Editing 1504: Opportunity
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | This comic is talking about the robotic science platform {{w|Opportunity (rover)|''Opportunity''}}. On January 25, 2004, | + | This comic is talking about the robotic science platform {{w|Opportunity (rover)|''Opportunity''}}. On January 25, 2004, the ''Opportunity'' rover landed on the surface of {{w|Mars}} for the purpose of gathering data about the surface of Mars. Opportunity has proven remarkably robust, and the comic extrapolates the rover's resilience to absurdity for comedic effect. |
− | + | Also sent to Mars on the same date was another Martian rover, {{w|Spirit (rover)|''Spirit''}}. Unfortunately, it became stuck and a sand storm covered its solar panels. On March 22, 2010, it was thought that ''Spirit'''s batteries finally ran out, marking the end of its mission. This was covered in [[695: Spirit]], in which the ''Spirit'' rover is portrayed with an anthropomorphic personality. | |
− | + | As of the release date of this comic in 2015, the Opportunity rover {{w|Opportunity mission timeline|is still alive and moving}}. The comic depicts the scientists at ground control being amazed at this. | |
− | + | However, in 2023, Opportunity has apparently become so powerful that it has become dangerous, presumably cannibalizing or destroying the {{w|Mars 2020|rover sent in 2020}}. Cueball and Megan note it even continues to operate without its original battery, suggesting it has developed a new power source. This evolution is similar to the stories of {{w|HAL 9000}} (from {{w|2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|''2001: A Space Odyssey''}}) and {{w|List of Star Trek characters (T–Z)#V'Ger|V'Ger}} (from ''{{w|Star Trek: The Motion Picture}}''), both of which became dangerous to human beings. | |
− | + | By 2450, humans have colonised and terraformed Mars. “Everything the light touches” is a reference to a line by {{w|List of The Lion King characters#Mufasa|Mufasa}} in ''{{w|The Lion King}}''. Mufasa's son Simba then asks "What about that shadowy place?" and Mufasa tells him “That is beyond our borders. You must never go there”. What this all implies is that ''Opportunity'' has dominated half of the planet. | |
− | + | The title text forecasts the first words of the first astronauts on the surface of Mars. At first, the astronaut copies the first words of Neil Armstrong on the Moon ("That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind") but it is interrupted by the ''Opportunity'' rover. Onboard the rover is a drill used for sampling rocks, but here it is heavily suggested that Opportunity uses the drill to attack the astronaut. | |
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− | The title text forecasts the first words of the first astronauts on the surface of Mars. At first, the astronaut copies the first words of | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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:2010: | :2010: | ||
+ | :[Ponytail and Hair Bun sitting at a computer, facing left.] | ||
:Ponytail: After six years, ''Spirit'' is down, but ''Opportunity'' is still going strong. | :Ponytail: After six years, ''Spirit'' is down, but ''Opportunity'' is still going strong. | ||
− | : | + | :Hair Bun: Tough little rover! |
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:2015: | :2015: | ||
− | : | + | :[Opportunity traveling on Mars.] |
− | : | + | :Offscreen: Eleven years, wow. |
− | : | + | :Offscreen 2: Wasn't the original mission 90 days? |
+ | :Offscreen: This is starting to get weird. | ||
+ | :2023: | ||
:[Cueball and Megan sitting at a computer, facing right.] | :[Cueball and Megan sitting at a computer, facing right.] | ||
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:Cueball: The battery is totally disconnected. How can it still be moving?? | :Cueball: The battery is totally disconnected. How can it still be moving?? | ||
:Megan: Given what it did to the Mars 2020 rover, we may never know. | :Megan: Given what it did to the Mars 2020 rover, we may never know. | ||
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:2450, terraformed Mars, Martian imperial capital: | :2450, terraformed Mars, Martian imperial capital: | ||
− | :Martian | + | :[Some martian inhabits looking like Cueball and Megan pointing towards a dark, mountainous region] |
− | :Martian | + | :Cueball-Martian: Everything the light touches is our kingdom. |
− | :Martian | + | :Megan-Martian: What's that dark area? |
+ | :Cueball-Martian: That is ''Opportunity's'' half of the planet. We must never go there. | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
− | + | [[Category:Robots]] | |
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
− | [[Category:Comics featuring | + | [[Category:Comics featuring Hair Bun Girl]] |
− | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Space]] |
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