Flippers of Fury

Flippers of Fury is the 28th episode of Action League Now!. It first premiered on the Kablam! episode, More Happiness Than Allowed By Law on August 30, 1998.

Characters Present

• The Flesh
• Thundergirl
• Stinky Diver
• Meltman
• The Red Ninja
• Master Pu

Plot

One day, the Action League returns to Action Headquarters after a routine patrol, only to find the ultimate indignity: it being covered with toilet paper! To add insult to injury, somebody used Stinky Diver's private property to do it! The Flesh sympathizes with Stinky, because he knew that he was saving that roll for a special occasion. He asks who could be so mean to do so, and Meltman points out a mysterious ninja lurking in the shadows, who tosses one of his stars at Stinky. Fortunately, Stinky ducks with the star still hitting Meltman. Thundergirl then reads "The Red Ninja" logo on the star. With that, Stinky realizes that after these long years, the Red Ninja has come back for his revenge.

Stinky Diver tells the League about when he and the Red Ninja first attended Kung Fu Jr. High. They both battled over their tutor, Master Pu. Red was always a sore loser and tried tossing his stars at Stinky, only for him to hit Master Pu instead and get detention from him. He vowed that he would get revenge on him someday. Thundergirl assures Stinky that he now has something he didn't before - friends that always stick close to him in his time of need. Stinky then explains the Red is a ruthless killing machine, and upon hearing this, the others back away and leave Stinky to fight The Red Ninja by himself.

With a showdown on the way, Stinky Diver goes to Master Pu's house, to gather some forgotten fighting tips from him. When he arrives at Master Pu's house, he asks him if he's forgotten his training and tells him two very important tips, which are to always bow when addressing your master and never take your eye off of your opponent, of which the latter he tells him while kicking him. Master Pu tells Stinky that the years have made him as soft as a bean curd, so in order to battle The Red Ninja, they must begin training immediately.

Master Pu and Stinky begin their first exercise at a grill (complete with burgers and hot dogs being cooked), where Master Pu tells Stinky, "Only in your mind, does the fire burn" as Stinky walks across the grill's hot surface, crying out from being burned. Stinky's next exercise takes place at Master Pu's house, where Master Pu tells him, "Only in your mind do the blows sting", while hitting Stinky repeatedly with his staff. Stinky's third and final exercise is trying to karate-chop a brick in half, where Master Pu tells him, "Only in your mind does the brick cause you pain". A bunch of nearby bricks fall on Stinky as he tries to karate-chop his brick.

After their long training, Master Pu assures Stinky that he is now ready to fight the Red Ninja. Stinky, who appears injured with many casts and crutches, tells Master Pu that the only thing he's ready for is the emergency room. Master Pu argues that a butterfly does not need wings to fly, but Stinky tells him otherwise. Master Pu, frustrated, then says that he was simply speaking metaphorically and tells him to go out and battle Red.

Later that day in a secret kung fu village, the League sits on bleachers, cheering for Stinky and jeering at the Red Ninja, who tells the injured Stinky that he looks as bad as he smells. Stinky tries to fight back, but one of his arms falls off as a result of Master Pu's rough training. Red then tosses one of his stars at Stinky, who ducks, making the star hit Meltman once more. Next, Red grabs Stinky's fallen arm and starts beating him with it. The Narrator asks the viewers if Master Pu's training will save Stinky or if Red will win, then tells them to stay tuned for part two.

In the second act, just as it looks like Red is about to defeat Stinky, Stinky thinks about what Master Pu would say in this kind of situation. Master Pu tells him in his mind, "The quills of the porcupine must sometimes flutter through the air.", but Stinky has no idea what that means. Master Pu then snaps at him in his mind, "Use your spear gun, idiot!". Now realizing the truth, Stinky pulls out his spear gun and shoots it at Red, knocking him down over the table and landing him on the floor, where he gets sucked up by a vacuum cleaner. The excited League cheers for Stinky about his victory and Master Pu hands him his arm, saying that he now salutes him since he's just won. Stinky, ungrateful for Master Pu's training, angrily kicks him into a pot, where several vegetables are being fried. Stinky then jokes about Master Pu's quote of never taking your eyes off and laughs with the others as the episode ends.

Quotes

• Master Pu: "You have come far in short time, Stinkhopper. You are ready to fight the Red Ninja."

(Stinky appears injured, with many casts and crutches.)

Stinky: "Are you kidding? All I'm ready for is the Emergency Ward!"

Master Pu: "Nonsense. The butterfly does not need wings to fly."

Stinky: "Wait a minute, yes it does!"

Master Pu: "You know what I mean! Now, go out and mess up his Red Ninja face!"

• Red Ninja: "You look as bad as you smell, Stinkhopper!"

Stinky: "You want a piece of me? Huh?"

(Stinky's arm falls off.)

Stinky: "They're, uh... going fast."

• Narrator: "Can Master Pu's master plan save Stinky Diver, or will this mismatch make him meet his maker? Stay tuned for the Action Kia!-ed conclusion of Action League Now!"
• Narrator: "Ninja, returned. Stinky Diver, learned. Master Pu, concerned."

Previous Episode

• Big Baby

Next Episode

• Rags to Riches

Gallery

The Action League returns from a routine patrol to find someone T.P.'d H.Q.

Thundergirl is in shock

Stinky holding an empty toilet paper roll

Meltman notices a ninja lurking in the shadows

The Red Ninja

One of the Red Ninja's stars hits Meltman

Thundergirl reads the Red Ninja logo

"After all these years, he's come back for me, and this time, only one of us will survive."

"Our story begins with an unwieldy but necessary flashback sequence."

"It all began back at Kung Fu Jr. High..."

"...The Red Ninja and I were sparring for our tutor, Master Pu."

"Red was always a sore loser."

Stinky looks at The Red Ninja after his fall

The Red Ninja tosses one of his stars at Stinky

"Red Ninja, you must do detention."

"I'll get you someday, Stinky one!"

"So now you see, it's him or me."

"No way, Stinky, we're a team! All for one and one for all!"

The League decides to help Stinky...

...until he tells them The Red Ninja's a ruthless killing machine

"And so, with a showdown ahead, a smelly samurai pays a visit to his kung-fu guru."

"Hey, Master Pu, how's it hanging?"

"Stinkhopper, have you forgotten all your training? When addressing one's master, one must always bow."

"Uh, yeah, right. Sorry, Master Pu."

Master Pu kicks Stinky

"Also, never take your eye off your opponent."

"Ugh. It's nice to see you, too."

"The years have made you soft, like bean curd. To fight Red Ninja, we must begin training immediately.

"Only in your mind does the fire burn."

Stinky walks across the grill

"Only in your mind do the blows sting."

Master Pu whacks Stinky

"Only in your mind does the brick cause you pain."

The bricks behind stinky topple over...

...and fall on top of him

"You have come far in short time, Stinkhopper. You are ready to fight The Red Ninja."

"Are you kidding? All I'm ready for is the emergency ward."

"Nonsense. The butterfly does not need wings to fly."

"Wait a minute, yes it does!"

"You know what I mean! Now go out and mess up his red ninja face!"

The Action League sit on the bleachers and cheer for Stinky

"You look as bad as you smell, Stinkhopper!"

"You want a piece of me? Huh?"

"They're, uh, going fast."

Stinky ducks

"Oh, forget it..." "Can Master Pu's master plan save Stinky Diver? Or will this mismatch make him meet his maker? Stay tuned for the action-KIA!'ed conclusion of Action League Now!"

"Ninja returned, Stinky Diver learned, Master Pu concerned. As the Red Ninja prepares to deep-six a dismembered diver, only one option remains." "Think, man, think! What would Master Pu say right now?"

"The quills of the porcupine must sometimes flutter through the air."

"Huh? What the devil does that mean?"

"Use your spear gun, idiot!"

"Oh, right. Kia!"

The Red Ninja gets sucked up by a vacuum cleaner

"Hooray for Stinkhopper!" "Stinkhoppper, you won. I salute you!"

"No thanks to you, you rotter!"

Stinky kicks Master Pu into a pot

"Like you always say, 'Never take your eyes off your opponent', Master Pu!" "The end."