partner at one of the ships and sink it by knocking it over.
"The first team to sink all three ships? or the team that sinks the most ships in 30 seconds? wins!"
The camera transitions from Olmec to Kirk. "This is for the Temple," he comments. "Let's put 30 seconds on the clock?" The clock appears in the bottom-right corner, a green full Pendant in the upper-left and a purple half-Pendant in the upper right.  Kirk then steps out of the way to do the commentary from in front of Olmec. "On your marks, get set, GO!"
Raymond and Corey pull back the sacks containing their partners and swing them at the first of the ships.  Within seconds, the Green Monkeys sink their middle ship, but Corey didn?t push Jocelyn hard enough to completely knock over their ship.  About ten seconds into the round, the Green Monkeys knock over their rightmost ship, while the Purple Parrots finally knock over their center ship. ?It?s tough, ?cause now they gotta change direction!? A bad throw by the Green Monkeys gives the Purple Parrots enough time to even the score by knocking down the leftmost target with eleven seconds on the clock. ?Whoever gets the next one gets it!? The Purple Parrots start to swing out towards the rightmost target, but miss it; the Green Monkeys sink their leftmost, third and final ship with seven seconds on the clock, and the clock and Pendants on the screen disappear.
?That?s it! C?mon over!? Kirk announces, running onscreen to meet with Raymond and Corey. ?The Green Monkeys got all three of their ships sunken before time ran out.  That gives them the full Pendant, giving them two, the Purple Parrots had a half.  The Green Monkeys are goin? to the Temple!? Raymond jumps up and high-fives Katie, and Kirk does the same before going to meet with the Purple Parrots. ?Purple Parrots gave it a great effort too.  We got a great gift for them and here?s what it is.? Corey and Jocelyn will each be receiving a pair of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Optimus Prime and Megatron action figures.
The camera cuts away from the consolation prize to show Kirk and Raymond standing around Katie, who is still suspended in the sack. ?Now we?ll see if the Green Monkeys can make it through Olmec?s Temple and retrieve that Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note,? says Kirk, ?right after this!? The camera swerves around the two sandbags and the rest of the equipment for the different Temple Games before stopping at the ladder in the Graveyard of Ships.  The show?s logo reforms and the camera fades to commercial.

[The Ancient Warrior]

When the show returns from commercial, its logo is placed over a shot of the aquiline topmost face on the left pole in the Den of Totem Poles.  The camera eases out as the pendant splits and the title disappears into the distance, and then the camera segues to Kirk standing in front of the Temple's stairs, with Raymond and Katie to his right. "Welcome back to Legends," he says to the camera. "The Green Monkeys have proven themselves worthy and now have earned the right to enter the Temple.  But first, Olmec's gonna give them some information to help them retrieve the Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note."
Olmec begins to give the rundown:
"You could start by running up to the Room of the Ancient Masks! Push in the correct mask, and pass into the Pit of Despair.  There you must choose your next path.  You could race up into the Observatory, read the instructions on the far wall with the telescope and follow them to open the door to the Central Dock, where you can grab the Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note.  Next, you might pass into the Den of Totem Poles.  Turn all the faces forward; that may take you below or lead you into the SHRIIIIIIINE of the Silver Monkey! Assemble the statue, and you may be headed toward the Pirate's Cove! Place the torch in the correct holder to go back, or spin the ship's wheel and enter the Graveyard of Ships.
"Stand on the correct grave to go upstairs? but beware the Temple Guard that might be haunting one of the graves! Or, plow through the wall and into the Viper's Nest.  Reach into the snake jars and find the key, and you'll enter the Bamboo Forest! If you escape, you might have a chance to enter the Cannon Room.  Load the three cannonballs into the cannon, and if the correct door is unlocked, you can crawl back through the Pit and finally climb through the Cave, rrrrace down the STAIRS and back through the Temple Gate.  The choices are yours and yours ALONE!" Olmec pauses for a second. "You won 2 Pendants in the Temple Games.  Who's going first?"
"I am!" calls Raymond.
"Very well, Raymond!" replies Olmec as Kirk hands out the Pendants of Life. "When Kirk gives the signal, you'll race through the gates into the Temple and make your way towards the Written Drrrraft.  Hidden inside the Temple are three secret passages that may lead you into the Bamboo Forest, as well as Temple Guards assigned to protect three specific rooms.  You can trade your Pendant for an extra life and go on BUT? if you're caught without a Pendant, you'll be taken out of the Temple? and it'll be Katie's turn to enter and try her luck.  If you reach the Written Draft, all the doors of the Temple will instantly unlock and the Temple Guards will vanish.  Return through the gates with the Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note in three minutes, and you will both be handsomely rewarded? and here's how!"
?   For just getting into the Temple, they're both going to get camping gear courtesy of Outdoor Products.
?   If they can grab the Draft in three minutes, they're both going to get a Schwinn Mesa mountain bike.
?   And if they can get the Written Draft out of the Temple before three minutes is up, they'll both be going to the Bahamas! The Bahamas Princess Resort, on exciting Grand Bahama Island, offering tennis, swimming and international entertainment.  Fun for the whole family, from Bahamas Princess Resort!

"Let's get these Green Monkeys going to the Bahamas!" Kirk says before turning to Katie. "So, Katie, tell us: What's your strategy?"
"Um? well," she replies, "we're gonna start through the Cave, go into the Pit, and then? and then we're gonna go across the balance beam into the room, and? um, grab the Note and come back."
"And hopefully that'll get you that vacation.  Let's see," replies Kirk before turning to Raymond. "Raymond, let's get you out in front.  Both of you, put your mouthpieces in.  Set the clock for three minutes?" The clock appears onscreen. "Lower the gate, Olmec!"
Olmec groans gutturally as he lowers the gate; the faint orange lights under him dim as he does so, and are ultimately turned off.
"On your mark, get set, GO!"

?There goes Raymond, into the Temple!? Kirk comments as Raymond trots up the stairs and slides down into the Cave. ?They?ve got two Pendants, that?s gonna help ?em!? Raymond has a bit of trouble squeezing his way through the gray ledges of the Cave, but eventually he makes his way through and hoists himself up towards the upper crawl tube leading into the Pit of Despair (2:44), then hits the actuator.  The door opens, and he heads on with 2:39 on the clock. ?He goes on into the Pit of Despair! He?s gotta try a door?? Raymond runs across the closer-to-the-foreground of the two balance-beam-like plans connecting the side ledges of the room, and hits the actuator for the Central Dock, which fails to open. ?He tries the door, that doesn?t open, he?s got another door?? Raymond walks along the side ledge to get to the Observatory door, which does open.
?That one worked! He?s going up into the Observatory!? remarks Kirk as Raymond runs up the stairs, setting foot in the room with 2:28 to go.  He jogs right over to the telescope and places his eye to the lens. ?He?s gotta work on the telescope, read the writing on the wall?? Raymond focuses the lens of the telescope for a few seconds, during which the camera briefly cuts to a shot of the writing on the wall? ?Spin Saturn and Venus? (2:21)? and then back to Raymond, who soon after takes his eye off the telescope. ?I think he knows what to do now?? Raymond goes to the two altars in the front of the room, each of which holds three celestial models.  He reaches for the Venus model on the left altar and spins it, then does the same to the Saturn model on the right altar. ?There he goes, the door?s open!? As the stone slab lowers, Raymond heads down the staircase into the Den of Totem Poles, and passes through the door at the end of the stairwell with 2:13 on the clock.  He leans down to get started on aligning the faces of the stage-right totem pole, but something emerges from the door in the back of the room?
?TEMPLE GUARD!? Kirk shouts as Raymond stands up, a little startled. ?You gotta give ?im the Pendant!? He hesitates for a second, but hands his Pendant of Life over to the gesticulating Temple Guard, who promptly backs away to the door and vanishes behind it once again as Raymond gets back to turning the faces of the totem pole (2:08). ?He?s got his work cut out for him here?? He starts from the bottommost of the three faces, then starts working his way up to the top.  He completes the first column with 1:55 on the clock, then moves to the left totem pole and continues the objective. ?This is an awesome Green Monkeys team! They were first in the Moat, first in the Steps of Knowledge, got two Pendants? they still got a Pendant now, but next time a Temple Guard gets him, it?ll be turn for Katie!? Raymond completes the second totem pole after about twelve seconds, which opens the door for the Shrine of the Silver Monkey.  Raymond heads through the door, but almost instantly?
?TEMPLE GUARD! Go Katie!? Kirk shouts, and Katie runs into the Temple with 1:38 on the clock.  She races up the stairs and then slides down into the Cave, from which she climbs up and through the crawl tube to reach the Pit of Despair with 1:24 to go.  She then runs across the top floor, setting foot in the Shrine of the Silver Monkey with 1:06 remaining. ?She?s gotta make up some time now?!? Katie climbs up onto the back shelves and grabs the base of the statue, then brings it to the front of the room as the clock reaches exactly 1:00. ?Start with the base?? Katie places the base on the pedestal, but with a corner not pushed all the way into the platform before she goes to retrieve the middle and the head (0:56). ?She?s gotta move fast if she wants to get to the Note!? Katie temporarily puts the head down to place the middle on the statue, but it has a little trouble staying in place.  After a few seconds, she realizes the base is a bit off and pushes the corner in by pushing down on the middle (0:45). ?All right! Now get the head and jam it down!? Katie picks up the head of the silver monkey and threads the attached pole into the hole in the torso and base to complete the statue.  She pushes it down, and all the doors leading out of the room open with 41 seconds on the clock.
?All right, she?s into the Pirate?s Cove! C?mon Katie!? Kirk calls as Katie first touches the pirate wheel in the Pirate?s Cove (0:37).  She starts turning the wheel to lift the iron slab blocking entry to the Graveyard of Ships below, and after a few seconds, the slab is high enough that she can slip underneath and access the ladder (0:29). ?Thirty seconds! Katie, hurry!? Katie starts to scramble down the Graveyard ladder, but soon jumps down and barrels through the breakaway rock wall into the Viper?s Nest with twenty seconds left.
?She?s gotta reach into the snake pots to find the right key?!? Kirk explains as Katie removes the lid of the left jar on the front altar of the room; two snakes jump out at her (0:15!). ?No, that?s not the right one!? She does the same to the middle jar, and this time pulls out the key. ?There, now which door?s gonna open?? Katie rushes over to the rightmost door on the back wall, before putting the key up to the pad next to the back door on the right wall, which does open (0:08!!). ?She?s made it! Now she?s just two rooms away!? As the audience counts down, Katie crawls through into the Bamboo Forest with just five seconds remaining.  She starts to climb up the first screen of interlocking bamboo poles to reach an opening, but time runs out before she can make it through.
?Oh, time?s up!? laments Kirk, Raymond by his side. ?They were just two rooms away! I thought they were gonna make it? But these guys gave it a gallant effort, they were a great team all the day through, and they still get the camping package.  Here comes Katie now!? On cue, Katie walks over from in front of the Bamboo Forest to join Raymond and Kirk. ?She?s?? he tries not to laugh and eventually holds it in? ?she?s all out of breath! Raymond?s out of breath? I?M out of breath! We gotta get outta here, so join us again for more adventure and another Legend of the Hidden Temple! Buh-bye!? The three wave to the camera, which cuts to shots of the Bamboo Forest, Den of Totem Poles and audience as the credits roll.

[The Ancient Warrior]

Episode Summary
Episode 104px]

Name of Artifact: The Written Draft of the Zimmermann Note
Season: 3
Layout: 2 (12 overall)
Result: Failed acquisition
Team: Green Monkeys
Pendants Won: 2
Location of Artifact: The Central Dock



The Green Monkeys absolutely dominated all of the elimination rounds, so it was such a shame that they couldn't match this performance in the Temple Run.  However, the Temple forced Raymond and Katie into a lengthy path involving difficult rooms, and not much outside of noticing the vertical passage from the Shrine could have saved the players some time.   Even though the route itself has already been proven vincible (see "Urashima Tar? and the Box of Lost Time," in Season 2), time-consuming objectives in rooms such as the Den of Totem Poles cost these Green Monkeys too much time to even grab the Written Draft, but ending up only two rooms away was an accomplishment in its own right.

Trivia and Records:
Episodes 102 to 104 mark the third time in The Rediscovery's history that the same team made it to the Temple three times in a row, as per the airing order.

[The Bamboo Forest]

I actually felt that the Temple Games were a little boring for me, but the extreme amount of detail in the Temple Run certainly made up for it. Good work!