02x02 - Endless Summer / Jet Shrinks the Kids

[bunniefuu]

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ That's his name ♪

♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ He'll rocket to fame ♪

♪ When he arrived, he created a buzz ♪

♪ 'Cause there was no house ♪

♪ And then there was, he said ♪

- ♪ People of Earth! You ain't seen nothing yet! ♪

♪ I'm from Bortron , and my name is Jet! ♪

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ That's his name ♪

♪ He looks like us ♪

♪ But he isn't the same ♪

- ♪ I'm a space tripper and a galaxy crosser ♪

♪ My parents brought me here in a flying saucer ♪

- ♪ And just to prove it was a fact ♪

♪ He flew them out to space and back ♪

♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[spaceship whirring]

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

- ♪ He showed up, and now it's a blast ♪

♪ Looks like the future really got here fast ♪

- ♪ Nice to meet you, human race ♪

♪ Tell me all about the place ♪

- ♪ Jet Propulsion! ♪

- ♪ Jet Propulsion! ♪

- ♪ Jet Propulsion! ♪

all: Ready! Jet! Go!

[cheerful music]

- [grunting]

[all grunting]

Oh! Whoa!

- Perfect!

All it needs is a carrot for the nose.

I'll be right back.

[heroic music]

♪ ♪

- Sunspot?

What are you doing?

- Sunspot says he's going for a swim in the lake.

- [teeth chattering]

- Uh, sorry, Sunspot.

It's winter on Earth now.

It's too cold to swim.

In fact, the lake is covered in ice.

No more summer ever again. [sighs]

I'll miss the sunshine, warm air, and flowers.

[sighs]

But this snow stuff is pretty great.

- Wait.

What do you mean there's no more summer?

- Jet, winter won't last forever.

Summer will come in a few months.

- [gasps] It will?

- Sure, Jet. Don't you remember about seasons?

- "See-suns"?

- Yeah, like, spring, summer, fall, and winter.

We learned about them in preschool.

- Jet, remember when Christmas came last year?

And we had to wear winter coats and hats to stay warm?

- Uh-huh? - And then spring came.

And the snow melted, and we wore raincoats and boots

and splashed in the puddles?

- Yeah.

- And then summer came again,

and we didn't have to wear coats anymore

because it was so warm?

- Uh-huh.

- And then in the fall, all the leaves

fell off the trees? - Yeah.

- Well, now it's winter again. - Oh.

- But spring will come soon because that's how seasons work.

- Cool.

- They happen in a pattern every year.

- Oh. Yeah.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[wind whooshing] all: Whoa!

[sleigh bell music]

- Oh, right!

I remember doing the Christmas pageant,

when it was all snowy outside.

And I guess it did get warm again after that,

because we swam in the lake.

Okay, but what causes these Earth "see-suns," anyway?

- Oh, I know.

Wait, no, I don't.

- Um, seasons happen because...

because... [wind whooshing]

- [gasps] Sunspot! Where are you going?

- Oh, Carrot,

what are we gonna do about this new assignment?

Our Bortron boss wants us to do an article about

summer activities on Earth, but it's the middle of winter.

- And it's due tomorrow.

- If only we could find some summer somewhere.

- Ah-ah-achoo!

- Carrot. Are you all right?

- I--I don't know. [sniffs]

I can't breathe through my nose,

and I--I keep having these sudden face explosions.

- Oh, dear. This is very alarming.

- Mr. Propulsion, do you have a cold?

I heard you sneezing.

[together] A cold?

[laughter]

- Uh, no, no, no, no. I'm not cold.

I've been inside all day.

In fact, I'm feeling overheated at the moment.

- Silly. A "cold" is when you're sick.

- I thought a "cold" meant the opposite of "hot."

- Well, that too, but a cold is also a name

for a kind of sickness that Earthies sometimes get.

- And speaking of cold, Mom and Dad,

did you know about this Earthie thing called "see-suns"?

It's when the weather goes from cold to hot and back again.

- Oh, well, of course, Jet, like winter and summer.

In fact, your father and I were just trying to figure out

what to do about summer. - What do you mean?

- We need to write a travel report

about summer activities, but it's the middle of winter.

- Not everywhere. - Wait, what do you mean?

- When it's winter here,

it's summer somewhere else.

And when it's summer there, it's winter here.

- Oh, oh, what? That's remarkable!

- Sure, sure, sure, that's great.

But do you know what causes seasons?

- Oh, uh... - Oh, well, uh...

- You know what, Jet? We're not really sure

why seasons happen, just that they do.

- Maybe the Sun is

bigger in the summer, so it's hotter,

and smaller in the winter, so it's colder.

- Hmm, I never noticed the Sun change size in the sky.

Maybe it's summer when the Earth moves closer to the Sun

and winter when it gets farther away.

- [chitters]

- Oh, hang on!

Sean gave me this big book of space

for my Earth-day birthday.

Maybe there's something in here about seasons.

Ah, here it is.

[clears throat]

The book says that the Earth has

an imaginary line that runs up and down the center of it,

called an "axis."

The Earth spins on this axis like a top.

But the Earth's axis is tilted to the side,

and this is why there are seasons.

all: Ohh.

- I don't get it. - I don't think I do either.

Why would a tilted axis cause seasons?

- Hmm, do you suppose it has something to do with the Sun?

Hmm, why don't we do a demonstration,

so we can understand it better?

We can "pretend" to be the tilted Earth and the Sun.

[all cheer] - Whoo-hoo!

- Yeah! - Let's do it!

- [sneezes]

[crash]

- Carrot, my goodness!

So many face explosions!

First, we'll need to find something round

to represent the Earth.

Perfect.

Now we need a little light

to represent the Sun.

- Found one. - Great.

Now, turn on the lantern,

and let's turn off the lights.

[lantern clicks]

- Hmm, it looks like Sunspot is lit up the same

from top to bottom.

[all murmuring] - Yes.

Now, Sunspot, can you lean slightly to one side?

Like the Earth tipped on its axis?

- Sunspot's top half is getting more of the light.

So I guess, on Earth, that's where summer would be?

- That's right, Sydney.

Okay, now, Sunspot,

if you'd please move to the other side of the Sun

but make sure to keep tilted in the same direction.

Okay.

When the Earth travels around

to the other side of the Sun,

the bottom half gets more direct sunlight.

So it's summer there.

The top half doesn't receive as much direct light,

so it's colder and therefore winter.

- So that's how summer and winter

can happen at the same time?

- Oh, this is great news!

- [sniffs] It means that we can

turn in our travel report after all.

We just have to go where it's summer.

- So let's go find some summer!

[all cheer] - Whoo-hoo!

- [gasping sharply]

Achoo!

Achoo!

[crash]

Achoo!

[playful dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Huh?

- Oh, Carrot, your face.

I don't think you're in any condition to travel.

Perhaps you should stay home and rest.

- I'll take care of you, Mr. Carrot.

My mom always takes care of me when I have a cold,

so I know just what to do.

- [sniffs] Thanks, Mindy.

I wouldn't mind some company while everyone's away.

- Here, Mindy, take this.

I'll call you when we find summer.

- Yay, I love your wrist-phone thingy!

- And don't worry, Mr. Propulsion.

We Earthies will help Mrs. Propulsion

with your travel report.

- I found a nose for the snowman, you guys.

Hey, where are you going?

- You're just in time, Sean!

We're going to find summer.

- But what about our snowman-- whoa!

Huh, summer? But it's winter.

I'm not really dressed for summer--

- ♪ Five, four, three-two-one ♪

♪ Doors are shut engines on ♪

♪ Everybody in their place ♪

♪ Let's go into outer space! ♪

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

- Bye!

[jet engines whirring, Sean yelling]

[adventurous music]

- All right, Navigator Sydney,

would you mind showing us a map of the Earth

so we know where we are?

- You bet.

This is Boxwood Terrace.

It's in North America on this half of the planet.

- So if winter is happening on the upper half,

then summer is happening on the lower half?

- Exactly.

- So where could we go in the lower half

to find some summer?

- [chitters]

all: Australia!

♪ ♪

- You know, Christmas is in just a few days,

which means that in some places on Earth,

like Australia, Christmas happens in the summertime.

- Heh, that's so weird.

Although, I guess there,

they'd think it was just as weird

for Christmas to happen in the wintertime.

- Good point, Sean.

Can you imagine Santa delivering presents

in shorts and a T-shirt?

[laughter]

- Yeah, that's pretty funny.

[chuckling]

Wait, why's that funny?

- Here, Mr. Carrot.

This is chicken noodle soup.

My mom always makes it for me when I have a cold.

- Oh, thank you, Mindy.

[sniffs] Ah, this chicken of noodle

smells really good.

[slurps]

Oh, delicious.

- And this is a hot water bottle.

I'm not exactly sure what it does,

but sometimes it helps me feel better.

- I'm not sure if I feel any better,

but I do like the fashion statement it makes.

Ah-ah-achoo!

- Look, kids, Australia.

kids: Ooh!

- Oh, here you go.

Bortronian binoculars.

These will get us in really close.

Oh, cool-some.

I see people swimming...

- Wearing shorts and flying kites...

- Whoa, waterskiing.

- Swimming, biking, waterskiing.

Oh, I can write up a really excellent report

about summer activities for our Bortron boss now.

- Let's call Mindy so she can see some summertime.

[device beeping]

- Huh? Oh.

- Hi, you guys.

- Oh, did you find summer?

- Boy, did we!

- Just take a look.

both: Wow.

- It really is summer.

I never would have believed it

if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

- I know. Isn't it amazing, Mindy?

- I can't believe I'm seeing snow on the ground here

and people surfing in the ocean there.

- [chitters]

- Oh, I don't see why not, Sunspot.

As long as we're here, we might as well

sit the saucer down and go for a swim.

[kids cheering]

[gentle music]

- And we even saw a palm tree decorated for Christmas

and a surfing Santa Claus.

- [laughs] A surfing Santa?

Oh, that's silly.

- We got to make a sand saucer in the summer.

- And build a snowman in winter...

[together] On the same day!

- Whoo! - Yes!

- So cool!

- Don't worry, Carrot.

We did lots of research

on Earthie summer activities,

and I have oodles of information for our report.

- [muffled] Oh, that's great,

'cause I was gonna say... [indistinct]

[muffled] If you know what I mean.

- Oh, whatever you say, dear.

- This seashell is perfect for the snowman's nose.

Thanks, Sunspot.

[playful music]

[laughter]

- Ah--ah--

[suspenseful music]

Achoo!

[playful musical flourish]

- And now here's my friend astronomer Amy Mainzer!

[drumroll, cymbal flourish]

- Thanks, Jet.

Look around you, and you'll see

machines are everywhere.

There are fridges, fans, microwaves,

and that's just in a house.

But what are machines exactly?

And how do people ever figure out how to build them?

Machines are tools that make it easier for us to do work.

And there's a trick to building them--

start simple.

Even though it may not look like it,

this simple wooden stick can actually be a machine.

♪ ♪

Whoa!

♪ ♪

Ha! I've just created

my very own marshmallow-flinging machine.

I'm using this stick as a lever.

A lever is a type of simple machine

that's used to move things up or down,

just like my marshmallow.

I've got a doorstop, a book,

and some wheels.

Let's make a ramp.

Ramps and wheels are both types of simple machines.

They're used to help move heavy things around.

♪ ♪

By combining simple machines

in all kinds of different ways,

we can build lots of different things.

Let's have some fun.

All right, time to let the good times roll.

♪ ♪

[chuckles]

♪ ♪

So the next time you pick up a stick,

just think about all the amazing machines

you could build with it.

[soft jazzy music]

♪ ♪

- :.

Stakeout at Jet's garage.

[hammering]

Strange hammering.

[drill whirring]

And then drilling sounds.

He's making something again. That's obvious.

Some new kind of space engine?

What's he building in there?

- I'm trying to modify Jet

so he can figure out when I'm thirsty

and then bring me my favorite drink.

- Really? That'll be so cool.

- Yeah, except so far,

Jet hasn't even gotten the "favorite drink" part right.

But I'm gonna keep trying, testing,

and trying again.

[wrench clicking]

Sydney, could you please reach up

and get me the smaller wrench?

- Sure.

[strains]

- [strains]

Huh, nothing to climb up on either.

- Don't look at me.

I know I'm the smallest kid here.

- Don't worry, Mindy.

Great things can come in small packages.

And you'll be big before you know it.

- Thanks, Sydney.

But I wish I was big like you guys now.

- Is it really that bad to be the smallest one?

- [chitters]

[squeaks]

- Huh, I never thought about that before.

What is it like to be the smallest?

Wow. Now I've got to find out.

New plan!

[metal clanks]

- Hello.

- My next invention is going to be a shrink ray,

so I can shrink us down to Mindy's size.

- Really? I love it!

That would be so fun if we were all small.

- A shrink ray? Come on.

What if we shrunk and got stuck that way?

It's taken me years to grow this size.

- Never fear, Sean!

When we want to grow back to regular size,

all we have to do is reverse the settings,

like I did that time with my hair-braiding machine.

- That didn't go so hot either.

[screams]

- Exactly.

See, it's a very simple process.

- Simple process?

Come on, once you grow taller,

you can't un-grow.

- Well, maybe not with Earth technology.

This is Bortronian technology!

Let's build! Excelsior!

[exciting music]

♪ ♪

- Jet, do you have an actual plan?

- Uhh... [muttering]

Sure. There!

This diagram is my plan.

- Well, that's better,

but I'm still not convinced.

- Ta-da!

Behold my shrink ray!

Sean, Sydney, you ready to try it?

- Yes. This'll be fun!

- What if it does work?

Then I'd be small, and I might not grow back.

- [chitters]

- Okay, then it's you and me, Sydney.

- Let's do this!

[devices warbling]

- Yay, this is so exciting.

[playful music]

- [chittering]

♪ ♪

- [screams]

Whoa!

[zapping]

[together] Whoa!

- [gasps] It's working.

You're shrinking.

- Jet, now we're Mindy's size.

That's small enough. You should turn it off.

- Right. Oh, no.

The controls are up there on the shelf.

Now that we're Mindy's size,

we're all too small to reach it.

- See what I mean?

Welcome to my world.

- Mindy! We're still shrinking!

Do something! Turn it off somehow!

[warbling]

- [strains]

Wow. Look at you guys.

You're so tiny and cute.

I should take you to my fluegelhorn lesson.

I can fit you all in my pocket.

- Great. We're the size of mice.

How am I gonna explain this to my parents?

- No problem. I'll just reverse the process.

Switch the shrink ray to a grow ray,

and we'll be normal size in a minute.

[distantly] Mindy can use the diagram

to switch the shrink ray so it becomes a grow ray.

- What? I can't hear you, Jet.

- [inhales deeply]

[shouting] I said you can use the diagram

to switch the shrink ray so it becomes a grow ray!

It's up there, on the workbench shelf!

- Wait, I've got a step stool at my house.

I'll be right back.

Don't go anywhere.

- Go anywhere?

It would take all day just to get to the garage door.

[garage door clanks]

[mysterious music]

- :, Mindy leaves the garage in a big hurry.

And she left the door open.

I don't hear the other kids. Do you, Cody?

- [snores]

- I agree, Cody. They must be gone.

This is our opportunity to peek inside the garage.

Come on.

[rumbling]

- [squeals] It's Mitchell!

- And Cody! - Ah!

[panting]

- Let's hide!

[footsteps rumbling]

- Hmm.

Apparently they're all gone.

The coast is clear.

Now I can really investigate. [Cody sniffing]

[Cody sniffing] - Oh, no!

Cody smells us, and here he comes!

- Cody, I'm not a chew toy.

- Nor a doggy treat!

- Don't even make that suggestion.

- [gasps] Quick! Under Jet !

- [sniffing]

- Hmm.

A takeout box!

Jump in! Quick!

- [strains] - Great.

Now I really feel like food.

- [whines softly]

- Hello.

[motor churning]

- [strains] - Whoa!

- [bites, whines softly]

[rumbling]

[scribbling]

[whining softly]

- Oh, yuck. Giant leftovers.

- What is this? Oyster sauce?

both: Eww.

- I don't know what you're talking about.

Gigantic noodles?

Oh, I'm great.

- [slurps]

[playful musical sting]

[Cody panting]

[playful music]

♪ ♪

[squirrel chitters, Cody barks]

- Quick! Now's our chance!

[suspenseful music]

- [barking]

[barks]

- [panting]

Turkey! [squirrel chitters]

both: No! Squirrel!

- [chittering]

- [chitters]

[heroic music]

♪ ♪

- Yeah! - Whoo-hoo!

♪ ♪

[dramatic music]

- [squeals] It's Mitchell!

Look out!

♪ ♪

- [wails]

Ah! [squirrel chitters]

[footsteps rumble]

- Hey, hey! all: Mindy!

Mindy! Down here!

- You guys! I'm back!

I got the step stool.

[together] Mindy!

[distantly] Mindy!

- You guys? Where are you?

Hmm, they must have gone somewhere.

- [panting]

- I wonder if I can reverse... all: [distantly] Mindy!

- This shrink ray thingy into a grow ray.

Ah. all: [distantly] Mindy!

- This must be Jet's diagram he was talking about.

He said it shows how to reverse the shrink ray.

- [straining] all: Mindy!

Down here!

- Ah, we've got to find a way to make her hear us.

- [chitters]

- Make a slingshot out of a giant noodle?

But what will we sh**t with it?

- [chitters]

- Okay.

- [chitters]

[together] Ready!

Jet!

Go!

[whooshing]

- [chitters]

all: [distantly] Mindy! - Hmm.

- You guys, she just can't hear us.

- [gasps]

If we can make a cone shape out of this,

we could use it for a megaphone.

- A mega-what?

- It's like what they use at football games

to make their voices louder when they cheer.

- Oh.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

But let's do it!

- [straining]

[together] Mindy!

Down here!

- Oh. Hi, you guys.

Where have you been?

- Long story. - But it can wait.

We need to grow back to normal size quick.

- Okay, Mindy.

Let's walk you through the steps of this diagram.

Step one--step on the Bortronian-power foot switch.

- [grunts] [device warbles]

- Two--follow the power from the cord

up to the shrink ray there.

[distantly] See that "on" switch?

- There, I see it.

- But don't turn it on yet.

First, follow the power to the next junction,

the "direction" switch.

- Following. There.

I see it. - Good!

That's the switch that reverses it

from "shrink" to "get bigger."

Switch that one!

[device clicks]

Ha ha, you did it!

Now set us under the shrink ray,

and turn it on.

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

- [soft grunt]

[device warbling]

[zapping]

Whoa!

[all sigh with relief]

[together] Thanks, Mindy!

- That was fun.

It's good that you're all back to normal size again.

But it was so fun

being the way-big kid for a little while.

- Yeah. I learned something.

It really helps to be big.

Sorry I didn't notice that before, Mindy.

- Phew, all this growing and shrinking

makes me hungry.

What do you say we go get a snack?

- You guys go ahead.

I better head home to my fluegelhorn lesson.

all: Okay! - Bye.

- Thanks for saving the day. - Thanks a lot, Mindy.

- Bye! - Hmm.

I wonder if I could be big

just for a minute.

[rumbling]

[giggles]

- What was that?

[soft rumbling] Mindy?

[soft jazzy music]

That--that didn't happen.

Maybe I'm not getting enough sleep.

[suspenseful music]

- Wow, this is so cool.

Okay, I better change back.

I can't fluegel this thing if I'm a giant.

[footsteps rumbling]

[device warbling]

Hi, Mitchell.

- What--what? Ah!

Maybe I'm getting too much sleep.

[playful musical flourish]

- Everybody loves having birthdays, but have you ever

wondered why you can only have a birthday once a year?

Hi, I'm astronomer Amy Mainzer.

The reason we only have birthdays once a year

is because that's how long it takes for the Earth

to go around the Sun.

[upbeat music]

We call the motion of a planet

around its sun its "orbit."

The length of a planet's year

is determined by how fast it goes around the Sun.

And that depends on how close it is to the Sun.

Planets that are close to the Sun

take less time to go around

than planets that are really far away.

For example, it only takes Mercury days

to go around the Sun.

That's because Mercury's a lot closer to the Sun

than the Earth is.

If you were on Mercury,

you would have a birthday every three months.

But if I were on Neptune,

it takes Earth years

just to complete one orbit around the Sun.

That's because Neptune is so incredibly far away.

That means that even the oldest person on Earth

is not even one Neptune year old.

The Earth is traveling around the Sun

incredibly fast in its orbit.

It's going , miles an hour.

And at that incredible speed,

it takes the Earth months, or about days,

to go around the Sun one time.

And one day, if you go to live on Mars,

its orbit is almost twice as long as Earth's.

So you would only have half as many birthdays on Mars.

So the next time you need a reason to have a party,

just tell everybody you're celebrating

your Mercury birthday,

and you need to have a party every three months.

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

- Jet Propulsion! - Jet Propulsion!

- Jet Propulsion!

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!